WOSE Chapter 26

"Why..."

Odynne brought his finger to his lips. Iyu swallowed her words like a reflex and turned her head in the direction he was looking.

Beyond the damp space, the rustling of an unfamiliar presence could be felt.

In that moment when everyone held their breath, something pitch-black rushed toward them. Instead of drawing his sword toward it, Odynne easily snatched it up.

"L-let me go!"

What he'd caught wasn't a dangerous beast or bandits, but the child they'd been searching for all along.

Whatever had happened, the child's clothes were stained with dirt and grass blades were stuck here and there in her disheveled hair.

The panic-stricken child struggled violently. Odynne didn't budge, speaking calmly like a handler soothing a young animal.

"Calm down."

At that single small phrase, the child stopped moving as if by magic. Soon, a face covered in tears and snot turned toward him.

"Sir Knight...?"

Recognizing him, the small body that had been rigid went completely limp. The wet eyes crumpled pitifully, and soon the child burst into tears.

Eila, who had cried loud enough to shake the mountain, finally calmed down only after receiving comfort from both Darun and Tamia.

Darun, who had bent down to match the sniffling child's eye level, asked with concern.

"Why are you in this state? Don't tell me you went inside the mine? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No. I encountered a wild animal before even getting near the mine... I got scared and ran away, then fell by myself."

Eila shook her head back and forth.

Only after examining the child thoroughly to see if she was seriously injured anywhere did Darun put on a stern face.

"Eila. Don't you know how dangerous this mountain is? When you act on your own like this, everyone worries."

Though he didn't raise his voice much or scold severely, the child's eyes reddened again.

"B-but my sister might still be alive... Then I have to find her quickly."

Unable to swallow her sorrow, the child who had been whimpering finally dropped tears.

In that moment, something cold plopped onto Iyu's cheek.

She wiped away the transparent, damp thing and tilted her head back. From the dark clouds that had gathered before she knew it, droplets like the child's tears were falling.

Darun looked alternately at the overcast sky and the crying child, let out a deep sigh, and soothed the child in a gentler tone.

"I promised I'd help you, didn't I? I've been looking for your sister too. I haven't found any leads yet, but..."

"R-really?"

"Yes. So promise me you won't do anything reckless on your own again. What would be the point of finally finding your sister if you're not there?"

"I promise! I'll promise!"

Only then did Darun show a faint smile and carefully arrange the child's wheat-colored hair.

"Then shall we go down now?"

Darun, who had scooped up the child in one motion, looked back at the group with a troubled expression.

"With the weather like this, it seems difficult to return to End Village right away. Before it becomes harder to move, how about we go to the temple that's relatively close from here?"

The child in disarray, the dampened air, and the night that would soon arrive.

Even without much thought, Darun's judgment was correct.

"All right."

The group descended the mountain faster than when they'd climbed. Despite moving so swiftly, by the time they reached the temple, night had already arrived.

Late at night, the priests who recognized the visitors looking like drowned mice made a fuss.

"What on earth happened! Sir Holy Knight, Lord Darun, and even the Savior... Please come inside quickly!"

The celestials and priests who had remained at the temple after Odynne left swarmed over and handed out dry towels.

With her exhausted body soaked by cold rain, she felt what little stamina she had draining away. Iyu obediently followed the priests while wiping away the dripping moisture.

However, Darun, who had guided them here, didn't budge from the entrance. He set down the child from his arms and asked a priest for a raincoat instead of a towel.

"You're not going back out, are you?"

"Yes, I should probably return to End Village. Noma and everyone else will be worried, so I need to let them know the child is safe."

"I'll go instead!"

One dwarf priest tried to stop Darun, but he lightly shrugged his shoulders and put on the raincoat.

"It's fine. I'm the fastest on foot, aren't I?"

"The rain's gotten heavier—are you really all right?"

"I was born and raised in Smidrhame. I could walk there with my eyes closed."

"Still..."

