Chapter 388: A Guest from the North (3)
Chapter 388: A Guest from the North (3)
Normally, I should have refused him on the spot.
"The Yarl is in critical condition. With the world being so restless lately, he said he wanted to see your face at least once before anything happens. That is why I hurried here."
"..."
That was, until I heard that Fay’s father might be dying soon.
Fay stood there, frozen stiff. Apparently, the letter she had received beforehand hadn't mentioned anything about her father being ill.
Since it looked like Fay was in no state to answer right now, I spoke up in her stead.
"...I understand why you've come. However, this is quite sudden. May I speak with Senior Fay in private before we give you an answer?"
"Of course. However, I cannot wait for long. It took nearly three weeks just to get here. If we delay any further..."
"Ah, if we decide to go, we plan to use teleportation to get there in an instant, so don't worry about that. More importantly, a few hours should be more than enough time for us to talk."
"Tele...portation? Ah, well, if it only takes a few hours, I shall wait with a light heart."
Being a dwarf who knew nothing of magic other than enchanting, Baru’s eyes went wide at the mention of teleportation.
Still, he seemed to accept the "few hours" part and reached for his cup, only to pause.
It was only natural, considering he’d downed the water in one gulp earlier.
I chuckled and refilled it using Water before standing up.
"Then, if you'll excuse us for a moment. ...Let’s go, Senior Fay."
"Huh? Oh, okay..."
Fay was still dazed. I practically dragged her into the bedroom and shut the door.
We needed to talk.
*
"...My father wasn't a bad person from the start."
Those were the first words out of Fay’s mouth once she regained some semblance of composure.
"No, maybe that’s just what I want to believe. But one thing is for sure: he was very kind when he first brought me to the Lord’s Castle."
"Until you started learning alchemy, you mean."
"Yeah... To be more precise, it started when I said I wanted to use alchemy to make finished equipment, not just potions or special alloys. Before that, even when I said I was learning alchemy, he cheered me on, saying I took after my mother."
Dwarves are a race of natural-born artisans—blacksmiths, jewelers, tailors, sculptors, and so on.
Over a long period, they had proven the rumors true by excelling in various fields.
However, among all those crafts, there was one that dwarves held in the highest regard: blacksmithing.
"Blacksmithing is the very foundation of being a dwarf. It’s the field blessed by Lord Clashing Steel himself, and even now, it’s the craft that receives the most divine protection. ...That’s probably why he felt like it was being desecrated."
"Well, it sounds like his pride crossed the line into arrogance and stubbornness. It’s a common story."
I nodded, gently stroking Senior Fay’s breasts as she sat on my lap.
"...Um, Junior? I’m trying to talk about something important here. Could you maybe take your hands off my chest?"
"Tch."
I moved my hands down to her soft, squishy tummy.
"Just keep touching my chest."
"Yes, ma'am."
Since she suddenly turned serious, I quickly returned my hands to their original position.
To be clear, I wasn't trying to do anything lewd at this particular moment. It was just that the sensation of my fingers sinking into her flesh helped stabilize my mind and body.
Fay probably felt the same way. If she didn't, she wouldn't be sighing with such a deflated expression.
"Haaa... Anyway, once I said I’d make equipment with alchemy, my father opposed it. He tried to persuade me out of it multiple times."
"And you didn't change your mind, Senior."
"No. ...That’s when my father’s attitude changed."
Until then, she said he wasn't exactly affectionate, but he was a reasonably decent father. He even took Fay, an illegitimate child, around to introduce her to people so she could adjust to the family.
But that father, who had been trying to make an effort, transformed in a single day.
"It’s not like he cursed at me or mistreated me. Instead, he ignored me completely. ...To me, that was even more horrific."
When the Head of the House started treating Fay like she didn't exist, the others—who had already been whispering about her career path—followed suit.
The vassals, who used to at least accept her greetings, wouldn't even look her way as they passed. The servants attending to her did only the bare minimum of their duties. Even Lokan’s wife and children, who usually acted hostile toward her, began to act as if she weren't there.
"My room stayed the same, and while the number of side dishes decreased, I didn't starve. But that was it."
All support outside of basic necessities was cut off. Any items related to alchemy were confiscated and destroyed.
Even if they were keepsakes from her mother, who had been an alchemist.
Total isolation.
That alone was enough to make a young child’s world crumble away.
"I was lonely. I was so lonely that I cried a lot... but I didn't want to give up."
