A Journey no End

Chapter 8

“After the long journey of the hero. The hero goes into the pub and has his stomach filled with a lot of delicious food.”

I said before I took a bite of the fried chicken legs in my hand. After biting and having a satisfying crunch. I took the cold root beer beside my plate and chugged it. Slamming the cup of root beer on the table.

“Ahh~”

I release a well-accomplished expression on my face.

“So good!”

“We’re very glad that Miss Konoha loves our dishes.”

“It is so good… I don’t have a single complaint. The chicken is juicy and the skin is crunchy. The gravy is superb. The most important thing. Everything is free. Making everything more delightful.”

“You’re quite right about that.”

The orc woman said who was eating beside me. On the opposite side of the table was the little girl Shaymi. Just like me, she had a very satisfied expression on her face. She was smiling and giggling as she ate.

“What’s the matter, Shaymi, you look so happy?”

Asked the archer elf.

“Tomorrow is a very special day after all.”

It was a special day and Shaymi was a little mysterious about it.

“I wonder what day tomorrow is?”

The orc woman said with a teasing tone.

“Yeah, I wonder what?”

Everyone in the pub looked a little confused. I don’t know if they are just acting or what. But seeing their expressions made the little girl anxious. A little panic as she turned her head around her.

“Eh? I hate you all.”

“Why does Shaymi hate us?”

Asked the dwarf.

Shaymi averted her head and pouted her cheeks cutely. After seeing her cute expression, everyone cracked into laughter.

They are all laughing but I don’t even have any idea what day tomorrow is. I feel a little distant and out of place.

I took a sip of my root beer again.

The orc woman hugs Shaymi from behind and says:

“We’re just joking… of course, we were not going to forget the important event tomorrow. Tomorrow Shaymi is turning seven years old after all.”

The pouted face was replaced with an arc of smile immediately. Her face brimmed with cheerfulness and she turned around toward the orc woman. She hugs her tightly and looks at everyone around her.

“Yup, tomorrow is my birthday!”

“Then, I guess, I’ll stay for another day here. Wanted to see the birthday celebration tomorrow… Is everything still free tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow Miss Konoha needs to pay.”

I got depressed all of a sudden. But Shaymi walked to me and pulled my sleeves, saying,

“Don’t worry, Miss Konoha is my guest tomorrow. You’ll get many things for free.”

“Really?! I love you Shaymi!”

“Gaining Miss Konoha’s affection is quite easy.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

…

“Where exactly are Shaymi’s parents? Everyone here is a monster and the only human is Shaymi.”

I asked.

“I can still remember that time vividly… One night we suddenly heard a cry… Cry of a baby. For some reason, we didn’t know. The baby was lying on the ground at the entrance of the amusement park. Crying loudly, searching for her parents. We tried to look for the parents but we were unable to find her. Looking at Shaymi’s face, Shaymi stopped crying. The Red demon was normally feared by children, but Shaymi giggles cutely and plays with the red demon. Instead of crying… The baby started to laugh. After that, we decided to take care of Shaymi here in the amusement park.”

“I understand now… Everyone here is kind. I can’t believe that I would meet a monster like you.”

“Well, we’re not that kind… We’re monsters who killed lots of people in the past.”

“But that is all in the past. What’s important is now that you are all here dedicated to taking care of this girl. Her being kind and nice is the proof that everyone here took great care of her.”

I said.

Shaymi warped her arms to the orc and the archer elf.

“Yup, all of them are nice and I’ll live with them forever and ever. I may never see my real mother or father. But with them around me. I can feel the warmth and love of a family. Everyone in this amusement park is my family.”

Shaymi said with a big smile on her face.

A family is not always blood-related. A family is the people you want to be with until the day you die.

Shaymi and these monsters are the very definitions of those words.

I noticed something upon looking at everyone's facial expressions. Everyone has faint sadness seen on their faces. I don’t have any idea what it was, but I could feel overflowing sadness in their eyes.

Shaymi looked very happy and started singing. She became the center of attention of everyone.

Meanwhile, the orc woman stood beside me.

“I’ve been talking with you for a while but I never got your name.”

“My bad… My name is Melinda.”

The orc woman is called Melinda.

“... About Miss Konoha… What exactly are you doing in the middle of the desert? This place is hard to find, you're very lucky being able to step inside here.”

I was shocked and remembered my stupidity. The reason I was lost in the desert is that I missed reading the map in my hand. If I told them the reason, they might think that I’m such a klutz.

“I’m just a traveler wondering about the world aimlessly.”

“That’s odd… What do you mean by aimlessly?”

“I forgot about myself in the past. I lost most of my memories. I’m traveling around the world hoping that something may cause my memories to come back.”

“Konoha got an amnesia.”

“Something like that… Well, there are times I’m remembering something and I’m happy when it's happening, but times memories are coming back remembering my head is something I don’t understand.”

Just like how I remember myself with black hair and black pupils. Who is the girl? Why am I looking in the mirror as if I’m here? Those types of memories are the memories that make me more confused. When those memories come back, my head starts to hurt a lot. That’s why I do hate those memories.

“It's great that you're making progress.”

“Yup.”

I do think that my memories are just a bonus right now. Being able to travel and meet lots of people. I see places and feel freedom in any place I go. It feels wonderful.

I was thinking about that after collecting all my memories. I might continue traveling the world. The world is quite vast and surprising.

I wonder what kind of adventure I’m going on next?

I’m excited

After playtime in the daytime and singing at night. The little girl got exhausted and was taken to her room already fast asleep.

It's already night. I am supposed to go to my room.

Before that happened, I was surrounded by monsters all with weapons in their hands.

“What is this? Are you showing your true colors to me?”

I said and made my fist zap with lightning.

The monsters created a path for the red demon.

“We have to talk about something.”

He said with a serious tone. I listened to the things she wanted to say.

After hearing the words, he told us. I was shocked at what I found out.

“Shaymi…”