Volume 3, Chapter 15 – Euphimilu

Perhaps because the desert region was cooler at night than during the day, the streets became more lively after nightfall. The aroma of street food drifted from the distance, lingering at the tip of Fia’s nose and making her empty stomach rumble.

Fia brought the white-haired, red-eyed Stellacryst girl to the front of the inn. Just like during the day, as soon as they entered the noble district, the number of pedestrians on the street dwindled significantly. The clamor of the crowd was left behind, and the air became fresh and clean.

Through the inn’s glass curtain wall, one could see the resplendent first-floor lobby. Inside, nobles dressed in fine clothes stood in twos and threes, chatting and laughing. People could also be seen on the sofas placed along the edge of the glass wall, raising their glasses and talking to each other. Everyone was impeccably dressed; at first glance, it looked as if a great noble was hosting a party.

Fia glanced at the girl beside her. An ordinary slave, upon arriving in front of such a building, would probably feel an instinctive sense of inferiority, not daring to take a single step inside. But this girl, with her hip-length white hair, showed no fear at all. She had followed Fia the whole time with her head down, without saying a word.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t asked for her name yet.

Fia asked, feigning casualness.

“What’s your name? You can call me Fia.”

The white-haired girl shook her head.

“You don’t have a name?”

The answer was a nod.

No name and no home. Fia couldn’t help but wonder how this child had survived from infancy to this age. But on second thought, the men who had been kicking and punching her earlier had only called her by nicknames like “unlucky thing” and “jinx.” Perhaps she really didn’t have a name.

Fia couldn’t help but sigh.

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“I can’t just keep calling you ‘you.’ Even if it’s a temporary name, you should give yourself one.”

After a long silence, the white-haired girl answered.

“…Lu.”

“A single character for a name?”

Fia tilted her head slightly. In response, the white-haired girl suddenly raised her eyes, looking at Fia as if she were an idiot.

“…Slaves can only use single names.”

“I see.”

“Ngh, I’m sorry.”

Abruptly, the girl lowered her head again and apologized, her hands clasped at her waist in an anxious manner.

The confusion that had just disappeared from Fia’s face reappeared.

“Why the sudden apology?”

“People who are seen by me will have bad luck.”

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The girl said in a tone devoid of emotional fluctuation. It was only now that Fia realized that this girl seemed to be the quiet type. Even when she spoke, her voice lacked interest, or rather, vitality, as if she couldn’t get excited about anything.

“You believe in that? Bad luck.”

“That’s what they all say.”

“That’s them. I don’t believe it. If a single glance can bring bad luck, then I’d like to study the mystery behind it.”

Sudden misfortunes were indeed common, but to attribute a disaster that happened by coincidence to being looked at by someone was pure superstition, as ridiculous as the idea that one could curse a person by sticking needles in a doll.

Seemingly dissatisfied with Fia’s statement, the girl frowned.

“They all say they have bad luck after being seen by me. They lose money, trip and fall, and have trouble at work.”

“They’re just blaming their own misfortune on you to comfort themselves. You don’t have to keep your head down in front of me. If such a thing really exists, I’d like to see what can bring me bad luck. Or rather, whether it brings me bad luck, or I bring it bad luck.”

Fia waved her hand and continued.

“A single name is too easy to get confused. Hmm… let’s call you Euphimilu for now. It uses your name, Lu, and takes two syllables from my name. Is that okay? We can call you Milu for short.”

Since it was a name to call her by, she had to get her permission first.

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The girl’s answer was a nod—and a stubborn expression.

“You’ll regret it.”

She must be referring to the fact that she didn’t believe Milu would bring bad luck. Fia snorted softly.

“Then we’ll talk about it when I do.”

Although it was only a brief exchange, Fia could already tell that Milu was likely a stubborn and strong-willed girl. Of course, this was all based on the premise that she was fundamentally kind-hearted. She didn’t dare to look up because she felt the curse on her would cause trouble for others.

Without being stopped, Fia led Euphimilu into the inn with ease.

It was worth mentioning that at first, Fia had thought the guards at the inn’s entrance would stop her because of Euphimilu’s tattered clothes, but it turned out to be an unnecessary worry. Although the guards’ gazes were fixed on Milu the entire time, they were professional enough not to step forward. Instead, as they crossed the first-floor lobby, many of the nobles there looked back and forth between Fia and Milu with a mixture of surprise and disgust.

However, this was just a passing scene that didn’t even count as an interlude. Fia soon arrived at her room. By now, the sky had completely darkened, and it was time for dinner.

In general, inns on the World Tree Continent did not provide three meals a day for free. One had to pay extra to have breakfast and dinner in the restaurant. In an ordinary inn, the restaurant was visible as soon as one entered the first floor, but in the inn Fia was staying at, the restaurant was located in a side hall on the first floor.

As Fia had expected, as soon as she opened the door, she saw Renee in her green and white elf outfit coming to greet her, clearly having waited for a long time.

“Thana—”

Before Renee could finish, Fia quickly shot her a look, signaling her to look behind her. When Renee saw Milu, her expression instantly froze, and a flash of fear crossed her deep green eyes. But this emotion was quickly hidden by Renee. She resumed her usual annoying posture and said coldly.

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“Her Highness, the First Princess, you’ve returned.”

As she spoke, Renee pulled the door open, making space for Fia. Renee was a member of the Royal Guard, directly subordinate to the royal family, so even if she was in Prince Schain’s faction, she had to do what a servant should do in front of Fia.

“Did anyone look for me?”

“No. Her Highness, the Third Princess, and Captain Anastasia only said to inform them when you returned, and they would wait for you to go down for dinner together.”

“Alright.”

“May I ask who this girl is…?”

Seeing that Fia had no intention of introducing Milu, Renee had to take the initiative to ask. Bringing back a girl dressed in what looked like a tattered sack late at night, especially with obvious bruises on her arms, made Renee think that Milu might be a new companion, a new member of the organization Fia had brought, and that she intended for Renee to train her as her subordinate.

This thought of Renee’s was not mere speculation; most of the people in the organization had been taken in by Fia when they were in dire straits. Although she didn’t see any signs of the Darkborn disease on this girl, not everyone in the organization was a patient. What Thanatos needed was loyalty; strength was secondary.

Unaware of Renee’s thoughts, Fia sighed softly.

“Her name is Euphimilu. She’s a child I met on the street. She’ll be staying here tonight. You go and get something to eat first, and on your way, ask Liti and Anastasia to come here.”

“Yes.”