That night, around the time Eris fell asleep, suddenly something was bothering me so I opened my eyes.
I started talking to Ruijerd who was keeping guard while half-sleeping.
"Why did you say that sort of thing to Eris?"
Ruijerd opened his half-open eyes and looked at me.
"Because no matter how long has passed, you continue to treat that girl as a child."
...Well now.
Whether Eris is a child or not.
Well, she's a child.
If we were to compare to me in my previous life, she would be my junior by 20 years.
Not to mention, since the time when she was much smaller, I've been leading her around holding her hand, while being hit, and teaching her various things.
If you were to call it a child, it would be a child.
However, certainly Eris has grown-up recently.
It's not just her figure.
Just a bit, she started to bear in mind her judgement.
I feel like she's gone around acting violently without thinking about it less, compared to the past.
She still has ways to go when it comes to similar things, but I think the frequency has definitely decreased.
If you say it then I guess so.
I wonder if it's part of the process for her to turn from a child to an adult.
I can't really say with the compliment that I'm a splendid adult as well.
However...
"Hnnn..."
I was thinking about it and Ruijerd quietly closed his eyes.
"Well, I guess it can't be helped, huh..."
I wonder what it is that can't be helped.
I didn't properly think about the meaning of it.
I don't know, but I felt some kind of bad premonition.
"Ruijerd-san."
'What is it?"
"Please put one of these gold coins in your chest pocket."
After saying that, I took a gold coin out of my bag, and threw it to Ruijerd.
He hesitated.
Since his coat didn't have pockets.
Even so it seems he managed to succeed in sticking the gold coin in a seam near his chest.
"And, what is this?"
"A good luck charm."
I was satisfied with that and fell back to sleep.
Several days later.
Four months after we departed from Shirone.
We've arrived at the "Red Dragon's Lower Jaw".
We arrived in Asura Kingdom.
And then, we came to realize.
All things happen abruptly.
Bad things happen at times when you're unable to predict or prevent them.
Suddenly parents can die,
Suddenly your siblings can come to beat you up,
Suddenly a truck can come to hit you,
Suddenly you can be reincarnated in another world,
Suddenly your father can come to attack you and then force you into being a home teacher for a young lady,
Suddenly you could be thrown to another continent as well.
Most likely everything is a result of chance.
Furthermore, we would come to realize.
The severity of this world.
The fact that people can simply die.
The fact that any person anywhere can all too easily die.
The fact that there are no exceptions.
Only myself.
Or the fact that only people in my surroundings aren't conveniently allowed to live long lives.
Finally, at this late point.
We finally came to realize this reality.
The origin of the phenomenon known as death, the fact that a person nearby can suddenly disappear.
And then foolishly.
I was unable to connect that together with the truth at that time.
If at that time, I had properly understood the truth, if I had been thinking of acquiring a strength that wouldn't lose to anyone.
I may not have regretted it that much.
If here with this event, I had aimed to be the strongest in the world.
I may not have regretted it so much.
Even after such a thing happened, I was unable to get my hands on the desire for power.
There is just one thing that I can say.
As expected of Eris.