It was only a few days after the Blue Moon that the group of Rico, Belton, and Van-Deiro arrived in the settlement.

Rico and Belton were puppeteers, and Van-Deiro was the [Guardian] who escorted them - no, he was an old swordsman who was once the [Guardian].The people who worked in the fields of the village cheered at first sight because their wagons were decorated to suit the traveller.

"Oh, it was you guys after all." It's a lot harder than you think. "

From among them, the elderly women approach with a smile.Left to Belton to drive the wagon, Rico peeked from the side of the driver's platform and said with a clearer expression, "It's the first time I've seen you!”he said, returning the greeting.

"I was going away for a while and planning a new show!"It's our first act of pride, so could you watch it if you'd like? "

"That's right, your puppet show is stunning."Everyone will be very happy.... but I still have work to do in the field.Can you wait till the sun goes down? "

"Yes, of course! May I rest in this corner?"

"Yeah. I'll talk to the village chief."I'll see you later. "

And the elderly women returned, and went unto the chief's house.

The others are waving to Rico and the others as they work in the fields.Rico waved his hand back at you and then laughed at Bertone on the podium.

"Everyone in this village looks fine!"I wonder if you'll be happy with "Kamado no Asta" near the forest. "

"Well, let's see." This free-frontier reclaimed land doesn't get the Genos rumor.It's not like you're just shamelessly listening to people you don't even know. "

When Belton returned his words on the Buddha's roof, Rico said, "No!”He lifted his eyebrows.

"Even people who don't know Asta would be thrilled to hear such a strange story, right?"That's why I wanted to turn Asta's story into a puppet show! "

"Then don't ask me for consent all the time."I'm just being honest with you about how I feel....... I know what kind of fine tricks you've shown in a place like this. "

"Enough! Belton's paranoid!"

Rico, you're so cute, you frowned, and then you retreated into the luggage carrier.

Belton shrugged his shoulders and turned Totos' head into an affordable clearing.In the meantime, Belton's gaze ran smoothly, wondering if there were any strange signs around him.

Van-Deylo is also on the wagon, so if there is any strange sign, it will be detected before Belton.Even if you're relaxing on the luggage rack, it's not like Van Deylo misses it.He was already over sixty years old, but as far as Belton knew, he was the most skilled swordsman.

But I can't always rely on Van Deiro.

About half a year ago, Rico was twelve years old and Belton was thirteen years old.Whatever you think - and I really don't want to imagine it - Van Deiro will return his soul sooner than Rico or Belton.By then, Belton had to be able to survive all kinds of hardships on his own.

"Damn it! Belton, why aren't you so honest!"[Forest Side Kamado Asta] should be a proud play for Belton! "

Rico retreated to the loading platform and was indignant towards Van-Deiro.

Looking out the window of the luggage carrier, Van-Deiro looked back at Rico with a calm expression.

"He certainly has a bad mouth, but he is more concerned than anyone else.You know best about that, don't you? "

"I know that... but you don't have to be so hateful, do you?"

"He seems to be very careful when stepping into the serenity."That's how you end up with such a horrible attitude. "

"Huh? I think Belton has always felt the same way, even as we go down the street..."

While you're on the road, you'll be watching out for bandits and beasts.

"Then, where are you staying with me?"...... I wonder if you're so nervous and tired all the time. "

Then Rico's face suddenly turned worried.Rico didn't hide her age-appropriate face from her, but she was more responsible for Belton than anyone else.

Van Dylo looked at Rico with a calm look, with a sedentary attitude.

"Even if you're by his side, his heart can't be broken.Belton is doing his best for you, so I think you should take it with a broad heart. "

"Yes..." Rico nodded, the wagon stopped moving.

Belton quickly stepped down from the gate and unleashed the two Totos from the wagon.The Tothos, tied to the leaves of a proper tree, had begun to eat in the meantime.

"I don't think it will be two more seconds until the sun goes down."... Belton's always been tired of driving, right?Please take your time to rest. "

When Rico called out like that, Bertone said, "Huh?"He frowned under his hat.

"Oh my God, even if I scattered the key keys until just now, it's creepy."... are you even after my dried meat? "

"That's not true!" Even though I'm trying my best to give it to you! "

Angry Rico slaps Belton on the shoulder with a flat hand.However, Van Deiro, who was also accustomed to such sightings, looked at Rico and his grandchildren with a gaze that watched over them.

There, a small figure approaches.

