abcnovels
Chapter 50: Hometown
Chapter 50: Hometown
Chapter 50: Hometown
The Village Head’s POV
"Sector, what are you doing?"
"Village head Najim, I just realized... my son and I have caused Ceres so much trouble that he even gave me a young wife and paid my taxes."
"That's true, but... what does that have to do with this big stone?"
"Well, even though I'm like this... I'm a villager of this Village... the great man of the Village is not the Hero (Yuusha)... but the man who contributes to the Village, right?"
"Exactly as you say..."
"Then Ceres who took care of Village head, Counselor and even my wife... who sends money to the Village and donates whenever he comes... is the greatest... That's why I'm going to build a stone statue for Ceres here..."
"I see... It's been a long time since you've held a chisel except for gravestones."
"Well... it's the only thing I can do outside of working in the fields."
"Okay... If you make a statue for Ceres, I'm not against it... but you must obtain permission from me, the Village Head."
"Ah, I'm sorry."
"It's all right. I don't mind you trying to make up for it."
Still, things change... when Sector is not working in the fields, he's chipping away at this rock... the big statue of Ceres... But who knows how long it will take him to finish it? He seems to feel indebted to Ceres.
Really, it made me think he wasn't a complete scum...
* * *
"Shuuto, I hear you've been cooped up again, doing nothing but writing?"
"Village Head... I decided to research and write about what Ceres-kun has done for this Village... As you know... It's amazing... That road, that bridge, everything was built with Ceres-kun's donation..."
"But then... what are you going to do with that kind of information?"
"I was going to discuss this with Village Head. After all, when Zect and the others defeat the Demon King and will be left in history, Ceres-kun will be left with nothing. So I thought it would be good to leave Ceres-kun's achievements in the history of the Village... and also, forgive me, I'd like to name that biggest bridge 'Ceres Bridge' and that main street 'Ceres Street'... What do you think, Village Head?"
"Ah, that's true, Ceres has taken care of me a lot better than Zect... I'll have to discuss it with my counselor, but I'm sure no one will complain."
"Thank you very much."
After all, Ceres is well-liked by everyone in the Village.
* * *
"Kazuma, are you leaving after all?"
"Thank you for your help until now, Village Head... but since I can't go back to this restaurant... can you please leave it as Ceres's?"
"Why don't you just leave it as yours?"
"No, I probably won't come back after I go to the capital, but he likes this Village so much that even if he lives somewhere else, he might come back someday... So, if he has this place, he won't have to worry about where to live."
"Yes, but you might make a mistake too... so I will take the restaurant, and it will be yours and Ceres' when one of you comes back... is that clear?"
"That's fine."
It is sad that Kazuma is leaving the Village... and that there are fewer and fewer villagers.
* * *
"Kaito, what is it?"
"Y'Know, my wife is an ex-mercenary, and I was hoping to talk to you, the Village Head, about bringing the Adventurers' Guild here."
"But this village has never had a problem until now, has it?"
"Yeah, but I think Ceres prefers being an adventurer to farming, so having a guild here will help him when he returns."
"That's true."
"Oh, I hate to say it, but when I'm old, and Ceres' wife is old, Ceres will be my age, and I'll be gone, and his wife will be gone... And by then, he'll come back to this Village... So, I want to make it a good place for him to live."
"Well, Ceres loves the Village. He still sends money and rare things to the Village... Surely, he will come back here... And I'm sorry to say, but unlike Ceres, the other kids don't do anything to the Village. So, Ceres... he is more important to the Village than the kids who do nothing for the Village."
"I know… My daughter never sends me a letter, but Ceres still sends me letters and rare and delicious things. Even if she doesn't come back, Ceres will return to this village one day... and I want to make it easy for him."
"All right, I'll help with the Adventurers' Guild... but I have to do something for Ceres... as his grandfather."
Ceres... this Village is your home, and you should come back one day when you are tired.