“Huff… huff… What do I do?”
That jerk. However hard he’d grabbed me, it took quite a lot of mana just to slip free.
I burned through not only the power I’d soaked up from the lake, but also every scrap I’d painstakingly saved together up to now.
And all from some platypus-looking fool who was apparently a lot stronger than he appears.
“Damn it.”
Do you know how hard I scraped that mana together…?
How much blood and sweat it took to gather that mana!
Even my wrist was swollen, red.
“To squeeze someone’s hand this hard… really.”
The moment I got home, I scrubbed it under cold water, yet the swelling refused to go down.
Actually, because I’d rubbed so hard, it puffed up even worse.
On skin this pale, the angry red stood out like a beacon.
It didn’t look like I’d been grabbed for a second. It looked more like someone had dragged me along by force.
I pinned the blame for my pitiful wrist squarely on that human I’d met at the lake.
“Lousy human. Dare lay hands on the Demon King’s body? I’ll wipe out three generations of your line!”
Though come to think of it, I don’t have the power for that right now.
“Fine. Consider yourself forgiven, just don’t ever cross my path again.”
I don’t know what that platypus really is, but outsiders almost never come here, so he’s clearly a villager.
If that platypus starts flapping its beak about seeing something shady at the lake, I’m done for.
It’d be bad enough if the story reached Xion’s ears—but a mob of villagers would be worse. Country folk in the books I’ve read are usually hostile to outsiders.
I might not be an “outsider,” but it could still turn into a huge mess.
If my being the Demon King got out, worst case is they might summon the Hero.
Then Xion would surely be dragged in, too.
One more reason to leave the village—fast.
Frustration welled up and my eyes pricked with tears.
Bastard.
Lower than a sea anemone.
A wretch worthy of falling into a half-frozen cesspit in mid-winter!
I was exercising every curse I’d learned from human books when I heard the front door open.
Like springs were attached to my feet, I hopped and hid in a corner.
“I’m home… Rein?”
Xion looked flustered not to be greeted by Rein’s usual sunny face.
“Rein!”
He loudly called once more, but there was no answer.
Pale, he was about to bolt back outside when Rein, who’d been crouching in the corner, shuffled out, shoulders hunched.
“Welcome back.”
As Xion’s face brightened and he stepped closer, his expression froze.
Rein’s wrist was swollen and red as though someone had seized it.
In an instant, the air inside the house sank like stone.
“G-gasp!”
Startled by Xion’s suddenly chilling aura, Rein swallowed hard.
He’d never imagined he could get this angry.
Not worried but angry? At me? Why?
Could he have discovered I was planning to run?
Eyes wide, Rein stared at Xion.
Snapping back to himself under that gaze, Xion’s face softened and he drew him into a tight embrace.
Subduing his anger, he asked calmly,
“What happened?”
“Uh, huh? N-no, I just fell.”
Nonsense.
No fall could cause swelling only on the thinnest part of the wrist. How would you even fall that way?
Yet Xion didn’t want to harass him with questions and make him uneasy.
Instead, Xion held him a long while, gently stroking his hair.
Rein sagged against him like a kitten caught in the rain.
His skin carried a faint chill, yet Xion’s arms were warm. The warmth seemed to melt away the exhaustion of lake water and magic practice.
Looking at Rein burrowing closer, Xion smiled with the tenderness of someone who had never scowled at all.
“We need to treat your injury.”
“It really doesn’t hurt.”
“Please let me treat it.”
Well, if he put it that way, he couldn’t refuse. Lips pressed tight, Rein nodded.
Xion ground fine herbs, layered them over the swollen wrist, and wrapped it in soft cloth.
It wasn’t even a cut, so why use herbs on a bruise? But Rein voiced no complaint.
“You must’ve been frightened. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“Then let’s rest early tonight. I’ll prepare dinner quickly. Just wait a bit.”
Honestly, it was almost embarrassing to call this an injury.
By the time he wrapped it, the redness had faded till it hardly showed.
Maybe I imagined his anger earlier?
Seems so.
He looked exactly the same… or even kinder, gentler than usual.
Xion would never get angry.
Rein started grinning in relief. Catching his eyes, Xion beamed back, perfectly unchanged.
He must not know I went out.
When he’d glared earlier, I thought I was caught, but perhaps our platypus kept its beak shut.
Right, no need to cower just because one human saw me.
Maybe he won’t spread rumors. Maybe no one will believe him. I can stay hidden under Xion’s protection until I’m strong enough to leave.
Thank goodness!
My sneaking out hadn’t been discovered. My “I fell” lie tricked Xion completely.
And he wasn’t disappointed. He was still kind.
Good. I need to keep using him while I’m in Root.
Perhaps worried, Xion made a heartier dinner than usual which was welcome news to Rein, drained after thrashing about in the lake.
He ate in high spirits.
A cold, unpleasant incident, yes, but the day’s end wasn’t so bad.
Perhaps because Xion was here?
Well, whatever.
I’m never going near that lake again…
With that vow, Rein went to bed earlier than usual.
❖ ❖ ❖
“…”
Xion gently lifted the sleeping Rein’s arm, unwrapped the cloth, and inspected his wrist.
The mark had faded a lot, but a faint outline of fingers was still there.
He fought down the surge of emotion.
If he flared now, Rein, so sensitive to any shift, might wake.
He mustn’t disturb his sleep.
Instead of venting anger, he pressed a soft kiss to the slender wrist.
“Sleep well, Rein.”
“Pla-ty…-pus…”
As though answering, he murmured in his dream.
Platypus? What cute dream this time?
His face didn’t look especially happy for a pleasant dream, but as Xion stroked his cheek, he soon relaxed, sinking into deeper sleep.
He tucked the warm quilt up to Rein’s chin so he wouldn’t feel cold, then headed to the bath.
Rein’s clothes lay strewn across the round wooden tub.
Damp.
No. Soaked as though dunked in water.
Top and bottoms alike, saturated. He must have gone in fully clothed.
Yet the tub was dry.
Meaning he’d gotten wet somewhere else…
There wasn’t a drop of water inside the house.
He’d definitely gone outside.
There was no rain today, so only two places fit: the well or the lake behind the village.
Not the well.
To reach it, he’d have to pass the field where I worked. I never left. Had anyone walked by, I’d have seen them.
I didn’t see Rein.
Even if he disguised himself, I’d still know, and no villagers headed to the well today.
Then the lake?
Did he sneak to the lake without a word? Why?
Maybe he wanted air, maybe he likes water.
But why go in?
Slip and fall?
Or…
Did someone push her?
It was possible.
For instance, grabbing his wrist and hurling him into the water.
Cra-ack—
The wet fabric strained, nearly tearing under Xion’s tightening grip.
It’s fine if he sneaks out.
Fine if he enjoys what he loves.
But if it harms Rein…
‘But I can’t lock him up.’
Rein must be free.
He should leave home whenever he wants… and naturally return to my arms before the day ends.
Not fretting that he’ll be caught sneaking out, but chattering about where he went and what he saw.
If I must confine him, it can’t be this house. It must be the entire village.
Thus, the answer is clear.
If I can’t bind Rein, only one choice remains:
Make sure he never has a reason or chance to go there again.
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