Chapter 38: Odamokko
“Forest Clan?”
“The catfolk with gray spotted fur belong to a clan that resides deep within the forest. They are a different race from the catfolk living in the city.”
“I’m sorry, but could you keep this child here for a while? Once she’s regained her strength, I’ll find a way to return her to her family.”
Following Aisa’s instructions, the maids helped the child change clothes and laid her down in the room where I usually stayed. I was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of a growling stomach, but it wasn’t mine. The child was sitting up in bed, clutching her belly.
I retrieved some stored soup from the pantry and fed it to her. She must have been quite hungry, as she calmed down after consuming two bowls of soup, a steak, and two pieces of bread. However, once she was full, she collapsed into a deep sleep.
“What’s with you? Not even a greeting?”
I was taken aback, but considering she had been injured and had a high fever, it was understandable that she was exhausted. I remembered how long it took for me to recover from my own serious injuries.
I was woken three more times by her stomach growling, each time providing her with food. She ate mindlessly, then fell asleep again. On the fifth time I woke up, she finally spoke in a small voice, “I’m hungry,” which surprised Harusa, the caretaker, who exclaimed, “This child can talk?”
Once she was awake and able to converse, I asked her why she had been captured by the thieves. She introduced herself as Shaara and explained that while she was practicing hunting with her mother in the forest, they were attacked by adventurers. They fought together, but there were eight of them. Her mother was killed, and she was captured after being injured. She had been locked in a cage with four other people, wearing a collar that kept her confined. She mentioned that she had been asleep for a long time because her injuries hadn’t healed, so she didn’t know what happened afterward.
As she recalled her mother’s death, tears began to flow uncontrollably, and she cried silently.
She fell asleep while crying, and when she woke up, she asked for the first time where she was. Upon learning it was a noble’s mansion, she trembled in fear. I reassured her, reminding her that I was just a common orphan, so there was no need to be afraid.
After discussing with Fi, we concluded that the slave collar could not be removed unless we knew the spell that had been used to put it on her.
“Shaara, you keep touching that thing,” I pointed out.
She was gripping a flower-patterned carving that hung from her waist.
“My mother made this for me. It’s the only thing I have left of her.”
Seeing her tear up again, I decided to wait for her to calm down before asking, “Do you know what that pattern means?”
“My mother told me it was called Odamokko, but I don’t really know. She said it was something from a faraway place, known only to the gods.”
“What is Odamokko? Is it related to that petal-like design?”
“It’s hard to explain. If I were to describe what this child is saying, people would think I’m crazy.”
“My mother said the same thing. After we were chased out of the village, she said not to tell many people.”
A sigh escaped me. Thanks to my knowledge of light novels, I had thought there might be other reincarnated individuals like me. I had considered that I might meet one someday, but to hear that she had been killed was disheartening. If I were to mention the famous Oda family and their crest, they would surely think I had lost my mind.
Now that Shaara was feeling better, I took her for a walk around the mansion to help her regain her strength, but she wouldn’t stop following me. Whenever I was out of sight, she would wander around with a worried expression, searching for me.
Fi remarked that since I had saved her and had been watching over her, I was likely the only one she could rely on.
As for the slave collar, I thought it could be broken if we didn’t know the original spell, but I was warned that if we handled it carelessly, it could tighten and cause her death. None of the captured thieves had worn a collar, so I decided that if there were none, we could break it. I concluded that if it only tightened, there might be a way to manage it.
I called Hyaru over and started practicing Lightning Strike. I used Earth Magic to solidify the area around Shaara’s neck, from her jaw to her shoulders, to prevent the collar from tightening. Just in case, I had Fi wait outside the room.
“Kaito, are you really sure this is going to be okay?”
“If the collar tightens, Shaara’s neck won’t be harmed, so it should be fine. Probably.”
“Probably? Seriously?”
“Just do it without holding back. If you go easy on it, it might not break.”
From behind Shaara, I pinched the collar and unleashed a Lightning Strike upon it. With a loud crack, smoke began to rise from the collar.
“That hurt!”
Hyaru crouched down, clutching her arm, but I ignored her.
“Don’t worry, Fi will heal you.”
The collar’s dull red glow faded, and when I touched it, it came off easily. I removed the Earth Magic barrier protecting Shaara’s neck. While I called for Fi to heal Hyaru’s hand, Shaara knelt before me and bowed her head.
“Shaara, you don’t need to thank me. Just stand up.”
“Kaito-sama, please let me be your servant.”
“Shaara, you don’t have to feel indebted. Just live freely.”
