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Late Spring, “Why did you come to our house?”
Our journey towards civilization encountered a small problem.
“Of course, I didn’t anticipate such a situation. It just occurred to me right before going to bed yesterday, so I was thinking about solutions.”
“Thinking about solutions?”
“I fell asleep.”
At my shameless response, Reikart sighed. I, who successfully elicited a deep sigh from my travel companion on the first day of our journey, complained of a slightly unjust feeling.
“Am I the only one at fault?”
“Yes.”
Reikart strode towards the castle walls. It was an area I hadn’t purified yet. Black soil, gray trees, and dark energy flowed like mist.
“Hey!”
How could he be so reckless when it was only a day ago that I’d worked so hard to purify him and save his life? What if he gets contaminated again and collapses? Who’s going to purify him?
“If there’s no other way, we have to break through as quickly as possible. Hurry up.”
Reikart responded as if he had heard my internal thoughts. Fired up, I ran to where he was beckoning. As he slowed down to match my running pace, he said,
“Don’t run.”
“You told me to come quickly.”
“What if you trip with those frail legs?”
“I’m perfectly fine!”
I’m not frail.
Something like dark energy won’t have an impact on me.
“If there’s a limited amount of dark energy you can purify in a day, it’s not practical to create a path from the beginning. It would be wiser to go out and get what you need first, and then slowly build a path when heading back.”
“Then what about you?”
Reikart’s opinion was valid, but his safety was not guaranteed there. While I could walk through contamination without any issues, he would be on the verge of death within a few days, just like when we first met.
He glanced at me and said,
“As long as it’s not the worst condition.”
What? So, should I only help you right before you take your last breath?
“Wow, do you think I’m a psychopath?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Forget it.”
I don’t have a hobby of holding hands with a guy who’s not even my boyfriend, but it’s a special situation, so I extended my hand towards him.
Reikart looked at my hand hesitantly.
“What’s this?”
“Hold my hand.”
“Why.”
“Why are you asking that? To avoid getting contaminated while we travel.”
“It’s okay, I’m good.”
He chuckled.
His clean face, watery eyes, and radiant blond hair were beautiful. I knew he was handsome because he appeared so many times in novels, but he looked genuinely beautiful when he smiled. Is this what they mean by calling someone a sculpted, handsome man? Were all the blonde, handsome men in novels like this?
Moreover, his physique was incredible. His height, his frame, his muscles—everything is perfect.
“Are you sure you don’t want to hold it?”
“I said it’s fine.”
Reikart pushed my hand away as if to say no.
Oh, how inconsiderate of me. Maybe he doesn’t like holding hands.
Bellflower always confidently asked me to hold hands whenever we went outside, but he’s different.
“Let’s go.”
He took the lead.
Neither of us said much as we walked. The surroundings fell silent when I closed my mouth. It was a time for self-reflection on my belief that I had a not-so-talkative personality.
Walking through the contaminated area was not a very romantic journey. We stepped on dead trees, and after reaching the black lake, I deliberately avoided looking at the water.
“Walk while looking at the sky.”
The dark energy was heavier than the air, sinking below and flowing, so looking up at the sky made it a bit better. The sky was still blue, and the clouds were white.
However, after crossing the lake and entering a forested area, even that wasn’t of much use. The dark energy blocked the light, making everything dark and oppressive.
It would be nice if I could purify that black lake.
Such thoughts crossed my mind.
My abilities were fantastic. But once a person gets something in their hands, don’t they always want more?
I wish my abilities were more talent-oriented and progressive. Then, without much effort, I could purify this much today and twice as much tomorrow.
If that were the case, maybe one day I could turn this black lake blue.
I could live in a blue sky with a blue lake and white clouds floating above it. I could learn to ride a horse and ride a pure white horse around the lake. I could build a boat and go sailing. Every morning, the birds would sing in the woods, and the deer would come to visit like Snow White.
Isn’t that the epitome of an idle life? Or not? Was it too luxurious? Just thinking about it made me happy.
Reikart asked,
“What are you thinking about?”
“What?”
“You sulking?”
“I’m thinking how awesome I am.”
He made a momentarily blank face and then sighed. He seemed to understand the meaning of “awesome” and laughed at me. I won’t purify you.
Reikart said,
“It’s certain that it’s an extraordinary ability. Absorbing magic and purifying it—I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Is that so?”
“Still, it’s better not to casually talk about it outside. You never know what misunderstandings might arise.”
“It’s not that…”
Did he interpret it as wanting to brag outside? Before he could think he was an idiot, I quickly clarified.
“Someday, if I purify that lake, maybe it will become a color similar to your eye color. I was just imagining that.”
“What?”
“If you climb to the top of Marron Castle, you can see the whole lake. Maybe because of the surrounding mountains, it gets extremely cold in winter and freezes brightly. If I can purify the entire lake by then, the water might turn a beautiful color like your eyes. I just thought it would be nice.”
“…What.”
Reikart was so embarrassed that he turned his gaze away. Even though he was walking ahead, he kept looking back at me, but suddenly walked forward without looking back.
What’s wrong?
Did I say something so ridiculous that I was ignored like this?
“Hey, are you ignoring people? It will only take about ten years, roughly.”
“Okay.”
“You think I can’t do it, huh? Because I’m not the main character? Why is your attitude towards a benefactor of life like this?”
“I said I got it.”
He walked even faster.
After walking all day, I felt a sense of freedom. The feeling of melancholy that I hadn’t noticed at Marron Castle began to creep in.
Perhaps it’s because Bellflower, my nagging companion, is not here, or maybe it’s because I’m walking in a space that’s all monochrome.
What’s strange is that whenever my mood sank, Reikart delicately started a conversation.
“Hailey.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you know who you are?”
“What? Who am I?”
“Do you know what you did in the past and why you ended up living alone in Marron Castle?”
“Oh….”
Why is he asking me all of a sudden?
I suddenly felt uneasy. If I don’t answer well here, am I going to die? What if he suddenly draws a sword and says I deserve to die? How should I handle that?
“I don’t know.”
Yes, that seemed like the right answer.
I’ve diligently read the side stories from the villain’s point of view, but I couldn’t know the details of the past as well as the real Hailey.
“When I came to my senses, I was in a cage. I was thrown into a gorge right away, and struggled to survive, then made my way to Marron Castle.”
“Really?”
“Still, I know I’m Hailey Marron.”
Reikart nodded again. He, who had been so far away, was now walking in front of me again.
I threw the same question back at him.
“What about you?”
“Well, I… I was the successor of the Winter Ducal Family, but now everyone in my family is dead, and I’m left alone without any family. I bet Vandicion has put me on his wanted list.”
“Huh?”
What’s up with this guy? Does he remember everything?
