- Episode 13
* * *
Three days have passed. Estio, who returned to the headquarters, did not leave the room even a single step after that. Parker, worried about not seeing him all the time, visited the room several times, but there was no answer. He wouldn't open the door, so he was worried, but he had to go back without a hitch.
After meeting the Master at the Central Market, Estio returned as if he were not there.
In the dark room with no curtains, the only thing moving was Neju, covered in fluffy white fur.
"...what should I do?"
The red eyes that shine brightly even in the dark may look fierce at first glance, but in reality they were just restless. The white-haired monkey, who had been crouching on the bedside with only his fingers crossed, jumped up from his seat.
"Are you going to wake me up?"
At that moment, the sound of a cat crying came from below.
"It's no use."
With its long tail whipped in the air, the black cat jumped up onto the bed with graceful steps. I saw a young man sleeping, motionless. He put his nose slightly to the bloodless white palm that came out of the duvet, but he didn't feel any movement.
"I'd rather go out and call someone, dull kid."
"What?"
Unfortunately, Neju could not read Tsuki's thoughts. Leaving the little white-haired monkey tilting her head, Tsuki unsatisfiedly slapped her tail. Without Estio, they were two creatures that could not even communicate with each other.
For the past three days, Estio did not voluntarily leave the room. Even though he didn't know him, Estio used to take care of Neju and Tsuki's meals and take them for a walk. The reason he left the animals and plants he was responsible for for three days was because he had been unconscious all the time.
As soon as he entered the room, he collapsed without washing his eyes and did not wake up until today, three days later.
Neju, who had been waiting patiently, wondering if he must have been very tired until a day or two had passed, was starting to get worried.
"Kya, a strong and refreshing spirit!"
At the same time, Ahur, who had been able to sleep soundly without interruption, woke up shaking his branches.
"Hello, Ahur."
"Heh heh heh~ Good morning."
"But it is evening. The sun is setting."
"huh! You're still a kid, don't you know what? Listen well. Among sleep people who want to sleep, the time to wake up is in the morning."
The cactus, who did not know the situation yet, muttered in a proud tone. Then, not long after, she noticed the atmosphere that was slowly sinking somewhere and jumped up to Neju's side.
「No, but why is the atmosphere in this room like this? It's terribly wet. It's the rainy season laundry. What's going on?」
"That's it."
「Lee Sangta. Estio is not a good kid right now."
Ahur used to walk with his roots, but he wasn't able to jump yet, so he couldn't get on the bed and just spin around. When Neju vaguely informed of the current situation, Ahur heard the explanation and raised a thorn in amazement.
"You slept all the time while the sun went down three times? I hope this is!"
"Well, do you have something to point out?"
"I guess the sleep phase was transferred from me!"
Neju, who saw the flashing thorn, also took a deep breath.
"Really?! Could it be?"
"Sobbing. A side-by-side plant, an ugly plant……"
"Hey, what are these idiots talking about? Common sense is that the sleeping stage of plants is contagious."
Tsuki grumbled, but no one was listening. He hadn't told him to listen anyway, so Tsuki quickly turned his head away.
'But it's a bit dangerous like this.'
Whether you're human or not, it's never a good thing to deviate from your usual rhythm.
Nyaan.
An uncomfortable cry rang out along the tail waving to and fro.
'Who can help?'
Not like a black cat who doesn't like to be associated with people, Tsuki thought of leaving the room and calling a helper.
'Lina is a muscle idiot who won't be able to understand the signs I'm sending. Even though she's stupid, it's better to be a joiner who has a clue.'
He quickly beat the emerging nominee and Bernie Parker was the winner. It was the moment when Tsuki, who had made a fresh decision, was about to jump out of bed to call Parker.
fault.
The body that was supposed to be facing the floor floated up in the opposite direction. A familiar scent came from the two hands holding the black cat tightly. Tsuki gently embraced him without struggling, as the back of his dry hand was scratched by his sharp claws.
"It's okay, Tsuki."
「……Estio.」
"You don't need to call anyone else."
At some point, Estio woke up with her eyes open. He had such a normal face that it felt like a lie that he had slept without moving until now. Estio, holding Tsuki in her arms, looked back at Neju and Ahur and bowed her head slightly.
"I'm sorry I woke up late."
"Sigh. I'm glad. I thought I was sick because I didn't get up all the time!"
"It's not like the sleeper has moved! Good luck."
Estio smiled a little as he looked at the two of them who were trembling with fuss and were genuinely relieved. Then he smiled again and walked slowly.
flutter.
The cactus, who was looking up at him wearing the guild cloak he had taken off, shook the branches flutteringly.
