The Final Task of the Forsaken Saint: A Command to Marry the Barbarian Count - Chapter 35

The next morning, when I explained my idea to Dirk, he surprised me by agreeing immediately.

“I appreciate you consulting with me about this. I’ll come with you.”

“Really? Is that okay?”

Sitting alone with Dirk in his office, discussing the delicate matter of spirits, I was taken aback by his swift response. He seemed to sense my confusion and clarified.

“We must keep that place a secret, but your plan is to see if we can coax the spirits from the Dead Demon’s Forest outwards, right? If so, I would be more than willing. Even if it fails, it adds to our knowledge. Plus, I’d like to see it with my own eyes.”

So, with Dirk quickly sorting out his schedule, we set off. He mounted his horse, and I flew alongside him on my staff.

“Lord Dirk—! The paperwork—!!” I faintly heard the desperate cry of an official as we left.

“Did you hear that?” I asked with a grin.

Dirk chuckled, the sound bright and warm. “Thanks to you taking on the monster subjugations, we’re ahead of schedule. Work never ends, so it’s important to know when to set it aside; otherwise, I’d drown in paperwork. It’s a good lesson for you as well.”

“Got it, I’ll keep that in mind.”

And so, we arrived again at the Dead Demon’s Forest in my domain of Carbuncle. The moment we stepped into the forest, a wave of spirits surrounded us.

‘You’re back!’

‘Play? Play?’

“Wait, wait!” I exclaimed.

The spirits, gleeful and excitable, seemed ready to whisk us back to the garden of flowers. Dirk, too, was amusingly tugged into the air by his cape and hair. I couldn’t help but giggle at the sight before remembering this was an important moment.
Clearing my throat, I called out to them, “Today, I’ve come to invite you on a walk!”

Spirits have their own sense of will. If I suggested relocating them from their beloved forest, they might balk at the idea. So, framing it as a simple outing or a playful adventure seemed like the best approach.

To spark their interest further, I reached into my bag and pulled out a jar of apple compote. As soon as I popped it open, the sweet and tangy scent filled the air, unlike anything found in the forest.

“Would you like to come with me to the place where this delicious fruit grows?”

The thought struck me when I first tasted the compote—the apples in the garden were good, but the ones from that village were just as impressive.

The result? The spirits were wildly enthusiastic. A single taste of the compote or a lick of the honeyed syrup had them soaring with excitement, carrying Dirk and me through the air at a breakneck pace, crossing the forest’s barrier without a hitch.

By the end of the day, we reached the apple village.
“?! The Lady Saint and the Lord Duke!?”

“Why are they descending from the sky?”

“And what are those tiny beings…?”

Villagers gasped, bowing and trembling in confusion as they stared at Dirk, a figure of intimidating presence, and then at me, uncertainly. Dirk, used to such reactions, spoke to reassure them, though they continued to tremble.

“Today, the Lady Saint has something she wishes to discuss regarding recent matters. I’m simply accompanying her.”

The village head practically jumped out of his skin without looking up.

“Did… did we fail in our duties?!”

Oh no. I realized that visiting unexpectedly could seem like a reprimand. I felt a pang of guilt but pushed through, offering the empty jar of compote to the village head.

“I’m sorry for leaving so suddenly before, but the compote was delicious. The spirits loved it, and we’ve come to visit together.”

“The—these small beings… are the spirits?!”

The villagers’ shocked whispers filled the air as the spirits darted around playfully. A group of them clustered around a woman in the crowd, buzzing with excitement.

‘Apples! Apples!’

‘The sweet kind!’

‘So tasty!’

‘Give us more!’

“Eek…!”

The woman’s eyes went wide, and she sank to her knees. Ah, she must be the one who made the compote. Their noses were sharp. I hadn’t expected them to be so enthralled. I stepped forward to help her.

“Lady Saint!” she gasped.

“If there’s more compote, could we share it? And I heard there’s fresh juice too; I’d love to try it. I want the spirits to know how wonderful this village is.”

‘Juice?’

‘What’s that?’

‘Fun?’

“No, it’s not fun; it’s delicious,” I corrected with a laugh and turned to look at the village head.

The poor man looked like he might faint as he glanced between me and Dirk, who offered him a reassuring nod.

“Are you saying… that the spirits have come to visit our village?” the village head asked hesitantly.

“Indeed,” Dirk replied. “Lady Rubel spoke with the spirits on your behalf as thanks for your hospitality.”

“Unbelievable… after we failed to show enough gratitude…”
Dirk’s tactful explanation was a cover story he came up with so the villagers wouldn’t feel overly guilty about my abrupt departure. It was flattering, almost embarrassingly so.

Unable to bear the praise, I jumped in with a louder voice.

“So, um, we’d like to stay here with the spirits for a while.”
“And I will take responsibility for your winter provisions.

Please, do offer the spirits your best,” Dirk added.

The villagers erupted into a buzz of chatter.

“The Lady Saint will stay…?”

All eyes turned to the village head, who, still visibly shaking, suddenly thrust his fist into the air.

“Feast,prepare a feast!!!”