Furina’s cheek still held a lingering warmth. From her reflection in the window glass, she could see her own flustered expression.
‘No, I don’t want her to see me like this.’
Facing this unknown feeling for the first time, Furina chose to retreat.
To suppress her unease, she returned to the desk, pulled out the chair, and continued copying the Magic Encyclopedia.
She was already more than halfway through this book. The parchment filled with her handwriting, which had started as just a few thin sheets, had now grown into a thick stack.
Lin Shu walked out of the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel.
Seeing Furina was already busy, she also silently ignored the ambiguous interaction from earlier.
Lin Shu poured out the commission fees she had collected today from her pack.
Tomorrow, they would reach the royal capital.
While she had time, she should take stock of how much travel money they had left.
Lin Shu planned to leave as much money as possible for Furina before they parted ways.
Lin Shu walked to the other side of the room’s only table, placed the coins on the surface, and began sorting them one by one.
Furina glanced at her, then lowered her head, her pen never stopping.
The window was closed, isolating them from the outside noise.
The only sounds left in the room were the crisp clinking of coins and the regular, scratchy sound of a pen tip moving.
Furina’s flustered heart gradually calmed down in the quiet atmosphere.
The lamplight was warm, just like the mood of the moment.
During this period of traveling with Lin Shu, she had shared the same space with her every night. Furina, who was originally accustomed to solitude, hadn’t felt uncomfortable, just like now. She didn’t have to worry about their relationship; she could just quietly focus on one thing.
As if by innate默契, they never disturbed each other while doing their own things.
How much longer… could this time last?
A voice emerged from the depths of her heart.
Furina’s movements paused. The speed of her writing slowed down.
She secretly lifted her gaze to look at Lin Shu.
This black-haired human’s eyes were focused, the stray hairs on her forehead parted, revealing the beast-claw mark.
Lin Shu had come to the royal capital precisely to find her master.
They were different. Lin Shu had already formed bonds with other people long ago.
“What kind of person… is Lin Shu’s master?”
Furina’s cool voice suddenly broke the silence.
Lin Shu’s fingers paused. She looked up to meet Furina’s probing gaze.
‘Why is she suddenly asking this?’
‘How should I answer?’
‘It probably isn’t good to tell a child that I’ve had several masters, and that I even had that kind of relationship with my master, right?’
“Hmm.” Lin Shu pondered her wording. “Her personality… isn’t fixed.”
“Sometimes she’s very arrogant, sometimes very gentle, and occasionally throws a bit of a childish tantrum, ahaha…” Furina was puzzled. No matter how she listened, it didn’t sound like a normal, reliable person.
“Do you often fight together?”
“Yes, we lived and fought together. Before I learned magic, I fought using my familiar skills.”
Images of Sefina and Hati surfaced in Lin Shu’s mind.
“I wonder how she’s doing now…”
Lin Shu looked out the window at the twinkling lights of the city not far away—her destination.
Seeing the flicker of anticipation and a gentleness that didn’t belong to her in Lin Shu’s eyes, Furina tightened her grip on the pen.
“But why… isn’t your master looking for you?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been looking for her all this time, but now that we’re close to the royal capital, there hasn’t been a single trace of her.”
“It’s unfair.”
“Why would you maintain such a relationship…!”
Furina wanted to continue, but she suddenly stopped, pressing her lips together tightly.
‘What’s wrong with me?’
Facing her失控 emotions, Furina momentarily didn’t know what to do and could only restrain her words.
But the surge of emotion that had welled up instantly was stuck in her throat, like a fishbone卡在那里, pricking uncomfortably.
Lin Shu was also startled by Furina’s sudden raised tone.
She spoke up, “That’s not it, Furina.”
“Even though I am a familiar, it’s not because of that契约 relationship that I maintain my connection with her.”
“My master isn’t looking for me because…” Lin Shu trailed off.
She couldn’t explain it to Furina.
The person she was looking for simply wasn’t in this time.
She could only offer a completely unconvincing answer: “There are other… special reasons.”
As expected, Furina didn’t reply. She buried her head in writing her book, the force of her grip on the pen stronger than before.
Seeing she had no intention of continuing the conversation, Lin Shu could only swallow the words that had reached her lips.
The room returned to silence, but the atmosphere was no longer the same as before.
When it was time to rest, Furina was the first to climb into bed.
Lin Shu extinguished the light and tentatively asked, “We’ll reach the royal capital tomorrow. Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”
“No.” Furina responded coldly.
She had her back to Lin Shu, her long hair spilling over the side of the pillow, her slender body curled up on the bed.
Lin Shu sighed inwardly.
‘Ah, how did it come to this?’
‘Just when my relationship with Furina had improved, right before we reach our destination and part ways… are we really going to part on bad terms?’
She lay back on her own bed.
‘What should I say after finding the Holy Church?’
‘Or should I first find the Holy Church’s place of pilgrimage to the Creator God and see if I can trigger a reaction from the key?’
‘It’s been several days since I’ve been in the past. I wonder how Sefina and the others are doing.’
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Lin Shu closed her eyes, but sleep was slow to come.
In the darkness of night, Furina turned over. In the dark, she silently watched Lin Shu’s sleeping face.
‘After this… where should I go?’
‘If I could just stay with Lin Shu… could this peaceful, warm time continue on forever?’
Each harboring their own thoughts, the two spent a sleepless night.
—
The next day, Lin Shu was awakened by a knocking sound.
“Miss Lin Shu, are you there?” A woman’s voice came from outside the door.
Lin Shu bolted upright from the bed, bleary-eyed as she stared in the direction of the door, her face full of confusion.
This was the first time someone had come looking for her.
Furina was also awake, sitting up in bed.
Lin Shu shook her head at her, signaling her not to make a sound. She tiptoed to the door, leaned close, and peered through the peephole.
Through the small hole, she saw the inn’s front desk staff and also… an angel nun.
Someone from the Holy Church.
Lin Shu’s heart gave a violent jump.
She first opened the door a crack, revealing half her face. “I’m here. Is something the matter?”
Lin Shu’s gaze shifted to the angel nun beside the staff. The other wore the familiar black and white nun’s habit, was dignified in appearance, with white wings neatly folded behind her back.
“May the gods guide you.”
“Miss Lin Shu, I have come on behalf of the church.”
“Might I ask what this is about?”
“The bishop said that recently, the surrounding areas have become much more peaceful, and the frequency of commissions posted by residents has decreased.”
“According to the citizens, it was an outsider, a human lady, who resolved many of the commissions.”
“We made some inquiries and learned of your residence. Therefore, we have specially come to invite you to the church to express our gratitude to you.”
They hadn’t even reached the royal capital yet, and the Holy Church had come knocking.
This was beyond Lin Shu’s expectations.
“That’s possible, but I need to wash up first. Please wait a moment.” Lin Shu held the doorknob, nodding politely.
“Of course. I will wait for you at the inn entrance.”
After closing the door, Lin Shu turned to look at Furina.
“Furina, are you coming too? I didn’t complete those commissions alone, you know.”
“I’m not going.” Furina quickly turned her head away. “Isn’t our destination the royal capital?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”