Chapter 192: Gathered Around the Campfire ②
* * *
"......It's no good."
I lost my concentration and fell backward.
The fluffy grass mowed like the lawn growing to cover the base caught my body.
A green, grassy scent wafted gently.
"It's difficult after all, huh."
The old man sitting cross-legged while floating and grilling aburi-na over the campfire muttered softly.
"It's difficult."
"I see."
And after saying that, both of us fell silent.
What I saw when I looked up was a peach-colored sky.
In it, orange clouds dyed by the setting sun flowed slowly.
"Myogomyogoshugo! Myogomyogoshugo!"
Somewhere in the distance, the myogomyogoshugo were singing.
But it will be night soon.
In less than an hour, it will probably become quiet.
<Um...... Don't get discouraged, Emi.>
Extra-sama tries to comfort me considerately.
Yeah, thanks Extra-sama.
"Sigh......"
But I can't help sighing, you know.
Today, my efforts didn't bear fruit again.
I still haven't been able to reproduce and master the old man's [Invisible Hand] myself.
"Hey, hey! What's with the gloomy faces! The pot is ready!"
Saying that, the perverted old geezer tapped the edge of the simmering pot he was cooking over the campfire with a ladle.
These cooking utensils and the seasonings used for flavoring the pot were brought in by the perverted old geezer.
This perverted old geezer may be a pervert, but he's a former special-rank adventurer and a veteran with extensive camping experience.
Thanks to the perverted old geezer's arrival, the old man and my diet has become much richer.
We've been freed from the two choices of "raw or roasted whole" and can now enjoy a wide variety of meals.
......Well, I still eat various things raw when I enter the forest to hunt because normal meals alone leave me hungry.
<Come on, Emi! Let's change the mood! Don't sulk and let's eat!>
I'm not sulking or anything.
I sluggishly get up and receive a bowl from the perverted old geezer.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome!"
Today's menu is "Zamago Toad Demon Realm-Style Hot Pot."
It's a dish made by butchering freshly caught Zamago Toad and simmering it with various edible wild plants and a miso-like seasoning.
The chunky toad meat cut into large pieces is sparkling, illuminated by the campfire and the setting sun.
It looks delicious.
Like chicken.
By the way, Zamago Toads are poisonous creatures, and if not properly butchered, they cannot be eaten (by ordinary people) (I ate them without worrying about the poison though).
But it's actually a high-class ingredient, and there are many gourmet lovers who enjoy it.
It's like the pufferfish of frogs.
Slurp.
"Thank you, Earthcell-dono...... Well then, let's eat."
The old man expressed his gratitude and brought the soup from the bowl to his mouth.
"Oh...... We were able to stay alive for another day. I give thanks to...... the Panty God."
The perverted old geezer offered a prayer to the god he believes in.
No, there's no way such a god exists.
<There is.>
It exists!?
<Ah, but don't misunderstand. The Panty God is a lower-ranking god created by the Clothing God and governs techniques for making panties and such. It's definitely not the god of perverts.>
Of course not!
There's no way there's a god of perverts!
<No, there is a Pervert God who governs perverts.>
It exists!?
* * *
The campfire crackles and pops.
Before I knew it, the surroundings had become quite dark, the noisy myogomyogoshugo had gone to sleep, and now only the quiet cry of shumicappe echoes.
"Foooh~~~! Emi-chan, you really eat a lot!"
The perverted old geezer said with a satisfied look, narrowing his eyes while staring at the bottom of the pot.
"Is that bad?"
"No way! It's a child's job to eat a lot and grow big!"
"......You're right. Children are...... that's right......"
The old man...... upon hearing the perverted old geezer's words, made a pained expression with distant eyes.
His conscience is probably hurting because of the grave sin he says he committed in the past.
"............"
I don't say anything about that.
As long as he doesn't try to die, I have nothing to say.
I can't say anything.
Because that's a problem the old man has to face.
I want him to suffer on his own.
"............"
But you know.
After eating a delicious meal.
I really wish they'd stop creating this depressing atmosphere.
It's killing my good mood.
<How about you try changing the subject by bringing up a topic?>
Bring up a topic?
