Chapter 136

As soon as morning dawned, Egru departed from the World Tree with his companions.

“No, Hero! Don’t leave!”

“Why do you keep pretending you can’t see us?”

“At least take me with you! Hero!”

The voices of the spirits, to whom he had grown attached, faded into the distance.

“Losers!”

Kunte, the Spirit of Communication, cackled from atop Egru’s shoulder.

“They should have chosen their allegiances more carefully!”

Kunte was the only one who could escape the World Tree by securing a contractor.

Egru turned to look at Kunte, who sat on his left shoulder. The adorable homunculus with dragonfly wings was clutching his stomach with laughter.

He resembled the fairy-tale sprites Egru had heard about in childhood. Though peculiar with the dark circles beneath his eyes, he was exceedingly cute.

How am I able to see you?

“Ah, naturally my contractor can see me. We’re bound by the heart, after all. The people beside you can’t even sense my presence, so rest assured.”

Kunte answered while glancing sideways at Gilbert and D’Élysée from his perch on Egru’s shoulder.

“When speaking to me, simply rehearse in your mind as you’re doing now. The mere thought of me will reach my ears. I look forward to our partnership.”

Likewise. B-but I was wondering…

“You want to know what I meant by your medium?”

Egru’s eyes widened in surprise.

How did you know?

“That’s child’s play for me. I am the Spirit of Communication, after all.”

Kunte’s nose tilted upward. As Egru marveled, Kunte’s cheekbones rose prominently as he continued his explanation.

“It means you’re a corpse, Lord Egru. That’s why other spirits dismissed you as secondhand.”

Unable to conceal his shock at this completely unexpected answer, Egru froze.

I’m a corpse?

“Yes, that’s essentially your nature.”

C-could you explain in more detail?

“Hmm, you’re obviously a corpse. What more is there to explain?”

Amber eyes blinked repeatedly.

What was he talking about?

Were spirits always this vague with their explanations?

S-so now that we have a contract, will you stay by my side?

“No, I’ll come immediately when summoned, but otherwise I roam freely.”

Kunte stood up, using Egru’s hair as a handhold. His weight was so negligible that Egru felt no pulling sensation.

“I’m fortunate to have you, Lord Egru. Having a contractor makes exploring the outside world much easier. I needed to collect payment from my previous contractor, but thanks to you, things have become simpler.”

Collection?

“Yes, he was a rather nasty fellow. Just because he knew some magic, he expelled me as he pleased. Something about not being able to lose pain, or needing to seek forgiveness. In any case, unilaterally breaking a contract like that does such terrible things to me…”

As Kunte prattled on with his complaints, D’Élysée glanced briefly at Egru.

“Is something wrong, Brother?”

His eyes were suspicious, as if he had detected something unusual.

Egru thought his brother was indeed an exceptional Sword Master to notice, but quickly shook his head. He straightened his gaze forward, not wanting to appear strange. Fortuitously, Kunte’s complaints also concluded.

“Actually, my previous contractor is someone deeply connected to Lord Egru. Though I don’t know the precise circumstances, that’s how it appears to me.”

W-with me?

Egru mentally cycled through the faces of his few acquaintances.

Someone who might have contracted with a spirit…

Could it be Salvanel? Or perhaps the Orc King of the Demon Alliance?

Yet neither seemed the type to stiff a spirit and drive it away.

“Anyway, only I can do this because I can traverse even the gates of death. Other spirits would have been helplessly blinded and oblivious.”

I-I see.

“My goodness, I’ve rambled too long.”

Kunte shook his translucent wings, preparing for flight. Glittering powder drifted down from his fluttering wings.

“It’s an honor to be with you, Lord Egru. Please call on me anytime. I’ll stay by your side until you grow into a proper Hero.”

Thank you, Kunte. Take care.

“Yes, I’ll visit you frequently as well.”

Kunte flew up to Egru’s eye level, bowed his head in farewell, and departed. He vanished with a flutter, trailing sparkling powder like a tail. Spirits remained fascinating creatures upon second viewing.

How to describe it? It felt less like gaining a friend and more like acquiring a business partner.

This is good too, right?

The more people he knew, the wider his world seemed to become. With a sense of fulfillment, he continued striding forward for quite some time, until the sun began to set.

“Watch your step, Brother.”

A gentle voice reached him. D’Élysée spoke, his face tinged with the soft glow of sunset.

“The leaves are wet. You might slip if you step carelessly.”

Egru nodded vigorously in understanding. D’Élysée smiled and turned his gaze forward again.

