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「Weena Rhyn is not here?」
『It seems so… We’ve only left for about an hour though』
After talking to Grandma Jill, we came back to the camp. We wanted to talk to Weena Rhyn about Rhyn’s stall. However, there was no sign of her in her tent.
「…Weena Rhyn, where did she go?」
「She didn’t tell me where she’s going」
Fran asks Zelos Reed, who was tied up in the tent, but he didn’t seem to know where she was.
『Maybe she went to investigate it herself』
(What should we do now?)
『Hmmm…』
We have no choice. I guess we should leave a message with Zelos Reed and go talk to Lovren. She was able to have a normal conversation with someone like Zelos Reed with him now.
Even so, I wondered if it was okay to leave this man alone, but it seems that the spirits are closely watching him. I guess they wouldn’t have much problem if it was the current Zelos Reed whose power was being suppressed.
However, with chains around his ankles and restraints around his neck, he looked like a slave. Even so, the way he stayed still and didn’t start raging made it hard to believe that he was the same person as that battle junky he was before.
「…Tell Weena Rhyn that Rhyn might be still in Kiarazen. She’s running a food stall there」
「…Understood」
They exchanged such looks with no expressions on each other’s faces. Fran still hated Zelos Reed, but what about him?
Does he hate her? Or just dislike her? I couldn’t tell which one it was.
But when Fran, who had said what she had to say, was about to leave the tent, she was unexpectedly stopped by Zelos Reed.
「Wait」
「…What?」
Fran stopped for a moment and replied in a sharp voice.
「…I have a request to ask」
「Request? Request you say…!?」
Fran snapped immediately after Zelos Reed uttered those words. She muttered to him with an angry expression.
Uncontrollable killing intent then covered the surrounding area. However, Zelos Reed showed no sign of fear and knelt on the spot.
It was not that he wasn’t afraid, but it seems that he was prepared for this. Here, even if Fran cut him down, he must have thought that it was inevitable.
The eyes that stared at Fran while he was down on his knees were so clear that it was hard to believe they belonged to Zelos Reed.
「I have, a request」
I could hear the blunt sound of gnashing teeth coming from Fran’s mouth. I couldn’t help but notice that her hand, which already stretched out on my handle, was trembling in disbelief.
『Fran! Wait! This place――』
(…Don’t worry)
The fire of anger still burned in her eyes. However, Fran let her hand go from my hilt and slowly lowered her fist.
(I know…)
I wonder, did Fran allow him to at least tell her his request after seeing his look? Zelos Reed then opened his mouth again.
「…In exchange, you can take my life」
「!?」
「Weena Rhyn is going to cancel the contract between me and Romio. After that, she can do whatever she wants with my life」
「Do you know what that means?」
「Yes. If just by killing me is not enough, you can also torture or do whatever you want to me」
「…」
「My request is for Romio. I want you to bring Romio to an orphanage in Barbra after I die」
「…」
「Romio wouldn’t be happy if he stayed with me. So, please」
Impossible. Even I thought that. Did he really entrust Romio to us with his life as the price? But he was not lying. He really meant it.
As if in a daze, Fran’s strength loosened from her arms. And at the same time, the killing intent that had been so prevalent dissipated into thin air. This time, the atmosphere was eerily quiet. Her hands that were hanging down were swinging limply.
A dumbfounded expression appeared on her face. Was she got dumbfounded after hearing the unexpected words? Or did her anger break through the limit?
But to my surprise, Fran nodded lightly to Zelos Reed.
「…I understand」
「Really?」
「Nn. With your life as the price, I will take Romio to an orphanage」
「…Thank you, very much」
「…Hmph」
Fran then turned her back to Zelos Reed, who continued to bow down on his knees. And just like that, she walked away with an indescribable expression on her face.
『Fran, well done for holding back』
(…That guy… has changed. He’s not the same Zelos Reed I remember)
『Will you forgive him?』
(…I’m not going to forgive him, but…)
Fran seemed to find it difficult to put it into words. Even so, it seemed that Zelos Reed had changed to the extent that made her willing to listen to his words instead of immediately drawing me. No, was it Fran who had changed?
Her hatred was still there, but it seemed that different feelings were also growing.
『You did great』
「…Nn」
At that moment in the Academy of Magic, when Fran slashed Zelos Reed, I thought that it couldn’t be helped.
If I were in Fran’s position, for example, I would have definitely attacked him. I wouldn’t care if it involved people who had nothing to do with it.
With that in mind, I thought that it was only natural for Fran to attack Zelos Reed. That was why I was too late to stop her, and I also wondered if I had the right to stop her.
However, I was Fran’s sword, and I was willing to follow her to the end, even if it would lead to her demise.
But that was ridiculous. That’s not what a guardian should do.
I am disqualified as a guardian, aren’t I?
Wasn’t it the guardian’s duty to scold, even if he has to put himself on the line? It reminded me of my parents. They were not saints, nor were they good adults. If I were to list their virtues and faults, I would say that they had more faults than virtues. When I was little, my parents would scold me and I would think, 「Don’t tell me what to do」
But they still scolded me and raised me. In the first place, it was the job of a guardian to show a good example of what not to do.
I’d even say it was a job because it was not only love that parents needed to give. Parents also have a duty. They have a duty to raise the children under their care in a healthy and proper manner.
As a self-appointed guardian, I will have to remember that.
So, I praised her. I praised Fran for being able to suppress her hatred and being able to contain herself.
『You did great, Fran』
「Nn」
However, what I was wondering is whether Fran would really going to take Zelos Reed’s life or not. However, Fran turned over with a troubled look on her face at that question.
「…I don’t know」
『Is that so?』
Apparently, a spur-of-the-moment decision at that time had made her promise to do so.
「…But」
『But?』
「I still can’t forgive Zelos Reed」
『I see』
「Nn」
“Still”, huh?