Ch. 270

‘Don’t look back?’

But I could feel a threatening aura radiating from behind me. Rai frantically tried to stop me, but my body—sensing danger—turned on its own.

Two men were behind me, locked in a silent battle of nerves.

“Young Master, are you going to react every single time a Mage calls a Spirit?”

“Well, don’t you react every time a swordsman draws his sword?”

“Even when a sword is drawn, it doesn’t always see blood.”

“That’s what the scabbard is for.”

“If you strike, you could kill her!”

Ash was holding Rovenin’s scabbard down with his riding crop.

Only then did I realize what had happened. I’d merely tried to give my exhausted horse some water, but Rovenin had reacted and almost struck me with his sheathed sword—until Ash stopped him.

A chill ran down my spine at what had happened in an instant.

To think I was the last to know the back of my head had nearly been smashed in.

[…That bastard tried to hit you in the back of the head, Master!]

[You! You told me not to look back because you were afraid of getting scolded!]

[Yes! You were going to ask me what I was doing! I’m a Metal Spirit! I’m not a wind spirit! How was I supposed to stop that! You’re so mean, Master! This is an extreme job! Guarantee my basic rights!]

‘This little shit…’

Rai was quick to get the first word in before I could scold him.

He’d already finished his excuses and justifications, and even blamed me.

“Geenie?”

“Hm?”

“Why did you suddenly try to call a Spirit?”

It felt like a strange question.

Calling Undine was just part of my daily life.

I called her when I was thirsty, when I wanted to wash up, when I was lost, and when I was bored.

There was no ‘suddenly’ about it. Like how you don’t suddenly breathe or suddenly eat.

Still, this was my chance to learn that to swordsmen, it could look like I was drawing a weapon without warning.

“The horses looked tired, so I was just going to give them some water.”

“…Is that really all?”

“What else?”

“Could it be… that you… like horses more than people?”

Now I understood why he looked so suspicious. I wasn’t usually the type to care for others.

“You didn’t know? For starters, a horse is about a million times better than Rovenin.”

[I guess Ash didn’t know. That you really love horses, Master. You don’t worry about Master Yael, but you do worry about Blondie.]

[I hope my Blondie is doing well.]

Blondie was my white horse I’d left at the academy.

It wasn’t just that I liked animals. I loved horses themselves. I could spend all day praising how powerful, beautiful, and magnificent their large, muscular bodies were.

The reason I’d spared Bright several times when I was about to kill him was because I was thinking of Blondie—the horse he’d gifted me. That said it all.

“I like horses more than Lox, too. Oh, and more than Chad!”

“…I see. Young Master, has the misunderstanding been cleared up a bit?”

Rovenin didn’t answer. He just stared at me intently, still in a stance that looked ready to draw his sword at any moment.

His eyes were so full of unspoken curses that I could understand them even without Ash interpreting.

If you have a complaint, say it with words. Why are you being such a dick with your eyes?

“What a ridiculous bastard, really. The reason I would suddenly attack him… actually, there are a few, aren’t there?”

[A lot.]

“But if I had intended to attack, I wouldn’t have called Undine. It would have been Undaine at the very least. The flow of Mana would have been much greater!”

I was going to let it go, but the more I thought about it, the more pissed I got.

To think he tried to whack the back of my innocent, law-abiding, noble head!

Anger often comes with a delay.

“Geenie, I’m sure the Young Master understands it was a misunderstanding.”

“What does that psycho know!”

“How about you stop provoking him and release the Dark Elf first…”

“Move! He keeps getting on my nerves!”

Ash tried to block me by stepping between Rovenin and me, but he couldn’t shut my mouth.

“Hey! I won’t say it twice, so listen up! You unlucky bastard! I will never attack you with Undine, so rest assured! You’re a coward! A coward!”

“Geenie!”

“Can you even call yourself a swordsman if you draw your sword at a mere pup! You’re a coward! With so little patience, is your mental training going well? Huh? Why haven’t you gone berserk? Why don’t you just die from Mana reversal!”

That bastard’s sword and scabbard should be fused together by Rai.

He’s the type to draw at the drop of a hat and threaten people.

“Young Master! You attacked first, so be patient!”

“…Move.”

“Rovenin is a coward who gets scared even by my cute little Undine!”

“O-Of course… I know she went too far… but didn’t you go too far as well? You were both in the wrong, so it would be best to stop here.”

[Come to think of it, Ash has it pretty rough, doesn’t he?]

A power struggle erupted between Rovenin, who was trying to pull his sword out of its scabbard, and Ash, who was trying to force it back in.

