Poles Apart
“You’ve both worked hard.”
After Garam stepped out into the world, Jenia followed right behind her. Back then, the concept of Heroes didn’t even exist yet. That was why Garam and Jenia had to endure far more hardship than the other disciples. Even though the two of them bickered constantly, the others still treated them with the respect due to the eldest and second-eldest senior sisters. It was a form of deference toward those who had paved the way first.
“Still, it wasn’t as bad as what Garam went through. I hate to admit it, but…”
“She insisted on taking the tougher regions because she was the senior.”
“I told her I could handle it too, you know? But she just told me to go somewhere else. It was ridiculous. So I said, ‘Fine, suffer all you want by yourself,’ and left. It would’ve been easier if we’d gone together.”
Splash, splash—
Jenia irritably slapped the water in the fountain with her hand. This was exactly why I could never bring myself to scold them too harshly. Even while fighting, they’d somehow grown fond of each other and kept looking out for one another in their own way. Of course, if I asked them about it, they’d both scream that it wasn’t true.
“Ah, um… Master. I…”
“Hm?”
Jenia suddenly held something out to me. It was an old-fashioned wooden case, and I could feel something inside. A very clear, refreshing energy was seeping out of it. I couldn’t help but wonder what on earth was in there to give off such a presence.
“What’s this?”
“A while ago, I dealt with the monsters that appeared in the forest where the elves were staying. So the elders of the nearby elf villages gave me this. They said it was a gift for their benefactor.”
“…They gave it to you, so why are you giving it to me? This is yours.”
“B-but I want to give it to you, Master. You’re my benefactor, after all.”
With those words, Jenia carefully opened the wooden case. Inside was something that looked like a tangle of blue vines at first glance. But upon closer inspection, it was a necklace woven from various herbs and flowers. That refreshing, pure energy was coming from the necklace.
“…Jenia. This looks incredibly valuable just from a glance.”
“Right? So it’ll suit you much better, Master.”
“No, this is yours. It suits you more.”
“Huh? But I want to give it to you. I want to give it to Master. I really do.”
I slowly shook my head. The moment I put this around my neck, Garam—not to mention Iris and even the other Master—would definitely react. If it were just a simple accessory, I might be able to hide it somehow, but something radiating such a clear, powerful energy was impossible to conceal. They’d definitely grill me about what it was, where I got it, and who gave it to me. I could probably brush off the other Master somehow, and even force Iris to keep quiet through sheer intimidation, but Garam was sharp enough to figure it out immediately. She’d realize that this item was Jenia’s way of leaving her mark!
- If I accept it, all three of them will torment me. And there will be a fight, one hundred percent.
That was the conclusion I’d reached, and the reason for what I did next.
“This is an elf treasure. It suits you, not me.”
“But…”
“Let me take a look.”
I took the necklace out of the case. It seemed to carry a cool minty scent, yet also the fresh fragrance of grass. At first, it had looked like it was just casually twisted together from plants, but now that I examined it closely, I could see the immense care that had gone into making it.
“Jenia.”
“Yes?”
“Come here. Move your hair and turn around.”
“Huh? Uh, um, Master. That’s… I, I’m…”
“Hurry up.”
Rather than giving Garam and Jenia another reason to blow up an entire forest in another fight, I’d rather just get it over with. It was better to solidify my disciples’ feelings than to risk that kind of danger, even if those feelings were romantic affections I could barely handle.
“Hnnngh…”
The elf who had been hurling insults at the thugs earlier was nowhere to be seen. All that remained was a woman whose face—and even her ears and neck—had turned bright red. Jenia turned her back to me and carefully gathered her hair to the side. Her pale nape was exposed, and a sweet fragrance wafted straight to my nose. It was as if a flower field swaying in the breeze was right in front of me.
“…”
I fastened the necklace the elves had given her around Jenia’s neck. Since it was a gift from elves, it would naturally be best for an elf. The fact that it carried the scent of the forest so strongly suggested it would benefit Jenia far more. Items were meant to go to the characters who could make the most use of them, after all.
“There. Want to turn around now?”
“Hiii…”
Only the sound of air escaping could be heard as Jenia froze like a statue. At this rate, she’d stay like that until the sun went down. So I grabbed her shoulders and slowly turned her toward me.
“It suits you well. As expected, something like this looks better on an elf.”
Jenia was still avoiding my gaze, completely at a loss for what to do. She looked like she was screaming internally that she was dying of embarrassment. The sight was so adorable that I couldn’t help but reach out and gently pat her head.
“Hnnngh…!”
If this were a manga or a game, steam might have come shooting out of both of Jenia’s ears with a pop!
“I-I’ll really work hard, Master…”
“Yeah, yeah. Of course you will.”
“Master, Master…”
Refusing to show her face, Jenia simply pressed her forehead against my arm and rubbed her face against it. That was the Spear Hero, Jenia Violet.
“Well then, Master? Shall we go? I heard there’s a place in the Royal Capital where lots of people go for walks. I’ll take you there.”
