Chapter 84
Who will explain?
“Riche?!”
“Riche!”
A pain so intense that it left her unable to breathe. Riche’s upper body slumped.
Blake and Robenhalf, shocked, rushed toward Riche. Sensing the urgency of the situation, others quickly surrounded her.
“Miss!”
“Miss Riche!”
“Trariche?!”
Riche’s condition was critical.
Tears fell from her eyes like glass marbles. Her breathing was shallow, as if she were about to pass out.
Blake hastily used his powers, but it only made things worse. The side effects of his powers caused the accumulated illness to flow back into Riche’s body.
“Cough.”
Riche coughed up blood.
Blake’s intention was to purify the energy he had gathered, using Lethiom’s powers.
It was as if a plug had been pulled from a bathtub full of water—Blake’s illness was sucked into Riche’s body without a drop left.
The illness that rushed into her tore through her skin, twisted her muscles, and scratched at her heart.
It was the pain Agnes had felt in her past life when purifying the Duke of Gerwer’s side effects. No, it was even worse than that.
‘Why?’
Riche’s tears mixed with blood.
Why does it hurt so much? There’s Python’s protection.
‘It hurts.’
Someone laid her down. Blake was crying and speaking to her, but her vision blurred, and she couldn’t see him clearly.
The sound of people shouting in her ears became a dull hum.
She had to tell everyone she was okay. She had to say that, like last time, her life wasn’t in danger.
‘I’m sorry. I—’
Unable to withstand the excruciating pain, Riche lost consciousness.
Later…
“…Riche.”
Amidst the shock, everything fell silent.
Riche had her eyes closed, her head drooping.
Someone muttered.
“Explain it.”
Kayceley mumbled.
The damn Lordwick and the Duke of Hibetsman seemed to know what was going on, but she didn’t.
“Riche, Riche…!”
A moment ago, when Trariche was bleeding, Duke Lordwick had looked as if everything had fallen apart. He frantically called out his daughter’s name.
Reddish tears fell from the Duke’s eyes, tears no one had imagined he would shed.
“Master!”
A brown-haired attendant took Trariche from Duke Lordwick and laid her on the floor.
Trariche’s body shuddered intermittently in pain. Red blood seeped from the clothes she wore. How painful must it be for her not to even scream?
“…”
Duke Hibetsman, who would have immediately rushed to her side, just bit his lip, watching her. It was as though he was holding himself back from reaching out to her. Blood dripped from his clenched fists, staining the floor.
“Miss Riche—!”
A maid, resembling the brown-haired attendant, cried out.
“No, no…!”
Others around them also cried out for Trariche.
An elderly physician rushed in to assess Trariche’s condition.
Now that Trariche had lost consciousness, it was as if everyone understood the terrible situation. People were silent, crying.
She was the only one who didn’t know.
“Someone explain!”
Kayceley shouted impatiently.
The woman he liked, Trariche, looked as if she might die at any moment.
He had to understand the situation in order to use the right magic.
If only he had known…
“Regret it?”
A gentle voice echoed in Kayceley’s ear.
He turned around. Everything seemed to have stopped, with only himself moving.
“Squirrel…?”
The squirrel that had been with Trariche.
So that was why. He hadn’t been surprised when Trariche didn’t react to him speaking in his cat form. He hadn’t known the squirrel could speak.
“What are you?”
Looking at the squirrel, who didn’t have a magical stone, Kayceley thought it was not a magician like him.
“I am—”
A bright light enveloped the squirrel’s body. The light grew larger, eventually forming the shape of a woman.
The woman had long silver hair and silver eyes, resembling Trariche. She was a beautiful figure with delicate features.
“God.”
The woman passed Kayceley and walked forward. As she did, everything that had stopped began to move again.
“Who, who are you!”
People were startled by the sudden appearance of the intruder.
The woman placed her hand on the fallen Trariche.
Blake grabbed her arm. His sharp red eyes glared at her.
“What are you doing?”
The woman, still caught by Blake, looked at him. Her silver eyes were empty, unlike Riche’s.
She opened her mouth.
“When do you want to return to?”
“…”
“The day Duchess Lordwick died?”
“…!”
Blake’s eyes widened.
Then, as if blinking, the world went dark and light again. Blake’s hand clenched at the air. The woman disappeared.
“Master! The young lady—!!”
…Riche, too.
Blake’s anger, sadness, and regret, with no place to go, mixed together in his scream.
Blake wasn’t the only one feeling the overwhelming emotions.
Crash.
Half of the Duke’s castle was instantly covered in ice. It was the power of Roebenhaaf. The ice continued to spread. It seemed like it was chasing the woman who had taken Riche away, as if determined to freeze her down to her very cells.
“Ah, Miss!”
“Find her!”
They might not have left the Duke’s castle yet. Among the hurried people, Kasli muttered.
“I saw it.”
It was a small sound, but Blake heard it. The face of the father who had lost his daughter was already a mess.
Kasli, lifting his head towards Blake, spoke again.
“I saw Trariche’s squirrel turning into that woman.”
“Morgan Dayel! Are you here again today?”
“Yes.”
