Volume 1

    Chapter 38

    It was the evening of the day the discussion about the incident caused by Gon and his group was held .

    「Rio, I’d like to speak to you for a minute . Do you have any time to spare?」

    During dinner, after Rio returned from his parents’ grave, Yuba spoke to Rio with an air of seriousness .

    「Of course, I don’t mind…」

    Having guessed her intention, Rio agreed to her invitation .

    「Come with me for a minute . 」

    After having put away the dishes, they left Ruri behind and went to Yuba’s room where she closed the door .

    Judging from her actions, it seemed like it was a talk she did not want Ruri to overhear .

    「Sorry for asking you so suddenly . That fool caused an uproar and things have been hectic over the last couple of days . I couldn’t find time to speak with you in private . 」

    「It’s not a problem, I’m grateful for what you’ve done . 」

    When they entered Yuba’s room and settled down, Yuba started the conversation with an apology .

    Rio responded with a line of gratitude .

    The days after the incident involving Gon were quite turbulent .

    In the first place, it was the busiest time of the year for the village and that was compounded with arranging the reparation payment settled with Gon’s father .

    With every day being so busy, she could not find time for a calm conversation with Rio .

    「What I want to say is, Rio, thank you, and I’m sorry . 」

    「Thank you and sorry?」

    At Yuba’s unexpected words, Rio responded in confusion .

    He could not figure out why he was being thanked or what was done to require an apology .

    （It seems this child is not aware why I’m thanking and apologizing to him . ）

    A tender smile formed on Yuba’s face .

    Staring at Rio, she could see that he carried a strong resemblance with her daughter-in-law, Ayame .

    Even his uncanny sensitivity for the emotions of others strongly resembled Ayame .

    （Zen was a very clumsy child, but, well, I guess there are similarities in that regard as well . ）

    Zen was taciturn, hard-working, and a man more known for his actions than words .

    That led to him being easily misunderstood, but there were many who admired his honesty .

    Yuba felt Rio inherited Zen’s temperament since he was not one to talk a lot either .

    （Like parent, like child after all…）

    Rio was an excellent child who inherited both his parents’ positive traits .

    He was composed to the point where it was difficult to believe he was a boy at a marriageable age .

    He truly was not a child who would take advantage of others .

    She had heard that Rio became an orphan at the tender age of five .

    How was such a child brought up and how was he able to travel across the continent?

    Those were details Yuba remained in the dark about .

    She had only received a vague description of his past .

    There were several occasions where she wanted to inquire him about it .

    However, she did not want to ask him about it so brazenly .

    Rio had only given vague information about his past most likely because he was not comfortable with sharing it .

    Having realised that, Yuba refrained from asking for details about his past .

    That was also the case for Ayame’s death .

    Rio had told her that his mother had passed away .

    However, he became evasive when asked about the cause .

    In any case, Rio was raised in less than ideal conditions and wandered the world all by his lonesome .

    It was easy to conclude that his life had been filled with hardships until now .

    And yet, she could not help but admire how he was able to grow up without becoming twisted .

    （Towards such a child, my behaviour is no better than an infant’s . Age has nothing to do with this . Wherever I could cut corners, I did so . ）

    Rio’s behaviour that night was clearly abnormal .

    On that evening, Yuba was able to catch a glimpse of Rio’s fury that would otherwise be unthinkable of him to display .

    However, by next morning, that passion was gone, as if it was nothing but a lie .

    No trace of malice remained and at least on the outside, Rio displayed his regular behaviour .

    Yuba was able to witness incredible mental fortitude unsuited for a boy so young .

    That was why during the days after the incident, Yuba extensively depended on Rio whilst citing her lack of free time as an excuse .

    Indeed, Yuba gave priority to Ruri who seemed much more unstable than Rio .

    Ruri was just an ordinary village girl that could found anywhere .

    Although she lost both her parents and younger brother at an early age, such a degree of misfortune was not uncommon in the world .

    Even within the village, she was but an ordinary girl .

    Such a child living in a peaceful village suddenly came face to face with malice for the first time and was nearly raped .

    It was without a doubt, a big shock for her and Yuba knew it would carve a deep wound in her heart .

    Actually, for the past several days, Ruri had been desperately trying to put a strong front . Still, it was evident that she was pushing herself .

    While it varies from person to person, psychological wounds take a long time to heal for those who have never been exposed to such things before .

    As a result, Yuba paid special attention to Ruri’s condition .

    Rio and Ruri .

    Both were Yuba’s cherished grandchildren .

    Even if they were raised differently, she equally cared for both of them .

    Unfortunately, the reality was that she was one person and therefore could only focus on one at a time .

    Other than her daily responsibilities as village chief, she also had to take care of Gon’s incident on top of caring for Ruri and Rio . It was not something she could handle alone .

    That was why Yuba had to prioritize one over the other .

    Realising Rio’s strong mental fortitude, Yuba left him unattended for the past several days .

    When Rio apologized the morning after the incident, Yuba judged that he would be all right for the time being .

    During that morning’s breakfast, she could not pry into Rio’s past due to the guests they were hosting at the time .

    However, even if it was just for a brief moment, she witnessed the eruption of his emotions .

    Yuba did not know what kind of past Rio experienced but it was surely a difficult one .

    Even if his mental fortitude was strong, the burden on his heart must at least be equal, if not heavier .

    Yuba decided that as his grandmother, she would not allow herself to neglect him .

