Hearing this, the man’s face lit up as if he had been waiting for those words. His expectations were blatantly obvious.

“So then…”

“What? Are you expecting His Majesty the Emperor to come here and unlock it for you? Should His Majesty, who’s busy with official duties, have to visit here just because of you? Stop the nonsense and start walking. The magical device you guys created works sooo well that you can’t even use the portal with it on.”

“That’s not…”

“When I was going up, it was just left alone, and now you’re saying you can’t go down. Interesting.”

“Are you doing this out of spite?”

I nodded my head emphatically.

“Yes.”
“Heh…”

“So stop complaining and come down.”

With that, I briskly descended. From behind, I heard the previous Matopju pleading, even begging for me to end his life. I blatantly ignored him.

Struggling just to descend those steps, and he wants to die?

‘As punishment, making that man run in circles for the rest of his life might be the best option.’

I chuckled softly and took strong steps forward.

In the end, the guy who was grumbling behind started to slowly descend, so slow that he might as well have rolled down. Shasha and I reached the first floor ahead of him.

My legs were shaky. Ah, I should’ve asked someone to let me use the portal. Just as the thought crossed my mind, a light appeared from the portal at the entrance of the tower, and a familiar person appeared.

“Ah… um…”

It was the young boy I had first encountered at the entrance of the tower. Not just him; several other children were also with him.

The trembling children looked at me, not at Shasha.
“Do you have something to say to me?”

“Yes.”

“Um… uh… are you leaving now?”

The boy who had been trembling behind me spoke up. He was still wearing his hood.

“Yeah. We have to go now.”

“Ah… I see.”

I slightly bowed my head as I looked at the children, who seemed to have a lot to say, especially the one in the hood.

“Even if the Matopju is gone, someone else could harass you. If that happens, contact me. I’ll find a way to protect you, one way or another.”

Harassing children is unforgivable, especially those in an orphanage. Whether it’s because I have trauma related to orphanages or trauma related to those who torment vulnerable children, I wasn’t sure, but I found their situation pitiful.

“Th-thank you, even just for saying that. But, um… can I ask you something I’ve been wondering about?”

The hooded child slightly lifted his head, revealing strands of blue hair that matched well with the tower.
Like a blue tree on a frigid winter’s night, the child gave off a chilling aura. However, there was a warmth in his gaze when he looked at me and Shasha.

“What are you curious about?”

“Why are you doing all this?”

“Ah, well. For my sister?”

“For Shasha?”

“I can’t stand someone harassing Shasha. There’s really no grand reason.”

It wasn’t like some lofty proclamation of saving the world, or an ambition to lay a path of roses in my life. It was just that someone had messed with my kin, my sister, and I took the appropriate revenge.

A reason neither magnificent nor beautiful.

“It’s admirable, protecting someone… You really resemble that person.”

“That person?”

“Never mind. I hope to see you again, after Empress Mama…! See you next time, Shasha!”

“Yes! Goodbye, brother!”
The boy nodded his head. As he did, the other children behind him also nodded.

The children, who seemed to have come to greet me, cautiously looked around before stepping back onto the portal.

Seeing them disappear in the blink of an eye, I felt oddly sad.

If it weren’t for the portal master, I too could have used it as easily as these children.

“Sis.”

“Hm?”

“You were really cool today!”

“Was I?”

“Yes! Where did such a cool sister like you come from? Earlier, I felt like the fur on my back was trembling. It was fluttering because you were so amazing.”

The way she described the fur on her back standing up was so adorable. The more I looked at her, the more endearing she became. All the more so because she was Shasha.

“When I think of Shasha, I become stronger.”
“Alright…….”

“Then let’s get on the carriage.”

The portal master still didn’t seem to have any intention of coming down. Holding Shasha, I returned to the carriage. As the waiting knights opened the door, Shasha climbed into the carriage and nuzzled her head against me.

“I’m a little sleepy.”

“Sleepy?”

“Yes! Whenever I come to the portal, my body feels stiff. So I always get sleepy when we leave.”

Yawning broadly, Shasha looked straight at me. I placed her head on my lap and stroked her hair.

“You can take a nap. It’ll take some time.”

“Okay!”

“You are a child who is loved. A child who deserves love, and is more lovable than anyone else.”

My lovely Shasha. I sincerely called out to Shasha in my heart. Honestly, it was scary earlier. When the portal master was reaching out to us, what if the knights hadn’t come at that moment?

What if Shasha had her magical powers sealed in the magical tool?
I pretended otherwise, but honestly, I was scared. Scared that my awkward actions would put Shasha in danger.

Perhaps she sensed my anxiety. Shasha called out to me.

“Sis.”

“Hmm?”

“Your words are a bit magical.”

Cuddled in my arms, Shasha looked up at me, her eyes meeting mine.

“My words are magical?”

“Yes! Listening to what you say, it feels like it’ll really happen. Almost like… hypnosis.”

“Hypnosis, huh….”

“That’s why I like it. Just listening to you somehow boosts my confidence….”

“Really?”

“Yes. So… I want to sleep now. I’m sleepy. I sleep well in your arms. I like your scent. It’s warm.”

With that, Shasha peacefully fell asleep. As if entrusting everything to me, the child appeared to have no worries whatsoever.

“I’ll protect you, at least….”