Translator: Haruto.

“My name is Anna! It’s nice to meet you, Uncle!”

“…I’ve actually got a name of my own, you know? It’s Alize. So, please stop calling me uncle. It’s kind of depressing,” I tell Anna-chan, who responds by tilting her head in wonder. 

“Alize? You have the same name as the person that the heroes are looking for?”

“Yeah, although, I’m not as handsome as the guy in the posters, and I’m just your regular old guy.”

“You just called yourself old! Come on now, Alize-san, you should be more confident in yourself! You’re my hero!”

I wasn’t trying to be self-deprecating or anything, though.

While I don’t care for other people calling me old, I don’t actually lack confidence in myself.

But well, she must be trying to be nice in her own way, so I’ll just accept her kindness gratefully.

“Thank you, Anna-chan.”

“Hehe. You’re welcome!”

I have to say, though, it seems like girls tend to take a shine to me wherever I go. I must have been some sort of saint that returned lost wallets every time I’d find one in my past life.

“By the way, Anna-chan, how old are you?”

“Me? I’m 13!”

Huh, I’ve been alive about three times longer than her.  Man, I’ve really been getting on in years.

Also, I didn’t expect Anna-chan to be that young. She’s certainly mature beyond her age.

“We’ve arrived! This is my home!”

She’s taken me to an inn with a pretty nice exterior. There’s no doubt that it’s one of the town’s best inns.

“This is your place? It’s quite an impressive inn.”

“I know, right?! My mom and dad are both super amazing!”

It seems Anna-chan genuinely liked my compliment.

As I look at her, I can’t help remembering the girls I picked up years ago, and that other girl I used to look after back in the village.

I hope I’ll get to see them again…

“Okay! Go in already!”  

At her urging, I step through the entrance.

But as soon as I do, some old thug rushes towards me and yells, “What are you doing with my little Anna?! Spit it out! If you dare lay a finger on her, I’ll make you regret it!”

Um, I got threatened all of a sudden, and I don’t even know who he is.

Anna-chan positions herself between us in a hurry.

“Stop it, Dad! This kind uncle came to my rescue when I most needed it!”

And she’s back to calling me uncle. I feel a sort of pang in my heart every time she does.

It’s hard to get used to it. Damn it…

The old thug listens to what Anna-chan says and glares at me suspiciously.

“You saved her? With no ulterior motives at all? Yeah, right! Knowing how cute my Anna is, I bet you must be after her!”

Since her father is still suspecting me, Anna-chan puffs her cheeks out and exclaims, “Dad! If you don’t give it a rest already, I’ll end up hating you, okay?!”

Oh! There’s the famous skill “I’ll end up hating you, okay?!”                                 

Anna-chan’s words land a critical hit on the old thug’s heart and he backs away with tears in his eyes.

“Uuh… M-My bad. I’ll trust the old dude. I promise.”

Old dude… Look who’s talking!

Albeit, I decide not to voice my thoughts and simply wave my hand while saying, “I’m just glad the misunderstanding has been cleared up, old man.”

A vein pops out on his forehead in reaction to my little payback.

“Y-You little… How dare you call me…”

With no regard for her father’s anger, however, Anna-chan cocks her head to one side and says, “Huh? You’re not exactly young either, Dad. More importantly, though, I don’t want you two to fight!”

“I-I’m not…? I suppose you’re right. I’ve gotten kinda old, huh…”

Anna-chan’s father begins to sulk after hearing his own daughter deny his youthfulness.  

I feel bad for him so I guess I’ll try cheering him up a little.

“Come on now! There’s nothing to feel sad about! We’re in our prime as men!”

“…Hmph! Your words totally don’t make me happy, you hear?!”

Old and a tsundere to boot…? I wouldn’t want to be you.

“Anna-chan, why did you bring me here, anyway?”

“Well, aren’t you lacking a place to stay, Alize-san?”

“That’s right. But how do you know that?”

“It’s obvious at first sight! And you also smell a little. It must be because you haven’t had a bath in a while.”

This girl sure knows how to hit me where it hurts.

Now I’m not just an “uncle,” I also smell…?

The huge smug smile on the face of Anna-chan’s father irks me for some reason.

“On that note, Dad, please let Alize-san stay here!”

“…Well, if he really saved you, I suppose I could be kind enough to let him stay…”

Huh, be careful not to fall off your high horse there, buddy.

But well, seeing how he’s willing to let me stay, I should just play nice… or at least that’s what I intended to do, but what he said next made me change my plans.  

“…for a pretty penny, that is! Hahaha!”

“…Well, sorry, Anna-chan, but it seems I won’t be able to stay here.”

Hearing me say that, Anna-chan gets genuinely angry for the first time.   

“Dad! I won’t talk to you for a whole week!”

An expression of pure shock appears on her father’s face.

It’s like he might start crying at a moment’s notice.  

“I-I’m sorry, Anna. Please don’t…”

And as though to finish him off, a large woman emerges from the back and yells, “Dear! You’ll go to bed without dinner tonight if you keep causing such a ruckus!”

She must be Anna-chan’s mother.

…Her father sure has it rough.

Feeling glad that I’m not in his shoes, I let Anna-chan guide me to my room.

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