Extra-sama, I'm really bad at that kind of thing.
"Hmm hmm hm~m! On the high mountains of Nuidosten~! What shines at its peak is~......"
Even the talkative perverted old geezer who is useful at times like this is no good.
He's cleaning up the pot while singing some unknown song in a good mood.
Eh......
Do I have to do something about this heavy atmosphere that suddenly appeared?
<No need to overthink it, Emi. Just ask about anything that's on your mind.>
Hmm, what's on my mind......
Hmm............
"Ah."
That sound that inadvertently leaked from my mouth seemed to resonate surprisingly well, and not only the old man but even the perverted old geezer who was singing turned to look at me.
"......What's wrong?"
The old man asks me.
Feeling a bit flustered by the sudden attention, I open my mouth.
Come to think of it, there was something I wanted to ask someone.
It was a question that I, who have lived in this world of Ardyst, have always had.
It might not be the most suitable topic to change the heavy atmosphere, or rather, it might create an even heavier atmosphere.
"There's something I don't understand."
"What is it?"
"Why are black-haired, black-eyed people cursed children?"
That's common sense in this world.
In any country, even in a village deep in the mountains isolated from its surroundings, it's a shared recognition that humans have.
And for some reason, it was knowledge that Extra-sama didn't know.
"Why...... If you ask me why, well......"
The old man scratched his head.
"It's just because that's what they say, right?"
The perverted old geezer also tilted his head while fiddling with his mustache.
"That's what they say?"
"That's right. That's what they say. 'Black-haired, black-eyed people are cursed children who bring misfortune to those around them.' Have you heard the old tale of the 'Cursed Princess of Henecate'?"
"What's that?"
"It's an old tale known across countries. Parents often tell it to their children before bed...... Ah, sorry......"
"I don't mind. Continue."
"Do you want to hear the story?"
"I want to hear it."
"......Understood. I'll just summarize the overview and tell you."
The old man folded his arms and slowly began to speak, choosing his words.
"'Long ago, there was a prosperous country called Henecate. A beautiful girl was born to the king of that country. But that child had black hair and black eyes......'"
I see, I see.
"'As a result, the prosperous Henecate was struck by a plague and perished.'"
Huh?
"'The end.'"
"That's the end!?"
I couldn't help but interject.
"What's that? It doesn't make sense. It's not even interesting as a story."
"I agree with that, but...... anyway, that's the kind of story the 'Cursed Princess of Henecate' is."
"Hmm......"
I take a deep breath to calm myself.
"So, because there's such an old tale, black-haired, black-eyed people are hated and discriminated against. Is that it?"
"Well......"
The old man groaned and fell silent.
Instead, the perverted old geezer took over.
"It's not just that...... There are many similar stories. A recent one is about Pepu of Hekette, right?"
"What's that?"
"It's a story about the Pepu Duchy of the Hekette Kingdom. It was a few decades ago...... A black-haired, black-eyed boy was born in the ducal family there."
The old man takes over again and begins to speak......
"And a few years later, the Pepu Duchy was engulfed in a volcanic eruption and perished."
What!?
"Isn't the timespan until they perish too short every time?"
"Well, even if you say that...... It can't be helped because that's the kind of story it is."
"Anyway, there are many such stories scattered all over the world! Therefore...... it's painful for Emi-chan, but...... black-haired, black-eyed people are said to be cursed children."
"............"
I was at a loss for words.
No matter where you go, black-haired, black-eyed people are hated.
Why? Because there are legends and old tales known to everyone in the world, and in them, black-haired, black-eyed people are described as beings that bring misfortune.
I could predict that there was such a reason.
But that wasn't all.
Not only old tales but also in reality, it seems that cases have proven that in this world, black-haired, black-eyed people truly are beings that bring misfortune.
<This is...... quite a deep-rooted problem...... I have never heard of the stories they are talking about until now. In other words, the stories are not mentioned at all in the isekai reincarnation broadcasts that are the source of my knowledge about this world. Even though they are stories known to many people around the world.>
Not mentioned at all......
