An A-Ranked Adventurer's 'Slow-living'

Chapter 75: Nostalgia as The Two Walk Down the Road

「Hey, I want to go to the field of flowers that you said was beautiful, Aldo!」

Kurune said after she came to our home from Aisha’s place the next morning after she arrived in Nordende.

「……So suddenly again」

I muttered as I looked at Kurune while I was sitting down relaxing, sipping on my tea after a meal.

Flora had suddenly gone to prepare a new cup of tea for Kurune.

Then after Kurune was served a fresh cup of black tea, she thanked Flora and sat down.

「It was beautiful enough to charm you even though you had no interest in anything other than the sword, right? I want to see just how beautiful it is!」

Well, I did sometimes talk about how beautiful the field of flowers is here even when I was back in the royal capital. Kurune has every reason to be curious about it.

「We can show you where it is, but we have things we have to do too so I wish you would have told us ahead of time」

「I’m sorry about that. I was having too much fun yesterday so I forgot to bring it up」

Kurune looked down like she was a bit dejected.

Responding like that is a bit sly.

「Well, whatever. I guess it’s fine since I don’t have to go hunting today」

「Yeahh, I know because Aisha told me the same thing!」

Kurune raised her face and answered in excitement after my reply.

…What is it, I wonder? I can’t describe this feeling I have when I heard that Aisha told her that I didn’t have anything special to do today.

As my expression became bitter, Flora clapped her hands together and spoke in a cheerful tone,

「Alright then, I’ll make some lunch for the two of you」

「The two of us? Huh? You’re not going to come with us?」

「Sorry, I can’t. I have to go back home because I made plans with other people」

I tilted my head after I heard what she said.

Flora didn’t say anything about that last night or this morning though. If something came up, she would have usually told me right away since she’s an organized person.

「Is that so? Then, should we go just go next time?」

When I made that suggestion, Flora shook her head in a hurry.

「No, please go ahead. I’m sure you both have lots of catching up to do since you haven’t seen each other in so long」

「…Okay. Let’s take her up on her kind offer and just go with us two then, Aldo」

「H-huh?」

I’m just going to go alone with Kurune? How do I explain it…It feels a bit wrong to go out with Kurune to a field of flowers without Flora who is my wife.

When Kurune saw me at a loss of what to do, she approached me and whispered into my ear,

「You’re stupid, aren’t you? Take a hint. Flora-san is being considerate. You should just earnestly accept her good will」

「I-is that so? I understand」

I nodded while I was surprised by Kurune who was strangely enthusiastic about it.

「Okay then, I’ll give you a simple tour of the village, Kurune」

「Yeah, please show Kurune-san the good things about Nordende」

Flora said with a relieved smile as she moved to the kitchen.

It seems that she’s already going to start preparing our lunches.

Ahh, while it does make me happy that Flora is being considerate about me wanting to do some catching up with Kurune, I have mixed feelings about her being okay with me going out with other girls so easily.

With that slightly uncomfortable feeling in my heart, I also started to get ready.

I went to the kitchen where the water jug is to fill up some water canteens.

While I was filling them up with water, Flora came over to me.

「Aldo-san, you can’t gawk at her or hold hands with her just because she’s beautiful, okay?」

After Flora told me at a distance where I could feel her breath touching my ear, a chill ran down my spine.

That was definitely because her breath was blowing into my ear. I don’t think it was because I was scared by her slightly serious tone by any means.

「O-of course」

「I trust you, okay?」

Flora smiled brightly at my response.

Then, she kissed me on my cheek.

After I became stunned by her actions, she smiled innocently as if she had just played a prank on me and walked away. However, when I looked at her ears from behind, I saw that they were suddenly dyed in a crimson red.

She looked a little embarrassed.

It turns out that Flora believes in me and that was her sending me out.

I became happy with her thoughts and I continued to get ready as I held onto that nice feeling.

Even I think that’s simple of me, but her trust and her slight jealousy made me very happy.

◆

After Flora finished making our lunches and I finished getting ready, Kurune and I set out for the field of flowers.

