Volume 2 - CH 50

After the greeting, the woman in charge placed a lock and needle on the desk. The dull silver-colored lock has a coat of arms engraved on both the lock and the key.

“Then, please make a contract with the spirit Spriggan. Please draw blood from your fingertip and bring it closer to this lock. The spirit inside will receive the blood.”

After the woman in charge finished explaining, Falk held out his hand.

“I’m going to stick the needle in your fingertip, please lend me your hand. I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt.”

“Oh, yes. Please.”

Alme understood that this was why a priest was called. Although she still had some doubts as to whether it was necessary to go to the trouble of calling a high priest.

Alme held out her right hand to Falk. At the same time, she gently hid her left hand. If he catches sight of the trivial injury, she’s likely to be shoved into an exam room.

She would try to secretly hide the injury and later see a priest that treats the common people. She wanted to avoid bothering a high priest that is above the clouds.

Falk took Alme’s hand and pricked her fingertip with a needle. At the same time, his magic healing light shone brightly. He seemed to have taken the pain away.

The fingertip, with a small drop of blood on it, was brought directly to the lock. Then, a particle of light erupted from the lock.

In the glittering light, she could see a dwarf-like spirit for a moment. The dwarf reached out and touched the blood on Alme’s fingertip.

She wasn’t sure, but she thought the palm-sized dwarf had a powerful ogre-like face and was holding a club. It disappeared in an instant, but it seemed that this was the spirit Spriggan.

Waiting for the light to fade, the woman in charge picked up the lock and faced Alme.

“Thank you for your time. The contract is now complete. We will prepare a special packing box for the delivery and pickup of the magic stones, and this is the key to the box. Please be aware that if anyone other than the contractor forcibly pries open the lock or breaks the packing box, Spriggan will launch a retaliatory attack.”

“Retaliation?”

A dangerous word came out and made her eyes widen in surprise. As if to add to it, Falk spoke softly.

“Spriggan will hit that person on the head with a club, so please be careful not to let outsiders touch it as a prank.”

“T-that’s a hot-blooded spirit…”

Alme somehow made a contract with a scary spirit… she thought from now on she will be very careful with the handling of the packing box.

After wiping the blood from Alme’s fingertip with a cloth, Falk quickly applied healing magic. The stinging puncture wound was gone in no time.

“Thank you, Mr. Falk.”

“It’s still too early to say thank you. I would like you to say it again after you show me your hidden left hand.”

“Ugh…”

Just when the contract ended and she was about to take a breather, she got a solid scolding.

She looked away, but it was too late. Falk’s falcon-like eyes narrowed sharply, as if he was watching his prey.

“…no, um…it’s nothing.”

“Show me.”

“Yes…”

Receiving an unquestionable order, she gently put out her left hand that was hidden behind her back. It was instantly seized by Falk and the bandages were undone.

Falk frowned at the sight of the injuries.

“It looks like a burn. What happened?”

“I got a little impatient while cooking…when I saw that black…”

“No way, another robber!?”

Falk’s golden eyes widened and he let out a low voice. His face and tone of voice suddenly changed into a harsh one. This appearance is powerful and frightening.

Alme quickly added.

“No, it was a black bug! A black bug!”

“A black bug?”

Lou added an explanation to Falk who was puzzled.

“It’s similar to a beetle. They are called black bugs here.”

“It came out while I was cooking and startled me so much I tipped the soup over…”

“Why were you in a hurry to deal with a mere bug? Seriously… such an injury!”

Falk, who had a dumbfounded face for a moment, returned to a stern expression again. Before Alme can make an excuse, words of scolding are released one after another.

“You were lucky that you only got a burn on the hand, but what if your whole body was soaked? If you were cooking, your clothes could have caught fire in your haste.”

“I know…I have nothing to say for myself.”

“And the swelling all over this hand doesn’t seem like a symptom of a burn.”

“…I used too much ice magic to cool it down…”

“Why didn’t you come to the temple right away!? Rely on healing magic rather than ice magic!”

Alme shrugged as she was glared at. She felt like a mouse in front of a hawk…

As she bent her head down to escape the line of sight, the night of that festival crossed her mind. Come to think of it, it seems that there was a similar exchange…

When she was thinking that, Falk made a surprised face. At the same time, he sat down, still holding her hand, and peered into her face.

Suddenly she was startled by being at eye level. A face like a male god approached her and she involuntarily leaned back.

Falk looked into Alme’s eyes with a strange and confused look.

“No, um, it’s not…I mean, I’m not blaming you, I just want you to be careful…! Please don’t cry! Okay? I’ll even heal your injuries!”

“Thank you…well, I’m not crying at all, so I’m fine.”

