Chapter 17: Small Fires
Azelda’s entourage of men escorted her back to her quarters, her legs shaking all the while. Ruri and the others remaining in the garden were left speechless.
Kotaro walked over to Ruri, his head and his tail hanging low. “I’m sorry, Ruri.”
“Kotaro?” replied Ruri.
“I was right here, yet I couldn’t protect you...” he said, looking thoroughly depressed.
“You don’t have to be so down on yourself.”
“No, this is a failure I will bear forever. I am so pathetic—listening to Earth’s advice and digging up dirt like I was without a care in the world.”
“Digging up dirt?” Ruri repeated. She looked around the garden to see that several spots were indeed upturned, revealing the brown soil below.
“Why were you digging up the ground?”
“Why? Just having some fun because I was getting bored,” Chi said. He had tagged along because he thought the prospect would be fun, but it seemed he grew tired of Ruri’s back-and-forth with Azelda rather quickly. Ruri failed to see how that led to digging holes, however.
Agate peered into one of the holes, and his eyes went wide in shock. “What is this?!” he exclaimed, sticking his hand in the hole and pulling out a stone-like object. From its glittering luster, it was very clearly a gemstone. However, it was as big as a fist—far too big for an ordinary gemstone.
Jade, curious as well, peered into the hole while cradling Ruri. Lying inside were several multicolored gemstones of various shapes and sizes.
“What is this?!” Ruri asked in surprise, forgetting the pain in her body.
“Made ’em ’cause I got bored. People like stuff like this, right?”
“I mean, if you asked for my honest opinion, then yes. But still.”
“Well then, they’re yours, Ruri. I don’t need ’em, after all.”
“O-Oh, thanks.”
Ruri wasn’t quite sure what Chi was trying to do. Why would he make gemstones just because he was bored? Granted, she was taking if Chi was offering, but he was still too much of a free spirit for his own good.
Nevertheless, Ruri was worried things might get out of hand if it became common knowledge that Chi could produce gemstones out of nothing. Those blinded by greed might attempt to kidnap him if they ever found out. However, considering he was a supreme-level spirit, that worry was most likely unnecessary.
Agate thought to himself for a moment as he looked at the gemstones. Then he turned to Chi and asked, “Would you mind me asking, O Spirit of Earth, if you might be able to make other gemstones as well?”
“Yup, sure as shoot can.”
“Truth be told, I’ve been searching for fine quality gemstones about this size, but I simply haven’t been able to find any that are worthwhile,” Agate said, miming the size he was after with his hands. It was smaller than a closed fist but considerably large in terms of a gemstone.
“Gotcha,” Chi cheerfully said in acknowledgment. He started to pace around in circles while Ruri and the others watched on, baffled as to what was going to happen. After he made a few spins, he came to a quick stop and called Kotaro. “Alright, dig ’er up, Windy.”
“Fine,” Kotaro said, skillfully using his front legs to dig up the plot of land Chi paced around on. He put so much effort into digging you’d swear he was a real dog.
As he dug on, large gemstones with a rainbow-colored luster started to pop out.
“Mm, they’re coming out,” said Kotaro.
“Ooh, this is amazing! More than I could ever imagine!” Agate said in jubilation, clapping his hands and staring at the gemstones that were bigger than his description.
“I can understand Euclase-san’s desire for jewels, but I never expected you, too, Agate-san.”
“What are you talking about? These are for His Majesty.”
“For Jade-sama?”
“That’s right. These are to be used in the jewelry necessary for His Majesty’s wedding ceremony with his future bride. It will surely craft something incredible,” Agate said, grinning in delight with gemstones in hand.
How extravagant of a piece of jewelry was Agate trying to make with a stone of that size anyway? Actually, considering that Jade didn’t even have a marriage partner yet, he was definitely jumping the gun.
“That should be enough conversation for now. We’re going to the infirmary, Ruri. We need to get you medical treatment immediately,” said Jade as the pain Ruri forgot about came back with a vengeance.
“That no-good wench!” Ruri said, cursing. Even she had her limits of tolerance. She could feel the anger seething from within after suffering from Azelda’s assault. Not to mention, Ruri was currently and had been in the form of an adorable cat. What kind of self-respecting person would lay their hands on an animal like that? It made Ruri want to sue her for animal abuse.
As such, Jade quickly carted her off to the infirmary.
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
“Gah, it’s gotten red. This is definitely gonna leave a mark,” Ruri commented. She had returned to human form to receive treatment and was looking at the side of her torso in a mirror. She couldn’t tell while in cat form, but now that she took a look as a human, she could see the utterly red spot that Azelda kicked and trampled over.
“Lady Beloved, I will see to your wound, so sit here, if you would.”
“Right,” Ruri said, showing the doctor the reddened area.
Once the doctor started palpating Ruri’s abdomen to assess the damage, pain shot through her body, making her wince.
“Mm-hmm, there doesn’t seem to be any broken bones, but I will apply some medicine,” the doctor said as they began to grind some medicinal plants with a mortar and pestle. Then, once the medicine was done, they smeared it onto a square cloth and pasted it onto the afflicted area. The initial chill from the fresh medicine made Ruri jump, but the area started to warm up a little in time. “That should do it. I will give you some painkillers, so be sure to get plenty of rest.”
