Chapter 5 - In the Case of Anna Myers <3>
VI
About thirty minutes of brisk walking from the church brought the two of them to the ranch. The vast ranch seemed to be in the middle of haymaking, with bundles of hay scattered here and there. But they were not arranged in an orderly fashion. Something had scattered them.
Inside the wooden fence of the ranch, several large silver foxes with bodies as black as if they had emerged from the darkness, and eyes that glittered red, were menacingly staring at them. Red blood dripped like threads from their mouths.
"This is terrible..."
Ritz muttered under his breath. More than ten cows had been killed, so this farm would suffer a great loss. Fortunately, it seemed not all of them had been wiped out, as frightened moos could be heard from here and there. In any case, they had to drive away the silver foxes.
"Does this always happen?"
Ritz asked quietly, and Anton shook his head.
"It's rare for them to come this close to a human settlement. I hope it's not a bad omen."
"I see."
The silver foxes were slowly wagging their bushy, large tails at Ritz and Anton, in a show of intimidation. Their light gray eyes glared at them, full of undisguised wariness. It seemed they were angry that their meal had been interrupted.
While traveling near mountains or forests, one often encounters silver foxes. Like most wild animals, they rarely attack unless provoked. However, when the forest is ravaged and food becomes scarce, they may attack villages as an exception.
They usually move in packs of several dozen. This pack was relatively small, but dealing with them becomes difficult if there is a wise leader. It seemed this pack followed that pattern.
"It pains my heart to fight creatures created by the same goddess, but it cannot be helped."
Anton muttered this quietly. Priests were high-ranking spirit users, and although their philosophies differed depending on the temple of the spirit king they belonged to, he had heard that they basically treated all living things with the same compassion as the goddess. So Anton, too, would not like to kill living things.
But the duty of one who protects the village is to ensure the safety of the villagers. Ritz knew this because it was what his father, Karl, had done in the settlement of Melite. Anton seemed to know this well too, and after a small sigh, he held his staff in front of him, closed his eyes, and began to mutter something.
Listening closely, it seemed to be a small prayer. As Ritz paid attention to the front while listening, it seemed to be a memorial prayer for the demonic dogs that were about to be defeated. What a clergyman, Ritz thought, strangely impressed. Such a thought would never have occurred to Ritz.
"Let's go, Ritz-kun, are you ready?"
At Anton's leisurely call, Ritz answered briefly.
"Anytime."
As the two of them jumped over the ranch fence and entered, the silver foxes all raised their heads at once and prepared to face them.
"Ritz-kun, don't get in front of me!"
Anton's sharp voice stopped Ritz, who was about to dash forward. Anton stood in front of the attacking silver foxes, closed his eyes, and offered a prayer.
Surprised by this action, Ritz decided to trust him and fight the silver foxes coming from other directions. Father Anton must have his own ideas. In that case, all he could do was back Anton up.
As Ritz was single-mindedly swinging his greatsword at the silver foxes in front of him, Anton's resonant voice echoed in his ears.
"O Spirit of Water that heals the earth, grant me your power!"
From the staff held in front of him, a swirling shield of water appeared. The silver foxes, momentarily daunted by the shining shield, charged at Anton again when they saw that nothing was happening.
That was what Anton had been aiming for. There was no trace of anxiety or fear on Anton's face; he was completely calm.
After drawing them in as much as possible, Anton raised his staff again and offered his words.
"O shield that protects the Water Spirit, pierce the enemy!"
With that voice, the shield that had been protecting Anton in a swirl turned into a high-speed vortex and sent the silver foxes flying with fierce momentum. The power of water, when its speed increases, can shatter even rocks. The silver foxes, slammed to the ground, collapsed on the spot, unable to move.
"Awesome!"
Ritz, who had just mowed down several silver foxes as if he were cutting grass, paused for a moment to watch the scene and let out a voice of admiration. He had never thought he would meet such a powerful spirit magic user in a church in such a rural area.
"Ritz-kun, has the number of silver foxes decreased considerably?"
Anton, who still seemed to have plenty of energy left, asked Ritz while keeping his gaze fixed forward.
"It has decreased a lot."
"Hmm, then I would like to set up a barrier on this ranch and catch them all in one go. Can I entrust you with the task of herding them and protecting me?"
