The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

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Author Notes:

  This is a bonus chapter. The new arc will start from the next chapter.

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"Elen won't come out of her room?"

When I asked that, Roze nodded with her arms crossed.

"That's right. I went to get her earlier, but no matter how many times I knocked, she wouldn't unlock the door. Could you go back to the inn and bring her out?"

This was a little while after we had come to the Stoania Kingdom.

I, who had woken up early and was already reviewing quests at the Adventurers' Guild, tilted my head in confusion. It's unusual for Elen not to come out of her room even though she's awake. I've even already made and brought sandwich for breakfast.

"Understood. Will you wait here, Master?"

"I'll go ahead to the plaza in front of the dungeon. I want to restock on some potions too."

"Then I'll head there as soon as I get Elen out."

"Thank you."

I parted ways with Roze there and ran back through the royal capital.

Many shops were already open in the morning, and various voices could be heard.

Although we've been in this country of reasoning for quite some time, the amount of information is still overwhelming no matter how many times I see it. Thanks to my modern knowledge, I can understand the items being sold to some extent, but I'm completely lost when it comes to their principles and structures. The only thing I could probably make myself would be a music box.

I need to raise my reasoning skills a bit more.

Thinking about such things, I arrived at the inn.

I reached our rented room and lightly turned the doorknob to check. Naturally, it was locked. Even though I have a key as her roommate, I wouldn't dare to open it without permission.

"Elen? It's Ruruk. Can I come in?"

I knock on the door.

I heard a rustling sound from inside, but after that, there was silence and no response.

"Are you not feeling well? I brought some food, just in case."

"...Don't want it."

A muffled voice leaked out.

It's unusual for her to refuse food.

"Are you okay? Are you feeling sick somewhere?"

"...No."

"That's good then. But if not, why won't you come out?"

Thinking that being overly considerate might have the opposite effect, I asked directly.

But there was silence.

This seems like it's going to be difficult.

At times like this, it's time for my noble skills!

Praise women, praise them, and praise them some more.

The etiquette tutor said that this usually gets you through most situations.

"By the way, Elen, thank you for your help in the dungeon the other day. When we got lost on the 27th floor, we would have been in trouble without you. I never thought you could detect air currents with wind magic. As expected of Elen."

"......"

"And I haven't thanked you yet for the quest the other day. I wouldn't have been able to get along with that grumpy old man. Elen is liked by everyone, I'm so envious."

"......"

"Oh yes, I'm always grateful for your help in collecting monster materials. I have to pick up each one by hand, but your earth-wind mixed magic is really amazing. I can't even explore dungeons without you anymore, Elen."

Now, how about that?

This is Ruruk's serious invitation.

......

.........

N-no good?

I guess I'm still just garbage with a noble combat power of only 5...

Feeling keenly aware of my lack of ability, I stand in front of the door and speak as earnestly as I can.

"Elen... I'm sorry if I've offended you. I thought I was paying attention to you, but I'm sure there were things I didn't notice. It's really hard for me to say this, but if there's anything I've done that's inadequate, please honestly tell me—*click* Gah!?"

The door suddenly opened and hit me in the face. A strange sound came out of my mouth.

It hurt, but I made that sound just because I was surprised.

As I took a step back, the door opened slowly this time.

For some reason, Elen had a blanket draped over her head.

"Elen, what's wrong?"

When I asked, she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the room.

Elen immediately closed the door and locked it, then sat on the bed still covered with the blanket.

I'm not stupid, so I don't rush to say anything here.

As I wait for her to speak on her own, after a while, Elen opened her mouth.

"Mm... Ruruk, you won't laugh?"

I don't know what she's talking about, but I don't have the guts to joke around and burst into laughter here.

"No, I won't laugh."

"...Mm, look."

Elen hesitated a little, but seemed to make up her mind and removed the blanket she was covering herself with.

Hmm?

It's the usual Elen, isn't it?

"Mm-mm... hair, coarse."

Elen touched her hair and the wool on her wrists embarrassedly.

Now that she mentions it, it does seem like the overall amount of hair has increased compared to before. I hadn't really paid attention to it, but it does seem to have become fluffier.

Well, she's a sheep-folk, so I guess there are times like this.

"Coarse... smells like animal... don't like it..."

Elen sat in the corner of the bed and covered herself with the blanket again.

Come to think of it, on our first day in this city, some bastard at the Adventurers' Guild said something about Elen's hair being coarse and smelling like an animal.

I remember thinking, "What the hell, it's silky," at the time. She washes it properly with soap and it always smells nice. 

Well, I couldn't say that at the time for various reasons.

Ah~ Just remembering it makes me angry.

No, no. Calm and collected, calm and collected.

"Elen, are you worried about the amount of hair?"

"Mm... embarrassing."

Well, she is a girl after all.

Worrying about having too much hair might be unique to sheep-folk, but if that's the case, I have a suggestion.

"Elen, can I ask you for something?"

"...?"

"This is something that will solve your worry and also relates to our safety."

Saying that, I rummage through the desk in the room and take out a pair of scissors.

"Will you let me cut your hair?"

■　■　■　■　■

Elenora had more hair than other children since she was young.

