I discovered Karubene and Veronica on the darkening beach.
Only Elana and Cecilia remained. There was no longer any worry about those two. It was only a matter of time before they were found. But Elana had a somewhat unusual appearance, a Sphinx. That was the only concern.
“Hey, hey, Brother, this is a fun place, isn’t it? Everyone seems a bit out of it. Do they do this every day?”
“No, no, that’s not it. They’re probably on holiday or tourists.”
Karubene, walking behind, replied that he supposed so. The sun gradually began to set. The sea, dyed in the sunset, was also exceptionally beautiful. With that, the number of people decreased. It was good that it would be easier to search, but there was nowhere to stay. I should go back, buy everyone some clothes, and find a hotel. I’ll have Karubene and Veronica handle the search.
I told Karubene this and returned to the Guard Wing’s tent. Outside, companions were waiting. They had probably come out because it had started to set and cooled down. Also, this number of people was too many. First off, Lauren was angry.
“W-where were you? I was worried because you didn’t come back.”
“Hahaha, my bad. I found Karubene and Veronica.”
I thanked the Guard Wing’s Harpies, to whom we owed a debt of gratitude, and decided to leave the tent. Before that, though, I had to ask about the hotel.
“Excuse me, is there anywhere to stay around here? We’re traveling and…”
“Hmm, well, there are various places. But can you accommodate that many people? You don’t have a reservation, do you?”
The Harpies exchanged glances and discussed.
“What about that motel over there? It’s cheap.”
“Motel? If it’s just for one night, there should be a cheap place for backpackers.”
So there are motels here too? But I don’t have a car. Do we ride there by carriage? Then they took out a map of this town. It was cutely printed in color.
“We recommend this place, and this one. It’s a bit farther, but this one is also recommended. If you need anything, come to the branch office.”
They taught me politely. I put away the map, thanked them, and felt a slight sense of unease, or rather, a cultural difference. Everyone here is kind. They lent us their help without suspicion, even though we looked so suspicious. Alex and Aileen, and Chester too. You could say they lack caution, which sounds bad, but the people around us don’t seem to mind at all.
What I’ve thought about through this journey is that the sense of what is normal or usual varies depending on the land. Comparing the three different worlds I’ve experienced, the differences become apparent and interesting. The continent we are on now is inhabited by various races and is peaceful. Is it because there are no humans? Or is it only here? As I left the darkening beach, I was thinking about such things.
