Chapter 25
“Heirin says he has something to tell you.”
Adel’s hunch was right.
“I have nothing to hear from him.”
“Then you don’t need to meet him. He’ll be leaving the mansion tomorrow anyway. As long as you don’t run into him until then, it’ll be fine.”
It was good news. Adel let out a sigh of relief and pressed her hand to her chest.
“Then go back to resting.”
“Thank you.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for.”
“No, you’ve done a lot for me.”
Adel gave a warm smile. She still felt uneasy until Heirin left the mansion, but as long as she was careful until then, everything would be fine — or so she thought.
“Slow down!”
Leon called out in worry as Ronshka ran ahead quickly.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not! You still can’t run that well!”
“Yes I can, I run well now!”
Ronshka could now banter and bicker with Leon, and when standing still, he hardly stuttered anymore. His spirit magic was also improving steadily, and even Lucas had praised him.
With exercise and good meals, his body had filled out a little, looking healthier than before.
“If you trip and fall, Lady Adel will be upset!”
At those words, Ronshka slowed down. He glanced toward the part of the mansion where his mother’s room was.
Maybe she would wave to him from the window — but nothing appeared.
He felt a little disappointed, but it was fine. She would be waiting in her room when he got back.
“So why are you coming with me?”
“Because I want to see Lady Adel too.”
“Why you?”
Even when Ronshka gave him a displeased look, Leon stood his ground.
“Because it’s fun when we play together.”
“I like playing with my mom alone.”
Even with his complaints, Leon didn’t back down. Just as Ronshka had changed, Leon had too.
“Oh? It’s Rosalyn.”
In front of them, Rosalyn appeared, twisting her hair nervously as if she was in some trouble.
“Rosalyn!”
Seeing them, Rosalyn’s expression darkened further. She opened her mouth a few times, hesitating, but then made up her mind.
“Ronshka!”
Ronshka looked at her with a “Why are you calling me?” expression.
“Can you come with me somewhere for a bit?”
“No.”
Though he had gotten to know Rosalyn fairly well, Ronshka’s first priority was still his mom.
“Ronshka!”
Leon jabbed Ronshka in the side with his finger.
“What?”
“She looks like she’s in a hurry — shouldn’t we go with her?”
“Why?”
“She’s your friend.”
Friend. Ronshka glanced at Leon, then looked at Rosalyn again.
They trained together, played together, ate together. Was that what being friends meant?
His mom had said friends were good to have in large numbers. Still, Ronshka liked his mom better than friends.
“Will it take long?”
“No, just a short while.”
“Then I’ll go.”
For the first time, Ronshka put a friend’s request first. Just for a little while. He could see his mom soon anyway — that’s what he thought.
“Thanks.”
Rosalyn said that and walked ahead. Her back looked tense and impatient.
“Here we are.”
She led them to a building standing apart from the others.
“This is the annex,” Leon said, looking around.
“Yes, we live here.”
Rosalyn opened the back door of the annex and stepped inside. Even though it was daytime, the hallway inside was dim.
“It’s dark.”
Leon’s casual remark made Rosalyn flinch before she replied.
“The first floor’s dark because of the shade from the trees outside.”
“Then why not turn on a lamp?”
“I left it like this to practice spirit magic.”
She raised her finger and summoned a tiny flame spirit — small and weak-looking.
“That’s small,” Ronshka said without thinking, but Rosalyn’s shoulders drooped. Leon jabbed him in the side again.
“So, why did you bring us here?”
“There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Now Leon started to feel uneasy. But since Rosalyn was their age, he didn’t turn back. He let his guard down.
At a large door, Rosalyn knocked softly. From inside, it opened — revealing a man with dark hair and a sturdy build.
“Albert.”
“Miss Rosalyn. Guests, please come in.”
Looking past him, they saw two more people inside. One was a shabby, middle-aged man in worn clothes. The other was Heirin.
Leon’s face hardened. His master didn’t like him meeting Ronshka. And now Rosalyn had brought them here together. What should he do in this situation?
Leon pressed his lips tightly and stared at Heirin.
“An unwanted guest came along too?” Heirin said lazily, gesturing them in.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. Come here, Ronshka.”
Ronshka looked at Heirin, then at Rosalyn. She was gripping the hem of her robe and keeping her head down.
“I’m leaving.”
Ronshka turned to go — but Albert blocked the way.
“Oh no, we haven’t even started talking yet. You can’t leave so soon.”
“My mom doesn’t like you.”
Ronshka spoke clearly, glaring at Albert.
“So I’m going back.”
But Albert didn’t move aside. Flames began to rise from Ronshka’s hands.
His speed in summoning a fire spirit was far beyond Rosalyn’s. The spirit that appeared was bigger and stronger too.
“Impressive,” Heirin said with satisfaction. Meanwhile, fear appeared on the middle-aged man’s face.
“M–monster!”
Ronshka’s eyes turned toward him. At first he hadn’t recognized him, but now he remembered — he was a man from the tiny mountain village they used to live in. He had shouted cruel things at his mom and secretly hit Ronshka.
Ronshka had avoided him ever since burning the firewood in his hands out of anger — but he remembered him well.
Ronshka’s eyes grew sharp. At the same moment, the middle-aged man screamed and crouched down — flames were burning his clothes.
“Ahhh! S–save me!”
He frantically slapped at his clothes, but the flames wouldn’t go out.
“Ronshka!” Leon cried out in alarm.
“It’s not me.”
Ronshka looked at Heirin. The flames burning the man came from him.
“Eeeek! Save me!”
The man’s screams grew louder as the flames burned hotter.
“Water!”
Leon grabbed a water bottle in desperation, but spirit flames couldn’t be put out so easily.
“Please put out the fire!” Leon shouted urgently.
But Heirin didn’t lift a finger.
“Look, Ronshka. Look at the foul and filthy man.”
The flames burning his clothes now seared his skin. His screams rose higher and higher, but Heirin didn’t seem to care.
Ronshka looked at the man as Heirin said. Back then, when he had been attacked, the man had seemed terrifying. But now he didn’t. Now he just looked like an insect writhing on the ground.
“Spirit fire is noble and beautiful. A person who controls such fire cannot be a monster. Look at that pettiness — calling everything they don’t understand a monster.”
Heirin stood and walked toward Ronshka.
“Spirit users are great.”
He extended his pale, graceful hand invitingly.
“And with me, you can become even greater. Ronshka, come with me.”
It was a tempting offer. But Ronshka refused.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I like being with my mom more.”
He spoke at length without stuttering once. Mom would be proud. Even now, in this situation, Ronshka smiled thinking of her.
“Foolish. But fine.”
Surprisingly, Heirin didn’t get angry. As if expecting the refusal, he calmly withdrew his hand.
“Put out the fire, please!” Leon shouted again.
This time, Heirin dispersed the flames burning the man. Leon, who had been frantically moving, could finally stop.
Fortunately, the man had only light burns and wasn’t dead.
“Hhh… hhh…”
He shook and sobbed in fear.
