Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 60

60. Mari-nee and runaway peaceful day

“It’s been a while, Maria-san. I’ve come to pick you up.”

“Graham-san? I heard that someone from the Roulette-san group would come to pick me up, but I didn’t expect it to be Graham-san.”

Graham-san, wasn’t he the leader of some organization?

For such an important person to come and pick me up, I wonder what’s going on.

“Don’t worry about it. Rather, because everyone wished for it, we settled it through a brawl-… peaceful discussion, and I was chosen.”

How did he know what I was thinking?

Or rather, there are some unsettling words mixed in his sentence, aren’t there?

It might be better not to worry about it and not nitpick, but…

“Well then, let’s go. The Three Leaders and Roulette-san are waiting for you. Leave the safety of the journey to us.”

“Huh, us?”

Without answering my question, Graham-san starts walking a little ahead of me.

I missed the timing to ask further questions, so I followed after him with an unsatisfied feeling.

The meeting place is a shop located a bit north from the adventurer’s guild in the center of the town.

It would be faster to go from the church through the main street, and it usually wouldn’t take much time, but our speed, or rather, our pace was slow.

And the reason for that is…

“Maria-chan! Long time no see. Thanks for saving the town. Here’s some fresh vegetables for you.”

“If you like, have some freshly chopped rabbit meat with the children from the church.”

“There are delicious apples in there. Eat them and come visit again. It’s okay, no need for payment.”

The ones calling out to me were the residents who I had been relying on to buy ingredients.

Maybe it’s because of clearing the event, they give me so much of what they’re selling at the stalls that I worry about it.

I had finished all the jerky, so I was very happy to think that I needed to cook again, right?

(Krashak khrasak)

…Graham-san’s behavior has been strange since earlier.

Sorry, to be precise, both Graham-san and the residents who called out to me seemed strange.

After giving me items from the shop and greeting me, they invariably showed some kind of repetitive movement with their fingers.

And when Graham-san saw it and moved his fingers in the same way, he walked for a while and then stopped.

Then a resident would come over, smiling at me and talking to me.

Although it was a smile, after the greeting, only their fingers moved quickly as if they had become mechanical.

In response, Graham-san immediately showed a similar reaction.

This has been repeated countless times.

I can’t help but nitpick about it, can I?

I understand that the movement of fingers has some meaning like semaphore signals.

But why is Graham-san doing it with the residents?

Wait, don’t tell me, does “us” mean that!?

“Then next time, treat us at Vanessa’s shop!”

During the exchange, a regular customer from Vanessa’s shop greeted me as we parted ways.

[Maruhi Nindou Nanamai]

[Kakuho Shikiten Keizoku]

They whispered to Graham-san, and Graham-san whispered back.

Come on, you’re not even trying to hide it, are you?

And besides? I can at least understand they said Maruhi and Kakuho, right?

And, let’s be real, Graham-san definitely taught them those words, right!?

What are they doing!?

“Maruta… cough, Maria-san’s safety has been secured. Now, let’s proceed with peace of mind.”

Graham-san, who seemed to have corrected something, smiled warmly at me.

“…Is that so.”

I don’t know, I understand that it seems safe, but I still can’t feel completely at ease…

In the end, we arrived at the intended shop after taking seven times longer than usual.

We arrived safely, and my item box, which had been almost empty, is now mostly filled with the items I received.

This is also thanks to everyone who cares about me.

I’m grateful for that.

…I’m honest, you know?

…………But, but see?

The everyday life I want isn’t this!!

I suppressed the scream that I couldn’t voice out, and I wished for the return of the peace that ran away while I wasn’t looking, but that wish did not come true…