Belton quickly looked back, but when he realized that it was an elderly child, he shrugged his shoulders.

"The puppet show starts when the sun goes down."Pull back before my parents scold me. "

"Yep..." The toddler gets used to it.My hair and skin have a pale color, and I am a toddler that will not be ten years old.

Huh? Could it be that you're from the South?

When Rico called out to him, the child nodded, "Yes."The child had a calf and a round body, and his eyes were shining green.

"Huh. Why are southern humans coming to the free reclaims in the west?"Is it a pedestrian boy or something? "

When Bertone asked with an interest, the child shook his head and said, "No."

"My settlement is no longer in the wrath of my mother's river."That's why I decided to live here. "

"Huh? You mean it was originally a southern liberal pioneer?"Nevertheless, the people of the south are the people of the south.That's why you're living in the West. "

"I don't know," said the toddler, looking a little sad.

Then, I looked at Rico and Bertone's face in a confined manner.

"Hey, you're puppet artists, aren't you?"Do you know a fairy tale called "Blessing of Madual"? "

[Madual Blessing]? If it were the [Madual Fountain], it would be in action.

Madual is a small god who is in charge of abundance.Not only the farmers who cultivated the fields, but also the farmers who believed in the west and the south as being beneficial to the prosperity of business.

"It's not a fountain, it's a blessing."... don't you know the ladies? "

"Yeah. I'm pretty familiar with myths and fairy tales, but... maybe it's a southern fairy tale?"I wonder if there are many fairy tales in the south that haven't been told in the west. "

Rico, curious about exploration, had his eyes shining, but the baby's shoulders dropped sharply.

"You don't know, do you?"...... I'm sorry for the extra talk. "

"Ah, wait, wait! What happened to the Madual Blessing?Maybe you wanted to see the play? "

"Yeah. Not me, Grandma."... my grandmother is sick and not feeling well, so I thought I'd feel better if I watched that play. "

That's what the baby said with a face that made him stop crying.

Rico was totally sympathetic and said, "That's right..." and stroked the child's head.

"I'm sorry, I can't help you.... but does your grandmother know the details of the fairy tale?If so, we might be able to do a puppet show. "

“Come on,” Belton shouted.

"We're probably in the middle of training for a new play."In the middle of that, do you want to get your hands on a new play again? "

Yeah, because I want to cheer up her grandmother.

"Come on. If you can get rid of the disease in one of the plays, that's a fairy tale."

"What! Is Belton working on a puppet show like that?"

Rico lifted his eyebrows, and the infant grabbed his arm in a panic.

"I'm sorry! I won't say anything extra, so don't fight!"

"It's not superfluous."That's an important story for you, isn't it? ”

With a gentle smile back, Rico looks back at the young child.

However, the child's face became even more sad.

"Yeah... but we're strangers, so don't bother the West..."

"Ahahah, I don't think it's annoying at all. Besides-"

Rico broke his knee and peered into the child's face.

The toddler's eyes widened in amazement.Rico had green eyes, just like the baby.

Oniichan... are you from the South?

"No. It's a people of the west all the time."Looks like one of the parents was a southern folk.Either way, the traveller doesn't really receive the blessing of the Four Gods, so it's fuzzy. "

Having said that, Rico smiled innocently.

"That's why we don't have to shy away from the west or the south."... would you mind letting my family talk to you?I'm also very curious about what kind of fairy tale "Blessing of Madual" is. "

The toddler twisted his body in a confused manner, and eventually nodded, "Yeah."

Then Rico and the toddler tried to take a step forward, and Bertone said, "Wait a minute!” he jumps up.

"Don't move on your own!"Van Deiro, I'm sorry, but can you look at the wagon? "

"Hmm, I don't mind," Van-Deiro said to Belton's ear.

I don't think there's anything dangerous, but if I have to, I'll play the grasshopper.

"What, are you saying I can't rely on you alone?"

As Bertone spoke, Van-Deiro responded with a gentle voice, “I didn't say that.”

"However, the two of us can recover from the calamity even more quickly."... you must protect Rico. "

After snorting, Belton chased after Rico and the others.

Young children follow the narrow path of the village.The right-hand side is a spacious field, and the left-hand side is a deep forest.Walking with the toddler, Rico inhaled the green smell all over his chest.

"This forest is the mother of the people in this village, isn't it?"Have you decided to take this forest as your mother, too? "

"Yeah. Actually, the river was better... but we couldn't go any further, so we were all exhausted..."

