/

chapter 109




By night time, Shirushu’s hair had completely reverted to being her original light pink color.
According to what Shirushu has told me, it seems that even though her seal has been broken, as long as she can return to her human form she won’t turn into her beast form again unless her emotions get riled up.
On the other hand, once her eyes turn red, it will be like yesterday. Any little thing that happens will cause trouble.
Right now I am in the middle of having a light breakfast with Milly and Shirushu.
「Now that I think about it, doesn’t it feel like we’ve forgotten something?」
「Mu? What are you talking about?」
「Umm…..?」
「Other than coming to save Shirushu, I feel like there was something else….」
Hearing what Milly said, both Shirushu and I gave her a doubtful look.
But then, Shirushu covers her mouth with both her hands.
「Ahhhhhhhhh!? Mill Herb!」
She let out a scream.
「What should we do!?」
「No, you don’t have to be so worked up….. All three of us are here, won’t it be fine as long as we search and obtain it before we return?」
「That is not necessary.」
Saying this I took out a bunch of green herbs from my bag.
Last night whilst the girls were asleep, I sneaked out and went to collect some of the herbs that had grown nearby.
「How cunning of you~ As expected of Zeph.」
「I will take that as a compliment.」
Hearing our exchange of dialog, Shirushu gave a stifled laughter.
I was becoming a little worried but it would seem that she was managing better than expected.
「Alright then, shall we return back to Izu?」
「Yeah!」
「Yes.」
Getting out of the forest and back towards Izu, we headed straight for Daville’s mansion. 1
After greeting one of the servants, they guided us to the child’s room. Shirushu was sitting on the side of the bed holding the Mill Herb next to the child’s mouth and concentrating her magical energy.
「…..Well, here I go.」
Because she had failed once before, both Shirushu and Daville seemed to be uneasy, but I wasn’t worried in the slightest.
As long as the proper treatment was provided the chances of curing someone afflicted with the Beruzel disease is very high. In the future it had almost been 20 years since the discovery of the illness and it was no longer a threat to the people living in the northern continent.
Just looking at the child’s condition it was clear to see that this was the initial onset of symptoms and the sickness would easily be cured even if the herbs were boiled and then made to drink. Considering that she was now using a unique magic called Elixir on top of that probably made it overkill in terms of healing prowess.
Along with her chant of the spell Elixir, the child’s body was wrapped in light.
After the light subsided, the child’s countenance which was previously blue turned a rosy red color and his breathing became calm and quiet.
Shirushu had a large bead of sweat flowing down her forehead as she breathed a big sigh of relief, Daville had seemingly lost all his strength as he slumped down towards the ground.
It would seem that the treatment was a success.
「Thank you very much everyone.」
「Nn-no, there is no need for thanks…..」
Daville was lowering his head in a deep bow and Shirushu quickly waves her hand to stop him. Hearing the two of them talk peacefully, I entered the room.
「Then as promised could you please provide us with the reward?」
「Eheheheh~ Please make sure to give us lots of money kay~」
Ain appears and flies around Daville.
How did this happen?
「Hahahah Of course, I haven’t forgotten about our promise.」
However, Daville was in a good mood as he guided us deeper into the room and provided us with a generous 5 million rupi reward.
Ain was eagerly counting it one by one, it would seem that she thinks of the money as food.
I was staring in amazement when Shirushu quietly brings her face closer to my ears.
(But Zeph-san, isn’t receiving 5 million rupi a little too much for the reward?)
「Do you think so? We saved his son’s life you know? Besides if he wants to be generous with it, shouldn’t we just accept his hospitality?」
(That….. Mnn, it may be true however….)
Shirushu didn’t seem to be completely convinced.
「Moreover, there are many people and beast people gathered in the port city of Izu. If this will save others from the infectious Beruzel disease, frankly it is a cheap price to pay.」
「Ahh…..」
Indeed, having this clarified, Shirushu was nodding in understanding.
By the way, I have not mentioned to Daville that the source of the infection is from the beast race.
If I told him this now, it may give rise to even more discrimination and troublesome things in the city.
For the time being….
「With this I hope that the tensions between the beast race and the human’s should lessen a little.」
「…..Yes.」
――――The preparations for the horse-drawn carriage is finally complete and today is the day that we would depart to the Capital City of Prolea.
The other night, Shirushu said her goodbyes to the children.
She told the children that she would travel with us towards the capital in order to treat her own illness.
It seems that Rui had already made preparations beforehand to ready the other children so the separation went smoother than antic.i.p.ated.
A lot of people were coming to see Shirushu off, she took their hands one by one in order to show her thanks.
We were watching over her from a little further ahead.
「Big sis Shirushu!」
A voice of a child resounded.
Rui appeared from within the crowd.
Along with the children living in the church.
「Everyone…..」
Shirushu spreads out her hands as if to accept their arrival, the children swarm around her.
Shirushu’s eyes were moistening up a little and the children were looking up at her anxiously.
A pa.s.sionate farewell…
「Big sis Shiru, you haven’t forgotten anything right? Did you bring a handkerchief?」
「Shiru-nee, don’t eat anything strange and hurt your tummy okay~?」
「Hehe…….. Make sure to listen to what big bro tells you to do alright?」
Listening to all the children’s voices, her expression became complicated.
The children were completely treating her like a child.
Milly was also giggling, but hey, didn’t she realize she was also a kid?
「Geez….. isn’t that what I always told you guys?」
「It just means that we are all abiding by what big sis Shiru has taught us.」
Rui laughs as he spoke and Shirushu also shows a mixed smile in return.
Answering back to the children in a gentle manner, she gave them a tight hug.
Releasing them after a while longer, she reluctantly parted from the circle of children and walked towards the carriage towards us.
On the way, Shirushu murmured out the words,
「Last night, I spoke with those children as well and just like today, they are the ones worried about me.」
Shirushu was smiling hopelessly.
It would seem that this type of exchange was not the first time it occurred.
「…..Since a while back, everyone was already doing the cleaning, cooking and washing all by themselves. I often found myself standing at the front, but all the children were doing things better than me and they frequently told me “You’re being a botherr~” as they got angry at me…..」
「They already don’t need me anymore.」
「Shirushu.」
Shirushu didn’t respond to my calling of her and hurriedly got on the carriage.
Once we all got on the carriage, the driver whips the horse to a start.
It’s time to depart.
「Everyone! Thank you so much for taking care of me thus far!」
The wagon begins to run slowly and Shirushu is waving her hands.
It was like no matter what she never really wanted to part with them.
Forever and ever……
………….
She was still waving at them.
It’s been a considerably long time.
When I looked outside the children were running towards us.
Both Shirushu and the children were calling out each other’s names with tears in their eyes.
But gradually, the speed of the horse carriage was going up and the children continued to drift far behind.
Even after the children were far away and became smaller than a grain of sand, Shirushu was still waving her hands at them.
Her face was wet with tears and perhaps due to the sorrowful emotions welling within her heart, her hair was slightly tinged in red.
「Uu….u…..u….」
「The children still depend on you Shirushu, you know?」
「….Yesh……uuu…」
「When you are able to seal the power of your purebred species, you can just return here at anytime to visit them.」
「Yes…..Yes….hik…」
When I placed my hand on her trembling shoulder, perhaps she was overcome with emotion but her hair flared up and instantly became red.
Bathing in the sunlight, her hair mixed with the bright lights and glittered in a brilliant scarlet hue.
So as to hide it from the other pa.s.sengers, I embraced her closely from behind so that she could cry it all out.