Raising Yanderes to save the world

Taking Roku out of the house made Kael feel like he had taken a burden off his shoulders. He had a feeling that he wouldn’t have seen Roku again if he had left the kid alone for more than a few minutes.

Speaking of Roku, the kid was eerily quiet, and his eyes were looking around but not really seeing anything.

Kael wouldn’t have felt concerned about it if he did not feel the corruption knocking against his shield.

’It seems like the rise of corruption is directly related to this kid’s mood. Ugh, this is a problem I will need to take care of.’

There were a lot of interesting shops that could distract a kid from his mood.

”Is there anything that caught your eye? If there is, then I can buy it for you. There is no need to be shy with me.”

Kael kept his voice kind and polite. He needed Roku to feel safe with him, and his tactic worked well because Roku looked interested.

Once his eyes swept over the market, they did not stop. He kept looking from one stall to another with interest.

And yet, he did not yank Kael’s arm to drag him toward any stall.

”I am fine. I was just...surprised to see a market. It is my first time being here.”

Roku’s story was sad, but Kael had heard too many sad stories to feel anything special for him. And even if he had not, the floating message in the air sure killed any mood of being sympathetic.

[Please eliminate any threat to the future.]

[A vessel of corruption cannot be allowed to exist.]

Kael felt a sour taste in his mouth at that message. So he waved it off and decided to grab Roku’s hand to pull him along.

”Let’s get you clothes first. Since you will be staying with us for a few days, I want you to feel comfortable in something more your size.”

Roku looked startled, but he no longer fought against Kael’s hold.

It was nice spending time outside, and Roku was a well-behaved child once he had his corruption sealed away.

But Kael could not keep him for long.

Roku was beyond tired by the time they came back, and Kael tucked him into his room. When he came out, Seraphina was waiting for him outside.

She looked behind him and toward Roku’s room, but Kael decided to close the door before she could see inside.

”Is there anything I can help you with, Seraphina?”

Kael asked in a worried voice, and Seraphina looked conflicted. She looked behind him once more before she nodded her head.

”I came to check up on you and Roku.”

She spoke in a low voice, and Kael looked behind him as well before he flashed Seraphina a smile.

”Roku is fine. He is tired after our day out, so let’s not disturb him. Since we have time now, would you like me to teach you something?”

Kael was tired, and he did not want to offer such a service at such late hours.

But he knew Seraphina well. She was going to overthink things if he left her alone. So this was his way of distracting her.

Seraphina took him up on his offer and, thankfully, that was the end of the day.

The next morning, the letter Kael wrote to the magic tower finally arrived. But it was not the news he wanted to hear.

[Grand Master Kael,

We have heard your concerns regarding the kid named ’Roku’. We would be delighted to take him in and observe him. However, we cannot guarantee his well-being.

As you know, a vessel of corruption is hard to come by, much less one that can maintain its mind. We surely cannot let such an opportunity pass by. We shall come this evening and retrieve the vessel ourselves.

The Head Scientist,

Grand Master Margret.]

”Darn it! That psycho old lady intercepted my letter to the tower head. Ugh, the worst situation is going to happen.”

Every Grand Master had their field of expertise, and for Grand Master Margaret, it was human potential. In the name of magic, she conducted all kinds of experiments to try and increase a human’s capability to wield mana.

It was a deplorable practice but one that the tower overlooked due to its uses and results. Objectively speaking, it was the best outcome for the situation.

However, Kael had a conscience and knew what was right and wrong. He could not allow a child to be sentenced to torture just because it might benefit society.

”Now, how should I stop Grand Master Margret?”

Kael questioned, but he did not have an answer. And in the corner of his eye, the message that had been tormenting him kept floating.

It just served to make Kael’s mood worse.

__________

”Ugh, it hurts. Master-! Master, are you there?”

Roku cried out into the dark night, and his eyes flashed open. He looked at the room around him, and awareness slowly started to creep into his mind.

He was no longer in the cave he had been in. Instead, he had been rescued by someone. That person had given him a place to stay and even allowed him to have clothes.

Roku felt a sense of gratitude and a need to do something to repay the other person for his help.

But there was nothing he had that he could offer. The only thing he had was his magic...but he had been told by Kael not to use it.

’A little bit won’t hurt. Everyone here uses magic anyway. If you use a little and show these people that you are useful, then they will allow you to keep using magic and helping them out.’

A soft voice in Roku’s head whispered, and it sounded very much like his master’s.

He had never doubted his master before, so he unconsciously obeyed this order as well.

His magic slowly started to swell up until it hit a block, causing Roku to frown.

He tried again, but the same thing happened. He was being blocked by something, and it was frustrating him.

”Ugh, why won’t my magic work-”

He grabbed something to throw at the wall, and it landed inches away from the now-open door.

Seraphina stood on the other side, and she looked at Roku with gentle but suspicious eyes.

”Is...something wrong?”