Chapter 86
“Ah, that…”
Elena tried to answer Kurhan’s question.
But at that moment, everything around her started spinning.
She clutched her aching head.
“Ugh.”
“Elena!”
Lexion was startled and took her into his arms.
Alas, Elena lost consciousness again.
He hurriedly checked her condition.
Thankfully, she was still breathing, but his hands trembled with anxiety.
[What happened to the Spirit Master?]
Kurhan also jolted in surprise.
“… It’s because of the curse mark that she fainted.”
Lexion spoke through gritted teeth.
[If it’s the curse mark…]
Kurhan’s eyebrows narrowed.
She, too, knew about ancient magic.
“This is not a marking of a normal curse, but a curse mark imbued with black magic.”
Lexion stared at Kurhan and said with difficulty.
“I have been told that your blood can cleanse this curse.”
He then carefully placed Elena on the chair and knelt in front of Kurhan.
“Please.”
Kurhan’s expression became mysterious as she listened to Lexion’s request.
*****
Elena opened her bleary eyes.
An unfamiliar ceiling entered her vision.
It was a stunning, translucid, glass-like ice ceiling.
Seeing it, she recalled the last memory she had before she lost consciousness.
‘This is Kurhan’s…’
She abruptly sat up.
Then, suddenly, she realized something in her had changed.
Her body felt so light.
Ever since she was marked by the curse, her body felt heavy the whole time.
“How…”
Elena touched her collarbone and looked around.
She was currently lying on a bed made of ice.
But it wasn’t cold.
Instead, it felt warm.
‘What the hell happened?’
Perchance, did Kurhan offer her blood?
When her doubts began to delve deeper.
[Uh?!]
A cute sound entered her ear.
When she turned to the sound, Kurne – who had entered the room – was running enthusiastically towards her.
[You’re awake, Spirit Master!]
“Hello, Kurne.”
Elena stroked his hair.
[I sensed that the Spirit Master was about to wake up! I’m so smart!]
“Yes, you are. Kurne is smart.”
Kurne smiled and said that he would call his mommy and ran out of the room.
Not long after Kurne left the room, Kurhan came in.
[You’re awake, thank goodness.]
With a bright smile on her face, Kurhan approached Elena.
“Kurhan… How did this happen?”
Elena asked right away.
She first wondered what had happened.
Kurhan took her hand and replied.
[The blood of the Kurte is known to have a purifying effect.]
“Yes, that’s right. That’s why we came to this distant place…”
[But with our blood alone, it is difficult to purify that curse at once.]
“Then….”
Kurhan smiled and held out her hand.
A flower with green leaves was floating in her hand.
[This is a snowflake that only the Kurte race can grow. It takes about 200 years for a single flower to bloom. As it takes a long time, it has a more substantial purifying power than the blood of the Kurte.]
“Did you feed me with this precious thing?”
[Yes. You are also a Spirit Master and you are the one who saved my child.]
Kurhan replied willingly.
“Thank you so much.”
[No. I’m just repaying the favor.]
Elena was deeply moved by what Kurhan did.
[Ah, and this is a gift.]
Kurhan handed her a snowflake of the Kurte tribe.
[I want to give more, but as I said, it takes a long time for this flower to bloom.]
“It’s okay. You don’t have to give me this precious flower.”
[No. I want to give it to you, Spirit Master. Please accept it.]
Kurhan placed the snowflake in Elena’s hand.
Elena couldn’t reject her sincerity.
“… Thank you, Kurhan.”
Elena put the snowflake of the Kurte tribe right in her pocket and kept it well.
She had put it in the magic storage box to maintain the freshness of the flower so that it wouldn’t wither quickly.
“Ah! But where is Lexion, the person who came with me?”
[He is…]
Kurhan’s lips rose awkwardly.
[He said he was fine, but I believe he isn’t].
Kurhan said, embarrassed.
“Huh?”
*****
With Kurhan’s guidance, Elena walked out of their hidden dwelling.
Outside, there was a small space of flat land.
And Lexion was meticulously working on something.
