BXBX NOVEL Chapter 154: Entrusted item
Waking up before sunrise, I headed to the room the sisters slept in.
“Good morning. Why are you guys here?”
I probed Cathy and Kefin who were trying to hide in the hallway.
“Good morning nya. Luciel-sama wakes up early as usual nya.”
“Luciel-sama, good morning. The thieves from yesterday were hanging around near the inn so we were keeping a lookout.”
I intended to let it go if the sisters ran away but I forgot about the assailants.
I felt that Kefin has really grown.
“I see. You guys followed up after me because I had insufficient forethought. Thank you. Tentatively, I came to pass the sisters their equipment apart from the robe I passed them yesterday.”
“Luciel-sama … to be honest, I do not understand why you would go to such lengths for the 2 of them. Certainly, I understand that they are special because they possess the blessings from Dragons and Spirits. But …”
Kefin said to me even though it looked like it was extremely hard for him to say it.
I was happy because I could tell that he was really concerned for me from his remark that properly considers how this appears to others.
While feeling grateful for attaining a loyal retainer like Kefin, I precisely explained to him.
“I guess not just Kefin but everyone is thinking about it as well? Why do I help them to this extent? It’s something like a justification for the blessings that I have received.”
“Justification?”
“Yeah. I am just an ordinary person who is able to use Healing Magic. I’m not a special existence. Even so, with the blessings given to me by the Dragons and Spirits, I’ve been able to overcome the difficulties I’ve faced until now … that’s how I feel. That’s why, by helping the 2 of them this time, by saving the Dragon God’s Priestess and the person who holds the blessing from the Spirit King, I show proof and sincerity for the Dragon and Spirit Blessings that I have received.”
That’s my true feelings.
Certainly, I was feeling elated from being told that she was my partner and I was having slight delusions knowing that she is my fated other but thinking about it calmly, I just an ordinary person.
It all stemmed from nothing more than releasing the Holy Dragon as I was desperately trying to survive.
That’s why, as proof of my efforts, I want to leave behind traces of my compensation.
“Nyahahah. Luciel-sama is seriously funny nya.”
“Pu pu~. Luciel-sama really frets the fine details. Even so, that is a wrong way of recognizing blessings.”
But the 2 of them laughed at my feelings.
I was shocked that my slightly serious talk was replied with laughter.
I didn’t expect the topic to normally be laughed at.
Not expecting to be made a fool of, even though they have pledged loyalty to me, I was, as might be expected, agitated and asked them with a strong tone.
“What do you mean by that?”
Perhaps the 2 of them could sense it, they erased their smiles and answered.
“There certainly are those who are born with blessings. However, the people who have been bestowed blessings after birth are only those who have been acknowledged by the existences who bestow the blessings to have accumulated virtue towards them or have helped them. Therefore, blessings are statuses given as repayment for the favor.”
“Eh?”
I didn’t know about that fact at all.
“You didn’t know nya?”
Judging from Cathy’s attitude, Kefin’s information should be true.
I could infer that this fact should be quite widely known.
In retrospect, I received the blessings of the Reincarnation Dragons after I released them from their seals.
The Water Spirit’s blessing was after I saved the Hacchi tribe.
But what about the Earth Spirits? Now that I think about it, it’s about when I gave them high-grade honey as well as magical power.
Thinking about it that way, it seems like I have completely misunderstood about having been entrusted with the fate of the world.
(TL: In essence, Luciel thought that he was given blessings by the dragons and spirits so that he could aid/save the world but in fact, he was just given the blessings to thank him for saving/helping them without any strings attached.)
“You had a fresh morning expression just now but now it’s all cloudy nya. Luciel-sama, sorry for laughing at you just now nya.”
” … I sincerely apologize for laughing and for my impertinent remarks.”
The 2 of them were probably apologizing for getting carried away.
If blessings are proofs of having given aid, I tried to recall once again if I acquired anything other than the blessings.
Doing so, I honestly don’t understand the favor bestowed by the Spirits but apart from the blessings from the Dragons, I recall acquiring a lot other items.
Leaving aside the items left in the labyrinth, they occasionally hand out their own scales and they have also entrusted their power into my Illusionary Sword to aid me.
Thinking about it like that, it wasn’t a bad feeling to feel that they might be pleased by how I helped them this time.
Since I was silent the whole time, the 2 of them did not raise their heads at all.
It would be tiring to be angry indefinitely and they have apologized too so I accepted their apology.
Even though I don’t talk to them about everything, to feel offended just by that one part would be too narrow-minded.
“I was hurt by being laughed at but I was made aware of my own ignorance. I accept your apologies. Thank you for voicing out words that were hard to say.”
The 2 of them raised their heads after I said that.
“Also, regarding this matter, I don’t regret helping the sisters and just like how it has been until today, I will help with the bare minimum. What comes after will depend on the people themselves.”
“As expected of Luciel-sama nya. Even though you’re naive, you’re still the same as ever towards others nya.”
“I was rude even though I’m also one of the people who has been saved by that kindness. I will devote my full loyalty in the future.”
“You don’t need to think about it so rigidly. I think of my followers more of like family and I am also human so I will also make many mistakes. It will help me if you all give your advice and counsel during those times.”
“Understood.”
I said it all high and mighty but if I did not recall the 2 of them helping me in my previous life … I might have just ignored them.
