I couldn’t comprehend how a man and a woman could sleep in the same room without being married, especially with my conservative elf mindset living solely in the Forest of the Demon Realm.
When I was a Sherpa in the Forest of the Demon Realm, I even made extra guest rooms for visitors needing lodging.
“Wow, so this is what the first-floor room looks like? It’s a bit bigger than the second floor.”
She quietly circled the room, gently placing the pillow she was holding onto the bed.
“……huff.”
Taking a deep breath, I sneak a glance back, and Rin has an odd smile as she casually pulls back the blanket.
“Come on now.”
“Don’t use that kind of voice.”
Rin teases back with a sticky voice and immediately flops onto the bed with a thud.
‘This really must be out of fear, right?’
I accepted that she might be telling the truth since she said her magic was out of control because of the power of the words in her heart, after being attacked by robbers. But looking at her now, she looks like she’s just lying about wanting to sleep together.
“Are you not gonna sleep?”
Watching Rin gently brush the spot where I’d lie with her hand made my head spin, but I eventually switched off the light and laid down.
Turning quickly to face away from her, I wished her goodnight.
Since she didn’t respond, I thought it was okay, but then I felt her hand gently massaging my back.
“Stop that.”
“Hey, Daniel.”
I was going to retort with, “What’s there to talk about?” but Rin was faster.
“I saw a future where I lose control of this power and go on a rampage.”
“……”
Slowly turning my body to face her, I could clearly see her face despite the curtains blocking the moonlight because my eyes had adjusted to the darkness.
She looked shivery with fear.
The poor village girl who had been given unwanted power.
“Will I lose my self and hurt people, or control them like I did with the robbers today?”
“……”
Stunned into silence since I couldn’t answer her, Rin continued.
“There’s a line drawn inside me. I feel like once I cross that line, there’ll be no going back.”
“That won’t happen. I’ll protect you.”
As I spoke slowly, looking up at the ceiling, Rin smiled shyly and gently took my hand.
“Actually, everything else is okay. But what if…”
Her voice, filled with tremors and a hint of moisture, was gripping.
“If it seems like I’m going to hurt you or make you suffer, just kill me.”
“……”
“Okay?”
As her whisper brought unintentional strength to my grip on her hand, Rin seemed to welcome the pain, clinging firmly to my hand with both of hers.
“That won’t happen.”
“I know you’ll protect me. But you never know. Just in case.”
“That kind of ‘just in case’ doesn’t exist. You’ll shake off that annoying power, overcome it, and live without any problems. Think about what you’ll do after graduation.”
“Hehe, what will I do after graduation?”
“You have a talent for magic, so aim for that. I think the Dean is eyeing you.”
“Hmm, really? But I want to help ordinary people rather than deal with magic academically.”
“Is that so?”
Thinking about it, I realized I didn’t know much about Rin’s future besides her becoming the owner of the Army, which sparked my curiosity a bit.
“I’ll become a doctor who uses magic. Since Grandpa Benchen in our village is getting old, he must find it hard to examine patients, so I’ll take over for him.”
A doctor who uses magic sounds pretty special. But honestly, there are hardly any of those around.
For a mage who can use healing magic, there are far better paths than being a doctor.
Of course, such unique people aren’t completely absent.
“Not a bad idea.”
Rin might have a slightly obsessive vibe only around me, but she’s still a kind girl to others.
Since she had been the first love of the village boys, if she became a doctor, I’m sure the male patients would keep coming.
“When Daniel got bitten by a stray dog, I thought about it. Back then, both me and Ares were hurt when the dog scratched us.”
“Yeah.”
“I wanted to be someone who can take away the pain when my precious people get hurt.”
“I see.”
“Yeah, so Daniel, I’ll definitely overcome this power and become a doctor.”
Rin, sleepy, began to trail off as she yawned. As I stayed silently still, she gradually fell asleep, yet she didn’t let go of my hand.
“Yeah, you can do it.”
*
“Wake up.”
“Ugh.”
“I said wake up.”
“……!”
I shot up at the jolt from the little hands shaking me. There stood the white-haired girl, Sen.
She was waking me with no change in expression, and as I startled and sprang up, I felt the weight beside me and halted.
“What’s going on here?”
