I was able to stand up, but by that point, I was already too hungry.

The excitement only lasted for a moment, and I found myself about to collapse.

He was there for me. He gently supported me.

“You can’t walk?”

“N, no…”

“I see. Then, it can’t be helped.”

“Eh?”

Suddenly, I felt myself being lifted.

Surprised, I began to flail my arms.

“Oops. Aren’t you surprisingly energetic?”

“H, huh!?”

His face was above me.

I noticed that I was being held by him.

He had swiftly reached out to my shoulders and knees, and lifted up.

“Alright, let’s go!”

“W, wait!”

“Hmm?”

“I, it’s embarrassing… put me down.”

“But, you can’t walk.”

“A, at the very least, a piggyback…”

I was being bridal-carried.

I had read about such a thing in books growing up.

Back then, I used to admire it. However, experiencing it was another story. It was truly embarrassing.

After I said that, he looked a little dejected for a moment, but he still put me down soon after.

He squatted in front of me, offering his back, and said.

“Here.”

“Alright.”

I placed my arms on his shoulders, and held my hands in front of his neck.

As my chest overlapped with his back, I could feel him lifting me up.

It was less embarrassing than a bridal-carry.

His back, to which I leaned my body, was wide.

Somehow, I felt at ease.

The back of a man sure was stiff… and also, wide…

“Are you alright with this?”

“Eh? Yes, I’m fine.”

“Ok, then—”

He gradually looked up at the sky.

“—the rain has stopped.”

Before I knew it, the rain had stopped. The beautiful starry sky peeked through the gaps within the clouds.

After the sound of the rain had disappearing, the buzzing sounds of the city came to life.

Voices bargaining, merry noises…

…there was also the sound of footsteps paving their way through the damp road.

The footsteps were both rhythmic and happy. Probably because they belonged to a flirty couple.

“Let’s go through the back alley. You don’t want to go down the main street looking like this, right?”

I nodded.

It seemed he was being considerate of me being soaked.

“…You’re really kind.”

“Hmm? Did you say something?”

“N, nothing…”

“Is that so? Oh, right, I forgot to tell you—my name is Grave.”

Before he started walking, he introduced himself.

I already knew his name. The men said it earlier.

In fact, I was the one who hadn’t introduced myself.

“Liliana.”

“Nice to meet you, Liliana.”

“Yes.”

After we learned each other’s name, he finally started walking.

He avoided the busy boulevards and proceeded through the dim alleys.

I had just been assaulted. As such, I should had been scared of the dingy and narrow path—despite that, I wasn’t.

From atop of his wide back, my body shook with each step he took.

The shaking made me feel relieved for some reason.

Guu…~

“Just now, what was that sound, I wonder?”

“Uuh…”

How embarrassing.

I let my guard down, and the hunger I had been enduring rushed in.

My stomach started rumbling all at once.

It was only natural. I hadn’t eaten for three days. However, I was currently leaning on his back. I hoped he’d stop commenting about it.

“Are you hungry?”

“S, so what?”

“Nothing. Then, let’s have dinner once we get there. You are quite hungry—no, before anything, you have to change your clothes.”

I then noticed that the buildings had changed.

The atmosphere of the shopping district was different. It was quiet, although crowded.

A particularly strong man was wearing an armor.

Only then did I remember; this was the city of adventurers.

Finally, we arrived at a house.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Eh… this place is?”

“This is the home of the ‘Sword of Blue Sky.’”

I was surprised—the building was much larger than I expected.

There was a sign with the name ‘Sword of Blue Sky’ on it.

It was a wooden house with character. It seemed to be a four-story building.

There were lights in some places. Lively voices could faintly be heard from inside.

Grave opened the door, and entered.

A woman turned around. Her voice was akin to a bell.

“Welcome~!”

“I’m home, Anna.”

“Oh, if it isn’t Grave~ my, aren’t you quite late?”

“Various things happened. More importantly, can you please prepare some clothes for her?”

The woman Grave spoke to was dressed like a servant.

She had welcomed us—was she running a shop of some kind?

I glanced to her side and saw various people enjoying a meal. A lot of chairs and tables were lined up.

My gaze returned to her.

Then—

“—Y, you’re lying…”

“Anna?”

The woman named Anna looked so surprised. Even I was baffled.

Suddenly, she shouted in a loud voice.

“E, everyone, something has happened! Grave brought back a girl!”

“Wha, oi!”

The men whom were eating turned around all at once.

“What did you say!?”

“A woman?! That Grave!?”

“It can’t be! Boss! There’s trouble! Boss! Grave brought back a woman!”

There was a rattling sound.

It came from the stairs. Soon, a huge man came down.

“A woman?! Grave, for real!?”

“There’s no doubt, Boss! Look! They’re both drenched!”

“Drenched…!? You, before I knew it, you’ve grown up… Okay, you guys! We’re having a feast!”

“No! Listen to the story!”

A commotion had started.

Everyone was caught up in something and I felt left alone.

---

***T/N: Sobs… what is this beautiful shit, it’s been a while since I read a heroine that shows the actual impact of the tragedy that has just befallen her… she becomes distrustful of ppl because of that Hero Alien Mcfukboi!

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