Ch.126126. Plague Wind (8)

Calix.

In the past, they were similar to familiars summoned from other worlds to assist summoners throughout the Kempton continent.

Magic enhancement, combat support, weakness compensation, ability creation.

These creatures, possessing talents that matched their summoners’ abilities, once served as stark examples of the current types of magical power.

Then why was summoning them prohibited?

While it’s true they could provide assistance in beneficial fields, there were those who misused them for criminal activities.

One might ask if severe punishment wouldn’t deter those who would misuse Calixes. But what if the summoned Calix committed a crime?

If they took the form of non-sentient otherworldly familiars or animal-like summons with little intelligence, it might be different, but humanoid Calixes possess sentience.

It’s not easy to regulate those who commit crimes including robbery, murder, and plunder, or those who run wild as they please.

So what happened in the end? As bad precedents accumulated, they had no choice but to ban them throughout the Kempton continent.

Rather than trying to stop them, if summoning itself didn’t happen, no incidents would occur.

This was precisely why Junon was tested; the examination was conducted to determine if he was the type of person who would commit evil acts.

‘I thought there must be a reason Senia was so confident…’

But I never expected it to be to this extent.

It’s true that he had somewhat modified the bracelet, and it’s true that he had various options.

Nevertheless, he exceeded expectations by reaching this place without causing any harm to the Sirens.

It was far too early, and the result was far too unexpected.

“N-now we can finally get the conversation going. Ha… hahaha…”

Nella looked at Junon’s face and deliberately shifted her gaze as if trying to change the subject.

Her face was glistening, perhaps due to being covered in saliva after falling from Chir’s charge.

However, the Elder was still too deeply suspicious to notice this and moved on.

“Hah…”

Suddenly, he let out a sigh tinged with slight anger. Could it be that he was planning something even now?

Thinking about it carefully, this room wasn’t prepared for defense. If he were to take hostages here…!

“Excuse me. Before we talk, I’m not sure if I should say this first, but…”

“…What is it?”

I must remain vigilant. There’s no telling what might happen with this man who’s always one step ahead.

But for the sake of the Sirens, I would gladly sacrifice this old body. That would prevent any situation where he could take hostages.

But then…

“I feel really uncomfortable like this. Could I wash my face first? That should be fine, right?”

“Huh?”

I thought he was going to cause trouble, but he suddenly wants to wash up? For a moment, a dumbfounded sigh escaped me, and the vigilance that had been on high alert finally subsided from the Elder.

The reason for his anger was simply his messy face. I had completely misread the situation.

‘I must have become too sensitive.’

In fact, even thinking this way was a great disrespect to him.

***

A few minutes later.

After washing his face, which had been covered in lizard saliva, Junon carefully opened the door handle, worried that something might come flying at him.

The Elder and Senia cleared their throats with a “hmm-hmm” and seemed to understand his caution.

Well, after what had happened… that was understandable.

“Kup…! Ahahaha!”

“Nella… I told you not to laugh.”

“But, but…!”

Despite being cautioned not to laugh, the situation had become so awkward that it was impossible not to burst into laughter.

The child’s laughter filled the room.

The two adults were sweating nervously, worried that Nella’s laughter might offend Junon, but that wasn’t the case at all.

‘She must have found it really funny.’

When he had carefully opened the door and entered, the atmosphere had been awkward. They were all being cautious, clearing their throats, but the conversation couldn’t progress smoothly.

Perhaps no one would have been willing to speak first, unable to find their bearings.

Maybe this bleak atmosphere had been broken by the pure laughter of a child.

‘It’s best to let her laugh to her heart’s content.’

Junon smiled slightly and waited patiently.

Their flustered appearances and attempts to hide their reactions might seem comical at a glance, but he didn’t feel the need to criticize them.

After all, that laughter wasn’t mockery but the most natural kind of laughter.

Unlike what he had always received, it felt refreshing, as if something blocked had been cleared.

He could hear some whispering from behind, but this time he was the one who let it be.

‘I’ll take my leave now. I hope your conversation goes well.’

‘Alright. You may go, Senia.’

Nella’s voice, which had been laughing so hard she was holding her stomach, gradually subsided.

As Senia closed the door and left, the time for conversation returned. Both sides wanted to ask questions, but the priority was clearly tilted to one side.

Nevertheless, Junon took a step back.

“You go first. I’ll ask my questions afterward.”

“…Are you sure? You could lead the conversation.”

“To be frank, my thoughts aren’t organized yet.”

He has a lot to say but can’t articulate it—you know what that means.

Junon hadn’t yet sorted out which topics to address to ensure smooth communication.

So he intended to let the other side ask questions first and proceed slowly.

“Then, as you’ve kindly offered, I’ll ask first. May I inquire how you came to know Nella?”

“Hmm. I happened to meet her in the forest. I was wandering around that area for my own reasons.”

“…So you just let her go? A Siren?”

“That’s right.”

