The meeting place was decided and they will all meet at the gate were the carriage will be waiting for them together with Emilia and her soldiers.

After everything has concluded, Shin and the girls returned to the inn to prepare for immediate departure for their quest.

They cannot wait for another day because it might be too late for them to do anything. The news has just arrived but who knew how many days the attack started. Since the injured man lost consciousness after he said those things, they cannot ask for more information and they have to wait for him to wake up.

Emilia arbitrarily decided to depart now so before she would meet with Shin and the others, she has to visit the palace to inform the king.

This also gave Shin and the girls plenty time to prepare.

Yuffa went to the market with Tanya to buy their travel necessities while Shin and Clarisse remained.

While waiting for them, Shin sits on the opposite side of the table from Clarisse who has been silent ever since they arrived.

He already knows what’s going on in her mind.

He wanted to say something but decided not to.

Shin never experienced comforting a girl before so he finds this situation rather hard.

What he said earlier was just on impulse when he saw how visibly shaken Clarisse was, but nonetheless he means it.

But what if the situation turned for the worst? Then Shin will find it hard to face Clarisse after he said those words.

‘There is no greater grief than for a loss that is yet to come’. Shin remembered those quote he read in the past.

So, before that happens, he must do something about it with haste.

While Shin is thinking about those things in his mind, Clarisse started to sob.

*sobs* *sobs*

Though her voice was small and barely inaudible, Shin heard it clearly.

He dragged his chair close to Clarisse and gently pats her back without saying a word.

Clarisse sobbing voice continued.

Slowly, she leaned her head to Shin’s shoulders.

Shin wanted to look at her expression but her face was covered by her hair so he just wordlessly comforts Clarisse and waited for her to calm down.

They both didn’t say a word for a while. Not until Clarisse spoke first with a slight shivering voice.

“I… I ran away from home..”

Shin responded with a nod and didn’t say a word indicating that he wanted for her to continue.

It seems that she’s worried about her family with deeper reasons.

Clarisse wasn’t just worried about her family; Shin rather felt a deep sense of regret coming from her.

He doesn’t know everything about Clarisse but her gentle yet outgoing personality made Shin liked her from the start. Her cheery attitude makes her approachable for everyone; even Tanya liked her ever since they met. And maybe because she was younger than Shin that it was easy to get along with her.

It might be coincidence or fate that allows them to meet but Shin was glad either way.

“Hey, Shin…” Clarisse continued with a low voice. “… What do you think of a person who would do anything for the things they wanted to do, even hurting the ones they love in the process?”

Is she talking about herself?

Anyhow, Shin searches for the proper words in this situation in his mind.

“An idiot, I guess?”

Or not. Clarisse had a down casted expression hearing Shin’s answer.

“I-idiot is it?”

But contrary to his answer, Shin was smiling at Clarisse and looked at her like he was teasing.

Shin poked her cheeks causing Clarisse to look at him. When she saw his expression, she pouted a little.

Clarisse thought that Shin wasn’t taking her seriously. But his next words dispelled that thought.

“Those kinds of people are idiots but that doesn’t mean they are necessary wrong. Sometimes what made them idiots is that they tend to make reckless decision based on what they feel. Yet at the same time, what made them right is that when they know that they are right, they follow through it no matter what.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“It depends”

“It depends on what?”

“Do you feel that you did the right thing?”

“N-no.. i-I wasn’t talking about---“

Clarisse was trying to hide it, that’s why she was asking Shin in a third-person perspective. But it was futile because this was very obvious right from the very start.

Shin’s eyes never left Clarisse. He’s looking at her seriously like saying ‘I’ll be mad if you won’t tell me’.

Maybe that subtle expression got into her so she shyly bows her head as if apologizing. After that, she grasped her chest trying to motivate herself and spoke.

“S-sorry.. um.. that’s.. I’m not sure if I did the right thing”

“What do you mean?”

“There was this situation that I was compelled to decide to leave my house..”

Shin nodded and urges her to continue.

“My parents wanted me to get married but I just can’t”

Shin widened his eyes for a moment after he heard that.

He already knows this fact that, in this world, 15 is the legal age allowed to marry. For him this was too early. Fifteen is just far too immature for something so grownup.

If this was japan, her age should still on a stage where she gossips or talks about their crushes or something. Not marrying and raise a child.

“Ohh that thing, huh? Why, you didn’t like the guy whom you suppose to marry?”

“It’s not that. He was my childhood friend, you know? But I feel like we’re too young for that. I have many things that I wanted to do, places I wanted to go. And to be tied down so early is very sad for me. So,”

“That’s why you left, right?”

“Yes. I didn’t regret what I did. Not until now.. If.. If I was there, maybe I could do something about their situation. Hey, Shin.. am I a bad daughter?”

“No, you are not.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am. What you did was wrong from your parents’ perspective like they always do but sometimes they are wrong as well. Parents have certain rights on us but not to that extent. In that matter, all they can do is judge whether the person you’re marrying is worthy of you, not push it on you.”

