SDIV 17

Chapter 17

Arin opened her heavy eyes to the creaking sound of the old roof. Cold wind slipped through the twisted window frame aged by time, causing the two little lumps snuggled up against her side to burrow even deeper into her embrace.

[My bones ache, meow… mmnya, mmnya…]
“Ad is going to eat it all… mmnya, mmnya…”

With the two who looked eerily alike mumbling in their sleep, Arin quietly drifted into thought.

‘Are they doing okay? They must be hurting without the medicine.’

The creaking overhead grew louder, perhaps because the guest upstairs was moving in a hurry. Yellow, who had been sleeping soundly, furrowed his brow and opened his eyes.

[Ugly one, can I eat the guy upstairs?]

From Yellow’s sharp gaze, it didn’t seem like a joke. Arin tried to soothe him by pulling out some jerky from the system and handing it to him. Despite the noise, Ad, who had been sleeping well, squirmed awake and grabbed Arin’s hand tightly.

“You want some too?”
“Want one for you?”

Ad sat neatly and opened his mouth with a quiet “Ahh.” His messy, bird’s nest-like hair and cheerful smile made him look completely content with the world. Just as Arin lifted the jerky, Yellow darted in like a bee and snatched it away.

[Kyuang! Delicious. Stealing makes it taste even better, meow.]

Seeing Yellow make an even bigger fuss than usual, Ad glared fiercely and, with a determined face like a general going to war, bit down on Yellow’s tail.

[This giant mosquito again…]

Yellow threw a cat punch, and Ad began preparing to use alchemy. Arin sighed deeply and pulled the two apart.

“Yellow, you shouldn’t steal from others.”
[Hmph.]
“Ad, didn’t I tell you not to use alchemy?”
“Hmph.”

Children learn quickly. Seeing the kid snort just like Yellow, Arin felt unsure whether she could really get these two troublemakers safely to the orphanage without incident.

“Ad, I’ll give you my jerky. Eat this and then let’s get cleaned up.”
[…Okay.]

Arin began quickly getting ready to check out. When she shouldered her backpack, both shoulders sank with its weight. Since Ad didn’t have shoes, she picked him up.

“Ugh.”

Even though her stamina had improved, carrying a child for a second day in a row made her feel like dying. Yellow, sensing her struggle, poked her knee gently with his tail.

[I’ll carry him. Put him on me.]

“Yellow, did I ever tell you I love you?”

Arin winked mischievously, her expression playful. Yellow, who picked up such things quickly, cutely wrinkled his nose in response.

[You know what that means tonight, right?]

He then pointed subtly with his tail at the daily nuts carefully kept in her pocket, eagerly anticipating tonight’s crunchy snack.

[Don’t give any to the giant mosquito, just me. Got it?]

Yellow hated it when Ad chewed on his prized tail.

Arin looked into her empty pockets.

The silver she earned from successfully completing the escort request for Baron Luxen’s daughter had nearly run out. On their way out, Ad and Yellow had spotted some food and begged with such pitiful eyes that she couldn’t refuse.

[Ugly one, I like meat best. Okay?]
“Please buy it~ Plea~se?”

With Yellow chewing and Ad politely clasping his hands saying “Please,” Arin couldn’t resist.

‘If I buy a map or pay the guild commission, I’ll be broke.’

Arin’s heart ached from her own spending habits. With a regretful look, she dragged the two little disasters toward a nearby mercenary guild.

Upon entering, she locked eyes with a familiar face drinking at a table. Jake raised his hand and greeted her cheerfully.

“Yan!”

“Jake? Didn’t you say you were heading to the Del Republic?”

“Hahaha! I must’ve forgotten to tell you. Had to make a sudden trip to my hometown on the mid-slopes of Mt. Coren. I’ve been recruiting party members since yesterday.”

Mt. Coren was a massive mountain stretching from the Frekion Empire’s border toward the capital. Jake, happy to see her, sparkled with excitement.

