SAAE 20

Chapter 20

I walked into the forest and asked Isael,

“Hey, don’t you think he seems… a little different somehow?”

“Not really.”

Isael answered flatly.

Then he paused as if thinking it over, only to shake his head again.

“No idea.”

“Hmmm.”

“Why? Did he do something that bothered you?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“If you’re simply tired of dragging him around, just say so. I’ll handle it immediately.”

Isael spoke firmly, then cast a meaningful glance toward the landscape outside the island, where the monsters were still fighting each other.

…Was he thinking of tossing Felix into that river or something?

But Isael didn’t have to dirty his hands.

From the moment I agreed to let Felix join us, I had already decided that if something went wrong, I would be the one to get rid of him.

I should go check the forest first and confirm it properly.

If my suspicions turned out to be true, I definitely wasn’t going to let Felix walk away unscathed.

The forest was large, just as it looked from afar.

Thick vegetation covered everything so densely that it wouldn’t have been unusual to get lost. But strangely enough, a well-tread dirt path ran straight through the middle.

Following that path led us to a watchtower.

I knew it!

As expected, something was hidden on the fourth island.

I was about to step inside the tower when Isael grabbed me.

“You’re really trying to go in?”

“Of course. I need to see what’s inside and collect everything useful.”

Just the thought made me grin like an idiot.

Isael, however, frowned deeply.

“How can you barge in when you don’t even know what’s inside?”

“Well, at least there won’t be any monsters. So what?”

“What if it’s a trap?”

“……”

He wasn’t wrong.

But somehow, I was sure it wouldn’t be a trap.

Naturally, Isael wasn’t going to let me act based on baseless intuition.

Fine. Caution never hurt anyone…

“Okay, then I’ll send the spirits first to check if it’s safe.”

“That’s better.”

Only then did Isael nod and release my arm.

I immediately issued the order.

“Go inside and check if anything dangerous is there, okay?”

At my words, the spirits moved at once toward the tower.

But just before entering, they suddenly stopped.

More accurately, one spirit grabbed the other to stop it.

…What?

I stared, confused.

Then one spirit pointed at me and roughly shoved the other.

The pushed spirit looked strangely sulky as it drifted back to my side.

“What the…?”

They could communicate with each other?

I studied the one that returned.

Now that I looked closely, this spirit was far larger than the first one I had summoned.

Its form was also different.

If the first spirit felt slender and fragile, this one looked… bulky and intimidating?

Hmm. I could just call them First and Second from now on.

While I was observing them, the spirit that had gone ahead returned.

Then it told me that I definitely needed to go inside.

—Safe, go, inside, good, stuff.

The soft voice echoed in my mind.

I immediately brightened and turned to Isael.

“It says it’s safe! And there’s something good inside!”

Maybe I sounded too excited.

Isael stared at me for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh.

But that was all. He didn’t try to stop me further.

“Let’s go.”

Pulling Isael along, I hurried toward the tower.

“What do you think the good thing is? I hope it’s some kind of special weapon.”

I stepped in with high expectations—

—and suddenly felt something was off.

“…Huh?”

“What now.”

The spirits weren’t beside me.

“Huh? They’re gone…?”

Did my mana run out and make them disappear?

I checked quickly, but I still had plenty of mana left.

Tilting my head, I turned around just in case—

And saw the dark spirits standing exactly where I left them.

They were gesturing at each other, as if having a conversation.

…What are they even doing?

“First! Second! What are you doing? Come here!”

Only after I yelled did the spirits slowly turn toward me.

They exchanged a look, paused, then drifted toward me.

“This one?”

“Pack it.”

“And this one?”

“Yeah, that too.”

Isael stuffed items into the bag as I instructed.

I looked around with the satisfied feeling of being full without eating.

We were on the first floor of the watchtower.

It was surprisingly spacious—almost like a small chapel, and quite elegant.

Except for the upside-down cross hanging on one wall, which felt ominous…

But aside from that, it was a pleasant space.

I hadn’t found the “good stuff” First had mentioned yet, but we’d found several decently useful items.

“Isael, pack everything over there and come up. I’ll check the upper floor first.”

“I’ll go with you.”

He frowned at me.

I immediately put on a stern voice.

“No, no. Your hands need to stay busy.”

“……”

“Hurry up. I’m going upstairs to see if there’s anything else useful.”

I hurried toward the stairs with the spirits, but Isael wouldn’t stop clinging.

“Let’s go together.”

…What’s with him?

“It won’t take long to pack all that. Just wait a moment.”

I don’t have a moment to wait!

There might be some amazing, special item waiting upstairs! I need to go see it now!

“Do you have separation anxiety or something?”

I frowned just like he had.

“You said it yourself—packing won’t take long. Finish up and follow me. What’s the problem?”

“……”

“I’ll be waiting upstairs!”

I winked at Isael, who looked completely dumbfounded, then dashed up the stairs.

Suddenly, it hit me.

Ever since entering this tower, we’d only been going down.

Now I was finally going up.

Climbing the narrowing spiral staircase carefully, I reached a small attic.

With its walls full of gaps, calling it a room was generous.

And most importantly—

“…What. There’s nothing here.”

The attic was empty.

What the hell.

Slowly, I turned to look at First.

“You said there was something good…”

Don’t tell me those mediocre items downstairs were the “good stuff”?

I expected something amazing, special, truly valuable.

…My life really is like this, huh.

With a deep sigh, I turned to go back down—

“Huh?”

The spirits suddenly drifted forward and blocked my path.

“What’s wrong?”

Tilting my head, I looked at them.

First pointed toward something.

Going closer, I saw a box wedged between cracks in the stone floor.

My heart jumped.

The surface of the box was shimmering.

Anyone could tell it wasn’t an ordinary box.

Clutching my racing heart, I dropped to my knees.

It’s definitely a rare item.

The problem was how to get it out…

I’d probably need to break the stone floor.

I was about to call Isael for help when—

Second, the bulky one, moved forward boldly.

“W-what? Why?”

Its assertive presence made me instinctively flinch.

Startled, I looked up at Second with wide eyes.

“Why are you suddenly….”

He was kind of scary.

We still didn’t know each other well.

Why come this close—why puff out your chest like that?

You’re making me uncomfortable, Second.

—Take, hand.

First’s voice echoed in my mind.

I blinked, looking from First to Second.

“Hold his hand?”

Second nodded sharply and extended one arm toward me.