If I encountered the 2 of them because we possess blessings, instead of being attracted to each other, it might actually be more of being drawn to each other.
It would be weird to continue talking in the corridor forever so I knocked on the door leading to the room the 2 of them slept in.
『Kon Kon Kon』 The knocking sounds rang out but there were no replies from within.
“As expected, they might still be sleeping?”
“Well, since it is still early.”
“Once the 2 of them wake up, we’ll go to Luciel-sama’s room together.”
“Really? Then, I’ll leave it to ..” 『Gacha』
The door opened before I assigned the task to them.
Then, just as I saw them, the 2 of them vigorously bowed down.
“”Sorry!””
The 3 of us were dumbfounded for being bowed at all of the sudden.
“I was told about your conversations by Spirit-san.”
“I had her convey it to me.”
Is she capable of listening to various types of Spirits by possessing the Spirit King’s Blessing?
I thought that it would be convenient if that’s the case but I could not really understand their reason for apologizing.
“I think you already know if you were told but you guys will be traveling with us for a while right? So, I thought of passing you 2 some equipment. May I come in?”
They were momentarily shocked about receiving equipment but I obtained permission to enter.
“Please enter.”
Cathy and I entered the room while Kefin remained behind outside.
“These are items I won at the same auction as you guys.”
The 2 of them were very surprised when I lined the items side-by-side on the bed.
” … Erm, weren’t these expensive?”
Nadia asked but I decided to not tell them the price.
It would also serve to remonstrate myself for my actions.
“Since I heard from the slave dealer yesterday that you were a Swordswoman and a Spirit-user, I thought that you might have rare equipment so I bidded for them.”
“This is mine. I never expected to get it back.”
The younger sister Lydia is slightly more childish and perhaps more honest as she hugged the staff/cane/wand.
” … Er, was there a slightly warped sword?”
Like a Japanese sword? Or more of a curved sword type?
“There wasn’t one. I thought they sold the whole set of equipment but it wasn’t exhibited.”
” … I see.”
I passed the depressed Nadia a fairly decent sword I obtained when I was releasing the Thunder Dragon.
“You can use this for the time being.”
“Thank you.”
“There’s something I need to tell you two. Because you 2 possess blessings and I have been entrusted to do so by the Dragons, I freely used my power to treat your injuries. However, this is not something ordinary. Typically, missing body parts cannot be regenerated and crushed eyes cannot be reformed. That’s why I would like you 2 to live while covering your eyes with the hood on the robe you 2 are wearing currently whenever you are in Grandol.”
That’s quite a serious request but either way, for the time being, I don’t intend to return to Grandol so it won’t be a problem even if it is discovered.
The 2 of them immediately agreed to it but we should move on the assumption that there would be people from the outside who will be investigating, including me, the 3 of us.
We lightly had our meal in the room the 2 of them were staying in and Kefin and Cathy tagged along with me to head out for shopping.
Citing it as the work of a guildmaster, Instructor Broad will be asking Nadia and Lydia about the events that happened in the Labyrinth of Traps, as well as what happened after they escaped in detail, including all the requests the 2 of them have accepted until now so that he can begin his research on the perpetrator and the mastermind. I decided to leave Lionel and Estia behind for their security.
I had Estia remain there so that the Spirits would not perform mischief on Shisho and Lionel.
Nobody raised objections so Cathy, Kefin and I came to do shopping together but as if it was natural for the 2 of them, they already had knowledge of information such as recommended shops.
Thanks to them, while securing sufficient amounts of various kinds of fresh food, we negotiated with shops that have a reputation for tasty food and we were able to purchase a large amount of their cooking along with their pots to keep them in.
“I didn’t expect to finish shopping so quickly. When did you 2 do your research?”
“Yesterday, when Luciel-sama entered the slave dealership, Whirlwind-sama gave an adventurer a silver coin and asked him to gather information. And he had us accompany him.”
“I didn’t expect the guildmaster to know of that method to gather information nya. I felt that he definitely did so to show us the method nya.”
Shisho might have been testing the 2 of them.
He’s surely been planning how to dive into the labyrinth since that time.
While thinking about Shisho, I recalled about how I had completely forgotten to pass them gold for times like that.
“I see. Ah, I’ve completely forgotten to pay your wages. I’ll pass it to you all later.”
“Luciel-sama, you know what slaves don’t get wages right?”
“It’s fine to leave that unchanged nya.”
“Rather than slaves, I plan to at least pass you all, as my retinue, a minimum amount of funds. Lionel should know about it too so I’m curious why he didn’t say anything.”
Well, whether Lionel approves of it or not is a different matter.
We returned to the inn while having that conversation and this time, we left the inn with all the members.
“So, shall we stop by the Adventurer’s Guild?”
I asked Instructor Broad as I ushered the horses out from the Hermit’s Stable.
“No, I’ve scattered the seeds (TL: Perhaps meaning he has sent out orders to his subordinates) so let’s go to the labyrinth directly.”
“Understood.”
Maybe because she has recovered her physical condition, Fornoir came out and glanced at the whole group before play-biting my head so I applied purification magic and she once again returned to the stable.
” … Oh well. Well then, let’s set off?”
Shisho and Lionel rode on horses, Cathy and Kefin took the carriage driver seats while Estia, Nadia, Lydia and I entered the carriage and we departed from Grandol.
However, we were stopped right before we exited Grandol.
Author’s note:
Thank you for reading.