Before midnight, I gave my last payment to Francesca, complimenting her for fulfilling her task. I told her right away that I would be leaving the Kingdom tonight.

Her cat ears held back while her chest ached as she heard those words. She looked at Noelle, who was already sleeping, but I informed her not to wake her up.

 

"What about my promise? Will nyou ever come back?"

 

She whispered just enough for the two of us to hear.

 

"I don't think so."

 

She felt relieved, yet she still had some worries in mind. She looked at Noelle-chan sleeping with a smile painted on her face as she hugged the pillow with her chubby little arms.

 

"I'm worried that she'd wake up tomorrow, and she'll realize that nyou won't be here anymore."

"... Just tell her the truth."

"Are nyou insane? Nyo..."

"Why?"

"Because it'll make her sad."

"I don't quite understand what you're trying to say."

"Have nyou ever been with children before?"

"Of course, I've been with them before, it's just not as close as this one."

"Nyou're odd, nya."

"Sorry about that, it's my first time dealing with children, and I practically don't have much knowledge about them besides the fact that they're the little version of ours."

"..."

"Anyway, I should be going now... You can rest here for tonight. Just tell her something that won't end her up searching out for me."

"Mh."

 

She replied with a nod. I grabbed my satchel and my staff before I walked out of the room. As the door closed, Francesca bowed to me. Ears bent, eyes closed, mouth shut, holding hands on her waist. Behind her was Noelle sleeping soundlessly on the bed.

 

“Papa, let’s play again~”

 

She murmured as she dreamed.

 

--

 

Outside of the street, heading north. The commercial area at this time is less crowded. Most of the shops are closed while others remain open. I sniffed myself again as I walked on the street.

 

“I don’t smell anything at all.”

 

I said to myself. Yet I can’t ignore their comments about me. I need to find a new robe that could hide this smell of mine, and this is the best time to look out for it.

 

“Heyyyyy… Do **hiccup** you have some spare coins?”

 

A drunk guy leaned on my shoulder. There are three of them coming from behind. Their smell had dulled my nose. They reeked of alcohol. One of them tried to sneak their hands to my satchel. I gently put their hands away from me.

 

“I’m sorry, I don’t have any at all.”

 

“... **hiccup** really?”

 

He’s talking straight to me without realizing my blindfold. I sensed a wagon passing by. Part of me says that I recognize the woman driving, but I wasn’t able to fully confirm who she is as these drunkmen block my surroundings.

 

“!!”

 

The three drunk men went blue as they saw someone behind me. I sensed it as well. Far taller than the average man. The three of them tucked their tails and ran away towards the alley. I slowly regained my sense of smell as she patted my shoulder.

 

“I’ve finally caught you.”

 

She calmly said behind me. It’s her usual attitude before she kills somebody after she searched out for her prey endlessly. Her wings are pointed at my head like a spear. It didn’t make a sound, yet I know it’s there.

 

“You thought you could just walk outside, and expect that I won’t be able to find you?”

“...”

“Speak.”

 

She abruptly strangled me from behind single handedly, and raised me just above her level. Her wings tried to pierced every joint of my limbs to immobilize my body, dropping my staff and damaging my satchel in the process, but none of them went through my skin.

 

“Freya-sama!”

 

The girl jumped out of the driver’s seat. Two dark knights came out from the back of the wagon following her. They’re also departing through the north side as well huh. Coincidentally, I don’t even know that they’ll be departing today.

 

“Freya-sama, is it really him?”

“Silence! I’m sure it’s him. Can’t you see? He’s shining wherever he goes.”

“... Shining?”

 

Sora tilted her head sideways.

 

“He even smells like Bell-sama.”

 

Sora brows furrowed, she then removed her mask and sniffed me.

 

“I don’t smell anything from him.”

 

Hachiro and Nanatsu sniffed me as well.

 

“He smells like... Lilac and gooseberries.”

“Lilac and gooseberries? More like citrus and cloves, Aniki.”

“Tsk, you can’t even describe Bell-sama’s smell.”

 

Freya said as she clicked her tongue.

 

“Can’t you even see the light radiating from his body?”

“No… I don’t see any of it. What about you, Aniki?”

“Nope, neither do I. Do you see any of it, Sora?”

“I already removed my eye-patch, yet I don’t see anything at all.”

 

Freya shook me.

 

“Speak already. Tell me who you are and why you invaded the castle.”

“Freya-sama, is it really him?”

 

Sora walked beside her and looked at Freya.

 

“Do you still doubt me?”

“N-no, Freya-sama… I just wanted to confirm.”

“Mh! I didn’t see his face when he came in, but I recognized this light of his. He’s as bright as daylight wherever he goes, and I’m sure there’s no one like him. He even leaves traces of light. Even the things he touched shine for days. I’ve seen this before, this is Bell-sama’s power. You still couldn’t see it?”

“Well, we don’t. All we see is a woman harassing a helpless blind man.”

 

Said Nanatsu while shrugging his shoulders. Freya is starting to doubt her actions. She looked around and noticed the gazes hiding from the shadows, staring at her in fear.

 

“I mean, if it’s really him, then why is that no one ever saw the light radiating from his body?”

