Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Warmth was felt from the Young Duke's body, from which no warmth could be found.
Feeling unfamiliar, I gently rested my head against his chest.
Leaning quietly and listening, I heard the rapid beat of his heart along with his ragged breaths.
Funnily enough, the only thought that crossed my mind in that situation was that the Young Duke seemed a bit more human.
Even if he seemed like he wouldn't bleed a drop, the Young Duke was still human, after all.
For some reason, I liked that warmth and slightly curled up, leaning closer to him.
Even before I became small, there was a significant difference in our builds, enough for me to be completely enveloped by the Young Duke's body.
But now that I had become a child, his body felt like a sturdy sanctuary.
Did he think my reason for leaning closer was fear?
The Young Duke gently placed his hand on my head and held me closer.
His hand held more strength than usual.
At first, it was unfamiliar, and then, I felt a sense of tenderness and warmth from his actions, which made my heart flutter.
Of course, it wasn't romantic feelings...
I was simply glad that someone was worrying about me like this.
...But aren't you holding me for too long?
I was so completely enveloped in his embrace that I couldn't see anything around me.
"Young Duke, the followers might do something strange."
"……."
He tightened his grip on the arm holding me, just enough not to hurt, but enough to convey something.
"I can't breathe. I know you're surprised, but we can deal with the rest later."
"The rest?"
Only then did he loosen the arm holding me and lift my head from his shoulder.
When our eyes briefly met, he didn't have his usual sharp gaze.
The corners of his eyes were slightly softened, and he stared intently at me.
Looking into his eyes, I somehow felt like the Young Duke was a child.
As I stared at him blankly, he held me closer again, as if urging me to speak.
"Ah, is it about what you wanted...?"
"Do you know how surprised I was because of Beth?"
"...I'm sorry."
Hearing my words, the Young Duke's eyebrows twitched.
Had I said something that might have upset him?
"There's no need to apologize. Because I will receive a reward that is commensurate with it."
Normally, he wouldn't even listen if I offered to repay him, so it was strange.
A faint sense of unease crept in, but I tried to ignore it.
"Alright. I'll listen, so let's sort this place out first."
Hearing my words, the Young Duke slowly released his arms holding me.
As he did, he looked me over from head to toe, as if checking if I was injured.
Thus, I completely broke free from his embrace and looked around.
Last time I destroyed the Duke's Mansion library, and this time it's the temple...
I knew I had blown away a wall earlier, but seeing the overall state of the place, not just fragmented parts, left me speechless.
"You've blown it all away."
Still, I suppose I should be thankful that no one was blown away.
"Next time, will you blow up the Imperial Palace?"
"Beth, those kinds of words often become foreshadowing."
"……What?"
"They call it a flag."
"Why are you being so scary?"
Who would be crazy enough to do something like that...
"Young Duke, who in the empire could do such a thing?"
"My father."
"……."
Ah, right. There was someone like that.
There was a rumor about the Duke from a long time ago.
It said he had caused a disturbance at the Imperial Palace when they proposed designating a new state religion.
"Beth, we're barely holding on right now, but the building looks like it's about to collapse."
The Young Duke was right.
Cracks ran through every part of the building's interior, which I had only briefly glanced at.
Even the plaster statue that had shattered with a loud noise was nowhere to be found.
"But those people..."
Worried, I turned my gaze towards where the followers were.
Was my concern unfounded?
They were still as if possessed, bowing towards the empty air.
It seemed the priests had all fled.
First, I needed to get them to evacuate.
I urgently called out to the followers who were praying.
"Hey! This place is dangerous. Please get up quickly."
They didn't listen to me at all, just kept reciting their prayers.
"Ugh, seriously."
I hurried towards them with short, quick steps and tried to speak to them a few more times, but it seemed my words weren't reaching them.
Weren't they possessed by the strange energy emanating from that plaster statue earlier?
Why were they still like this?
Could my Healing Magic perhaps fix them?
Healing magic also helps in finding mental stability.
