Chapter 2: The Guardian No One Cares About

Upon hearing Vivian’s words, Allette’s breathing instantly became a bit heavier.

“Miss Vivian, although I’m very grateful that you saved me, please don’t make jokes that cross my bottom line.”

He still maintained his polite demeanor, but his tone was already tinged with a trace of displeasure and seriousness.

“Hehehe, you should know just what us Witches are capable of.”

“If we want to, there’s nothing we can’t find out.”

As she spoke, Vivian leaned closer, gently patting Allette’s battered steel armor with her palm, then gave a sweet yet dangerous smile.

“If you want to know whether it’s true or not, just go and see for yourself~”

“Of course, if you really can’t stay over there anymore… the Moth Adventurer Team will always welcome you.”

“I can promise you, I’ll never treat you worse than that Melo.”

With that, Vivian playfully waved her hand, and her whole body began to gradually fade to transparency. Like a ghost, she slipped through the cave wall and vanished.

This Witch named Vivian seemed to harbor some kind of obsession with him, from the very first meeting continually arranging “coincidences” with the Crystal Thorn Adventurer Team.

And teasing Allette had apparently become her “must-play game.”

Only, this time, what she’d said had indeed crossed Allette’s bottom line.

Once he was out of danger, the first thing Allette did was cast Healing Magic on himself.

That’s right. Because Melo, as a member of the Blood Clan, disliked both the Priests who worshipped light and the Alchemists who dabbled in herbs, Allette had simply taught himself some healing skills.

“I need to hurry back to the surface through the Teleportation Array and find Miss and the others.”

“How could Miss ever abandon me… that’s impossible…”

As a bodyguard, Allette and Melo had established a Contract long ago.

This Contract allowed Allette to always know Melo’s whereabouts, so he’d never lose track.

Although he’d used Healing Magic for emergency treatment, the injuries lingering inside him were still quite severe.

Even so, the first thing he did was not to seek better healing, but to drag his wounded body off to search for Melo and the others.

After teleporting to the surface town, Allette was finally able to sense Melo’s exact location.

But, it was different from what he’d expected.

“Miss isn’t anywhere else… but rather…”

“In our Base?”

The first thing Allette felt was relief.

“Thank goodness, Miss and the others aren’t in danger.”

“But…”

But…

Why didn’t they come to help me?

The next moment, the disappointment and discouragement in Allette’s eyes only grew heavier.

And then, all that Vivian had said earlier echoed once more in his mind.

“Could it… actually be true?”

“No, Allette, what are you thinking?!”

“You’re useful to Miss—there’s no way Miss would abandon you!”

He raised his hand and knocked it twice against the helmeted head, as if trying to smash all the foolish thoughts right out of his mind.

“Maybe Miss and the others were attacked by monsters on their way back and are resting now.”

“I’d better hurry over to them…”

So, in order to confirm his guess, he quickened his pace and rushed toward the Base.

Arriving before that old two-story western house, Allette suddenly pushed both doors wide open.

“Miss! Are you alr—”

The word “right” had yet to leave his mouth when the scene before him left Allette utterly speechless.

It was nothing like what he’d imagined.

At that moment, Melo and the other two were eating dinner.

Yes, they were simply seated around the beautiful wooden long table, elegantly savoring the exquisite food before them.

There was even a candlestick burning in the center of the table, its flickering light setting the mood just so.

When Allette burst in, Melo’s brows instantly furrowed, and she turned a furious gaze his way.

But the moment she saw it was Allette, some of that anger faded, though she still looked clearly annoyed.

She unconsciously scanned Allette up and down first, making sure there were no fatal wounds, then opened her mouth:

“Who allowed you to make such a racket? Didn’t I teach you to knock before entering?”

“Now, get out. Knock.”

Her expression was perfectly natural, as if she’d long forgotten everything that had happened in the Dungeon.

The other two teammates at the table only shot Allette a look of dissatisfaction, then, as if nothing had happened, continued leisurely enjoying their own food.

Allette’s throat moved.

After a brief silence, he slowly backed out, closed the wooden doors, and knocked again.

“Come in.”

Only after receiving Melo’s permission did Allette drag his exhausted, wounded body into the hall.

“Miss, I—”

“You were slower than I expected.”

Allette had just begun when Melo interrupted him on the spot.

