Chapter 17
When I woke up, morning light was already streaming through the small window.
Allen, who must have woken up earlier, was leaning close to my face, grinning like an idiot.
“…What are you doing?”
“Watching you!”
“And why?”
“Because it’s fun just looking at you!”
“Alright, so back off now.”
“Okay!”
Allen sprang up and hopped off the bed. Meanwhile, I roughly brushed my messy hair back and stepped out of the cabin.
“You’re awake?”
“Please try this!”
“And this too!”
The moment I stepped onto the deck, people swarmed around me. It didn’t even take a moment before my arms were filled with gifts. Apparently, even that wasn’t enough, since Allen was soon holding baskets in both hands as well.
“You’re really popular, sis!”
“Shut it…”
In the end, I had to go back to the cabin, put away all the gifts people had pressed on me, and come out again.
“Ah! Lady Estelle! Did you have a pleasant night? We’ll be arriving in the Aslan Empire shortly!”
The captain greeted me cheerfully at the bow.
“That’s good to hear.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Lady Estelle! Hahaha!”
“Oh, and please, take this as well!”
The captain pulled out a bundle from his coat and handed it over.
“What is this?”
I accepted it—hefty and solid in my hands.
“It seems the Commander of the Silver Knights is quite attentive. For him to send additional funds for your protection like this, it shows how much care he’s taking!”
“Sir Evan?”
I opened the bundle right there in front of the captain.
‘What the…?’
Inside was a pile of gold coins, gleaming so brightly under the sun it was almost blinding.
“Woooow…”
Allen gaped beside me, his mouth hanging open. I could hardly blame him.
On my way back, I spotted Dan. He was lying off in a corner of the deck, stretching a hand up toward the sky.
“What are you doing here?”
“The sky’s so clear… I was just watching…”
“See anything?”
“No…”
Dan replied lazily, his voice drowsy.
“I want to try too!”
Allen, who had been standing idly, suddenly plopped down on his back and began staring up at the sky as well, imitating him.
“You’re Dan Swallow, right?”
“…You know me?”
“Your name’s famous.”
“Is that so…”
“You don’t feel like talking to me, do you?”
“Exactly. You know me well…”
Bwooo― bwooo―.
The ship’s horn blared through the languid atmosphere, signaling our approach to port.
“You’d better not overdo it.”
“….”
“If your condition worsens from this point, it’ll be bad.”
“…Wait—how do you… know that?”
Dan slowly sat up. At least I’d gotten his attention. That was good enough for now. First things first—I had to take care of business at the Athens Academy.
“Even without that… I can help you.”
Now that I’d said it, he would come to find me eventually, even if I didn’t push the matter.
“Who are you really…?”
“Well, see you next time.”
“Wait—”
Dan reached out sluggishly, but I just smiled and walked away, dragging Allen—who was still sprawled on the ground—back with me.
The ship docked, and people began disembarking in waves. I felt eyes watching from somewhere, but ignored them and left the ship with Allen.
‘One month left.’
That was the time remaining until the Athens Academy entrance exam.
“Allen. You ready for this?”
I was planning to make him taste hell for the next month.
“Yeah!”
Of course, Allen, who had no clue, answered with a bright smile.
“Late as always, Captain.”
At the Aslan Empire’s Saint Harbor, a mercenary came to meet Dan, who was stepping off the ship leisurely.
“Pirates… attacked halfway…”
“What? Then how are you already here? You wouldn’t have lifted a finger yourself.”
The mercenary’s eyes widened.
Dan was the type who never acted unless his life was directly at risk. And pirates? They weren’t strong enough to ever threaten him. Which meant someone else had dealt with them.
The pirates in the strait between Eden and the Aslan Empire were notoriously vicious. For them to be cleared out, it had to be the work of another.
“There was… some girl. Incredibly skilled…”
“Well, that’s rare. The day you praise someone else. If she was that good, why didn’t you scout her right there? At least get her name?”
“…Didn’t ask…”
“What?”
“Too much trouble…”
He muttered the last part almost inaudibly, his usual nature surfacing. The mercenary only shrugged, used to it by now.
‘She was an interesting girl… Especially knowing about my condition…’
For once, Dan even smiled faintly—something that would have made the mercenary faint if he’d seen it. The two of them then melted away into the back alleys of Saint Harbor.
Just like players had levels, NPCs did too.
Of course, unlike me, they couldn’t see theirs in a status window, but their growth worked more or less the same way. Kill monsters, gain experience, level up. Allen was no exception.