Ritz was momentarily at a loss for an answer. It was true that the number of silver foxes here had decreased considerably. But their speed was such that even the nimble Ritz couldn't keep up. It would be difficult to perfectly handle both offense and defense with so many of them.
"I can't guarantee perfection, but to some extent."
When he answered honestly, Anton nodded.
"Hmm. That will do. Once the barrier is up, they will retreat at once."
"...I see."
In other words, it would be over in a short time, so he just had to hold out for that short time.
"Then, shall we?"
"Whenever you're ready."
"Hmm."
Anton held his staff straight and began to slowly chant a prayer.
"O Spirit of Water that flows through the earth, hear my plea. To protect this undefiled green land, grant me your pure source of life..."
While making sure there were no silver foxes around the praying Anton, Ritz cut down the remaining ones or drove them outside the fence. Although the number of silver foxes had decreased, there were still about ten of them. Even if they were weak individually, they were faster, and he was alone, protecting someone. He couldn't let his guard down.
Anton's prayer continued. He could see water begin to well up from under Anton's feet. The water ran along the ground like a spring, gradually spreading out to form a circle on this pasture.
The water, illuminated by the dazzling sunlight, shone as it crawled along the ground. The pasture began to glow as it was slowly submerged in water. Moreover, the flow of water was not absorbed downward; the mirror-like, clear surface of the water quietly and slowly spread out in ripples, with Anton at the center.
It was a major technique. He was trying to destroy the remaining silver foxes and create a perfect barrier in this place. Since this ranch was on the outskirts of the village, if he put up a proper barrier here, the village would certainly be safe.
But should he be doing it now?
A question arose in Ritz's mind. Wouldn't it be better to do it after defeating the enemy?
Even so, Ritz had a duty to protect Anton. This was not the time for such questions. A moment's carelessness could be fatal.
Most of the silver foxes were cornered within the barrier that Anton was trying to create. Judging the timing to be right, Ritz shouted to Anton.
"You can get them all in one go now!"
Anton nodded forcefully in response.
"O Spirit of Water, the power of protection to keep this land pure..."
But Anton couldn't finish his words. From a completely different direction from where the enemy had been... that is, the direction from which Ritz and the others had come, several silver foxes rushed towards Anton to attack.
It was big. This was the true leader of the pack.
The silver foxes had read the situation and had split into two groups before they arrived, hiding in the grass. It was an unforeseen calculation that there was something with such wisdom in this pack.
"Damn it!"
There was some distance from Anton. The silver fox would attack Anton before Ritz could reach him.
"Damn!"
Just as both Anton and Ritz resigned themselves to not being able to make it in time, a scream-like cry rose from behind them.
"Please, Water Dragon! Save my father!"
With that voice, something unbelievable happened. A huge column of water erupted from Anton's water barrier.
"What?"
What he thought was a column of water was a large dragon made of water. The Water Dragon roared, leaped out of the water, and attacked the silver foxes that were closing in on Anton. Its fierce fangs of water mercilessly pierced and crushed the silver foxes.
"A dragon user..."
Ritz held his breath. In all his long years of travel, this was the first time he had seen a Water Dragon controlled by a spirit user.
The Water Dragon then attacked the remaining silver foxes. Its form, with its transparent scales sparkling in the sunlight and creating a spray of water, was not so much fearsome as it was beautiful and divine.
While mowing down the silver foxes that had somehow escaped the Water Dragon and were heading towards him, Ritz headed for Anton.
"Father Anton, the barrier, quickly!"
Prompted by Ritz, Anton finally came to his senses and offered the rest of his prayer.
"O Spirit of Water, grant me and this land the power of protection to keep it pure!"
Ripples began to form on the surface of the water, drawing a strange pattern. It was a mysterious sight, as if an invisible hand was drawing a picture.
When the pattern was complete, the water shone with a particular brilliance. The remaining silver foxes screamed as if they were being burned by the brilliance and fled with desperate expressions.
Eventually, a gentle quiet returned to the pasture. The peaceful chirping of birds and the mooing of cows, which had been inaudible until now, could be heard. It was all over.
"Father! Father, are you alright?"
Barely taking the time to return the Water Dragon to its original water form, Anna ran over, half in tears. It was Anna who had summoned that Water Dragon.
Among spirit users, those who could handle dragons were few. Those with the power to handle dragons were called dragon users. They were the highest rank among spirit users, and it was said that even the high priests of the temples of each spirit king did not possess that power. They were such a huge force that having just one in an army could change the course of a battle.
