Utterly Ordinary
"Is there any equipment that can detect curses or black magic or anything like that?"
Julia nodded vigorously. Silvia fell silent for a moment, trying to grasp the intent behind the question. Does she think she's been cursed? How on earth had she arrived at that conclusion? Silvia almost asked, but bit her lip and swallowed the words. The answer would almost certainly involve Aslan's name, and that felt awkward to bring up.
"Here. This magic orb will glow if it detects a curse activating. I'll lend it to you for a while."
"Ah! Thank you! Would it be all right if I returned it tonight or tomorrow?"
"Do as you like."
Julia received a rosary from Silvia. So this is a magic orb that detects curses...! I didn't know something like this existed! She clutched it tightly in both hands, terrified of dropping it.
"I'll take good care of it and return it!"
Julia slipped the rosary around her neck and tucked it inside her clothes to hide it. This would do. If Aslan tried to cast a curse, she could catch him red-handed! She peeked under her collar to check the rosary. No light. It seemed no curse was currently active on her body.
She marched straight to Aslan's office and knocked on the door. Come to think of it, she was sleepy. Extremely sleepy.
"Come in."
"Hand!"
"...?"
"Your hand! Give it here... yo!"
"..."
Aslan ignored Julia's bold demand. Why are you pretending not to care? You're the one who keeps making ridiculous excuses just to be alone with me! Julia dragged a sofa right up beside his desk and immediately placed her shark plush on it. She closed her eyes and stuck her head out. Hmph! Just hand over that big, warm hand already!
"If you go outside again, I'll buy you the bear plush you wanted. When I checked again, the shopkeeper had started stocking one of each type."
"...I don't need it."
"Stop being difficult and just take it. You'll regret it later."
"No. I'm not being difficult. I really don't need it. This one is enough... yo."
Who does he think is begging for a new toy? Does he think I'm sulking because I saw Charlotte get a bear plush? As if I'd be that petty, childish, and narrow-minded. It was ridiculous. ...Though now that she'd said it, she felt a little wistful. A bear plush. She had wanted one. A fluffy, fluffy bear plush. Hngh.
Aslan kept pressing, so Julia answered in a serious tone. It was true she felt a pang of regret, but that was all. She didn't want a new plush. The shark looked a bit stupid, but the more she looked at it, the cuter it seemed. Maybe because it was her very first plush. Asking for another one so soon felt like cheating, and that left a strange feeling in her chest. For now, it was better to focus all her affection on the shark.
He's reaching out.
Finally, Aslan extended his hand without much thought. Julia, unable to wait any longer, pushed her head forward until it met his palm. Strangely, her eyes began to close and sleepiness washed over her.
Got him! He just cast a curse on me, didn't he? Julia quickly peeked inside her clothes. Huh? It's not glowing...? The rosary remained unchanged, showing no reaction whatsoever.
Julia's mouth fell open in bewilderment, her thoughts momentarily frozen. So it wasn't a curse or black magic...?
It wasn't a curse. It wasn't black magic. Nothing of the sort. Lately, she had been practicing spirit speech and had grown sensitive to the flow of mana. If magic had been used, she would have noticed immediately. That meant it wasn't magic either. So how was she supposed to explain this bizarre phenomenon where she grew sleepy the moment Aslan's hand touched her?
No matter how I think about it, it's strange...!
The voices of the spirits had long since stopped. But perhaps the long years of insomnia had left behind trauma. Even now, whenever Julia closed her eyes to sleep, she would hear phantom voices. Even without the hallucinations, sleep still wouldn't come. The fear that those voices might return at any moment to wake her always lingered with her.
Don't tell me... being near Aslan makes me forget that fear and finally lets me sleep...?
Having discovered this shocking fact, Julia was stunned. Me? Feeling at ease from that man's touch? Feeling so comfortable that it erases deep trauma? It had to be a lie... She tried to deny reality for a moment, but quickly prepared to accept the truth.
