Chapter 43

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Selina's Treasures

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"These are all for Tiye, too."

Selina unpacked a bundle of things she'd hauled over in front of the sofa.

Inside the large cloth sack were toys, trinkets, jewels, and all sorts of colorful oddities of unknown purpose, stuffed to the brim.

Tiye stared at Selina in wide-eyed surprise.

Just before they'd left the Belmore mansion...

'Wait just a moment! I have something to grab.'

Selina had packed her pajamas, then suddenly remembered something else and dashed off to the warehouse.

She didn't return until much later.

Dragging a bulging sack from who-knows-where, grunting with the effort.

'Wow, I thought back then that Selina was just grabbing some toys.'

But the sack held far more than toys.

"Tiye, you said you're a mercenary, right? So I figured you might like treasures like these."

The word "treasures" sparked curiosity in Tiye's eyes.

"Treasures?"

Selina nodded.

"Like I said earlier, my mom and dad travel all across the continent for work. Sometimes they pick up stuff like this, and if it's valuable, they don't sell it—they give it to me as a present."

"Isn't this a fragment of the Kailak Stele?"

Raoul, who'd been browsing the pile, spoke up.

He curiously plucked one item from the jumble.

It was a stone slab about the size of a child's palm, etched with unknown script.

"To think Lady Selina had a Kailak Stele fragment. Our Wavebrill marquisate has one piece, too!"

Tiye blinked back and forth between Raoul and Selina in confusion.

'Real treasures...?'

But that was just the beginning.

"Oh ho, there's even an ancient Grand Eastern Empire silver coin!"

"Old timer, check this out. What royal seal is this? Some fallen kingdom, maybe? The runes suggest the Northern Continent."

"It's the Ibranis Dynasty. See the laurel wreath on the top of the seal? It vanished when the Askalia Dynasty took over."

The mercenaries crowded around, inspecting the haul.

Even Marshal's eyes gleamed at the rolled parchments and tiny ornaments.

"These would look perfect decorating the second-floor hallway. The place has felt a bit bare lately..."

Tiye bolted over to Selina.

"Selina, really? Tiye can have all of these?"

Selina nodded like it was nothing.

"They're just piling up in the warehouse day after day anyway."

Then she glanced somewhere and added,

"More than that, those two seem taken with the wooden statues."

Tiye turned her head. Sure enough, Lukarion and Ppu Ppu were peering at a small, oddly shaped wooden statue with keen interest.

Tiye cocked her head.

'Does Lukarion like that treasure?'

Lukarion had rarely shown interest in anything besides books and Tiye.

Curiosity piqued, Tiye sidled up beside Lukarion and Ppu Ppu.

"Blackie, Ppu Ppu. What're you looking at?"

"Tiye."

Lukarion, so absorbed he hadn't sensed her approach, looked up.

Then he held the wooden statue out to her.

"I think you need to see this."

The statue Lukarion offered had a woman's body topped with a lion's head—an unusual form.

"Can you manipulate mana, by any chance?"

The abrupt question widened Tiye's eyes.

But the child answered briskly.

"Yeah, I can. Why?"

"Kyuu, kkurut. Kyua!"

Tiye's mouth dropped open.

"Sealed?"

Selina and the mercenaries gathered around Tiye.

"Sealed? What's that mean, kiddo?"

Tiye shot Veil a puzzled look.

"Ppu Ppu says something's sealed inside this wooden doll!"

"Sealed?"

Veil snatched the statue and turned it over, inspecting every angle.

"Looks like just a chunk of wood to me."

"No surprise, coming from someone with zero magical talent."

Lukarion shot back dryly.

He yanked it from Veil's grasp and placed it in Tiye's hands.

"Simple seal. Pump in mana stronger than the sealer's, and it breaks. Give it a try."

Tiye eyed the statue curiously but hesitated.

"But what if something bad pops out?"

"Kyuurung! Kyuu!"

Ppu Ppu twirled its trunk and chattered at Tiye.

Tiye tilted her head.

"A spirit...?"

Lukarion nodded.

"This time, it's spot on. The aura's pure."

Tiye finally nodded.

The child gripped the wooden doll tight, squeezed her eyes shut,

and...

"Nggh..."

Puckered her lips to the max and tensed up.

"Pfft!"

Veil choked on his water at the sight.

Basto and Nordics watched Tiye with fond amusement.

But time dragged on with no change.

"Nnggghhaa... Ungh?"

Finally, Tiye let out her pent-up breath and opened her eyes.

She panicked a little.

Selina was staring right at her from across the way, eyes full of expectation.

'Oh no. Selina's watching, but why won't the mana come out...?'

Tiye glanced anxiously at the doll.

Then tensed up again.

"Hngiyaap!"

"Puh—puhahaha! Kid, what're you doing?!"

But no mana flowed. The doll didn't budge.

Tiye fidgeted and looked to the mercenaries.

"I forgot how to do it...!"

Basto, still chuckling, came over.

He sat on the floor and scooped Tiye onto his lap.

"It's fine, Tiye. You've managed great without any real training so far."

Basto stroked the crestfallen girl's head.

"Relax. No big deal if it doesn't work. Just like always—no rush."

Tiye nodded reluctantly.

She dredged up the fuzzy memory of how she'd handled mana before.

'...There!'

Sure enough.

Just as Basto said—with calm breaths, mana stirred inside her.

Tiye shut her eyes tight and recalled the feel from every time she'd used it.

Summoning her bone buddies.

Calling the wrecked ship, commanding her minions—that power.

Mana throbbed hugely from her heart, flooding her body.

And then—

Clack—

The lion head on the doll in her hand spun a full circle toward Tiye.

"Eh?"

As Tiye looked down in shock, golden light flashed from the doll's eyes.

"The doll...!"

The next instant, it slipped from her grasp and landed on the floor.

A weighty voice boomed through the mansion.

Tiye winced at the light pouring from the doll's eyes.

By then, the doll had hopped right up to her.

Tiye stared at the doll in bewilderment.

And thought,

'I don't understand a single word...!'

The doll's words were far too archaic to follow.

Undeterred, it pressed on.

"...Rescued, yet your tongue wags endlessly."

Suddenly, something kicked the doll aside.

Tiye whipped her head around. There stood Ppu Ppu in its human form, just like back at Caldenbine Ridge.

Silver hair whipping through the air, a displeased voice emanated from beneath the elephant mask.

"Who do you deign to exalt yourself before? Mother finds your glare blinding—douse that light at once."

The doll, sent tumbling by Ppu Ppu's kick, stared back and forth between it and Tiye.

A beat of silence followed.

And then...

"...Eh? It really went out!"

Just as Tiye said—the fiery glow in the doll's eyes timidly faded away.