Chapter 73. Conditions for a Follower Family (4)
Swish. I, glancing to confirm that Lien, who was standing behind , was slowly moving her hand towards her maid dress skirt, quickly asked the nun back.
“Strange, you say? My physical condition?”
“Ah, the injuries on your body weren’t that severe themselves! Perhaps because you are incredibly healthy, they healed quickly. Your fainting is probably because you haven't rested for a long ti. However….”
The nun belonging to The Order, Lily, with a sullen expression, said that and told the examination results.
“Compared to the injuries and wounds the direct descendant sustained which were light, for so reason those injuries did not heal well even with ordinary healing magic.”
“aning the effect of ordinary healing magic is halved?”
“Yes, that’s why it took longer than expected to finish the healing.”
My expression stiffened instantly.
I had a guess.
anwhile, the nun tightly clasped the hand holding her unique magic gear, and with a discouraged expression while bowing her head, she spoke.
“I am sorry. Perhaps I am still too inexperienced to fulfill the Goddess’s will….”
“No, it is enough. Thank you.”
I said, as if comforting her who was dispirited.
In fact, there was a full reason why I so completely denied the self-reproach of the nun belonging to The Order.
It wasn't just words spoken out of politeness, because truly, that wasn't her fault.
The reason why healing magic didn't work well only on , I myself knew best.
‘…The Growth-Type Magic Resistance Reagent!’
The potion I drank earlier in the orphanage underground laboratory.
It felt like the mint chocolate taste was lingering on my tongue.
Since I had already drunk that, though it was only a little, I had also finished leveling up the Magic Resistance up to stage 2.
For , who would have to keep fighting monstrous mages with only a single sword nakedly, it was a necessary growth factor, but…
‘The problem is, it ‘bounces back even healing magic with magic resistance’ based on the sa principle!’
Since healing magic is also treated as a type of magic that affects the body, it's actually quite natural.
For now, ordinary healing magic works to the extent that it just takes a little longer, but if my Magic Resistance were to increase even more than it is now, even diocre healing magic would beco completely ineffective.
Of course, I didn't drink a reagent with such great effects without knowing about this fatal drawback. Rather, it was closer to sothing I had kept out of consideration up until now because I knew a definite solution.
‘…It won’t matter much anyway, since I’ll get a way to solve this problem soon….’
I subtly glanced at Lily.
For now, this pure nun who had beco a little discouraged in front of , had an expression that she hadn't noticed anything else yet.
For now, just that was enough.
I glanced at Lien, who was standing quietly behind , and let out a small sigh of relief inwardly.
“Then, I shall take my leave. May the Goddess be with you in all that you do.”
The nun who left her greetings and withdrew outside.
I slowly rose from my spot.
‘Certainly, my body felt lighter.’
As I checked my perfectly healed physical condition again, near my ear, signs of soone's presence were heard.
Turning my head, I saw one mage belonging to Elsyde walking into the tent.
With her posture still composed, the female knight of Nesis wearing a black uniform and pressing down on her formal hat. It was Teano.
She approached the side of the bed and asked.
“Young Master Enoch, are you alright?”
Unlike the conversations I had continuously shared with her, it was a greeting in a voice that was slightly softened sohow.
“Yes. I am fine thanks to you.”
“Then, that is a relief. The other mbers outside were also worried about Young Master Enoch.”
“The reason you ca to find ?”
I looked at her and asked.
Teano, who had been continuously suspicious of , would not have simply co to ask about my well-being.
As expected, she looked at for a mont under the shade of her formal hat. Returning to her usual businesslike tone, she briefly summarized the situation and spoke.
“Currently, in the central square outside, a tribal eting between us Elsyde and the Beast-kin is taking place.”
“eting?”
“Yes. It is a place where Elsyde and the Beast-kin will exchange opinions regarding the future treatnt of the Beast-kin here. As the official commander of this joint mission, the direct descendant, it would be best if you also participated as much as possible.”
Hearing those words, my eyes sparkled.
It was exactly the right timing.
There was a reason I had co to the Beast-kin village from the start.
It was the best ti to achieve that objective.
“Please guide .”
