Summoned and Unwanted

607 The stepmothers

Vincent chose to mention the situation about Shana for their next destination.

Shana’s trait had already caused her to experience the fate of bad luck. No matter how attentive those beside her were, they could act or catch her in time as if she was fated to fall.

Vincent feared causing a lot of unnecessary worries. Additionally, Ester, Lupa, Iris, Lilith, and Plow looked so over the moon while looking at Shana that hearing such bad news would ruin the mood.

After spending some time looking at Shana and whispering to each other so as not to wake her up, the door opened, and the large group exited the bedroom.

Ester, Lupa, Iris, and Lilith left smiling. They were happy to have met Shana and consider her their daughter as if they were previously interested in having a baby and being called mothers.

Vincent approached Sofy and Tula with one member misising. He looked at the bedroom with the door still open and pointed his gaze at the bed.

“Plow wants to stay with Shana. She wants to see her wake up.” *Sigh* “Sofy, could you look after her too?”

Sofy moved her gaze onto Plow. The little fox watching Shana sleep similar to someone looking at their treasure and feeling delighted.

“I will watch over Plow while waiting for Grace and Zefine to return. They will take my place because...” Sofy paused and touched her thigh. It was the place she kept her spare whip. “I will need to train if I have to participate and help my chosen one win.”

.....

“Have you accepted not being my maid anymore?” Vincent questioned.

“I know I will barely be able to help, and I know we will have to put our lives on the line to take part in the judgment by combat, but I will do my best.” Sofy patted her thigh and continued with a determined tone, “As your maid, or maid wife, I will help no matter what.”

[Sofy has resolved herself of what is to come. We also need to do that as well. Leaving the city alone is a better idea than it previously sounded. We need to change the environment and clear our minds.]

After hearing Kazumi speak as if Vincent was troubled and needed to relax his mind, Jun Ye Rim looked at Vincent. She frowned after feeling unhappy to have no value other than being Kazumi’s personal walkie-talkie.

‘Can I ever resolve problems I get involved in by myself? Do I always have to be saved or helped? I couldn’t help the adventurers escorting me to this city; some even died from the sudden appearance of a magic beast.’

‘Now Vincent, Ester, Lupa, Sofy, and probably that perverted seductive vampire Mimi will participate in a dangerous fight to make those who hurt me publically apologize.’

‘Do I have to become Vincent’s retainer for the chance to offer help? Will I even be able to help? I found nothing about another Soulmancer awakening advancement class in books. Vincent also didn’t mention the baby having a class. Does it mean he forced awakening will not always work?’

Jun Ye Rim followed after the tour leader Vincent while deeply contemplating her inability to protect herself or offer help. She wondered if becoming Vincent’s retainer would change her fate of being unhelpful.

Later, they entered an empty guest room. Vincent started explaining what had happened first. He started with the water breaking, stopping the carriage, and running as fast as he could to the moment Shana’s mother passed away.

The guest room became quiet. The information needed to be digested as it was too much to say, ” Okay, I understand.

Vincent was a vital person both for the beastman who served Kevin and wanted to follow a person from another world.

Additionally, the entirety of the lizardman race saw Vincent as their fated person to follow and serve. The one who could allow the generations to come the possibility to bear children and never become weak.

The troubling information wasn’t the end. Shana was going to live a difficult life. A life with more fortune and misfortune than any ordinary person was a mixed bag of pros and cons.

However, Shana possesses mutated hardened scales. Even when faced with misfortune and fell to the floor, Shana was sleeping and remained sleeping. It meant falling with a weak, newly born body felt less than a nudge.

It took a while for Lilith to speak first. She mentioned how she felt terrible for not hurrying to the mansion post haste, drinking all the mana regen potions they had available, and trying to keep Shana’s parents alive.

After hearing this, Iris was the next to show signs of guilt. Her hands trembled while her lips said, “I could have helped if I had come here too.”