“But…”
“Use Kaito’s name. When you grow up and can do what you want, then you can do as you please. Besides, you’ll become strong, so keeping you around as a bodyguard or for assistance will be quite useful.”
“Exactly! That child has been following you around, and it would be cruel to abandon her. You’ll need help in the future, so you should make use of her. It seems you have a connection with her mother.”
Everyone was saying whatever they wanted, but I hesitated to abandon her, so I decided to take care of her until she grew into an adult. I asked Fi to provide her with reading and writing lessons at the mansion, while Aisa would teach her the basics of being a maid. Orlan was eager to teach her martial arts whenever he had free time, but it turned out to be unnecessary.
She already had a good grasp of reading and writing, and being from the Forest Clan, she had a unique sense for combat, having learned the basics from her mother. Orlan also said he didn’t have much to teach her.
I had no experience in personal combat and wasn’t inclined to train, so Orlan laughed, saying she would make a good bodyguard. A fighting maid? That had a certain appeal to it.
I gave her an adventurer’s outfit similar to a samue and took her out to the grasslands for a test. Her ability to sense presence was far superior to mine, and her knowledge of medicinal herbs and gathering skills were impressive, leaving me with little to do.
As expected of someone from the Forest Clan, I was genuinely impressed.
When December arrived, I was surprised to hear that Shaara had turned 13. I remarked that she was only a little smaller than me, which made Fi laugh.
The Forest Clan matures quickly, and it was said she would likely grow to Orlan’s height. I had given up on my own growth, but I vowed that one day I would be taller than Fi!
As spring approached, the Marquis announced he would be returning to Egdra, and I was to accompany him as a guard. Shaara insisted on coming along, and Fi and Aisa said that while her maid training was still incomplete, there was no need to rush, so they agreed to let her join us.
She seemed nervous about riding in the Marquis’s carriage, clearly not expecting it.
“Don’t worry, I won’t bite,” I reassured her, only to be met with laughter from the Marquis and Hyaru.
Even though she was tense riding alongside the Marquis and Viscount, her abilities as a member of the Forest Clan remained unaffected.
On the sixth day, she muttered, “An orc is approaching,” prompting me to inform the coachman to proceed with caution. We soon encountered a horde of orcs.
As the knights and adventurers on guard around the carriage remained vigilant, Hyaru stood on the driver’s seat and effortlessly took down an orc with her Ice Lance, which I then stored in my Magic Pouch.
Afterward, she would occasionally murmur about seeing a wolf or a fleeing goblin, and whenever I looked in that direction, there would indeed be one, impressing both the Marquis and Hyaru.
Upon arriving in the City of Egdra, I got off at the Adventurers’ Guild with Shaara. We exchanged greetings with Yahan, who was in charge of purchases, and along the way, I handed over the eight orcs Hyaru had taken down to the guarding adventurers.
“Kaito, I heard Fiene has also become a Viscount.”
“Yes, she has become a Pension Noble and was additionally appointed as a Royal Healing Mage, receiving a mansion as well.”
“That’s amazing! And you, as the personal guard of such a noble, are quite impressive yourself.”
“Well, I was just lucky. Being a guard mostly means riding in the carriage.”
“And what about that child?”
“Shaara, I’ve taken her under my wing for a while, so please take care of her.”
I took Shaara to Nakasara’s Shop, where I bought her a knife, a short sword, a sleeping bag, and a mat. I wanted to get her a Magic Pouch, but since the Marquis had seized the Hoen Trading Company, I wasn’t sure if I could buy one, but I decided to check it out.
The man was still working as the shop’s bodyguard, and when he saw my face, he greeted me with the utmost respect.
“You look well.”
“Thank you very much. Thanks to your recommendation, Kaito-sama, I’m able to continue working here.”
“Shaara, I need a Magic Pouch of class 6 to 8 for this child. Do you have any in stock?”
“Yes, we do. Please, allow me to show you.”
After conveying my request to the person at the counter, he bowed and stepped back.
I purchased a wallet pouch that could hold 1,000 coins, along with a class 2 and a class 8 Magic Pouch. The class 8 cost 700 gold coins, but they generously threw in the class 2 and the wallet pouch as a bonus. When I pulled out the leather bag I received from Hoen, the clerk made a slightly awkward face, but I laughed it off, saying not to worry since the Marquis is well aware of it.
Shaara looked anxious about holding something so expensive, but I reassured her with a gentle pat on the head, telling her not to worry. It was necessary, especially since she was with me.