Chapter 58: Childhood Sweethearts Are Mere Toys Compared to Destiny's Arrivals

“I was wondering, Allen, why you suddenly took it upon yourself to say you’d see me partway. Turns out it was to come here and wipe out the thief gang’s hideout… But why didn’t you tell me? Instead, you sent me back first and then went back yourself? After you left, I realized something was off and thought carefully about what happened yesterday… Sure enough, it was exactly at the spot where you disappeared in the middle of the night…”

After just crossing paths, Allen wanted to say something to explain, but before he could utter a word, Lochis shot him a sharp glance and immediately began preparing to destroy the evidence with fire magic.

Allen watched as Lochis executed a practiced routine of disposing of the body, then quickly tugged at his sleeve, eager to leave the crime scene. It wasn’t until now that they properly began their conversation.

In the forest, Blue Mother stood on a large stone behind Allen, using magic to heat water as she washed his hair.

A floating sphere of water was roasted by flames, with a hole at the bottom allowing warm water to flow continuously over Allen from head to toe, pooling on the ground with a reddish tinge of blood.

Of course, Allen was still clothed; the reason for washing wasn’t a proper bath but because he was covered in grime and blood. After discussing, they figured it was easier to wash him down while rinsing his hair.

“Um… honestly, that was too dangerous.”

“Is it any less dangerous if you go alone?” Lochis narrowed her eyes slightly, her fingers deftly untangling Allen’s hair matted with blood.

Allen sat on the ground, leaning against Lochis, a bit helpless. He had managed to bluff his way through until now, thinking he’d succeeded, but as soon as they parted, Lochis had already caught on.

Why hadn’t she noticed when they were together?

Strange.

“Uh… I still have confidence in myself.”

Lochis tapped the top of Allen’s head with a mock-serious rhythm, like knocking on a watermelon.

Allen, feeling guilty for treating Lochis like his tool, obediently accepted it. Yet, she didn’t stop and kept tapping several times, making him feel like a turtle poking its head out of a seafood market tank only to be knocked back inside.

He hurriedly raised his hand to block, but Lochis stopped just in time, flipping her palm to continue massaging his scalp.

In the next instant, their fingers intertwined.

Allen was startled and instinctively squeezed.

‘So soft, so smooth, so warm… Her fingers have little flesh… they feel like they could break with just a bit of force…’

‘No! Wait!? What am I doing?’

Allen suddenly snapped back to reality and realized Lochis’s hand had gone stiff under his touch.

He looked up blankly at her.

Under the night’s glow, the flickering flames cast shadows on Lochis’s face. She stared blankly at the fingers Allen was holding. When she noticed him looking up, she quickly glanced at him, then averted her gaze.

Her voice trembled slightly, carried by the night wind.

“If… if something like this happens again, remember to write to me. Maybe I can help… after all, we agreed to become adventurers together in the future.”

“...Okay.”

“If it’s really urgent, you can also seek Master Paul’s help. His three disciplines are all advanced. Acting alone is dangerous, and everyone will worry about you… When you get back, you should apologize properly…”

“...Okay.”

“Your hands aren’t injured. Are you hurt elsewhere? Do you need healing magic?”

“...Uh? No, no need.”

“But I remember you said the Twenty-Slash technique puts a heavy strain on your body. Didn’t you combine it with a secret art before? I’ve seen you practicing recently…”

“Uh… there is strain, but it’s fine.”

“So… were you lying to me before?”

“No! But really, it’s fine…”

“Goddess of maternal kindness, please heal his wounds and restore his health! Healing magic!”

“…Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. How do you feel? Any discomfort?”

“Not at all…”

Lochis’s gaze returned to Allen’s face. Under the night sky, she lowered her head while Allen looked up, their eyes meeting silently.

The water pouring from above had stopped at some point—perhaps because Lochis’s attention wavered and she couldn’t maintain the magic, or maybe so she could better examine Allen’s body for wounds…

Or perhaps…

So she could look more closely at Allen’s face.

But who could know what Lochis was truly thinking? She only looked at him with a faint trace of worry, her deep blue eyes flickering in the darkness.

Then she withdrew her hand from his.

Only then did Allen realize he had unconsciously held onto her hand throughout their conversation. He stared at his own hand in shock, his mind blank.

At six years old, to avoid the Northern Second’s raid into a brothel and being forced to become the “beloved” of the elder sisters, Allen now felt as innocent as a three-year-old child.

Lochis took a deep breath, turned her back to Allen, and chanted beside him, summoning a larger sphere of water surrounded by flames, the sound of boiling water bubbling forth.

“By the way… the air in the forest at night is really fresh…”

“Ah… yes…”

Lochis, still with her back turned, pointed at the water sphere.

“...Let’s… go wash. You smell of blood.”

“...Okay.”

…

After Allen finished washing and cleaning his clothes, and after a painfully inefficient drying process with Lochis covering her face and turning away the entire time, it was already early morning the next day.

They walked through the forest to the roadside.

“Remember to write.”

“Okay.”

Allen, dressed in wrinkled clothes, waved goodbye to Lochis.

Among the birdsong, she gave him a bright smile.

“See you in the future.”

Only then did Allen realize he had left in a hurry yesterday before she could reply.

Embarrassed, he scratched his face, watching Lochis walk away, waving as she disappeared behind him.

Her lips moved as if to say something, but at that moment, Allen’s absent-minded wave was reflected in her eyes. She blinked, pressed her lips together, swallowed her words, and quietly watched him.

In the end, she said nothing more, merely smiled faintly, then turned and headed toward Greater Gate City.

Allen watched her until her figure vanished, then lowered his gaze to his hand.

The dawn’s rosy light from the east wrapped his hand in a fiery glow, yet still, it felt somewhat cold.

Maybe the summer morning was a bit chilly? But why was he sweating all over?

Perhaps the forest was stifling last night? But why only were his palms sweating?

Allen pondered but couldn’t find an answer. Pressed to return to the Greatlart estate, he made a simple judgment and set off at a brisk pace.

It must be because—

The burning dawn of summer morning—

Was no match for the warmth of Lochis’s palm.

That was an easy conclusion to draw.