"..."
Julia slowly lifted her head and secretly observed Aslan. One of his hands rested on her head, occasionally stroking her hair, sometimes touching her ears, and every now and then brushing her cheeks as if by accident, all while he continued working with his usual indifferent expression.
He looks uncomfortable...
Aslan had never once shown signs of hardship. He had never voiced a single complaint. She had always believed he had deliberately created this situation, that he had used a curse to force her to come to him. Realizing belatedly that Aslan had also been enduring discomfort, Julia felt a sharp pang in her chest.
Why doesn't he show it...?
He must hate it. It must be inconvenient. He must have thought this brat is such a nuisance hundreds of times. So why had he never shown it?
Suddenly curious, Julia spoke up.
"Hey, Aslan."
"..."
"Am I a bother?"
She couldn't hold it in anymore and blurted out the question she had been keeping to herself. The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it. The answer was obvious anyway.
"Well? Answer me. Am I a bother... yo?"
"Very much so. And you require a lot of attention."
"..."
...Of course. Julia's shoulders shrank inward. Right. I should stop coming. I need to learn how to sleep on my own somehow. Just as she was trying to make that resolution, Aslan spoke again.
"Then what would you think if I could sleep without you... yo?"
"It would be very convenient."
"..."
"And perhaps a little lonely."
Uh, huh? Really? Seriously? Julia's shoulders twitched slightly.
"I wouldn't mind either way."
"...You wouldn't mind? Really? I tried closing my eyes today and managed to sleep for a little while. In a few days, I might really be able to sleep without your hand. Should I stop coming every night from now on?"
"Just keep coming."
"...Okay. I will."
Aslan's firm answer made the corners of Julia's mouth curl upward. Hehe. So I'm not a bother. In fact, he'd feel lonely without me. He doesn't see me as a nuisance after all. The thought made her previously deflated mood bubble up again.
Wait!? Why am I feeling relieved!?
Huh? Now that I think about it, why am I feeling sorry for bothering Aslan? If it's bothering that villain, isn't that a good thing? Then why am I happy about it...?
In an instant, Julia's heart became a tangled mess. At that moment, Charlotte's words echoed in her mind.
Which side are you on, Julia? Do you just want to sleep comfortably, and that's the only reason you want to monopolize Mister?
I don't know... Which side am I on? Why do I get so annoyed whenever Charlotte tries to claim him?
Julia tightly closed her eyes. Unable to resist the drowsiness washing over her, she gradually lost consciousness. It was the same pleasant sensation as always.
...
"Pardon me, Master. I came to retrieve something..."
Silvia entered the office, scanned the room, and walked straight toward the soundly sleeping Julia without hesitation.
"The child is asleep. Don't touch her or she'll wake."
"The item I need to retrieve is with this child."
"Hmm."
"I'll be careful not to wake her."
"You may touch her. However, if she wakes, your pay will be docked."
"..."
With trembling hands, Silvia carefully reached for Julia's neck and pulled out the rosary hidden inside her clothes. That rosary is...
"Something urgent came up and I must go out. After investigating, it seems one of the interview candidates is involved in something unsavory. I'll head to the scene now to confirm, and if it's true, I'll disqualify them."
"...Good work."
That rosary was something Silvia always carried with her. Julia didn't know what it meant to her, but it was clearly precious. She could take it off for a short while, but apparently couldn't leave it behind when going out. That aside, why had it been with Julia?
"Does that rosary have some special ability?"
"This rosary? No. It has nothing. It's an utterly ordinary rosary."
"I see. Understood. Make sure you succeed in the on-site arrest."
"As you command."
Silvia bowed politely and left the office. An utterly ordinary rosary, huh.
"I should touch her cheeks instead."
It was nothing important. He decided not to dwell on it. Spending time thinking about such things was far less beneficial than touching Julia's cheeks even once more.