After a short time had passed, Aisha and Norn had returned.
The both of them had run out of breath hurrying back.
"Br, brother. It's been a long journey for you, thank you for all your hard work!"
Norn, while still breathing raggedly, bows her head low.
And, as she saw my hand, her face seems to be startled.
"Brother, your hand, are you sure you are all right?"
"Don't you worry, I'm fine. Although it makes a number of things inconvenient for me, I'm at least not feeling any pain from it."
Compared to what I have to talk about after this; my left hand is a rather trivial matter.
"If, if you say so."
Norn while still breathing heavily, surveys the room restlessly, she mutters a "Huh?" while she sits down in one of the chairs.
Aisha following suit, comes over by me, and asks me one thing.
"…Onii-sama, before you begin your talk, wouldn't it be better if I served everyone tea first?"
"That's a good idea. I'll leave it to you, since explaining everything may take some time."
"Ah, sorry. That's really something I should have done, isn't it? …I'll lend you a hand."
"No, I'll be fine without troubling the Missus."
After asking it of her, Aisha begins to move immediately.
Tea for everyone is prepared, everyone's luggage is moved together into a single place, jackets wet with snow are placed on hangers, everyone is given house-slippers to replace their travelling shoes, and the wet shoot is dried near the side of the fireplace.
For no apparent reason, I could only watch her movements attentively.
But then, it isn't only just I who is watching.
She is also under the watchful gaze of Lilia.
If I stop to think about it: it is always Lilia hard at work like this, back at the scene of the Labyrinth search.
That girl, while everyone else fell into silence, is unable to do anything.
It is a rare moment.
"Aisha."
Taking the right moment when the work of Aisha could be put on hold, Lilia calls out to her daughter.
"Yes, what is the matter, Mother?"
"It seems that you have been taking care not to trouble Rudeus-sama, and have been working here properly."
"Yes."
"Even though you happen to be related to Rudeus-sama by blood, do not forget that he is the benefactor of your life, as well. From here on out, don't lose focus, and always accomplish your duty properly as the household's maid."
"Yes. Mother."
Aisha's reply was strong, and Lilia's was professional.
It was not the conversation of a parent and child.
Thinking further on it, this is probably because they haven't met in such a long time.
Even though, I still think it would be good for the both of them to have a heartwarming conversation.
Well, it might be that right now, Lilia might just be acting prudent.
Because from this point on, I have to explain a difficult thing:
"Now that everyone is here, I will begin the talk."
Though I am feeling reluctant, I have no other choice but to talk.
Because of the fact that Paul isn't here to do it.
"Umm, brother, Father isn't here yet…"
Norn chimes in while sounding insecure.
I wonder how angry she will be.
She begged me to help dad, and I told her to leave it to me.
And then to hear it from me that her father has died.
I wonder, will you blame me?
If you need to blame, then it is fine if you blame me.
Because I couldn't fulfill the wish of Norn.
I look around to everyone, and then I spoke,
"Father…Paul Grayrat has passed away."
"Ehh…?"
Norn raises a short voice of bewilderment.
Sylphy's face tries to conceal a painful expression.
Aisha's eyes open wide, and she clenches her fist tightly.
"These are his heirlooms to the family."
As I say so, I placed, one-by-one, on the table the remaining equipment that once belonged to Paul.
Sword, Tantou, Armor, and the Funerary Urn.
There, were the four articles of the dearly departed.
"…W, why!?"
Norn stands up, and draws close to me.
"Even though you went there! Why is it that father had to die!?"
"I'm sorry…I just wasn't strong enough."
"But, brother…!"
Norn, as it is, keeps pressing me, she is about to grab me by the lapels.
However, her momentum seems to stall.
"……"
My lost left hand is reflected in her eyes.
Between my left hand, the Heirlooms on the table, and my face, Norn's glance comes and goes.
Almost instantly, Norn's eyes begin to gather many tears.
Although I feel guilty, I continue speaking,
"Alright, from here on, I will explain in detail what happened."
"…*sob*…O-kay."
From behind, Aisha places a hand on Norn's shoulder.
"Now now, Norn-nee."
"I'm fine, I get it already…!"
Norn shakes off Aisha's hand, and returns to her seat.
Aisha has remained standing idly by, but soon returns at once behind Sylphy.
"Now then, where should I begin explaining it from first―"
I gave a summary explanation for each of the events that happened.
Traveling together with Elinalise to Lapan, and then meeting Paul there again.
Relying on the information about the whereabouts of Zenith; capturing the Teleport Labyrinth with Paul and company.
Having a smooth ride up until the end; then having a hard fight with the Guardian. Me losing my hand and Paul losing his life.
Though we rescued Zenith, she had become an invalid.
On the way out, Gisu handled the supplements, and slowly, one at a time, got us able to talk again.
Finally, Norn has heard it.
"Then, it's like neither Father nor Mother were saved at all?"
"I'm afraid so."
With those words, I nod slowly.
It seems like Norn's hair would stand on end.
However, she did not explode.
While she bit down on her lower lip, she keeps staring at my left hand.
"Did brother really try his best?"
"I believe I gave all that I had to it."
"Then, even if Brother gave it his best, and it still ended up this bad, it wouldn't have mattered who went…"
Norn tries to say something that would help her regain her composure.
However, just as quickly tears come back into her eyes.
"But, at any rate…Father's death, not serving any real purpose…*sob*…Wa…WAAaaaaaaaah"
She crumbles then, and large tears begin spilling out like rain, it couldn't be stopped any longer.
She cries.
Norn cries.
She cries loudly.