「Ah, it's all over, but where are you going? If you woke up late, just rest more."
Then Neju asked with an innocent face.
"Is it morning when you wake up?"
"Ugh engong. That's only for plants. Estio isn't a plant, is it?"
"What about that?"
"People should definitely rest in the evening!"
Strictly speaking, it was difficult to see Estio as an ordinary 'person', but Neju agreed. Rather, it was Estio himself who did not agree.
"...I'll go out and take care of my meal first."
Even though the cactus Ahur was, Neju and Tsuki were animals that needed nutrition every day. As long as they are living animals, they will die if they starve. Estio let out a small sigh and looked at Tsuki, who was held in his arms like a kitten.
"Tsuki usually does well on her own, so why? If I hadn't woken up now, I was going to continue to starve."
"You have a fever."
Tsuki pointed out the other part instead of the answer. Even with a seemingly normal face, the black cat, who had been with him for 10 years and observed even a small habit, was sensitive to his condition.
"It's painful. Why are you pretending to be okay?"
The heat from the palms touching the black fur was much higher than usual. It was the moment when Estio was speechless and shut her mouth when she saw the thinned Odd Eye.
smart.
A polite knock was heard from behind the tightly closed door. After all, there was no reason to be vigilant because the only guests who came from within the guild headquarters were members of the same guild.
Estio opened the door with the cat in his arms.
"who......."
"It's a request delivery."
relaxed.
As soon as the door opened, a child's voice was heard. The bizarre tone in which the different elements of politeness and cuteness collided brought up memories of the other person at once.
It was the guild master I met three days ago, 'Kai'.
"Well?"
Kai, who came with a request form in his hand, did not wave his hand in a welcoming way, but stopped. And she blinked once in her pale melon-colored eyes.
"I do remember that I sent him back to get a good rest at that time."
"I got enough rest."
I've been resting all the time since I came back. The aftereffects of using the ability have not yet been fully resolved.
"It seems you came too early."
Kai made a perplexed expression and put the request back into his arms.
"Let's stop talking about work today. So, where are you going?"
'If it's a request, isn't it the top priority to check right away?'
Since the main customer base is aristocrats, it was originally essential to respond quickly to requests. Whether you accept it or not, a long wait can lead to claims.
Estio answered calmly, thinking that once he became a guild master, he would be able to leave a noble's quests without hesitation.
"The restaurant."
"Oh! Let's go together. Doesn't our headquarters restaurant taste so good?"
Nodding, Estio sympathized with the Master's pride.
When Estio lived in Selvia, he had eaten even frozen bread that had been frozen like a block of stone, so there was no reason to be dissatisfied with the luxurious headquarters restaurant where you can enjoy high-end cuisine in a buffet style. If there is a flaw in a buffet-style restaurant that it is too luxurious to choose the right one, it is only a flaw. The soft white bread served with the hot soup was a real feast for him.
"Actually, I want to go there often to eat. When I go to a restaurant, it strangely attracts a lot of attention, which makes it uncomfortable."
"You really don't know why?"
Ahur, who was traveling with Neju, picked up the pot and suddenly interrupted.
"It's unique and draws attention. Even if it's just plain clothes!"
"Is this dress so strange?"
"The light effect is wrong."
When Kai saw the cactus speaking like a puppeteer, he was not surprised and accepted the words naturally.
"Still, I can't change my clothes."
「Why?」
The golden robe with a lot of strange ornaments was unusual for anyone to see. Kai lifted her sleeve and glanced down at the tattoo hidden inside her, smiling brightly.
"It's expensive clothes."
"Yeah, do whatever you want. It's your life anyway."
Ahur blindly turned his attention away from Kai. There is only one object that this naughty cactus is constantly interested in.
"If a child is already doing that, it is inevitable that they will attract attention. Because people are interested in something special."
Of course, the guild was not without children. Although the number is smaller than that of adults, they ranged from children before the age of ten to adolescents.
However, Kai used to attract a lot of attention whenever he appeared because of his unusual tone and personality for a childish appearance, and the golden robe he was wearing all the time.
"Sheesh, I'm envious of getting a lot of attention. But I will not give up!"
"Don't compete with that."
The white-haired monkey quietly dried the cactus that had burned out of nowhere.
* * *
"Come on, let's eat this too."
A curly-haired kid who roars and offers a plate.
Estio stared blankly at Kai, who approached him politely, and lowered his gaze. There was already soup that he had received as his share. And in front of him was a new plate laid down by Kai. The food piled up was daunting like a huge mountain.
"No, I don't eat that much."
"What a disappointing thing to say. Isn't this the time when we need nutrition in our midst? As a matter of fact, you have to eat a lot to grow up healthy."
