Rudeus turned to look at the hooded child who had been curled up silently beside him.
He was covered in mud, and his clothes were so filthy that their original color was impossible to make out.
Even with his head bowed, a hint of short emerald-green hair could be seen beneath his hood. Though his face was plastered with mud, the delicate, striking contours of his features were still visible.
Influenced by Rudeus's memories of the internet in his previous life, the face looked especially delicate and feminine.
He looked just like a shota. At first glance, it was surprisingly hard to tell his gender.
Seeing him trembling and sniffling softly, looking so aggrieved, Rudeus slowed his steps and approached gently, softening his voice to comfort him:
"Don't be scared, don't be scared. The bad guys have all been chased away~, and nobody will dare bully you anymore. You're covered in mud. How about I use magic to clean you up?"
The hooded child slowly raised her head. Her reddish-brown eyes brimmed with tears, their corners red, and droplets clung to her long eyelashes. She looked both aggrieved and pitiful, and her clear, bright eyes were especially captivating.
She looked at Rudeus with a hint of confusion and fear, then nodded silently.
Rudeus gathered a gentle stream of warm water in his palm and, before she could react further, softly poured it over her.
The hooded child flinched in surprise and instinctively tried to dodge, but Rudeus grabbed her by the collar.
He slowly washed the mud from her body and hair with the gentle stream.
Feeling the warmth and comfort of the water, she gradually let down her guard and stopped struggling. With curious eyes, she quietly watched Rudeus work his magic.
Before long, all the mud had been washed off her.
Rudeus then used hot wind magic to slowly dry the water from her body. As the warm breeze blew over her, the hooded girl narrowed her eyes in comfort, and her tense body relaxed completely.
"All done. Now you're nice and clean." Rudeus clapped his hands and smiled at the girl before him, unable to keep from admiring her inwardly:
She's going to be a natural beauty! Pointed elf ears, soft, short emerald-green hair, clear reddish-brown eyes, and a soft little face. She looks so sweet and adorable.
"Th... thank you... but, but why did you help me?"
The girl spoke timidly, her gaze darting uneasily between Rudeus and the ground. Her voice was faint and soft.
"Because I can't stand seeing people gang up on someone weaker than them. You're a perfectly normal kid, so what gives them the right to bully you for some made-up reason?"
Rudeus answered firmly, full of disdain for the children who had caused trouble.
"I-it's because my hair is green, and it looks a lot like the Superd Tribe's, so they..."
Sylphie's voice grew quieter as she spoke, and her little head drooped even lower. She was full of hurt and insecurity.
"Just because of that ridiculous, ignorant reason? They're a bunch of idiots!"
Rudeus couldn't help speaking up in anger. Then he looked at her seriously and gave her a sincere warning:
"When you're dealing with people like that, the more timidly you give in, the further they'll go in bullying you. You have to learn to fight back and show them you can stand up for yourself, so they won't dare pick on you so easily again."
"I-I tried to fight back, but there were too many of them. I... I couldn't beat them at all..."
The girl's eyes reddened and her nose stung. She looked ready to cry again.
"Then you just have to make yourself stronger. As long as you're strong enough, no one will dare bully you again."
Rudeus comforted her with a smile, his voice full of conviction.
"B-but I... I don't know how to get stronger..." She lowered her head, her voice full of helplessness and confusion.
"That's all right. I can teach you. I'll teach you to use magic and to be brave."
Rudeus made the offer readily, without the slightest hesitation.
"R-really? Th-then what should I do now?"
The girl's head shot up, and a spark of hope instantly lit her eyes. She looked at me, nervous and expectant.
"First, don't speak so timidly. Raise your head, straighten your back, and say what you want openly and bravely." Rudeus guided her patiently, hoping she could regain her confidence first.
The girl nodded gently and pressed her lips together, falling silent for a moment. As though summoning every bit of courage she had, she slowly raised her head, looked Rudeus straight in the eye, and said clearly and earnestly, "My name is Sylphiette!"
"My name is Rudeus Greyrat!" Rudeus raised his voice and smiled as he answered her, encouraging her with his tone.
Sylphie tried hard to hold on to that courage, but she couldn't help getting nervous when she spoke. Her voice grew smaller without her noticing, until it was barely a whisper. "C-can you be my friend?"
