"So, what do you want me to do for you?"
A hint of surprise flickered at the corner of the mouth beneath the cloak as she responded, "Do something? I need nothing from you. You and the baby girl were nearing death, and I simply had enough food to share. That's all."
Idiot would never believe such a reason. How could anyone share their food without expecting something in return, especially in a desert where the boundaries had not been seen even after three months of continuous walking?
The girl seemed puzzled by Idiot's wariness, but soon a gentle smile spread across her face, dissolving her confusion, "Little brother, are you saying that you would feel more at ease if I asked you to do something in return?"
He did not answer, remaining vigilant.
Sighing softly with a bitter smile, the girl tilted her head, pondering. Finally, she pointed at the chains on the beggar's right arm.
"Those chains on your arm are quite peculiar, and so is that dagger. Let me take a look at that strange dagger. That is your payment to me."
Idiot found it hard to believe that her true intentions were merely to inspect the dagger, such a simple request.
"You think my request is too easy, too simple, right? But you don't know whether I might try to take it from you while I look at it, correct? Even if I did take it, using it as payment for the food wouldn't be too much, would it?"
The smile persisted under the cloak, gentle and kind. But Idiot would not be fooled by such appearances. He glanced at the weapon in his hand, the so-called Sword of the Devil Emperor—Hallelujah, now nothing more than a dirty dagger due to the constant travel through the desert.
After a moment's thought, he stepped forward and handed it over.
He knew that even if he could take the opportunity to kill the girl, he would never be able to defeat the giant wolf. For now, submission seemed like the best strategy to stay alive.
The Sword of the Devil Emperor landed in the girl's sculpted-like palm, her delicate wrist and fair skin forming a stark contrast against the dirtied blade that had accompanied the fool through the desert. The girl took the dagger and gave Idiot a smile of goodwill. Then…
With practiced ease, she twirled the dagger in her hand, grasping it as if it didn't belong to the idiot, but a weapon she was totally familiar with.
In the midst of a ferocious sandstorm outside, the girl suddenly spoke in a seemingly ancient and unknown language that had never been similar to any other language now.
It was also at that moment, Blood Extinguisher, who had always avoided revealing its blooy evil eye to others except Idiot, suddenly widened that eye aggressively and fiercely and stared intently at the face beneath the cloak!
The young woman speaking in that mysterious language.
"It has been 1,127 years since I sealed you beneath the Soulfire Volcano. I didn't expect you can escape. What do you plan to do this time? You, the instigator and main culprit and main culprit of the Second Era's destruction, the Sword of the Devil Emperor—Hallelujah!"
Not only its evil eye but also its form, appearing as a dagger, reverted back to its original longsword state in an instant. With its blood-colored pupil widened in rage and hatred, it glared fiercely at the seemingly frail girl.
"Yeah, it has been… a very… long… time… indeed. Holy Giant Wolf and Warrior Goddess," It replied in the same unknown language.
The sandstorm outside grew even more intense, showing no signs of stopping. Inside the cramped and dim cave, there was an oppressive atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.
Idiot cowered in a corner, clutching a baby girl tightly with his left hand. He didn't understand what was happening, nor the gravity of the situation.
All he knew was that the voice of the sword, which had always echoed only in his mind, could now be heard with his ears. He also knew that the sword was communicating with the girl in a very strange language, with a very intense tone.
He just realized that this girl knew the origin of the sword. So, who could she be?
The comminication between the girl and the sword wasn't long; together, they probably spoke less than ten sentences. After a brief, silence fell upon the cave once more.
The girl and The Sword of the Devil Emperor looked at each other, as if trying to read each other's minds. After a long while, the sword snorted softly and closed its blood-red eye.
The air in the cave seemed to relax with the closing of the blood-red eye. The girl's stern expression gradually disappeared, replaced by a smile. She took Idiot's hand and placed the sword hilt in the hand. The corner of her mouth, visible beneath the cloak, curved into a slight smile as she stepped back.
The sword shrank back into its dagger form and quietly slid into the sheath made of chains and the Idiot's arm. Idiot, involuntarily lifting his right arm to look at the dagger, finally showed a trace of confusion in his cold gaze.