"That's why I decided to live in the land of the west instead of the south."I don't think you've sinned in the south and fled to the west.

Belton's gruff voice made the baby twitch and soothe its tiny body.Seeing that, Rico lifted his eyebrows again.

"You said they escaped here because they lost their village in the wrath of their mother's river, right?Don't say too many strange things! "

"Which one is strange?"It would be strange for the people of the South to live in the land of the West. "

As the child said, "I'm sorry!", he took it to Rico's arm.

Rico strokes his head, saying, "It's okay."

"You don't have to apologize."We're always like this, so don't worry about it. "

The party arrived at its destination in the midst of such a fuss.

There are no fewer than five houses built in such a way as to make haste.The field on the right hand side had somehow been turned into a wasteland, so this is probably the edge of the village.It had a grass roof, a gray earth wall, and it was still a shoddy house that seemed new.

"It's about time all the adults were working."Is Grandma resting at home? "

"Yeah. I'm sure my mom is working on it, but... wait a minute."

The child grabbed Rico's hand and then rushed into one of the houses.

After a while, an elderly crowd of women pulled out by the infant came out.Like the people of the south, small and stubborn, and a pregnant woman with a big belly.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry to be in such a place."...... I don't know one thing about it right now, but I think it's the travelers. "

While getting a little tired, the mother of the toddler lowered her head, still looking good.

Rico put his hands in front of him and bowed back.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Belton and I'm Rico the Puppeteer."I'm sorry that I came to the house as a traveller. ”

"It's okay." When we were spending time in the original village, we were looking forward to travelling artists who would come from time to time. "

Having said that, her mother smiled sternly.

"In the meantime, can you come up?"As you can see, my body is struggling. "

"I apologize for any physical difficulties.Now, if you'll excuse me. ”

Rico bowed deeply and then stepped inside the house.

Bertone's hands are wrapped around his collapsed sleeves.He hid his sword everywhere in his body.Even if she were greeted by a good-looking pregnant woman, there was no shade of alarm in Bertone's eyes.

The interior of the house is as poor as the exterior.Immediately after entering the hall, a large table and chairs are lined up in the middle.The only place to take off your shoes is in the bedroom.At his feet, it seemed that a rug with weaves was laid directly on the ground.

"Ok...... So, what's the matter with the traveller?"

"Well, I want to show Grandma the play 'Blessing of Madual'."

As the young child pressed forward, his mother narrowed her eyes.

"I see. My grandmother seems to be putting herself into that fairy tale a lot."... but are you making such an old fairy tale into a puppet show? "

“No, but if you could tell me what kind of story it is, it might turn into a puppet show.”

"Hey, that's a big deal."... but it's an old fairy tale that only old people in my village know.I don't even know your name. "

Well then, can I speak to your aunt?

"No, my grandmother is a bit... too biased to talk to other people."Now that I've hurt my legs with the sickness, I feel like I'm going to get really nervous. Come on. "

\ "Foot?\" Belton said.

"Do you ever hurt your leg with a sickness?"I don't even remember. "

"I wonder if you're sick or old.Your right knee is numb, and you can't walk without a cane.That's why when you look for a new roost, you have no choice but to carry it... Besides, I'm this body, right?I just couldn't get any better, so I decided to settle my hips in the western land. "

With the tip of his hand wrapped around both sleeves, Belton winked, "Hmm."

"There are only five houses here."Are you saying that the house is full of bad-legged old people? "

"Hey, don't be rude!"

"I mean, it's a funny story, right? Why did people who had lost their homes in the South flee into the West?"

When Belton said so, his mother shook herself.

"This is something I don't really want to recall... our settlement was originally between the west and the south."So, when the anger of my mother's river washed away everything in the village... a terrible creature... "

Monster?

"No, I didn't see anything."The villagers were making a scene.A herd of monsters is blocking our escape route.That's why houses with old people and young children have to follow the beast path that leads to the western lands... so they hit this village. "

"It's a monster in your time."Were your settlements at the edge of the border? ”

"Yeah, well, it was a long way off the road connecting the kingdom towns."Even so, with the blessing of the Mother River, I lived without any difficulty... but I wonder why the Mother River became so angry... "

Tears burst into her mother's eyes, and the baby gripped her worriedly.

Rico squeezes his face tight and puts his hand on Belton's head wrapped in a hat, forcing him to lower.

