We were greeted by many beastmen. However, there are only wolf beastmen in this village, or they all seem to have wolf ears and tails.
The beastmen are looking at me. It is a little scary to be looked at like that. I've never been the center of attention in my life, and to be honest, I'm not used to it.
I think to myself, "......, what should I do?"
I wondered if it was right to go down and greet them, and how I should act in front of the beasts. I honestly didn't know. On top of the seafoam I was in trouble.
As I was doing so, Reimer and the others lowered the basket carrying Athos and the others. When they lowered the basket, there was quite a loud noise, probably because there were two people in it.
"Gurururuuu!
"Guruguruguruu!"
After Lilja and Kamiha had unloaded the basket, they came up to me, squealing like that. Even an adult griffon has this kind of cute thing about this turn.
Thank you.
I mouthed my thanks and patted Lilja and Kamiha's heads several times while they were on top of the seafoam. They purred pleasantly.
I thanked everyone and got off the seafo.
The gathered beastmen looked at me with a somewhat surprised look on their faces.
I turned to them and said, "I am Lelunda.
"I, Lelunda."
First, I introduce myself.
Athos and the others may have already told them my name, but I thought it was time for me to say my name, so I did.
I bowed and lowered my head.
I bowed my head in greeting. The griffons and Cifo also bowed, imitating me.
The beastmen began to panic.
I can't believe I'm bowing to Master Griffon.
No need to bow!
I could hear their voices, and I understood that they were upset that the gryphons had bowed to them.
Mr. Athos came down from the basket to settle the situation. I heard that Mr. Athos is the head of this village. I was a little surprised because I didn't know that.
Then, Mr. Athos and Gaius showed us around the village.
This village was built by clearing a forest. That is one of the reasons why there is a vast forest outside the village. They told me that it is very difficult because sometimes demons come out of the forest.
With such words, he said
I wonder if Mr. Gryphon and the others could do something about those demons.
I was not concerned about that.
I didn't mind that. I thought I should be willing to do such a thing since I was going to be indebted to them.
There are some people who have mixed feelings about having Lelunda, Mr. Griffon, and the Skyhorse come here. I ask you to keep them at bay.
I will do it because I will be ...... indebted to you."
When I said that, Mr. Athos looked relieved.
I realized for the first time that my selfishness in wanting to come here may have caused Athos a lot of trouble. I had said it without thinking it through.
I was sorry for asking him to come to .......
You mean you wanted to come here?
I apologized and he said that.
I just wanted to go to the village, so I said that I wanted to go.
But Athos accepted my offer after much thought and consideration.
Adults think about all kinds of difficult things, it seems.
I just want to make sure I don't do anything bad to Lelunda," he said. We don't want to make enemies of the Griffon and the Skyhorse, and Gaius likes you too. Besides, Gaius likes you, too..."
"......, that's because there's no one like him. ......"
It seems that because everyone is here, I'm not as bad as I could be. The first thing you need to do is to find the right place. I can't honestly imagine what would have happened if it had been the other way around, but it might have been more difficult than it is now.
I wouldn't have died, but I wouldn't have been able to live as peacefully as I do now because I would have been prevented from being violated by someone or finding food outside.
My, story ...... glad."
As I listened to Athos and Gaius talk, I was somewhat glad to think that Gaius was talking about me.
I was so happy to hear Athos and Gaius talk about me, and to think that Gaius had told him about me.
I don't have a friend. I know what the word means, and my sister was surrounded by many people. The relationship between my sister and the children in the village did not seem like the kind of friendship I had heard about, but I think the children around my sister were friends with each other.
I asked her without thinking because I thought I would get my first friend.
'...... aren't we friends already?'
Really?"
'Well, at least I thought we were allowed to say we were friends.
'...... I see. I'm glad.
What?
My first friend.
Yeah. Gaius already thinks of me as a friend. I was somewhat happy to think so.
For the first time, a friend.
I felt happy in my heart.
Athos and Gaius looked surprised at my words. Why were they surprised?
'...... Lelunda also said, come to think of it, that she was dumped.'
Mm-hmm.
And he didn't have any friends?
No.
I was a sort of a bonus for my sister. She thought of me as a servant or something. I don't know what she thought of me, because I never talked to her much.
My mother and father were ancestors, and they adored and considered my sister sacred because of her resemblance to the figure in the records of my ancestors, which barely existed in the house. He didn't want me to get any closer than necessary. The people in the village also thought she was special, and my parents, who had given birth to her, hated me, so they followed their lead.
Once again, I realized that when I was in the village, I was mostly alone.
Except for my grandfather, who taught me many things when he was alive. When he was around, he would talk to me.
He used to talk to me when he was around, "Lerunda, you'll make a lot of friends here.
"Will you be my ......?"
I'll help you.
I wondered if Gaius would make friends here. Then Gaius laughed and said he would help me. He said he would help me. I was happy.
Athos also patted me on the head.
It was the first time I had ever had my head stroked.
I've never had my head stroked by someone before.
I looked up at Mr. Athos, murmuring to myself.
I want you to stroke my head more.
I told Athos, who looked surprised at how good it felt to be stroked, and Gaius stroked me along with him.
Then he took me to a simple house that had been prepared for me and the others to live in for a while.
---- girl and the beastman's village 1
(Maybe a godchild girl arrives in a beastman village, makes friends, and gets her head patted for the first time.)