Chapter 72

★ Kingdom of Light Knights - Port Town Zackerhaven ★

Lark was alone, locked in her room. There was no Cook, no other companions.

The room was dark, with the windows closed, and on the bedside table were untouched meals and medicine.

“...What is this? Why... little brother...”

Lark, who had lost her sight, thought about the boy she met at the "Six Heavens Mine," the one who changed her way of thinking, her life.

“...You know how important he was to me, little brother...”

The boy she thought she should protect.

It was the same in the mine, and even after she obtained her天赋 (talent).

When she chased after him to the capital and a dragon appeared, and she defeated it, her resolve became firm.

She would protect her brother.

But when they met again after four years— he had grown. His height was almost the same as hers, and more importantly, he was stronger than her, who had six stars of talent.

“...If I could just regain my strength, I could protect my little brother again...”

She had always dreamed of it.

Meeting her brother again and spending every day happily together.

She became a wanted person because she had killed many people, and she couldn't be by his side during the hardest times, but it was all to help him.

She didn't want to meet like this.

It was miserable.

Her loss of power.

Her lashing out at him.

Her regret over her past actions, which were meant to help her brother—.

“Damn, it’s dark.”

At that moment, the door to the room opened.

The one who entered was Mimon, who was shorter than Lark and wore colorful clothes she had never seen before.

Lark knew that Mimon belonged to the "Silver Scales" and was part of her brother's party.

“Don’t come in!”

“Oh, right. You can’t see, can you? So it’s okay if it’s dark.”

“Don’t come in, I said!”

Lark tried to feel around for something to throw, but there was nothing nearby, as Cook and the others had already thrown everything out. The table with the meals had been moved a bit away, which was probably Cook’s foresight.

Mimon, who entered the room boldly, opened the window. The light that streamed in revealed the room's mess—pillows, sheets, vases, and bottles were scattered on the floor.

“Ah, no good. If you stay in a dark place like this, you’ll get mold on your head.”

“Shut up!”

“Besides, I don’t think it’s good for a girl to talk like a guy. Girls have their own weapons, you know.”

“Shut up, I said!”

Lark, reaching out with her right hand, suddenly realized that her familiar dark blade was not there.

“...All this frustration is because you lost your talent.”

Mimon’s words pierced her heart deeply.

“Then... what’s it to you? If I die here, it’s none of your business.”

“It is my business. Because Reiji will be sad.”

“I don’t know anyone named Reiji!! My little brother is... my little brother...!”

Feeling someone nearby, Lark raised her face.

A moment later, she heard a dry sound—she needed a moment to realize that her cheek had been slapped.

“As a sister, you should be happy about your brother’s growth!!”

Mimon’s voice echoed in Lark’s stunned mind.

“Why can’t you acknowledge it!? Reiji has been working really hard to get your praise!!”

“...To get my praise... from me?”

“Of course! Reiji has been saying since he joined our party that he wants to meet his sister. He said he has to meet her. It’s his first goal in life.”

“...”

Lark, touching her cheek, turned her sightless eyes toward Mimon.

“...Are you crying...?”

The sound of drops falling and a sniffle. Mimon’s voice was trembling.

“It’s frustrating...! You denied Reiji, who worked so hard...! Even though, Reiji said it was his fault... and he looked like he was about to cry...”

“...My little brother...”

Mimon wiped her eyes with her index finger.

“I was asked by Reiji to meet the ‘Sage of Pharmacology’ for your sake. Medicines are the specialty of the Halflings. But if you die before we return, it will be a problem. I can’t face Reiji. So you will receive special treatment—there’s a high-level healer on their way to this town right now.”

“...I...”

“Just so you know, you don’t have a choice.”

“Huh!? Why!?”

“Because Reiji said so.”

“...”

Lark, stunned, slumped as if all the strength had been drained from her body.

“What is my little brother... what happened in those four years I didn’t know about...”

“You can ask Non, who will treat you. She’ll tell you everything.”

“...You...?”

“Huh?”

“What are you to my little brother?”

Then,

“I’m someone very reliable and very close to him. Someone he can rely on immediately if anything happens! In other words... yeah, I’m!”

Lark couldn’t see Mimon’s radiant smile, but she could easily imagine it.

“I’m his mom!”

That was a bit too much, and the comment was immediately made.

Mom Non! (Confused)

The book version is also highly praised (compared to our company) and is now on sale (truth)! Please do check it out!

You can go to the Narou book page by tapping the book cover at the bottom of the page.

(The book page was quickly posted by the management... thank you, thank you)

And, by the way, I just went to the police station, and on the whiteboard, it said, “December 3rd is Calendar Day.”

Is it because the numbers 1, 2, 3 are in a row?

(What’s the point of announcing this at the police station?)