And yet, he had never dreamed that a girl, in a place like this, could wield it.
"Ah, thank you, Anna."
As Anton smiled at her, tears welled up in Anna's eyes.
"If... if something had happened to you, Father, I wouldn't have known what to do!"
Anton gently comforted the crying Anna as she clung to him.
"It's alright, it's alright."
Ritz watched the parent and child with a smile. They were adoptive parent and child, yet so different from his own.
But Ritz knew firsthand that there were bonds thicker than blood.
Watching Anna and Anton, he was reminded of such things. Returning to Yuresla like this after so long brought back nostalgic faces. He wondered if they were well. He wanted to see them, but they were too far away, and without some kind of opportunity, he might never see them again.
Ritz sighed softly. It was too selfish of him to want to see them now, after running away.
In the end, it took about thirty minutes for Anna to calm down. When they asked her what had happened, she said she had been watching them from behind the whole time, without being noticed by Ritz or Anton. Since she had gone ahead and hidden in the shadows, she had been the first to notice the presence of the silver foxes that were also hiding and watching.
"I'm sorry, Father."
"You don't have to apologize, Anna."
"Yes. I'm sorry, Ritz-san."
Anna apologized to Ritz, her nose still stuffy from crying so much. It was Ritz who should be apologizing.
"No, I'm the one who's sorry. For not being able to protect your father."
When he said this honestly, Anna shook her head vigorously. She seemed to want to say that wasn't true. It was Anton who spoke those words instead.
"It's quite alright, Ritz-kun. It's rare to see a pack of that size."
"I'm sorry."
"Not at all, don't mind it."
Saying so, Anton sat down on a nearby tree stump.
"Anna, could you go back first and prepare a bath? We've gotten quite dirty."
At Anton's words, Anna asked with a worried face.
"What about you, Father?"
"I'll rest for a bit and then return with Ritz-kun. I'd like to take a short break."
Anton gave Ritz a look. Ritz, not understanding, nodded.
"Okay. I understand. I'll go on ahead."
After stopping her tears and runny nose, Anna ran off towards the church at a trot. After a while, Anton, wiping the sweat that had broken out all over his body, looked up at Ritz and muttered.
"Well, I've really worked my old bones to the limit."
"Thank you for your hard work."
To Ritz, who replied with a smile, Anton smiled and slowly gazed in the direction Anna had run off. To the silent Anton, Ritz quietly began to speak.
"You have something you want to say to me, don't you? That's why you sent Anna back and kept me here."
But Anton didn't answer and stood up.
"Shall we talk as we walk?"
Ritz asked the back of the walking Anton a question.
"You are a man of great skill. You're not someone who belongs in a rural place like this. Am I wrong?"
It was strange for a priest who could wield water so magnificently to be in a church in this remote area. A priest with great power should be at the main temple, or at the great cathedral in the capital of each country. Anton answered the question without turning back.
"A little while ago, there was a great water user at the main temple of the Water Spirit King. He had skill, but he couldn't keep up with the competition for promotion in the temple. What he chose was not promotion, but to help people, and because of that, he was often sent out to remote villages for work."
Without stopping, but with a hint of nostalgia, Anton spoke quietly.
"When that man went to a small village to save it from a drought, he noticed that there was no priest at the village's water church. On top of that, dangerous wild animals often attacked the village. At this rate, the village was in danger. He was tired of the competition, so he decided to live there and protect the village as the church's priest. Of course, the main temple tried to stop him, but the man was prepared to be excommunicated, so the temple gave in and gave him a small church."
Anton, who had turned around, smiled a little sadly.
"It's an old man's story, though."
Ritz couldn't ask any more. It was probably true, but it probably wasn't the whole story. But there was no need to hear it. That would be rude. To such a Ritz, Anton smiled and asked gently.
"Ritz-kun, you realized I was testing you, didn't you?"
"Yes."
So it was true. Anton had deliberately put himself in danger to test Ritz. If he was going to put up a barrier, he could have done it after driving away all the silver foxes. But instead, he put up a barrier in that situation with a large number of enemies remaining, entrusting himself to Ritz.
"But why?"
The answer to Ritz's question was Anton's sad smile.
"Could you please not ask now? I will tell you, I promise."
"I understand."
Looking at Anton's face, Ritz couldn't ask any more. For some reason, there was a quiet sadness and loneliness there.
