"Oi, mortal!" Glacia shouted.

"Huh!?" Hazuki, who had been shouting at Ridan on his head, glanced toward the dragon girl. "What?"

"Not cold?" Glacia glared at him.

"Umm..." Hazuki rubbed his chin, then checked his body and his torn shirt. "A bit... I guess."

Glacia narrowed her eyes.

How can a mere human withstand this cold?

So far, no one had survived these lands without special equipment, enchanted jackets, mana-heat crystals, a full party with healers and mages. And even then, they’d still be shivering.

Ridan said he was a special human. But how? Not to mention Ridan said something was forcing him to guide this human. But who? What?

And Ridan as his spirit guide? A powerful wizard from a thousand years ago? Someone who could be on par with my brother?

Did Ridan die of old age? Humans have such short lifespans...

Or was he killed? But who could kill Ridan? He was powerful enough to challenge dragons.

What had happened in the thousand years since I last saw him? What story is he part of now?

Since Ridan is bound to this human... does that mean he can’t be reborn? Or did he choose this state?

"Oi, mortal!" Glacia shouted again.

"Huh?" Hazuki narrowed his eyes toward her as she walked ahead.

"How did you end up meeting Ridan?" Glacia asked.

"Even if you ask... how, huh? Let me think back..." Hazuki rubbed his chin.

"I think it was back when I went to the halfling nation. I was sitting at a stall eating breakfast, and someone dropped a treasure map. So I just ste... ah... took it... and... err... followed it."

Glacia narrowed her eyes. "You were going to say ’steal,’ right?"

"Huh? No! I’m not... not stealing, okay!" Hazuki grumbled.

"So... how did you meet him?"

"Err... I followed the map and ended up at some cave. Went inside, hoping to find a lot of treasure." Hazuki grumbled again. "I saw one huge jar with glowing letters I didn’t understand. So I broke it with this sword. And ended up finding this ghost sealed into my sword."

"Oi! Ancient spirit! Not those lowly ghost spirits! Damn it, lolizuki!"

"So you’ve been together with him for long?" Glacia asked.

"Err... I don’t really know. I don’t count. All I know is this annoying purple one keeps stealing my food once he’s able to touch it." Hazuki exhaled.

"Oi! That’s rude! Sharing! Sharing! Not stealing! What do you think I am, huh? I’m the greatest wizard of all time! The one who holds the ancient spirit title! Don’t be stingy with some food! I helped you earn most of what you have now!" Ridan smirked after shouting.

"Yeah, yeah! Whatever." Hazuki exhaled again.

"Don’t forget, it was my spell that saved your loli pinky promise girl, Ellyn~" Ridan smirked again, floating in front of Hazuki’s face with a smug grin.

"Yeah, yeah... THANK YOU." Hazuki said with a chuckle.

"Oi! At least say it properly, sincerely." Ridan narrowed his eyes toward Hazuki.

Hazuki smirked, glanced up, and bowed with exaggerated flourish. "I offer my most humble and sincere gratitude, O Great Ancient Spirit, Ridan-sama, for your invaluable assistance in saving my beloved."

"Ugh! It’s annoying when you say it like that." Ridan grumbled and landed back on top of Hazuki’s head.

Glacia watched them.

Ridan and this human have really become good friends, haven’t they?

Bickering constantly, yet completely in sync. They speak without filter, saying whatever they want without caring how it sounds.

It’s like they’ve been together for years. And from what I see, I don’t think they’d ever want to be separated, even if they talk like they hate each other.

Glacia watched them talk as if they were one person.

Does this human not realize that to anyone who can’t see Ridan, he just looks crazy, talking to empty air?

And yet... why doesn’t he care at all?

And he’s already made a Pinky Promise with some girl?

How stupid can this human be?

Pinky Promise isn’t just some promise. No one dares to swear it. Glacia glanced at his hand, where the faint seal glowed on his knuckle.

Judging by the seal, this human and his partner have already completed the ritual together.

That means his fate with this girl is sealed forever—until death parts them.

What a stupid human.

I wonder who his Pinky Promise partner is.

"Oi, mortal!"

Hazuki, who had been laughing with Ridan, paused and glanced over with an annoyed face. "What?"

"So your Pinky Promise partner... is she human?"

"Hmm?" Hazuki’s expression softened instantly, a dreamy look spreading across his face. "No... she’s a cute catgirl. My dream catgirl~" His eyes went distant, a silly grin forming. "Cute, annoying, but... she’s the one who always waits for me, even when I’m being an idiot. She’s loud, she’s clingy, and she’s got this way of looking at me like I’m the only person in the world..."

"Hahaha! Look at this dumbzuki! I bet he’s thinking about that childlike Ellyn~" Ridan teased.

Hazuki trailed off, cheeks slightly flushed, before snapping back to reality. "Not the child one! The adult her! The real her! Ugh! So annoying!"

"Hah! I bet you wish to do it with her."

"No!! I don’t! I’m not some creepy human!"

"But you are creepy. Besides, she’s an adult. That’s her transformation skill. I don’t see anything wrong there." Ridan wiggled his eyebrows.

Hazuki continued to bicker with Ridan while Glacia stared in surprise.

C... CATGIRL?

Human... with catgirl? Seriously!?

This is my first time hearing about an interracial partner with a human.

I know about Wolfkin with Dogkin, or Tigerkin with Catkin...

Or elves with dark elves.

Or halflings with hobbits...

But human with other races!? Seriously!?

"Oi, mortal... you’re serious?" Glacia asked again.

"Huh? Yeah. Why?"

"Don’t you feel it’s weird? With full fur on her body?"

"Huh? No! Ellyn doesn’t have any fur~ Smooth skin like a human~"

"Oi... isn’t that..." Glacia was about to say only royal beastkin don’t have fur, but Ridan suddenly shouted.

"OI! Show us the Icy Leaf!" Ridan said, glaring at Glacia.

Glacia heard Ridan’s voice in her mind.

DON’T YOU DARE SAY ANOTHER WORD ABOUT IT!

Her eyes widened, and she replied with telepathy.

Why!? Glacia was confused.

You don’t want to know, and you’ll be in trouble if you say that, Ridan warned.

Why? Will this human do something!? Glacia replied.

No... it’s not him. But there’s someone you don’t want to get involved with, Ridan said.

Seriously?

Someone even I can’t do anything against. So you better stay out of this trouble I’m in.

( End Of Chapter )

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