🔊 TTS Settings
chapter 39
I was startled when Nene suddenly started shedding tears.
“Why are you crying?” I asked.
“I was making a song with the late Mylda, but we were caught before we could finish the last verse…”
After saying that, Nene turned to Dain and asked for the description of the person who had conveyed the message.
When Dain explained it was a woman with short yellow hair, Nene’s tears fell freely. She kept repeating the words, “Don’t be sad even if the dandelion seeds fly away.”
Dain gently stroked Nene’s head and spoke slowly.
“Oh, you poor soul, tormented by life. It’s difficult now, but the time will come when you will unite with your precious ones.”
When I shot him a glare, Dain quickly added a line.
“…That’s what the deity I serve said.”
After losing most of his strength, Dain had been assigned the easiest task of collecting souls. But his results were poor because he listened to every minor complaint and grievance of the deceased.
There were times it took ten years to collect a single soul.
I knew Dain was doing good, but sometimes it seemed excessive. Yet this time, his overdoing felt different.
He must have been worried about Nene, the last surviving member of a deceased race, and asked someone to relay this message. “Don’t be sad even if the dandelion seeds fly away” felt like it meant, “Don’t be sad even if we disappear.”
Roy and Wayne looked at Dain even more strangely than before. They found it hard to believe that Dain had spoken to the dead, but seeing Nene’s reaction made it difficult not to.
While Nene collected her emotions, Dain asked about me.
“How have you been lately?”
He seemed to be asking cautiously, as if he couldn’t openly say, “How’s saving this world from destruction going?”
How nice it would be if I could just say, “It’s going well.”
I shrugged and answered vaguely.
“Just okay. I even found someone I want to punish.”
“Even villains have their reasons. Even if those reasons are incomprehensible by normal standards.”
Dain scratched one cheek as he spoke. Typical of the representative of a god who embraces everything with compassion and love. He is really different from me.
I sighed lightly.
“Sure. But I’m not the type to embrace everything like you.”
“Still, it seems you understand people better than before. So someday, you’ll understand me too.”
Dain’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Even if I came to understand humans better than I do now, I’m not sure I could understand you. I follow the strict path of divine punishment, but you are the pinnacle of compassion.
At that moment, I remembered something I wanted to ask Dain. I gestured for him to come closer, and he took a step forward. Closer.
I gestured again, and Dain took two steps. Frustrating.
I walked up to him and whispered in his ear.
“Bring me a divine magazine.”
“Why?”
I whispered quickly.
“It’ll be hard when I return if I fall behind the trends.”
“Don’t think about your work after returning. It might not even exist.”
“What are you talking about? A creator god will change my work?”
I glared at him, but Dain shook his head.
“No, not that. I just mean enjoy the present. Anyway, if you want, I’ll do it. I’ll let your energy flow, and it’ll find its way naturally.”
As we whispered, Roy and Wayne stared at us more piercingly than before. Dain, sensing the awkward gaze, said he’d better go and disappeared into the crowd.
After Dain left, Wayne asked eagerly.
“What god does that man serve?”
“Huh? The Creator God.”
It wasn’t a lie. After all, all gods are subordinate to the Creator God.
“With that appearance, there should be rumors about him. I’ve never heard of him before.”
Wayne’s skeptical expression made me pause for a moment.
Why so inquisitive? Roy did this last time, and now Wayne.
“Hmm, he works in a distant place. He’s just passing through for his duties.”
Since the divine realm is far from this world, it wasn’t a lie.
Wayne narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips.
“Something about him seems suspicious.”
Was that your observation? But before I could speak, someone else had already said it.
“No, he has a pure and warm aura, like Lady Dyna. It feels a little different from Wayne-san and Roy-san.”
Hearing Nene’s words made me curious. How does she perceive Wayne and Roy?
“How do you feel about Wayne and Roy, Nene?”
“Wayne-san somehow feels dual and sly. Roy-san feels cold and violent.”
Nene answered brightly, which made the two men frown. Realizing what she had said, Nene panicked, but Tommy and I giggled at the same time.
Sometimes, innocence is the most terrifying, and surprisingly sharp.
After Dain left, I took Roy and Nene on a tour around the baron’s estate. Neither wanted to wander far from the annex, but it was good to familiarize ourselves with the area.
While walking through the garden, we encountered Baron Tail.
The baron, strolling with his hands behind his back, turned upon seeing us and muttered loudly while looking at the neatly grown roses.
