We’re now nine-years old, and with that I noticed something. Vira’s ‘soul’ seems to grow with his body, while me and the sage stay the same. Little by little I can see him growing. He even talks more like a teenager than a kid. Though he still behaves the same.

I’ve gotten attached to both of them. I honestly can’t imagine life without them. Although is it really okay for me to be in this body? It’s a thought that always crosses my mind. If Vira wanted me to go away, I’d go.

Instead of the usual I have control of the body for today, we usually take a few days to do something we want to and today’s the day I have.

Today I wanted to visit the temple again, I liked going there. It was always such a peaceful and serene place. And slowly grandpa aged there. He seems much weaker and he can’t move around very much. He needs help from others to walk, and slowly I’ve been seeing less and less of him.

But something pretty cool is that I can ride Marcus very slowly, though someone has to help me up and down. But even that is much faster than me walking. Vira plays with some of the neighboring kids, but some kids stare at me with this weird look. I don’t really get it. I only noticed it as I went to the temple. People stare very weirdly. 

Soon after getting to the temple again, I had one of them help me down. He was a bald young man who looked muscular, apparently he was the next successor to grandpa, I hate to think of it, but one day he’ll pass away, and so they needed a successor to Jixu.

His name is Saruva. He’s really handsome too. And after he came, the temple’s condition improved and a lot of the people looked better. I wonder why?

He always bows to me and helps me get off Marcus, he even ties the horse for me and helps me for anything I need. Even though I say I don’t want it he always does it anyway.

“Saruva!”

“Hello young master!”

“Saruva, where’s grandpa?” 

“Ah...” his face turned to a bitter-sweet smile.

“He’s currently recovering,” he said. But I knew that definitely wasn’t the case. If I was perhaps an actual child I’d believe him. But I know it’s a lie.

“Young master, how about we go play something?” he smiled and said so. But his hands shivered. I knew he was trying his best to accommodate me, a child. But-

It was just so frustrating that his body is slowly deteriorating away. Why couldn’t I do anything even though I was from another world? 

I’m not a doctor, nor am I able to use this world’s magic. I’m completely useless.

I just walked with Saruva, it’s not like I could do anything else.

“Saruva... can we go to the sage’s samadhi?” 

“Mm.” he simply nodded and smiled.

I’ve always visited the place again and again. It seemed like the only place where I could understand myself. None of the disciples would go against me going there. Once grandpa took me there initially, everyone seemed to respect me more. 

But I never initially got it on why they did, but soon I understood all these people weren’t respecting me but rather grandpa who had let me go there. Everyone was like family to each other, and I had become a part of this family as well.

Saruva had left to do his duties and let me be here. 

As I came closer I noticed a girl standing there. Her clothes were torn and she herself wasn’t in the greatest condition, she was shorter than me but she seemed to be around the same age as me. She had golden hair, and gem-like blue eyes. Walking up to her I simply looked at her as she stood near the one tree that was here. Noticing me she asked “Who are you..?” 

“Me? I am simply an observer.” I told her. 

“Are you like me..?” 

“I-.... don’t know.”

As tears flowed down her tiny cheeks she said “I.. see.” 

It was then that it hit me, this girl was in no condition to be talking and standing, her hands and feet had wounds, and as she was about to fall, I ran to her and caught her.

“Saruva!!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

“Young master?!” He came running to me and asked “Who is that? Young master!” 

“Saruva! This girl was here! She needs treatment right now!” I replied back, he took the girl and ran to the bottom of the temple, since it was on a mountain I couldn’t catch up, and so Saruva was slowing down for me.

“Saruva, go on ahead!”

“Understood!”

Even if it wasn’t fatal, she was still a child, and we need to treat her. Saruva went on ahead. Noticing his speed now, it seemed like he was an olympic runner.

[Kid, let me take control. I can run faster.] It was the sage who said so.

[Alright then!] I gave control to him, and immediately we sped up and were able to keep up with him. 

[Damn, this body still isn’t good enough, can’t believe I’m falling behind with this guy.]

[Well whatever, let’s just keep up this pace.]

In about a few minutes we reached the bottom of the mountain. But of course our body couldn’t handle it very well.

