Episode: 79
Muriel, who moved to the dining hall, chewed the meat like rubber and wondered if there was a way to catch a new dream butterfly. Perhaps because of the increased physical labour, the black wizards had been putting more effort into the meals, and the aroma from the meat was quite pleasant. However, to Muriel, who couldn’t taste it, it was just fragrant rubber, so she moved her jaw mechanically.
At first, she thought about quietly sneaking out at night and extracting the dream butterfly trapped in the moat, but she thought that wouldn’t work out. If the monsters she had been diligently collecting so far were to pour out of the moat… Setting aside reckless thoughts that could lead to a major disaster, she asked Sadie where she found the dream butterfly, and thought if she searched around here, she could find a new one.
Of course, it would probably be easier to look into her own heart rather than catching a dream butterfly… but honestly, she didn’t have the confidence to come up with an answer.
Kaiton always filled her mind completely. It was a matter of survival, so it was only natural. But now, she had to define what kind of person Kaiton was to her… where should she start? Was it even possible to define who he was in the first place?
“You’re always fierce, but I think you get fiercer when you eat.”
Muriel’s thoughts were interrupted by Sady’s words. When she looked at her with a questioning gaze, Sadie casually replied, raising her eyebrows with her hand.
“The captain’s eyes. They’re always up like this, so fierce, but you become even more scary when you’re eating.”
“Come on, Sadie, that’s too much.”
Debbie said that and lowered Sady’s hand slightly. There wasn’t much of a difference at all, really. However, Debbie alternated her gaze between Muriel and Sady’s faces and nodded satisfactorily.
“Yeah, it’s just this high.
It wasn’t even that much. Muriel clicked her tongue and looked at the plate in front of her. It was true that she had a hard time during mealtime because there was no fun in eating. It felt like she was eating a box soaked in water or rubber everytime she ate, so perhaps her expression was getting more grim as time went by whenever food entered her mouth.
“It doesn’t suit your taste? You look like you’re chewing on a caterpillar.”
“No, it’s just… I have something on my mind.”
There was a time when she thought she was in a novel because of her messed-up senses. Now, she was more inclined to believe she had the power of foresight.
Muriel remembered that time, and recalled one thing she had forgotten.
The future where Kaiton kills her after she ascends the throne.
Kaiton had taken her breath away with eyes full of contempt and anger. So she was afraid of Kaiton, and tried to avoid him. Yet, she kept thinking about him, and in the end, she eventually decided to help him.
But now she really didn’t know. Was the future she saw really her own future? Just like how the person dying under the star of calamity could be Kaiton, it occurred to her that the person killed by Kaiton might not be her either.
Someone sitting on the throne… Maybe it’s Sharan Kasal…. Kaiton had a deep grudge against Sharan, so that made more sense. In addition, just as the appearance of the Demon King, the death of the country’s leader would probably also be a disaster for a saint to foresee.
Sigh…
Muriel let out a shallow sigh. That was all just guesswork. Her mind was twisted like a maze, and she was unable to be sure of what was really true. Nevertheless, it was somehow comforting that the probability of the man she didn’t even know if she liked killing her in the future had decreased.
“Muriel… Do you want to eat this? You usually drink soup well.”
Ondal gently offered a bowl of soup to Muriel. It looked untouched.
“You eat it. This is nice to eat too, by the way.”
“…While eating that, you frowned four times. I brought the soup that Muriel likes. Please eat this.”
Muriel looked at Ondal, who was still wearing his black cloth. Ondal was sitting awkwardly close to the edge of the table, perhaps uncomfortable with Sadie. But he wasn’t confined to his room as he used to be, and during mealtime, he would come out to the dining hall and eat with Muriel.
“You were watching it all?”
“Yes, but I, I didn’t see it with Sharan’s eyes, I just came with a thin cloth… It’s faint… It was really… really…”
She didn’t intend to blame him, but Ondal explained quickly.
“No… I’m not saying anything… I just thought you might’ve only been watching me without eating anything. It seemed like you didn’t even touch the soup.”
Muriel lightly shook her head, reassuring Ondal. These days, Ondal was often showing signs of instability. He would always be within Muriel’s gaze, but he wouldn’t approach her first. Muriel suggested a night walk, curious about what had happened between Ondal and Kaiton on the day she fell into the lake, but Ondal vehemently refused. She tried to persuade him, saying they’d just been unlucky that day, but Ondal was adamant saying he would never put Muriel in danger again.
Muriel knew she had to pay a little more attention to Ondal, but her mind was filled with thoughts of Kaiton, and she would quickly forget about Ondal.
“From the beginning… I brought it, thinking that Muriel might eat it… So, please eat, Muriel. I’ll be more happy then…”
Ondal pushed the plate of soup with the soup towards Muriel, but he did not force her. Although Muriel was already full, she took a big spoonful of soup and drank it for Ondal, who was staring at her intently. Compared to the appetizing aroma that stimulated her appetite, all she could feel in her mouth was warmth and a gentle texture.
“Ondal… How are your classes with August these days?”
Do you have time to attend classes when you’re always following me? Muriel swallowed her follow-up question and asked instead. Ondal stumbled and struggled to speak, clearly showing signs of being flustered. However, despite seeing they were a clumsy attempt at a lie, Muriel simply listened to Ondal’s words in silence.
