Light shifted his attention back to the floating boxes hovering before the girl.
[Miracle Arts: Hand-to-Hand Combat | Soul Bond | Mana Sense {New}]
Only one ability remained unread.
Without wasting any time, he focused on it.
A new translucent box appeared before his eyes.
[Miracle Art: Mana Sense]
[Brilliance: Paragon]
The world speaks through mana. You have merely learned to listen.
[Ability: Your heightened perception now extends beyond the physical. Sense the presence and movement of mana.]
'If I had to guess, that's probably why she can see the boxes too,' Light thought.
'That, and whatever connection now exists between us.'
Taking a slow breath, he finally allowed himself to relax against the inn's wall.
Little by little, his strength was returning.
For the first time since waking up, he had a moment to think.
And the more he thought, the more unbelievable the last day felt.
From spotting the girl in the auction house...
To buying her as a slave...
"...Slave?"
The word escaped his lips.
Only now did he remember the contract.
His gaze swept across the dark room.
After several moments of searching, he spotted a familiar piece of parchment lying beside the tray of food Master Meric had brought earlier.
Or rather, what remained of it.
The paper had been torn apart.
'That's probably it.'
He stared at the ruined contract for a moment before looking away.
He had never intended to keep the girl as a slave.
The very idea left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Besides, if Euphy ever found out, she would never let him hear the end of it.
In the end, it seemed blessings cared little for such things.
Whatever power had linked him and the girl together had rendered the contract meaningless.
Ignoring it entirely, his gaze returned to the crimson-haired girl.
She was still quietly reading through the floating boxes.
'I'll need to continue teaching her.'
He was sure the version of him she had met within his memories had taught her the basics, but she still had much to learn.
Being unable to read was practically a death sentence in this world.
His parents had been scholars.
Because of them, he had learned to read and write from a young age.
It was a gift he would always treasure.
Leaving the girl to process her new abilities, Light sank deeper into thought.
'From meeting a slave girl with a blessing…'
To being dragged into her memories...
To seeing firsthand just how terrifyingly powerful blessed individuals can become...
His thoughts drifted to her mother.
The woman from those memories.
Even now, merely remembering her presence sent a chill down his spine.
There was no doubt she had been powerful.
Far more powerful than he could properly comprehend.
A headache began forming behind his eyes.
Too many questions.
Not enough answers.
'Euphy's condition has improved for now... but how long will that last?'
His expression darkened.
'And now there's another mouth to feed.'
The captain's words resurfaced in his mind.
'The academy is an option…'
But reaching it would take months.
And money.
A lot more money than he possessed.
'The Adventurer's Guild is another possibility…'
He sighed.
Every path forward required leaving their small town.
Something that felt impossible right now.
Still, his options were rapidly running out.
He had left home on this mission hoping to earn enough money to carry them through winter.
Instead, he had returned with empty pockets.
No reward.
No success.
Only more problems.
And one unexpected girl.
Things were not looking promising.
A sudden glimmer of light caught his eye.
He squinted.
Turning toward the window, he noticed the darkness outside was slowly retreating.
Soft golden light crept above the town walls.
Morning was approaching.
Light shook his head.
Worrying about the future would not solve anything tonight.
His gaze returned to the girl.
She was no longer looking at the floating boxes.
Her eyes were closed.
Lost in thought.
'There should still be a few hours before we leave.'
'We should rest while we can. The journey home is a long one.'
"Hey."
His voice broke the silence.
"We should get some sleep. We're leaving in a few hours."
Without waiting for a response, he shifted his weight and pushed himself upright using the wall for support.
The movement earned a glance from the girl.
She quietly watched him make his way toward the room's only bed.
After a brief struggle, he finally sat down on the soft mattress.
Looking back at her, he continued.
"There are too many questions right now."
He let out a tired laugh.
"For both of us."
"There'll probably be even more the longer we travel together."
His shoulders relaxed.
"But for now, we need rest."
The girl nodded.
"You are right."
Her voice was calm.
Without hesitation, she rose from the floor.
The first rays of dawn streamed through the window, illuminating her figure as she stood.
For the first time since waking, Light got a proper look at her.
She no longer appeared frail.
The sickly paleness that had clung to her skin was gone.
Even the gaunt look she had worn inside the auction house had vanished.
Instead, she looked healthy.
Stronger.
As though she had never been the starving girl he had met only yesterday.
'Even more questions.'
Light frowned.
Now was not the time.
But sooner or later, he intended to find answers.
Without a word, the girl walked over to the bed.
Then climbed onto it.
Light blinked.
She calmly scooted toward the side pressed against the wall and settled down.
"Excuse me?"
Light stared at her.
"What are you doing?"
The girl looked back at him.
"There's only one bed."
Her tone suggested the matter was obvious.
Light opened his mouth.
Then closed it again.
After a few seconds, he glanced around the room.
The floor.
The wall.
The bed.
Then back to her.
...She's right.
Besides, he was far too exhausted to care.
With a defeated sigh, he nodded.
"You know what? Fair enough."
The girl simply pulled the blanket over herself.
Light couldn't help but chuckle.
"Let's get some sleep while we still can."
Finally, he lowered himself onto the mattress.
The moment his aching body touched the soft bed, relief washed over him.
'I have a lot to ask the captain later.'
'But there's no point worrying about it now.'
The room fell silent.
Outside, dawn continued its slow rise over the town.
And within minutes, both Light and the crimson-haired girl drifted into a peaceful sleep beneath the first light of morning.