CH 16

Translator: Haruchin   Editor: Marky

「 Amille’s doing her best, and she didn’t mean anything bad, it was the inn’s fault, right. 」

Dean started to defend that Pink Head. Ugh, what a pain.

「 You’re pretty decent about other things, but why are you so thick-headed when it comes to your sis? 」

Blindly doting on her to the point of helping her cover up, and apologizing on her behalf ー this really makes me want to scold him.

「 Is that true? 」

「 His relationship with his younger sis is really creepy. 」

His sister must be forgiven because she’s cute, she didn’t have any bad intentions so it’s fine even if she’s being a bother, she’s doing her best so everyone must help her ー you get the drift.

「 Ugh. 」

Dean groaned, so I thought something happened, but no, Leo-, er, Ash was tapping her lips, deep in thought, and her Asura face was three times more terrifying.

「 You might not believe me, but there’s a spirit beside Amille-dono. 」

「 Huh? 」

「 And a proof that Dean-dono is under that spirit’s influence is floating beside your face. 」

Ash sounded a bit bothered now.

「 I don’t see anything like that, though? If it’s a strong spirit then I might believe you, but isn’t it weird that you can see them? 」

That’s what Dean said, but a cheap looking pink flower bud that seemed like it’d bloom any time soon was sticking on his head. Ah, no, it’s actually floating rather than sticking. Putting a pink, artificial flower on a grown man’s head is pointless ー no, it’s a bother even if it’s fresh. The material and the texture reminded me of those fake autumn leaves or cherry blossoms hanging between the lights that dotted the streets in the shopping district. I’d probably burst out laughing if I said anything, given that serious face of his, so I’d better leave it. I stretched my hand out, grabbed the flower then crushed it in my palm, instead.

「 !? 」

「 Ah, sorry. 」

I apologized while staring down at Dean as he dropped on his knees before crumpling to the ground.

「 As I said, it must be one of those Controlling Spirits. It’s influence was abruptly cut-off, so he just ended up fainting. — So, you can touch them on top of seeing them, is that it? 」

「 Yeah, if I wanted to? 」

Riche would be invisible to me if I couldn’t see spirits. If I looked hard enough, my vision would be filled with tiny spirits, and it also affected my day-to-day life, so I tend to tune them out. Yeah, I could also fine tune this ability so I could see spirits per level, but that would be too troublesome, and seeing Riche was plenty enough. Well, the very powerful spirits called deities could manifest if they wanted to, without me having to do anything to see them, though.

「 It’s the first time I met one aside from Father. 」

「 So that ‘sight’ runs in the blood? 」

Ash and I stretched out Dean’s arms and legs so that it would be a bit more comfortable for him while lying on the ground.

I pinched his nose and checked his breathing. He gasped, so all’s good.

「 Yeah. But only Father and I have this ability among our clan. And we can’t touch them. Be on your guard. This ability is widely sought after. 」

「 Got it, I’ll be careful. Anyway, should we start by sealing this guy’s mouth? 」

If we leave him as is, then a bear’s gonna have him as a tasty meal, but there’s no way we’re gonna do that, right. Wait a sec, I didn’t say anything when I plucked that thing off him, so that means he probably didn’t notice anything odd, so I guess I’m safe — hm?

「 Ash, he already found out that you can ‘see’. Is that okay? 」

「 You saved me. This man is your friend, no? 」

「Eh, no, actually, it’s the second time we met. 」

ASH TURNED TO ICE!!!

「 If we leave him lying around like this, then a bear… 」

Chaotic mumblings were spilling out from her! That thinking face is MEGA scary! And she thought the same thing as me!!

「 I miscalculated. There’s no choice but to accept our fate.」

She also came back to her senses soon enough, like I did. Ahh, this person’s really prone to drawing the unlucky card, huh. Not for me to say, though.

「 Oh, by the way, Jean-dono, can you see the spirit that is attached to me? 」

「 Where? Whoa! 」

A blue bird was repeatedly pecking Ash’s head like a woodpecker.

「 Hey, doesn’t that hurt? 」

「 It’s a constant dull pain. 」

Wait, it’s poking you nonstop with that sharp beak, yet it’s a dull pain?

「 Since when? 」

「 Since I turned seven. Father attached it. 」

The pain’s dull because it’s been way too long?

「 What’s the reason again? 」

The blue bird had a sash made of light on its neck, kinda like a collar.

When I did appraisal, it showed an extremely idiotic result — 『 Spirit captured by Lathantein Lu Adelheid to make Leora Lu Adelheid manlier. 』

「 It was to turn me into a splendid heir. 」

「 Don’t you have a younger brother? 」

「 Yeah, Father got drunk, and woke up with a woman beside him. She sent that guy to us the next day. 」

What the — an express home delivery!?

「 Fortunately, my kingdom doesn’t discriminate between men and women, and the eldest will be the successor regardless of gender. However, my House has been a military family for many generations, so Father placed the spirit on me so that when the training time comes, my gender will not hinder me. 」

「 No wait a sec, listen, okay? It’ll be understandable if he gave you stuff like arm strength and physical strength, but isn’t ‘manliness’ too weird? 」

It had the making of a good story, but it’s still abnormal, you know? And you’re being poked too much, hear that thunking sound?

「 Manliness? 」

Oy, don’t tell me you didn’t know the details, huh!?

「 …I know I’m being a busy body, poking my nose in your family affairs, but you should release that spirit right away. 」

And that bird seemed really desperate, you know.

「 Hmm. It should have been removed two years ago, but Father, the one who cast the spell, collapsed. Ahm, Jean-dono, perhaps you can release this spirit? 」

「 Maybe? Wanna try? 」

I think I can do something about it if that collar’s gone.

「 Please. 」

「 I’ll do it when we go back to the town, then. 」

I pointedly turned my gaze to Dean who was still lying on the ground.

「 Yeah…」

Ash mumbled. Seemed like she took the hint after following my line of sight.

「 Whether the release will be successful or not, let me pay you. 」

「 Nah, you’re being ripped-off by that inn, so you’re currently short on money, too, right? What will you do if you gotta change inns? 」

Adventurers might die anytime, anywhere, so inns generally required advanced payments. There’s no guarantee that she’ll get a refund even if she complained to the guild. It would take time if she were to return, too. Does she still have money?

「 I’ll hunt a bear. 」

「 Oh, right, you did say you came here for that. 」

That totally slipped my mind.