Normally, I would channel magic power into the affected area... but they don't seem to have any wounds.
I spoke to a follower with their head on the floor, reciting a prayer.
"Hey!"
Seeing the followers who wouldn't listen, my patience was starting to run out.
Prioritizing evacuation, I subtly placed my hand on the follower's head and channeled magic power.
A bright light flowed into the follower for a moment, but they didn't lift their head.
"...Hmm, it seems Healing Magic is no use either."
The Young Duke, watching me from behind, said to me subtly.
"Bestia, perhaps a stronger stimulus is needed?"
"A stronger stimulus?"
"Yes."
As I stared at him with wide eyes, the Young Duke calmly raised a fist.
"You're not suggesting you'll hit the followers' heads with that fist, are you?"
"Is that not allowed?"
Was he serious about that?
"If you hit them, Young Duke, a missing person case could be closed as a murder case."
"That would likely be the case."
"Then I'll hit them."
"What?"
The Young Duke frowned, as if displeased, and asked again.
"I'll hit them with a strong dose of Healing Magic."
Unlike before, I infused my fist with all my strength and Healing Magic.
"Hoo."
I took a deep breath and then struck the follower's head with all my might.
I thought I heard the Young Duke trying to stop me from behind, but time was of the essence.
I expected it to be a very weak blow, just a 'thump' sound, given my child's body.
But white smoke rose from the follower's head with a soft hiss.
I looked at the Young Duke with a bewildered expression.
He seemed just as taken aback by the situation, his lips moving as he spoke.
"Bestia..."
"Young Duke, I won't be arrested for attempted murder, will I?"
He also seemed to think I had caused a major accident, and said with a flustered expression.
"How can you be so frail? Come here and let me hold you again."
"……."
What does this person think of me?
As the Young Duke held me like a precious treasure, the follower who had been hit on the head stumbled and got up.
"Where... where am I?"
Could it be that being hit by me had caused some sort of memory anomaly?
The follower looked around, then glared at the follower's robe draped over his body.
"What is this cult-like outfit?"
The follower, or rather, the person who had been presumed to be a follower until moments ago, irritably threw off the robe.
"Do you have no memory of what just happened?"
The Young Duke's question made him gasp in surprise.
"Th-that, a red light came out of the plaster statue... that's my last memory."
As I suspected, the plaster statue was indeed having a negative effect on people.
"It seems Bestia's treatment method was effective."
At the Young Duke's neat remark, the former follower stared at me intently.
"I don't know what happened, but it seems you saved me. How can I repay this kindness...?"
Unaware that the 'kindness' was being smacked on the head, the follower offered me his thanks.
"Oh, it's nothing. If you... if your head hurts later, please let me know."
Despite helping someone, I felt so uneasy.
Once the conversation with the awakened individual ended, I turned my head towards the other followers.
"Young Duke, what are you doing?"
He was binding the followers with an indifferent expression.
"Ah, this building looks dangerous."
"But why are you binding them...?"
"It's not like Bestia's delicate fists can heal them one by one, can they?"
It was a valid point...
But is there really a need to tie up people who were just praying peacefully?
As if reading my mind, the Young Duke said impassively.
"If they run away now, we can't interrogate them."
That was true. It was indeed true...
Meanwhile, the neatly tied knots made me feel a complex mix of emotions, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
At this point, we almost looked like the villains.
"Young Duke, won't these people sue us when they regain their senses later?"
"How dare they, when Bestia saved them?"
The Young Duke replied irritably.
"No, but they were hit without knowing why."
"Beth, there's no need to waste your magic on such fools. It's a waste."
The Young Duke roughly tossed the bound followers out of the building.
He dusted off his hands, his expression looking quite relieved.
"These people will have to get hit by me later too..."
"They are people who are too blessed."
Blessed with what?
"So, Young Duke, do you prefer being hit?"
"Are you going to hit me too?"
The Young Duke's eyes sparkled with an expression I had never seen before.
To be continued in the next chapter ▶