“The bugs are back again. What’s the point of cultivating these carefully? They just eat everything. Ugh, these pests.”
Seeing Roy and Nene must have irritated him further. Roy ignored him completely, but Nene seemed intimidated. Don’t worry, I’m more than covering your expenses.
I turned to touch a rose next to me and muttered aloud like the baron.
“Look at these bugs. They’re stealing what’s prepared for others, but they could just stay quiet instead of standing out.”
Tommy immediately understood the meaning in my gaze.
The value of the item we first saw is at least 10 gold. Enough to comfortably stay in a high-class lodging for a month.
I clapped my hands suddenly, startling the baron.
“If Roy and Nene are uncomfortable, tell me anytime. I’ll convert the items sent from the temple every two weeks into money so you can live in luxury.”
I stared at him, and Baron Tail cleared his throat.
“Hrm, who said they were uncomfortable?”
He hurried off, intending to scold the gardener who hadn’t managed the roses properly.
Watching him leave, Roy commented bluntly.
“He’s the type to pick a fight and not even get his due.”
As expected of Roy. He judged the baron perfectly after just one encounter.
After Baron Tail disappeared, we continued our stroll. Unlike the annex area, the garden was lavishly decorated.
After finishing the loop, we headed to the stables. Marc was filling the feeding trough with his back turned.
Even as we approached, he hummed happily while pouring feed.
“Marc.”
Startled, Marc threw the feed into the air, causing a rain of hay. The dry straw piled on our heads, and he hurriedly apologized.
“Sorry, I’m clumsy and can’t sense anyone approaching.”
“It’s fine.”
I brushed the hay off my hair casually, and Marc sighed in relief. He then turned to Roy and Nene.
“So, you are the famous ones. The maids have been talking about you a lot.”
Indeed, the mansion buzzed with stories about Roy and Nene. Roy was strikingly handsome, and Nene’s beast-like ears attracted curiosity.
Marc greeted them warmly.
“I’m Marc. Nice to meet you.”
Roy bowed silently, and Nene smiled brightly.
“Nice to meet you too. May I come watch the horses sometimes?”
“Of course. The horses seem to like Nene too.”
Marc pointed to the horses gathering around Nene. A white horse even reached to lick her face, and Nene laughed even as her cheeks were covered in saliva.
After meeting Marc, we headed to the kitchen. Previously, the maids had kept their heads down, but this time, they kept glancing at Roy.
Roy ignored them entirely, but his cold demeanor seemed to make the young maids blush even more.
“By the way, where’s our dinner?” I asked.
The maids looked at me only then.
“It’s right in front of you.”
One pointed to the food on the table, and I tilted my head.
“This is our food? What’s the occasion? Why is it so lavish?”
“It was personally prepared by Judy for the lady.”
Hearing that, I furrowed my brow. Roy’s eyes narrowed sharply as well.
Did Lady McCallin poison it again under her orders? I’d better test it.
As I reached for a dish, Roy grabbed it first.
“I’ll take it.”
His cold aura softened as he spoke, shocking the maids, but Roy ignored their reactions and carried the tray.
Back in the annex, I used my divine power to inspect the food and was surprised.
“No poison.”
“Then why did she make this separately?”
Roy looked puzzled at the heap of food.
“I don’t know her intentions, but let’s eat. Food hasn’t sinned.”
I grabbed a fork, and Roy smirked, sitting down. Nene’s eyes sparkled as she picked up her spoon.
With larger portions than usual, it took us a while to finish everything. Eating well-made food filled us with relaxation.
“I’ll return the tray.”
As I reached for it, Nene quickly took it.
“I’ll help.”
She ran toward the door as if refusing to relinquish it.
“Huh?”
At the door, Nene tilted her head and sniffed.
“What is it?”
“It smells sweet.”
She continued sniffing while I and Roy followed her lead, but we smelled nothing.
“What smell?”
“There’s no smell at all.”
We tilted our heads, puzzled, and Nene described it.
“It smells like roses mixed with mint.”
As soon as she finished, Roy jumped up.
“Nene, get outside!”
He grabbed me and leapt behind the sofa. I felt my body floating and then my back hit the ground.
Crash.
Glass shattered, but the sound was drowned out by a deafening explosion.
Debris flew in all directions. If Roy hadn’t held me, the fragments would have hit us.
What on earth is happening?
