【Chapter 62】
My sister let out a faint sigh while looking at my still sullen face.
“If I can’t save you in the end, then that’s the limit of my ability. Fortunately, we have Juela to carry on the family line.”
“Sister! How can you say that now, at a time like this!”
Even though you have a husband you love so much!
I ended up shouting in anger. However, my sister responded seriously, unlike before.
“From now on, whenever you are about to recklessly jump into danger, remember what I’m about to say.”
“What?”
“If you’ve returned safely, it must mean you made some kind of deal with the spirit.”
My sister sounded like someone from a commercial. I get it, even if you don’t say it.
“You have such a weak yet reckless nature. And power has entered your frail hands. Immature power at that.”
“Sister Elga, I…”
“Mother must have said the same, but we have no intention of confining you. However, if you are unable to return to us…”
“Mother must have said the same, but we have no intention of confining you. However, if you are unable to return to us…”
My sister trailed off and lowered her gaze. Her clenched jaw protruded. It was the face of someone holding something back.
“No one in Karinen will have any thought of protecting the family anymore.”
At her tremendous declaration, I sharply inhaled and froze completely.
‘In the original story, the family fell because of Minuelle too.’
But now, she was saying they wouldn’t even continue the family line! And all because of me!
“Rest.”
My sister gently patted my pale head and left. I sat there stiffly, unable to respond or pat Elle. It wasn’t until Ramande patted me gently that I snapped out of it.
“Why are you so suddenly surprised? Your sisters, father, and mother all consider you the most important, don’t they? And you do the same.”
“That’s true, but…”
The problem was I had no confidence I wouldn’t get swept up in something dangerous. There was even a vague premonition that someday I might directly confront the Church of Fire.
“Why? Don’t tell me the spirit demanded your life or something?”
In an instant, Ramande’s eyes sharpened. Then Elle, who had been meekly nestled until now, shot up and shouted.
“Mya?!”
“Ah, no.”
It wasn’t that my life was demanded, but I almost got completely devoured.
I hastily waved my hands, but I must have seemed unconvincing. Both Ramande and Elle continued to press me without dropping their suspicions.
“Really not? Then summon it right now. I’ll use up all my divine power to seal it if I have to!”
“Mya! Myamyang!”
At times like this, playing dumb is the best option.
“I said no! Really, you two…”
But Ramande could see right through me, so I quickly changed the subject to avoid spilling everything that happened.
“By the way Ramande, since when have you called my sisters ‘Sister’?”
Looking back, Ramande seemed to have grown noticeably closer to the Karinen family.
“You’re right. It became natural at some point.”
A small chuckle accompanied his reply. It seemed he was letting it go for now, but I pretended not to notice and cheerfully grabbed Ramande’s hand.
“Well done…eh?!”
In fact, what I had meant to say next was,
‘Well done. I’m so happy you’ve become like real siblings.’
But Ramande’s chillingly cold body temperature froze everything.
“You must be tired from holding me too long. I’ll go out so you can rest.”
Noticing my flinch, Ramande gave an unusually awkward smile and stood up.
However, I didn’t let go of his hand and pulled him back forcefully.
“Mi, Minuelle?”
“Stay still, Ramande.”
It might have gone unnoticed by the flickering firelight, but under the bright magic lamp, I could clearly see the blue shadows under Ramande’s eyes as I looked closely.
“You’ve overworked yourself, haven’t you?”
How much divine power must he have expended to maintain everyone’s body heat in this frigid place, even with our small numbers?
‘Not that he wasn’t already sensitive to the cold.’
“I’m sorry. For only noticing now.”
“What are you talking about? I’m perfectly fine.”
This time it was my turn to chuckle, for Ramande’s hand was still ice cold, and I could even feel a slight tremor now.
I looked Ramande straight in the eye and pulled his arm a bit harder.
“Come here.”
The strength seemed to drain from his resisting arm. . As if mesmerized, he obediently sat beside me, and I spoke triumphantly.
“Leave it to this big sister!”
I’ll warm you up in no time.
But Ramande, blinking a couple of times, only let out a helpless laugh and muttered a complaint.
“Sister, my foot.”
“Of course, I’m the sister!”
I’ve contracted with a spirit, made it cry, and done everything!
“Come on, lean on your amazing sister.”
I spread my arms wide, smiling brightly.
Just as he had wrapped his feverish self around me, I wanted to hug him and warm him up.
Of course, efficiency was also a factor. Warming a larger area would be much faster. I was still too much of a beginner to attempt healing by just placing my hands like Ramande did.
‘Don’t want to burn him accidentally.’
Despite all my considerate thoughts, Ramande vigorously rubbed his face as if wiping away three years of grime before firmly pushing my arms down.
“Enough. Just go to sleep.”
Perhaps from all the vigorous rubbing, or maybe just the cold, Ramande’s cheeks were flushed red.