“At this rate, I might have to find a more useful servant to act as my bodyguard.”

Silent, a deep sadness washed over the boy’s face beneath the heavy armor.

So it was true. From the very beginning, they’d never planned to save him.

Even though he’d fallen into danger for their sake, fought desperately, and only escaped with the help of a benefactor—he didn’t even receive a single word of concern.

“Miss, you said you’d come back for me…”

He might’ve been better off not saying that. But as soon as the words left his mouth, Melo set down her wineglass.

Allette knew—she only did that when she was unhappy.

“Allette, you have to understand, you’re just a servant in the end.”

“There’s no need for a master to be absolutely faithful to a servant.”

“And that so-called crisis was nothing more than a test for you.”

“If you can’t even handle a few flaming insects, then I think it’s time to consider a new bodyguard.”

There was not the slightest hint of concern in her voice, only a cold indifference from beginning to end.

Allette said nothing, simply standing quietly where he was.

His hand, encased in iron, slowly clenched into a fist, then gradually loosened, making a series of clattering sounds.

Melo gave Allette a look full of disgust.

That clumsy, heavy armor, to her eyes, looked just like an ugly tortoise shell.

The scars of countless battles above, and the bloodstains seeping from his body, only made Melo feel even more uncomfortable.

And the lingering, slightly sulfurous, burning aura around him robbed Melo of her appetite entirely.

“Tsk, what plague was I suffering from to let you become a Heavy Knight in the first place? Useless and ugly.”

“……”

Upon hearing Melo’s words, Allette’s pupils trembled, and he stood there, utterly dumbfounded.

Looking at the battered armor on his body, Allette stared for a moment, and memories of the past gradually floated before his eyes—

On the training grounds.

The still-young Allette was hacking at a wooden stake with a wooden sword, his movements a bit clumsy.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t use a sword, but he could never decide what class to become.

Swordsman, Crossbowman, Mage… they all seemed fine.

Even though there’d be opportunities to change classes in the future, he was still stuck in indecision and confusion.

Just then, the “Miss” who had taken him in came to his side.

A Blood Clan’s life was exceedingly long. Miss Melo had lived for centuries, yet still looked young and beautiful.

“Little one, what are you doing?”

She slowly walked to Allette’s side, crouched down, and made her gaze level with the still-childish Allette.

“Struggling to choose your class?”

When Allette voiced his question, Melo narrowed her eyes a little. Her silver lashes sparkled beautifully in the moonlight.

“Heavy Knight, how about that? Sounds like it suits you.”

“You’re a bit weak in other areas, but after all, you’ll be my bodyguard someday.”

“If you become a Heavy Knight, maybe you’ll be able to protect me properly, hmm?”

As she spoke, there was a hint of playfulness and tenderness in Melo’s gaze.

As if she wasn’t Allette’s master or object of loyalty, but a family member joking with him, chatting about dreams and the future.

That smile of hers filled in the part of Allette’s heart that needed it most, and was weakest.

Heavy Knight—that was the class he’d chosen to protect Miss.

It was the belief he’d always held to.

And for that, he never changed classes, stubbornly sticking to this “useless class.”

Now, though, Melo herself had struck a blow to that very belief.

Allette’s eyes grew dim.

That Witch hadn’t lied to him after all.

Even though Melo hadn’t given any orders, he left the room abnormally, heading straight for the door.

“Hey, Allette, where are you going?!”

Even when she called out, Allette never stopped, step by step leaving the Base, vanishing from Melo’s view.

Melo’s brows were tightly furrowed.

For ten years, he’d always been her most obedient servant. But today, he was acting “rebellious” for the first time.

She’d originally planned to call him back in to heal his wounds. After all, if her bodyguard was always injured, her schedule would be affected.

Just then, the half-dragon girl Della at the table spoke up.

“Melo, looks like your little knight is throwing a tantrum.”

Her eyes were full of mischief, as if she were waiting to watch a show.

That damned expression only made Melo feel even more irritable.

“Leave him be. Let’s eat.”

“He’s just a servant, do you really expect me to coax him back in myself?”

Yet, in a corner where no one could see,

Vivian, in her spiritual form, was lurking nearby, watching the farce with great interest.

“Hehehe…”

“This time, I’m sure to win.”