"Hm? What did you say? You're too quiet. Rudeus can't hear you at all." He teased Sylphie deliberately, speaking with a hint of a smile, hoping she would fully summon her courage.
Sylphie bit her lower lip, took a deep breath, clenched her little fists, and shouted with all her might:
"Rudeus! Become my... spit attack!!"
Seeing her finally cast aside her timidity and shout bravely, Rudeus nodded with relief and answered with a smile:
"Sure! From now on, we're friends. We'll do our best and get stronger together!"
Someone as gentle and timid as Sylphie deserves to be protected. I'll have to guide her along and help her become brave and strong.
After that, Rudeus and Sylphie played to their hearts' content on the little hillside.
They stayed from the warm afternoon until the sun set and the horizon was filled with the soft orange-red glow of evening, then reluctantly headed to their respective homes.
As soon as Rudeus returned to the front of the yard, he saw his father, Paul, standing at the gate, his expression frighteningly dark as he stared silently at Rudeus.
The atmosphere around him was unbearably oppressive. He was clearly holding back a bellyful of rage.
Rudeus instantly understood what had happened and was genuinely surprised. Even after he had sternly warned those three children, they had actually dared run to their parents and stir up trouble.
It seemed the last lesson had been too light. Next time, he would make sure they never dared do it again.
"Father, is something wrong?" Rudeus asked calmly, his expression open.
"Rudeus, I heard... you hit Somali?" Paul asked in a low voice, his fists tightening slightly. He was clearly doing his utmost to suppress his anger.
"That's right, I did." Rudeus held his head high as he answered without a trace of guilt, his gaze never wavering.
Paul finally lost his temper and rebuked him sternly:
"Rudeus! Strength has never been meant for bullying the weak, but for protecting the people and things you hold dear! How could you just hit someone your own age? Have you forgotten the Greyrat family rules and the principles of a swordsman?!"
Paul scolded him at length, doing his utmost to establish his authority as a father before his son.
Rudeus simply stood there quietly, looking at him calmly without a word of defense. Only after Paul had finished venting all his anger and reproaches did Rudeus speak slowly, his gaze firm and steady:
"Father, ever since I began practicing swordsmanship and learning magic, I've always adhered to the principles of a swordsman and been strict with myself. I've never done anything wrong or improper."
"But you believed only one side of the story and blamed me for everything without even asking what had happened. Is that fair?"
Paul froze, clearly not expecting Rudeus to argue back, and hurriedly said:
"But Somali really was hurt. I saw him with my own eyes this afternoon!"
"We're all the same age. I didn't want to use overwhelming force in the first place!" Rudeus suddenly roared:
"But do you know that Somali and the other two first joined forces to corner and bully a weaker child? Is standing by while others bully the weak the Greyrat family's ancestral teaching?!"
Rudeus raised his voice sharply, questioning him word by word, his tone full of confusion and anger.
Paul was left speechless. The anger gradually faded from his face, replaced by guilt and shock.
He opened his mouth, but could find no more words of reproach.
Seeing him fall silent, Rudeus continued:
"If the Greyrat ancestral teachings tell me to stand by while the weak are bullied, then the next time I see something like that, I'll watch without lifting a finger and tell everyone I'm following the Greyrat ancestral teachings."
"Then, when the neighbors point fingers and the world condemns me, I'll simply abandon the Greyrat name and leave this family on my own, to spend my life alone and destitute. Would that satisfy you?"
Rudeus looked Paul firmly in the eye, without giving an inch.
Paul looked at Rudeus, his face full of shame and self-reproach. He slowly lowered his head, his voice full of apology:
"Rudeus... I'm sorry. Your father was too quick to judge. I blamed you without finding out the truth. Tell me, what exactly happened?"
Rudeus then told Paul the whole story, leaving nothing out: how Somali and the other two had discriminated against Sylphie because of her hair color and joined forces to bully her.
After hearing Rudeus out, Paul was filled with guilt and solemnly apologized to him again, bringing the sudden quarrel to an end.
After this, his father probably wouldn't scold Rudeus again without knowing right from wrong, and would learn to find out the truth before passing judgment.