Chapter 273

Chapter 273. Just Go to Sleep

“…Maybe ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍I shouldn't have agreed to this.”

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Forest Witch raised her head and looked up at the sky.

When ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍she tilted it all the way back, she could see an island the size of a fist directly above her.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only looked that small from down here. Up there stood a huge tower, and the President was there, too.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Forest Witch, sent down beneath the floating island by that very President, sighed.

“Let's ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍have a drink before I start.”

She tossed back her allotted 1st process Dark Elixir in one swallow.

The 2nd process Dark Elixir was given only to the blood relatives who fought. For office workers(?) like the Forest Witch, only the 1st process was permitted.

Even that gave her strength, so she drank it, thinking it was better than nothing.

After all, things were about to get truly difficult.

“Well, they say starting is half the work.”

RUSTLE―

At a gesture from the Forest Witch, a sprout no bigger than her thumb grew beneath her feet.

This pathetic little thing was half of it…?

“To make this reach all the way up to that floating island… Sigh….”

Looking up at Sky Island as she spoke killed every last shred of her will and courage.

“…Is this for real?”

She asked the empty forest. There was no one to answer her. All she could hear in her mind was the reward her president had promised.

He had promised her every rare herb, plant, and tree in the West and in Majia, Wisdom's main camp.

That promise was the only reason she had not kicked the sprout over and left.

“Anyway, when the President dies, he's definitely going to hell.”

—Or so she said, but he was the kind of man who could negotiate even with a jailer in hell.

Drawn into just such a negotiation, the Forest Witch resumed work while cursing her president.

“Grow. Keep growing.”

At her words, the sprout began to grow. In the time it took her to catch her breath a few times, a beanstalk as tall as she was had formed.

“I hate calling this a beanstalk, but I can't think of anything else to call it.”

She continued working, filling the forest's silence with her muttering.

She had not always talked to herself this much, nor had she been unable to bear quiet.

But working beside someone who led a noisy life, and joining in the commotion herself, had changed her. Silence had naturally grown unfamiliar, something far removed from her daily life.

“Maybe I should've brought someone to talk to.”

No one in particular came to mind, but she wished someone were there.

RUSTLE, RUSTLE―

The beanstalk kept growing until it was large enough to climb herself. It was needlessly sturdy, too.

Apparently, Jack might climb it someday. Or something like that.

Most of what the President said made no sense at the time. Only later did she learn what he meant.

That had given her a habit of not listening too closely in the moment, but what did it matter?

Her young president never gave an employee a task they could not do.

He did not ask the Forest Witch to be stealthy or order the Head Maid to grow a beanstalk.

“I don't know who's going to climb it, but I feel sorry for them.”

Jack, after struggling up the beanstalk, would face giants. The Jack in the story had gotten what he wanted, of course, but reality was no fairy tale.

The giant this Jack would face was the President, far more cunning and devious than any giant in the story.

That devious President was wicked enough to deceive not just his enemies but his employees, too.

“This… There's no way one beanstalk can serve as a wall.”

No matter how thickly she wove and twisted a single beanstalk, it could cover roughly one side at most.

“I'll need at least three more besides this one.”

Only now realizing the scale of the work, the employee slumped down atop the beanstalk, which had grown so high that the ground was far below.

No matter how she looked at it, the bargain was not worth it.

“This is overwork and exploitation.”

The Forest Witch, having correctly grasped her predicament, looked ready to form a labor union. But—

“Forest Witch.”

Her president was a weasel even the Emperor had acknowledged.

“…Head Maid?”

“The Young Master sent a gift to thank you for your hard work.”

“This is….”

The Head Maid held out an elegant flowerpot secured inside a glass case.

“Jubel said it was very difficult to obtain.”

The single flower growing in the pot had leaves that gave off their own golden light.

Even through the glass case, the light gave off a warmth like sunshine. In fact, a flower was producing light with the same effect as sunlight.

It was so rare that the appearance of even one bloom in ten years would be fortunate.

“A Sun Flower…. How did he get this…?”

“He said he searched every black market in the East. Please, take it.”

“I-It's for me?”

“The gift is from the Young Master, not me. If you want to thank anyone, thank him.”

A labor union, my ass. She would bury her bones here.

With the Sun Flower tucked under one arm, the Forest Witch even took off her hat and looked up at the sky.

The light dazzled her so much that she could not look straight at Sky Island, where the President was.

It was not sunlight. The President's generosity shone so brightly that it hid even the island.

The Forest Witch put her hat back on and nodded vigorously.

“Forget a week. I'll finish it today.”

“Please do not overexert yourself. I will leave you to your work.”

The Head Maid, who had arrived riding a Bone Wyvern provided by Chief Secretary Luda, flew away.

At the same time, the Forest Witch's work picked up a fiery pace, and the beanstalk grew and grew.

***

The youngest son, who had given the beanstalk its fertilizer through the Head Maid, stood in an empty space on the outskirts of Sky Island.

The marks were still vivid here, where he had made red snow fall through the Second Daughter's flames.

The Head Maid approached him as he stood in the middle of it.

“I delivered the Sun Flower.”

“Did she like it?”

“Very much.”

“Then the walls won't be a problem.”

Soon four enormous beanstalks would grow around the floating Sky Island.

