HKWM | Chapter 14

“……”

Their silence was enough. Instead of saying anything more, I headed with Noah to the coordinates Phoras had given us. It wasn’t too far away, so even walking slowly, it took less than 20 minutes to reach the gardener’s house.

Hanging around the entrance, I soon gathered my courage and knocked on the door. Not long after, a man came out. Despite his friendly face, his body was several times more muscular than a physique contest winner.

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A gardener… Is gardening really a job that requires this much muscle? Despite the questions popping in my head, my mouth was busy giving a solid reason for our visit. Hearing it, the gardener let out a hearty laugh.

“It’s not that hard. Plus, I’ve got some skills. I’ve been taking care of the little lady next door’s hair for years.”

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The gardener quickly went inside and came back out with a chair and a small pair of scissors. He seemed quite skilled at checking if the blades were sharp, which reassured me. It looked like the result would be much better than if I tried cutting hair myself.

“This must be today’s client, right?”

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“Yes, thank you in advance.”

I nudged Noah’s shoulder lightly, but he hesitated to approach the gardener. Seeing him fixated on the sharp scissors, I realized what he was wary of.

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I quickly crouched down and whispered softly so only Noah could hear.

“Don’t worry. This guy won’t hurt you. I’m here, remember? Even if those blades touch your neck, I can protect you.”

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I winked playfully, and after a moment, Noah looked up at me, smiled faintly, and obediently sat down in the chair, taking off his hood. Thinking that Noah was just shy, the gardener chuckled warmly.

“Well, I’d better cut it quickly then. But it seems like the child is very cooperative. Are you brothers?”

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“He’s not my brother, he’s my nephew. I’m looking after him for a bit at my brother’s request.”

“Ah, I see. You look young enough to be brothers.”

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While it wouldn’t be strange to consider us brothers given our looks, I felt guilty calling Noah my nephew. The age difference of over 100 years didn’t exactly fit the brother narrative…

And, considering Noah’s face which was as lovely as an angel’s, unlike mine which was much sharper, I felt it was a good decision to call him my nephew.

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Even if we changed his hauntingly unusual eyes and hair color to something more common, his distinctive aura was inevitable.

Anyway, since it was a compliment, I just smiled and responded, and then the gardener began cutting Noah’s hair. His large and rough hands were surprisingly delicate in their movements, impressive enough to warrant admiration. I couldn’t always depend on others for this, so I watched closely how he handled the scissors.

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‘I might not be able to follow just by watching…’

It didn’t take long to even out the choppy back and the overgrown bangs. After finishing, the gardener brushed off the hair snippets from Noah’s face with his big hands and then went back inside to bring out a small hand mirror – well, it only looked small in his huge hands.

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“My, your nephew is quite the handsome one.”

True to the gardener’s words, with his hair neatly trimmed, Noah looked just like a baby angel. It was a pity to think that he had to keep that beautiful face hidden because of his unusual background.

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I wondered if Noah’s mother had felt the same regret each time she looked at him. It must have been tough to broach the topic for the first time, like pulling a fireball out of one’s gut.

Looking at himself in the mirror seemed awkward for Noah, who was not used to his short hair and exposed face.

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“How about it, do you like it?”

“It feels a bit strange.”

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I briefly focused on the impeccably maintained mirror before handing the gardener five silver coins.

“I didn’t realize you were so skilled. Please accept this, though it’s modest.”

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“Oh no, it was nothing. It’s just a bit of a touch-up, and your nephew’s good looks did most of the work.”

The gardener vigorously waved his huge palms as if declining, making it look like a warning that anyone who didn’t want to get slapped should quickly walk away without arguing.

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“Still, I asked you on a whim. Please take it.”

Looking a bit troubled but smiling broadly, the gardener scratched the back of his head and accepted the silver coins.

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“If you need a haircut again, come find me. Next time, just bringing some tasty snacks will do.”

“Thank you.”

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As we said goodbye and turned to leave, the gardener picked up the chair and mirror. However, he left the fallen hair and the crushed plants under the chair unattended.

Walking back, lost in thought, Noah gently tugged at my hand.

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“What are you thinking about?”

I gazed into Noah’s eyes. I had guessed he possessed a remarkable soul, but seeing it up close for the first time, it was stunningly beautiful. Despite being drenched in blood, as if proving his past sins, the parts that remained untouched by blood shone with a brilliance too splendid to measure.

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Even I found myself captivated for a moment, and if I, a demon, felt that way, surely other demons would covet his soul. Unless they were archdemons, they wouldn’t see his soul properly, but it would be easy to tell how special Noah was.

“…Yes, if I don’t want to betray your trust, I need to be more resolute. Other measures will be necessary.”

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“Huh?”

I didn’t want to use magic on Noah if I could avoid it, and with Kimaris and Phoras around, I didn’t think any real danger would occur. But that was complacent thinking. I had overlooked that I couldn’t be with Noah 24/7.

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Since I couldn’t just wrap Noah in magic, I thought of enchanting an object instead. That way, even in my absence, Noah would be safer, and if anyone recognized the magic, it would be easier to claim innocence.

“It wouldn’t do for an archdemon to let any harm come to you.”

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“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Would a ring or a necklace be better?”

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A necklace would probably be better for continuous wear. Muttering to myself, I noticed Noah furrowing his brows in confusion.

I conjured a common-looking necklace and engraved it with protective magic. Once released from my hand, the necklace wrapped itself around Noah’s neck.

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“A necklace…?”

“Yes, it’s enchanted with protective magic, so always wear it.”

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“This is…”

“When you want to call me, just hold the necklace and say my name. The trigger word is ‘Jin’. Remember that. And if anyone ever recognizes what this necklace is, just say you bought it on the street and give it away without any attachment. I can always make another.”

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Noah nodded blankly at my rapid-fire instructions, then fiddled with the dangling necklace and looked up at me again.

“Jin.”

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“Yes.”

“What exactly does protective magic do?”

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“It protects you from physical harm. It’s nothing fancy. I kept it weak to minimize detection.”

It would be safe unless a knight came slashing or a wizard started hurling spells. But how often does one face such threats in life?

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“So, it’s meant to protect me?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

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Anticipating another question, I quickly added,

“You’re still young, but sometimes in life, you come across luck. It’s something you get without trying or struggling for, which is what makes it luck.”

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I wasn’t sure if a child who had lived such a harsh life could understand this.

“So, if you ever come across luck, don’t question it, just grab it. Get what I’m saying?”

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Doubting might cause you to miss out on opportunities. I had been able to start on the same footing as others because I hadn’t let rare chances of luck pass me by. There are many things in life that can’t be achieved just through effort, something Noah would understand as time went on.

“Does that mean Jin brings luck to everyone?”

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Noah hesitated before asking, seemingly curious if I was kind to everyone or if he was special. I chuckled lightly and answered straightforwardly,

“An archdemon bringing luck to humans? Hardly.”

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“…So, I am special?”

“That’s right.”

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Noah toyed with the necklace for a long while, his expression unreadable. It was hard to tell exactly what he was thinking, but he seemed to like it, which was a relief.

“Anyway, go ahead to the inn.”

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“What about Jin?”

“I have some places to stop by. If you want a snack before I return, buy it. You don’t have to get me anything.”

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“Will it take long?”

“Shouldn’t be more than 30 minutes.”

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“Okay.”

Noah walked off briskly, still playing with the necklace. Once he was out of sight, I turned and headed in the opposite direction toward the house of the gardener who had cut Noah’s hair, knowing he would be waiting for me in his yard.

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