Chapter 83:
Who Took It Away From Me?
“Dad!”
“Be careful.”
Blake caught Richette, who was jumping off the carriage, in his arms.
It had only been a little over a month, but the daughter he was seeing now seemed more mature than before.
This was a feeling Blake experienced every time after sending her to the academy. Every time he saw her, she had grown in ways he hadn’t noticed.
It was both something to be proud of, but it also brought a sense of longing, wondering when she had grown so much.
“Hello, Father!”
A cheerful voice came from behind.
It was Kesley. It seemed that the ice had really worked in sobering her up, as she looked even better than she had the previous day.
“Duke Rodwick, how have you been?”
Robenhauf, who followed, smiled warmly and greeted Blake.
After accepting their greetings, Blake asked Richette.
“They’re doing the qualification task for Xelphon in a nearby area, right?”
“That’s right. Thanks to my older brother Robenhauf, I was able to arrive early, so I think I can stay at home for about two days.”
Richette answered, still in Blake’s arms.
The faint scent of cologne that she had missed made her feel at ease. It was the smell of her father.
“That’s good.”
Blake smiled affectionately.
Originally, the qualification tasks for Xelphon were conducted within the city walls, with a strict ban on exposing any of its contents outside.
So even though Richette had come out, she couldn’t tell Blake or anyone else about her qualification task.
‘It worked out well. The qualification task was just an excuse to get out of the city. The Rom Desert and the Rodwick estate are on opposite sides anyway.’
Thanks to that, she didn’t have to lie, which wasn’t her strong suit.
Afterward, there was a brief reception followed by a grand meal.
Robenhauf and Kesley were each given a guest room. They were planning to stay at the Rodwick estate until Richette left, and then they would leave together.
After exchanging greetings with the people of the estate, Richette went to her room.
‘My room!’
[Oh, it’s the same?]
Even though it had been a while, nothing had changed. The comfortable bed, the familiar furniture, even the writing utensils she had left on the desk.
It wasn’t just her room. The Rodwick estate hadn’t changed either.
Blake’s warm welcome and the people of the estate who were happy to see her.
She had briefly returned home.
“Eat well and rest a lot.”
Richette followed Blake’s advice and had a comfortable rest.
Time passed so sweetly that she didn’t even realize how it had gone by.
Two days later.
“Pythons. The full moon is out.”
Richette, who had been fiddling with the decoration Ian had given her, said as she looked out the window.
A large full moon was shining brightly in the sky.
[Retiom!]
[Why did you come so early this time?]
Play with me!]
[No, with me!]
The Monster Forest. By the lakeside.
Richette was surrounded by little stars.
Then, when Pythons swung his tail down with a sharp thud, they all shrieked and quickly hid behind the trees.
‘Hmph.’
Pythons let out a satisfied chuckle inwardly.
This is how it should be for a great star. Lately, humans only see me as a cute squirrel. Typical humans. They should look at the essence, the essence.
Pythons, proud of his greatness in defeating the stars all at once, spoke to Richette.
“I’ll be back soon, so play with them in the meantime.”
“Okay. Be careful.”
“There’s no need to be careful. That’s my territory.”
With a confident remark, Pythons walked into the lake.
Richette gazed at the lake, where her reflection was visible.
The Grave of the Stars. It resembled a desolate desert with no sign of civilization.
It was neither beautiful nor radiant.
Thud.
The footsteps of a man, whose steps resembled the scorching sun, left marks in the sand.
He had red hair and a muscular upper body that was well-toned.
“This place hasn’t changed, even when I come here.”
It was still tiresome and boring. Lately, he had seen more in the human world in the past few years than in thousands of years spent here.
“That’s why they’re all eager to make a contract with Retiom.”
The play of the stars. But a contract with Retiom was out of the question this time. Who would trust a contract holder as timid as a rabbit to another star?
Pythons yawned and continued walking.
His simple steps, long and purposeful, caused the surroundings to shift rapidly. Every time he took a step, the place where he stood changed.
‘Shortcut.’ This was a power only the six great stars, the administrators of the Grave of the Stars, could use.
‘Here it is.’
Pythons stopped in front of a rocky mountain.
He lifted a large rock blocking the entrance to the cave with one hand and called inside.
“Hey, old man! Are you there?”
“Why are you asking if you know I’m here? Always bothering me with that ability of yours.”
An old man walked out from inside.
“Because of you, it’s meaningless for me to stay hidden.”
The star, who was once a god overseeing human connections, grumbled.
The powers he had when he was a god affected the unique traits he gained after becoming a star. After transforming into a star, his abilities manifested as unique traits.
The old man’s ability involved the fusion or separation of different souls and bodies.
Fusion of stars was something that stars with peculiar tastes desired or happened as an unexpected accident. But only the old man could perform the separation.
That’s why many stars sought him out, but the old man, always grumbling, moved around and hid, only showing himself when he felt like it.
“The star detection ended up going to you of all people.”
“Consider it a blessing. Thanks to the fact that other great ones can’t find me, I can indulge in my hobbies without anyone noticing, right? Like my collection.”
The old man shot a glare at Pythons, who was chuckling.
“What’s the reason you came to find me? It’s not the same ridiculous reason as last time, is it?”
“Old man.”
