One Step Forward
The appraiser greeted me with a polite bow. "Welcome back. I've just finished assessing everything. I'll organize the results and prepare the estimate right away. Would you mind waiting a moment? Oh, and can I get you anything to drink?"
"Ar. Thirsty?"
Ar shook her head. I told the appraiser we were fine and sank heavily onto the sofa. Ar promptly sat down right beside me. The distance between us felt strangely close. Had it always been this tight? Or was I imagining things?
One thing was certain—Ar's attitude had changed. The incident with Tide and Treder must have affected her. She no longer hesitated to lean against me, either.
After a short wait, the appraiser approached with the completed estimate and handed it over. I took it immediately and scanned the numbers.
Whoa. This was insane.
A Grade 6 Karud at 150,000, a Grade 6 Solarder at 160,000, a Grade 7 Galiwoop at 420,000, and a Grade 7 Obsivilerian at 740,000. Adding up the smaller items brought the total to 1.5 million marcas. With the five percent premium for an exclusive contract, it came to 1,575,000 marcas.
"We already paid you 300,000 marcas as a deposit, so we'll transfer the remaining 1,275,000 marcas. How would you like it?"
"One 1,000,000 marca note, two 100,000 marca notes, seven 10,000 marca notes, and the remaining 5,000 marcas in 500-marca platinum coins, please."
"Understood. I'll have it brought out immediately."
I spoke casually, but my hands were trembling. 1,275,000 marcas. Adding what I already had, I'd be sitting on nearly 1.4 million.
The appraiser sent the clerk off and returned, smiling warmly. "To think you brought back Grade 7 magic beasts. I was truly shocked. If it weren't against our regulations, I'd have asked exactly how you managed it. And so cleanly, too. Not to mention an Obsivilerian—one of the rarer beasts we see around here."
"I just got lucky."
"From what I can see, Sir Theo, your luck is only just beginning."
The appraiser smiled as he spoke, his expression clearly saying he hoped we'd continue doing business. That made sense. From his perspective, I'd just delivered a massive windfall.
I didn't bother replying. I simply smiled back.
The clerk returned at that moment, and I collected the bond and the money.
"If you trade three more Grade 7 beasts with us, you'll be promoted to Grade 5."
"Really? The conditions aren't as strict as I expected."
"Anyone capable of hunting and trading Grade 7 beasts is someone our association should be welcoming with open arms. We're hardly in a position to impose conditions on you."
When I thought about it, he had a point. If you could take down a Grade 7 beast, you'd be treated well pretty much anywhere. In a world where nobles tried to scout people just for killing Grade 6 beasts, after all. Though in my case, I'd done it alone, so maybe that was part of it.
"What are the benefits of reaching Grade 5?"
"At Grade 5, you'll have access to our VIP lounge. It's known to have better facilities than any inn in Hapim, and it's completely free."
"Oh… that sounds nice."
"I'm sure you'll like it. So I'll be looking forward to your swift promotion to Grade 5, Sir Theo."
In other words, go hunt three more Grade 7 beasts quickly. That shouldn't be too difficult. I could probably manage it in a single day if I tried.
With that, we left the association. It was already late, so we headed straight back to our lodging.
"Ah. I'm exhausted. Today was really something, wasn't it?"
When I spoke to Ar back at the room, she gave a cute little nod in agreement.
"Ugh. I need a wash. Man, the lodging back in Luise was so much better. Hmm. The association's VIP room… I'm kind of curious about that."
As I muttered to myself, Ar nodded again. Why did she find everything I said so amusing? It wasn't even that funny.
Even while showering, I kept thinking about it. Ar had definitely undergone a change of heart. She was treating me with much more warmth now. Before, there had always been a slight sense that she was doing things out of necessity. Well, it was a good thing.
I hadn't helped Tide and Treder specifically to open Ar's heart, but if their situation had improved our relationship, I was happy about it too.
When I came out after washing up, Ar hopped down from the bed and headed for the bathroom.
"You going to wash?"
She nodded and slipped inside without hesitation.
I dried my hair a bit and lay down on the bed, but something felt strangely off. Ar always washed thoroughly, so her doing so now wasn't unusual. Yet for some reason, my heart was pounding.
Maybe it was because her reactions today felt different from usual?
The thought made me chuckle at myself, so I tried to focus on how I should spend the money we'd just earned. But my concentration broke almost immediately.
It was the sound of water splashing as Ar washed.
Damn. Had I lost my mind? Why was I reacting like this alone?
