Delicate, slender hands rested on the shoulders of Idiot, who, upon lifting his gaze, could once again see a gentle smile peeking from beneath the cloak. And his own right hand… it remained a part of his body.
"Oh, master, aren't you being a little too cruel? To test him with such means, isn't that a bit harsh?"
"… Master, you… your words… are... rude… it's just… "
The girl didn't say anything, but suddenly, near her, appeared two mini elves, only the size of a palm. These elves also wore white capes like the girl's, floating in mid-air, one with a confident smile and the other visibly anxious.
Today, the boy had been accustomed to these strange matters happening in front of him and felt that the night's events in the cave had surpassed his ability to comprehend.
As he struggled to stay calm and sort out his thoughts, one of the elves landed on the girl's shoulder, saying leisurely, "Congrats, my master hasn't taken a disciple in a century. Aren't you going to kneel and show your gratitude?"
The elf's words were clearly in jest, and Idiot could tell from her casual tone. But he didn't understand why his hesitation seemed to be the right answer.
Delicate, slender hands rested on the shoulders of Idiot, who, upon lifting his gaze, could once again see a gentle smile peeking from beneath the cloak. And his own right hand… it remained a part of his body.
"Oh, master, aren't you being a little too cruel? To test him with such means, isn't that a bit harsh?"
"… sister, you… your words… are... rude… it's just… "
The girl didn't say anything, but suddenly, near her, appeared two mini elves, only the size of a palm. These elves also wore white capes like the girl's, floating in mid-air, one with a confident smile and the other visibly anxious.
Today, the boy had been accustomed to these strange matters happening in front of him and felt that the night's events in the cave had surpassed his ability to comprehend.
As he struggled to stay calm and sort out his thoughts, one of the elves landed on the girl's shoulder, saying leisurely, "Congrats, my master hasn't taken a disciple in a century. Aren't you going to kneel and show your gratitude?"
The elf's words were clearly in jest, and Idiot could tell from her casual tone. But he didn't understand why his hesitation seemed to be the right answer.
"Child, the two paths I offered you, weren't they unfair? One path would make you supreme, the other would strip you of everything. But you must realize, the world itself is unfair. Inequity in choice is also common and reasonable," the young woman spoke slowly.
One of the elves on her shoulder said, "Boy, the first path is just a lure. Choosing it means abandoning this child and your sense of responsibility as a human, along with the 'last piece of goodness' in your heart. If you chosed it, my master had taken the baby girl without hesitation, taught you something not very awesome, then released you, a completely fallen man, to meet your end at the hands of a stronger being in the name of justice."
The other continued, "But the second path… is also a trap. In fact, no one would choose it… if you did, it would only show how hypocritical and foolish you are, using even your feelings for this infant as a bargaining chip. If so, my master would still take her and leave you here alone. Oh master, how cruel you are…"
The boy's face turned pale, and even without showing it, a subtle fear took root in his heart.
"However, you hesitated before such a seemingly easy choice," the young woman said with a smile.
"The desire for power, the reluctance to separate with the child, they tip the scales of your heart, but neither side has too much weight. The hesitation is the emotion a 'person' should have, which devils would abandon for pure chasing of power."
"People can be greedy, angry, hateful. But conversely, they can also experience things in their lives that are difficult to let go of, things that they are willing to sacrifice for without expecting anything in return. Child, you are not a sewer rat; you are a person. Because you are a person, I will help you."
Without seeing the woman get up or take a step, she hovered backward, standing next to the giant wolf, now a good distance from the boy.
"Child, stand up. Now, I'm going to teach you something. You may not know the history of the sword wrapped around your hand, and in the future, you might be repeatedly beguiled by its words and power. I'm going to show you how to control it and how to utilize its power for yourself!"
The bloody red eye of the devil in the sword's hilt suddenly opened widely and fiercely, yelling in the unknown ancient language, "Warrior Goddess! You break the covenant—! You aren't allowed to interfere—!"
The woman didn't even glance at the bloody pupil shining evil light aggressively but simply looked directly at the boy still seated. She raised her hand, and the boy felt a gentle force lifting his body. Then, extending a finger, she pointed at his forehead.
...