If anything, Falk, who had a desperate expression, seemed to be looking like he was about to cry. That’s what she thought, but she kept it to herself.

The woman in charge, who was watching the exchange, was stunned. The people in the office, who had been glancing at us, also stopped moving and watched.

If Shirotaka, the prince of the temple, was flabbergasted, she could understand that. Alme even saw him on his knees the other day, so she has developed some tolerance for such behavior.

If someone who only knew the face of “Mr. Shirotaka” saw it, they would be surprised.

Lou let out a low chuckle and seemed to be holding back his laughter. Since he was introduced as his foster grandparent, he seemed to know the real Falk very well too.

While nodding, Lou muttered to himself in a small voice that she couldn’t hear very well.

“Is this Shirotaka’s favorite perch? It’s like you’re clinging on with all your strength rather than resting your wings.”

Soon after, as if regaining his composure, Falk adjusted his posture and held his large hand over Alme’s left hand and used healing magic.

“Thank you very much, I’m sorry… I’ll be more careful next time.”

“Please do so. Also, please come to the temple as soon as you get hurt. Or you can call on me.”

“I would never do that.”

It is indeed impossible to use a high-ranking priest like a servant. When Alme thought so and spoke back, Falk had a sulky, complicated look on his face.

After the treatment, Alme exchanged farewells with the woman in charge and left the office with Falk and Lou.

Next to the reception counter, she exchanged farewell greetings with the two of them.

“Mr. Gray, it was an honor to meet you. Thank you very much.”

“By all means, please call me Lou. I enjoyed talking with you.”

“Mr. Falk, thank you for helping with the contract and treating my injury. I apologize for taking up your time.”

“No, no, don’t worry about it. Oh, that’s right, Miss Alme. I’m supposed to be the guarantor for the job, but in the unlikely event that something happens to me, I’ve asked Master Lou to take over as the guarantor. Don’t worry about that.”

“Huh?”

When Alme looked up, Lou was smiling gently.

“Falk is a military priest, so he doesn’t know what might happen.”

“If I don’t return from the battlefield, don’t hesitate to rely on Master Lou…”

“I don’t want that!”

She quickly spoke up loudly to the two people who were talking like it was no big deal. She huffed and added.

“Oh, no! I’m extremely grateful for assistance, Mr. Lou…I meant, it’s more than I can bear the thought of it! I don’t like the idea that Mr. Falk won’t be back…please don’t say something like ‘in case something happens to me’, I’ll be sad. I would be very sad if something happened to you.”

When she looked up at Falk, he turned his face away. No, what is that reaction?

Even though she’s seriously complaining, she should avoid this conversation here… she can complain again on her next day off. Complaining to Shirotaka in the temple would attract public attention and would be a little embarrasing.

After glaring at Falk who didn’t respond with his face turned away, she exchanged farewell greetings with Lou.

“He may look like this, but he’s a tough guy, so don’t worry. He is usually a simple man, but on the battlefield, he is more than that. The name of ‘white falcon’ is not for nothing.”

“Well, yes… that’s right. Well, Mr. Lou, thank you very much for your concern. Then, I’m sorry to take up so much of your time, so I’ll be leaving now. Have a nice day, everyone.”

“Have a nice day.”

With a bow, Alme left them. In the end, Falk did not turn his head toward her.

After Alme left, Falk finally regained his movement and exhaled deeply. Lou poked him in the side with his elbow and said.

“Really, what are you doing, blushing all by yourself? Why don’t you say something to reassure the person waiting for your response?

“I’m…sorry, I was caught off guard. Looking up at words like that…I guess you could say it’s male instinct…”

Falk began flapping his hands and fanned his face. He was blushing and sweating from embarrassment.

Lou continued his words while looking at the situation with an astonished expression.

“But, well, she’s a good girl, isn’t she? Try not to make her cry.”

“Yes…I’ll be careful. I don’t want to see her cry anymore.”

Breathing heavily once more, Falk finally regained his composure. Thus clear-faced and quiet, the man is like a work of art displayed in a castle.

“…Also, if you find your favorite flower, don’t forget to get rid of the bugs.”

“She’s not like that.”

“You’ll attract more and more bugs to the single lady.”

“Please stop. Even though you’re my teacher, I won’t tolerate vulgar jokes.”

After saying in a harsh tone of voice, Falk glanced at Lou. Muffling his words, he added in a whisper.

“…aside from that…is there even something like a pesticide for this situation?”

However, that was just an impression from the side. To Lou’s eyes, he was nothing more than a frightened chick.

Lou couldn’t bear to leave him alone like this, so after this, he thought to tell him what kind of pesticide to use.