“Yes, thank you very much,” Ruri said, thanking the doctor. She took the provided medicine and walked out of the infirmary.
Waiting outside the door was the usual cast of Kotaro, Rin, and Chi, but there was one more—Joshua.
“Huh? Joshua?” Ruri said, taking a scan of the area only to realize that Jade, who was supposed to be waiting outside the door, was nowhere to be found.
“If you’re looking for His Majesty, Finn called him away.”
“Oh, I see...” Ruri trailed off. She was disappointed that she couldn’t tell Jade she would be all right since he was so concerned in the first place.
“Apparently, there were multiple small fires breaking out in the castle town.”
“Huh?! Are people safe?”
“The fires themselves weren’t too big, so they were able to put them out right away. But, y’see, since it wasn’t isolated to not just one but multiple locations, they’re suspecting arson.”
“Oh, yikes, that’s terrifying. No one’s found the culprit?”
“Right, about that. Seeing how the culprit might not be done yet, we’ve sent a slew of soldiers to the castle town. I’m bettin’ they’ll catch them in no time. It would be fine if this were just some random guy getting his jollies off by setting things ablaze, but given the intel we have about the Reapers in the capital and the Church of God’s Light assaulting Beloveds, even His Majesty is concerned as to whether this could be playing a part in that.”
“The Reapers, huh?” Ruri repeated, concerned that a guild of assassins might be in the capital, though she knew there was nothing she could do.
“We have the castle firmly secured, and you have the spirits to protect you, so you should be fine. But, just to be sure, be careful. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Anyway, are you doing okay? I heard the Beloved of Cerulanda busted you up.”
“Yeah. It hurts, but I’ll manage.”
“They told me Kotaro snapped on her. If she’s not gonna have spirits by her side, you can’t really call her a Beloved, right?”
“It’s only natural, considering she hurt Ruri,” Kotaro chimed in, puffing his chest in pride.
Ruri awkwardly smiled. “Still, I kind of think you may have gone a little overboard...”
Going from always having spirits by your side to suddenly not at all must’ve been pretty damaging to the girl’s psyche. After having the spirits always showing you the utmost care and affection, a life without them seemed inconceivable.
In Ruri’s case, she wasn’t able to see spirits until she came to this world, but even so, it was hard to imagine her life without them around. In fact, if they were to leave her now, the depression would be unbearable. Considering Azelda had lived with them ever since childhood, that sense of loss was most likely immeasurable. It seemed a tad too severe for a punishment.
“I’d say she’s getting her just desserts. Plus, if you were to let that girl have her powers, she’s bound to cause more tragic casualties. You may have stopped her here, but if she were to go back to Cerulanda, there’d be no one to stop her. I think that her not being a Beloved is better for everyone, if you ask me.”
“Yeah, but, I think that her not being a Beloved anymore is a huge issue. What is she going to do now?” Ruri wondered aloud. She most likely couldn’t ask for the same treatment she’d received up until now. Not only that, but Cerulanda would cease to receive the tidings from the spirits they’d enjoyed this entire time.
“Well, I guess she’s gonna be pretty darn confused. But they were the ones who sent that Beloved our way in the first place. Letting their Beloved throw her weight around is Cerulanda’s responsibility to bear. Neither the Beloved of the Nation of the Beast King or Spirit King would act in that way, so it’s totally a lack of proper upbringing on Cerulanda’s part. And, well, I guess they’re gettin’ their just desserts, too.”
“Hmm, well, you do have a point.”
Ruri thought that maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give Azelda a second chance considering she was still in her teens. However, she also felt that if she let her off the hook so easily, Azelda would never change her act. Ruri had no idea what the best course of action was. She could feel the butterflies fluttering around in her chest.
“You don’t need to worry about that, I tell ya. Things will run their course. That aside, Ruri, what did you do with that good-luck charm?”
“Good-luck charm?”
“The glass beads you got when we went walkin’ in the capital the other day, the ones infused with spirit power. You know, you got hurt, right? I was curious if something happened as a result. You’ve still got it inside your pocket space, don’t ya?”
“Oh, that. I gave that to Jade-sama.”
Joshua’s face tensed up. “Woah, woah. What if somethin’ happens to His Majesty?”
“But isn’t it safer in the hands of Jade-sama since he’s the strongest of all the dragonkin?”
“When you put it that way, it would be safer... I guess?” Joshua said, not really sure what to think.
“He’s the Dragon King, so he’ll be just fine,” Ruri assured him.
Ruri parted ways with Joshua and spent the rest of the day recuperating from her injury. Then she ate dinner and took her painkillers. Not long after, she received word from Jade to go to bed without him since he was preoccupied with work, so Ruri followed his suggestion and headed to Jade’s room by herself.
“Okay, good night, guys,” said Ruri.
“Yes, good night, Ruri,” replied Kotaro.
“Nighty night~” replied Rin.
“G’night,” replied Chi.
Since they weren’t allowed in, Kotaro and the others parted ways in front of Jade’s room, and Ruri entered inside. She took a short dip in the bath, being careful of her bruise. Then, as she was changing into her pajamas, she was hit with an intense sense of drowsiness. She shook her head, clasping her hand over her temple.
“What’s going on? I’m so sleepy... Are the painkillers taking effect?” Ruri asked herself as she laid down in bed and slipped out of consciousness in the blink of an eye.
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