On the heavy journey back, Anton asked Ritz about the path he had taken in his life. While talking as much as he could, Ritz somehow started talking to Anton about the purpose of his journey. Anton was an acquaintance of Karl's, and he knew about Ritz's age, the fact that Ritz had been away from home for a considerable number of years, and what he had been doing in Yuresla in the past, so it was easy to talk to him. It seemed Karl complained here every year when he came to pick up potatoes.
Anton was a good listener, as befitting a priest of the church, and Ritz naturally found himself talking about the mysterious jewel. Perhaps he wanted someone who he would probably never meet again after leaving this place to listen to his story. It was easier to talk to a stranger than to family, as he didn't have to be as careful.
But when Anton heard the story of the jewel, his eyes widened and he stopped in his tracks.
"Ritz-kun, could you show me that jewel?"
At Anton's words, Ritz took the jewel that he had carelessly put away from his pocket and placed it in the hand of the stopped Anton. Anton stood there with the jewel in his hand, lost in thought.
"Father Anton?"
With a breath that was more like a deep sigh, Anton looked up at the sky and muttered.
"Fate."
"Sir?"
"I think I can entrust it to you."
"Huh?"
Unable to hear the small mutter, Ritz asked again, but Father Anton just smiled.
"Where are you heading from here?"
Returning the jewel, he began to walk again, and at Anton's sudden change of topic, Ritz was momentarily confused, but he quickly answered with a smile.
"To Saradio. It's the biggest city around here. Maybe something interesting will happen."
"I see, Saradio..."
"I haven't decided where to go from there. But well, until I find a purpose, I thought I'd wander around Yuresla for a while since it's been so long."
When Ritz said this, Anton muttered something. He couldn't hear the voice, but it didn't feel like the right atmosphere to ask, so he quietly continued his own story.
"Fortunately or unfortunately, I have plenty of time, so I thought I'd take a long, leisurely journey without rushing."
Hearing that, Father Anton smiled sadly.
"From my perspective, it's as if you live for eternity. You... and that child too."
After saying that, Father Anton fell silent, as if deep in thought.
"As if living for eternity...?"
He couldn't hear the latter half, but the words struck a chord with Ritz. He fell into a sea of thought.
Without saying a word to each other, the two of them walked back in silence.
VII
For a while after that, the days continued, busy but fulfilling, as was usual for this time of year. There was a mountain of work to be done before the harsh winter that was soon to come.
Ritz, who should have been a guest, was for some reason kept here and was still picking fruit in the orchard with Harris. Anna and the others were plowing the wheat fields for the harsh winter ahead. Wheat sprouts and grows under the snow. Since the harvest time is early in the highlands, they had to sow the seeds soon.
The villagers were practicing a dance to dedicate to the Earth Spirit King for the harvest festival. The sound of it occasionally drifted on the wind and could be heard intermittently in the church's orchard. Anna was also teaching the orphanage children the song they would sing at the harvest festival.
Peaceful days where nothing changed, nothing happened. Happy days that she thought would continue forever.
Ritz, who had said he was a mercenary, seemed to have completely gotten used to this life, playing calmly with the children and telling Anna boring jokes. Having defeated the silver foxes, Ritz was treated as a bit of a hero in this village. To the children, he was an object of admiration.
Ritz seemed to find this a little embarrassing, and whenever he was praised, he would deny it and scratch his head. Anna had noticed that this seemed to be his gesture when he was troubled. She wondered why he was troubled when he was being praised, as he should just accept it honestly, but Ritz wouldn't tell her the reason when she asked.
Such daily life came to an abrupt end on the night before the harvest festival. Anna, who was about to go to bed, was summoned to the church sanctuary by Anton, along with Ritz. The children were already asleep for tomorrow's festival. When Anna entered the sanctuary with Ritz, Anton was in the process of decorating the pedestal with the water Ritz had brought for tomorrow.
"Ah, you've come."
Anton smiled and welcomed the two of them, inviting them to sit in the church pews. Anna offered the seat to Ritz, the guest, first, then sat down herself.
"Father, what did you want to talk about?"
Sensing the slightly heavy atmosphere, Anna asked in a bright, cheerful manner to change the mood. Anton smiled calmly as usual and spoke gently not to Anna, who had addressed him, but to the bewildered Ritz.
"Ritz-kun, I'm sorry to ask, but could you show me that orb again?"
