What do you mean... not human?
Dante was slightly surprised by Elsa's statement and slightly disbelieving.
No one said anything to Dante about beings that look like humans and they didn't look a thing like the demi-humans he saw at the mansion.
Elsa grew an amused expression seeing Dante's reaction, she thought for a second on how to elaborate her sudden reveal, and after a moment of wondering she spoke up again
We are great spirits
She revealed with a casual tone, Dante didn't know what a great spirit was, so he didn't know how to react, if he should be astonished upon hearing that or if that was a normal thing, but then to his relief Elsa suddenly started speaking again.
We are here all the time, but most spirits don't have enough energy to manifest all the time so they keep hidden
Upon hearing that, Dante thought for a second then decided to ask the first thing that came to his mind.
So Elsa... how are you able to manifest all the time?
Hearing that Elsa grew a little smile, it was a question that Elsa seemingly wanted to hear, she corrected her posture and said with a proud tone:
I said that most spirits don't have the energy to manifest all the time or don't want to be seen, I just have all the energy needed
Hearing that Dante thought for a second, he was seemingly surprised for her statement then he spoke up to her
So you must be very strong then?
Hearing that Elsa grinned, decided to tease Dante she made an expression of feigned confusion and asked
Oh what'd say? I didn't hear it
Dante, who was genuinely impressed with her outstanding capabilities. Did not notice her teasing despite his advanced social reading prowess, with that he spoke up again in an almost prideful tone while looking in her eyes with admiring eyes.
So you're like the strongest spirit here Elsa?
Elsa nodded with her grin still in her face, seeing this situation Joseph who was left aside just looked at them with his arms crossed, with a hint of annoyance because he felt left behind, even so, they didn't seem to notice and continued their light hearted banter, the main topic almost forgotten and the fear from earlier erased from Dante's mind.
Yes yes, I'm the strongest spirit here, the great spirit and receptionist of the Athena's Library Elsa
Elsa puffed her voluptuous chest and brought one hand to it while speaking, it was clear that she loved the praise, she didn't even suppress her smirk anymore
Dante nodded, also carried away by the light tone of the conversation, the moment could almost be described as intimate.
But then suddenly Joseph broke their chat clearing his throat loudly, both of them were startled for a second by his sudden action.
Did you two forget what we were talking about in the first place?! you two airheads.
Dante snapped out of his adoration trance remembered that she was explaining to him what they were and why they weren't alone there
Oh yea, really... But Elsa is really incredible isn't she?
Joseph reluctantly nodded, even if he got annoyed with her at times because of her carefree personality her strength wasn't something to be overlooked.
Elsa smiled, it was unusual to see Joseph praising her so openly.
Yea I'm really incredible... But regardless of that... Where did we stop?
Elsa said while she rested her chin in her hand.
Dante thought for a second, remembering their conversation so far, then he spoke up to her
You were saying that there were spirits here, and they couldn't show themselves all the time and some just wanted to keep hidden
Elsa closed her eyes and nodded quietly then she opened her eyes and said
Yes... This Library was made to hold spirits 300 years ago by the great Architect Tyson
Dante heard her attentively then he grew confused about something, so he spoke up
But then why would he want to hold spirits here?
That's...
Elsa started to say something weakly, seeing that Joseph quickly jumped in
No one knows for sure... And we are sealed here
But you c-
Joseph?!
Elsa cut him off and Joseph stopped then he looked down and nodded softly
What?
Dante who had no idea about why Elsa scolded Joseph asked it almost without thinking but then he shook his head, he had no business in their things if they won't tell him, he is already lucky they're being friendly towards him
Well... So you guys are "trapped" here?
Dante spoke up again, a question that he thought would be better than his last one
Elsa nodded quietly, her carefree attitude swapped for a more serious one, even Joseph also looked a little bit down
But well... We are used to it, and... it is said that someday we'll le-
Joseph? Again?
Elsa scolded him again, her tone weaker than before but just as serious, Joseph then nodded
Hey Dante right? could you leave so me and Elsa can talk about something?
Oh and yes you can borrow some books
Dante reluctantly nodded, then he turned away from them
So... see you guys soon
Elsa and Joseph nodded, then they headed to a more isolated edge of the library to talk.
Dante grabbed his books he had left in the box and then made his way out of the library, even if at the end the carefree mood took a turn, his mood didn't change at all, he still felt safe and happy, so with a smile he opened the library door
Now it was in the middle of the afternoon. He had spent several hours in the library and it was surely worth it.
He walked through the dirt path towards the mansion while he attentively looked at his surroundings, now most people had already left the training grounds or were doing something else,
While he was walking he saw something weird
In the back of some bushes in the garden there was some movement on what looked like a fight.
Curious as he was he hid behind a bush and peeked at this situation
He saw a kid being pinned down by an older man,the guy was bald and muscular, he had a grounded expression.
The kid was trembling on fear and had a few bruises over his slim body, his long black hair fell down his shoulders and he wore simple clothes
Your father hasn't paid his debt in 3 months already, blame this on him
The older man said while he held the youngster down with one hand and grabbed a knife in his pocket with the other
Dante thought about intertwining but what could he do? His legs were trembling and he couldn't move
The man brought the knife closer to the kid's eyes and started cutting
Dante tried to look away but he couldn't do even this, he was frozen on fear
The man made a vertical cut in the kid's eyes and muffled his screams with a cloth
Dante gasped and even if his good sense ordered him to run and his legs wanted to keep him in place, he lunged forward and with a stone he crushed it against the man's head
With a loud thud, blood spilled everywhere, it had worked. The man was down
But was Dante too late?
When he looked at the kid his eye was bleeding out and he was shivering in pain and fear
Dante fumbled with the cloth in the kid's mouth and quickly removed it, ignoring the man seemingly dead in the ground Dante with trembling hands ripped a piece of his clothes off and pressed it against his wounded eye, at this point the kid passed out and it made him even heavier, even so he grabbed the kid and started to run with all his might until he arrived at the mansion
The mansion was almost empty since most servants went to the village in their free days, so Dante had nothing to resort to, it was him and this kid who could die at any moment.
Fumbling with the main door Dante quickly entered the mansion as soon as he arrived, then he ran all the way to his room, where he left the kid in his bed
His mind was racing, he couldn't let him die like that
He ran to the kitchen where he grabbed a thread, a pin, warm and cold water, alcohol and soup
He ran through the corridors, fumbling with the materials he just gathered
Please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please
Finally he arrived at the room, his bed was already covered in blood, if just he had acted earlier if jus-
Now it wasn't the time for that, he had to save him, even if his medical knowledge wasn't the best it was surely better than most people here
At this point the bleeding had gone down a lot, so he used a clean cloth with alcohol to disinfect the wound, then he cleaned it totally, and lastly...
He had to sew up the wound
He steadied his breath and started to do it, slowly and after a few minutes it was all done
He had sewed up and bandaged the wound, now he had to wait for the kid to wake up.
His hands were still trembling and he was still in fear but even more than that he felt guilty because he was too late
But also proud of himself because he was able to make a decision despite being in fear
He would never be able to do that earlier on...