Chapter 178: You’re Not Going Off Alone Again (2)
The owner’s attitude had changed completely since we came upstairs. He spoke before me acting all subservient.
“But I am so sorry, there is one crazy customer who booked out the whole third floor, so there are only two good rooms left on the second floor. The other one is used as a storage room.”
“Only two rooms after paying you with that expensive jeweled ring?”
“Ah, but it is a quite big room with two beds…”
I held back Azar cutting in furiously.
Though I had no choice but to brainwash the owner, it did hurt my conscience to do something bad and be demanding as well.
“Yes, that’s fine. Bring us some bath water first.”
“Yes, will do. Would you like some little lasses sent up to tend to you as well?”
“No, that’s okay.”
“Alright, then please wait a moment.”
The owner went down in a hurry and we were left on the second floor hall.
The two rooms he had given us were side by side, and were spacious enough just as he said.
I entered inside without much thought, and Abel let out a grunt from behind.
“Uck!”
I turned around to see him held by the back of his collar by Azar.
“What’s the matter?” I asked in wonder and Azar smiled.
“The childe should be sleeping with me and the Grand priest. Where do you think you are entering in your fully grown state?”
“Huuh?!”
Looking at Michael and Azar, Abel flinched.
My poor boy. I took Azar’s hand off and pulled Abel close.
“How could three men stay in one room when there are only two beds? I will be using one bed with Priestess Deborah, so Abel can use the other one. I’ll see you later when the meal arrives.”
I slammed the door shut before Azar could speak any more. Abel patted down his chest in relief. He seemed to be quite worried to be left behind with two fully grown men, away from me. I laughed at how he acted and showed expressions like a kid when his body was fully grown.
“That was close.”
Abel sighed and gave me a tight hug.
“Hm…”
Though Abel was still Abel. it was definitely… a bit too much for me seeing him all grown up. Not because of anything else, but because how his face looked identical to Hades’.
I sighed as I patted his back. Abel backed away at once.
“Ah, sorry,” he apologized right away and mumbled as he stole peeps at me.
“And sorry about… what I did back there too.”
“Ah…”
He seemed to be talking about how he forcefully carried me on his shoulder to escape the trial. Of course, back when we just got out of the portal. I was upset at Michael and I couldn’t understand Abel either.
Even though Azar said he would stay behind, I never thought that Abel would nod easily to it…
‘But what can I do about it? It’s all fated to be.’
Didn’t I already see a future where Roxa wasn’t there?
It must have all been fated to happen.
Whether it was how Abel got swayed by Michael and Azar’s words, being too young to make proper judgment by himself. Or how Roxa, who didn’t seem like the sacrificial type at all, remained behind at the altar of sacrifice in Azar’s place.
“No, it’s okay.”
Seeing me give out a limp answer, Abel seemed flustered. Seeing him pouting as if he would start crying at any minute, I forced a bright smile as I gave him a hug.
“It’s fine, really. And you heard what the grand priest had said back there. Since we didn’t arrive at Orcus dead, Roxa’s body is fine on the other side. It’ll be fine as long as things all work out…”
“…”
“…It’ll be fine. It would just be as if nothing had happened, like having a bad nightmare.”
I cheered him up as I patted his back.
“Really?”
“Yes of course.”
“Mother…”
Abel dug deeper into my bosom as he cried.
I patted him on the back with an awkward smile, his large body hard for me to bear. Abel once again detached himself from me in surprise.
“I-I’m sorry. I’ve become too big to…”
“No, no, it’s not that I don’t like that. I’m just, recalling His Grace. Abel, you don’t know what you look like right now, right?”
The room had a worn-out full body mirror.
I pointed at it. Abel stood for a bit then scurried over to it.
“Whoa…”
Abel held his face with his shaking hands, turning it here and there.
There was a reason why everyone was startled the first time they saw him.
Truly, the fully grown Abel was spitting images of Hades. If there were anywhere to pick a difference, the tips of the eyes were rising a little less high.
“You really must be becoming this handsome when you grow up. You look just like how I imagined you to be.”
“Ah… do I look okay?”
Abel blushed with an embarrassed look on his face. I snickered and gave a nod.
“You really are dashing, Childe. Even more so than His Grace.”
Deborah sat beside me and added shyly.
“Ah, r-really?”
