Chapter 72
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
Chapter 72
I smiled as I asked him a question.
"Bishop, are you hurt anywhere?"
He nodded with a sniffle. Then I noticed what he was holding so carefully in his arms.
It was a familiar bag.
"Oh? This...?"
It appeared to be the crossbody bag I had been searching for all this time.
"Ah, it's the Young Lady's bag. I found it. I was worried something might have happened to you, so..."
Rujeep, his eyes swollen and red, suddenly glared at me with a sharp intensity.
"Don't you dare worry me like this ever again."
He grumbled like a prickly cat as he handed me the bag.
"I'm sorry for worrying you."
Though it certainly wasn't intentional on my part.
"Bishop!"
Yuanna, who had been watching from a distance, came running over. She examined Rujeep's complexion and looked around at us.
"Is everyone alright? I'm relieved to see that Flone Young Lady is safe."
She grasped both my hands and let out a sigh.
"Are you unharmed, Holy Maiden?"
I asked, studying Yuanna's face. Fortunately, she appeared to have no injuries.
"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm quick on my feet and good at hiding, so I'm fine."
Yuanna placed her hands on her hips and laughed brightly, as if it were nothing.
"What on earth is happening here?"
"Before that, we should hear an explanation from the Young Lady about what happened."
At Asdal's question, I paused to think. The story would be quite long to explain here.
And just then, something stirred in my dress pocket.
"Oh, that's right. Silver Earthworm...!"
I had momentarily forgotten about it, having been so quiet in my pocket.
"...Young Lady? What is this? Eek!"
Yuanna looked at my dress pocket with a puzzled expression, and when Silver Earthworm poked its head out slightly, their eyes met and she let out a scream.
Silver Earthworm, startled, quickly hid its head back into my dress pocket.
Asdal and Diego drew their swords and pointed them at me, while Enoch stepped in front of me and pointed his sword back at them.
"Step aside, Half-Emperor. I've been wanting to ask what that thing is since earlier. It looks like some kind of unknown monster."
"Regardless of what it is, I cannot allow you to point your sword at Margaret."
"I agree. Margaret will be startled. Please put away your swords, Your Highness the Crown Prince, and Diego."
I looked at them with a flustered expression, then placed Silver Earthworm on my palm and showed it to them.
"It would take a while to explain how I met this one..."
Silver Earthworm cowered on my palm, its eyes darting around to gauge the situation.
Such a timid little thing.
Then Yuanna, who had been walking leisurely, lowered her head and examined Silver Earthworm intently.
"Looking at it closely, it's actually cute."
"Listen, Holy Maiden. It's dangerous."
"Holy Maiden. Please step back."
Asdal and Diego spoke to Yuanna simultaneously, but she merely shrugged, unbothered.
Perhaps sensing that she posed no threat, Silver Earthworm rolled its eyes cautiously before nuzzling its head into Yuanna's palm, seeking affection.
"Oh my?"
Yuanna's eyes softened with tenderness. But soon, at Diego's repeated insistence, she reluctantly stepped back.
"Come on, Silver Earthworm, greet them first."
Of course, half of my request was in jest. Yet this time too, the creature seemed to understand, sweeping its gaze across the assembled group.
Then it tilted its head adorably and glanced up at me before wagging its tail—its eyes seeming to ask, "You really want me to greet them?"
"It's like a puppy."
Yuanna laughed at that.
Just then, Silver Earthworm looked at Asdal and Diego, who were pointing sharp blades at me, and suddenly opened its mouth wide.
A fist-sized flame erupted from Silver Earthworm's jaws.
'What?'
Asdal and Diego stumbled backward in shock, their faces pale. Fortunately, the flames weren't large enough to reach them.
It seemed Silver Earthworm had taken considerable offense to Asdal and Diego's continued threats against me.
Everyone stared at me. I met their burning gazes as I looked down at Silver Earthworm.
Silver Earthworm's bright eyes met mine, gleaming with the question, "Didn't I do well?"
"Silver Earthworm, you never told me you could breathe fire. And how is that supposed to be a greeting?"
It seemed I needed to provide proper training after all.
* * *
We decided to dispose of the Monster's corpse first, then return to the Cabin to finish discussing everything that had happened.
If we didn't completely dispose of the Monster's remains, other creatures might swarm the area.
"Ugh. I hate the texture."
I lifted the spider's fuzzy legs and moved them about before eventually collapsing onto the ground.
"Young Lady, hang in there."
Yuanna sat annoyingly atop a tree, watching our efforts with leisurely amusement.
