Volume 1 Chapter 2 Part8 (2/2)

“If you can appear withoutout humans, then I want you, by all means, to aid us Can you see the children inside this temple?”

“Yes There are many of them Everyone…is tired and injured”

“I want to save those children If we could just bring them with us to Winea…”

“Is it safe there?”

Leena asked casually Fin was prodded on his ive a reply In his place, Nellis answered

“We don’t know, but it’s a big town there and there’s gonna be an incomparable amount of soldiers there So, I think it’s safe Can you see it, Leena?”

Shake shake Lenna shook her head Nellis gave a strained smile

“I see Of course It takes 4 days on foot, so no matter how you look at it, you can’t see it, huh”

“I could see it, if I use the Dragon Eye technique”

“What’s that?”

“A o If you do stuff like cover or equip in advance, the special tool that ion’s eye, in the location you want to see, then you can sense the situation there froreat war”

“…………”

The brother and sister were at a loss for words for a while, after ancient htly They were suddenly hit with the realization that the girl before them is actually not a human and that people live in different times

After a little while, Nellis shyly asked

“Um, well, Leena…how old are you[1], now?”

“Eh? I ah There’s only one”

“?? U about how many years have passed since you were born”

“Ah, I’m sorry Uhhhh, probably, I think I’m around 16”

“16 years old,” she wondered Certainly, her outer appearance rese at her way of belittling herself, sheof age

The brother and sister exchanged faces of wonderment Leena was perplexed and her face became uneasy

“Um…is that, important?”

“Nah, it’s fine She was just a bit curious, that’s all”

Nellis who had soesture and returned the conversation to the main topic

“More importantly, how about it? Do you think you will take on our favor?”

“Yes With pleasure”

It’s been quite the long tireement He was unintentionally deeply moved Leena’s own face became happy, maybe because she sensed Fin’s heart But, it was only for a moetic way

“Ah, but…you know, I, can’t stand and walk, in front of you”

As usual, Leena’s way of speaking is slightly off from that of “a human’s style” In this case, there was no distinction to the human brother-and-sister pair whether she meant that she can’t stand or walk in front of the there

Leena continued her explanation in a panic after looking at the perplexed faces of the two

“Um, well you see, that is, in other words, it’s like this If it’s just ht—Ah, umm, Nellis is OK as well, then it’s fine But, I can’t when there are too many people awake”

“Is is because of that seal placed on you by your parents?”

“That’s right If I coer, then I’ll…be weakened I’ll no longer be able to be visible by huin to seek pohen they have those feelings Before those types of people, I have to hide”

It was an aard explanation, but the logic was conveyed Fin looked at Nellis’ face and after that, he said while feeling a bit disappointed

“But Leena, we aren’t like…”

“It’s not all bad It’s just that er and scraet tired and becohs at their own disappointood Even if that’s not the case, daytis’ ”

“I’ized in a lonely manner Fin shook his head

“You don’t need to apologize Well then, the current world must be hard for you to live in”

“If I didn’t have a seal placed on inally However…I can only cohttime, but is that still fine?”

“Of course You’ll be a great help Well then…it’s bit sudden, but”

Fin took out a piece of parchment that was folded in two from his pocket and opened it

“If we are going to leave in the , which areas are safe?”

Moonlight flickered over the parchround Leena bent down to take a peek and her pale, warht

“We’re here right now, right? In that case…”

Lenna quickly raised her head and took a look around her surroundings With her golden eyes, she’s probably looking at a view that’s coht after, her eyes returned back to the er

“Children can probably reach around here by foot, I think? If you can reach as far as here within the day, then it’s safe But, the Followers of Darkness do not always re in ambush do not leave their place, there may be others that patrol the area Be careful of them, OK?”

Leena said as she pointed her finger at a little bit ahead in the highway Fin looked over the map and blinked his eyes

“The place where you’re pointing at, is there anything that would act as a landmark?”

“Ah, that’s right I’m sorry Um on the roadside There’s also, hmmm…a small well If it’s that area, then it’s a safe place to cross over at night”

“I understand Thanks”

When Fin said his thanks and folded the map, Leena ser so he stopped her hand in a panic

“Please wait I’ht Plus, Nellis is here as well”

Saying that ave a strained smile to Leena who tilted her head

“Soo to bed like a human”

“Really? Well, then”

Despite having a puzzled look, Leena lightly touched the forehead of each of the siblings Drowsiness didn’t hit hi mode Beside him, Nellis yawned

“Sleep well”

Leena smiled as she said She hesitated for only a moment, but then aardly leaned over and kissed Nellis’ cheek After that, she stood on her tiptoes to Fin…

“Uwaa, no, I’m fine”

Fin ran away in a panic Nellis burst out laughing and Leena blinked in surprise

“Isn’t this how you ‘say goodbye’?”

“No, well, you see That’s souess But that’s…you see…In other words, I’m not a child anymore”

Fin explained incoherently Nellis poked his side with her elbow

“Why don’t you also ‘say goodbye’ without thinking any weird thoughts, Big Bro? Well, I’ht, Leena”

Nellis laughed while saying just that, and she waved her hand as she headed inside first Fin saw her off with a pitiful look on his face and ad

When he turned around, Leena was still staring at him intensely With that, she really looked like a puppy

“………”

“What’s with that look?” Fin pondered with his hand placed over his le compromise

“That’s right, Leena You’re, you see…16 So that means you’re older than me”

While saying that, he bent down and for just a ht that it felt like he was touching a cloud, but it surprisingly rese as well Leena stared in wonder and placed her hand on the spot he touched As her behavior was so innocent, Fin unconsciously smiled

“Good night”

He whispered and stepped away in a hurry Before slipping past the door, he looked back one more time Leena still had her hand on her forehead and stood up like that with her face turning red But when she noticed Fin in her line of sight and returned back to her senses, she smiled shyly and waved

“Sleep well”

A delightful voice, alure softly disappeared, as if she dissolved into the ht

[1] いくつ could be read as either “how old are you?” and “how many?”