BSS 108

Chapter 108

Reverence, my foot!

That was the gaze of a hunter eyeing its prey.

No wonder they suddenly started giving me over-the-top hospitality while looking at me with such a heavy stare.

They brought me to the village and immediately sat me down in a tent.

“Ugh…”

“My stomach… grrrr.”

I had wanted to show off my abilities to my sister, so I used my skills a little—but before I knew it, I had become the healer providing medical volunteer work in this remote village.

“No! I can’t do anything about your stomachache!”

People lined up, showing me their injuries, and I had to treat them with a face like I had chewed on dirt.

From palms deeply scratched by trees that had festered, foreheads gouged until the bone showed, to thighs ripped open by wild animals—these were the kinds of injuries I had to deal with.

With Undaine magic, I could only heal external wounds.

They were grateful, but I had absolutely no spirit for volunteer work—even starving, I wouldn’t have eaten it up. All I felt was annoyance rather than satisfaction.

If you don’t want to be hurt, don’t get hurt!

And don’t come to me!

…But if I shouted that, I’d look like a complete sociopath, so I had to hold it in.

It was true, but there was no need to broadcast it to the world.

‘So that’s why the old elders always said not to show off your strength too much.’

I wasn’t the only one frustrated.

“Kyaaa!”

“Rai! I told you to behave.”

[…Ugh, these tiny little things are climbing all over my head!]

“Don’t bite. It’s annoying if the patients increase.”

While I was unintentionally doing volunteer work, Rai had become the toys of the children.

The adults were too afraid of Rai to come near, but the kids played on him innocently and wildly.

It wasn’t until my mana ran out that I was freed from the endless parade of patients. When I looked back, Rai had his fur braided in several places and even had ribbons attached.

He even had a flower necklace.

“You’re kind of cute.”

[Enough already.]

“I’m serious.”

How can a wolf show so much expression?

I patted Rai’s puffy, annoyed face and got up from my seat.

Outside the tent, various fruits and prepared meats that the patients had given me in thanks were stacked fairly high.

“Please tell me I don’t have to do this again tomorrow.”

A sudden worry struck me.

Healing magic is a highly advanced branch of water magic, requiring a lot of mana and causing significant mental fatigue.

I planned to stay in this village for a few days and wanted to maintain good relations, but doing volunteer work every day was impossible given my personality.

“Jini!”

“Sis.”

I was eating a fruit out of hunger when my sister returned.

She looked quite happy, as if she had come from somewhere fun.

“You did well. Thank you, and I’m sorry.”

“This kind of effort hasn’t happened in a while.”

“They’re holding a feast for you. It’s in full preparation right now. You have no idea how grateful everyone is to you.”

“Of course they should be grateful. I’m a highly skilled asset, after all.”

I was not a person known for humility.

And I wasn’t a spirit-healer. The villagers obviously didn’t know the difference.

“We’re a pretty closed community, so it’s really rare for us to welcome outsiders like this.”

“Since I’ve done all this work, of course you should welcome me.”

“Hehe, you’re the same as ever.”

“There will be meat, right?”

“Of course! I’ll show you around the village a bit before the feast starts.”

I bit into my fruit and followed my sister.

The sun was setting—it was the perfect time for evening.

The village wasn’t very large, but it was well-organized and seemed strong against outside attacks.

High walls were erected in several places, and watchtowers were visible.

Well-maintained weapons hung everywhere, reminding you that this was still a dangerous forest, no matter how peaceful it seemed at first glance.

“By the way, your daughter—one of the kids playing with Rai earlier?”

“She’s shy, so she’s hiding.”

“Hmm.”

I had named both my former pet snake and my current wolf ‘Rai,’ yet Sister Anel accepted it surprisingly easily.

Do I really come across as that careless?

She knows me so well!

“Oh, right. I meant to ask earlier—who is the father of the child?”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

“You mentioned he was someone from the mercenary group.”

