Chapter 59
"I got an amazing power-nimida. So I told the land, 'Hey, no more ouchie!'"
"And that's how the spirit beast was born."
Words spilling out disjointedly, somehow sounding aggrieved.
*'Doesn't make sense, but whatever.'*
Looking at Iri like that, he let out a short sigh.
"But I told you from the start that I'm a super duper strong hero-nimida!"
Declan suddenly recalled his first meeting with Iri.
"I'm a hero-nimida! Super strong! Now immune too."
"Non-immune don't become immune."
"I did-nimida! So no need for puffy bread clothes-nimida."
Thinking back now, the child had been honest from their first meeting.
Even now, she was speaking to him frankly and straightforwardly.
"Right, you did say that."
So the only one who hadn't believed the child's words was himself, the adult.
He looked at Iri from 2.5 meters away and said.
"Walking bundle of trouble."
"Nee? I'm not a bundle-nimida!"
......A kid who didn't even fully grasp 'bundle of trouble,' yet why did she have such strong power.
"Come on. Got something to show you."
"Heok, d-do I have to raise hands again-nimikka?"
Declan chuckled dryly and shook his head.
"No. This time, you're going to get praise."
* * *
The place they arrived at, with Milligan holding Iri's hand and Declan keeping his distance.
It was the coastal village the baby dragon spirit beast would protect.
Now Iri too bid farewell to the spirit beast that would guard the seas in Milligan's stead.
"Noooong......"
Iri waved her hand vigorously toward the spirit beast vanishing beyond the sea surface.
Thinking it had been a fun time, however brief.
Milligan, holding Iri's hand, gave the coastal villages one last patrol-like scan.
*'This place was dangerous too.'*
For long years, Milligan had fretted over whether the port villagers would die.
Iri standing beside him widened her eyes hugely.
[Maritime Monster Alert. Frequent Fatal Incidents Area.]
"Exhausted from long wars with monsters, we couldn't even properly recover our comrades' bodies. But Iri."
"Yes?"
"Now the spirit beast will protect it, so they'll be at ease. You truly saved countless people—and me. So I want to repay you somehow, like the spirit beast did."
Iri's eyes sparkled.
Finally, her ultimate goal, (prospective) master instructor, was hooked.
"Th-then. Will you stay at the castle from now on-nimikka?"
"That's right."
"Then as repayment, teach me etiquette and martial arts-nimida!"
Become my master!
As she squeezed her eyes shut then opened them.
Seeing tense Iri, Milligan burst into hearty laughter as if it were obvious.
"Of course. You accomplished something huge, so now I have time. Let's go learn etiquette."
Finally, time for happy character education!
"Waaah!"
"But since etiquette lessons with you are a reward for me too, I should give you something else as a gift."
Milligan placed a necklace around Iri's neck.
At the end of the necklace hung not a pendant, but a sapphire ring.
Iri tilted her head.
"What's this-nimikka?"
"This is the sapphire ring symbolizing the Blue Knight Order. Made it into a necklace to give to you."
"Heok?"
"Only one per generation, given to the sole direct descendant the Blue Knight Order pledges loyalty to."
"He, heok."
"From now on, the Blue Knight Order will obey your commands first."
A loyal knight order (trait: seen face once)!
This was truly heroic progress!
"I'll teach you practical combat too. For reference, our family's Blue, White, and Black Knight Orders each learn different practical martial arts."
"W, waaah!"
But right then.
Declan, who had been trailing at a distance pretending to have no presence and acting distant, spoke up.
"Iri, a strong hero knows to hide their power, right?"
"Yes! Elder knows about 'power-hiding pro'-nimikka?"
"......Thought you'd say I wouldn't know, but unexpected."
"He, heok. If elder doesn't know, I'll teach you-nimida!"
After that, Iri rattled on about the definition of power-hiding pro.
Then whispered softly toward Declan.
"I'm still a bit weak, but I'll grow hard and fix elder for sure-nimida!"
"Ha......"
He dry-washed his face with a hollow laugh.
The dream of that child clenching her tiny fist tight.
"You work hard to purify me. That's your ultimate goal?"
"Yes! Save the North and elder too-nimida."
Iri thrust out her round belly proudly.
Gazing at the child's sparkling purple eyes, he closed then opened his eyes.
Over long years traversing battlefields, he'd seen all life's ups and downs.
He'd thought himself immune to most things, grown indifferent.
Yet looking into the child's innocent eyes, his heart oddly ached.
He'd dreamed it once.
Just once.
*'Want to hold the child's hand and take a walk.'*
The impossible wish to walk with the child had come true.
Then, perhaps holding the child's hand would come true someday too.
He glanced sideways at Iri walking at a set distance.
A wish long forsaken, now unknown even to exist, kept rippling at his heart's edge.
Declan finally spoke.
"You're still weak now. So don't overdo it."
"Yes! I'll become a strong hero step by step and fix you-nimida!"
Strange.
Never once feared anything in life.
But perhaps because something precious was born.
Someday, the day the child fulfilled her promised term and left the North.
Or.
The day he left the child through death.
Already, fear gripped him.
"Still, don't overdo it. I'll protect you."
Iri's feet halted with a thud.
Iri heard 'I'll protect you' from the existence called 'Dad' for the first time in her life.
Was that why?
Her heart churned like motion sickness.
But clearly pleasant motion sickness.
* * *
He'd thought their father-daughter bond had grown quite tender.
But at this moment.
Declan decided to take back that thought.
