Chapter 388

Chapter 388

For Sale. Fallen Lady. Never Used.

Episode 388: Guest From The North (3)

Originally, I should have refused outright.

“The Jarl is gravely ill. As the current times are turbulent, he wishes to see her face even just once before something happens, so I rushed here like this.”

“…….”

Until I heard that Faye’s father might die soon.

Faye had stiffened. It seemed the letter she had received beforehand didn’t mention her father being ill.

It looked like she was having a hard time answering right now, so I spoke up instead.

“…I understand the reason for your visit. However, this is quite a shocking matter, so would it be alright if I talked with Senior Faye for a moment before we continue?”

“Of course. However, I cannot wait too long. It took nearly three weeks just to get here, so if we delay any further…”

“Ah, if we decide to go, we plan to teleport there instantly, so don’t worry about that part. More than anything, a few hours at most should be enough.”

“Tele… port…? Ah, in any case, a few hours, you say? I will wait with peace of mind.”

Baru’s eyes widened at the word teleport, just like you’d expect from a dwarf who only knows enchantments as magic.

Still, he must have properly heard the important part about a few hours, as he nodded in agreement and lifted his cup before pausing.

He had already finished his water in one shot, so it was natural.

I chuckled and refilled his water before standing up.

“Then, please excuse us for a moment. Let’s go, Senior Faye.”

“Huh? Uh-huh…”

Faye was still blankly frozen. I half-dragged her into the bedroom and closed the door.

We needed to talk.

“…Father wasn’t a bad person from the beginning.”

Those were Faye’s first words after somehow regaining her composure.

“No, maybe that’s just what I want to believe. But what’s certain is that he was very kind when he first took me to the lord’s castle.”

“That was before Senior Faye mastered alchemy, right?”

“Yeah… to be a bit more precise, it was from when I said I would make finished equipment with alchemy, not just potions or special alloys. Before that, he even encouraged me to learn alchemy, saying I resembled Mom.”

Dwarves are a naturally skilled artisan race. Blacksmiths, jewelers, tailors, sculptors, and so on.

Over a very long time, they have proven the rumors of their excellence in various fields to be true.

But among them, there was one occupation that dwarves valued the most. That was blacksmithing.

“Blacksmithing is the foundation of dwarves. It’s the blessed field we first encountered steel with, and it’s still the field that receives the most blessings. So, he probably thought it was being encroached upon.”

“Well, it sounds like pride that went beyond just confidence and became arrogance and stubbornness. It’s a common thing.”

I nodded, gently stroking Faye’s chest as she sat on my lap.

“…Um, Junior. I’m trying to have an important conversation right now, so could you take your hand off my chest?”

“Tch.”

I lowered my hand and moved it to her soft, squishy belly.

“Just touch my chest.”

“Okay.”

She suddenly became serious, so I quickly returned my hand to its original position.

It goes without saying that I wasn’t trying to do anything lewd at this timing. It’s just that the sensation of my fingers sinking into flesh calms my mind and body.

Maybe it’s the same for Faye. Otherwise, she wouldn’t sigh with such a deflated expression.

“Haaa… Anyway, when I said I would make equipment with alchemy, Father opposed it. He tried to persuade me many times.”

“And Senior Faye didn’t change her mind.”

“Yeah. That’s when Father’s attitude changed.”

Until then, he was said to be a father who, while not affectionate, had his own sense of fairness. He even took Faye, an illegitimate child, around to introduce her to people so she could adapt to the family.

But that image of a father who was trying to do well from then on was said to have changed in just one day.

“He didn’t yell or mistreat me. Instead, he completely ignored me. I think that was more terrible.”

As the head of the family treated Faye like she didn’t exist, the other people who had gossiped about Faye’s future also reacted similarly.

The retainers who had at least briefly greeted her now passed by without even looking her way, the servants who attended to Faye only fulfilled the bare minimum of their duties, and even Rohan’s wife and children, who were usually sharp with her, pretended not to know her.

“My room was the same, and I didn’t starve, although the number of side dishes decreased. But that was it.”

All support other than food, clothing, and shelter was cut off, and even alchemy-related items were collected and discarded.

Even if it was a memento of her mother, who was an alchemist.

Complete isolation.

With just that, the world of a young child crumbled away meaninglessly.

“I was lonely. I was so lonely that I cried a lot… but I still didn’t want to give up.”