And in that regard, the Aslan Empire had plenty of efficient hunting grounds.
‘The bait should have set out by now.’
I sat down on the grass and bit into a sandwich I’d bought in the port town earlier. Fresh vegetables crunched between my teeth. Finishing one quickly, I sat waiting.
“Help, h-help meee!”
Soon after, Allen came bursting out of the woods, with dozens of goblins chasing behind him.
Green skin, grotesque faces—just as I remembered. Since they were small and weak, goblins always moved in groups. Which made them the perfect starter mobs for grinding experience.
The problem was that Allen was actually running away from them.
‘Even with proper gear, he’s not using any of it…’
Not surprising, really. He’d never fought monsters before.
That’s why I’d chosen goblins in the first place. But left alone, he’d just keep running forever.
“Allen!”
I shouted loudly. He jerked his head toward me.
“Sis! I’m gonna die! I’ll really die at this rate!”
“Stop right there!”
“Why?!”
Despite his confusion, Allen skidded to a halt.
“You’ve got a plan, don’t you, sis?!”
At least he listened well.
Of course I had a plan—it was just a little harsh on him. When I didn’t reply, Allen turned his head nervously.
“Ahhh!? Ack!”
The goblins closed the distance and swarmed him.
“S-sis…!”
Only his trembling arm stuck out from the mob surrounding him.
Since it was the beginner zone, the goblins’ weapons were crude—broken branches, crude clubs, or sometimes nothing at all.
But still, if he just stood there getting hit, it’d be fatal. At least, if he were alone.
“Light, heed me.”
I stretched out my hand toward him.
—Kieeek!?
A brilliant white glow enveloped Allen, and the goblins flinched back.
“Huh?”
Allen peeked up from his crouch.
‘Keep going.’
I gave him a small nod. As the light faded, the goblins moved back in to attack.
—Kieeek!
“Argh! Argh!!”
—Kieeek!
“Save me, sis!”
He screamed, but I cast healing spells right on time. The more I healed, the louder his screams got.
“I… I can’t just take this anymore!”
Using the brief reprieve as the goblins drew back, Allen suddenly jumped to his feet.
“I’ll resist this unjust violence! Revolution!”
For the first time, he swung his sword. His movements were clumsy, but at that range, the goblins couldn’t dodge. They bled and collapsed.
‘Where does he even pick up those lines?’
Leisurely, I kept him healed and watched. Eventually, Allen managed to cut down all the goblins and stagger back to me.
“Good job.”
“…Sis.”
“What?”
“Maybe… maybe I’m actually really strong?”
He puffed out his chest proudly.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah!”
“Then you can handle more.”
“…Huh? N-no, wait. I’m still weak!”
Allen’s face flipped instantly, and he backed away nervously.
“No.”
I grabbed his shoulder.
“D-don’t!”
“Allen. You can do it.”
I smiled sweetly and dragged him off toward the next goblin camp, ignoring his desperate wriggling.
“Hiiieeek!!”
The same scene repeated: Allen running for his life, goblins chasing, me casting heals at the right time.
‘Not bad.’
At first I worried since he only ran, but then I realized—it built his stamina, too.
And when cornered enough times, Allen would eventually rise up and fight back.
“I-I can’t… I’ll die if I fight anymore…”
“Good work.”
Only after wiping out about four goblin camps did I finally let him rest.
“I’ve never met anyone worse than Uncle Aaron…”
Allen grumbled, collapsing spread-eagle on the ground.
“That’s enough for today.”
“Really? You mean it?”
“Yeah.”
We’d left the port town around noon, and now night had fallen deep. Owls hooted in the darkness around us.
‘Been a while since I did this.’
I pitched a tent and lit a campfire. Thanks to survival training from my father when I was young, it didn’t take long.
“Not so bad, right?”
“….”
Allen clamped his lips shut, his eyes trembling as if afraid I’d force him to fight more goblins. Even I wasn’t that cruel.
‘Still… he learns fast.’
Though hesitant in the second camp, by the third he was fighting calmly, even mixing in footwork.
“Mmm… Sis… scary…”
Exhausted, Allen passed out the instant he lay down, mumbling nonsense in his sleep. His face scrunched up as if from a bad dream.
‘He’s still just a kid.’
I chuckled softly, brushing his hair. I’d been doing this often lately, so it had become a habit. Even in sleep, he smiled faintly, breathing in contentment.
He’s such a cutie 😭