I shook my head hard and tried to empty my thoughts. Since Ar took a long time to wash, I figured I should just go to sleep. That way she'd feel less self-conscious too.
But I couldn't block out the sounds. Humans don't have the ability to shut off their hearing at will. So Ar's splashing kept tugging at my attention. And the images those sounds conjured in my mind made me sigh without realizing it.
Seriously. What the hell was I doing? I felt pathetic.
Just then, the sound of water stopped. I felt relieved and was finally able to try falling asleep.
I must have dozed off. Or maybe I was just on the verge.
Something poked me lightly, and my eyes flew open. Ar was standing right in front of me.
"Huh?"
She seemed startled that I'd woken up so suddenly. But then she shyly held out a comb.
"A comb?"
I sat up, took it, and stared at it blankly. Ar simply gazed back at me.
"You want me to brush your hair?"
She nodded. This was the first time she'd asked for something like this, so I felt a bit bewildered.
"Alright."
There was no reason to refuse, so I agreed. Ar's face flushed slightly. She pulled over a chair, turned her back to me, and sat down.
Staring at the back of her head felt oddly intimate. Brushing her hair? Why was my body tingling like this?
I ran the comb gently through her white hair. It slid through with a soft sararak sound. She'd washed it, and it smelled wonderful. Looking closer, her hair wasn't even tangled enough to really need brushing.
While I worked, Ar kept her hands clasped in front of her, fidgeting. Then she took a deep breath, gathered the hair on the side of her head, and carefully brushed it back.
Revealing her ear.
It was small and delicate, not much different from a human's. And that ear was bright red.
Only then did I understand why Ar had asked me to brush her hair.
Beastpeople openly displayed their animal ears, but their human-like ears were usually hidden beneath their hair. She'd told me that herself. Well, not with words, but still. Tide and Treder had been the same yesterday. Even though they were male, they'd grown their hair long to cover their ears.
So the fact that Ar was revealing her ear to me like this meant she had opened her heart to me that much.
Her reddened ear showed how embarrassed she was.
Once I realized all of that, a smile crept across my face without me even meaning to.
"Pretty ears."
Ar's head drooped. Then she turned around to face me.
"Theo."
She said my name. It felt strangely unfamiliar. Why? It was a name I'd heard countless times.
"Yeah?"
"Why are you so kind to beastpeople?"
Ar's crimson eyes stared straight at me. They were seeking an answer. Gem-like eyes.
"Well… it's not just beastpeople. I try to be kind to everyone."
"Why?"
"Let's just say… I know too well what it feels like when people harbor malice toward each other."
Ar's expression hardened. Of course she understood. She'd experienced it herself.
"I still can't trust humans."
"I understand. That kind of thing doesn't happen easily."
"But I want to trust you, Theo."
Her expression was dead serious. So serious it was almost adorable.
"I hope I can keep earning that trust from you."
Ar stared at me for a long moment. Then she turned her head slightly and murmured as if it were nothing.
"...You already have."
"That's not enough. I'll give you even more trust. I'll earn your faith."
It was the truth. I didn't want anyone to suffer or be hurt because of me. Even Iscar, who had caused me pain and scars, was the same. The leader of the Imperial Magic Division. The magician who had locked me in the Magic Tower and done all those horrible things.
I didn't really care about revenge. I simply wanted to show him. To show him what he couldn't do. To become a proper magician. I didn't know if that would hurt him or leave a scar, but that was the only form of revenge I wanted. I had no intention of trampling him, dragging him down, and turning him into a broken wreck.
Ar gazed at me quietly, then nodded.
The mood had become too heavy. I tried to lighten the atmosphere.
"I like your voice. So talk to me more from now on. Don't just nod and shake your head all the time. Though that's cute too."
Ar made an embarrassed face again. She whipped her head around and stood up. I smiled inwardly at the sight and lay back down on the bed.
Ar turned off the room's light, then came over and quietly lay down beside me.
"I didn't say you could come over tonight."
But Ar didn't answer. She simply curled up halfway against me. Soon after, I heard her even breathing.
She'd fallen asleep. That was fast.
Seeing her like this really drove home that she was a beastperson. A human body with animal instincts. If I had to say, her behavior seemed closer to a dog's than a fox's. Or maybe a cat? I'd heard foxes were a mix of dog and cat personalities. Looking at Ar, that seemed accurate.
Listening to her steady breathing, I too drifted off to sleep.
Tomorrow I'd have to figure out how to spend the money. For now, I'd just sleep.