Given the hostile relationship, it wouldn’t be strange for a human to show animosity toward a Siren, considering all the past harassment and mistreatment.

That’s why there’s suspicion.

Suspicion that he might be another human with dark intentions trying to trap the Sirens with such tricks.

“It’s true, Grandpa. I saw it myself.”

“Sigh. Nella. I told you not to interrupt.”

“No, it’s not like that. He even hid me so other humans wouldn’t find me!”

The girl who had been laughing so hard earlier was now clenching her fists, expressing her opinion.

Even after hearing the specific situation, the Elder didn’t change his stance.

“That’s just a child’s words. I don’t intend to take them seriously.”

At that, Nella grabbed the Elder’s collar and expressed her anger.

“You don’t need to be suspicious of this big brother! It’s true! He even protected me from two other humans who saw my molting, and he hid me too-!”

Despite the person directly involved pleading to dispel suspicions about Junon, and despite the specific situation and causal relationships making sense, the elderly Siren still didn’t let go of his suspicions.

“I don’t know the specific situation, but I understand the gist of it. You’ve been severely betrayed by humans. And not just once or twice, right?”

“That’s correct. I apologize to you, but we were in a position where we had to be suspicious.”

“So you gave me this test to confirm whether I’m someone who would harm the Sirens?”

“Exactly. There’s nothing more to add.”

It was truly a sharp perception.

Senia’s boast that Junon would understand this as easily as chewing gum and come here had been proven right.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the contradictions disappear.

“Then it’s strange. Why did you save the humans, and why did you test only me?”

From the perspective of Sirens who are hostile to humans, there was no need to save this isolated unit.

Nevertheless, they belatedly stepped in and brought the humans into this barrier, and while it was called imprisonment, it was essentially providing shelter to the exhausted humans. Despite having clear choices.

But the Elder feigned ignorance.

“Well, I’m not sure about that. Why do you think so?”

Is he asking for a more definitive explanation? That’s what I was hoping for.

Sloppy guard arrangements wouldn’t be enough to prove it.

Junon showed his wrist with the bracelet to counter the Elder’s pretense.

“This bracelet was planned from the beginning. So that I could escape from there.”

It was too obvious to deny. It made no sense that the bracelet, which was put on to guard against humans, didn’t work.

The Elder no longer denied it.

“Hm. You’re as sharp as Senia.”

“You put a defective bracelet on me, and you didn’t know?”

“Hmm? Wait, defective?”

“Even with that on, my magical power was rotating perfectly. That’s why I noticed it faster.”

The Elder’s face clouded with confusion.

I wondered if he was surprised that there was a defective product, but I didn’t bother to mention it.

“Anyway, I understand you wanted to test me, but I’d like to know why it was me.”

But the Elder didn’t answer this.

“I’m sorry. That’s a bit difficult to answer.”

“You can’t tell me the reason either?”

“…That is so.”

And so, Junon’s first question was blocked. In fact, this question itself wasn’t that important.

It was enough to find out why they acted this way.

The main point is this.

“I understand. Then I’ll continue with my questions, but is it possible to protect this place with just the Sirens’ power?”

“…!”

Of course, it wouldn’t be.

If the Sirens could protect it with their power alone, they would have tried to avoid humans at all costs.

As a species that could live much further north than here, it’s expected that they wouldn’t need to settle at this lake.

Which means, they found it difficult to deal with the Devourers on their own, so they moved south.

“If you release us, we can help you. Originally, we were an isolated unit separated from the main force.”

What they lack is soldiers.

Humans can compensate for the weakness of having few direct fighters behind the barrier.

“You rescued and imprisoned exhausted humans, but this was essentially providing shelter. They could have been annihilated on the spot if things had gone wrong.”

For that reason, it wouldn’t be difficult to persuade everyone to work together for symbiosis with the Sirens who provided shelter.

Everyone would just need to ask why the Sirens helped us.

“How about completely breaking down the wall between us?”

Finally, Junon made his move.

If the wall between the two forces is broken down, their strength increases.

The unstable barrier can be roughly filled with human power, and with enhanced strength, they can maintain safety here.

If distrust of the Sirens disappears, the remaining people can survive while waiting for support.

Furthermore, to return to the principality and start researching the Lemtert plague and developing a cure to reduce damage, escape was a prerequisite.

“…”

I thought it would be an appealing proposition for the elderly Siren.

If the two forces join together. If they can resolve their misunderstandings.

Perhaps even a future where humans and Sirens, currently hostile, could live together again in the principality…

“That won’t be possible.”

“…Pardon?”

Junon was taken aback by the Elder’s resolute refusal.

“You alone might be capable of that. But I cannot trust the others.”

That’s right.

The emotion embedded in them wasn’t mere hatred.

They were wrapped in endless distrust and shot bitter contempt at humans.

The deeply rooted anger toward humans wasn’t something that could be resolved so easily.

“It’s best we end the conversation here.”

The Sirens didn’t just get betrayed by humans.

They fled from them, risking their lives.

To survive.