This was especially noticeable just before winter, and if she didn't take care of it, it would quickly become messy.

Because of this, she was sometimes teased by her friends, who called her hair a bird's nest.

Every time this happened, she would cry to her mother and have her hair cut. Ordinary children didn't even need to have their hair cut; when it reached a certain length, it would stop growing, and when the molting season came, it would naturally fall out.

It was very embarrassing to have to have her parents take care of her hair.

"Ah~ That brings back memories. I often had my mother cut my hair too."

"Mm... Ruruk too?"

"Yes... Ah, no. I mean, someone who was like a mother to me. My real mother passed away when I was born."

Ruruk said this as if trying to cover up, while skillfully cutting Elenora's hair as she sat in the chair.

It was unexpected.

The Ruruk that Elenora knew was multi-talented and could do anything by himself.

"I've only recently become able to do many things on my own. In the past, I was a poor child who could only do one thing."

Ruruk said this in a somewhat dejected voice.

Elenora understood that he wasn't just saying this to be considerate of her feelings.

"When I was little... well, I'm still small, but when I was even smaller. I used to cry easily, get angry easily, and always be selfish. I would long to see my mother who I couldn't meet, or throw a tantrum if there were vegetables I didn't like... Not being able to see my parents was especially hard."

"Mm... I understand."

Elenora, too, had just lost all her family and comrades.

Thanks to Ruruk, she was able to get her revenge, but that was all.

Nothing was left in her hands.

At night, she's tormented by the loneliness of feeling like she's in darkness, the only one in the world.

She understood that feeling painfully well.

"But recently, I finally realized something."

"Mm, what?"

"That I'm not alone."

Ruruk patted Elenora's shoulders gently.

The cut hair fell from her shoulders and scattered on the floor.

It was quite a lot of hair.

It was unpleasant to look at.

"Oh, it's good, Elen. You look even cuter than usual. Your arms and legs look great too."

The skilled Ruruk looked at Elenora and nodded with satisfaction.

Just looking at his cooking skills, you can tell that Ruruk has a craftsman's spirit, so he's probably good at this kind of detailed work.

The hair that was coarse before now felt smooth to the touch.

"Mm, thank you Ruruk."

"You're welcome. Oh, yes. About that request I mentioned earlier."

Ruruk said this to Elenora, who was about to use wind magic to gather up the fallen hair and throw it in the trash.

"Can I have the hair?"

"...Ruruk?"

Elenora's expression stiffened involuntarily. The vague suspicion of Ruruk being a perverted gentleman slowly began to rise in her mind.

Ruruk hurriedly waved his hands,

"N-no, it's not like that. I mean... I said earlier, didn't I? That I've come to feel that I'm not alone. The trigger for that was objects."

"Mm... objects?"

"Yes. When I keep things given to me by important people or family close by, I somehow feel like I'm not alone. So Elen, can I use some of that hair?"

Ruruk looked a bit embarrassed as he said this.

"It won't be a bad thing for you either, Elen."

□　□　□　□　□

"Alright, it's done."

Looking at what was completed in about thirty minutes, I nodded.

I thought it might take a few tries to get a satisfactory result, but I'm glad it worked out on the first try.

"Ruruk, amazing."

Elen, peeking from behind, let out an impressed voice.

In my hand was a small white doll. It's a wool doll modeled after Elen.

It's small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, so it's not obtrusive and can be carried around anytime.

Of course, I didn't make it just for decoration.

The real work starts now.

"'Threshold Compilation'"

I infuse spiritual essence into the doll. The formula expands and is inscribed.

The values are simple. I just need to prepare two indicators. One is distance. The other is direction.

However, these are not fixed values, but variables.

These variables will act as a compass, indicating the distance and direction to the body with the same genetic information as the material - in other words, Elen herself.

This is what I call the "Elen Radar".

Of course, it won't grant any wish when you find it, but it's a mystical device doll that can fulfill the wish of wanting to find Elen.

"Yes, success!"

This is the Elen kidnapping countermeasure item I've been thinking about for a while.

I tie the sheep doll securely with a string and hold it up.

"What do you think, Elen? Now I can always know where you are."

"Ruruk..."

Huh, what's this?

Rather than being extremely surprised, she seems extremely embarrassed.

Was the idea of always knowing her whereabouts too stalker-like after all?

"...Sorry, should I give it back?"

"Mm-mm-mm-mm!"

Elen shook her head vigorously from side to side.

Well, I guess that's fine then.

"Then Elen, if we show this to Master and get a passing grade, can I make one for Master too?"

"Mm. Of course."

Then Master will also be able to know Elen's location at all times.

If it was just me, it might still be worrying, but if that Mystic King gets her hands on a radar too, it'll be like giving a demon an iron club.

"Mm, but Ruruk."

"What is it?"

"I want one of Ruruk too."

...............

Eh~ I had considered the possibility of being asked, but...

"But Elen... Making this requires quite a lot of genetic information, you know?"

"Mm, cut it."

Elen said in a tone that was clearly stronger than usual.

"Cut Ruruk's hair."

"...Okay."

And so, for a while, my hair became an ill-fitting short style.