Rin was sleeping, pulling me close with her face pressed right against mine.
I didn’t know if it was just her sleep habits, but I slowly pried myself away while glancing nervously at Sen.
I tried to say not to misunderstand, but she pointed at the door, looking genuinely unconcerned.
“Guest is here.”
“Guest?”
“Come out quickly.”
Observing Sen’s frown at seeing something she shouldn’t before, I quickly threw on some outer clothes and stepped outside.
“Mister…”
At the counter, Michelle was nibbling on some bread that Hayun handed her.
“Michelle?”
“I found her crying and hiding in an alley while on a night watch this morning.”
“Crying in an alley?”
Curious, I approached Michelle, who looked close to bursting into tears as she spoke.
“Some guys in armor came to our house this morning, brandishing swords and threatening us! They told me to go outside and play for a bit, but my dad was yelling at them and getting really mad…”
“Armor-wearing people?”
Having an inkling about who she meant, I calmed Michelle down and asked.
“Was there a woman? Wearing glasses, with blue hair, and a badge resembling a hammer over her chest?”
Michelle nodded vigorously as if she were in a fortune teller’s shop.
“That’s right! That’s right! You’re amazing, mister!”
Seeing Michelle’s impressed expression, I stood up slowly, mumbling bitterly.
“It’s Heini Rosales. The Inspector figured out something was off with Mikael.”
Just then, Rin emerged from my room.
Sen and Michelle didn’t react much, but Hayun looked surprised, glancing between Rin and me before poking me in the side.
“Already switched women after one rejection? Eris will be sad!”
“That’s not it.”
“What do you mean it’s not?”
I tried to convince Hayun, who looked at me like I was the worst of the worst, but my efforts failed.
Hayun sniffed, regretting helping me when I was trying to woo Eris, but I eventually went back into my room to change into casual clothes.
“I’ll be heading that way.”
Considering Michelle hadn’t been out long, I assumed Heini was still at the Portren Mansion, and I was correct.
Just then, Heini breezed out of the Portren Mansion, looking all sassy with her lips pouted and arms crossed.
“See? I knew you knew something.”
‘Was I originally capable, or did I become capable because my life was in danger?’
Heini, realizing why I had come, knew I was at odds with the Tudogs, so she didn’t seem inclined to hide anything from me.
“100%. Mikael Portren is a Tudog. He had a run-in with the officer in charge and crossed the front gate, but there were names and items listed in an official record that shouldn’t exist.”
“……”
“But the numbers seem odd. It listed ‘Coachman 1,’ meaning there’s one coachman, but beside it says ‘50 people,’ indicating something is off. No matter how big the carriage, no way that many people fit in one.”
“……”
“And when I looked at it, you seem to hold a puzzle piece I don’t have.”
As she pushed up her glasses, Heini came closer like she was interrogating me.
The number of people listed must be the count of the bodies I saw at the hotel.
“Yes, I know. But if I tell you what happens?”
“Hmm? A commendation…? Maybe a little reward on the side?”
That was a vague answer from Heini that caught me off guard. But what I wanted wasn’t about me.
“I’m curious what will happen to Mikael Portren after this.”
“Of course, he should be apprehended and brought to trial. I’ll be cleared of suspicions. But judging by the current atmosphere, it doesn’t seem like it’ll go smoothly.”
“What do you mean?”
As I questioned her anxiously, Heini glanced at the mansion, sighed, and spoke.
“If we bring evidence and try to arrest him at the scene, I think the resistance will be fierce. Even if we call for support, it won’t come in time.”
“……”
If he resisted arrest on the spot, he might be executed right there.
In that case, poor Michelle Portren would be left all alone once again.
“I have all the evidence and corroborative materials you want.”
Seeing Heini’s eyes shine with anticipation, I proposed to her, serious.
“I’ll hand all this over if you give me the chance to end this incident. At most, up to tomorrow, I’ll capture Mikael Portren and bring him in.”
I couldn’t save him with my power.
He had already committed too many sins, and countless bloodstains marked the land he owned.
All I could offer was just a bit of time.
The massive tragedy awaiting the small girl had grown too immense to bear, but
I wanted to give her, even for a moment, the chance to say goodbye to her beloved father.
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