***“Was this really necessary?”
A young man asked his father, who gazed intently at the horse before him.
The creature was slowly dying from a sword wound.
“This horse was stolen by dark elves. We don’t know what kind of curse it might be under.”
“...”
The young man eventually nodded. His father’s words certainly had rit.
***“W-what? You—you see ?”
The dark elf woman exaggeratedly pointed her finger back and forth between the bastard and herself.
anwhile, soone sighed deeply.
“No way! Did I seriously make this kind of mistake?”
The woman briefly touched the back of her hand and then nodded, full of confidence.
“Of course. That can’t be.”
“...”
“...”
Then she cast an awkward glance at .
“That can’t be... right?”
“...”
The awkward mood was broken by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind the bookshelf. It was the librarian.
He looked around before fixing a stare at .
“Please maintain silence in the library.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I was just talking with this person h—”
“...?”
This person here?
The old librarian looked in the direction where the woman was standing, but his gaze wandered through empty space.
Perfect.
The woman imdiately approached the librarian and started clicking her fingers in front of his face.
“...”
The librarian didn’t mind. Or more precisely, he didn’t notice at all.
The old fellow eyed pitifully, shaking his head, and went away.
“Wha?”
“See, see? What did I tell you! What did I tell you~~~”
The woman raised her voice excitedly.
Woah, now that’s coming right from the diaphragm. Forget silence, it’s a formal challenge. A formal duel challenge to the librarian.
But again, the librarian showed no reaction. At this point, even an ignorant bastard like couldn’t help but sense sothing was off.
Maybe...she’s not the strange one? Is it ?
“How did you do that?”
As I stood still with a befittingly foolish expression, the woman asked a question.
“What do you an?”
“What you’re doing right now.”
“Right now?”
What I’m doing? Huh? Surely she’s not talking about my past life awareness.
Nothing ca to mind. In fact, I wanted to be asking sothing myself: why can’t the librarian see you, and only I can?
“I’m asking just in case. This conversation we’re having now, is it related to magic? If so, I have nothing much to say. After all, I’m totally ignorant in that regard.”
“...”
Hmmmm.
The woman crossed her arms and began to observe in earnest, her head tilting left and right. She seed utterly perplexed.
Suddenly, I heard that other voice again.
“What if this child gets hurt?”
Hold up, this is starting to sound a bit ominous. I’ll have you know, I’m Bendel bastard alright? You hurt and the Bendels are gonna—
Damn, they’d probably like that.
“That’s true. But this child is a bit unusual, you know?”
“Right, right? I wasn’t alone in feeling he’s special. I knew it.”
Clap clap clap clap clap.
The woman gave an adorable little round of clapping, and the atmosphere suddenly changed.
Now it wasn’t just because of her cute behavior that didn’t match her tall stature. I felt her attitude toward had changed. From an interesting observation subject, I’d beco an interesting person.
“May I sit next to you?”
The woman pointed to the seat beside .
It was just a request to sit together, yet for so reason her eyes glittered fervently. As if she had made an outrageous request and was watching for the reaction.
I wondered, why insist on sitting next to ? Not that I really minded, but...
I nodded without much thought.
“Oh my.”
I didn’t know why, but the woman was extrely delighted.
“Oof.”
The woman cheerily stuck her hands to her sides and sat down next to .
Now, my window seat was just cozy enough for one person. aning it was a bit cramped for two.
“Should we sit elsewhere?”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to disturb your reading.”
“...”
My eyes strayed. I didn’t know where to look.
Fortunately, that voice made the retort I was about to make.
Regardless...
I asked again.
“You must be uncomfortable... If it’s alright with you, maybe we should...”
“No? It’s fine. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s more interesting. It’s been a long ti since I’ve had such a normal conversation with soone else.”
“Is... that so?”
Normal? What is normal?
Where are we born and where are we going? Why is an eagle’s beak yellow?
“Well, well, well. What should I ask first—oh right! Look at . I haven’t introduced myself yet. Sorry. As I just said, it’s been so long since I’ve had such a normal conversation with another person. Mhm. Mhm. Very long indeed. So, even I act a bit too vulgar, I hope you won’t be offended.”
“Vulgar? I just thought you were a very lively and special person.”
“Dear ~ Oh dear oh dear oh deary~ How can you speak so beautifully? Hm? And you have such pretty eyes too.”
The woman stroked my head, looking as if she were dying of adoration.
Let correct myself. Maybe I looked more like a cute puppy than an interesting person.
“I’m Pamon. A scholar and researcher.”
Pamon took out a book from her bosom.
“And this is Duran. As you can see, it’s a talking book that likes to interject, nag, and nitpick. I made it, yet I don’t know why it’s like this.”
Apparently, the source of that other voice was this book called Duran.
A talking book? And you made it yourself? I’m not even surprised anymore.
“I’m Risir.”
“Risir? Risir... Risir... Mm. I like it. Even your na’s pretty. Now then, Risir. First of all, can you tell this?”
Pamon tapped the book in my hand.
“This book. Why are you reading it?”
“Huh?”