<Let me be clear. They are being censored. The isekai reincarnation broadcasts are also viewed by gods from worlds other than Ardyst. In other words, the gods of Ardyst want to hide the issue of black-haired, black-eyed people from the gods of other worlds. And with the power of gods, such concealment is an easy task.>
Why in the world......?
<I don't know...... I'm just...... a forgotten extra 'vessel of a god.' I didn't have any dealings with other gods, and there are more things I don't understand about what they are thinking.>
"............"
The issue of black-haired, black-eyed cursed children.
This story that I couldn't help but be curious about and asked ended up making the atmosphere even heavier, and instead of resolving the question, it only deepened the mystery.
The sound of the campfire crackling echoes around.
"Old man."
"What is it?"
And I couldn't help but ask.
"Do you dislike me?"
Something I deliberately didn't ask until now.
"Why?"
"Because I'm a cursed child."
I stare intently into the old man's eyes.
"............"
The old man looked down and sighed.
Then he slowly stood up and started walking.
Slowly approaching me, and then.......
He lightly tapped my head.
"Ouch."
It doesn't hurt, but I mutter that.
The old man roughly ruffled my head.
Then he plopped down beside me.
"You see, I'm grateful to you."
"............"
"It's because of your words, 'If you want to live, then live,' that I am here now. Well, I feel like I was threatened quite roughly, but......"
The old man continued, smiling wryly.
"Even so, thanks to you, I am alive now. It's hard every day and...... sometimes painful, but it's quite fun, you know? It's all thanks to you."
"............"
"Thank you, Emi."
"............"
The old man said that while staring at the campfire.
...... Weren't you taught to look people in the eye when expressing gratitude?
It's fine though.
My vision is also a bit blurry.
I don't want to be seen like that.
""............""
Ah, silence.
Silence after all.
But it's more of an embarrassed silence than a heavy one.
"......What about you, old geezer?"
"Foh?"
And I ended up asking the old geezer too.
"Don't you dislike me, a cursed child?"
The same question as before.
The old geezer smiled gently and patted my head like the old man.
"I don't mind! Indeed, I often hear stories about misfortune occurring when a cursed child is around, but that's not all! Do you know a man named Yogin!?"
"......I've heard of him."
"He's amazing! A fellow adventurer of mine from around the same time, and despite being black-haired and black-eyed, he achieved many accomplishments and made people happy! I don't know what he's doing now, but anyway, there are people like that too!"
"............"
"Besides, I! Before being a cursed child or whatever......"
And he grasped my small hands tightly with both hands.
"I'm on the side of cute girls!"
He winked mischievously.
Swiftly letting go of my hands.
And what was in the palm of my hand......
It was panties.
"To change a depressed mood, first wear bright-colored underwear! I'll give those panties to Emi-chan, so please BUWEEEEEEH!!?"
For now, I punched him seriously enough not to kill him.
Well, in this way, another noisy night in the demon realm passes.
The peach-colored sky gradually changes its color to purple and then black, and before I knew it, it was completely night.
......I noticed something.
Despite various things, I quite liked living at this base.
At first, I thought I would stay here until I mastered [Invisible Hand].
It's still inconvenient now.
But someday, I want to build a nicer, warmer house at this base and eat delicious meals with Extra-sama and the others.
Such a future flickers in my mind.
However, from this day on.
An unerasable anxiety took residence in a corner of my mind.
Because I'm here.
Because I'm a cursed child.
The anxiety that some irreversible misfortune might befall the old man and the others in the future.
The issue of black-haired, black-eyed cursed children has finally been brought up as a topic.
Why are black-haired, black-eyed people discriminated against in Ardyst?
The answer is, 'Because in this world, black-haired, black-eyed people often bring misfortune in reality.'
However, the real mystery of why black-haired, black-eyed people bring misfortune still remains.
But you know, to be honest, in terms of the story of 'The Reincarnated Extra,' that's not the main mystery.
The real mystery that has not yet been directly mentioned but has been continuously presented in this story is......
No, but, well, I'm sorry for writing in a suggestive way, but actually, even that doesn't really matter.
Because the essence of this story is the figure of Emi, the superhuman protagonist, rampaging sometimes joyfully and sometimes miserably.