At Anton's sudden words, Ritz, though bewildered, slowly took out the strangely colored jewel from his pocket.
"That's mine!"
Anna, who had blurted this out loudly, hastily covered her mouth. She had been taught since she was a child that loud voices were strictly forbidden in the church.
Ritz, looking at Anna suspiciously, had stopped his hand. Regretting that she had rudely accused Ritz in a thieving manner, Anna closed her mouth. Smiling at the two of them, Anton prompted Ritz and took the orb. The orb was carefully placed on the altar by Anton's hand.
A mysterious light filled the air. Then Anton carefully opened a small box that was there.
Inside was another, completely identical jewel. Anton carefully took out the orb and placed it quietly next to Ritz's orb.
"That's... the same as this...?"
Ritz leaned forward, comparing the two orbs intently. Anna, too, leaned forward. The mysterious glow of the two orbs looked exactly the same.
"Anna, listen carefully. This orb is the only clue to your parents."
At Father Anton's sudden confession, Anna was speechless. She had thought about her parents more than a few times, but to her now, Anton was her only parent. To suddenly be told about a clue to her parents was just confusing.
"...Father?"
Anna looked up at Anton. At her pleading voice, Anton just smiled gently.
"It was on the day of the harvest festival, exactly thirty years ago. A basket was placed on the altar of this church. Inside was you, a small suckling infant, a letter, and this orb."
"...Thirty years ago?"
Ritz's surprised voice cut in. Ritz hadn't known about that yet.
"Ah, I haven't told you yet. Anna is turning thirty this year. She seems to be some kind of demi-human, but I don't know."
Stared at with such a serious gaze, Anna, not knowing what to do, nodded vaguely.
"I see..."
Ritz nodded as if he had understood deeply. It seemed he had noticed from Anna's behavior that she was different from a child of her apparent age. Seeing that Ritz had understood, Anton continued his story.
"The letter only said, 'This child's name is Anna Myers. Due to circumstances, we cannot raise her. Please take care of this child. This orb will activate when the child needs it.' Strangely enough, the orb, despite being kept carefully in a box, disappeared at some point. I never thought it would be buried in a field."
Anton's gaze was fixed on that mysterious orb. Perhaps the scene of the day Anna was abandoned at this church was replaying in his mind.
Anna and Ritz silently waited for Father Anton's next words.
"When that orb was discovered, it lit up and floated in front of you, didn't it? And then Ritz-kun appeared with the same thing. I thought that the time had finally come, that this was a sign that it was time to set out on a journey."
"A journey...?"
"That's right. 'It will activate when needed.' I thought this must be that time. That's why I asked Ritz-kun, who visited that day, to stay for a week. And it was the right decision."
Those words filled her with anxiety. Anna stared at Anton in confusion.
"You seem to have gotten along well with Ritz-kun, so there's no need to worry."
Anton said this with a smile. Next to her, Ritz nodded with an expression of understanding. Anna also had a feeling. Anton had probably been thinking of sending Anna on a journey since the day Ritz arrived. That's why he had Ritz do farm work that he would never have a guest do.
Anton had wanted Anna and Ritz to get along so that they could successfully proceed on their upcoming journey. In other words, he had decided to send Anna on a journey.
"Do you understand, Anna?"
At Father Anton's quiet words, Anna shook her head violently. She understood what Anton was thinking. She understood, but she had never thought of going on a journey. She had always thought she would stay in this village forever, succeed Father Anton, and become a priest of the church.
And yet, to leave this village...
Anna trembled with the fear and loneliness of leaving her hometown.
As if understanding Anna's feelings, Anton suddenly burst into a hearty laugh. Anna and Ritz were surprised by the voice that suddenly broke the silence of the quiet church.
"What are you so worried about? It's not as if it's a final farewell."
Anna, consumed by anxiety, relaxed at the maximum smile of a father that appeared on Anton's face. If Anna threw a tantrum here, this conversation might be called off. But for some reason, Anna knew that if she did, Anton would be sad.
Anton was now, with all his love, trying to let go of Anna's hand to give her a new step forward. Anna, who had seen the meeting and parting of many children, understood that well.
People always need a reason to set out on a journey. The children of the orphanage leave at the age of fifteen for employment or to fulfill their dreams. But Anna, who didn't age like a human, had never had a reason to leave the orphanage.
Then this might be her first and last chance. After all, Ritz had the same jewel as Anna, a fateful encounter.
