In Another World as a…Bus Driver?

Third person POV

 After 1 month of training, Russell's first two apprentices are now doing their Certification Test, the final test of being a certified bus driver Russell made for any apprentice who wanted to graduate from his course. So, it began with two real, randomly selected routes. One is for Alvin and the other is for Wally, with Russell doing the first route first, then the second later in the afternoon. The tests were a bit arduous and intense, with Alvin and Wally doing their best and trying to implement what they had learned and studied so far.

 But, in the end, both students managed to pass the test and were now certified bus drivers under Russell's certification. Russell gave them their Certificates of Completion, much to their joy. Masha, Quinn, and the others were happy for them. After that, Alvin and Wally drove their buses and did their transport services with them after signing the Contracts of Ownership thanks to Russell's Ownership Legality Ability. Now, both boys owned those two buses with benefits that come with signing the said contracts. These two students are doing a good job while abiding by the principles and methods taught in Russell's course book.

 But then, the day after the graduation of his first two apprentices, Russell, Azalea, and John are traversing the streets of Rane Town one sunny and golden afternoon when the trio hears some rumors spoken by two women. The rumors were about an exiled party from the Southern Plains who were banished for committing treason and abuse of power. Some of the rumors were elaborated beyond the scope of factual truth. The trio were familiar with the rumors' contents, reminding them of the crimes of the Elai party less than a year before. Believing that it was about them, Russell approached the two young women and asked them, "Excuse me, what are those rumors you two talked about?"

The two young women dressed in peasant clothing heard that and looked at him.

 "Oh, hi there."

 "We're just talking about an exiled party who lived in a derelict farmhouse on the outskirts of this town."

 "Who's that party?" the young bus driver responded back with semi-confusion.

 "Apparently, the fallen and disgraced Fire Saintess of the Southern Plains," answered one of the two women back.

This alerted Russell with shock. "What? You mean…?"

The other woman then nodded. "Yes, it was Elai Taqua and her party who were rumored to be living in this town in an abandoned farmhouse southeast of here."

Because of this, Russell's mind exclaimed, "I knew it!"

Seeing that their friend looked agitated, Azalea and John went to Russell and asked him if he was okay. "Yes…I am…" replied Russell back, before looking back at the two young, housewife-like women. "Where southeast of that farmhouse was in this town?"

Pointing at an alleyway that was in the southeastern direction, one of the women replied back, "That way, sir."

Russell and his party saw that and believing that it was the right way to the abandoned farmhouse, Russell looked at the two women back again. "Thanks for the direction."

The two women then positively nodded. "You're welcome, sir."

 With that, Russell ran in that direction through town, prompting his small party to go after him while being taken aback by his sudden action without words of explanation. After much running, Russell arrived at that abandoned farmhouse, which was fenced poorly, providing easy access to its property. The house was neglected but managed to hold on against the sands of time and being abandoned. Seeing the exterior of the farmhouse, Russell was not surprised; he was serious about the Elai party's well-being. So, as his party managed to catch up with him, the young Renad bus driver approached the house, stepping foot in its derelict land property and peeking through a partially open window.

 Inside the one-room house, the Elai party was sitting on the dirty floor, miserable about the karma that resulted from their selfish actions. But what caught Russell's attention was Elai, who was lying on the floor looking weak and a bit starved from not being able to eat properly. She and her party had been rationing their dwindling resources for months, sometimes not eating lunch and only eating two, small meals a day. Elai was so malnourished that she was now dying of dysentery, and her party was sad that she would die soon.

 "I think I'll be reincarnated as a lowly animal or as an ugly goblin…" Elai said to them while coughing and enduring the pain of dysentery, "…soon…"

Belius held her hand. "Please, don't die! What do we do now without you?"

Smiling at her younger brother faintly, Elai replied back, "You guys on your own."

Aeri and Hans were crying with grief and regret as Elai kept on moaning from dysentery's pains.

And then, Elai closed her eyes and looked that she had passed away,

This caused grief in her party. "We shouldn't done all these bad things to Leon, Adrian, and Russell…" Hans said to his remaining comrades while sniffling. Aeri and Belius then nodded at him, saying that this would be their fate until death.