Teano nodded and, walked slightly ahead of .
As I followed her, and walked through the middle of the Beast-kin village, sothing a little funny happened.
I could feel gazes from everywhere.
Beast-kin passing along the nearby paths would look at Teano and , or there were quite a few who completely stopped and just watched us.
However, unlike the Beast-kin before, the gazes they sent were strangely cautious.
If you have sothing to say, just co right up and say it. Just as I was having such thoughts.
Pull.
Just then, soone from the side pulled hard on my and Teano’s clothes. The two of us looked back in that direction for a mont.
Beside us, a young Beast-kin girl, wearing ragged clothes, was gazing up at us intently.
The little one with goat-like horns growing on either side of her head looked at us for a mont, then hesitated, and suddenly closed her eyes tightly and shouted.
“Um, thank you!”
“Huh?”
“My mom said that the people from outside the village, who don’t have ears or horns, saved and all the other tribe mbers! So, thank you!”
I realized instantly that, other Beast-kin watching us from the street were also holding their breath while looking this way.
She hesitated a little and then held out her hand.
In the little one's small hand, two small preserved fruits were carefully wrapped in paper. She looked at us with an awkward expression and asked.
“He- here! I’ll give it to you! It’s sothing my mom made that I saved. It’s really delicious, so do you want to eat it?”
The child who said that seed a little nervous.
Teano, seeing the young child extending both arms to her and raising her head as much as possible, bent her knees slightly to lower her eye level and then spoke bravely.
“Thank you. Instead, would you accept this?”
She took sothing out from inside her uniform and held it out.
In Teano’s hand, she held a small cookie wrapped in the combat ration packaging given to Elsyde mbers. The little one’s eyes widened when she saw it.
“Wow, wow! What is this?”
“It is a reward. Share and eat it with others.”
Teano, into her mouth, gently pushed a small cookie. The child, surprised by that, mumbled a mouth full, then held her cheek and exclaid.
“Ish dewishush (It’s delicious)!”
She swallowed the rest of the cookie she was happily munching on, and then said excitedly.
“I’ll share this with my friends and younger siblings!”
Teano said with a slight smile.
“Yes. That is a good idea.”
As if the cookie was truly delicious, the little one grinned, turned around and said “Thank you! Pretty Unnie!” and then ran far away beyond the crowd that had been watching us.
Teano looked after her, and perhaps sensing my gaze that was watching her, she glanced over.
“…Is there sothing you wanted to say?”
“You are skilled with children.”
“No, I am actually not good with them.”
Teano straightened the knees she had bent for a mont to et the child’s gaze, and lightly dusted her uniform skirt and stockings. And then she said calmly.
“However, when giving or receiving a gift with sincerity, I was rely taught that looking down is not polite.”
“Taught, you say? By whom?”
“…I am not obligated to answer that far yet.”
Teano rely said that and bowed her head.
“At any rate, although that child may not be the spokesperson for the Beast-kin. At least I can understand their feelings a little.”
“Is that so?”
“Probably from their perspective, everything that happened was sudden. It is unavoidable that the other Beast-kin are still wary of us, who are outsiders.”
Teano quietly continued speaking.
“The conspiracy Vendetta tried to initiate was thwarted. Although the suspicion that the entire Beast-kin race was plotting rebellion against the Empire has been cleared, the main objective of the joint mission given to us is not yet completely finished.”
What her words ant was clear.
“Leontos despaired and resented the dire circumstances the Beast-kin were driven into, and chose to join hands with Vendetta.”
Teano lowered her long eyelashes under her formal hat, and spoke in a cautious tone.
“As long as the Beast-kin remain marginalized in this barren land in the future, there is no guarantee that a second or third Leontos will not erge.”
“The Beast-kin, whose actions are unpredictable, will still be a potential threat remaining in the Elsyde territory?”
At that reply, Teano looked at for a mont.
Her violet eyes beneath the shade of her formal hat, looked at for a mont as if surprised, then quickly turned away her gaze.
“…Yes, as you said.”
Teano, who was walking beside while guiding to the square which was the eting place, as if hiding the expression concealed by the shade of her formal hat. Slightly bowing her head, she added.