The vines and branches entwined around them would be both walls to protect the sorcerers and paths for them to use.

At that thickness, even the mana bombardment of aerial warships would not easily break the Forest Witch's trees.

After all, besides the elves, she was the only one who could hear the World Tree's voice.

But that was someone else's trait. He set it aside for now.

“Are you still meditating, Young Master?”

“You don't need to flatter me by calling it meditation.”

“Then are you lost in idle thoughts?”

“Something like that.”

The youngest son was studying and researching a trait he had recently acquired.

Much of what he wanted to test was too dangerous to try in practice, so most of his research took place in his head.

He would mutter for a while, walk a little, stop and think, then walk and mutter again.

He acted only when he decided his thoughts were complete.

That time had not come yet, and he needed to sort them out. Still, there were other things to do.

“The young masters and ladies would like Six Paths mock duels.”

“I gave them time to rest, and they've all recovered remarkably fast.”

“What should I tell them?”

“Tell them I'll face them one at a time tomorrow morning, and have them decide the order. They're all at a higher level now. We can't do this all together anymore.”

“As you command.”

The Head Maid bowed and was about to withdraw when she looked at her superior, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.

For someone who had taken only a few brief naps over more than a week, he looked remarkably well.

“…Young Master.”

“What is it?”

“Many people rely on you.”

The Head Maid swallowed the words, I do too, and continued.

“Please take care of your health.”

The youngest son, who had been walking slowly, looked back at her and nodded.

“I'll keep that in mind.”

“Then I shall go.”

The Head Maid withdrew. As he watched her leave, the Magic Sword spoke.

[That woman has been worrying about your health a lot lately. Is it because you act like you're about to drop dead?]

“Why does your language keep getting worse?”

[Maybe the world's shitty. Or maybe you're shitty.]

“The world certainly has plenty of that. I've been thinking about what I can do with my mouth, too.”

Having casually settled on the former answer, the youngest son returned to the hypothesis he had been considering.

Ma'eon (Demonic Word), the special vocal power of the demon race.

Dragon Word, a vocal power only dragons with silver scales could produce.

And the vocal curses of sorcerers.

“Could I weave these three together?”

That was the question troubling him and the reason he had spun out so many hypotheses.

‘If I could weave them together, I could buff our undead legion and debuff our enemies—or even subdue them.’

For now, the idea was close to a fantasy, and the path ahead remained hazy.

He had never experienced ‘enlightenment’ like the people of this world, but he found himself hoping for it.

Nothing came to him, though. No, perhaps something had come after all.

“Master. Are you there?”

There was no one nearby, so he asked the empty air.

“What the fuck? How'd you know?”

And then she really did appear.

Despite her rough speech, Ransis strolled out in her full Messenger's uniform, her gait swaggering.

“Are you like the First Son, too?”

“I just guessed.”

“Damn it. The thief's own feet gave her away.”

Clicking her tongue, Ransis ran a hand through the back of her hair several times.

“So why'd you suddenly call me?”

“I have something to ask. I thought someone like you might be able to answer, Master.”

“Go on.”

His master had appeared by chance, but he had been holding a question inside.

“If the path I'm taking is one no one around me takes, one they don't even know exists, how can I tell whether I'm going the right way?”

“Hmm.”

Ransis scratched her cheek at the youngest son's question.

She seemed to be considering something, but it was not the answer itself.

She was considering how to soften the answer that had come to her at once. In the end, however, Ransis spat it out just as it was.

“Keep your eyes wide open, bastard.”

“…My eyes?”

“Yeah. You said you don't know if you're going the right way. Then open your eyes wider. Open your ears a lot wider, too.”

Ransis repeatedly curled and spread her hands around her eyes and ears.

“If you don't know, won't the people around you? What have they been telling you a lot lately?”

“They tell me to get some sleep.”

“Then sleep.”

WHOOSH―!!

In less than a second, his wrist was pulled, taking him into the soul dimension and back out again.

One moment the youngest son had been standing on the outskirts of Sky Island; the next, he was in his own room.

“…You must've been following me diligently if you even know where my room is.”

“Don't say things people could take the wrong way. Ahem. Anyway.”

Ransis picked up the youngest son and laid him straight on the bed. She slipped off his shoes without much care, pulled out the covers, and draped them over him.

The whole process flowed as naturally as water.

“…Doing this won't make me sleepy.”

“Close your eyes before you say that. Or do you want me to put you to sleep by force?”

No.

He answered by obediently closing his eyes.

“But I only drop by now and then, so I don't really know. How many days have you been awake? You're up every time I see you.”

“So you've been using me for entertainment.”

“Bastard, watch your mouth. I've been keeping an eye on my disciple as his master. I was ready to step in if anything dangerous happened, too.”

The disciple answered his master, who had laid out lies that were not quite lies.

“A little over a week.”

“Good grief. I've been talking to a corpse.”

Ransis clapped her hands with exaggerated force and said,

“You looked like you had something on your mind earlier. A healthy mind lives in a healthy body, and enlightenment comes only to a healthy mind.”

“Coming from a sorcerer, that isn't very convincing.”

“Damn it. Then just go the fuck to sleep.”

A succession of chills brushed the skin exposed outside the covers.

‘Has she gone?’

He opened his eyes to narrow, bleary slits. There he saw a face staring intently at him—and silver hair.

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