episode_0033

Rosalie wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead and smiled brightly.

On the neatly made bed, the mother and daughter were sleeping peacefully.

“That was close… If Irha had seen Mirha dye her hair white like a delinquent, she would have been sad.”

Mirha’s hair, which had been snow-white like a snow maiden, had quietly returned to a navy color, similar to Irha’s.

However, a subtle and very faint white glow remained on Mirha, like a trace of her having been an Extreme Yin Constitution.

“Anyway, I was really surprised… I’ve seen in papers and case studies that this kind of thing sometimes happens when the constitution runs wild, but this is the first time I’ve seen it in person.”

“It’s not a common occurrence. The fact that it’s in case studies itself is proof that it’s a very unusual event.”

From the sleeping Mirha, there was no longer the chilling feeling that had emanated from the ‘White Witch of Azurda’ I had encountered earlier, or in my memories.

What exactly was that memory?

To call it a hallucination reconstructed based on my memories, that memory only featured me as the villain in Mirha’s memory at the very last moment.

It’s not a situation to ponder deeply right now, so I’ll have to take my time and explore it later.

Anyway, the Ice Flower of Extreme Yin Constitution has taken root and built a home inside my body, so I can just go and ask it.

“Hoo~ Ras… Teacher-nim, I’m so tired. Can I lean on you for a bit…?”

*Thump*

Rosalie leaned into my arms, acting a little spoiled.

It seemed she had used too much divine power, as she looked very tired.

“Oh, of course. Teacher-nim, you’ve worked so hard.”

“Hehe~ Thank you. Then I’ll rely on you a bit.”

In a strangely cheerful tone, Rosalie completely relaxed and buried her head deeper into my embrace.

Seeing that, Pisces grumbled in a small voice.

“Tsk. She didn’t look tired at all earlier. Pretending to be exhausted…! I worked hard putting up the blackout curtains too…”

He was grumbling while wearing his plague doctor mask, so I couldn’t see his expression, but it was somehow funny.

Indeed… Thinking about it, Pisces has always liked being taken care of, so he might have been envious of the current situation.

I thought I should give him some kind of suitable gift.

“Ugh… Mirha… head… stomach… knife…”

Not long after taking a short rest, Anna woke up, groaning incoherently.

After seeing the familiar ceiling, she seemed to remember what happened before she fainted and urgently looked for Mirha.

“Mirha…! Are you okay? Where’s Mirha… Ugh…”

“She’s lying right next to you. Mirha’s fine now, so please rest assured. Since you were also severely injured, you’ll suffer for a day or two.”

Only then did Anna let out a sigh of relief, seeing Mirha sleeping soundly next to her.

“Thank goodness. Oh… but perhaps…”

“I’m Irha’s friend, Ras. This is Professor Rosalie, a health Professor from Leone. And this one behind me… you don’t need to know him.”

“Ugh…! Why just me!”

Pisces was indignant behind me, but I ignored him because it wasn’t my concern.

Anyway, the concept of ‘the mysterious plague doctor who came to heal Mirha’ was ruined, so I’d just introduce him as my subordinate to Rosalie later.

“We heard Mirha’s condition wasn’t good, so we came to treat her. But when we arrived, a big problem suddenly occurred.”

This time, Rosalie quickly picked up the conversation and continued the explanation.

“Fortunately, it was resolved well, and for now, she won’t suffer from her constitution again. All thanks to our clever~ Ras here.”

For some reason, Rosalie seemed to be puffing out her chest while talking about my name, which made me feel a bit strange, but it was good nonetheless.

Meanwhile, I could see the crown of Rosalie’s head, still nestled in my arms. Unlike Irha, she seemed intelligent from the back of her head.

“Ah…! So this person cured Mirha’s illness? Thank you… truly, thank you. How can I possibly repay this kindness…”

“Oh, no, don’t try to get up. Just lie down and rest. It’s nothing special. We all help each other out, don’t we?”

Anyway, since I’m already using Irha as my subordinate, this much is only natural.

For Mirha not to be sick and for the orphanage to have no problems, she’ll be able to focus more on her subordinate duties for me.

