Scarlet

The girl doesn’t answer me, instead just continuing to sob. So the fae answers for her, “She says that they’re from her father.”

Oh.

An etched skill then? But who would etch-

“Now young lady do not ignore me,” the elderly woman squid fae princess – a rather long mental title to call her – says, sounding stern in a way that has me stiffening slightly. “Do you realize how worried young Aria was about you?”

The squid’s eyes narrow until I shake my head in answer, the girl still clinging onto me while sobbing.

“Well, young Aria was-” she suddenly stops talking, only to shake her… head? Shake her head back and forth while stating. “Never mind. Just know that it isn’t just you who feels it when you get hurt, but those who care about you as well.”

Wait, what was she going to say about Aria? And why am I being lectured on recklessness by a talking squid?

“Sorry about my sister,” Tar mutters in my mind. “She can be… a bit much. Definitely the most motherly of all my siblings. And one of the oldest.”

Oh. Interesting.

Come to think of it, how old are you?

Tar doesn’t answer for a second before eventually saying, “I am two hundred and fifteen years old.”

Huh. Not as old as I was expecting.

Anyways, I should give the squid a response, because she’s clearly not enjoying our private conversation we’re having in my head while she’s talking to me.

“Yes, I understand,” I tell her, not really saying I won’t do it again if I feel I have to. Which she surprisingly either doesn’t pick up on or doesn’t say anything about, just nodding once more and then vanishing.

I still can’t tell whether I can call that a head when a squid doesn’t really have much of a head in the first place.

Would you call that a head?

“I would rather abstain from talking about this subject,” Tar mutters, sounding slightly uncomfortable.

Huh. Odd.

But whatever.

Do you know what that dream I had was about?

“What dream?” Tar asks with a frown as Aria finally stops sobbing, seemingly having cried herself to sleep.

Well, I had a strange dream while I was… uh… dying? While I was sort of dying. And it had a woman with white hair wearing a rather nice and stylish outfit talking to Allen about some contract and adoption, and her telling him that he couldn’t adopt me and stuff.

Tar stiffens up at that.

I blink in surprise.

We stare at each other for a few seconds, neither of us saying anything until Tar eventually says, “Your memory of the incident in your dream was erased and it was restored during this near death experience.”

I can’t help but smile at the sight of him telling the truth instead of skirting around the answer like a typical fae.

But wait.

My smile vanishes.

Doesn’t that mean that Allen had some sort of contract with this woman involving me? Also, what’s this about him not being allowed to adopt me? Was that decision changed? Or is he going against whoever that woman is?

Tar doesn’t say anything for several seconds before sighing again and declaring, “I’m sorry, but I can’t answer any of those questions except for one.”

Well, shit.

Which one can you answer?

“Allen does not have permission to adopt you,” Tar states rather simply, making me frown slightly.

Who exactly could tell him that he doesn’t have the permission to adopt me? That isn’t something that should be possible.

Now someone threatening him into not adopting me I can see as being possible, but for Tar to say he straight up doesn’t have permission? That means that whoever she is, she has to be important.

Maybe a councilwoman? Or perhaps a past chairman or something? Some sort of high up official of the government?

It’s also possible she might be my real mother, but I have my doubts about that. Because she’d have to be a complete asshole to dump me at an orphanage and block anyone from adopting me while knowing very well how I was doing there considering the fact that she herself was there. And then erasing my memories of seeing her when she was caught. Which would take a powerful Guardian to do.

If my parents had a reason for dumping me in an orphanage, then I’d be willing to hear them out even if I don’t forgive them. Because no reason is a good enough reason for leaving a child at an orphanage.

But if she is my mother, and she is able to visit the orphanage like that to yell at Allen? Then I don’t think I want to associate with her.

Although I do still want to know who she is and what this contract is about.

Also, considering that you’ve been silent since I started theorizing, one of my theories is probably true. Since you seem to go silent whenever I’m right.

Tar doesn’t say anything in response.

Yep. Like that.

He snorts.

Well, I’ll just ask Allen about all this over the weekend.

I look down at the girl, only to notice that the tentacle hairs are now back to pure raven black hair again.

Interesting.

Actually, you said she healed me? Does that mean she has healing magic?

“By the looks of it, she most likely has a mixture of water and holy magic,” Tar answers while floating down and landing on my shoulder. Which is when I notice my clothes and rather terrible state of disarray that has me blushing.

Why isn’t the armor repairing… oh, it’s out of mana.

Before I recharge my armor though, I notice that there isn’t a scar anywhere on me. Not a single one. Not even in the wound that went straight through my heart.

Huh.

I recharge my armor, letting it fully repair itself before glancing at Tar.

Is the ‘no scars’ thing because I’m at a higher level? Or because I’m half blood lycan with blood regeneration?

“Blood regeneration,” Tar answers right away while yawning. “The skill can regenerate lost limbs after all. Why would it leave scars?”

Oh. Right.

You’ve got a point there.

Anyways, I turn my focus to my hearing, just listening to the demons on this floor and the surrounding floors to make sure none of them enter.

Kind of surprised none have already done so, to be honest. We’ve been sitting here for several minutes now at least.

Maybe the acolyte did something that made the other demons avoid the floor?

Oh, and I should check my System messages.

Can’t forget those.

“You’re grinning like a maniac again,” Tar mutters, but I ignore him.