"Boy, does it hurt?" the girl asked, pointing to his right arm, which had been tightly fastened by the chain-like blade.
Idiot didn't answer. He shrank back even more deeper into the corner, moving his right arm behind him and stealthily drawing the sword again, ready to fight if necessary.
The giant wolf, which seemed to be sleeping, twitched its ears suddenly. The fearsome beast opened its eyes as if sensing something, and stared at Idiot with its golden eyes. Feeling its gaze, his palms began to sweat. After pondering for a moment, he finally reinserted the sword into the chains, giving up any futile resistance.
The girl seemed not to notice the fool's subtle movements. Or perhaps she did notice, but didn't regard it as important. The girl in the white cloak leaned in, extending her slender, jade-like wrists from beneath the cloak and resting them on the Idiot's shoulders.
"Poor child, where will your fate lead you?" she uttered in a voice tinged with regret and hesitation. However, when the girl lowered her gaze to Idiot's tattered sandals and his feet, blistered and bleeding, her mouth curved into a merciful smile.
She got closer, trying to relieve the boy, but he quickly withdrewed.
Seeing Idiot's high level of wariness brought a helpless smile to the girl's lips. As she lifted her arms, just when Idiot thought she might lash out, she suddenly wrapped her arms around him.
"Don't be afraid, don't worry. No one here will bully you, no one will hurt you. Rest assured, just relax," she whispered.
A faint scent emanated from the girl. Her body was soft, her arms around the fool gentle. Having lived in an environment where fighting over a scrap of food was the norm, and never once being held by his own parents, Idiot was understandably shocked and tense when embraced so unguardedly by this mysterious girl.
Uncertain of her intentions and overwhelmed with tension, Idiot gripped his weapon tightly. He clenched his teeth, fearing she might stab him in the back while holding him.
But she didn't…
The girl's hands were ceaselessly caressing Idiot's hair, with tenderness and friendliness. The faint scent emanating from her brought about a sense of tranquility. Cradling Idiot's head against her chest, her soothing voice, like warm water, flowed slowly into his body, relaxing him.
"Had you calmed down?" she asked, as she let go of the arms that held him. Beneath her cloak, the corners of her mouth remained gentle.
He didn't respond, but he gradually relaxed his grip on the sword, allowing it to retract into the chains around his arm.
"What a cute child. Is it a baby boy or a girl?" The girl reached out to gently tease the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. Then, she gently lifted his legs with her left hand, and with her right hand outstretched and drew near.
A warm current flowed from the girl's right hand, healing the wounds on the feet at a visibly fast pace. The warmth spread from the soles, upwards, bringing comfort like being in a warm pool on a cold desert night.
Idiot ceased to struggle. Looking at his feet, now painless and healing, he thought for a moment and then suddenly handed over the infant girl.
"She's been hungry for a long time. Lately, she coughs occasionally…" he said.
The girl put down the healed feet, smiled at him, and took the little girl.
The girl went silent.
Then the girl uttered something in the unknown language and then smiled.
"She…?" the Idiot inquired.
The girl spoke in the unknown language with a smile, " …The Emerald Sparrow."
Idiot was confused, "???"
Then she didn't use that language.
"Ah, a little girl. I can't believe you, without any power, carried her through the desert for so long. She's so frail, not even a year old yet, and the swaddles around her are tattered and filthy. With the scarcity of water and food in the desert, she wouldn't last three days, even with her strong will to live."
Hearing this, Idiot's face turned pale. He lowered his head, looking at his hands, lost in thought.
Once again, a soft warmth radiated from the girl's hands, and the baby girl's cold body gradually warmed up, her cheeks turning rosy in her sleep.
Suddenly, the little one opened her eyes and saw, not the cold face she was used to, but a new, unfamiliar female visage…
The infant began to whimper, and in no time…She burst into tears.
At the sound of the crying baby, Idiot immediately looked up and stood, reaching out his arms. The girl shrugged her shoulders, placed the wailing baby back into the fool's embrace.
Observing the scene where the child comforted the baby, and the baby's cries subsided, the girl silently nodded, as if she had made a decision.