“My destination is a village called Burton, halfway up Mt. Coren. If you haven’t joined a mercenary band yet, wanna join our party? We were just looking for someone who can cook! Karen, this is the person I told you about who’s great at cooking!”

Karen, a woman with striking sky-blue hair, extended her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Yan.”
“Nice to meet you, too.”
“None of us can cook, so we’ve been worried. If you don’t mind, would you join us?”

“As you can see, I have a child with me. Is that okay?”

Ad slid down Yellow’s back like a slide and hid behind Arin.

“He’s shy around strangers.”

‘He’s never shy with strangers. What’s going on?’

Arin just laughed it off.

“Haha…”

“Mt. Coren has a lot of monsters, so we’ve grouped up for safety. It’s not a paid request, though, so there won’t be any profit. Are you okay with that?”

Arin thought hard. Joining them might not be a bad idea.

Karen introduced her to the other party members. The man with a huge scar on his face and a shaved head was Charlie, and the hooded mage was Brown.

“Nice to meet you.”
“Hahaha!”

All three were just as outgoing as Jake. Talking with them left Arin a little dizzy, so much so that she missed Yellow’s mumbling.

[…someone… smells…]

“It’s a shame we won’t get to eat Arin’s food anymore,”

Charlie said, lamenting that they were close to reaching Burton. That was how enchanting Arin’s cooking had become.

Arin gave them a sly look.

“If you escort me to the Altair duchy, I’ll keep cooking for you.”

Charlie pouted.

“If I didn’t have to go back to Luxen, I would’ve said yes.”

As they were chatting idly, Ad once again tugged at Arin’s clothes.

“Eing.”
“Yes, yes.”

Arin picked Ad up. The closer they got to Burton, the clingier Ad became.

Jake noticed and asked if the child sensed their parting was near. Arin hadn’t hidden the fact that Ad was going to the orphanage. It was only a 3-day walk from Burton, so she understood why he was acting this way.

“Jake, is that the entrance to the village?”

Karen asked, and Jake nodded.

“Yup. This is Burton. Welcome to my hometown! Hahaha!”

The strong wind blew Jake’s red hair in all directions. Arin’s eyes were drawn to an ornament by the village gate.

“That looks just like your necklace.”

Jake casually lifted the necklace.

“It’s the symbol of our village’s guardian deity.”

His eyes gleamed red in the setting sun.

Two days before Arin left Luxen Territory—

“Hey, Lema. Someone’s looking for you.”

Hearing the innkeeper’s call, Lema turned his head. He stood up in shock upon seeing someone who shouldn’t be there.

“S-Seribes?! What are you doing here?”

“Long time no see, Commander Lemaine.”

“Still stiff as ever, huh?”

“And you’re still scruffy.”

“What was that, punk?”

“Did I lie?”

“It’s more annoying ‘cause it’s true. And quit calling me commander—I resigned, remember?”

Sitting with his toes wiggling under the table, he looked the same as when he was the Second Knight Commander a year ago. Seribes gave a soft smile and sat across from him.

“Commander Lemaine. Please return.”

“What?”

“Come back to Altair Duchy.”

Lemaine’s toes froze mid-wiggle. He sat up straight and met Seribes’s gaze.

“How can I go back…”

He couldn’t forget the image of his lord collapsing in front of him, bleeding. Lemaine had been on guard the day the Duke was poisoned. Overcome with guilt, he pursued the culprit relentlessly—only to end up caught in Ashila’s scheme and forced to resign.

“Lord Deneb has returned.”

That single sentence made Lemaine’s eyes well with tears.

“Commander, it’s time to come home.”
“…I can’t. I… can’t go back.”

Though he longed to rush to Deneb, he held himself back—his conscience as a knight who failed his lord wouldn’t allow it.

“If it’s because of that day, then you must return. The Duke needs every ally he can trust right now.”

Lemaine bowed deeply. The thought that his late lord’s heir still needed him made his fists tremble.

Seribes, seeing his reaction, pulled a paper from his chest pocket and quietly handed it to him. Thanks to the loud, drunken patrons, only Lemaine could hear what he said.