Chapter 22
Episode 22
Maria ran towards Solskjaer, who was about to take the boy away, and spread her arms wide. Solskjaer, looking perplexed, alternated his gaze between Gunther and Maria.
"Tch! Just kill me if you want!"
The boy shouted defiantly, causing a commotion.
"Jamie!"
"It's the same whether I starve to death or get beaten to death."
"Jamie, quickly apologize for your mistake!"
"No way. I couldn't even kill that woman or steal her belongings properly!"
"Jamie, please!"
Even as his mother tearfully tried to stop him, the boy didn't cease. In a situation where he should be begging for his life, he was instead adding fuel to the fire, making the situation worse. Then, Maria turned around with an angry expression and slapped the boy's cheek!
"!"
The boy stared blankly at Maria with a surprised expression, then his eyes welled up with tears and he began to cry sorrowfully. He had only been acting brave because he knew he wouldn't survive, but he wasn't bold enough to be indifferent to the fear of death. The boy sat down on the spot, crying and begging for forgiveness.
"I was wrong. Please forgive me. If I die, there will be no one to protect my mom and my little sibling."
Sincerity began to be felt in the child's plea for forgiveness.
"I won't do it again. Please, save me."
The people became solemn at the boy's tears. Nora, her emotions stirred by the child's circumstances, kept wiping away tears with her apron. Of course, Maria forgave the boy.
'I am no longer the Empress of Lastonia. But I am an adult.'
That meant she had no authority to wield. Also, she shouldn't leisurely act as a pushover in the name of charity in the future. However, she believed that if one was an adult, they had a responsibility to forgive and guide children onto the right path.
"I will spare you."
After a very long silence, Gunther's command was issued. Maria was surprised and approached him, looking at him with a face that asked if he was serious.
"I won't kill him. Of course, I won't gouge out his eyes or cut off his wrists either."
Maria's face brightened at Gunther's words.
"However, that child must know what his mistake is."
Maria nodded repeatedly at his words. It was very important to realize that robbery was a crime that should never be committed. Maria agreed with Gunther's opinion on that point.
"Bring the child here."
At his command, Solskjaer brought the boy before Gunther. The boy trembled, overwhelmed by Gunther's strong energy.
"Robbery is not right. But it is something that humans can do."
"!?"
Everyone was in an uproar. Among them, Maria was the most bewildered. He had just said he would kill him for committing robbery, but now he was saying contradictory things that didn't make sense. Moreover, the boy had just realized his mistake.
"His courage to protect his family as a man is also commendable."
"Yes?"
The boy looked at Gunther with a confused expression.
"Still, you shouldn't commit robbery. But I wasn't going to kill you for committing robbery."
"Then what for...?"
The boy asked, terrified.
"You committed a mistake that can never be forgiven."
Soon, Gunther's face twisted fiercely.
"For hurting my woman, and furthermore, almost killing her. Even if you hadn't been caught today, I would have chased you to the end and killed you."
Gunther's gaze shifted from the boy to Maria.
* * *
Maria collapsed into a seat, exhausted. Soon, Gunther's large hand came towards Maria's face. Maria, breathing heavily, looked at his hand and grabbed it tightly.
"!"
Maria's body seemed to float into the air, and soon she was in Gunther's arms. He held Maria in his arms and headed towards his tent. He remained silent, his mouth firmly shut, as he walked to the tent. He didn't mock Maria for generously showing unnecessary pity. Rather, he wore a satisfied expression, like a father comforting a child who had finished a big task.
'He's a mischievous person.'
Maria was starting to find Gunther annoying. Then Maria was self-deprecating. In fact, her heart was still too soft. She needed to become stronger. Only then could she punish Henry in the future and reclaim what she had lost.
"I have to become stronger."
Surprisingly, unexpected words came from Gunther's mouth. It was as if he had read her mind.
"I will heal that child. And I will take care of his mother too."
"The... two... to the mines... send..."
Maria thought that wasn't enough, and she tried her best to make Gunther understand her intentions.
"You're saying to send the two to the mines?"
"Uh... uh."
Maria smiled brightly and nodded. At least if they went to the mines, the two would have something to do, wouldn't go hungry, and could earn money.
