Apomenon learned that the child, whom they had been tracking for a long time, had been with the Capel Guild.
Though the child has the blood of a commoner, he is undeniably a descendant of the Xenos royal family. The fact that he had fallen into the hands of the Capel Guild meant that he was considered a source of nectar.
Apomenon decided to infiltrate the auction disguised as an organization connected to the Capel Guild.
There were only two ways to rescue the child. One was to win the bid with the funds on hand. It was the safest way to quietly resolve the situation without confronting the Capel Guild.
However, the auction price would not be trivial. Passing millions of Knets to Capel was a significant burden, particularly given their preparations for an imminent war for independence.
The other option was to launch an attack, even if it meant facing overwhelming odds.
They had to wait until Capel handed over the child to the organization that won the final bid. The more pairs of eyes around them, the more unfavorable their situation will be.
They had to strike before they completely left the forest near the auction house. Theo ran the numbers in his head, assuming the worst.
The vitality of the Apomenon members, including him, was running out. Using magic further was risky if they wanted to last until the end.
After concluding his thoughts, he donned a blue mask and entered the auction with his comrades.
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Theo caught a glimpse of the Black Mask organization, which entered the auction house late. One person among them stood out distinctly.
Even though he thoroughly concealed his appearance with a cloak and mask, it was impossible to hide the fact that he was embarrassingly small to be called a man.
A vague intuition suggested that he might be a young lad who had not yet undergone the coming-of-age ceremony or possibly a woman.
Soon, the auctioneer appeared. He intended to prove whether the child truly belonged to the Xenos royal family by submerging the child in water.
A child who possessed the power of water would not drown, but witnessing such inhumane behavior made Theo’s blood boil. At that moment, amid the chaotic atmosphere, a familiar voice pierced his ear.
“What is this madness?”
It was a man, the smallest member of the Black Mask Organization. No, upon hearing the voice, it was clear that it was a woman. Moreover, she had a voice strikingly similar to Lethenia.
It didn’t make sense that Lethenia, who was supposed to be in the Imperial Palace, would be in the middle of this illegal trade. However, his attention has been drawn in that direction since then.
The woman, who seemed to be disguised as a man, tried to rush forward when she saw the child being subjected to a tragic act.
Even though he knew it couldn’t possibly be Lethenia, he couldn’t help but feel concerned. She wouldn’t survive if Capel noticed her. Someone had to intervene.
Fortunately, the person next to her stopped her. Seeing that, Theo felt a strange sense of relief.
“Nectar has been sold to the Red Mask organization.”
In the end, the child ended up with the Red Mask organization.
Having wagered all available funds, Theo couldn’t continue bidding as the opponent called for an additional 1 million Knets. In this situation, there was only one option left.
Wait for the Red Masks to take over the child and make their way through the underground passageways connected to the auction house.
The last thing they needed was for the Capel Guild to get involved in the fight.
‘We need to get this over with as quickly as possible while avoiding Capel’s eyes.’
As the auction ended and the Black Mask organization was called, they stood up.
Theo kept an eye on the black-masked woman, whose presence had continuously bothered him. Only after confirming that she had safely left the auction house could he fully focus on his task.
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Theo exerted all his efforts to quickly end this urgent situation.
The Red Mask organization members who had managed to withstand the initial onslaught began to fall one by one under his merciless sword.
“Just a little more, hold on,” he told himself as he swung his sword. Then he noticed someone watching from the corner.
He briefly turned his gaze. At that moment, he felt a sinking feeling in his chest.
‘Why on earth is she here?’
The woman with Lethenia’s voice was right in front of him.
In the split second that he got distracted by her, he sustained an injury to his right shoulder. The wound was deeper than he thought.
He switched the sword to his left hand, but with every movement, intense pain surged through. The situation took a turn when Theo got injured.
Eventually, one of the Apomenon organization members used magic, bringing the situation to an end. Theo approached her with an uneasy heart and cautiously lifted her mask.
‘Lethenia.’
For a moment, his mind went blank when he saw her face. He immediately ordered everyone to retreat. It seemed like she still hadn’t realized who he was.
