Danielle’s gaze turned cold the moment she heard those words.
She immediately glanced at the others before speaking to Ansu in a low, sharp voice. "How do you know about my husband? Have you been investigating me?"
"Don't be nervous, Ms. Danielle. I only wish to help you," Ansu said, shaking his head. "After all, I am looking for a master for my sister. Since I care for her so much, how could I not perform a simple investigation?"
"A simple... investigation?" Danielle’s eyes remained suspicious. "I have never revealed who my husband is. My search for a doctor has always been conducted in secret..."
After all, the demon hunter department did not permit romantic relationships. Thus, even the Church did not know that she and her lover had long ago married in secret outside the borders, pledging their lives to one another.
How could he have uncovered this so easily?
"Ms. Danielle," Ansu said with a smile, "since I can get the Holy Maiden herself to help me find a teacher, wouldn't investigating a retired demon hunter be a trivial matter? Besides, I truly hope to help you, because helping you is helping my sister."
After saying this, he ignored the female demon hunter's wary gaze and beckoned Vera over, taking her hand and leading her before Danielle once again.
"Quickly, greet your master, Vera."
"Yes!" Vera nodded with a mix of excitement and nerves. "Hello, Master Danielle!"
Danielle had a look of helplessness on her face. She waved her hand and said, "Fine, fine. This is a simple matter, but I need to talk to your brother about something else first!"
She gave Ansu a look, and he followed her to a small alley outside the tavern's back door.
"Can you really save my husband?" Danielle didn't waste any time. She leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, her eyes filled with doubt. "I have sought out so many doctors, priests, and even black magic experts, yet none could solve his backlash symptoms. And yet you say you have a way?"
"That's right." Ansu nodded seriously. "However, you might find my method difficult to accept at first..."
"What method?" Danielle asked urgently.
"A semi-undead transformation." Ansu stated the method Barcas had used to save the couple in the original plot.
It had to be said, Barcas was quite the man of ideas.
But now, this idea was mine...
"Undead transformation?" Danielle was stunned. She was aware of that extremely mysterious necromancy; after all, during her years as a demon hunter, she had dealt with many black mages.
But...
Danielle stared at Ansu, speechless. "By transformation, do you mean you want to turn my husband into something neither human nor ghost... into a cold, undead creature?"
"It's not like his current state is any better..." Ansu curled his lip.
"I know black magic well. Once those unfortunate mages suffer backlash, the decay of their bodies and the madness of their minds are irreversible. Since you have been looking for a doctor for so long... his condition is likely already neither human nor ghost."
Ansu looked at the dejected Danielle. "Therefore, one must be decisive. Before he loses his mind and kills you like a madman, a semi-undead transformation is indeed the only solution. Furthermore..."
Ansu’s smile carried a hint of mischief. "It's a semi-undead transformation. Once I return and discuss it with the attending physician, we might even be able to preserve some of his human flesh. When the time comes, you two might still be able to enjoy some 'tender moments' as husband and wife..."
Danielle froze, then gave Ansu a look of combined embarrassment and exasperation.
"Is that so... well, that would be wonderful..."
Ansu’s smile deepened. "So, have you decided?"
"Let me think about it some more..." Danielle hesitated for a long time before finally letting out a deep sigh. "If it truly comes to the final moment, I will come looking for you..."
Ansu nodded. Danielle wasn't quite desperate enough yet. Once she realized her husband's condition had deteriorated to the extreme, she would likely come begging for his help.
"But... Mr. Ansu, your connections are truly impressive, aren't they?" Although Danielle’s opinion of Ansu had improved, she was still suspicious.
"You can command a Holy Maiden and you know experts in black magic. You truly have paths in both the light and the dark worlds..."
Ansu gave a wry smile. He would rather not have such connections, but he had no choice... he was forced into it...
"So, who is this attending physician of yours, this master of black magic who specializes in necromancy?" Danielle asked curiously.
"Um... a friend of mine," Ansu explained. "You don't need to worry about her authority. She has quite the hand for modifying people."
"Alright..." Danielle nodded with a sigh.
...
Returning to the tavern booth with Danielle, they found Vera waiting, looking bored. Seeing her brother appear, she jumped up excitedly.
"Brother? Did Ms. Danielle agree?"
Ansu looked at Danielle, who cleared her throat with a serious expression.
"Yes, Vera. I have decided to take you as my disciple."
"Yay!" Vera’s large azure eyes lit up instantly. "Thank you, Ms. Danielle! Now I can finally become a powerhouse!"
"Even though your talent is high, don't celebrate too early." Danielle adopted the expression of a stern teacher. "The path of a paladin is not like that of an ordinary clergyman. Aside from Holy Light divine arts, there is much more you must learn."
Vera nodded her small head repeatedly, her little face turning serious. "Yes! Okay! I will definitely study hard!"
Seeing the young girl's expression, Danielle couldn't help but smile.
"Good. I heard you are still in school, so come to me during your spare time. I plan to teach you from the basic swordsmanship. Also, training in martial techniques often leads to injuries. Don't go crying home to your brother when that happens!"
"I won't cry!" Vera’s stubborn streak flared up. She glanced at her smiling brother. "I stopped crying a long time ago! Ms. Danielle, don't think I'm some dainty little girl! I'm actually very strong!"
Danielle looked Vera up and down, thinking to herself, Aren't you exactly a dainty little girl?
She let out a chuckle. "Alright... I'll leave you an address. I'll see you tomorrow, little Vera."
After offering their thanks once more, Ansu and Vera left the tavern.
On the way back, Vera watched the scenery flash by outside the carriage window. Her face shifted between anticipation and a strange sadness.
"What's wrong? Isn't it good to have found a great teacher?" Ansu teased her. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet after hearing that martial training is painful?"
"Of course not..." Vera shook her head with a sigh and sat down next to her brother. "I was just thinking... if I spend all my spare time with Ms. Danielle, won't that mean I have less time to spend with you, Brother?"
So that was it. Ansu shook his head with a laugh. "You can't stay by my side forever, revolving around me. You have to grow up eventually."
"If growing up means being apart from you..." Vera lay her head on her brother's lap, murmuring to herself as she looked up at his chin. "Then I don't want to grow up at all. It was better when I was little..."
When she was little, she was with her brother every day, inseparable. The neighbors used to joke that Ansu was raising a little girlfriend...
Ansu pinched Vera’s soft cheek. "It's not good to always cling to the past. How will you grow like that?"
"Hmph!" Vera dodged Ansu’s hand and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his side without a word.
Ansu looked down at the sulking Vera and gently patted her, just as he used to when soothing her to sleep as a child.
"Alright, don't be unhappy. You make it sound like I'm leaving you forever. How could I ever be apart from you?"
Vera looked up. "Really? You'll never leave me?"
"Of course."
Vera held out her finger. "Then you have to keep your word! Here, pinky swear!"
Ansu smiled helplessly and extended his hand. "Fine, pinky swear."
A smile returned to that small face. Vera thought happily to herself, That’s more like it!
She and her brother would never be apart!
Rate on N.U.