Contrary to Egru’s concerns, Gilbert and D’Élysée didn’t fight at all. They simply ignored each other as if the other didn’t exist, traveling in silence.

However, both being of considerable size, they kept moving closer to Egru. Sandwiched between them, Egru had to walk in a cramped, hunched position.

“Grrr…”

With a low growl, Gilbert’s black tail twitched irritably. Apparently uncomfortable in clothes he hadn’t worn for a long time, he kept twisting his body and scratching himself.

Gilbert had made one promise to Egru: while it didn’t matter in uninhabited areas, in villages he would coil up and tuck away his long tail.

This was because in regions unfriendly to demonkind, they might become embroiled in unwanted conflict.

“Looks like we’ll need to camp tonight. We’re still heading northwest, correct?”

D’Élysée asked, pulling out a compass from his robe pocket. Egru nodded affirmatively.

This was the next destination indicated by the status window. It appeared to be the location of the second relic.

As a cool breeze blew, Egru inhaled deeply. Leaves rustled against each other, and the warm sunset bathed the forest.

“Brother.”

D’Élysée, having put away his compass, suddenly thrust some dark berries toward Egru.

“Would you like to try some blueberries?”

Hmm? When did he pick those?

Has D-D’Élysée eaten any?

Glancing at his brother, D’Élysée answered automatically, “I’ve already eaten.”

Only then did Egru express his gratitude and accept the blueberries. He offered some to Gilbert, but Gilbert ignored the gesture and continued walking.

When Egru reached up to hold them in front of Gilbert’s mouth, a growling sound emerged. At this, D’Élysée raised an eyebrow, seemingly displeased.

Egru finally withdrew his hand and put the round berries into his own mouth. As he gently bit down, the subtly sweet flesh burst forth.

Delicious…

Egru smiled broadly. Seeing his innocent smile, a mysterious gleam appeared in D’Élysée’s eyes.

That was the beginning. From that moment on, D’Élysée began presenting Egru with every edible thing he could find.

“Brother, try these and this too. You should eat this one whole.”

They were mostly wild berries. More than ten varieties of fruit in different sizes and colors were delivered in abundance.

During their walk, D’Élysée would suddenly disappear and return with his arms full of unfamiliar fruits.

Neither D-D’Élysée nor Gilbert seems to be eating any…

Whenever Egru tried to return some berries to D’Élysée, suggesting they share, he firmly refused.

“Don’t worry about me. You need to eat something right away.”

After hesitating for a while, Egru turned to look at Gilbert.

“That kind of stuff doesn’t even register with me.”

Gilbert said without turning his gaze. He had apparently noticed Egru’s desire to share earlier.

Yet for some reason, Gilbert had been looking increasingly anxious. Whenever D’Élysée attended to Egru, Gilbert would glance around nervously.

“That’s right, we can feed ourselves. Go ahead and eat, Brother.”

D’Élysée added kindly. Egru hesitated, looking at the pile of berries in his arms.

B-but it’s already almost evening…

Should he save some for everyone to eat when they camped?

Thump—!

At that very moment, Gilbert plunged his hand deep into the ground. Sniffing as if searching for something, he forcefully extracted the hard earth in an instant.

“Got it.”

As Gilbert withdrew his hand with a smirk, Egru’s pupils dilated dramatically.

In his large hand, from which soil was tumbling, was a captive mole.

The bewildered mole twisted its plump body, employing its survival instincts.

“Meat tastes best, naturally.”

Gilbert thrust the fluffy-furred mole forward. The mole, suddenly exposed to light like a bolt from the blue, trembled all over.

“Eat.”

Gilbert spoke to Egru while deliberately staring at D’Élysée. His red eyes brimmed with triumphant sentiment.

As D’Élysée’s expression grew cold, Egru whispered to Gilbert, who had bent down to his level.

“Th-thank you, Gilbert. But couldn’t we just release it? H-how do you eat a mole?”

“Why can’t you eat it?”

When Gilbert asked as if perplexed by the question, Egru could provide no answer.

“Want me to remove the head?”

Gilbert attempted to demonstrate personally.

As the mole’s head entered his gaping mouth, Egru panicked and pulled Gilbert away.

Fortunately, the adorable mole was able to return to the earth.

D’Élysée, standing behind Egru, silently smirked. Gilbert wrinkled his nose in anger, glaring at D’Élysée.

All of this friction occurred well above Egru’s head.

I-it’s my first time seeing one this close…

Egru was simply fascinated, watching with wide-eyed wonder as the mole swam through the soil.