“Really, Hailey really won’t leave again… right? You won’t leave me again?”
Even though she was the one who had been snatched away, Idledra was the one sobbing uncontrollably in Hailey’s arms.
No one knew what had happened during the short interval of less than thirty minutes when the two were separated.
When Idledra realized she had been played, she didn’t even spare a glance at the two guys behind her who were already kneeling in prostration.
With a panicked expression, she ran in the direction Hailey had left.
“Second Brother, did that young lady… just let us go?”
“Nonsense! She must have seen that fortune favors the lucky like me, and that little girl got scared. There’s no letting go or not; it was all my own luck!”
The two thugs, who had just escaped death, began to act smug again.
However, their bodies soon began to feel numb, and their limbs started shaking uncontrollably before they both collapsed to the ground.
They probably wouldn’t die.
The magic Idledra left behind after moving away wasn’t quite that terrifying, but at the very least, they wouldn’t be able to continue their villainy for a short while. In the future, they would likely…
Following Hailey’s scent, Idledra ran helplessly through the streets.
At that moment, she happened to run into the morning shopping crowd.
Idledra didn’t pay attention to the crowd in front of her and accidentally bumped into someone.
“Hey, you brat! Do you have any idea you just ran into someone—”
“…”
When the irritable man grabbed Idledra’s collar, intending to make things difficult for her, he saw those cold eyes filled with rage and killing intent.
His body instinctively let go, and he backed away in fear.
Even though he didn’t know this person at all, for some reason, the black-haired girl who was shorter than him gave him a terrifying sensation that he could be killed at any moment.
‘Hailey, she should be right here… Where is she? Where exactly did Hailey go?!’
Squeezing through the congested crowd, Idledra finally reached the last place Hailey’s scent had been.
Looking at the empty alleyway, the sliver of hope Idledra had been holding onto shattered instantly.
It felt as if Hailey had been right within reach, only to vanish from her perception in a single heartbeat.
She slumped helplessly onto the ground of the deserted alley.
“Hey, Idledra? Are you dazing off again? Do you remember what we were talking about… What are you most afraid of?”
“The thing I’m most afraid of… bitter melon, vegetables, or the anniversaries the Holy See forces me to attend every month? Maybe I don’t have anything like that.”
Every time she encountered this question, Idledra would always choose to change the subject.
This made the ever-curious Hailey feel quite dissatisfied.
Since she was a person, she had to have something she was afraid of, so Hailey persisted relentlessly.
Left with no choice and under Hailey’s “coaxing and coercion,” Idledra somewhat reluctantly admitted the thing she feared most…
“Hailey, Hailey… I’m so scared. I thought, I thought you were really gone…”
In the few minutes since she had finally reunited with Hailey, Idledra kept having the lingering illusion of gain and loss.
It felt as if Hailey might quietly slip away in the next second, which was both terrifying and frightening.
Having no other choice, Hailey could only let this pampered, red-eyed crybaby cling to her.
Although her own legs were still a bit weak because of that damned Pope earlier… a gentleman can never say they can’t handle it!
Thus, Hailey forced herself to find the strength to carry the softly sobbing Idledra.
The girl’s small tears were still pitter-pattering down onto Hailey’s sleeve. What a silly girl…
Fortunately, this path wasn’t far from the Residential District. She just needed to catch her breath…
‘Mhm, it’s fine. It’s just the weight of one little girl. I refuse to believe I can’t do it. There’s no way I can’t carry her—’
“Oh my, Saintess. And the young lady… on you. What happened here?”
Luna, who was carrying a basket and preparing to go shopping from the Residential District, saw a strange mass slumped on a roadside bench.
Upon closer inspection, she realized it was two girls clinging to each other.
“That’s right.”
Under the weight of reality, Hailey was still unable to carry a certain someone all the way home.
‘But I’m still so unwilling… Why is it so easy when she’s usually the one carrying me…’
“So that’s how it is… Then why don’t I lend a hand? I can look after this lady for you. I’m very gentle…”
“No! Hailey isn’t allowed to leave!!”
After gaining a general understanding of the situation, Luna very kindly offered her help to the stranded Hailey.
However, the one who needed the help, Idledra, was extremely resistant, even though she recognized the newcomer as someone familiar.
She simply didn’t want to leave Hailey’s side even for a moment.
Even a tiny bit was unacceptable! If it came down to it… if it came down to it, she could just stay here with Hailey until dark, or they could just sleep on the bench…
“Ahahaha, she’s a bit muddled from crying. She even got my name wrong… Honestly. But I won’t trouble you after all.”
‘How could this girl even say that? We finally ran into someone we know. I can’t let our identities be exposed before we’re even saved…’
Luna looked at the two little ones bickering and felt somewhat thoughtful, but she eventually gave a relieved smile.
She cleared a space in the small trolley she had originally intended for shopping; it seemed just large enough to fit the two of them.
“Since this lady is a bit clingy, then perhaps the Saintess could endure a little discomfort for now? I shall send you both back.”
“That would be wonderful—but aren’t you on your way to go shopping…”
It was great to have help, of course, but it wasn’t exactly on the way, and it might delay the other person’s schedule. Hailey felt a bit guilty about it.
Luna waved her hand to indicate it was no problem, and Hailey found it difficult to refuse her kindness.
Even Idledra whispered a small “thank you” before burying her face back into Hailey’s embrace.
Soon, the trolley stopped in front of the small villa in the Residential District.
After Hailey thanked her repeatedly, she carried Idledra slowly into the living room and then tossed her firmly onto the soft sofa.
“Whew, you… Now that it’s just the two of us, can you settle down a bit? I’m exhausted…”
While Hailey grumbled stubbornly, she couldn’t help but quietly check on Idledra’s condition.
She was afraid that she might accidentally hurt the girl’s fragile heart.
‘She should be okay, right…’
“Hailey, you really won’t leave me again?”
Idledra’s sobbing seemed to have gradually stopped, but she still cautiously and timidly issued her request to Hailey… or so it seemed.
Before she knew it, Idledra had already begun to grope her way toward Hailey again.
By the time Hailey snapped back to her senses, she was already being pinned down by a feverish Idledra.
The girl’s eyes had already become somewhat blurred due to her inner turmoil.
She seemed to have only one thought in her mind—to keep Hailey by her side.
“Hailey, I’m so afraid you’ll leave me behind again… As long as we stay together like this, I won’t be afraid anymore…”
“Wait, hold on! This is the living room! The vase—my vase is going to fall over!”
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