Faye lowered her head with a dejected voice. Carla and Helena, who had been quietly listening beside her, gently took Faye’s hand as if to comfort her.

I also put a little more strength in my hand. To convey that she wasn’t alone anymore. To convey that I wouldn’t send her anywhere if Faye didn’t want to go.

Tight.

“Hiit!”

“Ah.”

That’s right. What I was holding was her chest.

As I awkwardly let go, Faye, who had been glaring at me, chuckled and shook her head.

“Now, thanks to Junior and everyone else, I can laugh it off as an old story, so it’s okay. But there’s still something I don’t understand.”

“What is it?”

“Why did he have to do that to me? Was wanting to make equipment with alchemy such a big mistake? I’m so curious about that.”

Having said that much, Faye took a deep breath and inhaled. Then, she tilted her head and looked at me.

“So, I’m thinking of asking him directly before he passes away. You’ll come with me, right, Junior?”

“If Senior Faye wishes it, I should go anywhere with you.”

“Thank you, Junior. And I love you.”

Faye nodded shyly. In her black eyes beyond her messy bangs, only infinite goodwill and trust could be felt.

…Looking at me like that makes me want to tease her for no reason.

I stood up, barely suppressing the black dragon writhing in my lower body.

“Then shall we go? Carla. Please call Elisha and Iris from downstairs. Helena, please contact Professor Iona.”

“Yes, Master!”

“Understood. By the way, it looks like Professor Iona will have to leave again as soon as she finishes her pending work.”

“We don’t know that. It’s not like we’re going to fight this time, so only Senior Faye and I need to go– eugh?”

Carla suddenly stuck close to me and clamped her hand over my mouth.

“Don’t you know that something always happens when Master says things like that? It was like that in Paracelsus’s dungeon, and you took Miss Faye when we went to Alfheim, saying there would be no fighting.”

“Hmff, hmmff!”

“That’s right. It might be different this time. But isn’t the battle with the Evil God still going on in the north?”

“Eubeup! Eubeubeup!”

“I can’t bear it if Master is ever in danger. Besides, the Chairman said she would probably allow it anyway. Let’s all go. Okay? Please, Master.”

“Heubeup… euheueuk…”

As I nodded my head urgently to signal my understanding, Carla finally let go with a relieved smile.

Here’s the problem.

Due to the slave mark, Carla cannot intentionally or unintentionally harm me.

Then whose was that choking sound?

“Are you alright, Senior Faye?”

“I-I almost died…”

Of course, it was Faye’s voice, as she was sandwiched between me and Carla.

Just a moment ago, Faye was sitting on my lap. Carla had pressed close from the front to cover my mouth.

Actually, up to this point, it might have been okay. But the problem was… Faye’s magnificent truth pouches.

Faye’s breasts, pressed against the tightly clinging Carla, rose up and covered her own face.

She tried desperately to escape, but in the end, Faye couldn’t escape her own… bosom.

That’s right! Faye had succumbed to self-pafu-pafu!

It was absurd, but as if this was an everyday occurrence, Faye dusted herself off and stood up, clenching both fists firmly.

“Alright. I’m ready now. Junior will help a lot, but this is my matter, so leave it to me from here on out.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah! Thanks to Junior, I’ve grown a lot too! I’ll show you how much I’ve improved.”

Faye, burning with determination, said she no longer needed me to step forward and speak for her. She would talk to Baru herself and face her past.

Watching that, a mix of pride and admiration welled up in my chest.

“…Alright. Then what should I do?”

“Just stay by my side. That’s enough.”

“Okay.”

I stood beside Faye, placing a hand on one of her shoulders.

Taking this as a signal, Faye roughly opened the door.

Bang!

Faye took a confident step forward, but perhaps her timid nature couldn’t be completely overcome. The moment her eyes met Baru’s, she flinched and turned her head away.

To make matters worse, a trickle of blood started to flow from Faye’s nose.

“Ah. Nosebleed…”

It was probably due to the strong pressure she had just received. However, this made the situation a bit strange.

Her small, shrunken frame. Her disheveled clothes. Her irregular breathing. Her eyes wandering aimlessly. Her flushed face. The flowing nosebleed.

And me, with my hand on Faye’s shoulder.

Baru’s expression twisted strangely, as if he was wondering what in the world was going on.

Hmm.

Anyway, it seems like a misunderstanding!