Chapter 21: Heading back

After returning to Garehis kingdom, I immediately went to the headquarters to report.

"Good work."

I nodded and then sat on a chair in front of his desk.

"So, how did it go?"

"It's kind of complicated."

I handed him the note and the documents that I gathered. He took them and read them thoroughly as I brought out the bottled ashes of the demon and put it on his desk.

"... Is this all true?"

"Yes. I was there when it happened."

He frowned as he read more and more. He then looked at the bottled ashes on the desk and then looked at me.

"Is this...?"

"Ashes of a named Demon."

"Named Demon..."

He took the bottle and examined it.

"To think there will be demons involved..."

He put down the bottle.

"No wonder Lord Yorwain is very pushy to pass the mission to you. It turned out to be bigger than I imagined."

"I also never expected it. When master said to expose that merchant, I never thought that it would be anything more than crimes."

"Indeed. But now that we know demons are involved. Let's tighten our security defences and investigate this matter."

"Yeah, that'll be the best."

"To be honest, I didn't expect you to actually defeat, let alone kill a named Demon."

"That was quite troublesome, really."

"That's more than troublesome, though."

He sighed and then smiled wryly.

"But I now understand why Lord Yorwain always entrusted you with these missions. I knew you're cut above the rest, but I didn't expect this much, especially since you are still a child."

"... Is that so?"

I averted my eyes, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Also, you've changed quite a bit. You are more expressive than usual."

"Really?"

"Mhm, you are usually blank faced. You are much better this way, though."

"... Uh huh."

Maybe it's because of my everyday interaction with Rina. She always leaves me flabbergasted with all the random things she does.

"Aahh, I see."

He gave me a knowing look and grinned.

"... What?"

"Nothing..."

He shrugged and then opened his desk drawer. He gave me two bags of coins.

"Here's your pay. I added some extra reward for the trouble."

"Thanks."

I received the bags and put them inside my pouch.

"Also, I added three months' break as your reward."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. You may not think so, but killing a named Demon is a huge feat, so giving you this much is fine. Now that this report will move the entire organisation, we will try to investigate this matter."

"Huh... But wouldn't you need me also since I am directly involved with this?"

"Haha, you're very talented, Garwyr, but you should trust us more. We are "Wolves" after all."

"If you said so, then, okay."

I nodded.

"Now leave this to us, adult, and enjoy your break."

He beckoned me to leave as he smiled.

"Okay, I leave you guys to it."

I left and went to the other room so I could teleport back to Sherwood forest.

"Saga Riuz Apor."

As I was about to leave, Perry suddenly opened the door and shouted out to me.

"Say hi to your girlfriend for me."

"Wha-!"

And then I teleported.

I sighed, thinking he must be teasing me but to think that he knows... "What an intuition" is all I could say.

I retrieved the necklace that is hanged on a branch of a tree and headed back to Rina.

As I arrived at the campsite, I noticed that there were facilities that were not here before.

I saw a garden filled with sprouts, a shed filled with tools, and another shed, which looks like a toilet.

She seems to be busy making all of this while I am gone. I smiled and looked for her.

So far, I have not found her. As I was about to sense where she was, two hands covered my eyes.

"Guess who?"

"Let me see... A golem?"

I joked as she put away her hand from my eyes.

I turned around to find... a golem?

"Wait, what?"

Hold on a minute. Is it really a golem?

I examined the golem in front of me. It looks like a human with some sort of clay as the body. It has no face and only just the limbs.

As I was confused by all of this, I heard a laughter from behind the golem.

"Hehehehahaha! You should see the look on your face! What an expression!"

There she was, laughing while holding her stomach.

"That was so worth it! Hehehe."

She smiled brightly as she got closer.

"Rina, what is up with this golem?"

"I made it! Awesome, right?!"

She proudly says.

"It can only do simple actions, though."

She sighs as she looks at it with disappointment.

"It is already incredible just by making a working golem, you know?"

"Really? But I'm not satisfied with just that! I'll practice more so that I can create a super golem!"

She declared as she imagined the future.

"Then good luck, I guess?"

"Thanks! Oh, right! Look, look, look!"

She grabbed my hands, dragging me to the new facilities.

"I have made a garden! I managed to get some seeds and planted them here."

"Ohh, I see. But why did they sprout already?"

"Oh, I used magic!"

"Ahh..."

"And I also used magic to make the shed and the toilet!"

"Riiiight..."

Yep. Rina being Rina as always.

"How should I say this... Good work?"

"You sound like you don't mean it."

"I really mean it, it's just... bizarre."

"If you say so."

She puffed her cheeks, and I poked on them.

"While you are out there working, I made them so that I can also help out even just little.

"I see, but you should just do what you wanted to do and practice your magic."

"But you're doing it for me, right? So I wanted to make them for you too."

"Looks like we are doing the same thing for each other."

"I guess so."

We looked at each other and laughed.

"By the way..."

She looked at me with a warm look.

"Welcome back, Garwyr."

Ahh..

"I'm back, Rina."