“Mh, it might be because you’re just a pest.”

“Might be… Might be...”

 

Said Nanatsu while nodding and grabbing his chin.

 

“Or… or… He’s cursed. Right, Hachiro?”

 

Nanatsu raised his index finger before looking at Hachiro.

 

“Y-yeah, Nanatsu is right. He might be cursed or something.”

“You just said it yourself, that everything he touches leaves traces of light. And… and… he might have touched those. Resulting in this.”

 

Nanatsu spread his palms as he said the last sentence.

 

“I don’t believe it.”

“... We’re starting to attract too much attention, Freya-sama. Let’s bring him inside the wagon and interrogate him there. ”

“Tsk.”

 

Freya dragged me inside the wagon. While Nanatsu and Hachiro picked up my belongings. Sora returned to the driver’s seat. She stretched the reins, and the horses began to move forward. Inside the wagon, the old body of mine lies at the far end, wrapped in luxurious fabric, purple color with golden linings. Beside him is a bag of food supplies enough for one person.

 

“Who are you?”

“...”

“Talk already before I change my mind.”

 

Freya said calmly without expression.

 

“My name is Bell.”

“You dare use his glorious name!”

 

Freya snapped and pinned me down by the neck. The wagon stopped for a moment.

 

“It’s what people used to call me, my actual name is Belial.”

“Freya-sama, we can’t blame him if that’s what they call him.”

“Hmph.”

 

Hachiro intervened. Freya pushed me back to the ground as she sat back. If I were a human, I would have bled to death the first time she caught me. She glared at me as I slowly sat back in front of her. The wagon moved again after Freya lowered her guard down.

 

“It’s true that I’m cursed.”

“Curse? Mh, what is it then?”

“... I don’t know either. All I know is that some people see me like that, and I smell unique to each one of them.”

“If you really aren’t one of the intruders then how come they were all shining when they came in.”

“That is something I’m not sure of, but it might be because I touched one of the wooden planks at the lumber shop back when I was looking for some good lumber to make a lifesize unicorn.”

 

Freya was still doubting me, but she has become less tense than before.

 

“Ooohhh. So you’re that guy, but you’re blind.”

 

Said Hachiro.

 

“I used to be a carpenter, so I wanted to try it again after I went blind.”

“I see… Freya-sama I think we caught the wrong guy, should we head back?”

“No…”

 

Freya said with intimidation.

 

“Tsk. I don’t like how calm you’re talking to me. I should kill you right here, right now.”

 

Freya raised her left hand like a spear, pointing directly to my neck.

 

“Wait! Hold it! Hold it!”

 

Nanatsu raised his arms as he tried to stop Freya.

 

“...”

“If we kill him now, the light within his body might spread all over us.”

 

Freya turned her gaze away from me as soon as she changed her mind. Still, she was dirtubed by my presence. Annoyed, she grabbed a cloth next to her and threw it on my face.

 

“You smell terrible, I don’t want to see your shining face in front of me ever again. Get out of here.”

 

She pointed her hands outside. Nanatsu knocked on the wood for Sora to stop the wagon. The horse neighed as the wagon made a full stop. Hachiro returned my belongings. It was still in one piece, but my satchel’s shoulder strap had been ripped to shreds.

Nanatsu knocked again. The wagon began to move away from me. I’ve been hearing a lot from Nanatsu from Hachiro, that Nanatsu always saves him whenever Freya bursts out. Seeing it first hand, all I could say is he speaks the truth.

 

--

 

First the smell; now, it’s the radiating light. I still don’t know why people see different things in me. Soon after, I bought new clothes since my current ones had been ripped to shreds. Now I’m wearing a white leather gloves, a long sleeve polo shirt, an overcoat with a hood, and trousers tucked into my shoes. For the last part, I also bought a white mask.

I made sure that my skin isn’t exposed like before. When I asked the shopkeeper if they smelled something particular in me, they said nothing at all, unlike before. About the radiating light, they didn’t see any of it. So, It’s only Freya who could see it. I wonder why?

I grabbed my new stachel I recently bought before I left the store and proceeded to head further north. At night, the port at the commercial district is open for transport, but the fee is a bit costly compared to the south side since they’re operating till midnight.

When I reached the port, I saw Sora with Hachiro and Nanatsu. Freya isn’t with them, she might have flown off to the ground. I bought a ticket to Devera Town, one of the ports of the Kingdom of Arcadia located south of the region.

At the ship’s deck, Sora noticed the staff I’m holding and asked who I was. Lying upfront everytime is not my usual habit nor do I even enjoy it. Thus, I removed my mask. She recognized my face wearing a blindfold. She didn’t react much, but she has become cautious of me.

She rudely asked if I was following them, I simply said no, and told her that I’m heading somewhere in Marigaya Town. Hachiro said that they are heading there as well. He was suddenly hit by Sora’s scabbard on the head when he said those words.

I politely asked if I’d be able to join them in their journey. Sora asked several questions before she answered me. Still, even though I answered them all flawlessly, she said no because she was worried about Freya. Nanatsu told Sora that he will convince Freya when we meet her outside of Devera Town, my faith will be decided after that. After a moment of silence, Sora agreed.