Both Abel, who received the compliment, and Deborah. who said it, were so flustered due to their shyness. I somehow felt like I was intruding on something. It was as if I’d become the third wheel in a romantic affection scene of the male lead and the heroine. And I was the mother-in-law of all people.
Perhaps I had lost my mind due to the series of difficult situations, I continued to think of all kinds of weird thoughts when the inn’s maid knocked on the door.
It looked like they had prepared the bath water.
When I opened the door, a young girl came in pushing in a huge wooden bathtub.
I spoke as I held up tired looking Deborah, “I’m sure you’re sleepy, but let’s wash up first before we get some rest. I’ll wash you. You’re okay with it, right?”
“Mmm… okay.”
Deborah gave a small giggle as came into my arms.
Picking up some shabby spare clothes in the room, I turned to look at Abel.
He was staring at the bathtub looking a little troubled and dazed.
I laughed.
“Hm… does my son want mommy to wash him too?”
“Huh?”
Abel got startled and gave an awkward smile as he backed away towards the door.
“Er, now that… Now that I think of it, it would be better for me to wash up next door. I’ll see you at mealtime, mother!”
With those words, Abel escaped the room like a gust of wind.
Deborah and I stared at the door that slammed shut and smiled at each other.
***
Rushing out of the room in a hurry, Abel raised his fist and gave himself a weak smack on the forehead.
No matter how he thought about it, he must have looked like a fool.
Though he didn’t like the idea of getting washed with Azar or Michael, He had no other choice. As he was about to move over to the next door,
“Uwahh…!”
“My, big boss! Were you on your way out?!”
Two unfamiliar men bumped into Abel in the hall on the second floor. They flinched in surprise and shrank.
“…Big boss? Me?”
There wasn’t anyone in the hall other than Abel and the two men. Abel pointed at himself and asked back for clarification, but the two men kept their eyes clenched shut, as though frightened.
“I-I’ll pass through!”
“Have a good day, Big boss!”
“Ah er, wait up!”
Worried that they may hit Abel by his shoulder, they walked sideways flat against the wall and left to their rooms at once in haste.
‘Did they take me for someone else…?’
Abel stared at the door where the two men disappeared to, dumbfounded.
***
After the meal, we took a brief rest then left the inn at once. Being a ‘living being’ here, we had zero information about Orcus or Mundus for that matter, so we needed to collect some information. To be precise, we needed to know where and when exactly the ‘reincarnation gate opens, where we would be able to meet Gaionia.
“We have no time to lose. We should split into three groups and investigate individually,” I said before the Inn.
Abel stood by me as if that’s only natural. I stared at him quietly for a while and spoke.
“Someone who is strong enough to be traveling on their own shouldn’t be in the same group. That’s a waste of resources.”
“Yes, that’s right. Mother and I would be a team, and Grand priest and Priestess Deborah will be another. As for Azar…”
“No, Abel,” I said as I shoved Abel towards Michael. “The one you should be protecting is the Grand priest who is the weakest among us all. I’ll be on my own.
Hearing my words, Abel’s eyes opened wide.
But it was only Abel who had an expression as if he couldn’t understand when I proudly said I would go around on my own even though I’m a woman.
Both Michael and Azar were nodding their heads, as if to say they fully understand my decision.
“I know you are strong enough to travel alone, but you wouldn’t know any better since you are young. Follow the Grand priest around and protect him.”
“No, what…”
Abel narrowed the space between his eyes as if to ask what am I talking about.
I took my gaze off him and locked eyes with Deborah to speak.
“And I hope you can go with Azar, Priestess Deborah. I know the Grand priest may be more comfortable for you, but it would be difficult for Abel to mind you both.”
“Mother, what are you talking about?”
Abel kept looking baffled. Michael smiled and held onto his arm.
“Here in Mundus, where we can use mana, I’m sorry to say but the duchess would be more powerful than you, Childe.”
Michael skimmed through numerous people wandering the main street and pointed.
“All those humans may step up act as the duchess’ guard in an instant. If anyone dares to lay a finger on the duchess, they won’t live to tell the tale. So don’t you worry.”
Though he seemed to have understood, Abel still seemed to be feeling uneasy about sending me off alone. Seeing Abel pouting, Michael spoke with a smile.
“That is the gist of ‘dark element’ abilities that the duchess and I possess, to put it shortly.”
It was something I didn’t want to say out loud myself, but Michael thankfully explained in my place.
Abel closed his mouth, looking dissatisfied.