"Excuse me, Holy Maiden. Would you help us out?"
"I have a weak stomach."
I let out an exasperated laugh. Right. That was the kind of person you were.
Not the type to cause harm to others, but certainly not the type to be helpful either.
Just then, Kaiden casually lifted an enormous spider with one hand, draped it across his shoulder, and turned to look at me.
"Margaret, I told you to rest over there. We have enough hands here."
"Well, seeing you here, I have nothing to worry about."
At my response, Kaiden grinned triumphantly.
"Still, I want to finish quickly, so I'll help."
With that, I lifted the severed spider leg with all my strength and moved it.
Once we stacked the Monster's corpse in a large Clearing without trees, Silver Earthworm breathed fire before it—no lighter required.
As I wiped the sweat beading on my forehead and struggled to move another spider leg, its weight suddenly lightened.
Startled, I looked up to find Yuanna holding the other end of the spider leg alongside me.
When I looked at her with a puzzled expression, she broke into a gentle smile.
"I remembered what you said, Young Lady."
"Something I said?"
"About showing respect and consideration."
She synchronized her movements with mine as we carried the spider forward. Unable to fathom what she was thinking, I furrowed my brow.
"If I do this, will I become your person, Young Lady?"
No, excuse me, madam. When did serving you evolve into becoming your person?
"I suppose I do want that. People of my own who care for me. I'm tired of being used merely for someone else's benefit."
She uttered something unexpected.
"Used?"
"Ah. Those people from the Papal See. I never wanted to become a Holy Maiden. I was coerced through threats against my family's livelihood."
It was an unforeseen revelation. Faced with the Papal See's cruelty, I found myself at a loss for words and fell silent. So such a thing had happened.
"Ah. I envy you, Young Lady. You'll be able to live more happily when you return."
Yuanna brushed the dust from her hands and gazed at me with envious eyes.
'When I return, I'll live more happily... I'll have to live as Margaret. Because I am Margaret now.'
My heart grew slightly troubled.
"When I told you to serve me, I was half-sincere. I found it fascinating that a noble Young Lady born with a silver spoon, contrary to rumors, didn't shy away from menial work and performed it skillfully. I also wanted to tease you a bit. My personality is rather peculiar, you see."
"Yes. You do seem peculiar. You think only of your own convenience."
"Ahahaha. Isn't it natural for humans to be narrow-minded and think only within the bounds of their own experience? You really are entertaining, Young Lady."
I truly couldn't fathom what Yuanna was thinking.
By then, we had arrived at the Clearing. We tossed the spider legs we'd been carrying onto the pile of monster corpses where Silver Earthworm was spewing flames.
I looked startled as Yuanna laughed and patted my shoulder, then quietly slipped away from her. Afterward, I focused on helping Rujeep and the others move the monster corpses.
Before long, we had cleared away all the monster corpses, and the sun began to set.
Silver Earthworm obediently crawled into my dress pocket. I patted the pocket gently and picked up the crossbody bag I had set down on the ground earlier.
Since the bag's strap had come loose, I couldn't sling it over my shoulder. In the end, I cradled the bag in my arms and glanced at Enoch.
"Has everyone eaten?"
"I suppose they might have?"
Asdal, who had been following behind with a weary expression, answered my question. Observing his haggard appearance, I quietly nodded.
"No. It doesn't seem like they have."
Among us, Kaiden and I seemed to be in the best condition, so the two of us should go hunting. I couldn't understand why we, who had endured hardship outside, were the ones still standing.
We'll need to eat meat today. I should probably set traps as soon as we return to the Cabin.
* * *
After walking for quite some time, we finally returned to the Cabin.
"Ugh."
As Enoch sat down inside the Cabin, he let out a pained groan.
He seemed to have endured the pain throughout the journey, but now that we were at our dwelling, he could no longer bear it.
I gestured to Rujeep, and he brought over the first aid kit.
Since no one had been injured until now, we hadn't needed to use the first aid kit, so Yuanna, Asdal, and Diego looked at it with puzzled expressions.
I retrieved bandages and medicines to prepare for treating Enoch's wounds. The bandages I had used to treat Kaiden last time were in good condition, having been thoroughly washed and dried.
'Since there aren't many bandages...'
It was best to reuse whatever could be reused.
"Enoch."
I called out to Enoch, who lay half-asleep upon his bedding, his face creased with discomfort. He opened his eyes slowly.
I gently placed my hand against his cheek. His skin burned with fever.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org