Chapter: 835
After Jangsaeng’s delightful runaway show, a relay of outings for the spirits began.
And today, it’s the day for the Eagle and Bear duo to take their turn.
“Come back before dinner, and if you get tired along the way, it’s okay to return early.”
“Before dinner! Got it!”
“I’ll give you some money too, so if you get hungry or thirsty, use it. It would be sad to suffer while walking around.”
“Will do!”
They flapped their wings with excitement, and the Bear nodded enthusiastically.
While they were responding vigorously, I could read their intense desire in their eyes, making me chuckle. Their looks said, “Enough with the nagging, let us go already!”
Yeah, with freedom just around the corner, would anything I said even stick? Especially since they were the last of the eleven spirits to head out. Just a few days’ difference, but I could imagine how restless they must have felt.
“Well then, have fun. Just don’t go outside the capital.”
“I promise to remember!”
“Stay within the capital! Return before dinner!”
With my proclamation, the Eagle and Bear took off without looking back.
You could feel their determination to enjoy every moment of freedom and their pledge to not forgive anyone who tried to stop them. Those two emotions radiated without any filter.
‘They run well.’
On top of that, it’s a curious sight to see the Eagle perched on the Bear’s back. This odd combination made me smile again.
Yesterday, it was a snake coiling around a deer’s antlers. The day before, a turtle on a tiger’s head, and before that, a fox hiding in a sheep’s wool, and yet another day, a chick hanging from a horse’s mane.
The first runaway, Jangsaeng, used to carry Rysianne, and now every follow-up runaway is flaunting impressive combinations too. It seems this was inadvertently becoming a trend.
– Woooosh.
– Cwoo!
As those two spirits disappeared like the wind, Manae and Mine, who were resting by my side, looked up at me with sparkling eyes.
I thought I understood why and scooped both bunnies into my arms. Their senior colleagues were going out, so they surely wanted to go out too.
“I’ll send you out when the time comes.”
– Woo! Woo!
– Cwoo!
At my promise, Manae and Mine’s ears perked up.
Seeing them felt like looking at triplets, which made me laugh. After all, bunnies are just inherently cute when they have long ears.
‘…But sending just them out feels a bit risky.’
But is it really okay to send them outside? Unlike Titi, who has questionable intelligence, they’re not even spirits who can communicate like humans. I worry they might end up in a bunny stew if I let them roam free.
Should I maybe send all three, including Juni? Nah, Juni’s still in the calf stage, so he wouldn’t be much help.
‘A calf and two bunnies.’
I genuinely feel anxious. What kind of calamities might befall these small, speechless creatures roaming outside the capital? Will they get pushed around by people or end up mishandled and suffer?
But not sending them might hurt their feelings. After all, it’s not just humans who detest discrimination; animals feel it too.
‘I probably should let them go when the servants are going out.’
For example, when Yuris and Sophia go shopping. If I send Manae, Mine, and Juni along, it would be a decent little outing. I’d bet Yuris and Sophia would like it if I told them they could play for a few hours.
Of course, Manae, Mine, and Juni might feel a bit disappointed to have a companion, but I can’t send them out alone; it would make me too nervous.
Even though my protected animals aren’t likely to die or get hurt, their cute appearance could garner tons of unwanted attention and stress.
‘Who would’ve thought I’d have these worries in life?’
It does feel a bit strange. Here I am, an aristocrat fretting about pet walks instead of territorial or family management issues.
There’s never been an aristocrat like me in the history of the empire, nor will there ever be.
*
The wind felt liberating. It was so exhilarating that I almost teared up.
“Have I ever been this happy since being unsealed?”
“Not really. Maybe that time when we went to Tailglehen?”
At my musing, Perseverance, who was walking briskly beside me, chimed in.
‘Hot.’
Thanks to that, I almost burst out laughing.
I once was known as a plague. Perseverance was known for his rage. I was the being spreading diseases to all nearby creatures, and Perseverance was the one who destroyed everything in a fit of uncontrollable anger. For us, both holding similar sentiments about the same subject now? Life certainly throws curveballs like that—
“Wait, where are we going?”
Huh?
