Returned from Another World, Earth Turned Out to Be Quite the Fantasy Too. Also, Losing Heroines, Stop Looking This Way. - V3 Chapter 21

Chapter 21: “Trouble on the Way?” ②

Ren Kobayashi was walking alone through the shopping district of Mukaijima City. 

In the past, the hustle and bustle of the city and the people passing by were all strangers to him, and he had no interest in them. However, after just one day of living in Mukaijima City, the people in the shopping district began to greet him.

“Hey, you’re Ren-kun, right? Thanks for your help earlier! Here, have this!”

“Oh, thank you.”

The butcher, smiling, handed him a croquette. 

All Ren had done was go around with Alphonse, introducing themselves to the people in the shopping district. During this time, they made agreements to purchase meat, vegetables, fish, and daily necessities.

Not really understanding the business talk, Ren spent his free time helping out in the stores. Of course, he couldn’t work at the counter, so he just carried heavy items. For someone like Ren, with his exceptional physical strength, lifting ten or twenty kilos was nothing. Carrying bags of rice, vegetables, and frozen meat effortlessly made a great impression on everyone.

Alphonse, seeing the positive reception, promised, “I’ll send Ren to help anytime you need him.” So, Ren’s help was requested again.

But he didn’t mind. 

In fact, it was refreshing and pleasant.

Until now, he had seen other people as either tools to use or obstacles to eliminate. 

The only exceptions were the children he protected as family. 

But the people of this city were warm and friendly, and their smiles made Ren naturally smile back.

(…Yeah. I kind of envy Natsuki Yura and Kazuto Miyahara for growing up with such nice people in this town.)

After finishing the croquette, Ren thanked the butcher and told him he would come to help again tomorrow. With that, Ren continued walking aimlessly.

Currently, Ren was living with Alphonse and the Norn sisters on the second and third floors of the store they planned to open in the shopping district. 

However, since the interior wasn’t ready, it would take some time before they could open. In the meantime, they planned to sell and deliver bento boxes to the locals. Alphonse also intended to teach Ren how to cook. Once their lives stabilized, Alphonse promised to support Ren if he wanted to attend school or obtain any certifications.

Ren sometimes wondered if Alphonse had forgotten that Ren had almost killed him.

“Think of me as your big brother!” Alphonse would say. “Think of us as your big sisters,” the Norn sisters would add. Seeing their happy faces, Ren felt nothing but gratitude that Alphonse was alive.

At the same time, he realized that taking lives, even for survival, affected many people. 

Ren wanted to atone for his actions, and he hoped to one day face the children and Mammon with pride.

“But seriously, they need to stop getting all lovey-dovey at every opportunity.”

Even something as simple as tasting food would turn into them saying, “Say ah!” which embarrassed Ren. 

He chuckled, thinking how open people from other countries were.

It was at that moment…

“I’m getting a bad feeling about this.”

Ren sensed that someone with unpleasant spiritual energy had entered Mukaijima City.

While there wasn’t any malice, there were negative emotions like hostility and resentment. However, it wasn’t particularly strong.

Not knowing the details, Ren decided to handle it before this person could cause any trouble. 

With that thought, he kicked off the ground.

Using his pure physical strength, he leaped high and landed on a bridge where the person was walking, spreading his arms wide.

“Who the fck are you?”

“I should be asking the same thing. You don’t seem to have good intentions, but many good people live beyond this point. It would be a problem if you caused any trouble.”

Ren Kobayashi confronted Seishiro Kanna, who was targeting Ginko Aoyama.

〜〜Afterword〜〜

Alphonse is trying to train Ren into a top-notch chef. He’s even planning for Ren to eventually become independent in Aomori.

Next time, we’ll have a short story featuring Mammon.

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