Chapter 9
Apparently, this Pioneer Village had been established eight years ago. The village center was near the gate where Rodan had once carried Allen. There were several businesses there, including shops and inns, and the village chief lived in that densely populated area. Few serfs lived there; most residents were commoners.
The area where Allen lived, with its many fields, was on the outskirts of the village.
That was why the bell rang near the gate in the densely populated area at the village center.
Dong.
Dong.
Dong.
He could feel his heart beating faster. He was surprised to find himself getting excited for a battle he couldn't avoid.
About ten minutes after the bell stopped ringing, she would arrive. His worthy opponent. His rival.
"Alleeen, I'm here to play!"
A little girl with pink hair reaching her shoulders and sparkling blue eyes came through the gate in the rough fence around the yard. Like Allen, she wore the hemp clothes commonly worn by serfs.
For some reason, she was clutching a wooden sword crudely carved from a piece of wood—hardly something you'd expect a little girl to carry.
Krena had started coming over to play on October 1. It seemed their neighbor Gerda had heard that Allen had turned three and that Telesia had given him permission to roam a little farther from home.
On her first visit, October 1, Krena came with Gerda. For some reason, she was already carrying two crudely carved wooden swords. Seeing them had filled him with dread.
After her nap and the three o'clock bell, Gerda had practically prostrated herself before Rodan, begging him to let the mischievous Krena play with Allen.
Ever since, Krena had come racing over to Allen's house almost every day as soon as the bell rang. Judging by this, she started running the moment it began to sound.
(There was a time when I wondered how Gerda-san, that hulking, musclebound gorilla, couldn't keep her under control.)
Krena's father, Gerda, was even bigger than Allen's father, Rodan. The veins stood out on his bulging arms. Between Rodan and Gerda, Allen had gotten the mistaken impression that most serfs were muscle-bound.
"Hi, Krena. You're full of energy today, too. What should we play?"
(I can guess from what she's gripping, but just to be sure, I'll ask.)
"We're playing knights!"
Her face puffed up in an unmistakable pout, as though to ask why he would even say that.
"Knights, then. There's a tree in the way here, so let's go over there."
"Okay!"
Krena was beaming from ear to ear. They couldn't play in such a cramped space. Allen knew that terrain and surroundings affected the course of a battle.
(This world was described as a sword-and-magic fantasy. So that's what they meant.)
Two children stood in the open part of the yard, each holding a crudely carved wooden sword. The blades were about thirty centimeters long, perhaps a third of their own height.
"All right, here I come! My name is Krena the Knight! Allen, prepare yourself!"
"Bring it on!"
"That's not enough! Allen, you have to introduce yourself, too!"
Krena's cheeks puffed up. The game couldn't start until they had properly announced themselves. She swung her wooden sword around to show him he needed to do it right.
(This is so damn embarrassing! What is Gerda-san teaching her?! Why do I have to go all out playing make-believe at my age? Well, I'm only three, I guess.)
"I am Allen the Knight! Come at me, fair and square!"
He gripped his wooden sword in both hands around waist height. Though his mental age was thirty-eight, he announced himself in a loud voice.
Perhaps satisfied with Allen's introduction, Krena closed the distance in an instant. The impact of her wooden sword meeting his jolted him. He tried to counter, bringing his sword down with all his strength, but Krena easily knocked it aside.
Their game of knights went on. The wooden swords swung and clashed, filling the yard with clacking sounds.
(Th-this is wrong. Something is definitely wrong.)
He'd been on the defensive from the very start. He kept telling himself that it was impossible. After all, he had every Blessing from his summon cards active, yet she'd been beating him black and blue for the past day or two.
He'd adjusted the cards he kept. He'd switched from H-rank to G-rank, made two of each card for testing, and filled the rest with Beast G cards, which granted an Attack Blessing.
His strength was beyond that of a ten-year-old. Allen even wondered whether it was on par with an adult's. He was using his Skills and every Blessing he had, going all out against a three-year-old without a shred of shame.
(I can't hit her at all. Should I boost my Agility with Bird G? No, if I lower my strength any further, I won't be able to block her attacks. I'm lacking in every way.)
It seemed that Krena was faster and stronger than he was. He desperately adjusted his position against the innocent little demon, making sure she didn't drive him into a corner of the yard.
"Playing knights with Allen is more fun than with Papa!"
"Thanks."
Krena spoke to him, trembling with excitement as she shook her free hand. Apparently, since they were about the same size, Allen—who was going all out with his cards—made a good opponent for her game of knights.
He answered with a wry smile. Their game had only just begun. It would go on for about an hour, with breaks in between.
Serfs turned in early because the only light they had came from the hearth. A little after four, Rodan and Telesia returned from working in the fields.
"Oh my, Krena-chan, you're here to play again today?"
"Yeah! I was playing knights with Allen!"
Telesia smiled at the sight of Allen and Krena, both covered in mud in the yard. Allen, who had been on the defensive the whole time, felt relieved, thinking their game was finally over.
"That's wonderful. It's going to get dark soon, Krena-chan, so you'd better head home."
"Okay, got it! See you tomorrow, Allen!"
The girl gripped her wooden sword and dashed off, as if she still had energy to spare.
"You did well. That's my boy."
Rodan, who had heard most of the story from Gerda, patted Allen on the shoulder.
Dinner preparations went by in a flurry. There was one change to the way the family ate.
"Here, Papa. This is yours."
"Thanks."
Allen served Rodan some of the fried beans. He had started helping with the housework.
"You're such a good boy, Allen."
Telesia patted him on the head. Allen had started helping around the house after turning three. There was a reason for that.
Telesia sat down slowly and carefully, as if to protect her belly. Her stomach was quite large. She was pregnant with their second child, the long-awaited baby. They thought the baby would arrive around the New Year. Allen was helping with the housework because he was worried about her health.
As they ate, Allen spoke to Rodan.
"Papa, Mama's tummy is big, so I'll help harvest the potatoes."
Over the past few days, Telesia had occasionally been unable to move, and Allen couldn't stand watching her struggle. His strength was on par with an adult's, and while he didn't want his parents to know about his Summoning or his summons, he didn't mind if they learned he was unusually strong.
"..."
Rodan was at a loss for words. It seemed the suggestion had hit him hard. He froze, unable to find a response.
"Allen, you're still a child. You can just play with Krena."
Unable to bear it any longer, Telesia joined the conversation.
"That's right, Allen. You've already helped us so much by doing chores around the house. You'll have to work in the fields someday, so enjoy playing until then."
When Allen had been Kenichi, cleaning the bath had been his job as a child. Remembering that, he'd offered to help in the fields, too.
But to Rodan, working the fields was labor. It was a serf's duty. It wasn't fun, and he couldn't make a three-year-old do it. He didn't consider serfdom a good thing, either.
Allen and Rodan's conversation revealed a deep difference in their values. Three years had passed since Allen's reincarnation, but he'd lived thirty-five years as Kenichi. There was no way those values and common sense would change in just three years or so.
(Hmm, I figured he'd say no. I am only three, after all. Well, maybe I'll add something else to my daily routine starting tomorrow.)
Allen had expected that Rodan might refuse.
There were still things he wanted to do, but first, if he could, he wanted to help out around the house.
"Speaking of which, Krena did something today..."
"Oh? What happened with Krena-chan?"
Trying to dispel the heaviness that had settled over their family gathering after his offer to help with the chores, Allen cheerfully told them about what Krena had done that day.