At Perseverance’s words, I paused mid-preen.
“Wasn’t it you who had a place to go? I thought you were just walking, so I stayed quiet.”
“I was following your lead!”
In response to Perseverance’s words, silence fell over both of us.
We mistakenly assumed we each had a destination to pursue, silently supporting each other’s steps. Turns out, that was just wishful thinking.
‘What is this?’
A disaster caused by placing trust in someone other than myself. This was something that would never have happened in our past lives, making me chuckle.
“Well, it can’t be helped. We’ll just decide where to go from here.”
“Oh, by the way, did you mention there’s a place selling fresh fruits?”
“Do they sell apples?”
“I think so. If not, we can eat something else.”
That was truly a sensible suggestion, and I nodded.
That makes sense. If we can’t get what we want, we can eat something else instead. We came out of the mansion to enjoy our freedom after all. Everything we do must align with our own desires.
And whether or not there are apples, we can choose other fruits, and we can buy whatever we want. All these actions are at our discretion.
‘This is fantastic.’
At this point, I might as well burst into tears instead of laughing.
Of course, it wouldn’t be tears of sadness, but tears flowing out of joy. So deeply happy that I can’t seem to contain my emotions.
“Hey, Perseverance?”
“What’s up?”
“It looks like you’re crying too.”
“Not crying! I’m just sending my pitiful past self back into memory.”
What a ludicrous thing to say nearly made it out of my mouth, but I held it in.
I thought that was just nonsense, but instinctively, I understood what he meant.
If my heart understood, that’s enough. It’s not beautiful to nitpick for no reason.
*
The store Perseverance recommended was indeed a splendid place worthy of a lazy endorsement.
“Apples. Do you have any?”
“We have sweet apples and tart apples. Which would you like?”
“Both.”
Fantastic! A store carrying various options for the same product to suit diverse tastes. How many stores can boast such a delightful and diligent selection?
“Perseverance, what are you going for?”
“I’ll take apples too.”
“Give us twenty apples.”
“N-no, five will do for me.”
“Twenty-five apples, then.”
I was planning on eating twenty myself. Lately, I’ve developed quite the taste for apples.
That thought alone made my shoulders bounce with excitement. If I tried to eat ten or twenty at once at the mansion, I’d be flat out of luck. A former evil god and current spirit should be able to handle that amount… or should…?
“Wait?”
“Why is that?”
“Uh, I lost my wallet.”
“What?!”
It felt as though I had returned to my anger days. Perseverance, who was carrying me, abruptly stood up, grabbing my body with his hands.
“C-calm down! I definitely had it just a moment ago! I should be able to find it quickly if I just dropped it!”
With a grip much stronger than I expected, I hurriedly spoke up.
No matter how strong I was, Perseverance was a former evil god too. If he let loose and went back to rage mode, I’d be nursing broken wings for a while.
“Look, if you don’t have any money, just take it. I’ll gift it to you.”
As Perseverance and I each worried for different reasons, the shopkeeper quietly passed us the apples.
I appreciated the offer, but absolutely not. Getting free stuff on our first outing? Word of this will reach the owner somehow, and that would mean no second outing for us. The owner would surely declare a ban on outings for us based on this misconduct.
Absolutely must avoid that. I’d rather go hungry than risk a ban.
“Hang tight! I’ll be right back!”
“You really could just take it…”
“I’ll be back!”
“O-okay.”
After hearing the shopkeeper’s response, I struggled vigorously to escape Perseverance’s grip.
The anger arising from my lost money can be quelled by finding it. I must appease Perseverance’s temper for the sake of our joyful and free outing.
So, I’ve got to find that money. Otherwise, my wings will be grounded instead of flying in the sky for a while.
‘Ah.’
And perhaps the heavens and the earth sensed my desperation, as I spotted a familiar figure walking with my lost wallet.
“P-Perseverance! There! That human has our lost wallet!”
“What?”
At my shout, Perseverance’s head whipped around.
Then, realizing just like I did, he resumed his four-footed gait.
“Hey! Human! Hold it right there!”
Seizing the opportunity, I dashed towards the stranger.
I don’t know who they are, but thank you for finding it…!
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