Apparently, he had quit the mercenary group and returned home right after separating from me, so it seemed likely that the father was from the Shabel Mercenary Group.

Someone I knew…

“Who would it be? It’s Kenta, remember?”

“Pfff.”

The fruit I was happily eating suddenly lost its taste, and I spat it out while rubbing my mouth.

Kenta, you say… now?

[Kenta?]

“Are you sure it’s Kenta?”

Both Rai and I wanted to forget that we had heard it.

We didn’t hear anything!

“Yes. He treated you well, didn’t he?”

“Hahaha, I don’t think he ever did.”

“Did you erase Kenta from your memory?”

It was a fact I wanted to deny.

That Kenta, showing off his brute strength, flaunting his muscles, fighting with Rai every day!

“Of course I remember. That habitual offender who tried to eat Rai.”

“He was a bit mischievous, but snakes are meant to be eaten, Jini.”

When someone from a jungle tribe says that, you can’t argue.

[…P-please say wolves aren’t eaten.]

Suddenly fearful, Rai shivered and quickly distanced himself from Sister Anel.

“Your taste is… unique, isn’t it?”

I couldn’t comment on her preferences, but it was quite shocking.

No matter how I looked at it, it felt like a waste.

Noting my negative reaction, my sister smiled faintly, smoothing her hair blown by the wind.

“Kenta wasn’t the most amazing man in the world.”

“I’m glad you know that.”

“He did have some pathetic points, that’s true.”

It was a beautiful sunset moment, the forest filled with wind carrying leaves.

And amidst it, Sister Anel’s silver hair flew as she laughed. She was so magnificent, strong, beautiful, and dazzling that words would never suffice.

Anelia had always been like that.

Like a predator, she drew all eyes with her mere presence.

“But he really put effort into me.”

“…That’s no reason! Everyone in the mercenary group put effort into you! Even a ten-year-old like me could see you had followers everywhere!”

“Yes, that was true.”

In the Shabel Mercenary Group, she was Anelia to everyone—a figure of admiration.

Being drawn to a strong and beautiful person is human instinct.

All the men were desperate to gain her favor.

But she ignored them all, which left a strong impression on my young self.

Yet!

Out of all those men, she chose the dumbest muscle-head I knew! That guy’s brain must be all muscles!

In short, he was simple and honest—dumb even—but how he captured her heart was a mystery of the ages.

“But you can’t choose everyone, right?”

“I don’t know. Why Kenta, of all people?”

“Well, deciding on Kenta was natural. He risked his life foolishly to save me multiple times.”

“Cheh, persistent guy.”

I crossed my arms and clicked my tongue, and Rai nodded vigorously in agreement.

Sister Anel laughed heartily, placed her hand on my shoulder, pulled me close, and asked softly, almost whispering:

“Jini, you really don’t like Kenta, do you?”

“I don’t care who you choose, it’s a waste no matter what!”

“Thank you. I’m glad you care for me so much.”

I knew I was acting childish. I just disliked that she ended up with someone I didn’t particularly like.

If it were the emperor, I’d dislike it because his power might trouble her; if a rich man, because he has too much money.

No matter who she chose, I’d feel it was a waste.

I was also one of her ardent followers.

“By the way, it’s strange…”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re here, and your daughter’s here, but where’s Kenta?”

“Well… he’s probably living his life somewhere.”

“Huh?”

“Kenta probably doesn’t even know he has a daughter.”

Sister, this isn’t the moment to laugh lightly as if it’s someone else’s story.

Then I realized the source of my unease—this village only had women.

Even the elderly patients were all grandmothers, and among the kids playing, there were no boys.

“I didn’t know… does your tribe only have women?”

“No, but it’s a very strong matriarchal society. If a boy is born, they raise him, but he usually leaves the village once he grows up.”

“Gasp.”

“Since the women are so strong, and no males remain, what can you do? To continue the line, they go out to hunt men.”

“H-hunt?”

That cultural shock was so intense I couldn’t even speak.