“Teacher-nim, I’m going out for a bit now. I’ll be back in an hour or two, so could I ask you to look after Anna and Mirha?”

“Hm? Where are you going?”

It seemed best to stomp out the guys who came to collect money and nip it in the bud while I was at it.

I plan to move the Livingston Orphanage near Leone soon, so it would be troublesome if they came seeking revenge before that.

Pisces would surely know roughly what kind of guys these were and from which organization.

“This is originally this friend’s territory. It’s a rule that guys who run rampant in someone else’s territory need to be trampled down. I have a mutually beneficial contract with this friend, so I have to work when situations like this arise.”

“Hmm~ Ras, it seems like you have many secrets I don’t know. Anyway, I understand. But before you go, one last thing…”

Just before I got up, Rosalie suddenly hugged me tightly.

I’ve felt it before, but for someone who spent a long time on the battlefield, she was truly a battle nun through and through.

Although there was a stiff pain, I could clearly feel her soft, elastic touch and Rosalie’s sweet scent, making me feel very good.

“Teacher-nim is also fully charged~ So Ras, be careful on your way. I’ll take care of things here while you’re gone.”

“Tsk…! Just go already. Something’s bothering me.”

Pisces stood me up with a very grumpy voice.

And so, we left the orphanage and returned to being back alley thugs.

*

As we walked through the back alleys, Pisces kept grumbling and sulking.

“What’s bothering you so much?”

“Tsk…! I’m angry. That woman clings to you and acts cute, making you all giddy… But when I hugged you, you only criticized me!”

“Well… you hadn’t showered for weeks and smelled like a dirty puppy… I’m human too.”

At that, he nervously took off his plague doctor mask and thrust his face close to mine.

“It’s not like I didn’t want to shower! Valdes kept looking at me with dirty eyes, so I didn’t shower to repel him! Now I’ve showered really well and smell like soap… I even bought new melon-scented soap…”

“Who said anything? So, what, you want a hug too?”

I said it mockingly, and he nodded with a slightly reddened face.

“Not a hug, but… don’t just criticize me; cherish me too. I grew up without love, so I have a lack of affection… Tsk… What am I even saying to a man who has a girlfriend.”

It was good that he was honest yet not entirely honest, just like before the regression.

Back then, it was too hard for me to even take care of myself or harbor thoughts of revenge, so I didn’t have the luxury to understand his feelings…

Anyway, since I’ve returned, it might be good to be a more generous man this time.

“Alright. My bad. From now on, I’ll take good care of you so you don’t feel left out.”

As I gently stroked his clever head, he chattered away.

“Hehe… No…! Like a playboy… Hmph! Thank you.”

*Sigh.*

Anyway, chatting casually with Pisces like this while walking through the alley, we soon arrived at our destination.

This was a territory ruled by an organization with a truly bizarre name, ‘Lizard’s Taste Buds’. In my previous life, I had roasted these guys whole.

They were smaller and weaker than the ‘Black Rose Thorns,’ so they were the type to cleverly exploit even small orphanages like Livingston.

Being small and weak also meant their organizational structure and hiding places were poor.

Since they were idiots, they named themselves like idiots.

“I’ve always wondered, who came up with this organization’s name? Why is it so terrible? The first person to tell me won’t get hit.”

I went to what seemed like their hideout, and these guys, true to form for people who don’t know how to work for money, were drinking, sleeping, and gambling from midday.

In response to my question, a somewhat chatty-looking guy, who was kibitzing a chess game in the corner, rattled off an answer.

“That, I named it after being inspired by a book I read as a child. It was called ‘There’s Emotion in a Lizard’s Taste Bud,’ about a genius Lizardman chef who conquered the culinary world…”

“That’s beyond imagination, seriously. Are you the boss here?”

I clicked my tongue at his bizarre answer and asked, and he nodded.

Since a back alley punk didn’t need to keep his word, I beat him without a word. The guy who took a few hits couldn’t even scream and just fainted.