“…”
The next day, Garam took over from Jenia—taking the baton, or rather, taking me. Unlike Jenia, who was still full of enthusiasm but quite inexperienced, Garam seemed to have already planned out exactly how to move and what to do. If Jenia appeared gentle and somewhat passive in front of me, Garam was the complete opposite—proactive and confident.
“I don’t know what happened yesterday, but forget all about it. Today’s going to be the most fun day ever! Kyaaang!”
“I get it, so stop wagging your tail. It’s making me dizzy just watching.”
Swish, swish— No, it was more like vroom, vroom, vroom! Garam answered that she understood, but kept wagging her tail anyway, as if she didn’t know what to do with how happy she was.
“…By the way, Garam?”
“Yes, Master!”
“Everyone walking around here looks like couples.”
“Oh, come on. No way. It’s probably just a nice place for men and women to walk together.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“Ahem! You said you’d leave everything to me today, so be quiet!”
With that shout, Garam grabbed my hand. Just as I was thinking that she’d really caught me today, she pulled me along and we began walking down a path surrounded by beautiful scenery.
“It’s really pretty. My subordinates recommended this place, but I was half-skeptical.”
“But in the end, you decided to trust them.”
“They’re the ones I’ll eventually have to lead. If I don’t trust them, who will? Honestly, I’m still not entirely satisfied with them, but… I felt something when I heard your words back then.”
We walked hand in hand, chatting about this and that. Then I suddenly remembered the injury she’d sustained before. Since I saw other couples sitting on benches resting, I led Garam over so we could take a short break.
“Garam.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Let me see your wound.”
“The one on my neck? It’s fine now. It’s almost completely healed. It doesn’t even hurt anymore.”
“…”
Whether it hurt or not, I’d find out by checking. I focused my energy on my index finger and poked the back of her neck before she could react.
“Kaeng!”
Her tail shot straight up and her ears perked. The way she reflexively covered her neck made it obvious she was lying.
“Garam.”
“It’s true! It’s all healed! It’s just because you poked me so suddenly!”
“Be honest. This is necessary for the future. Are you really going to put everyone in danger just because of your stubbornness? Speak.”
“…It’s true that there’s still some pain left. But I can move my body just fine, and there’s nothing unnatural about my neck movements. It doesn’t affect combat at all.”
“You never know. What you’re calling ‘no effect on combat’ is only based on normal movement. Have you checked how it reacts when you push your body to the absolute limit?”
Garam thought for a moment at my question, then shook her head. “No.”
“Exactly. That’s why. At a moderate level, minor injuries won’t have much impact. But in a fight where both sides push themselves to the extreme, even the smallest variable can become a huge problem. Garam, do you understand what I’m saying?”
“…Yes, Master.”
“Then you and Jenia will stay in the Royal Capital a little longer. Wait here until Lily says you’re completely healed. After that, move west together with Jenia.”
“Master, does that mean you’re leaving the day after tomorrow?”
“I have to. I can’t stay holed up here forever. I’m planning to take the other Master, Ester, and Iris with me in two days. Unlike you two, those two still need a bit more looking after.”
If it had been Jenia, she probably would’ve tried to hold me back a little. She might act like a spear in front of others, but in front of me she was just a girl. But Garam simply nodded, as if she understood my words completely. No matter what anyone said, she was my first disciple, the eldest senior sister.
“Master. Um…”
“Speak.”
“Could you… stroke my neck like you used to?”
“Used to?”
“Yes. You know, back when I said my stomach hurt…”
“…Ah. I remember. The time you ate something weird even though I told you not to pick up random things, got a stomachache, and kept whining about it?”
“You remember it way too accurately?!”
They say the first one always leaves the clearest impression. I’d never neglected my other disciples, but Garam was still treated a little more specially. She was the beginning, and beginnings were important.
“You want me to do it like back then? That doesn’t actually do anything, you know.”
“I know. But please do it anyway. I feel like I’ll get better faster.”
“…Alright, alright. I get it, so stop whining.”
I brushed aside Garam’s golden hair and examined her neck. A reddish energy still lingered there. She really had been hit by a Fragment of the Demon God. Even Heroes didn’t take damage easily, and the fact that the mark remained even after Lily’s healing showed just how potent it was.
Just like when I used to rub Garam’s stomach while she whined about it hurting, I carefully stroked her neck with my hand and muttered that she’d be fine. This was… what was it called again? The placebo effect?
“…Master.”
“What. Does it hurt more when I touch it?”
“No. It’s not that… My neck is fine now. But somewhere else hurts.”
“Somewhere else?”
“Yes. So… could you touch there like this too?”
As she spoke, Garam smiled—and that smile looked incredibly sly. Her finger pointed past her chest and stomach, down to the area between her legs.
“…”
For a fox-like disciple like this, the answer was definitely the rod.
“Come here, my little fox.”
“Huh? W-wait, Master! I, I was wrong— Kyaang!!”