“We're here!”

After Liliana dashed and pulled me along for almost five minutes, we finally came to a stop.

We are currently in front of a two storey house.

Its design is like the other houses here in Aldebaran, it was built of course with white bricks and red roofing. Located in the northern part of the city, two blocks away from the north gate.

When Lily let go my left hand I scratch the back of my head with it and reply to her.

“Oh. Is that so?”

“Yes! Let's go inside!”

She lead the way to towards the door of the house, then she opened the door by twisting the doorknob and slowly push it.

When I'm the one in the doorway, a sweet smell of something boiled with milk and butter caught my nose. I closed the door at my back.

“Mom! I'm back!”

The woman that is facing the stove look at the direction of the door, then she wipe her hand in the apron and take a glance at me who's behind Lily.

“Welcome back...Oh. Ryuji?”

“Good to see you Ma'am”

“Me too. Welcome to our house!” Lily's mom said while smiling at me before rushing around the kitchen once again.

[She really resembles Lily in so many ways]. Or maybe it is Lily that resembles her.

“Uhm. Hello...”

I twitch a little out of surprise when I heard someone speak from beside me.

I face at the direction of the sound and there appeared a little girl holding a fringe of her shoulder length blue hair, her pale green eyes were both focused on me. For a second I almost thought that she was a very beautiful human little girl, but the thing that explained it to me was her long pointed ears. She was dressed in a clothes that was almost the same as Lily's.

[Oh I remembered she was one of the girls that we saved from the canyon]

“Oh the elf sorcerer you're here too.”

Liliana doesn't tell me about her yet. But I think I know why she was staying here at Lily's house. It was because the elven city was too far from here so it is really a pain if she go home, and one thing was because Lily is her friend.

“Yes. I've been staying here for the past two days...My name is Chiyo, Chiyo Nil Alfein. Thanks for saving me back then...”

“No problem, besides it is your friend that helped me. My name is Ryuji, but you can call me anything you want.”

“...Ryuji. I see...My deepest gratitude to both of you, I swear I'll repay you both sometime.” she bowed while facing both of us.

I replied to her with a gentle nod while Lily on the other side, rush to the elf and quickly embrace her while patting her head.

“Aww. You're so cute Chiyooo.”

“...I'm not a child Lily...”

“I know. But I can't resist it! You're so adorable.”

Lily began rubbing her cheeks againts the face of the little elf.

I was just standing there watching the two girls with a weak smile on my face.

Lily's mom look at the two girls and released a sigh.

“Hey. You two enough of that. Help me prepare lunch.”

““Okay!””

They both said in unison. I tried to follow them and help to prepare but Lily didn't let me to.

Afterwards, when they've finished preparing the table I sat beside Lily. Her mom in my front and beside was the elf girl. I let them eat first before I picked up the spoon and tasted the soup. But there was two kinds of soup lying in the table and I decided to taste the one near me first.

I'm not sure why but all of them are gazing at me that seems to be waiting for my reaction. But in the end I just put the spoon down and look at them and blink my eyes twice.

Lily's mom opened her mouth and said with a curious face.

“How is it?”

“Eh? Oh. good! I mean it is delicious.” I smiled while casting those words.

She gave me a soft grin. “Hmm. Liliana is the one who cooked that.”

“Oh Come on mom! I told you not to say that!.”

“Lily is blushing.” the elf girl said while smiling.

I just watch the three girls before me from where I was seated, staying silent while maintaining the smile on my face.

And after the lunch pass by, I help Lily to clean the dishes while her mom and Chiyo went to the city to pick up some items. It didn't take too long after the table and the kitchen was cleaned. Lily said that I can wander in their house for a bit while she takes care of the remaining household duties.

So I go upstairs and entered the room where Lily's stuffs was lying.[This might be her room. Now I need to leave the pouch of gold coins from before somewhere here.]

But I can't Ignore such messy room. So [Before I find where can I put the pouch. I need to clean this up...]

I start to rearrange her stuffs that is lying on the floor. From her bow, quiver and other adventure stuffs I put the in their designated places with ease. After everything's organized decided to leave one of the gold pouches in her table.

I go downstairs afterwards and see Liliana in the kitchen, preparing tea.

