TSMD 08

Chapter 8

Tanto flinched.

Even though Leo was only ten years old, the ominous aura that spread whenever he was displeased was every bit as intimidating as Hedius’s.

At times like this, Leo could feel downright frightening. Moreover, if Leo had happened to have his sword with him in the forest, he probably could have subdued the black leopard with ease.

“Hey… The Chief only did all that for your sake, Leo. You’re still just a little kid who doesn’t know anything.”

Tanto tried to reason with him.

But Leo instead glared at him and muttered,

“You’re the one who doesn’t know anything, Tanto.”

His tone sounded almost as though he were scolding Tanto.

“Hey, wh-what did you say?”

“You just had to drop your sword in the swamp… Because of that, if Angel hadn’t been there today, I would have been eaten by that black leopard. But…”

A moment from earlier suddenly flashed through Leo’s mind.

The moment Ibi had tightly embraced him.

‘How could I forget? She’s the first person who ever threw herself in harm’s way for me…’

“Angel suddenly appeared and hugged me so tightly. Her arms were so warm. It felt like she was telling me not to die. So I decided to believe that Angel came from another world to save me.”

“…Ha. Still, that’s a bit much. I understand how you feel, but… Hey, are you crying?”

At some point, tears had begun to gather in Leo’s eyes.

Seeing him cry for the first time, Tanto scratched his head awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

“But if Hedius-nim had been there instead of Angel at that moment, would he have done the same?”

Would he have looked at me like that and hugged me tightly?

“……”

Tanto couldn’t answer.

He simply closed his mouth.

And somehow, even without hearing his answer, Leo felt as though he already knew it.

He had always trusted and relied on Hedius like a father.

But Hedius had never once reached out a hand to him.

Of course, Leo knew that Hedius didn’t keep his distance only from him.

Even so, it always hurt.

Watching Leo’s dejected expression, Tanto finally spoke.

“The Chief would have saved you too! He probably wouldn’t have thrown himself in front of you like that woman did, though… He would’ve cut the beast in half with his sword or shot it with an arrow.”

‘Tanto is right.’

Hedius definitely would have saved him.

He would have mercilessly dealt with whatever wild beast came charging at Leo.

And that would have been it.

Hedius sometimes kept an almost excessively cold distance from him.

Just moments ago, it had been the same.

When Hedius had called Leo over, he hadn’t asked whether he was worried or whether he was all right.

He had simply said,

“If you wish to repent for your mistake, remain confined to your quarters.”

‘I wish he would just get angry instead.’

Neither Tanto nor any of the other bandits seemed to understand why Hedius drew such a strict line with Leo alone.

But Leo was only a ten-year-old child who needed someone’s affection.

Because of that, Ibi’s warmth felt even more precious and overwhelming to him.

Leo fidgeted with his fingers before opening his mouth.

“Tanto, actually…”

“Hmm?”

Leo seemed about to say something, but in the end, he closed his mouth and forced a smile.

‘I want to tell him that the back of my neck keeps stinging and that I think I’m hurt. But after causing such a commotion today, if I also tell him that I got injured, Tanto and all the other bandits will think I’m pathetic. It’s better not to say anything.’

His pride mattered more to him than his pain.

Avoiding Tanto’s puzzled gaze, Leo turned and walked away.

Several days later, the firmly closed bedroom door suddenly swung open.

“Tan!”

I had been munching on some bread, but I immediately whipped my head around as though I’d been waiting for this moment.

After eating and resting well for several days, my skin had become as smooth and shiny as a peeled egg.

“The Chief has given permission for you to come out now. Just don’t go too far. You have to stay quietly inside the village. Understand?”

“Yep.”

I smiled brightly and hopped down from the bed with the bread still in my mouth before running outside.

“Angel!”

Tanto’s startled voice rang out behind me, apparently not expecting me to dash out so quickly.

Ignoring him, I ran as fast as I could, letting the wind rush against my entire body.

A radiant smile spread across my face.

“Sniiiff!”

The fragrant scent of grass.

The warm sunlight.

And freedom!

I was thoroughly enjoying myself when a familiar voice came from behind.

“Angel!”

It was Leo, smiling brightly.

He naturally took my hand and offered to show me around the village, leading the way.

“What are those over there? They look funny.”

“They’re pigs and chickens! Since you’re from another world, Angel, this might be your first time seeing them.”

“Wh-what? Y-yeah, I suppose so. Then what’s that?”

“Ah, that is…”

For quite some time, we went back and forth like that, enjoying the scenery of this place that was so different from the future I knew.

Then—

“Tsk, tsk!”

The sound of someone clicking their tongue came from behind us.

“Angel, my foot. Anyone can see she’s nothing but a beggar. No matter how pitiful she is, why would we take in a crazy woman?”

At the old man’s words, Leo’s expression immediately darkened.

Before I knew it, everyone’s attention had been drawn toward us.

Aside from the man who was glaring at me with obvious displeasure, the villagers were also looking at me with guarded eyes.

Their gazes contained both curiosity and hostility toward an unfamiliar outsider.

‘Well, of course. This is a place where people live together too, so naturally they’d treat a stranger like this at first. If I’m going to stay here with Leo, I need to lower the villagers’ guard against me first…’

While I was thinking about how I could become closer to these people, Leo, who had been fuming for quite some time, spoke carefully.

“I’ll apologize on Angel’s behalf. They’re not acting like this because they hate you, Angel.”

‘Hmm? He’s apologizing for something he didn’t even do?’

Apparently, Leo was worried that I might leave and go somewhere else.

Feeling sorry for him, I smiled brightly instead.

“Of course. It’s only natural that people can’t immediately be friendly toward someone they’ve never met, right? And I really like it here.”

I wasn’t merely saying that to reassure him.

