Chapter 74
It seems like we’ve chosen the wrong timing. We’re going after the kidnappers.
Sigbert, who had the same thought as Robenhaff, answered immediately.
“In three months.”
“Three months? Why wait so long?”
“The leader of the sect is coming over from the Western Continent. He’ll arrive around the finals of the tournament that Retiom is participating in. He’s the one I’m after. I don’t want to miss him by going after small fry.”
Kaishan’s reasoning made sense.
Robenhaff took a step back. If waiting meant pulling out the root of the enemies targeting Riche, it was something he could endure.
“Alright, fine.”
They could still communicate with the people inside Kselphon. Derkedion was there, so once he heard this, he’d probably be on high alert to protect Riche. Luckily, they had at least one reliable person on their side.
Robenhaff made eye contact with Sigbert.
“…Wait a minute.”
Now that he thought about it, it was exam season.
Robenhaff might have been a pitiful member of society kicked out of the cozy greenhouse known as the Academy, but Sigbert was still a student, wasn’t he? Even if he’d temporarily left the warmth for Kselphon, still.
“…Did you take your finals?”
At Robenhaff’s question, Sigbert averted his gaze.
Sigbert, that smart guy, was about to flunk out.
I should’ve flunked too. That way, I could have spent another year with Riche.
‘But showing Riche that I failed would be embarrassing.’
He still had his noble pride.
It was fine for Serdia to act like a beast, but not for him.
He was the heir to the prestigious Hibetsman Duchy of the Roksha Empire.
Though thanks to Riche, the savior of talented individuals, it seemed like it’d be decades before he could ascend to his position as Duke.
“So, in three months?”
He’d need a place to stay.
Leaning back, Robenhaff started calculating how much it would cost to stay at an inn, including meals.
—
“Riche, you came again today?”
“Hi, Morgan.”
Riche waved at Morgan.
It had already been four days since she started visiting Morgan, who always came by after his morning training.
The reason Riche decided to visit Morgan wasn’t anything special.
‘If I don’t see Ian now while he’s in Kselphon, I might not be able to see him for years.’
With that thought, every day felt precious.
Riche went to Morgan.
“Since I passed the preliminaries, I’m so bored. Want to go for a walk?”
“…Alright.”
Fortunately, Morgan didn’t refuse Riche’s offer.
The place they always walked was the same.
The park with the lake where Morgan had once dived in after Riche.
Since no one really went there, the two could walk together without causing any rumors.
“…”
As they walked down the path, Riche glanced at Morgan.
His face, as he walked ahead, looked deep in thought.
Although Morgan always welcomed Riche’s visits, there was always a worried look on his face.
“Morgan, is my coming often bothering you?”
At Riche’s question, Morgan’s golden eyes turned toward her.
Just thinking of Ian made her heart race. It was strange.
If this was just excitement from seeing an old friend again after a long time, it should have settled down by now, after several days.
‘But just seeing Ian makes me happy.’
Her fingertips tingled, and sometimes she found herself smiling for no reason.
She felt like a fool. What kind of emotion was this?
But she couldn’t tell Ian. Thinking about the burden weighing on his shoulders, her feelings seemed far too light compared to that.
‘I wonder if Ian would think I’m teasing him.’
As Riche stared up at Ian, lost in thought, Ian’s gaze didn’t leave her.
He seemed to be deep in thought again, in response to her question.
Then, Riche realized her cheeks were getting warm and quickly turned her head away.
Ian’s red lips moved as he spoke.
“I don’t find it bothersome. But, Riche, maybe you shouldn’t come anymore. I’m worried you might get hurt because of my bad luck.”
“You don’t need to worry. I’m pretty strong, Morgan. Even if I stay by your side, I won’t get hurt.”
—
Riche shook the magic stone necklace she took out from inside her top and said:
“Actually, it’s a secret, but I can use magic without the stone. I’m just pretending to use it because people might find it strange if I don’t.”
That should be strong enough, right?
Riche smiled brightly.
Magical power comes from the stars. Riche could draw from the power of Pythons, the creature she had contracted with, so she didn’t need a magic stone.
Though it was a huge secret she was sharing with only him, Ian didn’t feel particularly happy about it.
‘Does that mean Riche really likes Morgan Dayal enough to share something like that with him?’
Ian found himself bitterly smiling at the absurdity of it.
Jealous of himself.
He wanted to ask Riche.
‘What do you think of Ian Dwayne?’
He couldn’t help but feel greedy. Even though he had resolved to bury anything related to the past until three years later.
Did she remember Ian Dwayne from their childhood? What kind of person did she think he was?
‘Get a grip.’
Ian bit his inner lip.
It had only been a few days since he promised himself that it didn’t matter what he was to Riche.
The greed that had grown like a snowball seemed pathetic.
At the same time, he felt anxious. This situation, where his resolve was shaking. His time with Riche was so sweet and comforting that he feared he wouldn’t be able to let go later.
‘Riche, I’m afraid that one day, I might give up everything and kneel in front of you, begging you to remember me.’
It felt like he was walking a tightrope. A tightrope with no visible destination on the other side, with a cliff below, enticing him with the sweet scent of death.
