CJRD 09

Chapter 9

“Hm. I wonder what she’s thinking about that she hasn’t answered yet. She looks so flustered, almost as if she already knows about me.”

Basago whispered softly and smiled faintly.

His sharply raised eyes curved thinly, as if he had applied makeup, and his red lips formed a smooth arc.

The beautiful smile was mesmerizing.

At the same time, his words, which sounded as if he had seen straight through my thoughts, sent chills down my spine.

“I’m joking. Don’t worry. I’m just a wanderer. A wanderer who travels from village to village, selling stories to make a living. Ah, I also do a little fortune-telling.”

Basago continued while pressing his thumb and index finger together.

Clink—

The metallic sound I had heard earlier rang out again.

It came from the luxurious golden bracelets hanging around his arm, colliding against each other.

‘What kind of ordinary wanderer wears golden bracelets?!’

Wasn’t he basically not even trying to hide his identity?

I moved my lips as if about to speak, but soon closed them tightly.

I was afraid that if I asked about the bracelet for no reason, I might upset him.

Basago watched me and raised the corner of his mouth.

“So there’s no need to be afraid. I’m not a strange person. I simply came because I wanted to become friends with you.”

“With me?”

“Yes. Because we have met before.”

A sharp, red tongue slipped slightly between his raised lips.

The pointed tip slowly brushed across his upper lip.

And just as I swallowed dryly without realizing it—

Gulp—

It disappeared back inside his mouth.

“You were the one looking in our direction at the inn restaurant, weren’t you?”

“Yes. That’s right. Our eyes met.”

“I thought it was just my imagination. Apparently, it wasn’t.”

Basago’s crimson eyes stared directly at me.

I felt a suffocating sensation in my chest.

I couldn’t tell whether it was pressure or fear.

I avoided Basago’s gaze, grabbed my opposite elbow with my hand, and carefully took a step backward.

“But why do you want to become friends with me? We only happened to make eye contact for a moment.”

“That’s because I became interested after seeing you and Estelle at the inn restaurant.”

As I stepped back, Basago stepped closer.

He reached out and grabbed the hand I had wrapped around my elbow.

‘Cold……!’

It was definitely a warm spring day with sunlight shining down.

But his hand was as cold as snow in the middle of winter.

He moved his hand and gently pulled mine away.

Then, his fingertips slowly traced from the back of my elbow down to my wrist.

His fingertips reached my palm.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward him.

My body lost balance and leaned forward.

Basago caught my waist and steadied me.

“Estelle, and the children you take care of, all enjoy listening to my stories. So I’ll come and tell them more. From now on, let’s meet together often—you, Estelle, and me.”

I looked up in surprise.

Basago’s gorgeous face was right in front of my eyes.

He smiled gently, then lifted the hand he had been holding to his lips.

Kiss—

With his crimson eyes looking straight into mine, Basago kissed the back of my hand.

I was startled so badly that I jumped and pulled my hand away, stumbling backward as if trying to escape.

“Unlike other humans, you are very cautious. It’s refreshing and interesting. Then, I’ll see you next time.”

Basago laughed softly and pulled his hood back over his head.

Then he lightly nodded and turned around, walking back the way he had come.

“Haah…… haah……”

Only after his figure disappeared did I finally release the breath I didn’t even realize I had been holding.

‘I-I survived.’

At the same time, I felt relieved.

Because Basago seemed to be in a good mood.

Thankfully, it seemed he hadn’t lost interest in me yet.

But……

‘I don’t want to meet you again!’

I really didn’t want to see him again.

What if he met me again, got bored, and decided to kill me?

There were still years left before Estelle grew up.

‘That’s right. From now on, I’ll make a charm containing things demons hate and make Estelle carry it around.’

I should carry one too.

But what did demons hate again?

Salt? Garlic? Silver?

I don’t know. One of the three should work.

Just in case, I’ll put all three in.

While worrying about it, I returned to reality.

“Kids, it’s time to go back to school now! Hurry and gather up!”

At my voice, the children ran over and started making a fuss.

