Rudeus looked at Sylphie's still-timid demeanor and couldn't help but purse his lips.
"You know, if you don't fight back against guys like that, they'll just get worse."
"I... I can't win."
"...What's important is the will to resist."
Though I don't really have the right to say that myself.
"Normally, I would resist if younger kids came, but today they had a bigger kid with them..."
As she spoke, she glanced over at Allen.
Allen was far away, and Sylphie's voice was a bit quiet, so he couldn't hear clearly. But that didn't stop him from nodding with a brilliant smile on his face.
Seeing this, Sylphie quickly looked away, her ears twitching.
Under the tree, Allen's expression suddenly changed. He waved his hand frantically in front of him, as if shooing away something unclean.
Rudeus didn't see Allen's sudden strange gesture. He just said seriously to Sylphie.
"I see~ You heard what Allen said earlier, right? If they dare to bully you again, Allen will twist their heads off."
Allen heard that part clearly. He had just dismissed the system panel notifying him of the favorability change. He glanced at Rudeus with a grimace and couldn't help but retort internally.
Seriously? Your mental age is five years older than mine! Is it really appropriate for you to be hiding behind me and borrowing my might? Wouldn't your magic be more intimidating than me waving a sword around? A big fireball firework would both impress the girl and scare the bullies. Kill two birds with one stone. And here you are, cowering...
Forget it... it's my fault, too. This event happened earlier than planned. Rudy has just emerged from under Roxy's protection. He probably still has some psychological trauma from older kids... He was stripped naked and tied to the school gate in his past life. That's not something you get over easily.
Seeing that Sylphie didn't answer and was just peeking at Allen, Rudeus threw his hands up in resignation.
"...But it must be tough for you, being bullied just because your hair color is similar to the Supard tribe's."
Hearing this, Sylphie couldn't help but shrink back. She whispered, "Y-You guys don't mind?"
"My teacher is a demon. As for him," Rudeus gestured to Allen, "I'm not sure, but it sounds like he never thought you were a Supard from the beginning. How should I put it... maybe that's the sharp observation of a swordsman."
"I see... a swordsman..." Sylphie nodded.
Rudeus, however, looked at her long ears and asked curiously, "By the way, you have ears like an elf. Are you not human?"
"No, I'm not. My father is only half-elf, the other half is human."
"Oh? What about your mother?"
"Human, but with a little bit of beast-person blood mixed in."
Before Rudeus could come to any confused conclusions, Sylphie suddenly started to sob.
"Father... even though he says... I'm not a demon, but... my hair color is different from... from everyone else's..."
Rudeus was dumbfounded, not knowing how to handle Sylphie. But when he glanced at the equally dumbfounded Allen under the tree, he suddenly got an idea.
"Don't cry! Allen hates it when kids cry. Be careful he doesn't chop your head off!"
Allen: ???
The crying stopped abruptly. Sylphie's expression suddenly turned to one of terror.
[Sylphie's favorability towards you has slightly decreased.]
Allen was overjoyed at this news.
Yes! Just like that, keep it up. Let's get the story back on track!
[...]
Rudeus, however, was laughing internally at Sylphie's expression.
"Is your father very strict with you? It seems you're not good at dealing with the strict type."
"...Yes. Father is scary when he's angry. But as long as I'm obedient, he won't get angry."
"Ah~ and your mother?"
"My mother is very gentle..."
"Ah, by the way, were you going to bring lunch to your father just now? I saw your basket was full of bread. Ah, it got dirty with mud. It's all Allen's fault!"
Sylphie, who had just calmed down, immediately became flustered again at these words.
"Ah!... S-Sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry!"
Rudeus: ???
Allen: ????
Rudeus wore a dazed expression.
"Why are you apologizing?... Forget it. How about this? You take me to your father, and I'll apologize properly to him on Allen's behalf. As for that guy Allen, he's terrible at getting close to people. He'll just stare at you with a cold face and smile. It's terrifying."
Allen: ?????
Sylphie nodded, then looked at Rudeus hesitantly. She then turned around to face Allen, wringing her hands and lowering her head.
"Thank you... for protecting me..."
Then she looked back at Rudeus.
"And thank you... for washing my hair..."
"But, if this happens, the other people in the village will hate you too, and you won't have any friends... Maybe... you should just leave me alone from now on. I can... I can handle it myself."
As Sylphie said this, she was on the verge of tears, but she held them back forcefully.
Because Allen didn't like it when children cried.
Just then, however, Allen walked over, reached out with both hands, and ruffled both Sylphie's and Rudeus's hair, then walked past them.
His nonchalant voice drifted back on the wind.
"Rudy and I aren't going to be friends with them. But speaking of friends..."
Then Allen, without looking back, held up two fingers and wiggled them, saying casually as if talking to a child.
"Now, the three of us each have two friends, you know~"
Rudeus watched Allen's back, blinked, and then grinned.
He patted the shoulder of Sylphie, who was staring blankly at Allen, and said in a gentle tone.
"Come on. Don't mind his scary face. He's actually a really good guy. He helped me out before, too. So his scary face is just for show. Don't be afraid."
Sylphie blinked her long eyelashes and nodded emphatically.
Walking ahead, Allen didn't hear what Rudeus was saying. He just smiled and waved away the smoky text in front of his face.
[Mushoku Tensei Major Event Participation Score Increased. Current Stage: Childhood. Cumulative Participation Score: 50 points. You have gained the recognition of Rudeus and Sylphiette and earned their friendship.]
The children's whispers, fragmented by the wind, drifted from behind him.
"...I forgot to ask your name."
"Syl...phie...," the voice was as quiet as a mosquito's buzz, the end of it swallowed by the wind.
"...Sylph, huh? That's a nice name. Like a wind spirit."
"Th-Thank you... Is he called Allen? And... and you?"
"Yeah, that scary face is Allen. I'm Rudeus."
"Allen... that's a good name. Like... like a savior who destroys the world."
Rudeus: ??
"I was the one who complimented your name... But your description is quite fitting. It would be even more perfect if his last name were Yeager."
"Huh?"
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