There was no heat of one making a vow, yet no air of withdrawing either.
An assertion of only placing the result.
"Talk is cheap—"
"Then I'll show sincerity. First I'll take the men to the village."
""…Eh?""
It was not only Irina from whom surprise leaked.
The men opened their eyes wide.
They had been let out of the cage and even had recovery magic applied.
They had been feeling it was already more than enough.
"The geography around here is in my head so we won't get lost. There's a carriage for the time being. Not everyone can ride, but I can have one or two tired ones ride."
He said it as if obvious.
Neither pushing kindness nor putting on airs of a favor.
Only doing it because he could.
That flatness conversely had a sense of reality.
The next instant the men's faces blossomed all at once.
Cheeks loosened, shoulders dropped, breath finally went outside.
The outline of the word they could return home had finally taken shape in their heads.