“The qualifiers’ passers have it easy. Go up.”
The guard, recognizing the familiar face, let him pass toward the top of the castle.
It had already been a week.
The handsome young man climbed the castle every morning without fail.
It was since the day the pretty female student, who had been doing the qualifiers’ tasks, went out of the city.
‘Ah, youth.’
The guard looked up with a satisfied smile. The young man reached the top in no time. It seemed his steps were as fast as his heart.
No wonder rumors spread through this wide and narrow city that he was dating that female student.
‘It might affect the betting in the finals.’
Because of that, the predicted rankings of the final winner kept changing among the gamblers.
The day before, it was Morgan Dayel. Yesterday, it was Trariche Rodwick. Today, it’s back to Morgan Dayel.
But the guard predicted the final winner would be Trariche.
Yesterday, when he asked why Morgan climbed the castle every day, he answered,
“Because this was the time we used to walk together.”
Morgan Dayel didn’t specify with whom, but it was obvious. That gentle gaze was one that would only appear when thinking of a lover.
A man in love can’t resist the one he loves, especially when he’s this deeply in love.
‘I should lose if I’m jealous, but I can’t help it.’
The guard wiped his nose and sighed.
“……”
Ian leaned on the castle’s parapet, looking outside.
Somewhere out there, Riche must be. Ian gently touched his left eyelid with his fingertips.
It was where Riche’s lips had touched.
‘Why did Riche kiss me back then?’
Gentle Riche.
Did she kiss me out of pity? If it was because she liked me, I’d be happier than anything.
But that was my greed. Ian suppressed the rising desire. Still, it didn’t seem like the resolve he made a few days ago would break and burst out again.
‘I can endure.’
That day, when Riche whispered to him,
“I will live. For you.”
Those words filled the empty space in his chest.
The narrow, precarious path he wanted to give up on felt like a solid and wide road.
Years of anxiety vanished in an instant, replaced by a firm belief that he could do it.
Riche, you always make me live.
Even nine years ago, six years ago, and now.
If it weren’t for Riche, his life would’ve been over. It would’ve ended with his father.
“I’ll be back in three weeks.”
Ian gazed at the plain under the bright sunlight. Two more weeks. Every day felt like ten, like a year.
‘I should go down now.’
Just a few days. He’d often visit the castle whenever he missed the time when he used to walk with Riche. When he looked outside, it felt like he could see her.
It was laughable to think about how he once tried to keep his distance from Riche.
Ian began to walk down from the castle toward his quarters.
“Morgan Dayel.”
Then, near his quarters, he spotted Deon.
He approached quickly and grabbed Ian’s arm.
“Follow me.”
“Professor Rodwick, what’s this about?”
This was the first time he’d seen Deon since their last confrontation, where he called him Hannibal’s dog.
Was it the same matter again?
Ian didn’t want to face him with swords, so he shrugged off his hand and asked a little coldly.
“Follow me. Or should we talk here?”
Deon’s eyes were red. His black hair was messy, as if he had ruffled it with his hands.
When Ian remained silent, Deon moved closer and whispered.
“Iandwain Gerwer.”
“……!”
How?
Ian’s eyes widened.
[Found it.]
He heard the eerie whisper of death in his ear, calling out his name.
Whoosh.
Swoosh.
Boom–.
Bang!
The threats of death were pouring out toward Ian.
A fallen tree, a jar falling from the strong wind, lightning striking from the clear sky, and sharp spears flying toward him.
Deon’s aura shattered the lightning, and with Ian’s sword, the tree, jar, and spears were cut in half and fell to the ground.
Even though such a terrifying situation unfolded, the two stood facing each other as if nothing had happened.
“……I’d prefer if you didn’t call me that, Deerkedion-senpai.”
Ian didn’t deny it. There was no point in denying it.
That Deon spoke his name meant that he was sure of Ian’s true identity.
Deon nodded and moved ahead. Ian followed him. The place they arrived at was the nearby training ground.
“What’s going on?”
“……You.”
After confirming the empty training ground, Ian asked.
Deon’s eyes were on Ian. It felt like he was suppressing the emotions boiling inside him. What was this about?
Deon spoke in a choked voice.
“You knew that squirrel wasn’t an ordinary squirrel, didn’t you?”
“A squirrel?”
Ian understood immediately what Deon was talking about. Riche’s squirrel. He must be talking about Pythonus.
But Riche had been hiding the true identity of Pythonus.
Should he reveal this?
“No-.”
Swish.
Before Ian could finish his sentence, Deon’s sword flew toward his neck.
“Say it. Morgan Dayel.”
Deon’s sword wavered. Ian knew from their past duels that something was wrong with Deon’s condition. He shifted his gaze from the sword to Deon.
“Deerkedion-senpai…?”
This was not the Deerkedion he knew. His usual expressionless face, or the one with a furrowed brow, was now completely distorted with emotion.
Deon slowly continued.
“Riche is gone.”
A tear fell from one of Deon’s eyes.
“She was seriously injured.”
“……”
“Say it. Please.”
Deon pleaded.
But Ian couldn’t say anything.
His heart felt like it was about to stop.
