Chapter 83

【Chapter 3, Part 2】

Clyde has a scene that always comes to mind whenever he thinks back to his childhood.

"Brat, how much longer do you plan to take to steal this little bit of information?"

"..."

Amidst the pain of his broken bones, Clyde, who had barely managed to escape, was taking shallow breaths.

"Forgetting the favor of being bought with money, you've made a mess. The more you dawdle, the more dangerous it becomes for us too. Do you understand that?"

"Ugh...!"

The man rolled Clyde's body on the floor with the tip of his shoe. Despite the excruciating pain, Clyde gritted his teeth to keep from screaming. The men looked down at him, cracking jokes.

"Well, it's fine. This is a copy of the magic book that the royal family of a supposedly impregnable country kept hidden. If we choose our buyers carefully, we can sell it for a high price."

"Kids are useful, you know. They make the targets talk more easily. Even if they get caught, they often end up half-dead instead of killed."

"Haha. But when they do get killed, they get killed."

Laughter echoed in the bleak stone room, though no one understood what was so funny. One of the men suddenly spoke up.

"Hey, someone's coming!"

"Shit, let's get out of here!"

"Wait, what about this brat? If he's found, he might spill the beans."

"Who cares, you take him and run!"

Amidst the pain, Clyde thought he heard their conversation. As the footsteps faded away, he realized he had been abandoned. But he didn't have the strength to get up.

(If they knew that the copy of the magic book was a fake, slightly altered from the real content, what kind of faces would they make...?)

He couldn't even manage a smile as he thought this. Someone was approaching, and he was about to lose consciousness.

Would it be the pursuers from that country? Or perhaps the knights of this country, who had come to capture the men who bought Clyde? Either way, Clyde would be captured and killed.

Just as he was about to give up on everything, a warm force flowed into his body.

"..."

He was able to open his eyes, which he couldn't open before. What he saw was a young girl, a few years younger than him, looking at him with concern. She had pale blue eyes, and her hair, the same red as Clyde's, was wavy. Her dress was old and worn, indicating a poor background.

"Are you okay...!?"

The girl had soft, pale blue eyes. Her hair was wavy and the same red as Clyde's. Her dress was old and worn, indicating a poor background.

"..."

"Ah! Sorry, you don't have to talk...! Just stay still for a little longer...!!"

Soft light emanated from the girl's hands and seeped into Clyde's body. The pain disappeared, his body felt lighter, and his wounds began to heal.

(This is healing magic...?)

Only a select few women among the world's magicians could use healing magic.

Even those who could handle a little healing were highly valued everywhere. The girl in front of him had perfectly healed Clyde's broken bones. He understood how remarkable that was, even at his young age.

"Does it still hurt?"

"...No."

With the girl's help, Clyde sat up.

"I'm fine now."

"!"

When he answered, she smiled broadly, looking genuinely relieved.

"I'm so glad...!"

"―――!"

It wasn't the first time he had received kind words. Clyde's job, using his magic, was to steal secrets from various places. That's why he was bought by someone and managed to survive until today.

Using his child's face, he was doted on at his infiltration sites. He would lull people into a false sense of security with their casual affection, sometimes getting caught and beaten, even nearly killed. In those days, he would intentionally get injured to gain sympathy and extract important secrets from good people.

He had used those who worried about him as a substitute for a non-existent family. The period when he felt guilty about this had long passed, even in his youth. Yet, the girl's smile, who genuinely worried about the real Clyde, burned into his memory.

"You're hurt too."

"Ah! I'm not very good at healing myself..."

She looked down, blushing, and her face was very endearing. But the bruises all over her body were very pitiful.

"What's your name?"

"Me? Yes! I'm, I'm... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh... Sh...