Chapter 6: The Guardian's Smile

“Get holy water?”

We asked again. 

“Yes.”

Nitsuji replied.

“Why don’t we just go get some inside the church?”

Shy suggested. Did she honestly just suggest that?

“It’s impossible, Shy!”

Nitsuji exclaimed.

And he’s going along with her?! What’s with that?

“The holy water must come from the Mt. Klein’s ravine. It is known as an elixir.”

“For what purpose?”

Ace asked.

“The client’s daughter is ill. That holy water has a power of healing. It can heal any kinds of diseases.”

“Okay! Let’s go get it!”

Ken said.

Could that holy water bring us back to normal too? Well, it’s not like I’ve got a choice.

“Careful, guys! Slip and you’ll die!”

Nitsuji’s reminding us. Yeah, I think he's making us nervous too. 

Heh, could you take a guess? Where are we right now?

“How did we end up climbing in a gorge?”

Ace asked.

Yeah, we’re in a gorge, and basically in a very dangerous situation. We’re climbing it.

I was able to pull it off since I was in bastard’s body. But since my real body was too sensitive to begin with. The bastard, in my body, almost slipped off the gorge but I made it on time, I had already grabbed my own body’s hand. And everyone was there to see it. 

In my eyes: I AM SAVING MYSELF SINCE THE BODY’S MINE!

In everyone’s eyes: JAIRO JUST SAVED JEN IN A VERY ROMANTIC WAY!

The heck!

“Since when the both of you became cheesy with each other?”

Shinsui grinned at us. 

I was totally glaring at him.

“W... What’s wrong, Jairo?”

He must've felt my killing intent. 

“Nothing.”

I replied.

I wonder what the bastard’s thinking right now? He kept looking at my hands and arms.

“Hey! You’re not healed yet, are you?”

He grabbed my shoulder and said that. 

“Stop inspecting my body, won’t you?”

I warned him again. 

“Come here, guys!”

Nitsuji called us. Finally, we survived climbing that gorge! 

We entered in a cave. It was a very beautiful cave. The whole cave was like a pavilion. It made me remember the cave wherein the artifact dwells.

“It’s so beautiful.”

Shy said.

“So where’s the holy water here?”

Nee-chee asked.

“Everyone, please be quiet.”

Nitsuji said.

When he said that, he’s like well, a little bit panicking.

“What’s wrong, Nitsuji?”

Shinsui asked.

Huh?

“I heard there’s someone guarding the holy water. We better get out of here as soon as we already had a hold of it.”

Nitsuji explained.

I had a very bad feeling about this.

“May I ask? What kind of guardian was it?”

The bastard, in my body, asked.

“Well, it’s a spi—!”

He was cut off because a huge spider scared the hell out of us.

“Wha! What is that?”

I, in Jairo’s body, said.

“The guardian that guards the holy water is a spider.”

Nitsuji continued explaining.

THAT’S NOT AN ORDINARY SPIDER! YOU GOT SOMETHING ON YOUR EYES, NITSUJI? 

“And it’s a huge carnivorous spider!”

Nitsuji added.

“TELL US THAT SOONER!”

Everyone exclaimed.

The spider attacked us by spitting out its web.

“Guys, run!”

Where exactly can we run? 

“We’re dead meat if we got caught!”

Nee-chee exclaimed. 

Haha, of course, Nee-chee. 

I happened to notice something. The bastard, in my body, was not moving at all.

“What’s wrong?”

I asked the bastard.

“I can’t move any longer. Your arm hurts so much.”

He said. He might have paralyzed because of the pain. I used to have that a lot. 

Oh my gosh, I couldn’t leave him. I mean, my body.

“What’s wrong, Jen? Jairo?”

Nitsuji and Nee-chee asked.

“Jen cannot move! Her injury opened up!”

I, in Jairo’s body, said. He just knelt down. 

The bastard kept touching my arm like it’s in so much pain.

“Are you okay? Sorry, my body has always been too weak.”

I tried to lift him up. 

“Jen’s injury opened up?”

Not so later than that, I started looking at the whole place. It was then that I saw a little girl.

“A girl?”

I asked myself.

That girl ran off inside the other tunnel of the cave.

“Where are you going, Jairo? It’s dangerous to wander on your own!”

Nitsuji exclaimed.

“I saw a little girl just a while ago. I’ll find her. The spider might kill her too. You guys find the holy water and then look for the exit! Please take care of Jen.”

I said as I left my body to the girls. 

I looked for her and wandered in the tunnel.

“Is there anyone here? Please answer me! It’s dangerous out here!”

Nobody’s answering my calls.

Where did that girl go?

“What are you doing here?”

Someone spoke behind my back and I turned to see who it was. It was the girl that I saw just a minute ago.

“Thank goodness you’re safe. Let’s get out of here. It’s dangerous here.”

I said.

“I can’t go...”

She said.

“Why?"

It was then that I realized something. The girl’s body was growing transparent. She was a hollow in the first place.

“What are you?”

I asked her.

“I died here a long long time ago.”

A GHOST ! A GHOST ! A REAL GHOST !

No. I think she's... 