「Alright, I’ll be back」

「Thank you for the lunch! See you later」

「Mmhm! Be careful you two!」

We waved at Flora as we walked away from the house.

I knew it, when I see Flora see me off like this, it makes me really feel like this home is where I belong. It’s such a nice feeling to have somebody waiting for me to come home.

I thought as I looked at the smile on her face.

「It’s a nice day today, isn’t it? It’s perfect for a stroll」

Kurune said in an exhilarated voice as she looked at the scenery around us while walking next to me.

Her brown colored ponytail behind her head was also swaying vigorously as a reflection of her mood.

She seems to be in such a good mood that she’s even humming a tune.

It’s probably because she is happy about being able to go somewhere with a party member who she hasn’t seen in so long.

「It’s been so long since we walked around with the two of us like this. It reminds me of when we were adventurers」

Kurune said quietly as if she was feeling sentimental when I was thinking about such things.

「You’re right, but when you put it like that, don’t you think you kind of sound like an old fart?」

「Hey, that’s not what you’re supposed to say to a young lady, right?」

Kurune tapped me on the shoulder like she wasn’t happy with what I said.

But even such an exchange between us was nostalgic, and it put a smile on both of our faces.

Until recently, the frivolous Kiel and the serious Elliot would also be next to us.

I can understand why she suddenly got sentimental. The days when the four of us went on adventures together were so fun that I can still remember those days vividly even now.

However, the life I’m living now was filled with even more joy and happiness than that.

That’s why even though it’s nostalgic, I don’t think of wanting to go back to those days.

I wonder what Kurune thinks about it since she was the one who was most sad when our party disbanded.

Such thoughts crossed my mind as I took peeks at her face from the side.

「…But still, Flora is really a kind person. Even though we are old adventurer companions, I wouldn’t let my man go out alone with another woman」

「Ahaha, but she was jealous yesterday, and she gave me a reminder of what not to do just earlier in the kitchen though」

「Ehh? Really? That’s a bit surprising. Flora is so kind and tolerant that I didn’t think she would do that」

I think Flora has been somewhat acting more spoiled since Kurune came.

Even though we didn’t do bedroom things yesterday, she was hugging me in the bath and in our bedroom. She was probably conscious of Kurune.

She kissed me on the cheek in the kitchen just now when Kurune was in the house as well.

I’m so happy that I got to see her love, her trust, and her desire to monopolize me.

「Yeahh, Flora is actually a big baby who likes to be fawned over, you know?」

「Hehh~? How so?」

「Let’s see. The easiest example to give would be she loves to cuddle while getting her head stroked? She would tell me at times that I have to do it when we hug」

「Hehhh~, I see! …But…I can kind of understand how she feels」

「Mm? What’d you say?」

I didn’t really hear what she said in the second part since she turned quiet.

When I asked her, Kurune shook her hands to tell me nevermind.

「No, nothing! More importantly, how’d she give you a reminder? I can’t imagine what she would say since she’s such a nice person」

「Uhh, she told me I can’t gawk at you or hold hands with you even though you’re pretty」

「Ah, for some reason, that does sound like her!」

Certainly. It was a modest way of wording things and it sounds just like what Flora would say.

「Well, you’re pretty and you have a nice personality as well. It’s only natural that Flora would worry」

「……Eh?」

In fact, Kurune was really popular even in the royal capital.

Unlike me, she is really sociable, honest, and also easygoing. On top of all that, she is an excellent wizard, so many nobles have asked for her hand in marriage.

「However, maybe it’s because we have been going on adventures together for so long, I see you as more of a friend and a companion than someone of the opposite gender so there won’t be any problems」

「…T-that may be the case, but that makes me unhappy for some reason! It’s an honor to be able to walk beside a beautiful woman like me, you know? Be a little glad」

「Yes yes, that’s why I’m courteously being your escort today」

I respectfully responded to her like how a nobleman would when she spoke in dissatisfaction with a strangely red face.

Then, the carefree Kurune extended her hand to me gracefully like a noble lady.

「Would you kindly escort me by hand?」

「You dumbass. Flora will get mad at me」

「*Chii*, that’s what I was aiming for」

We continued to walk as we had those silly exchanges.

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