Watching all of this, Russell found out that Elai and her party had truly reflected on their past actions and changed for the better. So, sticking to his timeless principle of the Golden Rule, he went up to the doorstep of the front door and knocked on it a few times without saying a word. Azalea and John stood a few meters away from the doorstep while stunned at what he was doing, wondering about his intentions. But Russell had good, noble intentions in doing so. Upon hearing the sound of the door being knocked, Aeri stood and opened it, only to be taken aback by Russell's presence. "Huh? Bus Driver Hero?"

 "Hello there," replied Russell back, "are you with your party?"

Aeri, despite not knowing his intentions, nodded and let him in.

Russell went in, and his friends went to the doorstep outside of the house.

Inside the house, as Russell stepped into the sole, lonely room, the rest of the party were shocked to see him. "Russell?" Belius responded back to him.

 "Yes, it's me," replied Russell back, before examining Elai's unconscious body. "What happened to her?"

"It appeared that Elai-sama had suffered from some sort of dysentery," Hans responded back with melancholic sadness.

 "It's because she didn't eat properly," added Aeri back, "because we couldn't afford food after we ran out of provisions."

Hearing that from the outside, Azalea and John were shocked.

 "When did you guys run out of food and supplies?" Russell asked back.

 "3 months ago," Belius replied back with the same melancholic sad tone as Hans', "she gave her last food for us and rather suffer her fate because she considered herself useless and a selfish scum bag after we were banished."

 The rest of the Elai party then cried in regret and begged Russell for forgiveness, saying that they had regretted every dark, selfish deed they and Elai had done in the past. Russell was stunned that the party had changed for the better and reflected on their actions. So, happy with that in his mind, he said to them, "It's okay, you guys, that's what my friends and I wanted to hear." The party then looked at him with tears in their eyes while being stunned at his kindness.

 "Really?"

 "But we did a lot of bad things against you and your friends."

 "It's okay," replied Russell back solemnly and calmly. "As long as you guys apologize to me and others and don't do these bad things again, then it's fine."

The party couldn't believe how kind and forgiving he was to them.

They knew that he was harsh at them but now knew the reason behind it: their selfish actions and attitudes had trigged his chastising anger at them.

 Because of this, the party was positive that they were forgiven by him. Russell then looked at Azalea. "Hey, Azalea-chan, do you have a potion for dysentery?"

Azalea was taken aback by his question. "Huh? Yes, why?"

 "Elai-san is suffering from that sickness," replied her friend back. "Give me one."

Without pressing for any further questions, Azalea dug into her pouch for the said potion, found one on hand, and gave it to Russell. "Here."

Receiving it, Russell went back to the room and gave it to Belius. "Here, use this to treat her dysentery."

 Belius was stunned at his helping kindness and compassion but accepted it as aid from him, before using it to try to save Elai. Aeri and Hans were stunned to see that but watched, hoping that Elai would be spared from death's claws. The healing potion, a Super Healing one, did the trick, and Elai was now saved from death and is now sleeping peacefully while breathing soundly to regain her oxygen levels. Her party and Russell, as well as Azalea and John, were happy to see that she was alive again. Because of this, Belius and his comrades said thank you to the Bus Driver Hero for his aid and kindness, promising to repay him someday.

 "It's okay, you don't have to," Russell happily replied back. "I'm happy to help."

Furthermore, he gave them provisions of food and money for 1 week while planning to go back to the Southern Plains to negotiate with Nicholas and George for their pardon and allowed return, much to their relief and joy.

Russell left the house, being confident about their change of heart and attitude.

Shortly thereafter, he and his small party left the property and went back to his bus in town.

 At the same time, Elai woke up and, stunned after hearing from his relief-filled party about Russell's forgiveness, kindness, and compassion for them, was happy that she was given another chance to reform her life for the better. But then, while eating some food with her party, she began to think about Nathan, slowing falling for him after knowing that Nicholas had broken up with her months ago. But how come she started to fall in love with an Otherworlder like him?