There were various rides strewn nearby. It appeared that he made them.
Kurne laughed as he enjoyed those rides made of wood and ice.
‘Lexion…’
Elena watched Lexion; a bitter smile on her face.
It seemed he was overwhelmed with guilt.
Apparently, the instant Kurhan saved Elena, Lexion immediately started making a playground for Kurne.
[It must have bothered him that Kurne had almost fallen off a cliff while playing by himself. Similar to a Spirit Master, Lexion is a warm-hearted person.]
“Yes. He is someone with a kind heart.”
A gentle smile was painted on Elena’s lips.
Lexion was a man who would do anything for her.
‘… Kurhan told me that he bent down to his knees.’
When she heard the story, Elena was genuinely surprised.
He would willingly sacrifice his body for her.
“Elena!”
While she was absentmindedly looking at him, his head snapped up in her direction as if he felt her gaze.
Lexion quickly finished what he was doing and hurriedly went to her.
“Elena. How is your body?”
“It’s okay now. The mark that was placed on me is also gone.”
Elena opened her coat, lifted her clothes slightly, and showed Lexion her collarbone.
He had already finished checking it when she was still asleep, but he was more than happy to do a double-check.
“I’m so… glad, Elena, that you don’t have to be sick anymore.”
“Thank you, Lexion. You are willing to come out for me.”
The two gazed at each other and smiled.
Lexion lightly hugged Elena.
“But what are those?”
Elena asked, pointing to the rides.
She found it fascinating since she had never seen those rides for children in this world.
There were things similar to seesaws and swings, but there were also things she had never seen before.
Lexion slowly explained to her what were those.
“Wow. When did you learn this?”
When Elena asked with admiration, Lexion shyly rubbed the back of his neck and answered:
“In the past, when I was on an expedition, I had rescued children. Those children lost their parents and would cry every day, so I created rides with the soldiers.”
“Wow. That’s great, Lexion.”
At Elena’s praise, Lexion’s cheeks turned red.
Together with Kurhan, they watched Kurne play happily on the rides.
*****
Before it got darker, Elena and Lexion prepared to leave.
“Thank you, Kurhan. And see you next time, Kurne.”
Elena bowed to the two Kurte. Following her lead, Lexion bowed as well.
“Thank you.”
Seeing the two were about to leave, Kurne’s eyes brimmed with tears.
[You must come again next time.]
Kurne wiped away his tears and approached the pair, enveloping them in a hug.
Elena and Lexion embraced the small child, the two of them facing each other.
Then, as Kurne pulled away, Kurhan spoke.
[I’ll make sure it doesn’t snow while you two descend the mountain range.]
At those words, Elena opened her mouth slightly.
“Kurhan, that’s possible…?”
[It is difficult to stop it for a longer duration, but it is possible if it’s only brief.]
Once again, Elena admired the power of the Kurte tribe.
The corners of Kurhan’s mouth turned up at the sight. She walked over to Elena and took her hand.
[Spirit Master, you possess great power. But be cautious, that power can harm you.]
“… Ah, yes.”
Elena believed that Kurhan’s words were referring to the work of the former Spirit Master.
She nodded with a stiff face.
[Then, be careful.]
Seen off by Kurhan and Kurne, Elena and Lexion left the hidden place of the Kurte tribe.
As Kurhan promised, there was no snowfall.
The snowy mountains displayed its radiant beauty.
*****
By the time they descended the Kurte Mountains, passed through the village of Kurte, and reached the cave with the portal, it was already late.
They finally returned to the Magic Tower, but it was too late to report to the Archmage.
So Elena and Lexion decided to visit the Archmage tomorrow.
Together, the two headed to the West Tower.
Once they arrived at her lab, Elena was about to say goodbye to Lexion.
But Lexion stopped her.
“Elena. Sleep in Halos today. The curse mark has disappeared, but even for just one day….”
The look in his eyes made him pitiful.
Perhaps because she also wanted it and for Lexion’s sake, who suffered so much for her, Elena nodded.
“Sure.”
The two held hands and crossed the portal connected to Lexion’s office.
