Strongest Alchemist System
Chapter 29: Bitterness in life

Dropped, dripped, dripped, and kept dripping wet my body.

The smell of rust pierced my nose, along with a cold feeling that made my head feel frozen.

When I saw the red color of the thick liquid, I knew that this was just a dream.

A cruel dream, a dream that never ends.

How many times have I had the same dream, I don't even count it anymore.

Repeatedly, and repeated.

A dream without end.

In the dream I heard the sound of crying, the sound of screams, and the sound of despair from a little boy who could not stop shaking, who was none other than myself.

I really hate this.

When should I watch this?

Do you want to find a reason to die?

What a pathetic kid.

(“Hiks..! Hicks…! Father... Mother...”) I cried.

This is my past.

That time I kept crying— no, I could only cry.

Hugging my sister tightly, I could only continue to cry as my father and mother also hugged us very tightly.

That's a very warm hug.

I really felt their great affection from the embrace.

In fact, until the end my father and mother kept hugging me, they kept hugging us both—

—Together the sharp iron-iron that pierced their bodies.

“….”

Seeing that, I could only continue to sink and sink to the bottom of the abyss of despair, until it fell in a valley of darkness.

There's no one, and there's nothing there.

There was only me crying and crying.

But…

For some reason, this time everything was a little different.

Although it was only slight and vague, I could feel a serene warmth within the darkness.

The warmth that I had never felt before, and also became the only light that accompanied me at the bottom of that dark abyss.

“Yeah, how long will you keep crying. You really are a crybaby,” said the woman with sparkling golden hair, whose every step always illuminates this darkness.

He extended his hand to me, and then hugged my cold body with his pleasant warmth.

“Alright, I will continue with you until you stop crying, so everything is fine,”.

Hearing that, for the first time I was able to stop crying in this dream.

...****************...

It's morning.

I scrunched my eyes, and woke up from my deep sleep.

But, when I was intending to get up, I felt something in my hand, and when I opened the blanket to check it, my eyebrows shot up.

There, I saw my hand being held tightly by someone, and as I looked up again to find out who was holding it, I saw Alicia who was rolling her head and falling asleep beside me.

“Hmm..”

Seeing that, I put my finger on my chin to make the pose of a thinking person. Then, I started trying to enjoy the taste of holding hands with the beautiful girl.

“Well, this is not bad. But, he should have grasped my hand with both hands to give me a better sensation. I think she still needs a lot to learn to be my heroin.”

“What did you say when you just woke up, Riku-san?”

“Woo!!”

Knowing that there was someone else in the place other than us, I hurriedly released my grasp of Alicia's hand and shouted in surprise.

“Yeah, you should be more grateful, Riku-san. Because from last night Alicia-san still hasn't slept just to make sure that you're actually resting properly,” said Elvy with a disappointed sigh.

Then, he walked towards me, and carried a red fruit similar to an apple, yet it was slightly larger in size than a regular apple.

“First, try eating this, Riku-san. It will make you better,” he said with a gentle smile while giving the fruit to me.

“Thank you.” I took the fruit.

When I held it, it had the same texture as an apple, and also the same color. Only the size is different.

This made me hesitate to eat it a little because I had a bad experience of someone's giving.

I don't want to be kissed by a prince.

But, Elvy answered me with a slightly confused face.

“I wonder if there is such a fruit in this world. But, take it easy, Riku-san. This time I did not give any dope in it at all,” replied Elvy with her cheerful innocent face.

“Yeah, so that was you. You really make other people panic. From now on you can't do that anymore, okay?” scold me, and start biting the fruit.

This time it seems completely safe.

For its taste, it is similar to an apple, but has a softer texture.

Well, it's delicious.

“But, it was Riku-san's fault as well for never listening to me to rest,” Elvy said as she puffed her cheeks in annoyance, and scolded me back.

Hearing that, I sighed tiredly.

“Well, what can I do, right? I was really busy after everything. I have to go around distributing potions to all the seriously injured people, besides my business with the demon lord's lead is also still not finished.”

“I understand that Riku-san is busy, but your health must also be maintained or I must use this way again to make Riku-san fall asleep, understand?” pressed Elvy with an angry face, making me a little surprised.

Geez, she remains cute despite being angry again.

I understand why she is so obsessed with him.

“Riku-san, are you really listening to me?!”

“Yes yeah, I get it. From today I will maintain my sleep pattern,” I said in a relaxed tone, while getting off my bed.

But, hearing that Elvy was only getting irritated, she looked at me with a sharp gaze, and puffed her cheeks with a frown.

Seeing that, I snorted briefly and stroked his head, it was a little difficult as there were annoying horns, but I still gently stroked them.

“Thank you for worrying about me, Elvy-chan. But, sorry, I don't think I can keep your promise, because I don't have any more time to stay here, so at least I want to do whatever I can to help you,” my words with a thin smile.

Elvy lowered her face dejectedly, it seemed like she had also guessed if sooner or later we would leave this village.

“Are you guys really going?” he asked while looking at me with a look like a kitten to be left behind.

Ugh, seeing that makes me want to hug her.

But hold me, you're not a lolicon! You must not carelessly hug a girl without excuse, or you will be labeled as a depraved one!

Damn, if only I were born with the talent of a playboy, I would definitely have no trouble dealing with a situation like this.

What do I have to say to make her happy?

It is true, next week we intend to leave this village immediately, because we have given a lot of trouble to this village. That's why, I need to work hard to pay for everything before that time.

I intend to give most of my potions to them, as it seems that my potions can not only heal one's wounds, but can also stimulate the growth of plants to grow faster.

I also intend to teach them how to reforest to restore this forest, which I learned from my home world.

After all I was the one who caused all this, so I had to take responsibility properly. Because of me, many Elves lost their homes, and because of me also—

—Elvy must lose her brother.

I myself know that this is still not enough to pay for it, so if there is anything I can do, I will definitely do it.

In the end, I couldn't apologize to them at all.

Is it because I'm afraid they hate me?

This is the first time I've felt this way. As I kept myself locked up in the room, I did not care at all about the feelings of others, and only tried them all in my own opinion.

This is a good lesson for me.

I really owe a lot to this village.

“Sorry, Elvy-chan. I still have to go. I still have an obligation to bring Alicia home to her home,” I said, who made up the story a bit, but I didn't completely lie. “So, I'm really sorry, Elvy-chan. I can't stay here with you guys,”.

It felt like a needle was piercing my chest when I said that.

It's really painful.

“….”

Elvy didn't say anything, it made me sicker.

But, a moment later, she walked over with her face down and leaned her head against my chest, without allowing me to see the look on her face.

There, I could feel a little wet from her tears.

My eyebrows shot up, but I didn't say anything.

Seeing that, I just looked up regretfully.

Shit, when I just came to this world, but I've made two girls cry.

I'm really pathetic.

Apparently, I don't have the talent to be a protagonist.