"When you finish your journey, you can come back and we can live together again. There's no need to be so serious."
That might just be a pretext for him to send Anna on a journey. But Anna decided to believe it. In that case, there was no hesitation.
"That's right, when I find out about my parents on my journey, I can come back again, right?"
She felt as if something had been cleared up. For some reason, she had felt that going on a journey would be a final farewell to this village and Anton. Anna felt a little ashamed of the shallowness of her own thinking.
"Ritz-san is going home after his journey ends too, right?"
When she confirmed this cheerfully, Ritz smiled and nodded. Then she could accept that a journey did not mean a final farewell, but a short parting.
"It seems you've finally made up your mind. Listen, Anna, even if I find out who your real parents are, I will always be your father. Go with peace of mind."
When Anton said this gently, Anna hugged him.
"Father, you have to stay healthy! You have to!"
Father Anton seemed to be able to do nothing but nod. They had never been apart for thirty years, and now for the first time, she was leaving this place. It was lonely, but also exciting, and her heart felt like it was pounding.
A new world, something new, new friends. She might meet all sorts of things.
"Well, shall we go?"
"Yes!"
The parent and child had this moving scene, and for some reason, Ritz was watching with a stunned expression. Anna had no idea why Ritz was making such a face, but without paying him any mind, Anton smiled at Ritz.
"Well then, Ritz-kun, I don't think my daughter will be a burden, so I'm counting on you."
Anton grabbed Ritz's shoulders firmly with both hands, a broad smile on his face. Anna, his adopted daughter, knew well that no one could refuse a request from Anton in this state. As expected, Ritz nodded with a strained smile.
"...I'll take care of her."
And so, Anna's journey was decided.
VIII
The morning of the harvest festival was incredibly early. Anna, who had been packing late last night, came to Ritz's room early in the morning as usual and shook him awake herself. The children had already left, so the only ones in the orphanage now were Anna, Ritz, and Anton.
Ritz, who was usually a poor riser, woke up smoothly today for some reason. Perhaps Anna's tension had been transmitted to him.
If the children came back and they saw each other, she might lose the will to set out on her journey, so she hurriedly led Ritz to the back of the orchard. Ritz, as if he understood, nodded lightly, picked up his few belongings with ease, and followed Anna silently.
Anna's attire was also already that of a traveler; instead of her usual work clothes, she wore a knee-length, sturdy overall skirt over a cream-colored long-sleeved shirt. And she had a large shoulder bag slung diagonally across her. This bag was not new; it was a sturdy bag that Anton had used when he was a traveling priest, which Anna had remade with her favorite fabric. So it was a little big for Anna, but it was just right for carrying her belongings.
As the two of them walked in silence, the songs of the little birds, excited by the morning, reached their ears. The sunlight filtering through the trees swayed with the fresh morning light, illuminating the ground.
It was hard to believe she would be leaving this place soon. She had thought she would stay in this village forever and spend her whole life here.
When she reached a small clearing in the orchard, Anna stopped, took a deep breath, and looked up at Ritz.
"Ritz-san."
"Hm?"
"Thank you for taking me with you."
When she bowed her head, Ritz smiled vaguely and scratched his head.
"Well... I guess it's fate. I was planning on taking a leisurely trip this time anyway."
Anna recognized that Ritz scratching his head was a sign of being troubled. So she became a little anxious.
"Um..."
"Hm?"
She was about to ask if she was a bother, but she swallowed her words. If he said she was, she would be in trouble. It was lonely to leave the village, but she wanted to meet her real parents. If she missed this chance, she might never be able to go on a journey to find her parents again.
Clenching her fists tightly, Anna looked up at Ritz.
"Ritz-san, I won't be a burden."
"I know that. I saw it the other day."
"The other day?"
When Anna tilted her head, Ritz gave a wry smile.
"The Water Dragon. It's quite something to be able to use that."
"Is... that so?"
When Anna asked back, Ritz smiled and tapped her on the head.
"I think it's amazing."
"Um, isn't that normal for a spirit user?"
"...It's not normal. Are you being serious?"
"Yes."
At Anna's tone, Ritz stared at her as if he were dumbfounded.
"You're... strange."
"Am I? Um, it's not just the Water Dragon I can use..."