“Oh, I was about to bring these tea upstairs.”

“I cleaned your room...Sorry if I touch your stuffs without permission.”

“You cleaned it? Oh my. I'm really sorry! I know that is not a girl-ish room like everyone expect to me... And above all you've seen it. I should've cleaned it myself. ” Lily look down in embarrassment.

“No. its fine.” I sit in the bench that is facing the huge window. The city can be easily seen there. Not too long since I seated a yawn came out of my mouth.

“Hey... You've just woken up after a couple of days! That's unfair!” of course Liliana seen the unnecessary yawn from me.

She walks towards the bench and placed the two clay mug in the table with the smokes hot of tea rising from its mouth. Then she sit exactly beside me in the same bench.

“I'm sorry, but somehow dozing has became my habit.”

[Even back on earth, I nap almost every time...]

“Wow. You're really something.”

“Can I take that as a compliment?”

She smiled gently while looking at me and then she tapped her lap with both of her hands. That actions clearly tells me that she was inviting me for a lap pillow.—or maybe just my imagination so I ask her.

“You sure?”

“Yep. I want to touch your hair too”

[I was right. It was a lap pillow,]

I slowly bend my body across the bench until my head finally meet her laps. Lily began touching my red hair.

“I didn't have the chance before...You look beautiful in that dress...”

I rolled my head slightly so that she can't see my red cheeks. Lily continued to rub her hand against my head while she replied with a pleased tone.

“Fall for me?”

“...” I choose not to reply to her question and remain silent.

Few minutes passed, the cold air breeze entered the house through the window and directly hit my face. While my gaze at the window I slowly tried to opened my mouth and let the words out.

“...Lily?...”

“Hm?”

“Can I ask a question?”

“Sure!”

“The first time we met, you mentioned that you have a brother, where is he?.You don't have to answer if its not okay.”

Lily continued to gently rub my hair.

“It's alright! I'll tell you a story...— she cleared her throat once before saying a word again—“Once there was this boy who really admires the summoned heroes.

It was because of their intellect, absolute skills in leadership, as well as their power to drive the forces of evil that lead the boy to get hooked to them so easily.

One day, when he was at the age, he abandoned his own family over his desire to witness the return of the hero to our land. Leaving his mother, father and seven years old little sister behind, casting them away as if forgetting them. Because he is the only one who is sustaining that family's income, that family later suffers.

Then, the aftermath of his disappearance, his supposedly retired father began to work again just to help his wife and daughter, slowly it made his little sister form a great hatred towards him and his despicable hero...”

“...So you hate summoned heroes...” I silently said with my usual low-pitched voice. At very least it was silent enough for Lily to hear.

“Indeed”

Her quick reply somehow gave me a sensation of loneliness and pity. It was something other than Kasumi that impaled my heart. Moments pass by and when I made out my mind words escape my mouth bit by bit.

“...If...if I am...a summoned hero...will you hate me?...”

“What?...”

“...I know you heard me...”

“No...of course not! I can never hate you! But...you're not one, right?”

I rolled my face in her lap to see her face. Then I smiled and say “Do I look like one?”

“Yes. To be honest I thought at first time we met in the stall”

“I see...”

I rolled back and faced the huge window, the silence once again dominates.

“Jeez! Don't pressure me like that!—Liliana violently shakes her hand in my hair.“Okay my turn!”

“...Go...”

“Do you have any relatives here in Aldebaran? Or somewhere in the continent?”

“...”

“Oh sorry. It is not necessary to answer that...

“...I've got the feeling that I shouldn't have ask”

“Its okay...really...

“I'm the only one left in my family...”

“Only one...”

“Yes.”

Lily kept silent after that. After a couple of minutes or so, Lily checked on me.“Hey?”

~~~

Liliana bend her body to look at the face of the red haired boy, in her sight she see that the boy was already sleeping peacefully.

A weak smile formed on her face as she mutter words to herself.

“He always looks cute whenever he's asleep... Hmm,He forgot to drink his tea...”

~~~

Meanwhile, as the Imperial Army and the selected adventurers departs the Aldebaran city for war.

A battalion of monsters slowly approach the now-defenseless frontier on the opposite side to where the Army was.