Chapter 94
<97화>
Bibi, held by the scruff of her neck, screamed and tried to break free from the discomfort, but there was no way Guide could understand her.
As she twisted in his arms, she looked exactly like a fish flapping in a person’s hand. He burst into tears while hugging the little ball of fluff.
“Bi—Bibi, why are you here?! Do—do you know how long I’ve been looking for you all day?!”
Waaaaah.
Soon, the boy’s sorrowful wailing echoed through the Ice Cave.
“O—Oh, child.”
At that, Bibi’s sharp eyes instantly rounded back into black beans.
“…I did it for you….”
She started to explain, but then clamped her mouth shut.
Bibi gazed at the young boy for a moment, then stroked his face with her tiny pink palm.
As if she were trying to wipe away his tears.
And then.
“That foul smell is coming from here… Oh. It’s Aisha.”
Someone popped out from behind the crying Guide. It was Kyle, who came in dragging something slung over his shoulder.
He looked around, spotted me, and flashed a bright smile.
And I…
“Tell me you didn’t kill someone again.”
I was horrified to realize that the white object on his shoulder was a human leg.
Anyway, first Guide and now even Kyle had ended up in the Ice Cave.
I’m supposed to be training!
Once training began, the door to the Ice Cave was rarely opened. This was because the training’s effectiveness naturally dropped whenever outside air entered.
Therefore, entry was forbidden to everyone except those with abilities that could maintain the temperature using supernatural power.
“Kyle! Just come in and talk! You shouldn’t open the door while training is in progress.”
I fluttered my hands and grabbed Kyle’s wrist to pull him inside. A smile spread across his doll-like lips.
As he followed me in obediently, the owner of the white legs was dragged in behind him.
Their identity was…
“…It’s Brother Lucas?”
It was Lucas, unconscious for some reason.
“Yeah. Brother Lucas fainted after smelling Guide’s socks.”
It was nonsensical, but I could tell he wasn’t in good shape. His clothes were filthy, and there was a massive lump near the crown of his head.
‘Wait, could it be…?’
“Kyle? Did you seriously drag my fainted brother all the way here?”
Glint—
When I glared at him with sharp, triangular eyes, Kyle suddenly grew quiet and scratched the back of his neck while looking off into the distance.
“You said you’d praise me, Aisha. If I found the one called Bibi…”
“That doesn’t mean you can drag a person across the floor!”
No wonder I heard those thumping noises earlier.
The vibrations echoing through the cave must have been the sound of Lucas’s head hitting the ground while being dragged.
‘If he was dragged down the stairs like this… oh boy.’
I knelt down and gently stroked the lump on Lucas’s head.
“Heroes don’t abandon people! That’s what I learned in class!”
Kyle shouted back as if he felt wronged.
Surprised, I processed his words in my head and realized something.
‘So, he means he brought Lucas along because he didn’t want to leave him alone while he was fainted…’
It occurred to me belatedly.
Kyle was the type of child who only knew exactly what he was taught.
He wasn’t the kind of smart kid who learned one thing and understood ten!
“Right, right… I get it….”
Phew. I had to calm my heart first.
An unconscious Lucas and a crying Guide.
There were more than a few questionable things going on, but if Kyle got sulky in the middle of this, things would only get more complicated.
Letting out a heavy sigh, I rolled Lucas over and closed the door to the Ice Cave.
“Anyway, you did well, Kyle.”
“…Really?”
When I praised him calmly, Kyle’s slanted brows slowly lowered.
“Yes. But next time you move a person, make sure to carry them on your back.”
“…That sounds like a hassle.”
“Ahem. You have to do it that way.”
When I gave him a stern warning, Kyle winced and his eyes widened in surprise.
Then, he crept closer and—
“I don’t want to. I’m only going to carry you.”
He answered back timidly and buried his forehead against my shoulder.
‘Oh? Look at him talking back now that he’s grown a bit.’
It was an affectionate gesture, but regardless, my eyes grew sharper with annoyance.
“Aisha. I came all this way because of you.”
Nuzzle.
This time, he rubbed his face against my shoulder as if acting like a spoiled child. His fine hair tickled my cheek.
At that cute sight, I accidentally let out a giggle before catching myself.
This kid. Where did he learn this?
Do they teach these kinds of sly techniques in class too?
I was pondering this in confusion when a coughing sound—Achoo!—was heard nearby.