“Uh… Aug, August is kind… and uh, kind. Everything is really fun. Th, thank you for caring, Muriel…”
When she stared at Ondal because she wanted to ask him why he seemed so anxious these days, he blushed red and timidly murmured ‘it’s true…’
“Really? I was worried that the classes have been a bit difficult since you don’t look too good lately.”
“…Uh, it’s not… like that… It’s just… how is the taste of the soup?”
If you’re going to lie, at least do it more convincingly. It’s more apologetic to see you struggling with a heavy sigh and a face that looks like you’re about to cry. Muriel wanted to dig a little more, so she bent her eyebrow up, but then let out a soft sigh and closed her mouth.
“It’s delicious.”
“That’s hard to believe.”
Kaiton strode up and naturally leaned against Muriel.
“What a liar.”
Muriel let out a shallow sigh while looking at Ondal, whose jaw stiffened, perhaps because of Kaiton’s appearance.
“You… are you picking a fight as soon as you get here?”
Kaiton stood close to Muriel, arms folded and leaning crookedly on the table. Muriel subtly moved her body backward, as she thought his thigh might touch her forearm. She didn’t know why she reacted like this to every little thing, but regardless, it made her heart flutter uncomfortably, so if she could avoid it, she should.
“If you’re done eating, can you pay attention to me? You don’t even know the taste anyway.”
Not only Ondal, but Muriel, who didn’t want to tell Sadie and Debbie that she couldn’t taste, glared at him with axe eyes, and he smiled and curled up the corners of his mouth.
“I have something for you.”
“…What is it?”
It was a simple question, Kaiton’s smile deepened. It was a mischievous yet hiding smile.
“I don’t mind giving it here, but… will you be okay?”
The only thing Muriel could get from Kaiton were the blue earrings, and the earrings had become a code between the two to say kiss. Muriel’s face flared when she recalled the kisses she’d shared with Kaiton. Despite knowing that his teasing face was enjoying her embarrassment, her heart started to flutter beyond control.
“Can I give it to you here, Muriel?”
“Crazy…”
When Kaiton lifted Muriel’s chin, she jumped up and smacked his hand away in surprise.
“Look. You’re the one who doesn’t like it here.”
Kaiton shrugged his shoulders and spoke shamelessly, then tapped his chin with his fist as if to say, “Go ahead.”
Completely unruly, really…!
“Go ahead. To my room.”
This… this… this crazy…! Muriel, her lips trembling, couldn’t say a word and turned around with a frown. There was no point in saying anything now; only foolish words would come out. It was better to run away.
“Just now, didn’t the captain seem a little shy?”
Sadie pulled the soup bowl that Muriel had left behind towards herself and spoke. She didn’t seem to care much, and focused on slurping the soup loudly, but Debbie also nodded at Sadie’s words.
“Yeah, she did. Her face looked a bit red too.”
“Why? Was the soup too spicy? I thought it was just fine.”
“Muriel can’t handle spicy food.”
At Kaiton’s words, Ondal, who had offered the soup to her, froze.
“Really? I had no idea. How did Ur know that? The captain eats everything like it’s tasteless.”
“There’s nothing to not know. There are a lot of other things about Muriel that only I know… and a lot of which will be all mine from now.”
Kaiton’s sharp eyes were on Ondal, like he was warning. While Kaiton’s lips still formed a relaxed smile, his eyes towards Ondal were chillingly cold.
Ondal quietly clenched his fist. When he was in the underground prison, he could easily brush off any insults from Sharan Kasal, but it wasn’t as easy here. He couldn’t tell if it was because it was about Muriel or because the opponent was Kaiton.
Suppressing his immediate desire to follow Muriel, Ondal met Kaiton’s gaze. He had never found the black cloth covering his eyes as cumbersome as he did now. Just like Kaiton, he wanted to openly display his guard against him and his possessiveness towards Muriel.
“By the way, Mr. Kaiton. Why are your lips like that? Why haven’t you treated it…?”
Debbie asked cautiously. Kaiton’s lips were red and swollen, and there was a wound that evoked secret imaginations.
“Because I don’t like Sharan stealing glances at that face.”
Kaiton thought of Muriel’s face and his temperature seemed to rise. He gently wiped the wound on his lips while smiling lazily.
When Kaiton said that he was refraining from using magic, Debbie shyly asked if she could treat it. Debbie was still afraid of the demon king, Ur, but as she observed Kaiton, who was surprisingly calmer and more rational than she’d thought, she began to gradually reveal the admiration she had struggled to hide. For a passionate wizard like Debbie, it was inevitable to admire a wizard like Kaiton Ur.
“It’s fine. I like the way you look at this, too.”
Tilt. Debbie’s head tilted in response to Kaiton’s incomprehensible words that had been going on since earlier. Hm… After staring at his torn lips, Sadie tapped Debbie and gave her an insidious smile. It was a signal that they should get out of here at this point. Although Debbie resisted, wanting to seek advice on the demon moat now that she’d met Kaiton, she was eventually dragged out, unable to beat Sadie.
“My name is… Ondal… not Sharan….”
Ondal couldn’t give up the name he received from Muriel, so he spoke with as much strength as possible to make it sound resolute.
“It’s just Sharan to me.”
“…”
“Yes, Sharan… I don’t completely believe your words that Muriel can’t be seen through Sharan’s eyes. So, don’t peek as you please.”
“…”
“The expressions Muriel shows only in front of me are all mine.”
Aa Kaiton’s got beef with Sharan, the kisses so cutee
Thanks! The beef between them is so funny, it would be fun if it was actually equal chance for them