The crazy talking book interjected with crazy nonsense.
“Why would I exterminate... all of catkind?”
“Just... out of curiosity?”
“Uh... aren’t they cute?”
Clap clap clap clap clap clap.
A happy looking Pamon interrupted Duran with a bubbly applause.
“So you know, Risir! You too understand the charm of kitties!”
Pamon proceeded to unleash a passionate speech about the charm of cats.
***
“Huh? Ah! Sorry, Risir! I got too excited and only talked about myself, didn’t I?”
Pamon was stroking my hand that she had placed on her lap, as if kneading a cat’s paw.
When did she even take my hand?
“Thanks to you, I don’t think I need to read this book anymore.”
“Well, Risir. Don’t you have anything you want to ask ?”
Finally.
I blurted out the question I had been carefully holding onto.
“You know how earlier, the librarian couldn’t perceive you?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why was that?”
“ too! I got a question too!”
Swip!
Pamon suddenly pulled my arm.
Tap.
She started observing . We were literally close enough to touch noses.
“Why doesn’t my cognitive disruption magic work on you? Maybe, just maybe. Have you ever learned magic on your own?”
Sniff sniff.
Why’s she slling ?
“No?”
“Then, do you perhaps have so kind of artifact?”
“My family doesn’t love enough to give sothing so precious, you see.”
“Then is it constitutional?”
Pamon started kneading my face.
“Consdidusonal?”
“Mhm. A trait you’re born with. Risir. If it’s okay, can I try an experint?”
“I thought we had shared enough emotional bonding.”
“Right!? Sorry! I guess this isn’t right after all, Duran. What if Risir gets hurt?”
“Mmph—“
What is this? A scent like a mix of herbal dicine and perfu? Rough silk? Softness?
Ah. She’s hugging .
“Just asking, but what were you planning to do with that experint?”
“Well. Let’s see—”
“Were you planning to do so much that you need to think about it?”
“I’m sorry~~~ Risir might not understand, but you know! You’re incredibly unusual! So much that I’m holding back a lot right now, you know?”
“...Thank you?”
“Oh right! But Risir. What was that you said earlier? About your family not loving you enough?”
“Yes. My personal circumstances are quite complicated.”
“In what way?”
“I’m... an illegitimate child. My mother passed away giving birth to , and my father resents for it.”
“Oh no.”
Pamon put down my hand and moved back a bit.
“I’m sorry, Risir. I was too forward.”
“Well, anyway. Do I really have such an unusual constitution?”
Look at him changing the subject. He’s not normal either.
Ignoring the crazy book’s grumbling, I started pondering.
It’s an unexpected gain. Who’d have thought that I had a unique constitution, one that even soone as extraordinary as her found worthy of interest?
Cognitive disruption doesn’t work on ? Then do I have sothing like magic resistance?
Yeah, I an everybody has a talent in them sowhere.
Good job, bastard. You’ve finally proved your use. Now then, is there so way to use this?
A new job selection window flickered in my mind.
How exciting.
“By the way, Risir.”
“Ah. Yes, go ahead.”
“I’m asking just in case, but which family do you belong to?”
“Oh. It doesn’t really an much, but I was born and raised in Bendel.”
The book sighed aningfully. Too aningful to ignore.
“Is that so? What a coincidence.”
Goddamn. This really seems like big trouble.
Pamon was looking at with a completely different face than before.
“Alright. I’ve decided, Risir, my disciple.”
“Sorry?”
“From today on, you’re my disciple.”
“Eh?”
***
▷Fate 5: ‘The Promised Price’ has been deactivated.
Corresponding perks will be awarded
***“Co again?”
An unexpected intruder barged in out of nowhere, declaring: Give what is most valuable in Bendel.
The patriarch of Bendel touched the poml of the sword at his waist.
The intruder appeared defenseless to his eyes. He was confident he could cut their body in half with a single draw of his sword.
That ugly, cursed body. How dare a dark elf leave footprints in Bendel’s dwelling? Not content with that, look at how she acts as if she were the master of the family.
There could be no mont more aningless for dialogue than this.
“Did you not promise?”
“Promise? Us? With you filthy mongrels?”
The intruder didn’t even bat an eye at the blatant contempt.
“I suppose your great ancestor didn’t tell you anything?”
“I warn you, do not speak her na with that filthy tongue.”
“Do you know? How Radola Bendel, the pride of your family, achieved such feats? How she accomplished them?”
Just as the patriarch’s sword was about to reveal its blade, thick vines suddenly sprouted from the floor and entangled his limbs.
“Bendel, your family promised my master. That when the castle built with the power borrowed from my master reached its highest point, Bendel would give up the greatest treasure it holds.”
“Urgh—You filthy witch—...!”
“Tell , Bendel. What is the most precious thing you have?”
Bendel did not answer...so the witch sought the answer herself.
She approached the window and looked down. Hayeren City, the heart of Bendel territory, ca into full view.
The witch imagined the city covered in greenery. She wasn’t entirely pleased with it, but it couldn’t be helped.
A promise was a promise, after all.
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