"It's a good idea, but I'm against it."
"!?"
"I'm not going to take them to the mines, but to my palace."
'To the palace?'
Gunther looked at Maria's surprised expression and explained very briefly and concisely. He would raise the boy as a Heland Warrior. Only then did Maria agree with his intentions. There must be a valid reason why Gunther made such a decision.
"Isn't his courage to protect his mother and sibling admirable, even though he is young?"
Although he had done wrong, she liked his boldness in not caring about the consequences for his family. Also, she had noticed when chasing the boy in the forest. He hadn't been able to eat properly, but his movements were fast, and especially his skill in handling a knife was very good.
Gunther, who had been lost in thought for a moment, was startled by the touch on his cheek. Maria was already gazing at him, touching his face. What was he supposed to do when she looked at him so wistfully? Maria might have been moved, but once she touched his body, things would get out of hand.
"You started it."
The warmth in his heart and the feeling of being moved were just Maria's way. For him, it was normal for his body to react first when she touched him. Just as Gunther's lips were about to cover Maria's.
"Maia, hurt?"
Stone toddled into the tent.
'That damn little brat.'
"Don't touch, Gunther!"
Stone glared at Gunther, who was cursing him inwardly, and reached out to Maria, emitting light. Maria had already lost consciousness, and Stone had become an adult.
"Didn't you say that you used a lot of magic last time, so it would be difficult to transform for a while?"
"I'm much better now."
Stone very naturally tried to take off Maria's clothes.
"I'll do it."
Gunther, with a distorted face, undid a few buttons on Maria's upper garment. Soon, one shoulder and the injured arm were revealed.
"Tsk, tsk, it's been cut badly."
Even Gunther could see that it was a very deep and long cut. But he didn't like the way Stone's curved lips were twitching. What kind of prank was he trying to pull again? As expected, Stone began to lick Maria's wound with his tongue.
"Are you crazy?"
He had to watch another man lick his woman's arm with his tongue with his eyes wide open. Harsh words automatically came out of Gunther's mouth.
"The wound is so deep, how long will it take to heal by spitting on your finger?"
"Can't you heal it with magic?"
"Saliva is more effective for this kind of thing."
Stone's tone was quite serious. It felt like he was telling him to stop with the childish jealousy over a serious injury.
'He's just a child in front of love, a child.'
Stone clicked his tongue inwardly. The man called the Red Dragon of the North was just an ordinary person who jealously in a petty way in front of love. Furthermore, he felt somehow excited at the thought of teasing Gunther. He really had to do his best.
Stone took out his red tongue and licked the straight wound on Maria's arm. He soaked it thoroughly with his saliva and pressed his lips against the wound as if kissing it. At that moment, a subtle vibration was felt. Stone, as if he had already expected it, raised his head with a mischievous expression, and there was a man with a face darkened with anger, desperately enduring and trembling.
"Is it really necessary to do it that way?"
"What did I do?"
Stone asked back as if he didn't know anything.
"Licking with your tongue and caressing with your lips, like that."
With a poof sound, the adult man Stone suddenly became a child again.
"Gunther, what is caressing?"
Stone asked back with an innocent face. It was always like this, a bad habit of becoming a child when things got tough while talking. He couldn't even punch him.
'You cunning bastard, I'll have to deal with you properly next time.'
"Don't think bad thoughts. Myia's wound is already healed because of me."
Following Stone's triumphant gaze, there was Maria's arm, which had been healed and the laceration had disappeared. As expected, the power of the Spirit was amazing. At that moment, Gunther wondered. When would Maria's memories return?
"Stone, Maria's memories."
"She has to experience a big shock again."
Stone knew what Gunther was worried about.
"What?"
Stone told Gunther about the story of looking into Maria's heart before. Maria was a person who had lived a more upright life than anyone else, so she couldn't easily accept the misfortune that had befallen her, so she couldn't speak and had partially lost her memory.
"It would be better if her memories didn't come back."
She had to receive a shock greater than the hardships she had experienced so far. He didn't want to ruin Maria by going that far. It was better for her to live safely in his arms. So what if she couldn't speak well and didn't remember some things?
"Myia will leave Gunther someday."
"!"
Gunther's face darkened at Stone's words.