Crybird Family was a special existence for the dwellers of the Collet Village which was always exposed to the threat of the monsters. It seems that Surges-san was very famous person in the Imperial Capital. My mother always would get excited while talking about Surges-san and my father would listen to her with a sullen expression. Chris-san was still beautiful but apparently she was much more beautiful and also very strong when she was younger so that the men in the village used to call her “G.o.ddess”. Furthermore she could also use Holy Magic thus as I heard, there would always be people who would ask her to treat them even though their wounds were not serious at all. I also heard that the Holy Magic treatment was quite expensive at the larger cities but Chris-san would always do it for free. However it seems that the Holy Magic treatment as well as the guarding duty were included in their mission contract.

Crybird Family has two sons but they are also exceptional. Their appearances are beautiful but they have enough power to fight against the monsters despite they are still just children. Well, however they have some defects as well. For example the eldest son, Kite-kun, has a poor intelligence and the second son, Larcus, is a training freak thus he doesn’t play with anyone. He doesn’t even speak to anyone.

Despite that, they are still excellent compared to other boys in the village from the aspect of the girls. They are strong and cool, after all. That is more than enough.

I was around the same age with Kite-kun thus he was the one I admired just like other girls. He is a little crude and violent but the honest personality that would never bully the weak is his plus/appealing point.

However I am aware of the cold reality. I was born in a remote village. Thus I would get married to a man from the village and would never be able to leave this village. I would live a life covered with earth. (TL Note: She means she would live as a farmer for the rest of her life.) I can’t imagine a different future. However I can imagine that the boys of the Crybird Family would leave this village one day.

One day, the Elven village is attacked by a Goblin herd. And a rumour started to spread amongst the adults. According to the rumour, Goblins might attack the Collet Village as well. I had once seen a Goblin. They were ugly and smelly monsters. My mother had said that they were monsters that would do awful things to the females. That’s why, each female in the village would receive a knife and they would be told to commit suicide if they thought they would be taken away by the Goblins. Thus Goblins were the most hateful monsters for the females in the village since they represent the death for them.

Because of those rumours, there were even children that would cry out of fear. According to the rumour, Surges-san went to the Elven Village. Thus I wanted to ask the people from Crybird Family in order to understand it better. On the way to the house of Crybird Family, I saw Kite-kun alone so I asked him.

“Hey, Kite-kun. Is it true that the Elven village was attacked by a Goblin herd? The adults say that the Collet Village might be attacked as well.”

“Where did you hear that, Cystea?”

“There are already rumours about it in the village.”

Kite-kun answered while turning away his eyes from me a little.

“Goblin King was defeated by the Father thus it is very unlikely that Goblin herd would attack the village.”

“Really? Thank G.o.ds!”

I am relieved to hear that Goblin King was defeated. Goblins become stronger when Goblin King exists. Even I know that.

“What is the matter?”

He must have felt puzzled about my reaction of extreme relief.

“Goblins are the enemy of the females. There were even children who cried out of fear. Everybody can feel relieved now. Isn’t it great?”

Kite-kun’s eyes enclouded for a moment but he said to me with a bright face right after that.

“Even if a Goblin King were to attack the village, I would protect you, Cystea .”

My face became completely red and my heart was in a turmoil.

“W-W-What do you m-m-mean? Tell me!”

It seemed that Kite-kun also realized what he said because his face became bright red. He really has a poor intelligence.

“I-I have to train.”

Kite-kun left running after he said that.

I tried to calm down by shaking my boiling head but when I shook my head, I saw Larcus-kun with a grinning expression. And I immediately left running as well.

I don’t think he was close enough to hear us but I wonder if he heard?

The next day, I heard that the three boys, who bullied the Half-Elf adopted daughter of the Crybird Family, were beaten black and blue by Larcus-kun. One of the beaten boys muttered that “That guy is a devil.” Thus from that day on, the children started to call Larcus-kun “Hardworking Devil.” I find the people, who bully the weak, disgusting but I think your personality is bad as well since you grinned when you saw me and Kite-kun talking, Larcus-kun.