His voice too? It was so hoarse that if he went outside now, he’d catch a cold immediately.
‘Why is he acting like this?’
We were relying on and comforting each other just a few days ago, weren’t we?
Narrowing my eyes as I looked at Ramande, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
“Ramande, did things go well with that person?”
“That person?”
“The one you like. Did you confess before we left?”
“Why bring that up now… Oh.”
The initially puzzled purple eyes grew increasingly sullen as he continued speaking.
“You really…”
He clicked his tongue briefly, and the next moment, I found myself caught in Ramande’s arms, bumping my forehead against his shoulder.
“Ugh!”
But I wasn’t the only one caught off guard. Elle, who had been half-standing and pretending to swat at Ramande as if telling him to back off, also let out a shriek as he got caught between us.
“Miak!”
Then, in a flash, a deep red line appeared right beside Ramande’s lip. As beads of blood started welling up, I hurriedly took out a handkerchief and pressed it against the wound.
“Ramande, you’re bleeding!”
Unlike me, however, Ramande remained composed as if nothing had happened. His hand gently pressed the handkerchief harder against mine.
“It’s fine.”
“How is this fine! Elle, you little…!”
The cruel part about divine power is that its efficiency drops significantly when used on oneself. Ramande would probably need to expend as much power as he used maintaining the knights’ body temperatures for the past two days for this wound to heal.
Despite my anger, Elle either didn’t understand or pretended not to, growling and butting my arm with its head where I held the handkerchief.
‘Is he saying to let go?’
Of course, I had no intention of doing so.
I didn’t know why he was suddenly acting this way after apparently staying in Ramande’s care while I was gone. If I let it slide once or twice, the maids might end up getting attacked for touching him later on.
‘They did say he’ll grow much bigger than a cat. I won’t be able to stay with her if I don’t train him properly.’
When pushing me away didn’t work, Elle finally…
“Mrrrng…!”
…bit my arm.
Of course, with the thick layers of clothing I was wearing, his fangs didn’t pierce my flesh. Still, I was taken aback.
“You need to feel pain to understand.”
Still young and separated from her mother and siblings, he may not have learned how painful biting and scratching can be.
So I decided to show him myself.
“Auggg!”
When I bit down hard on his nape, Elle froze as if someone had pressed her pause button.
“…!”
“See? Hurts, doesn’t it? So don’t just bite and scratch… Achoo! Achoo.”
With all the fur getting into my mouth and nose, I couldn’t do it twice.
While I sneezed repeatedly and lectured, Elle squeezed into my side, looking somewhat happier. I stroked his head, and he purred contentedly.
Meanwhile, Ramande, who I had momentarily forgotten about, swayed weakly.
“Ah… Minuelle, I’m suddenly feeling dizzy.”
It was rare for Ramande to sound so weak. Startled, I pushed Elle away and hugged him tightly.
“Oh no, I should have taken care of you first!”
“No… it’s just… the blood loss, I guess. I’m suddenly feeling colder.”
Ramande couldn’t even hug me back, merely leaning against me limply.
This was a real emergency. Without another thought, I tightly closed my eyes and focused solely on transferring warmth.
Despite never learning how, I somehow just ‘knew’ what to do. Was this an effect of contracting with the spirit?
Vines of warmth emanated from me, coiling around Ramande before melting into his body.
“Haah…”
Ramande’s breath was released languidly next to my ear.
“Better now?”
“Feeling better now?”
“Yeah… Thanks, Minuelle. It’s warm and feels good.”
Hearing his drowsy voice as if he had soaked in a hot spring, a strange tingling sensation rushed over me along with a sense of pride.
‘For him to be this honest.’
It must have hurt a lot.
“Here, lie down.”
I tried to move aside to give him space, but Ramande showed no intention of letting go.
“Aren’t you going to sleep?”
“I’ll sleep on the opposite side.”
“It’s still cold.”
“Oh, is it?”
Although Ramande’s body temperature had returned to normal, he seemed to have been exposed to the cold for too long. Without any complaints, I wrapped him in warmth again.
“Better now? Want to lie down?”
“Yeah.”
To think I would get to take care of someone who had always looked after me. Feeling a bit giddy, I carefully tucked the blanket around him, and Ramande gave me a slight smile.
In contrast, Elle seemed displeased about something as he lay with her ears folded back, thumping him tail on the ground.
“El, you’ll really get scolded if you attack again, okay?”
When I gently warned him, Elle turned his head away without a reply. His tail kept thumping the ground, but he showed no signs of moving, so I smiled and extinguished the fire.
“Good night, everyone.”
“Good night…mrph.”
Ramande’s customary response was abruptly cut off. Startled, I turned the light back on and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Puhahaha!”
“Mya.”
There was Elle, calmly grooming himself with his front paws while sitting on Ramande’s face like a cushion.
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Thank you for reading! ♡
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