Notice: Changing Xion to Shion.
This isn’t the time for this. I have to find what’s blocking my mana recovery.
Xion looking happy was one thing. Mana recovery was mana recovery.
Reinhild craned his neck and combed through the house with all his might.
“Are you looking for something?”
“I’m not looking for anything.”
He was, in fact, looking for something.
Since he’d found nothing odd about Xion, Reinhild was convinced this whole mess was caused by an artifact or a cursed object.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t that nothing odd existed with Xion. He’d just failed to find it but such trifles didn’t matter.
If he could just locate the artifact interfering with his mana work, everything would be solved.
Nothing jumps out, though.
The day the Hero first came to this house, he’d already searched every corner for a hiding place.
Even then, aside from the cursed basement, he’d found nothing suspicious.
There was nothing here likely to hinder Reinhild’s mana recovery.
Except the cursed sword in the basement.
No matter what, I can’t go down there.
That was the number-one place to avoid.
He couldn’t try to find the cause without troubling Xion and end up collapsing again.
So where should he search?
Was there truly no answer to be found in this house?
Ah, I haven’t checked the storage shed yet.
Since coming here, Reinhild hadn’t set foot in the storage shed even once.
He’d had no need, and when the Hero came, Xion and Rebecca had been talking out front, so he couldn’t leave the house. You had to go outside to reach the shed.
I’ll go once Xion’s not around.
That was the problem.
There wasn’t a time when Xion wasn’t around.
After the basement incident, even when he had to step out, Xion was always with Reinhild.
They didn’t go far, either. He’d claim staying cooped up was bad for one’s health and take him on walks or to look at the scenery nearby—nothing more.
Should I say I want to see the shed?
But what if Xion said no?
Xion wouldn’t restrain him outright, but if a house had something like that basement, who knew what might be in the shed?
Something harmless to a human like Xion but deadly to a Demon King like Reinhild, perhaps.
In that case, Xion would surely oppose letting Reinhild into the shed.
I promised not to do things Xion tells me not to…
If he asked and got told not to, he’d have to obey.
In that case, if he never heard the words “don’t go,” wouldn’t it be fine to go?
In other words, if he never asked, “May I go into the shed?” then going in would be okay.
Better not to ask, after all.
Having completed this ridiculous rationalization, Reinhild stood up.
How could he slip to the shed without Xion noticing?
The only times Xion acted apart from him were when he bathed and when he cooked.
You have to pass the kitchen to get outside, so not while he’s cooking.
That left only when Xion was bathing.
It wouldn’t be long, but if he moved fast he could at least take a look around the shed.
Just as Reinhild clenched a fist and firmed his resolve, Xion picked up a thick raincoat.
Seeing Xion looking as if he were about to go out, Reinhild’s eyes sparkled and he ran over.
“Where are you going?”
“The wind’s gotten fierce. I’m going to fell the trees around the house.”
Reinhild was instantly disappointed.
If Xion stood guard out front, he couldn’t get to the shed. In that case, he’d much rather have Xion stay by his side than go out at all.
He looked up at Xion with both corners of his mouth dragged way down.
Whenever he did that, Xion would come to him immediately, wherever he was.
It was the best way to hold Xion back without openly saying so.
Reinhild felt bad about keeping Xion from doing what he wanted, but he liked being together with him, so it couldn’t be helped.
In truth, Xion had no intention of leaving Reinhild alone.
He considered himself largely responsible for the basement incident.
He’d suspected it might pique Reinhild’s interest, and yet he’d left him alone in a house with a basement, relying on a mere seal which was a clear mistake.
Since then, Xion hadn’t left Reinhild by himself.
But just for today, he would make an exception.
“If the wind worsens, the trees could uproot. In a bad case they might smash the house or block the door, so I need to clear them in advance.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“It’s too cold.”
Reinhild said nothing and held out both hands.
It was a silent signal: if it’s cold, then hold my hands.
Xion suppressed the urge to take them and shook his head.
“It’s dangerous.”
Instead of taking him along, Xion drew back the curtains on the window with the best view of the yard.
Then he set out a high stool by the window along with a mug of hot cocoa.
“I think your cheering would give me strength. Would you do that?”
“Mm, okay.”
After all that, how could he say no?
He was only agreeing because Xion asked. It absolutely wasn’t because he wanted the cocoa.
Reinhild sat by the window, sipped cocoa made with good milk, and watched Xion cut the trees.
On fine days they’d pick the fruit from those trees. Thinking the front of the house would now be empty made him oddly wistful.
Xion even felled the tree where he always strung the laundry line, without mercy.
Where will we hang laundry now?
Then again, with rain like this, hanging anything out would only make it wetter.
Wow.
The rain grew ever heavier.
Worried the fierce wind might sweep Xion away, Reinhild pressed to the window and then something caught his eye.
Through the driving rain, a human was running toward them.
What the…?
He’d seen no one around for so long he’d assumed everyone had disappeared with that man called Philip, yet here one came back.
A tenacious species, after all.
“Xion, it’s an emergency!”
The man’s voice was so loud that even over the deafening downpour; it reached Reinhild’s ears clearly.
Xion’s reply didn’t carry well, but Reinhild guessed he was asking what happened.
“The rain’s so heavy a house on the edge of the village collapsed and kids are trapped underneath! We need help, quick!”
At those words, Xion turned his head toward Reinhild.
In a storm like this, if a house had collapsed, the rescue wouldn’t be easy. It would take a long time.
Would it be okay to leave Reinhild alone?
“Hurry and go.”
Reinhild threw open the window and shouted.
Raindrops splashed over the hand gripping the sill, but he paid no attention and cried out again,
“They said kids are buried!”
Xion’s expression at that was… complicated.
It gave no clue what he was thinking.
But soon he nodded and left with the man who’d come for him.
“I’ll be right back.”
Even as he ran, Xion looked back at Reinhild several times.
His eyes full of worry.
After watching him for a long moment, Reinhild set down the empty mug with the last trace of cocoa and stood.
“Now’s the time to check the shed.”
He took up the Umbrella of Glory Xion had used to drive off the Hero and headed for the storage shed.
The rain was so rough the umbrella was nearly useless. He got soaked through, but his excitement about checking the shed kept him from caring.
I just have to fix this.
If he solved this problem, mana recovery would be easy from now on.
Then he could quickly regain his former strength and protect Xion.
He would return to the station of a great Demon King whom even rain dared not touch. This paltry storm wouldn’t so much as brush his collar.
Together with Xion.
Clunk.
Luckily, the shed wasn’t locked.
Reinhild strode right in.
Even in a shed piled with all manner of produce, the first thing to catch the eye was sacks of mana stones so full the mouths couldn’t be tied.
“Wow.”
Xion was richer than he’d thought.
“So he wasn’t recharging stones… he was swapping in new ones.”
One question solved.
The empty mana stones scattered in a corner were clearly the ones Reinhild had already drained.
He didn’t tell me he was changing them out so I wouldn’t feel burdened.
Reinhild nodded, drawing his own conclusion.
All the more reason to find whatever was hindering his recovery.
By now, even after using this many stones, Xion must be wondering why Reinhild wasn’t recovering at all.
And if this went on, it would be like pouring water into a bottomless jar.
“…Huh?”
Picking a stone from a sack and examining it, Reinhild froze.
Something was different.
Staring at the stone that seemed to give off a different aura, he absently played with the mana stone pendant at his neck.
Comparing the two, he could tell for sure that something was off.
“What is this?”
There was a suspicious impurity mixed into the stone on his necklace.
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