Seeing that she had a magically imbued horn, it seemed she was trying to communicate with the group that came with her. There might be people from her side nearby.
Dizziness set in as the pain intensified. However, he had to somehow keep his composure until he could safely take her to a secure place.
They had to leave this place before someone found them. He impatiently grabbed her wrist and dragged her.
“Ah……!”
He was startled by her moan and immediately let go of her hand. Was it from the dagger earlier? He didn’t notice the chaos.
The realization filled Theo with an indescribable sense of self-blame. Even though he felt extreme pain with every movement, her small injury seemed even more agonizing to him.
He swiftly took out a handkerchief and wrapped it around her wrist. His only wish was for her to return to the palace safely.
The more he urged his footsteps, the sharper the pain became. He sensed a significant amount of blood flowing from his shoulder.
“Ha…….”
Unconsciously, a groan of pain escaped him. Concerned, she asked in a worried tone,
“Um, excuse me, are you… hurting a lot?”
He didn’t respond. He feared that revealing his voice might expose his identity as a black mage, potentially causing her to distance herself.
He wanted to hide that fact somehow. Squeezing out his last bit of strength, he reached their destination.
As soon as they exited together, he handed her the horn.
“Excuse me, just a moment…”
She seemed about to say something more, but he had to hurry away. Otherwise, he sensed he might collapse on the spot.
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The wound was deep. Despite administering basic first aid, the effects were minimal. Right now, the safest place for him is the Marquis’ manor.
Leading his exhausted body, Theo arrived at the mansion and locked the door behind him. Normally, even the servants of the mansion were strictly forbidden from entering his bedroom, but this time, he had to be especially cautious.
For the next few days, he found himself in a cycle of fainting and waking up, wrestling with pain.
He lost track of time. Then, somewhere in the haze, a clear voice faintly reached him.
“It’s me; I’ve come to see you because there’s something I need to talk to you about. If you’re inside, could you please open the door?”
The voice was undoubtedly Lethenia’s… But in the blurred state of his mind, he couldn’t distinguish whether it was a dream or reality.
Though he felt like he might collapse just by getting up, he made his way to the door with all his strength.
He wished it was a hallucination. If he were to see her at this moment, he sensed he might collapse, devoid of any strength. With great effort, he unlocked the door. Through the crack in the door, he saw her face.
At that moment, it became even harder for him to endure. He leaned his head against her as if everything had been disarmed.
He didn’t want to be seen like this. His breathing became more ragged. And just like that, Theo collapsed again.
“I used the healing stone, so the injured areas should be much better now. I know it was you who saved me that day, and now I realize that you, like me, have a secret you can’t tell anyone.”
Some time had passed. Her sorrowful voice settled in his ears.
He wanted to get up, but his eyelids were heavy and his throat was locked, preventing him from saying anything.
He barely regained consciousness, but his body still didn’t listen to him.
It was a healing stone, which was why the wound wasn’t as painful as before. The splitting headache that felt like his head would explode had almost disappeared.
“But because of that, I’m not going to look at you through rose-colored glasses. You’re the warmest and most comforting person I’ve ever met.”
She must have seen the mark engraved on his chest while treating his wounds.
To have the secret he wanted to hide until his death was revealed so abruptly felt disheartening. However, amidst the disappointment, he felt a bit more at ease.
His reasons for feeling that way were unclear. Whether it was because he no longer had to hide his secret or because she didn’t see him as an impure being, he couldn’t tell.
She spoke again, her voice trembling.
“But now that you know I’m not the real Lethenia, I guess that’s where our relationship ends, still…… my feelings for you were genuine, and I’m truly thankful for everything.”
She bid him farewell. Was she ending this relationship because her true identity was revealed? Her soft lips touched his forehead.
He wanted to hold on to her. He tried to speak with all his strength, but only a dry cough came out. Eventually, he heard the sound of the door closing.
In the end, she left with only words that he couldn’t accept. When he opened his eyes again, all that remained in his bedroom was a serene silence and the items she left behind.
A handkerchief, a magic notebook, and a letter containing a very long story.