- Episode 13
* * *
Three days have passed. Estio, who returned to the headquarters, did not leave the room even a single step after that. Parker, worried about not seeing him all the time, visited the room several times, but there was no answer. He wouldn't open the door, so he was worried, but he had to go back without a hitch.
After meeting the Master at the Central Market, Estio returned as if he were not there.
In the dark room with no curtains, the only thing moving was Neju, covered in fluffy white fur.
"...what should I do?"
The red eyes that shine brightly even in the dark may look fierce at first glance, but in reality they were just restless. The white-haired monkey, who had been crouching on the bedside with only his fingers crossed, jumped up from his seat.
"Are you going to wake me up?"
At that moment, the sound of a cat crying came from below.
"It's no use."
With its long tail whipped in the air, the black cat jumped up onto the bed with graceful steps. I saw a young man sleeping, motionless. He put his nose slightly to the bloodless white palm that came out of the duvet, but he didn't feel any movement.
"I'd rather go out and call someone, dull kid."
"What?"
Unfortunately, Neju could not read Tsuki's thoughts. Leaving the little white-haired monkey tilting her head, Tsuki unsatisfiedly slapped her tail. Without Estio, they were two creatures that could not even communicate with each other.
For the past three days, Estio did not voluntarily leave the room. Even though he didn't know him, Estio used to take care of Neju and Tsuki's meals and take them for a walk. The reason he left the animals and plants he was responsible for for three days was because he had been unconscious all the time.
As soon as he entered the room, he collapsed without washing his eyes and did not wake up until today, three days later.
Neju, who had been waiting patiently, wondering if he must have been very tired until a day or two had passed, was starting to get worried.
"Kya, a strong and refreshing spirit!"
At the same time, Ahur, who had been able to sleep soundly without interruption, woke up shaking his branches.
"Hello, Ahur."
"Heh heh heh~ Good morning."
"But it is evening. The sun is setting."
"huh! You're still a kid, don't you know what? Listen well. Among sleep people who want to sleep, the time to wake up is in the morning."
The cactus, who did not know the situation yet, muttered in a proud tone. Then, not long after, she noticed the atmosphere that was slowly sinking somewhere and jumped up to Neju's side.
「No, but why is the atmosphere in this room like this? It's terribly wet. It's the rainy season laundry. What's going on?」
"That's it."
「Lee Sangta. Estio is not a good kid right now."
Ahur used to walk with his roots, but he wasn't able to jump yet, so he couldn't get on the bed and just spin around. When Neju vaguely informed of the current situation, Ahur heard the explanation and raised a thorn in amazement.
"You slept all the time while the sun went down three times? I hope this is!"
"Well, do you have something to point out?"
"I guess the sleep phase was transferred from me!"
Neju, who saw the flashing thorn, also took a deep breath.
"Really?! Could it be?"
"Sobbing. A side-by-side plant, an ugly plant……"
"Hey, what are these idiots talking about? Common sense is that the sleeping stage of plants is contagious."
Tsuki grumbled, but no one was listening. He hadn't told him to listen anyway, so Tsuki quickly turned his head away.
'But it's a bit dangerous like this.'
Whether you're human or not, it's never a good thing to deviate from your usual rhythm.
Nyaan.
An uncomfortable cry rang out along the tail waving to and fro.
'Who can help?'
Not like a black cat who doesn't like to be associated with people, Tsuki thought of leaving the room and calling a helper.
'Lina is a muscle idiot who won't be able to understand the signs I'm sending. Even though she's stupid, it's better to be a joiner who has a clue.'
He quickly beat the emerging nominee and Bernie Parker was the winner. It was the moment when Tsuki, who had made a fresh decision, was about to jump out of bed to call Parker.
fault.
The body that was supposed to be facing the floor floated up in the opposite direction. A familiar scent came from the two hands holding the black cat tightly. Tsuki gently embraced him without struggling, as the back of his dry hand was scratched by his sharp claws.
"It's okay, Tsuki."
「……Estio.」
"You don't need to call anyone else."
At some point, Estio woke up with her eyes open. He had such a normal face that it felt like a lie that he had slept without moving until now. Estio, holding Tsuki in her arms, looked back at Neju and Ahur and bowed her head slightly.
"I'm sorry I woke up late."
"Sigh. I'm glad. I thought I was sick because I didn't get up all the time!"
"It's not like the sleeper has moved! Good luck."
Estio smiled a little as he looked at the two of them who were trembling with fuss and were genuinely relieved. Then he smiled again and walked slowly.
flutter.
The cactus, who was looking up at him wearing the guild cloak he had taken off, shook the branches flutteringly.