Watching them press together, grip each other’s hands, and have a staring contest was so heartwarming that a pleased smile spread across my lips.

‘Sigh, this damn popularity… to have two men fighting over me.’

[…?]

‘What, if you have a problem, say it.’

[No… it’s true they’re fighting because of you, Master. Let’s just go with that.]

It was a weirdly unsettling reaction, but I let it slide.

I had to call Undine while Rovenin was occupied.

I’d always been the type of kid who wanted to do things more when told not to.

“Undine!”

[Yes, Master!]

I pretended not to notice the physical struggle happening right next to me and gave the horses plenty of cool water.

And just in case Rovenin tried to touch her, I pulled Undine into my arms and hugged her tight.

I didn’t forget to coo and fuss over how cute she was, as ostentatiously as possible.

‘You’re trash for being wary of such a small, sweet child.’

Did he understand what I was saying with my eyes? Rovenin let go of his sword and tried to come toward me, only to be grabbed around the waist by Ash.

“Please! Just stop!”

At a glance, Ash seemed to be losing in strength, but maybe because their desperation was different, the fight didn’t end easily. I cheerfully watched the thick veins bulge on the backs of their hands.

The muscles that stood out enough to pull their sleeves taut were also quite a sight.

Whether the two men were tumbling about or not, I showered Undine with kisses full of love.

What a peaceful night!

[Hehe, if you’re happy, Master, then I’m happy too. Did something good happen?]

“Of course. I have you by my side, Undine.”

[Tsk.]

[By the way, Master? Why am I a pup?]

“…I said that when you weren’t here. How did you know?”

[You were about to call me, so I was listening closely. I heard you call me a puppy. What does that mean?]

[Gosh, that water head. You don’t even know that? It’s because you’re weak as… la la la. La la la, loo loo.]

Rai quickly changed his tune before his head could be separated from his body. A wolf with its head rolling around would be grotesque.

“Well, puppies are cute, and Undine is cute. So Undine is my puppy.”

[Aha!]

“Undine is the cutest in the world.”

I gave her cool forehead another series of small pecks.

[And, Master. I’ve been hearing a scary sound for a while now… What’s inside there?]

“A nasty Dark Elf is in there.”

[I smell a Spirit!]

“Well, that’s because most of their race are Spirit Mages.”

Maybe because it was a familiar scent.

Undine was a little scared, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the covered iron cage.

I rummaged at my waist and pulled out the bundle of keys I’d received earlier.

“Undine, have you ever seen a Dark Elf?”

[No.]

“Then you’ll see one today. I was just about to let them out.”

With a slight smile, I turned my gaze to the two men who were still locked in their war of nerves.

“What are you two doing! Stop fighting and take that cloth down!”

[Master. Isn’t the difference in your tone when you talk to Undine and when you talk to them a bit too much? I’m used to it, but…]

“Tsk. If they’re going to follow us, they should be quick on the uptake. So useless.”

As I shouted in annoyance, Rovenin shot me a million curses with his eyes.

But the more he did, the better I felt.

Yes, hate me. Hate me more. Despise me.

Your anger is my joy.

“Listen to this, Undine. Can you believe that red-headed coward was so scared of you being summoned that he tried to knock me out? He was about to whack me in the back of the head…”

[Then… are you on bad terms again?]

Undine’s body began to boil as if on high heat.

Damn it.

“No? Who said that? We get along great. Right, Rovenin?”

“Crazy…”

When I sidled up and pressed against him, Rovenin’s disgust was so extreme it was practically visible.

How can he not even stand it for a few seconds?

[He seems to hate you.]

“He’s just so happy. He’s shy. Men are just not honest, you know.”

“…Young Master! Lower that hand!”

“I should just snap that… slender neck…”

“Stop it! Young Master! No! You can’t! Wait!”

Rovenin and Ash had been making a racket for a while now. It was like watching a snarling dog and its owner.

The only unusual part was that the dog had a face vicious enough to bite its owner too.

A vicious dog like Rovenin seriously needed a magic suppressor.

[I wish I could put the magic suppressor the Dark Elf is wearing on Rovenin’s neck. Then he’d have to obey me.]

[That sounds harder than putting a bell on Magi’s neck.]

[Magi? Well, that’s not hard.]

[What would you do after making him obey you?]

[Well, I’d make him kneel beneath me and subject him to all sorts of dirty, humiliating acts…]

[…Humiliating acts…?]

I had momentarily forgotten Undine was sitting on my shoulder, staring with sparkling eyes.

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