*Clap!* Vincent loudly clapped, attracting their attention. *Sigh* “I also felt guilty, but Sakura helped me understand what I had forgotten after reading the stories of my favorite superhero.”

“He couldn’t save everyone in front of him, yet he was so used to failure that he kept trying either way.” Vincent recalled reading one of the chapters and continued with a faint smile, “Fail once doesn’t mean fail always, was one of his catchphrases.”

[That’s the spirit, Vincent. We failed, and we learned to be prepared to overcome failure if a similar situation happens.]

Jun Ye Rim clenched her fist. She looked at Vincent and pondered, ‘Can I stop failing one day? Can I help if I fail to help many times?’

“They are dead, and we are Shana’s new parents now.” Lupa bluntly laid down the truth, making all eyes focus on her. Yet what Lupa said couldn’t be denied other than putting the words more nicely next time.

*Sigh* “I forgot you do not see death like the rest of us.” Ester shook her head. “Remember to be more respectful next time.”

“Okay...” Lupa responded in a grumpy tone while crossing her arms. Apart from those close to her, Lupa didn’t care considerably as it was a part of the cycle of life.

“Ahem... Can I know what happened during the walk?” Vincent asked, changing the subject and changing the guest room’s mood.

The guest room remained quiet for a while after the question. Vincent moved his head from left to right and looked closely at their facial expressions.

Their expressions were almost similar, as if they shared the same thought. Something big must’ve happened, and they made Vincent doubt how he should feel when the first lips began to move and the first voice recounted what happened.

Well, everyone showed an easy-to-notice expression apart from Jun Ye Rim. Only after knowing her for a couple of months and trying to understand her could Vincent comprehend Jun Ye Rim was also bothered about telling Vincent what happened.

‘Why do I have a hunch I am not going to like what happened? Should I start feeling nervous now? ‘ Vincent pondered.

*Gulp* “We went to a beverage shop in the south district fountain square. The cold wasn’t too bothering, and we could rest our minds on what happened with the illegal slave situation.” Lilith was the first one to speak. She glanced at Ester, Lupa, and Iris.

Lilith understood the three of them had participated in capturing or killing the thugs. Ester and Lupa killed a thug each, while Iris used her power to create Seed Guardians.

If it weren’t for Lilith and her authority as a Baroness to intimidate the soldiers and the adventurers, no one would believe or pretend to believe the Seed Guardians were unique plant familiars.

Vincent frowned. He crossed his arms and asked, “And what happened next?”

Lupa moved her lips next. She explained how a woman was in need, and no one stepped in to help her from being dragged. After a unanimous vote, they left to save the woman without possibly causing a scene.

Ester continued about what happened next. She explained how they discovered a shady thug gang that threatened F Ranked adventurers with force to sign documents. She later blackmailed them into choosing between fulfilling the agreement or becoming a slave.

After discovering a group of scummy people who took advantage of weaker people who didn’t have the power of a class, nor the added stats a class provides, it was obvious what could’ve happened next.

[I guess this is what Lupa meant by fighting.]

-I am more impressed with the fact Jun Ye Rim used her soul servant to sneak into the building and report the situation clearly.-

[Jun Ye Rim is great as a scout as we thought, hehe.] Kazumi said before exiting Vincent’s body.

Kazumi went in front of Jun Ye Rim and continued. [I hope you learned how valuable your skills are. You let those around you know what was happening and the location of both the victims and the thugs.]

“I didn’t do much.” Jun Ye Rim averted her gaze while trying to act difficult like usual.

Ester, Lupa, Iris, and Lilith turned their gazes on to Jun Ye Rim. They knew Kazumi must be talking to her since Jun Ye Rim spoke while not looking at Vincent.

While Kazumi spoke and Jun Ye Rim responded with short answers with various bashful expressions, the Lionheart Girls explained to Vincent what happened after knowing the situation inside.

At the end of the long hero-like story, Vincent looked at Iris with a frown. He placed his elbows on his legs and his chin on his fists, giving the impression of being both concerned and the need to summarise what he heard.