"I'm sorry I reminded you of the trouble!"Could you help me somehow for Ama? "

"How can I help you? I don't think my grandmother will tell me anything."

"So, how about the other houses?"Who knows more about the fairy tale "Blessing of Madual"? "

"No, I don't know. There must be other people who are about the same age as my grandmother....."

When her mother said that, she suddenly said, "Whoa!The barbaric voice echoed.

Rico and Belton looked up, and an old woman emerged from the book in the back of the hall.She was a very sturdy old woman, skinny but with a big skeleton.

"Phew, phew, phew, phew, phew!"Then you won't be able to sleep at all! "

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna wake up like that.What are you going to do if you fall? "

"Haha! I don't remember being slapped in the mouth by a human with a more crippled body than mine!"

Having said that, the old woman waved the wooden cane she was holding in her right hand.

An old woman who has almost greyed out her hair at the top of her head, and is over seventy years old.However, his face was as harsh as a coarsely carved statue, and his green eyes were shining brightly.

"... hey. I don't think so, but isn't that your grandmother?"

Belton asked in a whisper, and the infant nodded, "Yes."

"That's my grandmother."Because of the sickness, I couldn't walk without my cane anymore. "

"Come on, don't be ridiculous." I don't know if your legs are bad, but you must be feeling good, right? "

"What the hell are you pulling out!"Who are these hungry ghosts! "

When the old woman got up, Rico stood up and bowed.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Belton and I am Rico the Puppeteer."If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions about the fairy tale "Blessing of Madual"..... "

"Ah? Puppeteer? I see!" Tailor a crude play in an unusual fairy tale from the south and earn bronze coins!Don't be ridiculous! Get the hell out of my house! "

"Grandma, you don't have to say that, do you?"These people are trying to make that fairy tale into a play for Grandma..... "

"That's a lot of care!" Is that how you're going to trample on my precious memories?If such hungry demons are treated well, their fairy tales will be ruined! "

The old woman waved her right-handed cane at the wall that was about to collapse.

"Now, get out!" Don't ever come near me again!Next time I show you that face, I'll show you my painful eyes! "

Rico tried to say something, but he was dragged out of the house by a frowned Belton.

From inside the house, you can still hear the old woman making a noise.Listening to it on his back, Rico looked back at Bertone in indignation.

“Did you hear that, Belton? That's a terrible play!He doesn't know our arms! "

"I'm going to stick my neck in a strange story, so this is how I see it."Let's get back to the wagon. "

Then, only the toddler rushed out of the house.

"Onee-chan, old man, I'm sorry!" Even though you came all the way home for Grandma's sake..... "

Instantly dissipating his anger, Rico smiled at the child who was about to cry, “It's okay.”

"The old lady must be getting angry because her leg hurts.If we show you the play "Blessing of Madual," I'm sure you'll be fine. "

"Hey, hey, are you serious? No matter what kind of play you show, it doesn't make sense that your legs hurt anymore."

"Even if you can't cure your foot pain, you should be able to comfort your heart."If we do our best! "

When Rico laughed, the baby finally burst into tears.

"Grandma is a very kind person."But because I can't work in the field because of the disease, I can't go home anymore... "

"Yes, I know. The old lady was very angry... but more than that, she looked sad."Since I don't have a hometown, I probably don't understand your suffering, but I want to help you. "

Having said that, Rico gently stroked the child's head.

Belton waved up at the heavens, hiding his expression on his hat.Looking back at you, Rico smiled differently than he did at the infant.

"Belton really feels like you can't leave him alone, right?"That old lady looks just like Leno, doesn't she? "

Huh? Who is it?

"You can't pretend you've forgotten."Belton was more friendly with Lenora, wasn't he? "

Giggling and laughing, Rico turned to the baby.

"Um, we used to be a group of traveling artists called" Hanae Rosu no Seat "... but there was a grandmother called Leno."He looked just like your old lady, probably because he had southern blood with me.So this Leno was a paranoid woman, always yelling at everyone... but that must have been a reversal of the rustle. "

"Yeah...?"

"That's why Granny Leno loves my parents' puppet show."Only then did I become obsessed and seem very happy.... that's why I want to make your grandmother happy with my play, too. "

The young child grabbed Rico's sleeve in his outfit as he squeezed it small.

Rico has a very gentle gaze, watching the baby cry.

And looking sideways at it, Belton sighed like he was exhaling some emotion.