“Teacher! Earlier, it looked like that brother took off his hood. Did you see his face?”

“He didn’t take it off when we asked him to!”

“How was he?”

“Quiet! We shouldn’t talk about anything else now. Everyone seems to be here, so let’s go back.”

While leading the children, I continued making a promise to myself.

First, I should get the easiest one: salt.

As soon as I got home, I needed to open the kitchen drawer.

At the time when the red evening sunset was gradually turning dark—

“I’m back.”

“Welcome home, Estelle.”

Estelle returned from the library.

I hurriedly stuffed the charm pouch I had been making moments ago into my apron pocket and greeted her.

Intelligence: 68 (+8)

Estelle’s Intelligence stat had been steadily increasing little by little every day.

The result of her consistently studying at the library over the past few days.

I smiled proudly at her progress.

“You haven’t eaten dinner yet, right? Go wash your hands.”

“Yes.”

Estelle nodded and headed toward the bathroom.

Then she suddenly stopped and asked me.

“Ah, right. Miss Morris. I heard you met Basago today?”

At her question, I unconsciously froze for a moment.

‘That’s strange. Why does she call him by name like they’re close?’

An uneasy feeling began creeping up.

I was worried that Estelle and Basago might have become close.

Actually, because Basago possessed an enormous amount of knowledge, he was a character who was very useful for raising Estelle’s stats if he stayed by her side.

However, there was another reason I wanted to avoid Basago besides the bad ending.

It was because he was a demon.

This country was closely connected to the temple.

That was why, in order to become emperor, one had to awaken the imperial crest through a cardinal’s prayer.

But demons were beings positioned opposite the temple—existences considered both evil and hostile to divine power.

Being around Basago would lower not only Faith but also Morality.

It would move Estelle farther away from the emperor ending.

That was why I had even made a charm to prevent Basago from approaching Estelle any further……!

I suppressed my anxiety and nodded.

“I’m glad you met Basago. Actually, I had something to tell you, so this makes it easier.”

Estelle said that with an innocent expression and entered the bathroom.

‘Why are you already close with him?!’

Watching Estelle, I felt despair.

A little while later.

“……”

I couldn’t tell whether the food was going into my mouth or my nose.

Because I had no idea what Estelle was going to say about Basago.

My stomach churned with fear and tension.

I kept glancing at Estelle and shifting around like someone sitting on a bed of nails.

“Miss Morris, are you feeling sick?”

Eventually, Estelle couldn’t stand watching anymore and put down her spoon to ask me.

“Hm? Ah, no. I’m fine.”

I shook my head vigorously and gestured for her not to worry and continue eating.

……But wait.

Did she just worry about me?

And even asked if I was sick?

‘This is so touching……!’

Overwhelmed, I covered my mouth and looked at Estelle.

“……”

“Cough, cough.”

Apparently, my expression was too much for Estelle.

Judging by how she looked at me with an even colder gaze than usual.

Feeling embarrassed, I cleared my throat and looked away, picking up my spoon as if nothing had happened.

Then Estelle suddenly spoke.

“You said earlier that there was something you wanted to tell me. About Basago. I was going to tell you now.”

“Cough! Co—cough!”

The moment I heard the name Basago, I started coughing.

The soup I had put in my mouth went down the wrong way, causing me to choke.

My throat burned painfully, and my eyes watered from how much it hurt.

I held my breath, drank water, and desperately tried to calm down.

“Are you alright?”

“Y-yes! Of course. So, what were you going to say?”

I forced my lips upward and asked with the most normal expression I could manage.

But in truth, my heart felt like it was about to explode.

Because I had no idea what Estelle was going to say.

Honestly, I didn’t want to hear it.

No.

I almost wished Estelle wouldn’t say anything.

‘If. Just maybe. If she says she’s going to do something with Basago—not anything else, but that—then I……’

Every day would become unbearable, filled with fear of the bad ending and anxiety about surviving.

So please, I hoped desperately that those words would not come……

“I’m thinking of learning from Basago.”

……but those exact words finally came out of Estelle’s mouth.