“Before completely leaving this place, it would be best to find a solution from our end, however.”
However, that would never be easy.
Following Teano, who didn't bother to say such obvious words, I headed towards the village square.
By the ti I arrived at the central square like that.
There, the mages belonging to Elsyde, the Chieftain's faction. And a large number of Beast-kin villagers observing the eting were gathered, forming a crowd.
“Young Master Enoch, Knight Teano. You have arrived?”
One of the Elsyde mages greeted us.
At that, the crowded populace, seeing Teano and who had just arrived, opened up as if a wave was parting.
Sirocco, who was standing with the Chieftain, seeing who had just arrived, wagging her tail as if happy, said brightly to the Beast-kin next to her.
“Look over there! I told you he didn't die?”
The Chieftain, to , who was approaching through the Elsyde mages, bowed his head and showed respectful courtesy.
“Praise and gratitude for the efforts of those who protected our tribe must certainly be given, but for now, I will postpone it for later. For what Elsyde desires is also not such a thing.”
“Of course.”
From now on, there was only one exchange of opinions that would happen between the Beast-kin and the Elsyde mages.
To be blunt, from beside , Teano first to them made a proposal in a calm voice.
“It will take so ti, but. In so areas of the Elsyde territory, we will try to secure settlent areas for you.”
She said to the Chieftain.
“If it is alright, we will try to make it possible for the tribe to move their dwelling place to another location within the Elsyde territory.”
But at Teano’s words, the Chieftain shook his head.
“It is regrettable, but we have not yet forgotten. That Elsyde, just like the others in the Empire, has shown us no interest until now.”
The Chieftain spoke lowly.
“We are grateful for the offer. But to say that you will accept us now, ans that we cannot easily believe it.”
It was a natural thing to say.
Believing only the words of Elsyde, who had once ignored their plight, and stepping into the Empire, for the Beast-kin who had once fled from the Empire's oppression, would be no different from an enormous gamble.
“We need a minimum guarantee.”
The Chieftain continued speaking.
“A minimum assurance that the Beast-kin mixed into the Empire’s society, will not be oppressed again.”
It was all understandable from their perspective.
But Teano spoke coldly.
“We understand your situation, but. We Elsyde do not have an alternative prepared.”
With a calm expression, she looked around at the Beast-kin surrounding and observing the eting and spoke.
“Such a matter as this, has been unprecedented until now.”
The Empire until now, towards the small number of Demi-humans pushed to the fringes, had not shown any interest whatsoever.
That is why, now, it was highly unlikely that there would be a system that could fully guarantee their position.
“Therefore, regrettably, there is no thod I can propose beyond this.”
The complexions of the Beast-kin observing the eting hardened.
However, just as Teano was finishing her words in such a cold tone. I abruptly cut in from the side.
“From the Count family’s perspective, at most, there is no thod.”
A story different in nature from what Teano had been saying.
The people participating in the eting and the full attention of those who were observing, was focused on at once.
Teano, who had been talking with the Chieftain beside until just now, also looked back at as if slightly puzzled.
“…Young Master Enoch?”
I didn't care about everyone's gazes being focused on , and continued speaking with a calm expression.
“But I, have one thod.”
I gave a small laugh and declared that.
For a long ti already, I had been waiting only for this mont.
From the mont I decided to participate in this joint mission, I had acted anticipating only this very mont.
And what I was about to do now, was also the answer to overcoming the predicant the Beast-kin were currently facing.
“A thod, you say?”
The Chieftain, with a serious expression, asked back.
“This is not a simple matter, young direct descendant of Elsyde. What exactly is the thod you are referring to….”
“I will tell you now.”
I slowly directed my gaze to the intended place.
“Sirocco Lycaon.”
“Hmm?”
Twitch.
Her wolf ears twitched as if carrying a question.
I, to such a Sirocco, said as if it was obvious.
“Co in as my Follower Family.”
Instantly, silence fell everywhere.
Among all the Beast-kin gathered in the entire square, and among all the mages of the Elsyde family, silence flowed.
And as if everyone had made a promise.
The two factions, were simultaneously turned upside down.
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