IHRS 19

Chapter – 19

“…So this is what you brought?”

Marsha stared at the pile of apples that filled the small room in the temple, her face pale.

And to make matters worse, a few apples had rolled out into the hallway.

‘This is a lot, isn’t it?’

“Yeah, well.”

An hour ago, Esha had realized that what I truly wanted was apples.

After asking several confirming questions, she had handed over a huge amount of them, adding this:

[Don’t think this is the end. I always make sure debts are fully paid!]

It wasn’t a villain’s exit line or a threatening “just you wait” kind of thing—who would even use that in such a context?

Anyway, there were so many apples that I called Shirin.

Shirin could carry them all easily.

The method was simple.

Shirin would use the wind to make the apples float and carry them. Each apple wasn’t heavy, even if the pile was large.

While diligently moving the apples, Shirin was currently:

-Who am I! I am the Wind Arch Spirit! The great Shirin stands before you!

She was boasting to Seraphina about how amazing her efforts had been.

“Apples! So many!”

Seraphina was only impressed by the apples.

She held apple slices that Marsha had carved for her in both hands, alternating them into her mouth, munching away.

Even so, it wasn’t that much.

‘For someone like Seraphina, giving too many apples isn’t good, right?’

I had been told that too many could cause digestive issues.

Maybe that was why.

“Hooe?”

The apple-eating session ended quickly.

Seraphina looked at her empty hands, seemingly checking if she had dropped any, even lifting her hips to see the floor.

Then, realizing she had eaten everything, she ran toward me, pitter-patter.

“I want more apples!”

“No. You’ve already had plenty.”

Marsha, experienced with taking care of younger children, was firm. Not swayed by her chubby cheeks or sparkling eyes.

Me?

I never even looked Seraphina in the eye. How could I ignore that?

As expected, Seraphina was quick to notice.

Ignoring Marsha, who seemed impossible to persuade, she trotted over to me.

“Ju-tteyo.”

Ah.

“Apples, ju-tteyo!”

She clasped her hands together desperately as she spoke, repeating it once more as if I hadn’t heard.

‘I can’t handle this.’

• Goddess Rudina would be shocked at your coldness.
• Goddess Rudina would shake her head, wondering how you could resist giving apples after seeing that.

The fine dust that had been quiet started stirring.

‘Noisy.’

As if someone were deliberately causing this.

‘It’s been hard for me to hold back too.’

Yet, it seemed the Marcelline apples suited the little saint perfectly.

“You should go to sleep now.”

Seraphina wriggled out of Marsha’s hands trying to soothe her and, finally, used her ultimate move.

She poked both cheeks with her index fingers, tilting her head to the side—

“Cute pose!”

‘Crazy.’

Bank accounts have limits. But there is no limit to cuteness.

Seeing even Marsha, who had been holding back, cover her mouth, I knew we had reached our limit.

‘Maybe one more won’t hurt?’

Yes, she wanted it that badly. Maybe one apple…

‘No, wait.’

I almost reached for an apple but regained my senses.

Seraphina maintained her cute pose.

Her cuteness was dangerously charming, yet it wasn’t entirely welcome.

‘Does she think she has to act cute to get an apple?’

Wasn’t she showing transactional cuteness?

“Who taught you that?”

I asked.

Plop!

The wind-bird hovering around disappeared.

‘This brat…?’

Shirin returned shortly and received her punishment.

Since she was bound by contract to me, it was easy to resummon her even if she tried to escape.

She came back wearing a sign around her neck:

-I selfishly used the wind to satisfy my personal desires.

The sign seemed heavy, and she struggled a bit, flapping her wings excessively—but…

‘She’s playing around.’

Shirin was a spirit. She wasn’t actually flying like a real bird, so the weight of the sign couldn’t have been that much.

‘I can see her holding the sign with the wind. Stop pretending to struggle.’

“-Shirin, dismiss.”

I blocked the unfavorable sound like a proper villainess.

Next, I picked up Seraphina, who was dangling at my feet.

“Seraphina is cute even without acting cute. Not giving more apples is just to protect her tummy, not for any other reason.”

Speaking softly so she wouldn’t worry, I stroked her head.

Seraphina, who had been shrinking back, slowly lifted her head.

“Then, can I eat apples tomorrow?”

“Yes. So today, let’s call it a day and sleep.”

“Uuuh…”

I waited until her apples were digested and laid her down in bed.

She didn’t fuss and fell asleep.

Her mouth slightly open, even breathing softly.

Seeing her like any other child, my thoughts drifted.

‘The grown-up Seraphina wasn’t like this.’

The first time I saw Seraphina was in the slums.

She was wary, stuffing bread into her mouth at once, afraid I might take it away. That image stuck.

‘The second time was here, at the temple.’

Back then, she had just realized her sacred powers.

Wearing the clerical robes, called a saint, she was acting happy and graceful—but secretly worried that if she behaved un-saintly, she would be sent back to the slums.

That anxious gaze now overlapped with the Seraphina acting cute to get an apple.

I didn’t want to raise Seraphina to think she needed to prove something to earn what she wants.

When the curse is lifted, she’ll regain her memories and grow up again, but for now, I wanted her to be peaceful.

‘Right now, I’m her protector.’

In any case, Seraphina slept soundly.

I straightened the blanket she had kicked off and then joined Marsha in the empty room to sit across from her.

There were things to say, things to confirm.

“You’ve retrieved all the stock sale proceeds as instructed?”

“Well done, Marsha.”

Before the gala began, I sold all the stocks.

Because I had invested in politically themed stocks, I sold everything before any crash issues arose.

On top of that, I even took short positions, making a decent sum of money.

Short positions lose money if the stock rises, so constant monitoring was needed. I had Marsha manage it.

“Um… if there are any additional stocks you want to buy…”

“No, none. I’ll hold cash for now.”

Marsha breathed a sigh of relief. Handling huge amounts of money in stocks can be scary.

Marsha could manage fine. I would take care of the serious business.

More importantly, I wanted to stay away from the stock market for a while.

‘Soon, panic selling will create a down market. Holding cash then is the best strategy.’

Enough about money.

Now, on to the main topic.

“You’re saying Miss Marcelline seems to have regained her memories?”

“Not all, just some.”

Esha wasn’t skilled in acting; she hadn’t grown up in an environment to practice such skills.

“Isn’t that disappointing?”

“Hmm… I actually think it’s fortunate.”

Esha had her own complicated personal history.

A modest estate, no education in management despite standing out, and a father who only cared about making a quick fortune through marriage.

Even with all that, Esha lived looking out for those in worse circumstances than herself.

If she regains her memories, she’ll pursue me to help no matter what.

‘That’s the kind of person she is.’

“I can’t let someone in her position risk herself to help me.”

If she were someone who could vanish without leaving a trace, maybe, but Esha has a conscience. I’d lose sleep if I drained her.

“Right now, just seeing the possibility is enough.”

Seeing the day when Esha and others who forgot me might remember me gives me hope to keep going.

Of course, wondering remains.

‘Then who is the one person who truly remembered me?’

The person who has fully remembered me…