Saying so, Anna opened her bag. Inside was a set of spirit magic tools she had received from Anton long ago. Anton, believing himself to be an immature water spirit user, had apparently devoted himself to researching spirit magic tools in his youth. This was the result of that process. Anna had used it as a toy since she was a child, but it was quite useful.
It was a small bow that could be attached to Anna's bag and that she could draw with her strength, and two arrows.
"What's that. Are you going hunting?"
To the suspicious Ritz, Anna smiled and pulled out one of the crystal arrows and nocked it. Anna was not good at archery. But this bow and arrow did not require skill.
"Here I go!"
Anna nocked the transparent crystal arrow to her bow and drew it back to its fullest, aiming at the sky.
"O Spirit of Wind, become a shield that protects all!"
The arrow released from Anna's hand flew straight up into the sky and became a gust of wind. The wind gently enveloped Anna and Ritz.
"This is the protection of the Wind Spirit. Until this wind disappears, we'll hardly get injured thanks to the wind."
When Anna looked at Ritz, he looked back at her with an expression of heartfelt admiration.
"That's amazing!"
"But it has a weakness, it disappears quickly."
"Even so, it's convenient depending on how you use it. Can anyone do that?"
"Not just anyone. You still need to be able to use spirits."
"...Oh, I see."
For some reason, Ritz shrugged his shoulders with a disappointed look. Seeing that Ritz's attention had momentarily shifted from her, Anna stuck the other arrow into the ground. Then she whispered to the arrow.
"Earth Spirit-san, trip Ritz-san."
"Did you say something?"
Ritz, who had turned and was about to take a step towards her, was suddenly swept off his feet and fell face-first onto the ground. A great success. Ritz looked at his feet with a strange expression, but there should be nothing there. When the tilting Ritz started walking again, he was magnificently tripped again.
"You, you did something, didn't you?"
Ritz, rubbing his face and somehow managing to stand up, complained to Anna, but Anna just smiled and looked at Ritz as she told him.
"I tried asking the Earth Spirit to trip you, Ritz-san."
"What!?"
"This is it."
Anna pointed to the arrow stuck in the ground at her feet. It was a ceramic arrow said to be made from hard bedrock. It was filled with the power of the Earth Spirit.
"I thought it would be easier to understand if I tested it rather than explaining it with words. I've only ever used it on runaway livestock or children who won't listen and run away, so I tried it to see if it would work on an adult."
"Don't test it on me!"
To the face-rubbing Ritz, Anna explained the arrow.
"This is the power of the Earth Spirit. It stops you in your tracks. But it's of no other use, but it's subtly annoying, isn't it?"
Ritz, who had finally stood up, scratched his head with a sigh.
"...You have quite a personality."
"Do I? Hehe. You're making me blush..."
"That wasn't a compliment."
To the sighing Ritz, who looked dumbfounded, Anna held up the bow and arrow and explained further.
"Long ago, my father thought of creating a tool that even people who couldn't use spirit magic well could use. By using this arrow, the spirits naturally lend a hand. It's an excellent item. For the spirits, this tool is like a bit of a luxurious snack."
"...I see. I understand that comparison well."
"The wind arrow comes back to my hand when I call it, so it saves me the trouble of going to pick it up."
"Huh..."
Ritz's face, full of heartfelt admiration, was covered in scratches from falling face-first onto the ground. That painful-looking face also had a meaning. This was where Anna's true power would be shown.
"And also..."
Anna held her hand over Ritz's wounds. A cool, pleasant sensation slowly transmitted from her hand to Ritz's wounds. She concentrated her consciousness on Ritz's wounds, as if water were flowing into them.
"Heal these wounds."
As soon as she finished chanting, a cool sensation covered Ritz's face. When Anna gently removed her hand from Ritz's face, the wounds on his face had disappeared completely.
"Healing magic..."
"Yes. This is what I'm best at."
When she said this with confidence, Ritz scratched his head. Wondering if she was being a bother, Anna pressed on.
"It's useful, isn't it? So, please take care of me."
She looked up at Ritz, full of anxiety. Anna was still anxious about setting out on a journey. But she was also excited and thrilled. But no matter how she thought about it, she didn't think she could make the journey without Ritz. Anna had never left Vishnu. She had lived her whole life in this village, so although she was excited about the outside world, she also felt a little scared.
She wanted to be accepted by Ritz as a traveling companion. Then she could enjoy the outside world with peace of mind. As she stared up at Ritz, he eventually scratched his cheek and gave a wry smile, as if to say it couldn't be helped.