    In spite of that, she saw how reliable Rio was and ended up delaying her interactions with him .

    「Firstly, let me thank you for what you’ve done . Thanking for saving Ruri from Gon . And, for these past few days, thank you for assisting me with the negotiations with Gon’s father . I am truly grateful for your help . 」

    Yuba deeply lowered her head while thanking Rio .

    「In addition to that, I became too absorbed in my duties that I neglected on checking up on you . I am deeply sorry . It must’ve been painful for you as well . 」

    When Yuba raised her head slightly, a bitter expression could be seen on her face .

    Seeing Yuba like that, Rio slowly shook his head with a warm smile .

    「Please, it is not something to thank me for . We are family . I only did what was natural . That was all . That is why, please do not apologize since it is painful for me as well . 」

    With his eyes fixed on Yuba, Rio spoke in a clear voice .

    Rio said that with clear voice while looking straight into Yuba’s eye .

    Even though his personalities were clashing internally, Rio felt surprisingly refreshed .

    The few days after the incident were painful but now, it was not the case .

    His revenge was something he had to take care of by himself .

    No matter the pain, it was his burden to carry .

    He had no intentions on talking about it with anybody else either .

    That was why he would not show any frustration so Yuba would not worry about him .

    Ruri’s state was much more pressing than his own .

    Since that was the case, it was obvious that she should take precedence over him .

    That was Rio’s rationale .

    To not be unsatisfied about that was unthinkable .

    Yuba matched Rio’s gaze .

    A smile floated on his face .

    It was a smile of deep understanding, completely like one of a saint .

    Like a wide river, it was quiet but contained a powerful might . Yuba found herself unintentionally holding her breath .

    「No, but you know…」

    For an instant, the figure of Rio from that night flickered into Yuba’s mind .

    The fury he displayed was abnormal, to say the least .

    It was as if he was completely possessed by Asura; just by being in his vicinity, one could sense the dreadful fury .

    Regardless, Rio was able to completely regain his composure in a single night .

    However, even if he behaved normally in front of everybody like nothing ever happened, it was obvious he was trying to keep up a facade .

    That was why Yuba was able to predict his state of mind .

    The other night’s frenzy was probably still weighing on his mind .

    Yet, the Rio before her at the moment did not have a trace of worry .

    His eyes did not carry a hint of fear or hesitation .

    Perhaps he came to an inner peace or understanding .

    It was not something that Yuba could discern .

    What was it?

    There were a lot of things she wanted to hear from him .

    However, was it something she was entitled to knowing?

    Even she had not brought the topic up with Rio .

    It was the issue pertaining to his parents .

    Although there was reason Yuba could not bring up the topic, it felt unfair to ask about his past without sharing her own knowledge .

    Should I just tell him?

    Was what Yuba thought .

    Still, just the other day, the letter she sent out was to inquire about the matter .

    It would be best to wait for a response first .

    Permission to reveal the truth will surely be given .

    Acting rashly would be unwise .

    「I understand… However, it’s true that I’ve placed a lot of burden on you . That’s why, please at least let me say this, I am sorry . 」

    After deliberating for all that time, those were the only words that came out .

    However, those words carried no lies .

    Suppressing her wavering heart, Yuba deeply lowered her head to Rio .

    「Understood . 」

    Sensing Yuba’s determination, Rio accepted her apology with a wry smile .

    「Ruri should have calmed down by now and I think that child wants to apologize to you as well . Will you forgive her?」

    「There’s nothing for her to apologize for though…」

    Perplexed by what Yuba said, Rio could only offer a wry smile .

    「It’s about her behaviour you know . 」

    「Her behaviour?」

    When Rio asked about it, Yuba looked at him in the eyes with a slight smile .

    「You saved that child so I’m sure she’s not truly afraid of you . It’s just that she’s been through a lot and hasn’t been able to calm down yet . 」

    「That is…」

    For the past few days, Ruri had been timid in her interactions with Rio .

    Although she acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary, one could perceive that her behaviour was slightly off .

    It was something that Rio was able to notice as well .

    However, on that night, Rio had unleashed his bloodthirst without holding back and pummeled Gon towards an inch of his life .

    As a person unaccustomed to such violence, it was no surprise that she became afraid of Rio .

    Without building up a tolerance against violence, it was difficult to not be afraid .

    This was something Rio understood, therefore he took the initiative to apologize .

    To become estranged with her who was his cousin was not something Rio wished for .

    She was not in the wrong for feeling that way .

    Despite being frightened by Rio, Ruri still worried about him .

    Although it was a shame, there was no use crying over spilt milk . Working to restore their relationship was the only way forward .

    Those were Rio’s thoughts .

    「It’s not her fault you know . 」

    That was why Rio had no intention on criticizing her behaviour .

    「…I thought you’d say so . 」

    Perhaps having already anticipated his words, Yuba responded with a wry smile .

    It was an expression of relief but at the same time, tinged with a hint of loneliness .

    It was the look of a parent witnessing their child becoming independent .

    Suddenly, Yuba was overwhelmed with the feeling of wanting to act like a proper grandmother in front of her overly benevolent grandchild .

    It was a perplexing feeling .

    Whether the solution to her earlier worries was solved was unknown .

    Far from offering any support, all she was able to say were a few trivial words to Rio .

    （I’m such a useless grandmother, aren’t I…?）

    Yuba now felt confident about disclosing the truth to her reliable grandchild . However, at the same time, she felt ashamed and sighed deeply in her heart .