“Are you, by chance, the real guardian of this cave?”

I asked her.

She didn’t answer my question so I guess it’s a yes.

“Leave this place this instant.”

She ordered. 

“We can’t. We need to look for the holy water.”

I replied. 

“There’s no such thing as holy water in here. Leave!”

She said. I think I just saw sadness in her eyes. 

“You mentioned earlier that you died in here a long long time ago. I can’t imagine your sadness.”

And that's why I said that. 

The guardian showed an expression that shows she’s moved. 

“But I can’t possibly leave. Someone needs the holy water. If I leave right now, I’ll be accepting the fact that I can’t save anyone.”

I explained.

Tears came falling from her eyes and I didn’t know why. Suddenly those tears became pearls. I already read something about this before in one of the books that I’ve read. Tears that became pearls. It’s the ability of a snow woman.

“The holy water stopped existing 10 years ago. But these pearls could also heal someone’s illness and injuries. Take it.”

She suddenly handed the pearls in my hands.

“Why are you doing this?”

I asked her.

“Jairo! Come on! We’ve got to go now! The spiders keep coming and coming!”

I heard them yelling but looked at the girl.

“Go.”

She smilingly said. I didn’t have any idea why she suddenly became so kind and handed these pearls but it was thanks to her that we could help the client’s daughter.

“Thank you for helping me.”

I bowed before her with all my gratitude and it was then that I started to run back to where the others are.

But before that, I heard her say, 

“You reminded me of him, Jen.”

Eh? I was surprised that she knows my name. I turned back to her and I saw her smiling again. It was the most radiant smile that I’ve ever seen in my whole life. A girl who smiles and brightens your day even if she couldn’t brighten up her own. That very image moved my heart.

When I returned to my friends, I got yelled at. 

“Where did you go? We’d been so worried about you!”

Shinsui yelled.

“Are you my mom?”

I sarcastically said. 

“Come on! Let’s go!”

Nitsuji tapped us. 

“How about the holy water?”

Ace asked.

“I already have it.”

“WHAT! YOU’D GONE AND GET WHAT?”

Nee-chee exclaimed.

“Good job, Jairo! Now let’s get out of here.”

Shinsui said.

But we’re totally surrounded by the huge spiders.

“HOW COME THAT THE SPIDERS BECAME THIS MANY? WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO WHILE I WAS GONE?"

“Err, sorry.”

It was then that I saw the girl again and she's staring at us.

“Was that the girl you saw, Jairo?”

Shy asked.

“Yes, she helped me got hold of these.”

I showed the pearls to them.

“Whoa, it’s not the holy water alright!”

Nee-chee said.

“Is that girl a spirit?”

Nitsuji asked.

“Oh my goodness, you’re right. She’s transparent.”

Ace said.

Now we’re surrounded with the spiders and had nowhere to run anymore.

It was then that the whole cave started snowing.

“What the—! It’s snowing in here?”

Nee-chee said.

I looked at the girl. She was helping us escape.

The spiders around us started to became ice.

“Let’s go, guys!”

I said.

We got away safe and sound. But there’s a part of me wondering. That girl helped me twice but why?

I let the client’s daughter swallow one of the pearls that the guardian gave me. Not so later than that, she recovered from her illness.

“Thank you so much.”

The client started thanking us.

After that, I decided to let the bastard, in my body, swallow a pearl. 

“Here. Swallow this too, bastard.”

I said to the bastard. 

“It’s one of the pearls right?”

He asked. 

“It’s not like it’s for you, it’s for the sake of my poor body.”

I explained but seriously? I just don't want to burden him. 

Without putting much of a fight, he swallowed it.

“How was it?”

He started glaring at me using my favourite expression.

“What's that face for?”

I asked him. 

“You always do reckless things.”

He explained. 

“You never once left someone in need, even if it means sacrificing yourself. You keep doing things like these just like when you helped the guy being bullied.”

How could this guy say these things? But really? I still kept listening to him.

“You purposely insulted the ones bullying him so that they’ll avert their attention away from the guy. When we’re searching for the artifact, you chose to let go of my hand so that I wouldn’t fall as well.”

I thought this guy was just so quiet. He seemed to act that way, but seriously? He saw through me.

“You troublesome girl.”

He smiled. It’s my first time seeing him smile.

I couldn’t understand what I’m feeling right now! Damn. 

It was then that we, unknowingly, switched back. We returned to our bodies.

“How did we switch back?”

I asked him.

“Good thing. I’m starting to miss my own body.”

He said.

“Hey! You guys! Jen! Jairo!”

Nee-chee called us.

“Hurry! We’re going to report this to Hashimaru! Don’t get left behind!”

He added.

“Come here, Jen!”

Shy said while waving her hand.

“Hurry.”

Ace said while smiling.

“Hahaha. Let’s eat!”

Ken said.

“You always eat!”

Nee-chee said to Ken. 

“That’s because food is life!”

Ken laughingly replied. 

These girls were so happy-go-lucky.

***

In the end, I didn’t find out why did I switch and switch back with the bastard. Never mind that. I still have three healing pearls in my possession though. 

Maybe, I’ll just keep it.