[If you give up, you’ll find peace.]
The hallucinations that visited him at night laughed, mocking Ian.
What if one day he threw himself off that cliff?
What if the day came when he knelt before her, crying, begging her to remember Ian Dwayne, telling her that Morgan Dayal was a fake?
If that day came, Ian felt he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.
‘I need to cut it off now.’
The only way was to make Riche distance herself from him.
“Riche.”
“Yes?”
Ian forced a smile, saying the thing he least wanted to say.
“I sent the monsters to the Imperial Academy of Roksha.”
She would hate him for this.
Ian’s heart felt as if it were being torn apart.
“I am your enemy.”
—
Deon sat on a chair in his dorm, repeatedly tossing and catching a knife.
About an hour ago, he’d received a message saying there was a scheduled communication for him.
Deon! How have you been? How’s life as a test instructor?
“What do you want?”
When he went to the communications center outside the tournament hall to take the call, it was Robenhaff.
They weren’t the type to call each other just to exchange greetings.
As expected, Robenhaff quickly got to the point.
[This is confidential business, so I’ll keep it short. There might be eavesdropping, you never know. If you see any red spiders, catch them for me. They only live in that area, and the merchant I’m dealing with is looking for them. It’s a big deal. Thanks.]
“What? Hey, Robenhaff.”
And with that, the communication ended.
Why me? Deon scowled at the communicator for a moment before heading back to his dorm.
Now, he was leaning back in his chair, thinking about the strange request.
‘What’s with the sudden red spider thing?’
The mention of potential eavesdropping was odd, too.
It felt like something was going on outside Kselphon.
Suddenly, Deon threw his knife toward the ceiling.
Though it wasn’t clear, something red scurried along up there. It had to be a spider.
Just as he suspected, a reddish-orange spider began descending along the knife embedded in the ceiling.
The spider, which had been slowly descending on the thread, soon stood before Deon in the form of a person.
“Serdia.”
“Hello, Senior Derkedion.”
Was the red spider referring to Sigbert?
Deon wasn’t particularly curious about whether the beastmen’s transformation included insects, but he kept his gaze fixed on Sigbert.
“……”
“……”
The visitor was from over there. Shouldn’t they get to the point?
Deon, frowning, and Sigbert, standing still, experienced a brief silence between them.
The situation was awkward. Even though they had been in the same club for six years, they had rarely spoken one-on-one.
“What’s the matter?”
Eventually, Deon spoke first.
Only then did Sigbert attempt to explain why he was there.
“There’s an enemy outside.”
“Enemy?”
Is that why Robenhaff contacted him?
“So, you came here to avoid the enemy?”
“No.”
“But you’re in the middle of exams right now.”
“……”
The sharp memory of the former student council president.
To the tight-lipped Sigbert, Deon waved his hand dismissively.
“I’m not interested. Don’t bother me with concerns about my brother.”
“……Senior Derkedion too.”
Sigbert replied firmly.
There was something he had read in a letter exchanged with Riche recently.
“I was worried because Riche wasn’t saying anything.”
“……I’ve resolved that.”
At those words, Deon slightly deflated.
Since he hadn’t properly apologized to Riche yet, this topic made him uncomfortable, unlike usual.
Sigbert raised his head slightly and spoke to Deon.
“I’m not causing any trouble.”
“……Serdia. You’re quite bold, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Deon gave a disbelieving chuckle.
It seemed that Serdia had come to challenge him.
Just as Deon moved his upper body forward,
“This is really frustrating.”
“……?”
“You guys are impossible to talk to.”
An arrogant tone flowed from Sigbert’s mouth.
“Impossible? Is Serdia openly provoking me?”
“You’re all idiots. It’s easier to communicate with beasts.”
“You—”
“Rodwick. The great star—”
Cough.
Kaishan suddenly choked, bending forward and clutching his throat.
Deon stood up from his chair.
“Perfect. So you want to fight?”
He was about to use his powers before the energy gathered.
He would fight Serdia.
Riche would worry if she found out later, but it wouldn’t be to the point of death.
“Let’s see which is stronger: Rodwick or Serdia.”
Kaishan briefly regretted taking control of Sigbert’s body as he faced those menacing red eyes.
—
Back in the park’s walking path.
Riche looked at Morgan, who had confessed to being an enemy.
‘What should I say?’
Should she say that she already knew?
But saying that seemed odd. It would mean she had maintained a friendly relationship even though she knew he was an enemy.
‘I think Ian will cry.’
Riche now understood how Ian managed to hold back his tears.
She had seen it through memories. The corners of Ian’s smiling mouth trembled.
She felt a pang in her heart, sensing Ian’s emotions even more strongly.
‘Should I say it’s okay?’
That it’s fine even if he’s an enemy. That she hoped he wouldn’t distance himself.
That she liked Morgan, no matter who he was.
Riche looked directly at Ian.
“Morgan, I—”
At that moment.
“……!”
[Contractor!]
Riche turned her body and looked behind her.
The power of the stars felt from afar.
‘……The Great Star?’
