“Hmm… It seems we’re nearing our destination.”
As I was lost in thought, recalling the stories of the Barrier and the Witch that Dwight had told me, I snapped back to reality, noticing that the vehicle we were in had slowed down from its earlier speed.
Out the window, I could see a building resembling a factory with white walls. It looked like that was indeed the purification facility.
Realizing there was no time for further reflection, I steadied my swirling thoughts and lightly nudged Florene, who had been resting on my shoulder, to wake her up.
“Hey, Florene, it’s time to wake up.”
“Uugh… just five more minutes…”
Seeing Florene whine at my call made me chuckle. After sleeping against my shoulder for quite a while, she showed no signs of discomfort, burying her head as if my shoulder were a plush pillow.
After all, if she could withstand significant physical attacks without flinching, what was a simple nap against my shoulder?
She could probably sleep on a bare floor and wake up feeling fresh the next day.
In my experience, when someone says “just five more minutes,” there hasn’t been a single person who actually wakes up after just five minutes, so I firmly grasped Florene’s head.
“…Huh? Uh-huh…”
When I applied a bit of pressure and gave her a few scalp massages to wake her up, she blinked her eyes, making weird sounds, before lifting her head from my shoulder.
It was then that I noticed a drool spot on my shoulder where she had been resting.
Even though it was from a cute girl, seeing that scene made me thankful I was wearing protective gear at that moment.
As I wiped the wet spot, a slightly dazed Florene looked at me and Dwight with confusion, tilting her head as she said,
“…Huh? Florene, when did I fall asleep?”
“I don’t know, but you fell asleep shortly after getting in the car because you were tired. Don’t you remember?”
“Ah, I see. Hehe, sorry, Scarlet. I must’ve been a bit sleepy from working hard today.”
Hearing Dwight’s words, Florene smiled sheepishly, apologizing to me.
I shook my head in response, then shot a small glare at Dwight, who was trying to brush off responsibility.
Noticing he was feeling guilty, Dwight avoided my gaze.
If he was sorry, he should at least take me out for a meal later.
As I muttered this to myself, Florene stretched her arms and announced cheerfully,
“Yay! Anyway, now that I’m awake, it feels like we’ve arrived! Let’s quickly finish the tasks we have!”
“Right. We need to wrap up our work so we can go on the facility tour as well.”
Following Florene, who jumped out of the car, Dwight nodded in agreement and got out too.
As I stepped out after them, I saw several cargo trucks parked nearby, loaded with the corpses of Lesser Demonic Beasts.
I gasped slightly at the sight and muttered,
“…Wow, that’s quite a lot. By the way, the building was huge when we saw it from outside earlier. Hey, so does that mean all the Magical Creatures that need purification are dealt with here?”
Dwight looked at me as if I was foolish for asking and replied,
“…There’s no way that can be true. There are several facilities of similar size besides this one. It’s a must-have facility, and they are installed in different locations to be prepared for any potential incidents that might hinder operations.”
“Oh, I see… How many large facilities like this are there… Is purifying Magical Creatures really such a lucrative business?”
No matter how necessary it might be, I wondered how profitable a business it was to have so many large facilities.
As I contemplated this, Dwight looked at me with an expression that questioned what I really understood.
“Profit? There’s nothing profitable here. The purification facility exists solely to eliminate Magical Creatures. The revenues generated are zero. It exists purely for public welfare, not for profit.”
“…So, it’s a facility that runs entirely at a loss?”
…Considering the size of the building I saw earlier, the maintenance costs must be enormous.
Who would voluntarily take on such a losing endeavor?
As those thoughts crossed my mind, I glanced at Florene.
That meant it was her family that took on such responsibilities.
Worry began to wash over me, but Florene laughed, breaking my train of thought.
“Aha, it’s okay! It’s alright! The facility operates with some support funds, and we in the Dolos family earn enough money from elsewhere to cover any losses incurred by such facilities!”
“…Still, taking on losses can’t be easy. It’s impressive that you take on such work.”
“In our family, Dolos, that’s just how things are!”
“How is that just how things are?”
“Everyone has the right to be happy. That’s our family motto in Dolos. So, everyone learns how to ensure their own happiness!”
When I questioned her about what was considered “natural,” she switched the topic to her family’s beliefs. Smiling broadly, she continued speaking.
“For me, wearing pretty clothes makes me happy. When I see myself all dressed up nicely, I feel a delightful rush of happiness.”
It was such a characteristically Florene thing to say that I couldn’t help but chuckle and nod my head in agreement.
“Thus, I started making pretty clothes and cosmetics. I want others to feel happy seeing themselves dressed beautifully.”
She further explained the motivation behind her creations.
I couldn’t quite grasp why she spoke about such things at first, but then realized the message she was conveying.
“Florene’s dad thought people could find happiness by living in a better city. So, he joined the Central Committee to create a better city for the people.”
After hearing her follow-up, I quickly realized what point she was making.
“Florene’s grandfather believed that if a strong hero were to protect them from the Lesser Demonic Beasts, they would be happy, so he became a hero and rose to the position of Squad Leader.”
What she was expressing was the spirit and philosophy of Dolos.
In that moment, I finally understood why the Dolos family held such high regard within this city.
“Surely someone from Dolos must have thought that if this Magical Creature purification facility could make the area safer from threats, then it would lead to happiness, thus establishing it.”
In a world where inflicting suffering upon others in pursuit of one’s own happiness was commonplace, here were those who, feeling entitled to their own happiness, naturally shared it with others.
“To attain their own happiness, they also ensure that others can enjoy that happiness. Dolos has learned and taught that way.”
Their ethos, which had been passed down through generations, was truly noble.
Thus, it was no wonder that even a seemingly naïve girl like Florene could exude such pride and integrity.
Although it appeared she was doing things for others, in truth, it was all for Dolos’ own happiness. No one skimped on spending for endeavors they pursued to achieve happiness.
As she smiled while saying this, Florene looked radiant.
I couldn’t help but reflect on how I had once thought of her as just an innocent girl without deeper considerations.
This was what true heroes and families of heroes embodied.
As I admired her, Florene tilted her head and muttered,
“Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“…I don’t know, it just feels like you’re exceptionally amazing.”
“Ehehe, being amazing? It’s really nothing special.”
After briefly feeling shy while laughing, Florene looked at me and asked,
“By the way, Scarlet, how do you think you’ll find your happiness?”
“…Me?”
“Yep!”
Her question about happiness made me pause for a moment.
The first thought that came to mind was the warm, joyous times I had shared with my parents over dinners during my childhood.
The second memory was of the fun moments spent laughing and playing with friends back in my previous world.
However, both of those were long-lost types of happiness now out of reach.
So I recalled the precious connections I had formed in this new world and quietly responded.
“…If I could be with precious people and see them smiling, I think I’d find happiness.”
Florene then exclaimed,
“Well then, Scarlet should smile more! If you want to see your dear ones smile, they’ll also want to see you smile. Then for sure, you’ll be able to find happiness!”
Her words made me pause for a moment.
Could I also find happiness?
That thought crossed my mind.
As I hesitated, a Bible verse I had come across at some point popped into my head.
“Knock, and it will be opened to you.”
In this situation, I wasn’t sure if I could truly find happiness.
However, I thought that at the very least, I could try knocking on the door of happiness.
With that in mind, I managed to lift the corners of my mouth into a small smile.
At that moment, the girl before me returned my smile brightly and said,
“Hehe, seeing Scarlet smile makes me feel happy too!”
Feeling joyful at Florene’s smile was undoubtedly because she had become someone more precious to me.
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