“Hmm…”
When I woke up, the bearded old man’s face was right in front of mine.
Yes, he really didn’t have any wrinkles. I had a feeling he would look a lot younger without the beard.
Apparently, Mappa and I had been sleeping on top of Shiel like a bed.
And since Mappa snored loudly while trying to cling onto me, I quickly got out.
“Ahh…how long was I sleeping…? It’s already dawn.”
The sky was growing paler.
The early risers were already starting to cook some fish.
I saw that Rienna was gathering some water by the reservoir with a bucket.
She was no longer naked but was wearing cloth that was made from spider webs.
Then she seemed to notice me.
She put down the bucket and headed in my direction.
“Lord Heal!”
“Rienna. Morning. It’s a bit early to be working.”
“Oh, this is nothing! As I have evolved, I have to work harder than before.”
She said with a lighthearted smile.
While she looked nothing like the old Rienna, she was just as courageous as before.
But then she looked at me worriedly.
“More importantly, Lord Heal. Are you alright? You suddenly fell asleep.”
“Huh? Oh, I’m fine. I think I was just really tired.”
I couldn’t tell her that it was due to a state of heightened excitement.
That would put me in the same category as Mappa.
‘That’s good,’ Rienna said with relief.
“Still, Rienna. Are you fine with changing like this? I didn’t know that it would do this to you…”
“No, Lord Heal. I am rather fond of this form. Becoming human…it was not very expected. But I never much liked my old body… And so I think there was a part of me that wanted to be more beautiful.”
“Huh…”
Indeed. Rienna had been much smaller than the other goblins.
She was rounder and the green of her skin was dull, and not vibrant like the others.
Perhaps she did not quite match the goblin ideal of beauty.
“I had many siblings. My older and younger sisters were all beautiful, unlike me. Not only that, but I was cursed from birth. And so, I was often bullied by the others…”
I couldn’t help but be taken in by her story.
Perhaps it was because it reminded me about how I was raised.
I was also born with a useless crest and my father and brothers treated me like a failure who had weak magic.
And since we were both fifteen years old, I felt a strange bond.
“And yet it was I who ended up becoming the last survivor of the Berdan royal family… But I am now reborn.”
Rienna put a hand to her chest and continued.
“…This body and this life are all thanks to you. And so…I will do everything I can to help you.”
She reached out to touch my hand.
Rienna said she would do everything she could to help me.
Yes, it made me happy.
But what should I say in reply?
Words of encouragement? That I’m counting on her?
I wasn’t used to saying things like that.
In the first place, I didn’t see her or the other goblins as subordinates…
At most, I owned the land, and they were residents.
Everyone should do what they could, and life on this island could develop.
And so I held her hand and asked her this.
“I… I wouldn’t want anything more if I could eat your delicious food. If you would continue to allow me to eat it?”
“Lord Heal…!”
Rienna’s face turned a little red and her eyes filled with tears.
However, she quickly smiled again.
“…Of course! I will go and prepare it right away!”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Yes! I will do my best!”
Rienna answered happily.
After that, I taught her to use magic, and Erevan taught her how to fight. And she became very active in learning new things.
However, Rienna hadn’t simply changed into a human form and learned to use magic. But we did not know it at that time.
Thanks for reading. That’s the last chapter for this week. If you’re new here, consider checking out Tensei Kenja or Jack of all Trades until Monday. 😀