Fay hung her head, her voice dripping with melancholy. Carla and Helena, who had been listening quietly by our side, gently took Fay’s hands as if to comfort her.
I also applied a bit more pressure with my hands. To show her she wasn't alone anymore. To convey that if she didn't want to go, I wouldn't send her anywhere.
Squeeze.
"Hiee!"
"Ah."
Right. I was holding her breasts.
As I awkwardly pulled my hands away, Fay glared at me for a moment before chuckling and shaking her head.
"I’m okay now, because thanks to you and the others, I can laugh about it as a story from the past. ...But there’s still something I don't understand."
"What is it?"
"Why he had to do that to me. Was wanting to make equipment with alchemy really such a great sin? I’m just so curious about that."
Having said that much, Fay took a deep, shaky breath. Then, she turned her head to look back at me.
"So, I’m going to ask him myself. Before he passes away. ...You’ll go with me, right, Junior?"
"If that’s what you want, Senior, I’ll go anywhere with you."
"Thank you, Junior. And I love you."
Fay nodded shyly. Through her messy bangs, her dark eyes shone with nothing but infinite affection and trust.
...Looking at her like that makes me want to tease her.
I barely managed to suppress the Black Dragon stirring in my pants and stood up.
"Shall we get going then? Carla, go downstairs and call Elisha and Iris. Helena, please contact Professor Iona."
"Yes, Master!"
"Understood. Though it looks like Professor Iona is about to be sent off again the moment she finished her backlog of work."
"Who knows? We aren't going there to fight this time, so maybe just me and Senior Fay could go—"
"Mmph?!"
Carla suddenly lunged at me, clamping her hand over my mouth.
"Don't you know that whenever you say things like that, Master, something always goes wrong? It happened at Paracelsus’s dungeon, and you took Miss Fay to Alfheim saying there would be no fighting there either!"
"Mmmph! Mmmph!"
"She’s right. This time might be different, but isn't the North still in the middle of a war with the Evil God Sect?"
"Mmph! Mmm-mmph!"
"If anything were to happen to you, Master, I wouldn't be able to bear it. You said the Chairman would likely give permission anyway. Let’s just all go together. Please? I’m begging you, Master."
"Hmph... ugh..."
I hurriedly nodded to signal my agreement, and only then did Carla pull away with a relieved smile.
Now, here’s the problem.
Because of the Slave Imprint, Carla cannot—consciously or unconsciously—inflict harm upon me.
So then, who did that suffocating sound belong to?
"Are you okay, Senior Fay?"
"I... I almost died..."
It was, of course, Fay’s voice, as she had been sandwiched between me and Carla.
Just a moment ago, I had Fay sitting on my lap. Then Carla had pressed herself against me from the front to cover my mouth.
Normally, that might have been fine. But the problem was... Fay’s magnificent Truth Pockets.
Pressed against the clinging Carla, Fay’s breasts had been pushed upward, completely smothering her own face.
She had struggled to escape, but in the end, she couldn't flee from her own tits... no, her own karma.
That’s right! Fay had fallen victim to a self-inflicted pahu-pahu!
It was absurd, but since this was practically a daily occurrence, Fay just brushed herself off and stood up, bravely clenching her fists.
"Alright. I’m ready now. You’ve helped me a lot, Junior, but this is my business, so please leave it to me from here on."
"Will you be alright?"
"Yeah! I’ve improved a lot thanks to you, you know? I’m going to show him how much I’ve grown."
She told me I didn't need to step forward and speak for her anymore. She burned with the will to speak to Baru herself and face her past.
Watching her like that, a mix of pride and endearment made my chest feel all tingly.
"...Understood. Then what should I do?"
"Just stay by my side. That’s enough."
"Okay."
I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Fay and placed a hand on her shoulder.
Taking that as a signal, Fay threw the door open.
Bam!
Fay took a confident step forward, but I guess her timid nature doesn't just disappear. The moment her eyes met Baru’s, she flinched and looked away.
To make matters worse, a single drop of blood began to trickle from Fay’s nose.
"Ah. A nosebleed..."
It was probably from the intense pressure she’d just endured. However, this made the situation look a bit strange.
Her small, trembling frame. Her disheveled clothes. Her irregular breathing. Her wandering, lost gaze. Her flushed face. And the blood dripping from her nose.
And then there was me, with my hand on her shoulder.
I don't know what exactly Baru was thinking, but his expression twisted into something grotesque.
Well.
I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding!