Chapter 29 – A Lucky Day October 28, 2024

Chapter 29 – A Lucky Day

“Are you homeless?”

“I knew you’d say that… You even promised not to say anything, so why are you acting like this? And I’m not homeless!”

“No, I mean… sorry. But where’s your house then? This mat can’t be your home.”

“Of course not. It’s over there, at the far end.”

Stella, glaring at me as if she expected my question, pointed toward the edge of the slum.

So this was it—Stella’s “home.”

Not quite a village, more like somewhere near the drainage system.

Is she really a marquis’s daughter, or just a beggar?

“Be careful as you follow me. There are a lot of dips along the way. Don’t trip and fall.”

Stella spoke matter-of-factly as she began walking, coating her new white sneakers with her violet mana to keep the mud from splattering on them.

Simultaneously, a layer of her mana wrapped around our shoes as well.

Meanwhile, Yurasia seemed visibly shaken. Even Sarah, who usually kept her emotions hidden, looked just as disturbed.

I had expected Stella to have left home for a reason—perhaps she had run away, wandered the Demon Realm, and only returned to the Empire when it was time for the academy.

But I didn’t expect her to be living in a place like this.

Her staff alone had a mana stone embedded in it that seemed worth more than the black iron sword I gifted Yurasia.

Even the ragged clothes she’d been wearing last time were supposedly from the most expensive adventurer brand.

Why is she living here, then?

Is she the type to sacrifice everything—food, comfort—just to indulge in expensive clothes and gear?

I mean, I get it. I lived like that in my past life. But what’s driving her to live like this?

For me, it was simple: I didn’t care about anything other than killing the Demon King. My comrades were the same.

Is it the same for her?

Does she have something she desperately wants, something she has to achieve—just as badly as we wanted to defeat the Demon King?

“…It’s impressive, in a way.”

Not just anyone can make that kind of choice.

But still… she’s basically a beggar.

Muttering to myself, I followed her footsteps, careful not to step anywhere she hadn’t walked.

After about five minutes of walking, we finally reached what Stella called her home.

“…This is what you call a house?”

“It is a house.”

“If this counts as a house, then any wall with a roof over it must also count as a house.”

“Well, no… but since I live here, it’s still a house.”

“…Fair point.”

Behind Stella stood a collapsing shack.

Even if I built it myself, I could’ve done a better job—and I have built better in Gevihenum countless times.

But this? This was just sad.

“Did you build it yourself?”

“…No?”

“Ah. Then, who built it for you?”

If someone had built it for her—

“I rented it.”

Thwap! I smacked my forehead.

“…How much?”

Stella mumbled under her breath, as if embarrassed.

“Three hundred thousand Sel… per month.”

“Of course it is.”

“…But it’s the most expensive shack in the area.”

“Area? You’re the only one living around here. And what even is an ‘expensive shack’? All shacks are just shacks.”

“…The others moved away. There used to be more people.”

“Did they ‘move’ to prison? Makes sense. Prison gives you food, clothes, and a place to sleep, so that’s a house too, right?”

As we walked in, I noticed a pile of arrest warrants scattered on the ground.

I clicked my tongue and pushed open the flimsy door.

Sigh.

I lost count of how many sighs I’d let out since coming here.

And yet, they just kept coming.

“Hey, has this place been robbed?”

“…No.”

“Really?”

“…It’s actually organized.”

“You call this ‘organized’?”

“Yeah.”

Stella brushed past me, not even bothering to take off her shoes, and began rummaging through the single-room shack. She packed various trinkets into an old, worn backpack.

“Why are you packing that junk? Just leave it—”

“My mom gave it to me.”

“—leave it so the room looks prettier. Right, Yurasia?”

“Y-Yes!”

The name Verheigen Marquis didn’t seem to mean much to Yurasia, but the contrast between the title and the wretched shack had left her speechless.

Sarah, meanwhile, kept her focus on staying alert despite the confusion on her face.

I also kept my guard up in case of an ambush, but I sensed nothing suspicious.

“Okay, I’ve got everything. Just so you know, this isn’t my real home.”

“Sure it isn’t.”

“I mean it! My real house is at the entrance to Gevihenum. It’s way cleaner and bigger, with an actual bed. This is just a temporary place I stayed at before heading to the academy.”

“…Really?”

That was good news. Having a proper base in Gevihenum could be useful later.

“Yeah, so don’t misunderstand. There’s no need to feel sorry for me.”

It was hard not to, though—seeing her, broke and swindled, collecting her belongings from a run-down shack after being attacked by black magicians.

Still, I just nodded.

“This is my choice…”

Sure. If she says so.

I grabbed one of her bags from her pile of stuff and slung it over my shoulder.

“Ah!”

“Let’s go if you’re done.”

“I-I can carry it—”

“With that frail body of yours? Don’t make me laugh.”

“W-What?! You’re smaller than me!”

“I never said I wasn’t. I’m saying you’re a mage—don’t overexert yourself. You’ve got quite the inferiority complex, huh?”

“I-I do not!”

“Sure, sure.”

“Don’t say that!”

***

“…No, seriously. We need to buy you new clothes tomorrow.”

“Why? These are fine.”

“‘These are fine,’ huh? Even with a giant hole in the back?”

“…It’s fashion.”

“What a load of crap. Sarah, I’ll leave it to you tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

After returning to the dormitory without further incident, I helped Stella unpack and organize her belongings.

Most of the useless junk went straight into the trash. Torn and worn-out clothes followed soon after.

In the end, she was left with two decent outfits, two ragged ones, and a few trinkets—faded jewelry and an old doll her mother had given her.

“Why… Why are you so nice to me? Is it because you feel sorry for me? Don’t think I—”

“Nope. I’m not giving you anything for free.”

“…Huh?”

“I plan to get everything back. You think I’d give you something for nothing?”

“T-Then you don’t have to buy me anything! The academy provides uniforms, and we get four whole sets with our Signia—so it’s fine.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want to be embarrassed walking around with you.”

“What?! Embarrassed?! Who said I’d walk with you?!”

“You’ll have no choice.”

“I won’t! Absolutely not!”

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Stella hugged the clothes I’d tried to throw out and glared at me.

I crouched in front of her.

“Listen carefully.”

“Hmph!” She turned her head away.

I gently took hold of her chin and turned her face toward me.

“Ugh… W-What are you doing?!”

“You owe me a debt. Right?”

“Well… Yeah. Seven hundred thousand Sel. But I’ll pay it back soon!”

“What about the value of your life?”

“…Huh?”

“I saved your life.”

“Y-You’re counting that too?!”

“Of course I am.”

Her violet eyes trembled violently.

“…How much is my life worth?”

“That’s for you to decide.”

Her lips moved soundlessly for a moment, and then her shoulders slumped.

“How much do I… owe you, then?”

“Is your life something you can measure in money? I don’t think so.”

“Then… How do I repay it?”

This wasn’t about money.

I didn’t want anything material from her. What I wanted… was trust.

“You’ll repay it with your body.”

Trust, built over time.

And when the moment came, I wanted her by my side—ready to go to the Demon Realm with me, no questions asked.

“…W-What? W-With my body?”

Taking the opportunity, I gently placed a peach-flavored candy between her parted lips.

With the brightest smile I could muster—one I had perfected through endless practice back home—I said:

“So, let’s get along well from now on.”

I tousled her messy hair, brushing it aside.

Pop.

Her face flushed a deep red, as if something had burst inside her.

“H-Huh? W-What…? Y-You… Crazy…?”

The faint scent of peaches lingered in the air as she struggled to form coherent words.

Chuckling to myself, I waved and stepped out of the room.

“Until we go shopping tomorrow, you can borrow one of my outfits. Check the wardrobe—pick whatever fits.”

Click.

Even after the door closed, I didn’t hear any movement from inside.

It seemed like she was too overwhelmed to do anything.

Oh well. She’ll just have to deal with it.

If she didn’t like it, she could try being stronger than me.

“Hmph.”

Whistling softly, I strolled through the dormitory—lighter on my feet than usual.

Now, it was time to give Yurasia her gift.

***

“Yuras—”

“Yes!”

Before I could finish my sentence, the door swung open.

“Lady Ellie!”

Standing behind the door was Yurasia, her face bright with excitement, looking like she had just stepped out of the shower.

“…Wow, you opened that fast.”

“I just happened to be near the door! Please, come in!”

She eagerly pulled me inside, her every gesture brimming with anticipation.

She had been waiting for this, struggling to contain her excitement the whole time. No matter how you looked at her, she was like an overexcited golden retriever.

It was almost comical how hard she tried to appear composed.

Still chuckling to myself, I let her guide me inside.

“So, what brings you here, Miss?”

She was practically wriggling in excitement as she asked, pretending she didn’t already know the answer.

“I came to give you a present.”

I decided to humor her little act.

“Wow! This is the tenth gift you’ve given me!”

“…What? I’ve given you that many?”

“Yes! You’ve been giving me birthday presents every year for five years now!”

“Wait, if you count the five birthdays, the sword, and this necklace… that makes seven gifts, right?”

With a sly smile, Yurasia whispered playfully, “The other three are a secret.”

“…What kind of secret gift is that? I’m the one who gave them, aren’t I?”

“There are just… things like that! Now, please, have a seat!”

She gently led me to a soft, brown sofa and sat me down.

I reached into my pocket, rummaging around for a moment, and pulled out a small box, no bigger than my palm.

“Well… I’m not sure if you’ll like it. But even if you don’t, too bad—you can’t exchange it. So, uh… just wear it, okay? It’s, um… something I had made. Never mind—just look.”

I gave up on my rambling and simply opened the box.

Inside, the delicate shape of a cherry blossom shimmered, catching the light.

“…Wow.”

Yurasia’s eyes widened as she gazed at the necklace.

“It’s a necklace?”

“Yeah. A necklace.”

“And it’s shaped like a cherry blossom… just like your colors!”

“That’s right. Originally, I asked for it to match your eye color, so it’d be blue. But the designer insisted it would be better this way.”

I held the necklace out toward her.

“So? What do you think? Do you like it?”

“Yes… I love it.”

“Great. Anyway, it’s not just a necklace—it’s also an artifact. It has enchantments to help with stamina and energy recovery. The magic is minor, but it should still come in handy during training.”

“Wait… This is a custom-made artifact?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

Yurasia’s jaw dropped, her bright eyes growing even larger.

“This is amazing… Can I touch it?”

“Of course. It’s yours now.”

She reached out eagerly but paused, wiping her hands on her clothes as if to make sure they were clean. Then, with reverent fingers, she lifted the necklace from its box.

“The chain is made from northern steel—woven to withstand almost anything. It won’t break easily.”

The delicate silver chain shimmered like moonlight, reflecting a soft glow.

“And the gemstone in the center? That’s a Heavenly Cherry Stone from the Duchy of Eustetia. You’ve heard of it, right?”

Yurasia nodded, her fingers gently brushing the gleaming petals. Each one reflected my hair color and eye color perfectly.

I thought about explaining the other enchantments, but it seemed pointless. She was far too absorbed in admiring the necklace to pay attention to anything I said.

So, I just smiled to myself, watching her enjoy the moment.

Then, unexpectedly, Yurasia turned around and held the necklace out to me, gathering her golden hair over one shoulder.

“Lady Ellie.”

She exposed the nape of her neck—smooth, slender, and impossibly graceful for someone who trained with a sword.

“…Could you help me put it on?”

“You want me to?”

“Yes. I think it’ll be hard to do it myself… Please?”

Her delicate shoulders blushed faintly, as if they were about to steam from embarrassment.

“…Sure.”

“Hehe. Thank you.”

Feeling a little awkward, I shifted closer to her. A faint floral scent drifted toward me—gentle and soothing.

“You changed your soap?” I asked casually.

“It’s not soap, it’s body wash… But how did you know?”

“I just do.”

I chuckled, and Yurasia’s shoulders trembled slightly in response.

“Lift your hair a bit higher for me.”

“O-Okay…”

I carefully slipped the chain over her head, making sure it didn’t snag on her hair.

“How’s the length? Is it comfortable?”

“…It’s perfect.”

“Good. It’s more important that it’s practical—especially when you’re swinging a sword. You don’t want it to get in the way during—”

“Lady Ellie.”

“…Yeah?”

“It’s fine the way it is. Please, just leave it like this.”

“Oh… Okay.”

I snapped the clasp shut with a soft click.

The golden waves of her hair cascaded down her back, rippling gently.

“How does it look?”

Yurasia turned around, her eyes shining with excitement.

“Does it suit me?”

To be honest, I had thought the colors wouldn’t match her at all. But seeing it now…

“…Yeah. Not bad.”

It actually suited her perfectly.

“‘Not bad’ is all?”

“Quit fishing for compliments.”

“Hehe… okay.”

Still beaming, Yurasia admired herself in a small hand mirror, running her fingers over the necklace.

Then she turned back to me, her fingers brushing the pendant.

“Thank you, Lady Elia.”

She gave me a smile—a real, genuine one. A smile I had never seen from her before.

“…Yeah.”

I was a little taken aback.

***

And so, time passed.

***

“Haah… Haaa… Can I really do this?”

“Yeah. Just act like you always do.”

“Ugh… What if I mess up? I’m so nervous!”

“Why do you get nervous about everything? There’s a calming pill in the bag—go take that.”

“Calming… pill? What’s that?”

“It helps you relax.”

“Does it really work?”

“Nope.”

“…What?”

“By the way… are you sure I can wear this?”

“Yes. I told you to wear it.”

“But isn’t this outfit way too expensive?”

“Yup. It’s expensive.”

“Then why—why are you giving me something this expensive?!”

“Because Sarah said all the cheap ones looked awful. Just toss it if you don’t like it.”

“Understood. I’ll burn it to ashes so no trace remains, and then I’ll deliver something more appropriate to you Lady Stella.”

“W-Wait, what?! No, no! Sarah, please—! I-I’ll wear it, okay?! I’ll wear it!”

The day of the Karela Academy entrance ceremony was finally upon us.