~CHAPTER 37~
It was Ratia.
Ratia ran into the guildmaster’s office and threw herself into my arms.
“I’m sorry. She kept saying she wanted to see the guest.”
“It’s fine.”
I waved my hand to the employee bowing his head.
Ratia clung to me and began whining.
“How long do I have to waaaait!”
“Did it take too long? Sorry.”
I apologized without resistance and wiped the sauce smeared all over Ratia’s mouth.
For someone who was whining, her stomach looked full as if she had a satisfying meal.
“So that kid… oh, right. She hatched like that.”
While I cleaned around Ratia’s mouth, I heard Noah muttering.
“You haven’t made a contract yet?”
“I don’t really feel the need to.”
“Why not? From every angle, forming a contract would benefit you much more.”
“It might not be good for Ratia.”
“This is… unexpected.”
Noah stroked his chin.
It seemed strange to him that Ratia and I weren’t contracted.
He reacted so casually to a demon king and a spirit talking comfortably together.
I remembered the first time I had met Ifrit.
When I first came to meet the guildmaster of this group, I had intended to ask where he got a spirit egg.
But after meeting Ifrit, that thought changed.
Since he was the Spirit King, it wasn’t strange to think he could sneak away with a spirit egg or two.
But I never guessed why he would steal one.
As long as it didn’t harm the Demon Realm, I figured the reason didn’t matter.
When talking to Illay, I mentioned that Ifrit gave the egg directly because of something Ifrit muttered to himself when we first met.
…So he told that magician to keep the spirit egg because he knew this would happen?
When I mentioned the World Tree back then, Ifrit definitely said something along those lines.
And judging from Noah’s reaction now, I felt I finally understood.
“Was it you who told Zahar to keep the spirit egg?”
“Yes, that was me.”
“Why?”
“Because the earth said that’s how it should be.”
What?
I wanted to understand, but I felt out of mental energy for the day.
I’ve thought too much today.
Why do Spirit Kings always speak so vaguely?
A lot had happened, and I was tired.
I rescued the child, and I got the promise to meet the World Tree, so I guess I finished what I had to do today…
I let out a shallow sigh and stood up.
Ratia, who had been in my arms, rose with me.
“Hm? Are we going now?”
“Yeah. I’m done here. Let’s go home. I can go, right?”
I answered Ratia’s innocent question and then asked the two Spirit Kings.
“Yes, you can go. But… did you decide to start talking casually now?”
“Honorifics are wasted on someone who doesn’t keep promises. Unless he lets me meet the World Tree right now, that is.”
“…Just speak casually. I don’t mind.”
It was just a comment.
But when I mentioned the promise he hadn’t kept, Ifrit lowered his head in embarrassment.
Seeing that made me certain.
He really promised me without any real plan.
The child wasn’t even using a spoon, scooping up the porridge with his hands.
The sight of him eating desperately, as if he hadn’t had proper food in a long time, stung my heart.
As I watched him for a while, Noah spoke.
“Leave the child. We’ll protect him from now on.”
“Yeah… sure.”
I had never planned to take care of him myself.
I had neither the will nor the capacity.
And Ifrit, with the title of contractor’s son on his side, was far more suitable as a guardian than I was, who had only met the child a few hours ago.
The child looked at me while eating, as if realizing he was being left behind.
His gaze trembled when it met mine.
Feels like I’m doing something awful.
Ifrit, who had been patting the child’s head, glanced at me.
“Come visit often. He seems to rely on you a bit.”
“…I will.”
I nodded quietly.
Thankfully, after Ifrit healed him, the child no longer feared him.
If that hadn’t happened, it would’ve been much harder to leave him.
I gave the child a small bow and took Ratia’s hand to return home.
“Then I’m really going to sleep!”
“Okay. Good night.”
I waved at Ratia as she went up to her room.
The bracelet on my wrist clinked lightly.
I had thought I would get to meet the World Tree today.
Nothing is ever easy.
Why did the Earth Spirit King send Ratia to me?
Why is his name Noah and not Hetra?
When I meet the World Tree, will I really be able to break the cycle of regression?
I was already tired, and the extra worries made my head ache more.
I don’t know. Maybe I should sleep and think later.
I rubbed my forehead and was just stepping onto the stairs to the second floor.
Thud, thud, thud!
There was a loud banging on the door, as if someone were pounding it with their fist.
“Is anyone there? Hello?!”
A young woman’s urgent voice followed.
What?
It sounded like someone being chased.
Drawn by the voice, I opened the door.
The woman, who had been pounding on it desperately, met my eyes right away.
Her eyes were filled with tears.
“What’s going on… no, who are you?”
As I asked, I felt it instinctively.
Ah, something exhausting is about to happen again. I won’t be sleeping tonight.
The woman looked at me as if she’d just found her savior.
She grabbed my hand and spoke quickly.
“Be, Bella. You know Bella, right? Bella is…”
The familiar name snapped the fatigue right out of me.
Bella — the girl who took care of me when Sian brought me to the human realm.
“Did something happen to Bella?”
“Bella was taken by the lord. What do we do…”
“The lord?”
I hadn’t seen anyone like a lord or noble while living in this village.
The woman paused as if overwhelmed by emotion.
“Even neglected villages have lords. Ours ignored the village for over ten years, so everyone left. He died, and now his son inherited the position.”
I listened quietly.
Her breathing grew quicker.
“And of all times… Bella’s little brother ran into the new lord and messed up his clothes.”
…
“So the lord dragged him away to punish him by beating him. Then when he heard the boy had an older sister… he took Bella too.”
She trailed off.
Her next words were barely a whisper.
“He said if she didn’t serve him at night… he would cripple both the boy and Bella. That little kid…”
Her tears finally fell.
Is he insane? Bella is just a child.
Then I understood why she had come to me.
Judging by how she spoke, she must have been close to Bella.
And Bella, with her personality, must have told her about me and Sian staying at their home.
The story of the wealthy couple who bought a big mansion and left wearing nice clothes.
Anyone hearing that story would assume we were rich nobles.
So she must have thought we could help, especially since they once helped us.
Sleep is gone for sure.
No one else in this deserted village would stand up to a newly arrived lord to save a young girl.
Except there was one problem…
Right now, I had no power.
No strength, no rank, not even money.
All I had was a decent face and a tiny amount of magic left.
How am I supposed to save Bella like this?
If only Sian, or Illay, or even Zahar were here.
I sighed at my own helplessness.
As I turned my head, I noticed the polished candlesticks placed nearby.
The same ones I planned to use as weapons the first time I came here.
My reflection showed clearly in the shining metal.
Wait a second.
…Maybe this could work?
