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Chapter 6
“Grrrgh!”
The massive beast closed the distance in an instant, before Bice even had time to think of running.
“Graaaah!”
“Eek!”
Cassius was watching that scene from behind a rock. His hand was already loaded with an attack spell.
The timing was set for the moment his summoned predator was about to strike the small girl.
“Graaah!”
The giant predator—one that had survived in monster habitats—raised its forepaw!
“Kyah!”
Stirred by Bice’s scream, the beast hurled its massive body into the air.
And then—
Thud!
“Ugh!”
It crashed onto the snow and rubbed its fluffy body against the ground.
Meanwhile, Bice, who had collapsed on the spot at the bear’s charge, muttered:
“A-a wild bear…”
“Grrr…”
“It’s actually… cute.”
She had fallen completely for the Teneb Bear’s unexpected charm.
“Can I pet it?”
“Kuooong!”
The white bear, seemingly understanding her words only roughly, shoved its fluffy backside forward.
“It’s stiffer than I expected.”
“Grrr…”
The bear’s ears drooped. It vaguely sensed Bice’s disappointment.
“No, no. You’re cute.”
When she patted its rear, the bear rolled side to side in delight, then flopped onto its back and scratched its belly. Bice crouched in front of it and started rubbing its stomach.
“So the inside of a polar bear’s fur is black.”
“Kuwooo!”
The Teneb Bear let out a pleased rumble at her curious hands.
Meanwhile, Cassius, watching the scene, flashed his blue eyes.
“So the Teneb Bear that rips apart orcs alive is now acting like a cub…”
He hadn’t intended to injure her, but he certainly hadn’t planned to gift her a pet either. Cassius glared at the affectionate bear.
“…Unlike insects that charge mindlessly, intelligent beings respond differently.”
I should investigate the curse further.
Cassius, vanishing coldly into the shadows, looked every bit like a true villain.
On the third day, unease began to creep in.
“Will I really be able to find the dragon egg?”
Bice stared blankly into the darkness-filled cave.
When she had confidently declared she would find the dragon egg even Cassius couldn’t locate, she had her reasons…
“…I didn’t think there wouldn’t be any animals in here either.”
The “Blessing of being loved by all” included animals as well.
Unlike humans, animals couldn’t fully understand Bice’s speech, but they could follow general intent.
Meaning she could explore the cave using commands like “Show me something interesting inside.”
“I thought I could use lots of sensitive animals like bats to find the dragon egg quickly…”
Yesterday, Bice had spread her blessing everywhere to attract cave animals.
But the only creature she had found was—
“Whitey, right?”
“Grrr.”
The bear’s mouth was stained dark red with blood. It looked like it had gone hunting while she was asleep.
That thing over there… looks like a leg…
Judging by the long trail, it must have hunted outside and dragged the prey all the way here.
“Other animals don’t even come near this cave. How did you get here, Whitey?”
“Grr?”
“…No, Whitey, you eat a lot.”
Misunderstanding her question, the bear offered her the meat it was eating. Bice immediately refused.
“Today I need to explore the cave as much as possible and find the dragon egg.”
“Grrr.”
“I’ll be back, so eat well, Whitey.”
She took out her necklace and walked deeper into the cave.
The bear, still holding meat in its mouth, followed her lazily.
“You’re following me?”
“Uuung.”
“Then tell me if you smell anything suspicious.”
“Uung!”
The bear’s black nose twitched rapidly. Seeing it look so dependable, Bice gently patted its back.
Bice and the bear walked and walked deeper inside.
Unlike the cave entrance, which was bright from sunlight, the inner cave was so dark she couldn’t see a step ahead without a light.
“We’ve come pretty far, but the jewel still isn’t reacting.”
Bice stopped and pulled out her pocket watch. The small number already pointed to 1.
“Should we take a lunch break?”
“Grrr.”
Slurp. The bear drank water pooled on the ground and watched Bice as she took out bread and fruit.
“I’ll share with you too.”
Just as she took a bite of pie and reached for a boiled egg for the bear—
“…Huh?”
The necklace that was supposed to guide her to the dragon shimmered with a mysterious golden light.
“Does that mean the dragon egg is here?”
Bice shot up and raised the necklace.
“It wasn’t reacting at all just a moment ago…”
At that moment, a massive golden sphere flew toward her and passed straight through her body.
“Kyah!”
Swept up in the light, Bice collapsed backward with intense dizziness.
“…Th-that startled me.”
But within ten seconds, she stood right back up. Even though she clearly hit the ground hard, she felt no pain at all.
“You were surprised too, right, Whitey?”
“……”
“Whitey?”
The bear did not respond.
It blinked its black eyes and sniffed the ground instead.
“Whitey, what’s wrong?”
Bice reached out—but stopped.
Her hand was glowing faintly blue.
And there was another problem.
“My hand… is passing through Whitey?”
Her translucent blue hand passed straight through the bear.
Like a ghost…
A… ghost.
“Why am I like this?!”
Had she died again? Bice screamed and looked around in panic.
And there it was—her body, collapsed on the ground beside the bear.
“I already died once in my previous life because the god made a mistake… and now again? Just like that? No reason at all?!”
Watching the bear casually walk away, Bice’s spirit burned with rage.
“No matter what this is, I will NOT let this go!”
As she screamed, she noticed light spilling from her collapsed body.
The necklace’s gem—the one she had seen before fainting—was now floating in the air, glowing.
Which meant—
She had actually found the dragon egg.
Right after becoming a ghost.
“What’s the point of finding the dragon egg if I’m dead?!”
—That’s rather noisy.
“Kyah!”
With a strange voice, Bice was suddenly pulled forward, as if dragged, and arrived at the deepest part of the cave.
“W-where is this…?”
—Be in awe.
Before her stood a glowing golden sphere.
—I am the great Golden Dragon, Arell.
The voice carried a majestic, ancient weight, like something from legend itself.
Overwhelmed by awe, Bice instinctively bowed.
“My name is Beatrice Adelhedis. I was… human.”
—Why do you sound so weak, Beatrice Adelhedis who was human?
The golden sphere moved closer.
—Did you not come seeking me?
“That’s true, but… I died the moment I found you, Lord Arell.”
—You are not dead. Your body and soul are merely separated.
“People usually call that death.”
Her ghostly face scrunched up as if about to cry.
“My body looks fine… so how did this happen?”
—I personally brought your soul here.
“Wait a second.”
Bice raised her head sharply and glared at the glowing sphere.
“So the reason I became like this is because of you, Lord Arell?”
—Correct.
“Then fix it right now!”
—Why should I listen to a lesser being?
“What did you just say, you damn ball of light?!”
Without hesitation, Bice lunged at the sphere’s—presumed—neck area.
—How dare a lesser being strike me?
“You’re not even getting hit!”
—Still annoying!
“Then why did a great being like you bring a lesser being here in the first place?”
—…Because your existence calmed my mind once I became aware of you.
So that cursed blessing had struck again.
Bice realized it immediately.