‘Pant.. Pant..’ we were panting heavily. Of course even if we trained, it was still a big distance for a kid to cover.

Saruva called upon a few people and then gave the girl to them. They bowed and went into a separate room. 

“Saruva... What do we do?”

“Young master... I don’t know. I don’t think we can take care of the girl either. We have our own... circumstances.”

“What do you mean?”

“By law we aren’t allowed to take disciples less than the age of sixteen. If we do... We risk our entire group being arrested.”

“Disciple..?”

“She’d be considered a disciple even if she was only staying there.”

“Hah~ This is going to be a headache.” 

“We could send her out once she’s treated. But-” 

“That doesn’t sit well with either of us.”

“It’s fine. We’ll talk about this later.” 

“Okay, young master.”

It felt like an eternity. I didn’t know what to do, this was sudden. A strange girl near the tree. I don’t know. What should I do? 

I can’t just leave her.

And then a lady came out carrying her. The girl was covered in bandages on her arms and legs. The girl wore some plain white clothes, they didn’t fit her, but it was fine.

“Senior disciple, we’ve done our best to treat her. If she is taken care of properly, it should only take a month or two for her to heal fully.”

“Thank you.” Saruva bowed and took the girl in his hands.

The both of us went outside the gate and sat down on the big rocks here.

“Saruva.”

“Yes? Young master.”

“I’ll take her in.”

“What about the baron and the baroness?”

“I’ll somehow convince them.” propping my head up on my arms, I was thinking constantly about it.

“I understand...” he said. He looked frustrated.

I somehow feel responsible for this girl, even though I don’t know who she is. And because of that I can’t make sure whether anyone else would properly take care of this girl. I myself knew that I can’t push this onto anyone else. Saruva can’t help because he is the successor of Mankari.

Mom and dad would surely not approve of this. Even if they do love me with all their heart, I am still only a child. There are limits to what I can do.

And now the sun was already setting. Usually I’d be at home way before this. 

“Saruva I’ll go to home on Marcus, help the girl to sit in front of me.”

“Are you sure, young master? I’ll take care of her for a bit...”

“But you can’t do it forever. And I don’t want you to risk everything for this. I’ll take her.”

“Thank you, young master.”

I got up on Marcus, and Saruva helped the unconscious girl sit in front of me. Since she was shorter than me, I was able to control the horse comfortably. Although I had to tightly hold her, so that she doesn’t fall over.

“Oh and young master, take this.” He fixed the lamp on the saddle to the side.

“Thanks saruva.”

“Be safe young master.”

I fixed my constant thinking and relaxed. Mother and father would surely understand me. 

[Sage and Vira. Any thoughts?]

[Not really. I’m not sure of this either.]

[I don’t know... Uncle... But, I think we should help her.]

[I think we should just report to the baron. Why even help her?]

[But we can’t just abandon her!]

[I did say we’ll report to the baron.]

[Alright. I don’t think either of you are wrong. But instead, let’s do this.]

[Let’s take care of her for a month or two. And we’ll ask father for help about this. For now let’s do what we can.]

[Alright, that’s fine with me. But, I don’t want to bother taking care of another brat.]

[Mhm. I’m fine with that as well, we’ll talk to mom and dad and do our best to help her.]

Soon we reached home. When I saw mom waiting at the doorway to the house. Slowly I rode Marcus and reached near the house. Mom asked me with cold eyes, eyes that I hadn’t seen before. 

“Who is that girl?”

“She’s a friend.”

“Why’re you so late then?”

“I just took a little longer than usual.”

“Did you think you could actually lie to me, your mother?”

“No.”

“Mom. I know right now you want answers. But I can’t answer right now.” I said to her,

“Why?” mom asked me while folding her arms.

“To be honest, I don’t have an answer right now. But, I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.” I replied to her.

Mom then helped me get down, she carried the girl into the house.

“Where did you plan to let her sleep?” 

“My room.”

She then didn’t speak a word. She laid the girl on my bed, covering her in a blanket. She then left the room.

As the girl slept peacefully on my bed, I sat at the dining table and slowly fell asleep.