The Guild Master Whose Hobby Was Helping People Found Himself Surrounded by the Strongest, Overly Attached Members

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Chapter 16: Returning

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“…There they are!”

Sera was the first to raise her voice. Two people lay collapsed on the ground.

One was a young man. His black hair, long enough to reach his shoulders, was matted with mud. His clothes were torn, and dried blood clung to him. The other was a girl, probably in her late teens, with black hair even longer than the young man’s.

Though her hair was tangled and disheveled, her well-shaped features hinted at how beautiful she must have looked originally. She seemed to be less gravely injured than the young man, but her breathing was shallow and her complexion pale.

They were most likely the siblings we were searching for.

“…Hey, are you all right?!”

When I called out, the girl’s eyelids quivered faintly.

“…Wh…Who are you…?”

A frail voice. She was conscious. Good.

“We’re adventurers from Felnas. We’ll help you now.”

“…M-my big brother… My big brother was… Attacked by a monster…”

“Don’t worry. We’re the only ones nearby. You don’t need to move right now.”

The girl gave a weak nod. By then, Lisette had already moved around to the brother’s side, checking his pulse and pupils.

“His vital signs are stable, but there’s a lot of blood loss. …If he had been left like this, it would have been dangerous.”

Sera hurried over and gently stroked the girl’s head.

“It’s okay, it’s okay now. See? There’s nothing to be afraid of anymore.”

“…Will…We be able to return…To the village…?”

“Yeah, you’ll go back. The two of you, together.”

I gave a small smile and exchanged a look with Lisette. She wordlessly nodded and pulled out bandages.

“Sera, take care of her. Ragnar, can you carry him?”

“Leave it to me! I shall become a stretcher myself!”

“J-just carry him normally, please.”

And so, we secured the siblings and began the journey back to the village.

We returned to Envel Village around the time the sun was beginning to sink. The moment we reached the front of the church, someone must have noticed us. The doors burst open, and several villagers rushed out.

“Iris! Leon!”

“Dear heavens… Thank goodness, thank goodness you’re safe…!”

An elderly woman clasped her hands together and collapsed to the ground in relief.

“You’ve truly…Truly saved these children… Thank you…!”

Tears welled up in the villagers’ eyes as they gathered behind us. Leon, who had been carried in Ragnar’s arms, was carefully taken by several villagers and brought deeper inside the church.

Iris, leaning on Sera’s shoulder, was slowly guided in and laid down on one of the benches. The elderly woman turned back to us and bowed deeply.

“No amount of thanks will ever be enough… You’ve saved the lives of our young ones…!”

“No, we only brought them back to the village. We’ll still need to watch over them.”

I scratched the back of my head as I said that. The way the villagers were looking at us now carried a faint glimmer of respect, and it made me feel a little restless.

“We shouldn’t stand around talking with the injured right here. Lisette, the treatment.”

“I’m already prepared. Based on the first aid we did on the way, I’ll give them the necessary care. Sera, may I ask for your help?”

“Mm-hm!”

Perhaps reassured by the familiar faces, Iris had already drifted off into sleep. Sera carefully wiped the sweat from her forehead. Lisette spread out her bandages and herbs, swiftly cleaning the wounds and replacing the wrappings.

Meanwhile, I turned my eyes to Leon. He still hadn’t woken, but his breathing was calmer than before, and some color was returning to his face.

“Leader, judging from the injuries, he must have fought while protecting her.”

“…That’s likely. For the two of them to have survived, just the two of them against monsters that deep in the forest… It’s impressive.”

They lived in Envel Village. They weren’t adventurers. They might have been of some help in maintaining the security of the surroundings, but compared to us, they were far weaker. Most likely, while exploring the forest, they had been assaulted by multiple monsters, leaving them with these severe wounds.

“Even so, the fact that they clung to life… That’s the result of their own strength.”

At Lisette’s words, I quietly returned my gaze to Leon. As night drew near, we finished a simple meal and rested quietly in a corner of the church. At the altar’s back, Lisette and Sera took turns watching over the siblings.

“…Nnh…”

The first to open her eyes was Iris. She stared vaguely at the ceiling with unfocused eyes, then shifted slightly as if regaining awareness of her surroundings.

“Iris-chan, are you awake?”

When Sera spoke, Iris slowly nodded.

“…Yes. This is… The village, right?”

“Yeah. It’s safe now. Leon-kun is right nearby, too.”

At those words, tears welled slightly in Iris’s eyes.

“…Thank goodness… Really… Thank goodness…”

Her slender arms curled toward her chest, her entire body radiating relief. I had been watching from a short distance, but when my eyes met Sera’s, I was silently urged closer.

“Iris-san. I’m Shin, Master of the guild White Lamp. We came from Felnas.”

“…Thank you… Thank you for saving us, Shin-san. Um… Please, just call me Iris.”

Her voice was still weak but clear.

“…Could you tell us a little about what happened in the forest?”

Iris hesitated, her eyes wavering, but then she nodded.

“…We went deep into the forest, trying to find the source of the howling. And there—”

At that moment, from another bench, came a groan.

“…Iris…”

It was Leon. We all turned toward him at once. His brow furrowed as he slowly opened his eyes.

“Big Brother!”

Iris immediately reacted, hope shining on her face.

“Don’t try to move. You’re still in recovery.”