Pythons rested his chin on his hand and asked. The slight smile on his lips seemed to recall the soul fragment of Hikkenka that was soon to come.
“Do you still have that yellow guy’s soul fragment from last time?”
“No.”
The old man’s response was firm.
“Don’t have it?”
Pythons, with a bewildered expression, threw a rock that was three or four times the size of his own body to the side.
The rock shattered upon hitting the ground from the force Pythons threw it with.
“Why don’t you have it?”
He was used to seeing things break from that guy’s hands. The old man answered Pythons nonchalantly.
“I lost it.”
“What?”
Lost it? The old man was not the kind of star who would have his collection taken by another star.
“To whom—”
Just as Pythons was about to press with a surprised inquiry, he sensed someone’s presence rapidly approaching from behind.
‘Shortcut.’
Another star who used the shortcut ability like him was approaching.
Was it a red-eyed star? Or a blue-eyed one? Maybe a yellow-eyed one.
As the presence grew closer, it became stronger. Since Pythons could fully use his power in the Grave, he could now make a clear guess at whose presence it was.
This is-.
“You… You!”
Pythons quickly turned around, his orange eyes trembling in disbelief.
The star that appeared before him spoke gently.
“Did you find me?”
Splash.
[Run away!]
[It’s a great star!]
“Pythons!”
Richette was greeted by the massive light emerging from the lake.
True to his word, about an hour had passed since Pythons entered the lake.
“Did you find the soul fragment?”
Richette made a shadow with her hand as she looked at the star floating before her.
The dazzling light reminded her of when she first met Pythons.
Normally, he would immediately return to his squirrel form, saying how precious her eyesight as his contract holder was.
“Pythons?”
[Ah.]
Only then did a voice emerge from within the light.
Unlike the light and airy voice of the squirrel form, Pythons’ voice in his light form was much heavier.
It was understandable that he had once been a god.
[I found it.]
Once again, a majestic voice echoed from within the light.
At the words that he had found it, Richette’s face lit up.
“Really? Does that mean we can find the yellow one now?”
She could finally meet Hikkenka.
‘Just a little more, Ian.’
Richette gently touched the necklace she was wearing.
“I’ll find a way to escape together. If not, I’ll find a way to remove you from my fate.”
[Yes. But, contract holder.]
Richette, engulfed in anticipation, heard the light speak.
[It’s hard to believe, but I’ve heard something unbelievable from the Grave. Could I have a moment to gather my thoughts?]
“Unbelievable? What happened? Did other stars break out of their glass jars too?”
[Nothing like that. I’ll tell you when we leave the Duke of Rodwick’s castle.]
The atmosphere seemed serious.
‘Did you hear about Tita from the Grave?’
Lately, Pythons had been downhearted because of Tita.
After all, they had to leave for the Rom Desert for the qualification task tomorrow.
Although Richette was in a hurry, she knew pushing Pythons when he was in such a mood wouldn’t help.
“Alright.”
As Richette nodded, the light transformed into a squirrel and entered her pocket.
She needed to return to her room before dawn, so Richette hurriedly tried to leave the forest.
Creee… Crrr!
Kieek-!
But something was off with the forest.
Due to Pythons’ mental manipulation, the monsters still didn’t attack her, but they ran away in fear.
Could there be a predator in the forest that the monsters were afraid of?
Richette glanced around and tried to speak to Pythons.
‘Pythons, something’s wrong with the forest.’
[…….]
But there was no response.
It seemed the events from the Grave had unsettled him so much that he couldn’t even hear her.
‘What could it be?’
Richette pondered, but before she could continue her thoughts, the forest changed.
When the change was complete, the exit of the forest was right before Richette’s eyes.
“That’s good. I can leave now.”
The entrance and exit opening was thanks to being with Pythons.
Normally, the Monster Forest wouldn’t allow passage until dawn, but when Richette was with Pythons, the forest obediently opened and closed the entrance.
‘Pythons must be troubled.’
Richette looked down at her quiet pocket.
He said he’d tell her tomorrow. He promised.
Richette mounted the horse she had tethered near the forest and rode back to the Duke’s castle.
The next day arrived.
After breakfast, Richette finished preparing to leave with Robenhart and Kaeslee.
“Are we taking this carriage again?” Kaeslee muttered as he looked at the fancy carriage.
“I can’t leave Robenhart’s carriage behind. It’s still a wonderful carriage,” Richette answered.
Rohenhart smiled broadly at her reply, while Kaeslee let out a rather reluctant grunt.
At least they changed the horses at Rodwick’s castle, so that was a relief.
Kaeslee looked at two beautiful horses with dark blue fur instead of the white ones.
“Richette, have a safe trip.”
Everyone at the castle, including Blake, came out to see her off.
Richette nodded as she was embraced by Blake. She wouldn’t be able to see him for a few months. Her dad.
Thinking about it, she regretted making the hug too short.
‘Ah, the mange.’
Richette looked at the energy swirling from Blake’s chest.
It had built up quite a bit since it hadn’t been purified in a few months. It wasn’t harmful to his health, but it felt much better without the mange.
‘I should purify it before I go.’
Richette smiled and used her purification ability on the hand resting on Blake’s back.
“…Hah.”
The next moment, an overwhelming pain hit her.
