NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8 - Side Story: Gilnandio, Part 3
Side Story: Gilnandio, Part 3
My unpleasant suspicions were growing into certainty. Because, the child showed no signs of even knowing her own name. The amusement I felt at the adorable way she stumbled over my name evaporated.
I told her her name, trying to sound as natural as possible. I was relieved to see that she didn’t seem to find it strange to be called “Meg,” but when I touched upon the subject of her earrings, she clutched her ears and turned pale, making me panic a little.
Her pointed ears were a defining characteristic of elves. Her reaction, a fear of having them seen, was only natural.
The elves, with their beauty, were an easy target. Blessed with inherent magical power and a predisposition towards unique abilities, they were, disgustingly enough, highly sought after in the human continent, traded at high prices. Furthermore, Meg was a child, utterly defenseless. Though she had no memories, it was entirely possible that she’d experienced something that left her with a deep-seated terror.
Imagining such a thing filled me with a helpless rage and, at the same time, a powerful urge to protect the child before me. Seeing Meg’s teary, uncertain reply when I asked about her guardian solidified my resolve. I would protect her, no matter what.
Seeing Meg had calmed down, I told her it was time to go. The dungeon’s monsters would soon be respawning, and it would soon be time for others to enter. I felt a twinge of regret for lingering a little too long, but Meg’s feelings took priority. I couldn’t avoid a boss battle, but that can’t be helped.
To confirm, I asked Meg if she wanted to come to the guild with me. The guild would definitely protect her. I was certain they would never refuse.
…Good thing I checked. She was holding back, the little thing. I wanted to lecture her on what she intended to do on her own if I hadn’t been there to help.
…Perhaps she wasn’t used to relying on others. Seeing her like this was almost painful. I couldn’t help but wish she would just rely on me. Meg probably wouldn’t accept it unless I went this far. That’s why my heart ached when I saw the relieved smile she gave me as she said, “Please take care of me.”
Holding Meg in my left arm, I headed for the boss room. It was faster to go this way than to backtrack to exit the dungeon. If I wasn’t confident in my abilities, it would be safer and more reliable to turn back, but the boss of this level was no match for me.
As we came to the door of the boss room, Meg stared at the door curiously. From the looks of it, she didn’t even realize that this was a dungeon… The thought of the person who had abandoned Meg here filled me with murderous intent. Even with the powerful protective magic on her earring, if I hadn’t come along, she could have starved to death. At least an explanation… No, perhaps she was better off not knowing. Though forgiveness was out of the question.
Anyway, there was no point in standing around. Resolving to move forward, I pushed the door open.
“Eek…!”
A small shriek escaped Meg, who was in my arms. The boss of this room was… hmm, a Leogar chimera. Its appearance alone was enough to frighten a child.
However, although this one possessed powerful fire attacks, if you knew how to land a hit, even a mid-level party could defeat it without much trouble. To minimize the time Meg had to spend scared, I decided to finish this quickly.
I gently stroked Meg’s rare, pinkish-gold hair to soothe her and deployed a strong barrier. An attack reaching us was unlikely, but it was a precaution to put Meg at ease.
“It’s alright, it’ll be over soon. Wait here.”
“Gil-shaaan!? It’s dangerous!”
A smile spread across my face at the cuteness of her worried voice. I hadn’t shown her my strength yet, so I might as well put on a flashy display here and give her a sense of security.
Putting strength into my legs, I dashed towards the Leogar in one swift motion, reaching for my sword at the same time. The Leogar began to charge up for a fire attack, but it was too late.
Unsheathing and delivering a single blow, I returned my sword to its scabbard.
Behind me, the Leogar, now reduced to a head, let out its first and last attack towards a corner of the room before collapsing. I watched as its headless body toppled over, disappearing without a trace as dungeon monsters did.
Glancing at Meg, I saw her staring at the scene with wide eyes. I smiled faintly at her adorable reaction. Being on the receiving end of such admiration was a bit embarrassing, but also pleasing.
Casually gathering the Leogar’s dropped items, I walked over to Meg. It seemed my plan to defeat it before she could feel true fear, replacing it with surprise, had worked.
I teased her a little, and, noticing this, Meg’s cheeks puffed up slightly. …She wasn’t scared at all.
“Alright, we’ll head back… but first, let me cast a little concealment magic on you.”
“Concea-… what?”
“Right. It’ll be troublesome if we leave the dungeon with me carrying you like this.”
With the boss defeated, there was no need to remain here. I’d completed the request, so I needed to report back to the dungeon reception and get back to the guild. I couldn’t let anyone see Meg. It would be a waste of time, and there was a high chance that whoever abandoned her was still nearby. Even if there were unavoidable circumstances, there was no doubt that someone with ill intentions towards Meg existed.
Honestly, the magic in Meg’s earring was overkill. It would make sense if she was a treasured daughter from a sheltered, wealthy family, but judging from her thin frame and simple clothes, that seemed unlikely. And yet, it necessitated such powerful protective magic. The conclusion was inescapable.
Meg was being targeted by someone.
What kind of situation was she in, and what kind of existence was she? Normally, I should stay in this town for a while to investigate. If Meg was abandoned a few days ago, it would be common sense to investigate before the trail went cold.
However, taking Meg along with me had its limits. Putting her in danger went against my every instinct; I wanted to get her to a safe and comfortable place as quickly as possible. For once, I regretted taking on a solo mission.
I would reflect on that later. My current mission was to safely deliver Meg to the guild while gathering as much information as I could. I could use magic to collect some of it.
It was safe to assume that with me having completed the dungeon request, it wouldn’t be long before someone figured out where Meg was. That was why I wanted to stay one step ahead. To avoid being pinpointed, I couldn’t risk revealing my identity while investigating.
Normally, my reputation as Gilnandio of Ortus was enough to pressure others, and I could even use it to my advantage to be deliberately conspicuous. But this time, it was different. I needed to proceed cautiously… A challenge, then.
This was a request I issued to myself, one that no one else asked for.
I’ve been doing this for years. I would make sure to produce good results.
Even if Meg turned out to be a threat to us.
I would protect this child until I was certain otherwise. Even if it was foolish, I would trust my gut and act accordingly.
With renewed determination, I held Meg, cloaked in concealment magic, and stepped out of the dungeon.
——
Leogar → A lion-like creature. Males have manes.