Lenks and I were walking down the main street toward a certain place, engaging in trivial conversation. From the outside, it probably looked like a guardian and a child walking side by side. Or maybe, it looked like a suspicious young man luring a child. By the way, the reason it's me instead of Yu is because this guy next to me called me out again.

  "You know. Didn't I tell you not to call me out for every little thing?"

  "It's not little. It's been ages since I last worked! Give me a gentle push on the back, will you? Hmm?"

  "Who cares. It's your fault for breaking the window glass, isn't it?"

  That's right. Lenks ended up feeling responsible for breaking the window glass and decided to do a short-term part-time job, albeit reluctantly. So, we are now heading to the construction site where he will be working. He chose construction because, according to him, physical labor is easy for him and the hourly wage is good.

  "It couldn't be helped since it was to save Yu."

  "I was very happy about that. But that's that. This is this."

  He sighed. I could almost see "I hate this" written on his face.

  "Sigh... Can't I make money easily using [Rebellion]? It seems I could do anything with it, though."

  "I won't allow that. If you use an ability like that poorly, it'll stand out too much. It'll be a disaster."

  "Tch. I know. It's a joke."

  Clicking his tongue slightly and shrugging, he looked a little unconvinced despite his words. Did he intend to use it? I decided to give him an additional warning just in case.

  "Of course, you have to do it normally at the construction site too. Lifting steel beams secretly using [Rebellion] is absolutely prohibited, okay?"

  Then he made a feigned ignorance face and said something unbelievable.

  "Oh. Is that kind of thing bad here after all?"

  Don't screw around. What do you mean 'here'. It's decidedly bad anywhere, right? If someone sees it, it'll be a huge panic.

  "Listen. Learn some common sense. If you think normally, you'd understand, right?"

  "Is that so. Okay. I learned that common sense just now."

  I was exasperated as usual by him answering nonchalantly. What on earth is this unconventional person lacking common sense?

  "By the way, how were you living yesterday?"

  I change the subject. Previously, I heard the outrageous thing that he was living a self-sufficient life in a survival mood, so I was worried if he was eating properly. If he is starving, I think about secretly sharing some food with him.

  "I went to a nearby mountain for a bit."

  "Heeh. Were you picking wild vegetables?"

  "No, I do that sometimes too, but—"

  His face brightened up.

  "The thing called a snake I looked up in the encyclopedia the other day, it was delicious again. First cut off the head with poison, then drain the blood—"

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  To him starting to talk about the cooking method of snakes happily and eloquently while gesturing as if it were a normal thing, I involuntarily put my hand on my forehead. Really, what is this guy? I can't believe he lives in the same Japan. Listening any further seemed likely to drive me crazy too, so I stopped him explaining happily.

  "Enough... I was wrong to ask."

  Then he made a face as if to say it was unexpected.

  "You, you're making fun of it, aren't you? Survival skills are essential for FabLs. It will definitely be useful someday, so there's no loss in learning it now."

  "Yes, yes. I'll think about it."

  This word of his was actually quite kind advice, but. I, who didn't know that I would be thrown into a different world where I didn't know right from left someday, thought it was silly at that time and didn't take it seriously.

  "That's right. Here, do you want to eat too? Hornet."

  "Eh."

  Suddenly taken out from his pocket were jarred bee larvae and corpses of adult giant hornets. The moment I saw them, nausea welled up. A chill ran down my spine.

  "Kyaa! What is that! P, put it away quickly!"

  "Geez, even though it's delicious."

  He just made a regretful face and reluctantly put it back in his pocket. Being truly regretful is thoroughly off. I finally felt relieved when the insects were out of sight. Geez. Seriously, what kind of thing are you showing me... This guy.

  We stop at an intersection. The light was red. Lenks was watching many cars passing by somewhat curiously for some reason.

  "Yu has been getting better little by little since then."

  "Because the abuse, which was the biggest cancer, is gone. In that sense, that rampage might have been good as a result."

  "It's a bit complicated, though."

  "Right... For me, an outsider, I couldn't solve it without quite forceful means. Moreover, it wouldn't have gone this well. Sorry I couldn't do anything."

  To him dropping his shoulders apologetically, I thought it was absurd and said.

  "No. Lenks is doing well. Without your power, both I and Yu would be in much deeper trouble by now."

  If Uncle and Aunt had died. If memories remained in them. There is no doubt that it wouldn't have ended with just being crept out by the two like now. Ken definitely wouldn't have become friends with him either. Above all, he has been kindly helping us like this even before that incident happened and now, so why would I think he couldn't do anything? Rather, I was full of gratitude.

  "I'm happy you say so. However, even if they stopped violence, those guys are scumbags after all. Telling an 8-year-old child to leave eventually isn't something to say, right?"

  "You're right. It's really terrible."

  Listening inside, I was indignant from the bottom of my heart about this.

  "Well fine. It's too late now. Lately, Yu has been smiling more. Just a little more."

  "Right."

  "The rest is, if he can make friends at school, I have nothing to say."

  "He seems unable to summon the courage for one step there yet. In the dream, he always says 'Because everyone teases me, and I'm afraid of being hated'. Given what happened, I understand that social interaction becomes a trauma, though."

  "Well, this depends entirely on the person himself. Originally he's a friendly and honest child, so I think he can get along with those around him if there is a trigger."

  "Let's watch over him slowly. There is still time left."

  "Yeah. That's right."

  The light turned green. When I started walking, Lenks crossed the pedestrian crossing looking around restlessly like a country bumpkin, lagging a little behind for some reason. Weird.

  "I can't get used to this thing called a traffic light no matter how many times I see it. Honestly, isn't it annoying?"

  I admonished him who started saying nonsensical things.

  "What are you saying. Thanks to this, accidents are greatly reduced."

  "That is true, but... Well, it's a personal impression so don't mind it."

  "I see."

  Once crossing the pedestrian crossing, the destination is already close. Suddenly, Lenks dropped his shoulders as if remembering something.

  "Yu really stopped calling me 'Niichan'. Finally, he doesn't even call me by name much anymore. You (Omae), You (Omae)... He must have gotten used to me that much, but Onii-chan is a little sad."

  While thinking the ring of 'Onii-chan' said by himself deliberately is creepy, I told him the point I had an idea about.

  "Because my impression of you is that, surely it's affecting Yu too. I think he's gradually becoming like 'You (Omae) is fine'."

  "So it's your fault after all."

  "It's what you deserve."

  Eventually, we arrived in front of the construction site. Lenks raised his hand and said goodbye. It seems he really just wanted a push on the back.

  "Thanks for seeing me off. Well, I'm off to do my best."

  "Yeah. Good luck."

  Seeing Lenks off, I became alone. Since there seems to be a little more time until Yu's consciousness returns, maybe I'll do a little window shopping.

  A few days later, an envelope with no sender arrived at Uncle's house. Inside was 100,000 yen and a paper with the content "Sorry for breaking the window glass. From one who knows the fact of abuse." Uncle turned pale, clutched only the 100,000 yen, and tore up the paper immediately.