「Ah, it's all over, but where are you going? If you woke up late, just rest more."
Then Neju asked with an innocent face.
"Is it morning when you wake up?"
"Ugh engong. That's only for plants. Estio isn't a plant, is it?"
"What about that?"
"People should definitely rest in the evening!"
Strictly speaking, it was difficult to see Estio as an ordinary 'person', but Neju agreed. Rather, it was Estio himself who did not agree.
"...I'll go out and take care of my meal first."
Even though the cactus Ahur was, Neju and Tsuki were animals that needed nutrition every day. As long as they are living animals, they will die if they starve. Estio let out a small sigh and looked at Tsuki, who was held in his arms like a kitten.
"Tsuki usually does well on her own, so why? If I hadn't woken up now, I was going to continue to starve."
"You have a fever."
Tsuki pointed out the other part instead of the answer. Even with a seemingly normal face, the black cat, who had been with him for 10 years and observed even a small habit, was sensitive to his condition.
"It's painful. Why are you pretending to be okay?"
The heat from the palms touching the black fur was much higher than usual. It was the moment when Estio was speechless and shut her mouth when she saw the thinned Odd Eye.
smart.
A polite knock was heard from behind the tightly closed door. After all, there was no reason to be vigilant because the only guests who came from within the guild headquarters were members of the same guild.
Estio opened the door with the cat in his arms.
"who......."
"It's a request delivery."
relaxed.
As soon as the door opened, a child's voice was heard. The bizarre tone in which the different elements of politeness and cuteness collided brought up memories of the other person at once.
It was the guild master I met three days ago, 'Kai'.
"Well?"
Kai, who came with a request form in his hand, did not wave his hand in a welcoming way, but stopped. And she blinked once in her pale melon-colored eyes.
"I do remember that I sent him back to get a good rest at that time."
"I got enough rest."
I've been resting all the time since I came back. The aftereffects of using the ability have not yet been fully resolved.
"It seems you came too early."
Kai made a perplexed expression and put the request back into his arms.
"Let's stop talking about work today. So, where are you going?"
'If it's a request, isn't it the top priority to check right away?'
Since the main customer base is aristocrats, it was originally essential to respond quickly to requests. Whether you accept it or not, a long wait can lead to claims.
Estio answered calmly, thinking that once he became a guild master, he would be able to leave a noble's quests without hesitation.
"The restaurant."
"Oh! Let's go together. Doesn't our headquarters restaurant taste so good?"
Nodding, Estio sympathized with the Master's pride.
When Estio lived in Selvia, he had eaten even frozen bread that had been frozen like a block of stone, so there was no reason to be dissatisfied with the luxurious headquarters restaurant where you can enjoy high-end cuisine in a buffet style. If there is a flaw in a buffet-style restaurant that it is too luxurious to choose the right one, it is only a flaw. The soft white bread served with the hot soup was a real feast for him.
"Actually, I want to go there often to eat. When I go to a restaurant, it strangely attracts a lot of attention, which makes it uncomfortable."
"You really don't know why?"
Ahur, who was traveling with Neju, picked up the pot and suddenly interrupted.
"It's unique and draws attention. Even if it's just plain clothes!"
"Is this dress so strange?"
"The light effect is wrong."
When Kai saw the cactus speaking like a puppeteer, he was not surprised and accepted the words naturally.
"Still, I can't change my clothes."
「Why?」
The golden robe with a lot of strange ornaments was unusual for anyone to see. Kai lifted her sleeve and glanced down at the tattoo hidden inside her, smiling brightly.
"It's expensive clothes."
"Yeah, do whatever you want. It's your life anyway."
Ahur blindly turned his attention away from Kai. There is only one object that this naughty cactus is constantly interested in.
"If a child is already doing that, it is inevitable that they will attract attention. Because people are interested in something special."
Of course, the guild was not without children. Although the number is smaller than that of adults, they ranged from children before the age of ten to adolescents.
However, Kai used to attract a lot of attention whenever he appeared because of his unusual tone and personality for a childish appearance, and the golden robe he was wearing all the time.
"Sheesh, I'm envious of getting a lot of attention. But I will not give up!"
"Don't compete with that."
The white-haired monkey quietly dried the cactus that had burned out of nowhere.
* * *
"Come on, let's eat this too."
A curly-haired kid who roars and offers a plate.
Estio stared blankly at Kai, who approached him politely, and lowered his gaze. There was already soup that he had received as his share. And in front of him was a new plate laid down by Kai. The food piled up was daunting like a huge mountain.
"No, I don't eat that much."
"What a disappointing thing to say. Isn't this the time when we need nutrition in our midst? As a matter of fact, you have to eat a lot to grow up healthy."