Snot trickled down from the nose of Guide, who was holding Bibi in his arms.
“L—Lady. I—it’s t—too cold in here.”
Unlike Kyle, who was a Northern monster and used to the cold, or me, who was dressed warmly for the Ice Cave, he was only wearing a simple shirt and trousers.
Guide, who had been in the warm Duke’s Castle just moments ago, was shivering uncontrollably in the middle of the Ice Cave.
“Kkyu, kkyut! (My baby, you mustn’t be cold!)”
Bibi squeezed her eyes shut and hugged Guide, but her tiny body couldn’t block out the chill.
“Guide. You must be freezing, get out of here quickly!”
I rushed to open the door.
However, Guide flusteredly grabbed my wrist as I tried to open it. Then, startled, he bowed his head.
“I—I’m s—sorry for g—grabbing your wrist! B—but Lady Aisha. P—please don’t open the door.”
“Huh? Why?”
“You s—said you shouldn’t open the door d—during training….”
How did he hear that while he was crying?
I shook my head at the thought.
“It’s okay. I’ll just open it for a second so you can get out quickly!”
The effectiveness would drop, of course, but getting him out of the cold came first. The chill of the Ice Cave was on a different level from ordinary cold.
Even I, dressed so warmly, was shivering. If he stayed here any longer, Guide might get frostbite.
“Go on out. Shoo!”
“B—but…”
Guide’s expression darkened.
“I—I’ve already caused enough t—trouble with the Bibi incident. I don’t want to be a b—burden anymore.”
“…Kkyu?! (What?!)”
At those words, Bibi looked up at Guide with startled eyes.
She looked as if she had never imagined Guide would consider her impulsive behavior a burden.
Doubt deepened in her clear, black-bean-like eyes. Regardless, Guide made a request.
“I h—heard from Duke Calips. He s—said he would come to check on the Lady o—once every hour…. C—could I wait until then?”
“Oh….”
My heart softened at his earnest plea.
Thinking of his health, it was right to send him out immediately, but since he was asking so desperately, it felt wrong to force him.
‘Actually, it hasn’t been that long since Dad left….’
I pulled out the watch from inside my jacket. There were about 10 minutes left until the time Calips was scheduled to come.
‘Hmm. What should I do… I can’t just let Guide get frostbite until then….’
As I pondered while stroking my chin.
“Kkyu, kkyu! (Little one, I have a good idea!)”
“…Grandmother?”
Bibi, who was clinging to Guide’s chest, fluttered her short arms with sparkling eyes.
“Kkyu-kkyu, kkyu! (We stayed huddled together when it was cold too!)”
“Oh.”
That’s right!
Intrigued, my eyes widened.
It was true. Earlier, even though I was shivering, I was able to endure to some extent thanks to Bibi’s body heat.
And now that there were four people, if we all huddled together…?
Clap—
Having finished my calculations, I clapped my hands.
“Alright, everyone pay attention! Kyle. Guide.”
At that, the crying Guide and Kyle, who was still clinging to my side, turned their gazes toward me.
“We have to endure somehow for the remaining 10 minutes. To do that, we need each other’s warmth.”
“Warmth?”
“…Y—yes.”
“So everyone, huddle up around fainted Brother Lucas!”
Scuttle—
Giving the order as the Lady of Crost, I clung to the sprawled-out Lucas like a cicada.
“What? What are we doing?”
Kyle, my personal shadow, naturally moved toward me.
“…B—but, I wouldn’t d—dare touch the L—Lady and the Y—Young Lord…”
“Do you dare ignore the Lady’s orders?”
Guide, who had been at a loss, also hesitated before approaching at my question and threw himself into a hug with the unconscious Lucas.
Layering our body heat certainly made it much warmer than before.
I shouted at the top of my lungs, as if blowing a whistle.
“Good. We’ll hold out like this until Duke Calips arrives!”
“Why?”
“Y—yes!”
Having become a single lump, we wiggled around to get even closer to one another.
So this is how warm human body heat is.
Being gathered like this…
‘Hehe.’
It feels good, like I’ve made friends my own age.
Meanwhile, at the same time.
“10… 9… 5… 2… 1….”
Calips, who had been staring endlessly at the slow-moving clock, stood up abruptly.
“First training session over.”
The hour that felt like a year had finally passed.