Chapter 646: Once Again
After delivering Haulon to the Fire Country Shahira, I made a gesture to Karn behind him, asking him to keep quiet.
I really didn’t want to step out into the desert, and I also disliked the idea of arriving in the middle of town where there were people. Plus, I had my doubts about Haulon’s private room. So, I decided to teleport directly to the royal palace’s grand hall.
Karn, sensing my presence, sometimes appears from deeper within. And here he is now.
Karn is my King’s Branch. The King’s Branch serves as a bridge between me and the Spirits surrounding me, and it’s a bit of a hassle when it comes to contracts and naming things!
“…”
“I’ve returned… Is something the matter?”
“…No.”
It seems we communicated just fine.
“?”
As I was making a gesture of thanks, Haulon turned around, so I hurriedly clasped my hands behind my back and averted my gaze.
“Is something wrong?”
“I was just thinking how beautiful the ceiling decorations are as always.”
That’s genuinely true.
The sunlight outside is harsh, so I often spend time indoors. The royal palace of Karn has high ceilings. The hallways are spacious, and even though there are pillars, it feels like a place where a dance party could be held.
To block out the sunlight, there aren’t any large windows, but it doesn’t feel claustrophobic.
The floors and walls, easy on the eyes, have a calming feel, while the ceiling, which I usually don’t pay much attention to, is a bit extravagant. It’s intricate enough that I never tire of looking at it.
“Well then, I’ll be heading back.”
“Thank you for seeing me off.”
Haulon expressed his gratitude.
“Be careful not to get involved with anything strange.”
“Yeah. Goodnight.”
Karn’s expression doesn’t change much, but I can sense his exasperation. No, maybe it’s more like resignation? Still, he offers me words of concern.
With a 【Teleportation】, I return to the house in the mountains.
“Rishu, I’m back!”
Rishu, who came running, suddenly stops and starts sniffing the air.
This is always how it is when I return from a rare place.
Satisfied, he plops down and looks up at me. I’ve been to the Land of Ruin a few times, so this visit was a bit shorter.
I cup Rishu’s face in my hands and ruffle his fur.
“I went to a strange place, so I’ll take a bath first. Let’s play after I’m done.”
The Land of Ruin is far from refreshing. It’s a gloomy and cold country. The first time I returned, I felt like something was quietly following me.
This time, I feel downcast. It’s not that I’m depressed; rather, it’s a sense of “let it perish.” That sinking feeling in my gut is probably it.
I don’t have an active desire to destroy it! But I can’t accept its prosperity or glory. I can’t touch or feel warmth, wandering the earth, crawling. Those who try to help will face the same fate—
This must be the inverted feelings of the King’s Branch. I almost find myself sinking into those emotions.
Right now, since I’ve just made the contract, I feel it intensely, but it should eventually mix and settle down, so it’s just a matter of enduring for a while.
I’m glad I was with everyone. Thanks to that, I could stay normal.
I have enough magic power, but it’s my mental state that’s the issue, isn’t it?
My sister’s hobby is to lift people up only to bring them down, and she’s quite skilled at using others. It’s not just me she does this to, but since I’ve known her for a long time, I’ve experienced it more often.
The damage wasn’t severe, but I’ve developed a habit of being wary whenever something good happens. Specifically, I kept a distance from both good and bad things equally.
Because of that, I’m somewhat oblivious to the subtleties of human emotions, unsure of how much empathy or understanding to show. Recently, I’ve been trying to stop my blanket rejections.
However, making a contract with a Spirit requires a certain level of understanding of the other party. —By the way, naming them has the effect of somewhat framing elusive Spirits, making them easier to understand.
For smaller Spirits, my emotions are usually stronger, so it’s fine.
Ordinary Spirits typically just possess magic power without significantly affecting the mind. They exist as they are, after all.
Kokuzan-chan was quite something when she absorbed my magic power.
Demon Beasts have physical bodies, so they don’t directly impact the mind! This isn’t a problem either. In return, my abilities like 【Liberation】 and 【Healing】 are less effective against them.
It’s generally considered a dangerous situation, though.
But the inverted emotions of the King’s Branch are quite heavy and intense. I’ve spent a long time with it, and it’s probably influenced by its role as a mediator between humans and Spirits.
The Ex-Staff is still young, so its presence as a physical branch is stronger. It once mentioned that it still can’t separate from the branch itself.
In any case, the inverted King’s Branch from the Land of Ruin has a direct impact on the mind! Moreover, it feels like something close to an attack.
As for me, first, empathy and understanding get mixed up. I can’t neatly draw a line between my emotions, so I get dragged along by the inverted King’s Branch.
I understand, but I know I shouldn’t empathize, yet I can’t manage it well.
However, when I see everyone, I can prioritize my own feelings immediately. Among everyone, it seems I want to be myself.
After getting out of the bath, I play with Rishu. We tug on the rope given to me by the Earth Folk.
I have friends, and Rishu is adorable. For the sake of enjoying this daily life, I’ll be selfish! When it comes down to it, I can cut off the sadness and anger of the Black Spirit without a second thought.