As he spoke, he casually raised a hand in front of her—gesture for balance—but Ellyn, always sneaky, silently activated her Absolute Eye. A faint glow appeared in her irises, hidden behind a sweet smile.
"Oh, you know~" she replied innocently, swinging her legs slightly while still sitting on his shoulders. "Let’s just say... Syaria and Ridan were lovers when they were both alive."
Hazuki blinked. "Wait, really?"
"Mmhmm~" Ellyn humd. "Syaria said it took years to get that fog ball to fall in love. Apparently, he was really dense. Like, super dense."
"Hah! Typical Ridan," Hazuki snorted.
"Right?" Ellyn grinned. "And just when they finally got together, they ended up in the heroes’ party... and then, one day, Ridan disappeared."
Hazuki looked up at the two spirits. Syaria was still clinging lovingly to Ridan, who was trying to wiggle free with all the dignity a floating cloud spirit could manage.
"...That foggy pervert was in a love story?" Hazuki muttered, disbelief in his voice. "That’s... kind of hard to imagine."
"He was cooler back then, probably," Ellyn said with a quiet tone, not teasing anymore.
She held onto Hazuki’s head gently as he walked, her fingers resting in his hair while her voice softened.
"Syaria said... when Ridan disappeared, she left the heroes’ party," Ellyn continued. "She used all the money she saved... just to search for him."
Hazuki’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he kept walking—calm on the outside.
"She traveled everywhere. Towns, ruins, temples... asking anyone, hoping to find sothing—anything. But there was nothing."
Hazuki looked ahead toward the two spirits, floating in the distance. Syaria was slowly circling around Ridan, her expression soft, while Ridan avoided her gaze with an awkward air.
Ellyn’s voice lowered.
"She spent fifty years searching. Alone. Until... she couldn’t walk anymore. Her body grew weak. And when she was bedridden, knowing her ti was almost up..."
Hazuki’s steps slowed.
"She used a forbidden spell," Ellyn said quietly. "She bound her soul to the world. Just so she could keep looking for him."
Hazuki didn’t speak for a mont.
He watched Ridan—normally loud and smug—floating silently now. No jokes. No smirks.
Just stillness.
"That’s... heavy," Hazuki finally said, his voice quiet.
Ellyn nodded slowly. "She said it was a promise she couldn’t let go of."
Hazuki exhaled slowly. "And she finally found him... after all that ti."
"Mm," Ellyn nodded again, resting her cheek against the top of Hazuki’s head. "She smiled when she saw him."
They continued forward through the harsh terrain in silence. The wind blew gently across the path, but none of them spoke.
There was no need.
They continued forward through the harsh terrain in silence. The wind blew gently across the path, but none of them spoke.
Hazuki glanced at Ridan, floating not far ahead. The usually boastful spirit was quiet now—his form swaying slightly in the air as Syaria clung to him, arms wrapped tight like she was afraid to let go again.
Hazuki smiled faintly.
So even this pervert spirit has a past like that...
He walked a bit slower, his gaze lingering on the two spirits ahead.
He never told why he was sealed. I never asked either.
Syaria’s words echoed in his mind.
Fifty years... and then she bound herself to the world just to find him.
Hazuki let out a small sigh through his nose.
Knowing Ridan... he probably had a reason for vanishing. A reason he didn’t want anyone to know.
The wind kicked up dust along the trail, and Hazuki shielded Ellyn gently as he walked, still lost in thought.
He jokes. He mocks. He’s a pain in the ass most of the ti... but even that kind of guy can carry sothing heavy.
Hazuki looked forward again.
What’s he hiding? I do want to know. But... if it’s a mory he’d rather bury—
He clenched his hand lightly at his side.
—then maybe it’s not my place to dig it up.
He looked at Ellyn, who had quietly leaned her head against his, her small fingers still curled near his ear.
A faint smile returned to Hazuki’s face.
Ellyn?
"Hmm?" she murmured, still resting comfortably atop his shoulders.
"Not feeling hot?" Hazuki asked, his eyes scanning the scorched landscape around them. The heat shimred in the air—waves of dry wind brushing past them. It wasn’t a place for low-level adventurers... not without preparation. Even Hazuki could feel the weight of it on his skin.
Ellyn shook her head lightly. "No... I don’t. Ridan already channeled his ancient spell to ."
She gave a quick glance at the floating spirit ahead.
Ridan gulped, floating stiffly. "Y-Yeah, yeah! I already cast a barrier on her, alright? But it needs mana to maintain!"
Hazuki narrowed his eyes a little. "Really?"
Ridan floated backward, arms crossed, avoiding eye contact. "Of course! I’m an ancient spirit, aren’t I? The greatest wizard! The mighty Ridan!"
Hazuki raised a brow but didn’t say anything.
anwhile, Ellyn’s eyes glowed faintly for just a second—subtle, hidden beneath her smile.
Hazuki didn’t catch it. But Ridan did.
So she’s using her Absolute Eye again... he thought, sweat dropping down his invisible temple. This brat’s better at hiding her power than half the archmages I used to know.
Hazuki exhaled a soft sigh. "Well, if it’s working, that’s fine."
He kept walking, boots crunching against the dry, cracked earth, and didn’t press further.
"So, Uncle~?" Ellyn leaned forward on his shoulders, her soft voice brushing past his ear.
"Hmm? Yes, what is it?" Hazuki replied without looking up, his eyes scanning the cracked path ahead.
"What are you doing in this place?" she asked, her tone casual but curious.
Hazuki stretched a little and answered flatly, "Hmm? Just... finding sothing."
Before she could press further, Ridan floated in with his usual dramatic tone.
"Hah! This dumbass," he said, spinning lazily in the air above them, "accepted an impossible quest to gather seven different types of high-level herbs. Like the Chusi Flower, Hidun Grass... and now? Fire Grun. Yep, we’re in this hellish place for that."
Ellyn blinked. "Seven herbs? Why?"
Hazuki scratched his cheek. "It’s just a quest."
"Just a quest?" Ridan rolled his cloudy eyes.
Hazuki groaned. "You’re exaggerating."
Ellyn giggled softly. "You’re really amazing, Uncle."
"Huh?" Hazuki glanced over his shoulder.
"To go this far just for a quest. I don’t think many people would do that."
Hazuki shrugged. "I just go where the road takes . It’s not that deep."
( End Of Chapter )
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