“This is….”
Just as Julius raised his hand, Helos swiftly slapped away his fingertips with a sharp “snap.”
The silver lashes of the girl trembled faintly under the light.
She carefully picked up a silver chain from the workbench, handling it like a precious treasure, and gently threaded it through the small hole at the top of the Black Sphere.
The metal sphere swung lightly on the chain, the intricate patterns on its surface reflecting a dark gleam in the sunset.
“Lower your head.”
Helos commanded, her voice carrying an unusual firmness.
Julius obediently bowed his head, the collar of his black uniform loosening slightly.
Helos solemnly wrapped the chain around his neck.
The small Black Sphere pressed against the skin at the boy’s collarbone, sending a chill through him.
….Could this be some kind of Amulet?”
Julius looked down at the black sphere on his chest, his fingertips gently tracing the delicate patterns on its surface.
Helos rolled her eyes, her gaze flickering unpredictably for some reason: “Ah… You can think of it that way.
Before any doubt could arise in Julius’s mind, she suddenly grinned, revealing two sharp little tiger teeth. “Anyway, when you run into dangerous enemies—”
She suddenly grabbed Julius’s wrist, pressing his palm against the Black Sphere. “Just pull this thing out and smash it hard into their face!”
Julius was stunned.
“Alright.”
He nodded gently, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
The boy seemed like he wanted to say something but ended up turning it into a soft smile at the corner of his mouth: “Thank you.”
Helos waved her hand and turned toward the workbench: “Why thank me? We’re bros.”
“?”
Julius’s expression froze.
He glanced down at the Amulet on his chest, then looked up at Helos’s busy back, suddenly finding the nickname a little amusing.
“Well, I’ll head back—”
Julius was about to turn when Helos suddenly dashed to stand right in front of him.
The silver tips of her hair fluttered wildly from the swift movement, tracing a sparkling arc in the sunset.
She pressed her hands on the doorframe, her pale violet eyes fixed intently on the boy, her nose nearly touching his chin.
“Don’t rush!”
Her voice dropped suddenly, laced with a mysterious tone: “Uh… I wanted to ask you something.”
Julius instinctively stepped back half a pace, his back pressing against the door.
Helos’s unique fragrance washed over him, making him unconsciously hold his breath.
“W-What is it?”
Helos glanced around, then stood on tiptoe and leaned close to Julius’s ear: “Has there been anything unusual in the kitchen lately? Like…. about Uncle Ron……”
“Ah?”
Julius blinked, stunned for a moment.
He tilted his head in thought, then suddenly slapped his hands together as if remembering something: “Oh…. right!”
“I heard he’s been complaining these past few days that the flour he uses to bake bread keeps disappearing mysteriously.”
The boy copied Helos’s lowered voice but then returned to a normal tone. “Apparently it’s been happening for three days straight.”
Helos’s mouth twitched subtly.
“He now seriously suspects that there are mice in the kitchen.”
Julius didn’t notice her odd expression and continued enthusiastically:
“Yesterday, when I went to the kitchen, I saw him walking around with a stick, banging on walls, saying he wanted to find the mice’s nest.”
The boy suddenly chuckled. “The funniest thing is, he even put out mouse traps next to the flour sacks, but nothing happened today.”
“You see, those mice are pretty clever too; they know better than to eat the bait.”
“Y-Yeah.”
Helos gave a dry little laugh, then mumbled softly: “I’m not an idiot…”
“Hm?”
Julius suddenly leaned closer, his warm breath brushing her ear. “What did you just say?”
“Nothing!”
Helos abruptly stepped back, her silver hair drawing a panicked arc in the air.
She quickly switched to her signature bright smile, pushing Julius gently by the back toward the door: “Alright, alright! You still have to escort Miss Eleanor for the sermon tomorrow!”
The sunset stretched their shadows long as the girl stood on tiptoe, flapping her arms like chasing after little chicks: “Hurry back and rest!”
Julius was pushed forward but suddenly turned sharply just as he stepped out the Workshop door, the hem of his black uniform fluttering lightly.
He stood in the doorway, his silhouette tall and straight against the light: “Don’t think about missing me while I’m gone—”
“Get lost!”
“Got it~”
At dawn, before the morning mist had fully lifted, the Courtyard was filled with a crisp floral scent.
Julius adjusted the collar of his black uniform, the metal pendant on his chest glinting faintly in the morning light.
Just as he stepped into the Courtyard, he bumped straight into Eleanor.
“Good morning, Julius.”
Eleanor said softly.
The girl’s golden hair was tied into a simple bun, gently swaying in the morning breeze.
She wore a plain white Saintess Robe, cinched at the waist with a silver sash that gave her an especially pure appearance in the hazy morning light.
Julius immediately straightened his back and brought his right hand to his chest in salute: “Miss Eleanor, everything is ready.”
Eleanor’s gaze fell on the metal pendant on his chest, a faint smile touching her lips: “That child gave you that?”
The boy instinctively touched the pendant, fingertips feeling the cold metal surface: “Yeah, he said it’s an Amulet.”
“Tsk.”
A soft sound slipped from Eleanor’s lips, disappearing swiftly in the morning breeze.
“….Did you just ‘tsk’?”
Eleanor quickly turned her face away, golden hair falling to cover her slightly reddened ears.
She unconsciously bit her thumb, her voice as light as a feather brushing past: “It’s just your imagination.”
“But I……”
“It’s your imagination!”
Sunlight pierced through the morning mist, casting a soft outline along her profile.
Eleanor took a deep breath, gently straightened the silver sash around her waist, and turned to face the guards already lined up and waiting.
The guards saluted in perfect unison, their armor glinting with a cold sheen in the morning light.
“Let’s go.”
She raised her hand, her voice regaining its usual calm: “We can depart now.”
Julius followed behind her, the metal pendant on his chest swaying lightly with his steps.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, he spun around sharply and caught sight of a flash of silver not far off.
The boy unconsciously curled his lips into a smile, black eyes reflecting both the morning light and the silver figure slowly fading into the distance.
Julius instinctively clenched the Amulet, his fingertips tracing the patterns on it.
In the morning light, the surface of the Amulet glowed warmly, as if still carrying the heat of Helos’s palm.
“Hopefully….. nothing unexpected will happen on this journey.”