Throughout my tour of the village, I had seen how busy and lively everyone was, and somehow, watching them made me feel a renewed desire to live as well.

In my original world, there hadn’t been a single place where I could feel such vitality.

Everyone believed that the world would eventually end.

It was a terrible and abnormal world where people didn’t even grieve someone’s death and never dreamed about the future of tomorrow.

But the expressions of the people here were filled with hope for the future.

I liked that.

It almost felt as though their energy was spreading to me as well.

“Angel, do you really like it here?”

Leo asked with a surprised expression.

I shrugged.

“Of course~! Everyone here seems to shine like stars. I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

The flowers, trees, and wind were certainly beautiful.

But the sight of the people right in front of me was something I could never experience in my original world either.

‘I like the idea of living here, and I have a personal fondness for them too. I definitely need to become close to these people.’

As I made that resolve to myself—

“…That’s a relief.”

Leo muttered to himself and smiled faintly.

Apparently, my words had made him quite happy, because his cheeks had turned a lovely shade of pink.

“Then I’ll show you my secret place, Angel. It’s over there!”

Suddenly, Leo grabbed my hand and began leading me deeper into the village.

As I was being pulled along, my gaze naturally settled on the back of Leo’s round little head.

‘Huh…?’

There was a wound on the back of Leo’s neck.

It looked as though something sharp had scratched him, and it appeared rather painful.

I frowned.

There was still some discharge coming from it, so it seemed like an injury he’d received recently while being chased by the black leopard.

‘If he leaves that untreated, it could become infected with bacteria. That would be bad.’

Since this would also be a good opportunity to test my ability, should I try healing him?

‘Heal.’

Without letting Leo notice, I quietly placed my hand against his small neck and activated the healing skill.

Fwoooosh—.

For a brief moment, tiny blue-glowing droplets gathered in my palm.

Then they seeped into the wound on the back of Leo’s neck and disappeared.

Perhaps sensing something strange, Leo turned his head toward me.

I hurriedly hid my hand behind my back.

Leo rubbed the back of his neck and tilted his head.

“Huh? Why is it cold here?”

“Maybe snow fell from the sky.”

I said it with an innocent smile.

Leo looked up at the sky.

“…Snow?”

Of course not.

It was late spring beneath a perfectly clear blue sky.

But Leo’s adorable expression as he tilted his head and stared upward made me quietly giggle.

“Ibi, the Chief wants to see you. Come with me.”

Without any suspicion, I followed Tanto toward Hedius’s office.

Tanto found Ibi, who was always smiling brightly like a flower, both fascinating and strangely pitiful.

From what he had observed over the past few days, Ibi was simply a lively young woman who ate well, slept well, and played well—the kind of mischievous girl one could find anywhere.

She did seem a little odd, considering she’d talked about marrying the man who had held a sword to her neck.

‘Well, if I had to decide whether she’s a madwoman or an angel, her innocent nature makes her seem more like an angel.’

Following Ibi’s fluttering pink hair, Tanto eventually arrived in front of the office.

“Chief, I’ve brought Ibi.”

“Come in.”

Tanto opened the door to Hedius’s office and gestured for Ibi to enter first.

Ibi cautiously peeked her head inside and looked around.

Then, without hesitation, she stepped inside.

But—

“…Ugh, it’s dazzling.”

She immediately frowned.

The culprit was Hedius’s dangerously handsome face, which seemed to radiate light from morning until night.

The man himself, however, seemed completely unaware of it.

Hedius immediately reacted to Ibi’s complaint.

He personally reached over and drew the curtains in front of the window flooded with sunlight.

The room instantly became darker.

“This should make it easier to have a conversation.”

The problem had merely been the blinding beauty of a certain man, but seeing him personally close the curtains for her, Ibi couldn’t help but nod.

After that, Hedius continued treating Ibi with an attitude completely different from before.

He even asked whether she would like some tea.

Perhaps his sudden politeness seemed suspicious to her, because Ibi swallowed nervously.

Hedius never took his eyes off her as he spoke.

“Tanto, you may leave now.”

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

Tanto hesitated for a moment at Hedius’s order, then immediately left the room.

The moment the two of them were alone in his office, Ibi gauged the situation.

Pretending to be completely casual, she spun around and approached Hedius.

“Why did you call me, Hess? Don’t tell me you missed me?”

Hedius frowned, apparently displeased by her cheerful greeting and affectionate nickname.

“You are not a member of the bandits, so I suppose it does not matter what you choose to call me.”

Hedius muttered quietly to himself before looking directly at her.

“Your name is Ibi, correct?”

“Oh my! You already found out my name? Were you that curious about me?”

Ibi’s large eyes sparkled with expectation.

But Hedius simply let out a small sigh and ignored her.

“Contrary to my concerns, I hear you have adapted to the village better than expected. It also seems that you have become closer to Leo than before.”

“Yes, I really like this village. And Leo is sooo cute too! Thank you, Hess, for bringing me here.”

For a moment, it seemed as though her words of gratitude might create a warm atmosphere.

But then—

“You seem to be mistaken about something. I have no intention of allowing you to stay here. Nor have I ever given you permission to do so.”

Hedius immediately cut her off in a cold, cynical tone.

The atmosphere froze instantly.

Yet even in response to his words, Ibi continued smiling brightly with an innocent expression.

“Then what am I supposed to do from now on, Hess?”

Hedius stared at her for a long moment before speaking.

“There is nothing you can do here. You are not even worth—”

“……”

He couldn’t bring himself to tell such an innocent-looking woman that she wasn’t even worth anything.

So Hedius swallowed the rest of his sentence and continued.

“Anyway, it is difficult to explain, but this place is not suitable for you. Therefore, I will give you one final opportunity to leave.”

His words sounded polite.

But his tone was unmistakably forceful.