NOVEL NEXT Chapter 94.2
Let’s Make Our Own Handcrafted Amulet
“But Yuuri-nii, you’re amazing for thinking of making an amulet!”
“Am I?”
“Yeah, because we’re supposed to get amulets from the church, right?”
“Hmm. I guess so. Church amulets are blessings that call on divine protection.”
He wasn’t about to deny it; he believed in their power. Students buy charms for exams, people visit shrines at New Year’s for blessings—it’s the same idea. But he also thought there could be power in handmade amulets made with love. The thoughtfulness behind a grandmother’s handmade charm, for instance, might carry unseen strength. Yuuri believed that a charm made with love for someone would have its own special effect, even if there was no proof.
“Besides, we’ve all put our wishes for your brother’s safety into this amulet, so I’m sure it’ll be alright.”
“Do you really think so…?”
“Absolutely.”
Yuuri smiled reassuringly at the girl, who tilted her head uncertainly. There was no evidence that a homemade charm would work. But he felt that as long as they believed in it, the charm would serve its purpose.
“Alright, this pouch is done. When you finish that, place it inside and give it to your brother.”
“Okay! Thank you, Yuuri-nii.”
“My pleasure. I enjoyed making this.”
Yuuri handed the completed pouch to the girl, smiling warmly. He genuinely enjoyed making things for others. The white fabric clover she held was now embroidered with three leaves. The last one, she planned to finish at home with help from her parents. And then, she would give the amulet, made by everyone, to her brother.
“Tell me how your brother liked it, okay?”
“Will do!”
When Yuuri patted the girl’s head, Rooks seemed to sense it was time to go and gave a little bounce. Until then, Rooks had been quietly staying at Yuuri’s feet, but now hopped up to match Yuuri as he stood. Such a clever slime, as usual. …Well, given it’s an ultra-rare named variant, that’s only to be expected.
“A charm you bought with money probably has blessings too, but I think a handmade one from family is just as nice~”
“Kyuu?”
“Because it’s the only one in the whole world, you know, Ru-chan. Don’t you think that’s amazing?”
“Kyuui!”
With a smile, Yuuri received Rooks’ answer in the form of a cheerful bounce. Its bright eyes gazed up at him, a look so intelligent it seemed almost unthinkable for a monster. Yuuri laughed happily. Maybe I should make something too, he murmured casually, his thoughts drifting to the clan members who sometimes came back with injuries. While treasure hunters don’t usually dive headfirst into danger, battles are inevitable, and they don’t always return unscathed.
That idle thought felt like a good idea to Yuuri. It might be nice to ask the clan members to each add a stitch or two to the embroidery. A four-leaf clover would be great, but if there’s something personally meaningful to each of them, making charms based on those could be nice too. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
“Roo-chan, would it be okay to stop by the craft store again?”
“Kyu.”
“Thank you.”
Naturally, Rooks, who saw itself as Yuuri’s familiar, had no reason to refuse. Just being by Yuuri’s side was enough to make him happy. Such a laid-back slime—truly a fitting match for its master.
And so, a few days later, the clan members would be delighted with the handmade charms Yuuri handed out, as if it were destined to happen all along.