“We’re from Black Rose Thorns. Your guys messed around in our territory and caused trouble. So, what does that mean… it means inter-gang warfare.”

I was a bit tired from using too much Nine Heavens Extinction Fire Art, but if I panted against these idiots, I might as well be in a coffin.

I set Pisces as a lookout and quickly swallowed up ‘Lizard’s Taste Buds.’

Maybe because they were pathetic, they were also cowardly. They just feigned fighting a bit and then surrendered one after another like a string of sausages.

Thanks to that, I didn’t have to kill anyone or turn them into severe cripples, so it ended well for everyone involved [a proverb about something benefiting all parties].

“It’s hard to tell who the villain is…!”

Pisces looked at the devastation I had wrought and spoke as if in admiration.

“I was always a villain. There was no villain in this back alley quite like me.”

“Hehehe…! Agreed!!”

I didn’t hate the mischievous fellow, so instead of a knock on the head, I stroked his hair.

The back alley afternoon was fading away like that.

*

“Oh, you came back quickly?”

“Yes, they were more pathetic than I thought… I just knocked a few of them down, and they surrendered on their own.”

I returned to the orphanage almost an hour faster than planned.

Rosalie had expertly handled the aftermath, so there were no anxious children, and the messy areas had been completely cleaned up.

Anyway, I increasingly felt that she wasn’t just pretty but also very competent in many ways.

“Anyway, you worked hard, Ras! Ah, Mirha is awake and resting in her room, so go see her. While I’m here, I’ll check on the children’s health.”

I nodded and went to the room where Mirha was awake and resting.

“Hello there.”

Mirha, like a very elegant young lady, sat politely on the bed and bowed to me.

“Alright. Are your symptoms like coldness in your body, or tightness in your chest… are they better now?”

“Yes. My body feels so light and I feel great. It’s been a really long time since I felt this way… I’ve been weak since I was little, so I often stayed in bed.”

She’s thirteen now, one year older than our youngest, but she’s very mature.

Compared to Irha, who has a slightly clumsy side, I suppose it feels unfamiliar?

They say that children who are sick when they’re young often mature early, and Mirha seemed to be a bit like that.

“Oppa cured me, a really pretty unnie told me earlier. Thank you… But…”

She repeatedly thanked me, then suddenly trailed off.

“It’s free. I don’t intend to take anything. You just need to grow up healthy, as much as you suffered.”

“Even so, I’ll definitely repay this kindness someday. You didn’t just save me; you saved my mom too… And it’s practically like you saved my unnie as well.”

Well, if she insisted on repaying the kindness, there was no reason for me to stop her.

“Really? Just don’t overdo it trying to repay me. And you have to come with us tomorrow, so get plenty of rest.”

“With you??”

She asked with wide eyes. Of course, since she was all better, she had to go meet her unnie.

Anyway, I planned to move Livingston itself closer to Leone, so it seemed better to take Mirha with me now.

“Yes. We’ll go eat delicious food with your unnie. When you get better after a long illness, you’re supposed to eat good food.”

“Yes..!”

Mirha seemed to be in a significantly better mood at the mention of seeing her unnie, and only then did she answer spiritedly, like a child her age.

That sight naturally made me feel good, and I looked at Mirha with a pleased expression.

But, it felt like I had forgotten something important…

*Creak* – With a creaking sound, someone quietly entered. Judging by the footsteps…

“Hyung… So today too, I didn’t get to play much with Hyung…”

Ah! Rinaldo.

Things had been moving so fast that I’d abandoned Rinaldo again…!

I was bracing myself for my brother’s storm of nagging, when—

“Uh-uh-uh…!!”

“….?”

My cute brother opened the door and entered, then completely froze!

“Hello…?! I’m Rinaldo Etgard. I’m twelve years old and…”

Aha.

Hearing Rinaldo’s shy voice, I instantly understood the situation.

The elegant freezing magic of the former Extreme Yin Constitution girl had bound my innocent brother, leaving him unable to move.

First love can come as hot as fire, but it can also blossom as cold as ice.

My brother’s all grown up now, truly grown up.

I was very happy with my brother’s growth.