"I get it, you're plenty useful."
"Really!?"
"Yeah. But from my perspective, you're still pretty much a kid. So don't worry about useless things like whether I think you're a bother or if I'm going to leave you behind."
"Huh?"
How did he know? Could Ritz read minds? When she thought this and stared at his face, Ritz finally broke into a bright smile.
"Since I've taken you in, I'll take proper care of you. I'll help you find your parents."
"Thank you!"
Anna let out a big sigh of relief and then looked up at Ritz and smiled.
"And one more thing."
"What is it?"
"Up until now, I was a guest in Vishnu, but from now on, we're companions on a journey. So you can just call me Ritz, without any honorifics."
"Ritz-san."
"See, there you go again with Ritz-san. It's a pain to be called Ritz-san all the time. And no polite language either. I'm not good with troublesome things."
"But, but, from your perspective, I'm pretty much a kid, right? Is it really okay to call you by your name without honorifics and without polite language?"
"It's fine. I'm quite old myself."
Anna smiled at Ritz, who said this with a grin.
"But I'm thirty years old already, I'm not a child."
"And that's what surprised me the most."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. I thought you were a strangely preachy kid."
"Preachy..."
That was a bit of a shock. She thought she was just being responsible.
"Um, Ritz-san is..."
"Ritz. You're not the orphanage caretaker anymore, or the person in charge of looking after guests."
"Ah..."
Anna was surprised to realize this. Up until now, she had been the caretaker of the orphanage, so she had been required to be an adult for the children and had maintained an adult-like attitude.
But it was okay now. While she was with Ritz like this, she could be Ritz's companion and her true self. She didn't have to act like an adult as a caretaker anymore.
Anna closed her eyes for a moment and searched for her true self within her heart. She pulled it out and replaced the caretaker self with Anna herself. Since she was going on a journey, it was okay to be her true self.
Anna looked up at Ritz and smiled.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"How old are you, Ritz? You look to be in your mid-twenties?"
"Wrong. I'm one hundred and fifty."
"One hundred and fifty! You've lived a long time!"
"Well, I'm of the Spirit Tribe."
At Ritz's unexpected confession, Anna's eyes widened.
"You're of the Spirit Tribe?"
"Yeah. Is that strange?"
"Yeah. Because the image of Ritz and the Spirit Tribe are different, it's very surprising."
"Well, I know that myself."
Ritz scratched his head. He seemed troubled.
"But I think Ritz is better. Because the Spirit Tribe in stories would never talk to humans."
"Haha... surprisingly, you're right on the mark."
"Really?"
"Yeah. That aside, any other questions?"
"Nope~"
Anna smiled brightly and, with no ill will at all, prodded Ritz.
"But it was surprising, Ritz, you're older than you look."
Anna would probably live a long time too, but probably not as long as Ritz. After all, she aged at about half the speed of a human, so if she lived to be eighty in human years, she would be lucky to live for one hundred and sixty years. As Anna said this with deep feeling, Ritz placed his large hand on her head and ruffled her hair.
"I'm not old. I'm just long-lived!"
As they talked and got to know each other, it became clear how they would leave.
In the end, the two of them decided to leave the village of Vishnu without participating in the harvest festival. Anna absolutely hated the idea of a tearful farewell with the children and villagers. She would be back, so she would be happy if they would wait for her. They did say their farewells to Anton, who was standing in the church offering a prayer. Anton was sad, but he sent the two of them off with a smile and even a parting gift.
"Anna, no matter how long it takes, find an answer that you can accept. That is your journey."
Anna hugged her beloved father, who had raised her for thirty years. Just like when she was a child, she clung to Anton tightly. Anton gently stroked Anna's head with his gnarled hand.
"Father, you have to stay healthy! You have to!"
Father Anton seemed to be able to do nothing but nod. They had never been apart for thirty years, and now for the first time, she was leaving this place. It was lonely, but also exciting, and her heart felt like it was pounding.
A new world, something new, new friends. She might meet all sorts of things.
"Well, shall we go?"
"Yes!"
After they left, Anton quietly offered a prayer. That the journey of his most beloved one may be happy.
With the lively sound of the festival at their backs, the two of them stood on the road leading to the town of Saradio. Anna's first journey was beginning.
By the way, the parting gift they received... was a basket full of vegetables from Vishnu...