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 .