The winter pa.s.sed after the Goblin attack incident and when the sunlights started to become warmer, I heard that people of Crybird Family went to the Koru Thread. I was envious. I wanted to go there even for once as well.

The next day after the people of Crybird Family came back from the Koru Thread, I was called by Kite-kun. When I went to meet him with a bouncing heart full of expectations, he gave me a present.

“Cystea, we went to the Koru Thread so I will give you this.”

Kite-kun suddenly and forcefully gave me the present with a bright red face.

He was so cute~~

“Thank you very much.”

When I opened the box, there was a hair ornament inside it. It had an excellent design with beautifully arranged flower petals. I couldn’t believe that Kite-kun had such a high taste to choose something like that so I inquired a little. And he confessed in no time.

“Well, my younger brother, umm, said that since we came all the way to the Koru Thread, I should buy a souvenir for the person I care.”

“Umm, I couldn’t hear very well. What kind of person was it that he suggested you to buy a present for?”

Kite-kun looks at me with teary eyes but it makes me want to tease him more when I see his cute facial expression.

“For the person I care.”

“What kind of care is it?”

“Well, that, you know it, right?!”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I mean the person I like!”

Kite-kun said that with a loud voice in the end. I felt so moved that I unconsciously hugged him.

“Thank you, Kite-kun.”

I thanked Kite-kun with a bright red face. The redness of my face wasn’t lower than him.

Little brother, I am sorry for calling your personality bad. Your sister-in-law realized your excellent personality.

It seems that on their way back from the Koru Thread, the people of Crybird Family encountered a bandit group and killed them all thus the next day, the children started to call Larcus-kun “Ma.s.s-Killer Devil.”. It seems that he himself was not aware of it. It was a little pitiful.

Afterwards, 3 years pa.s.sed and one day I was called by Kite-kun again. It was when there was less than a month for Kite-kun to reach adulthood.

“Cystea, I will become an Adventurer. My father and mother can stay in this village because they were hired by Colonise Viscount. Thus in order to be able to stay in this village for the rest of my life, I need to be hired by Colonise Viscount like them but currently I don’t have that competency. I will definitely come back so I want you to wait for me.”

“How long should I wait?”

“I am sorry. I don’t know.”

Kite-kun honestly answered my question with a pained face.

I knew that it would end up like this one day. And I also know that once Kite-kun left this village, he would never come back here again. Because there were many beautiful girls in the big cities and Kite-kun would be considered handsome and strong even in the big cities. Thus he would forget about someone like me in no time. Furthermore, even if he really were to come back, my family wouldn’t let me wait at home unmarried for someone whom they don’t know when to come back. When my parents asked me to get married to someone, I have no choice but to get married to him.

This person let me dream until now. That was how I a.s.sumed it.

Thus I shall keep on dreaming without showing any tears in the presence of this person.

“I understand. I will always wait for you.”

“Really? Thank you. I will definitely come back for you. So wait for me!”

Saying that, he took me in his embrace and kissed me.

(I wish I would never have woken up from this happy dream…)

However happy times would never last long. The reality is always cruel.

“You should definitely wait for me! Promise me!”

“I promise you.”

Kite-kun left happily with light steps. He wasn’t aware of anything after all.

When he disappeared from my sight, I broke down crying. I don’t know if it was because I was close to Crybird Family house, Larcus-kun appeared with a sad expression after a short while.

“Are you alright?”

“Of course, I am alright.”

I wiped my tears and answered with a smile.

Larcus-kun mumbled his mouth as if he wanted to say something for a while and in the end he made a single statement.

“Nii-san doesn’t deserve a woman like you.”

If Larcus-kun didn’t suggest Kite-kun to buy a present from Koru Thread for me, Kite-kun would only be someone I admired and I would never taste these kind of feelings.

And I would never know these happy feelings.

I murmur to Larcus-kun inside my heart.

(The brother-in-law inside my dream, your sister-in-law is very happy.)