“Does that mean I did nothing wrong?”

“Yes, so don’t worry about it too much, okay?”

“Okay..”

Clarisse nodded with a gentle smile in her face.

“In addition, even if you did accept their decision, the situation in your village won’t change the slightest. It’ll eventually come either way whether you accepted or not. It will put you in danger though”

“At least I’m there to do something about it”

“True. Things happen from time to time, good or bad, we can only wait and do something about it”

“That’s right. Hehe”

“Oh? You’re feeling better now?”

“Yes. Thank you Shin for listening to me. Who knew that you were this knowledgeable about this kind of thing?”

“Isn’t that kind of mean thing to say?”

“Not at all. I was complimenting you.”

After that exchange, they both laugh still sitting right beside each other.

Shin was relieved that she recovered faster than he was expecting her to be.

He guessed that she was mature enough to accept things more openly and not brood over it too long.

Good thing she was positive person or Shin might have needed more time just to comfort her.

“Are you okay now?”

“Yes. Worrying doesn’t do anything good. Though I just hope my parents are okay”

“We will know eventually. That’s why we are leaving right after Yuffa and Tanya-chan is back from their groceries. In the meantime, we should prepare too”

“That’s right. Hya--!”

When they both stood up, Clarisse tripped over something and began to fall. But before she did, Shin was quick to respond and catches her with both his hands.

Clarisse is currently wrapped in Shin’s arm and her hands are placed on his chest. It’s as if feeling his warmth and heartbeat.

To other peoples’ perspective, it’s as if the two are hugging passionately.

“Are you okay?”

Shin asked worriedly while still hugging her but Clarisse didn’t answer.

Clarisse chose to hide her face because she knew what color her face was making. Her embarrassment rendered her unable to move away from her current position.

Of course, not until an innocent voice changed her embarrassment to instant panic.

“Hah!~ Shin-oniichan and Clarisse-oneechan lovey-dovey~ Nee nee~ Onee-chan, look! Shin-oniichan and Clarisse-oneechan is hugging”

Clarisse immediately move away from Shin exaggeratingly.

“N-n-n-no. w-wai---“

Apparently back from their groceries, Yuffa and Tanya are standing at the door looking at them.

Tanya was squealing right after she saw Shin and Clarisse. She’s now tugging Yuffa’s skirt happily wanting her to look at them.

On the other hand, Yuffa was motionless. No matter how hard Tanya tried to pull her, she didn’t move an inch.

Yuffa was trying to analyze the situation. In her mind, a chaotic battle has started.

‘What is happening?’ ‘Why is Shin-sama hugging Clarisse-chan?’ ‘Why is Clarisse hugging Shin-sama?’ ‘What is happening?’

For now, Yuffa took a deep breath.

She decided to stay calm. There must be reason why this happened so she calm herself down.

“H-hmm~ you two get along well huh? Isn’t that a good t-thing”

Her face betrayed her words.

Yuffa was indeed smiling but the corners of her mouth were twitching, it looked like she swallowed something bitter.

When Clarisse saw that, she immediately broke into cold sweat.

“Y-yuffa-san. I-it’s not what it looks like! I was not h-hugging Shin or s-something! It-it’s just that.. that.. I … uuuu “

Clarisse tried to explain the best she could but her mind didn’t function properly due to the panic.

She tried to search for words yet her stuttering voice didn’t allow her to.

Without having a single clue as to why Clarisse was in a panic, one man as dense as ever spoke like nothing happened in his surroundings.

“Oh Yuffa-san, Tanya-chan. Welcome back”

“We’re back Shin-oniichan~ ehehe”

Tanya ran towards Shin who is now sitting and hugs him.

Shin received the running Tanya and pats her head.

Tanya is happily hugging Shin while humming an unfamiliar song.

All the while, Yuffa is still on the entrance and looks at Shin like she wanted to say something.

Shin noticed her look and asked.

“What is it Yuffa-san?”

“U-um.. W-what was the meaning of that.. just now?”

“hmm? What do you mean?”

“Y-you know.. That.. About you and Clarisse hugging..?”

“Oh that? She just tripped and I managed to catch her. Why?”

“N-no. I-it’s nothing.”

“Is that so? More importantly, are you all done? We’ll leave as soon as possible.”

Yuffa’s hesitant question was answered by Shin honestly and immediately dismissed it like it was just something so trivial.

Yuffa alternately looked at Shin and Clarisse to confirm something. Upon looking at Clarisse, she was nodding vehemently. Whereas Shin started packing things at the same time chatting at Tanya.

Yuffa was now convinced that nothing really happened.

Lastly, she took another look at Shin and heaved a sigh. Under her breath she said ‘what was I thinking?’.

After that, the four finished their preparation and leaves the inn promptly.

Upon arriving at the city’s entrance, several military carriages were waiting for them. And on that group, Emilia was waving at them.