"Then I'll leave Eila in your care."

Darun, leaving those words behind, pulled up his hood and walked into the rain.

Iyu watched the back disappearing into the dark space, then turned around.

Since he was so confident, worrying about this side's condition would be more productive than that side.

Right in front of her, Eila and Tamia stood side by side, trembling. She tried to drape her own towel over the child, but someone else's towel was already thickly layered on the small shoulders along with the children's share.

Iyu turned her eyes from Odynne, who was calmly conversing with the celestial priests without a single towel, and spoke to the nearest dwarf priest.

"As you can see, they're in this state... Could we impose for a bit?"

"Of course. We'll prepare warm water and clothes to change into."

The dwarf priests were fortunately very hospitable toward the Savior, unlike other dwarves.

"It's sudden so our preparations are lacking, but you can use this room. The bathroom is to the right of the room."

They readily offered a room. The temple itself was quite small compared to Asgard, so the room was also very modest.

However, cozy warmth poured from the fireplace lit out of season, and dry clothes to change into were prepared on the hard bed.

That alone relaxed her body, which had been rigid from the cold. She didn't want to leave the fire if she had her way, but...

Iyu looked down at Tamia, who was whimpering under the towels, and Eila, who showed wariness like a feral cat. Never mind Eila—even Tamia was in terrible shape.

"Let's wash up first."

"I-I can wash myself."

At the firm decision, Eila stepped backward hesitantly. But behind her, quick-witted Tamia stood planted like a wall.

Eventually, the surrendered child accompanied her to the bathroom the priests had indicated.

From how close it was to the room and the bathtub being large enough for two people, it didn't seem to be a communal space.

Warm water was already filled, so Iyu and the children thoroughly washed off the dirt and soaked their bodies for quite a while.

When they returned to the room with fluffy-dry bodies, simple snacks had even been prepared.

After filling their stomachs with soft bread and warm soup, the rain that had been violently striking the windows had quieted before they knew it.

'Can we return to the inn now?'

The clothes they'd left certainly wouldn't be dry yet, and outside was very dark, but she hadn't planned to impose even for sleeping quarters.

However, a priest who came to collect the empty dishes made the suggestion first.

"Since it's late at night, why don't you stay the night?"

Iyu couldn't readily nod and only let out an ambiguous sound. It wasn't right to say after receiving so much help, but honestly speaking, she'd be more comfortable sleeping at the inn even with cold stares than at a temple that worshiped that World Tree.

But then her thoughts reached Eila's existence.

From what she'd seen while bathing, though the child's eyes were swollen from crying, no major injuries were visible.

Still, she couldn't take the child who'd had such a grueling day and move around, nor could she leave her behind.

Finally resigned, Iyu decided to gladly accept the kindness.

"I will. Thank you for being so considerate."

"Then I'll bring more blankets."

After the priest left and silence returned again, Iyu moved her steps toward the interior of the room.

The children were huddled together in front of the fireplace, nodding off while holding cups of warmed milk.

She took away the half-remaining milk cups and placed them on the table, then laid the children on the bed.

Just that made sweat bead on her forehead. She exhaled ragged breaths and pulled the wrinkled blankets up to their necks when a drowsy voice drifted up from below.

"...Everyone must be very worried, right? Maybe I should have gone back with Lord Darun too."

Eila, perhaps briefly awoken, struggled to blink her flickering eyes and mumbled.

"Sister said I shouldn't cause trouble for other people... I'm sorry."

In her past life, she'd never properly exchanged words with this child. She'd thought Kelgrida would surely handle it well, but seeing today's events, it might have ended with a not-so-good conclusion after all—the thought suddenly crossed her mind.

"You pushed yourself too hard today. You must be tired, so go to sleep."

When she shook off the bitter feeling and patted the child's chest area, the child's eyes slid shut and she fell asleep.

Iyu also collapsed beside the soundly sleeping children. Having spent a long and difficult day herself, she helplessly fell into sleep.