A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

"..." Redip remained silent and did not move forward.

What did you just say?

"Wow... I have to say, big brother, you're amazing."

"Because of big brother... Doffin doesn't have to feel so bad." The little girl whispered, afraid that her voice would be too loud and upset Redip.

"I didn't feel uncomfortable at all." Dove genuinely thought Redip was amazing.

“It just so happens that I used to do this kind of work.” Redip used to be a lifeguard.

Before he succumbed to depravity.

"As expected, big brother is a very capable person."

"Thank you for saving me." The little girl bowed deeply, though Redup couldn't see it.

The little girl staggered away in the opposite direction from Redip.

“You can stay until you’re not so weak,” Redip said casually.

Redup helped Dove dry her hair.

He didn't know why, but inexplicably, he brought this little girl into his house.

Redip claims he is not a lolicon and has no interest in women whatsoever.

During this period, he even thought he had become frigid or had turned gay.

"Just because of one sentence from this guy?" Redip muttered to himself.

"You're really amazing." These words kept repeating in Redip's ears.

It's been so long since anyone has looked at me directly.

Unexpectedly, after so many years, the first person to praise me was a little girl of about ten years old.

“I’m so naive,” Redip said with a self-deprecating laugh.

Only an extremely bored person would take a child's unintentional thank you so seriously.

"Big brother?"

Redup's voice was very soft, and Dove couldn't hear it.

He just turned his head and looked at Redip with a puzzled expression.

“Turn around, you’re not dry yet,” Redip said coldly.

"Also, don't call me big brother, it sounds awkward."

Not everyone likes being called "big brother" or something like that, for example, Redip.

"I don't have any strange preference for being called that."

“Just call me Redip,” Redip said.

“Redip?” Dove tried calling out.

Dove's hair was cyan, with some dark blue strands mixed in.

To be honest, this hair color is a bit too much like something out of a Mary Sue movie.

Dove was very well-behaved, and sat still while Redup dried his hair.

—“Fish fins.” During this process, Redup discovered that Dove was different from normal people.

There was something resembling a fish fin near the girl's ear.

Sparse scales are distributed in areas of the arm that are difficult to detect.

If Redip hadn't looked closely, he wouldn't have noticed these unusual details.

Redip sighed almost imperceptibly.

This Dove isn't human.

It shouldn't be an orc, nor an elf.

Perhaps it's a branch of the race, at least one that Redip doesn't recognize.

If I had to describe Dove in one word, it would be "fishman".

"Raise your hands and wipe your body."

"Okay." Dove obediently raised his arms.

Redup wiped Dove's body without any emotional reaction.

He didn't have any suitable clothes for Dove to change into, not even a single piece of men's clothing.

In other words, Dove could only wear the clothes she was wearing.

If you don't dry yourself off completely, you're more likely to catch a cold.

"Thank you." Dove smiled sweetly.

"..." Redip shook his head.

Even if Doffin isn't human, so what? He might still be some kind of unorthodox orc or elf.

But whatever she is, she has no place in my heart.

It was just a coincidence that I was overly compassionate.

"Redip, Redip, Redip..." Dove kept repeating Redip's name.

Redup looked at Doffin silently.

---

Early the next morning, Redip unusually did not go to the other half of the beach to go fishing.

Instead, they went to the market in the city.

Walking on the bridge, Redup could still hear the sound of the water flowing under the bridge and splashing against the banks.

Redup will not come to the market except when necessary.

This is even worse than Mirage.

The mockery intensified, and more people began to see themselves as a laughing stock.

Moreover, his slovenly appearance often aroused suspicion from the guards.

Redup yawned on the road without any apparent thought.

The pedestrians around him were talking about him.

Although not everyone knows Redup, her clothing style easily becomes a topic of conversation.

But he's gotten used to it.

Redup arrived at a breakfast shop with practiced ease.

"Noodle soup," Redip said to the owner.

Redup would never normally eat such good food.

Since I'm too lazy to make money, I don't deserve to enjoy good food.

Redip's logic is strange, yet reasonable.

“Okay…” The breakfast shop owner looked at Redip strangely.

Redip hesitated for a long time before reaching into his pocket.

It contains 3G and three coins.

“Two portions, packed together,” Redip added.

"Oh..." The breakfast shop owner paused for a moment before quickly responding.

Although Redip doesn't look like much, he's still my guest no matter what.

The boss just wanted Redip to leave as soon as possible.

A person like that standing in your shop will drive away many customers.

It was so dirty that even the boss couldn't help but secretly despise it.

"Alright, here are your two bowls of noodle soup." The owner quickly handed two breakfasts to Redip.

Redip also guessed what the boss was thinking.

He readily accepted the breakfast and tossed the three coins from his pocket onto the cashier's counter.

Without saying a single unnecessary word to the boss, Redip left immediately.

Since neither of them wanted him to stay in the store for too long, Redip decided to just leave.

Carrying two bowls of noodle soup, Redip returned to his thatched hut on the beach.

"Breakfast." Redip threw the soup noodles directly in front of Dove.

Dove was startled by the breakfast that Redup had suddenly brought.

"breakfast?"

"Eat." Redip didn't bother to explain anything and started eating his own portion.

I watched as Redip started eating breakfast.

Dove carefully opened the packaged noodle soup and began to eat.

"It's so hot..." Dove stuck out her tongue.

"..." Redip paused briefly, glanced at Dove, and then continued eating his noodle soup.

It's rare for Redup to eat such good food, so we can't waste it.

"Delicious!" Dove said with a smile.

“Hmm,” Redip responded.

Dove was surprised to find that Redip had responded to him.

Previously, Dove always thought Redip was a very cold person.

"I'm done eating." After finishing breakfast, Dove looked longingly at Redip.

"Don't throw away the bowls." Even disposable bowls can be useful.

"Thank you." Dove sat on the stool, swinging her bare little feet.

Redup lowered his eyelids after seeing Dove finish breakfast.

He only intended to buy one for Dove.

Redup anticipated that Dove would ramble on if he saw that he hadn't had breakfast.

It's basically just a bunch of nonsense like, "No, if Redipple doesn't eat it, Dove can't eat it."

Redip simply bought two portions to avoid this troublesome situation.

I can also enjoy a delicious meal.

I have no money left and don't know what to do tomorrow.

"Where do you live? If you remember, I'll find a way to bring you back," Redip said calmly as he tidied his desk.

"Home?" Dove's voice suddenly softened as if he had touched on a sensitive topic.

“Home…” Dove became frustrated.

Dove certainly had a place to stay before, but she didn't consider it home.

"Never mind if you don't want to talk about it," Redip said casually, glancing sideways at Doffin. After temporarily taking care of Doffin, Redip seemed like a different person, becoming quite diligent.

Although her eyes were still as lifeless as ever, she looked much more energetic.

In his view, it would be a long time before this troublesome little girl could go home.

I don't care about myself, but I can't let this little girl starve to death.

He began to fish seriously, and even argued with buyers about prices for the first time.

50G.