EP: 87
The Murishi appeared at the abandoned estate with rotten monsters all over it after three days. The speed at which the creatures decayed was astonishing. They had to endure two and a half days of them melting away and creating a foul-smelling, slimy river.
During this time, Muriel had been relentlessly tormented by the black wizards. The sorcerers had gotten incredibly excited upon hearing that Murriel could communicate with the Murishi and that they could obtain Tapahite, but their excitement didn’t last even an hour.
Unable to withstand the violently putrid stench for more than a minute and came to find Muriel, urging her to tell when the Murishi would arrive. Some even suggested hiring professional hunters to bring them the Murishi instead of offering food and waiting for them.
But it was impossible to blame them. The overwhelming amount of the rotting creatures emitting a deadly stench at the same time was enough to paralyze not only the sense of smell but all senses. Tears streamed down their faces even when they stood still, their ears rang, and their skin itched and tingled. They couldn’t even eat properly due to the smell, so they didn’t even have any energy.
“Muriel? Is there any way to communicate with Murishi from a distance? Is there any other way to call them over… maybe?”
Even the patient and gentle August came to Muriel a day after they began to wait for the Murishi and asked her to explore alternative methods.
But Muriel didn’t have any other way, so she simply increased the patrol frequency to ensure she didn’t miss the Murishi’s arrival. Her patrol partner was always Kaiton.
Since the incident with the dream butterfly, they’d become inseparable, which wasn’t as comfortable as before because she was conscious of being so close to Kaiton. But she still liked that time together. Flying at heights allowed them to escape the stench, and when they walked leisurely together, she could talk about this and that with him.
“Mure, unless you want to fall, don’t drift to the side. We’re flying higher than usual because of the smell.”
Muriel looked at Kaiton’s handsome face, who had started calling her by the nickname ‘Mure’ as if it were natural for some time, and brought up the problem she had been pondering for a while.
“I’ve been thinking about it. I’m not sure if my feelings are desire or affection yet.”
“…What?”
“Can I…confirm it somehow?”
“Gulp.”
As soon as Muriel’s words finished, Kaiton stumbled. It was as if the invisible staircase he had created in the sky had collapsed. He floundered and searched for a step that wasn’t there, futilely kicking his feet. The two of them lost the magic that had supported them and plummeted hopelessly.
“Kaiton?”
As Muriel called out to him, questioning the reason for their descent, Kaiton clenched his jaw and clicked his tongue. Muriel waited for his response still, silently observing him. Without looking at Muriel, Kaiton spoke gruffly.
“I need to concentrate….”
His tone of voice as he spoke was relatively calm. But he couldn’t completely hide the bewilderment in his expression. With an uneasy look on his face, he licked his dry lips and closed his eyes, furrowing his brow as if trying to concentrate.
“…I told you I need to focus….”
“I was staying still.”
Kaiton grimaced, glancing at Murriel as if in a hurry, then quickly turned his head.
“I can feel your gaze….”
Hell… It’s really dangerous. Muriel, listening to Kaiton’s restless murmur, looked down at the rapidly approaching ground beneath them. The ground had gotten closer in no time. If it wasn’t because they had ascended higher than usual to avoid the stench, they would have already crashed to the ground after falling a considerable distance.
Perhaps if they hit the ground like this, they would die instantly without having a chance to use healing magic. It would be somewhat fortunate if their necks broke and they died, but if their ribs pierced their lungs, they would slowly die, which would be a little painful and terrifying.
Murriel looked at Kaiton, who was trying harder than ever to concentrate, his black lashes covering his eyes.
It was probably because of her that Kaiton was so unnerved.
It was peculiar how a wizard who was considered a monster beyond genius by many other mages was struggling so much just because she had said something a little wrong. A dull echo shook her heart.
“Should I let go?”
Rather than falling together like this, it seemed better if Kaiton regained his composure quickly and grabbed her after. Muriel let go of his shoulder with the hand that was holding onto it, trying to push him away. But Kaiton pulled Muriel closer, giving strength to his arm. He held onto Muriel so tightly that she couldn’t even wriggle, pressing her tightly against his side.
“It’s fine… Stay by my side. It’s more unsettling when you’re not here…”
“Still… It feels like both of us are going to die at this rate.”
“Well then… Maybe we shouldn’t breathe… Damn it!! Why did you suddenly say something weird…”
Kaiton yelled angrily and glared at Muriel, who blinked at him in surprise, then let out a long sigh, sweeping her face.
It wasn’t until they’d nearly reached the ground that Kaiton regained his composure, rolled his feet and soared into the sky. It was so close that if Muriel had bent down, she could have picked a flower blooming on the floor.
“Wouldn’t it be better to just go down to the ground?”
Murie asked carefully, watching Kaiton take vigorous steps in the sky. She was worried that Kaiton might falter again and fall. Kaiton glanced briefly at Muriel and replied bluntly.
“You won’t fall off, don’t worry.”
“Then at least while we’re talking…”
“That’s enough. You said it’s good that we don’t have to smell the rotting of the monsters when we go high up. Hmph…No matter how insensitive you may be, the odor must still bother you, right?”
“I’m not that insensitive… My senses of touch and taste may be dull, but…”
“…You’re incredibly insensitive, Muriel Storm.”
Was it Muriel again? It was only natural to be called by her name instead of Mure, but Muriel felt a sudden pang of disappointment for no reason and pursed her lips. The two of them didn’t exchange a single word as they ascended to a high place where the stench of monsters couldn’t reach. It was a quiet day with no wind, so there was only an awkward and uncomfortable silence between the two.
“Why are you saying that?
As Muriel searched for the right timing to speak to Kaiton while looking at the ground for Murishi, she heard Kaiton’s voice, which had become lower than before.
“What… do you want to check?”
Kaiton asked, his mouth firmly fixed. He grimaced his eyebrows and tousled his hair, glaring at Muriel. Although Kaiton didn’t seem particularly inclined to have this conversation, Muriel couldn’t let the opportunity slip away and quickly spoke up.
“The Dream butterfly not only shows the one you love but also the one you desire, so…”
“Can’t you not say that!”
Kaiton yelled in shock, then thumped his chest as if trying to calm down and steady his breathing. His neck, visible through the fluttering cape, was now flushed crimson. As if he felt Muriel’s gaze, he tried to shield his embarrassment and his red skin through the cape, but couldn’t hide the overwhelming sense of shame emanating from him.
While suppressing the urge to brush the heat radiating from that red skin with her hand, Muriel came up with a more moderate and restrained way of expressing herself.
“So… what I mean is, Even if I saw Kaiton through the dream butterfly, I don’t know if it’s because I love him or because of physical attraction.”
“…So, you’re saying that you’re not in love with me, but only attracted to my body? Is that what you want to say right now…?”
“I just wanted to check that… sort of.”
“…It’s driving me crazy, seriously…”
Kaiton sighed deeply as he touched his temple. Suddenly, he picked up tremendous speed and flew towards the forest. The moment Muriel let go of Kaiton’s hand, she felt like she would be flung far away at an incredible speed. Muriel held onto Kaiton’s waist, gripping tightly to prevent herself from falling. Kaiton, who had been holding onto Muriel’s waist with all his might until now, didn’t seem to care whether she fell or not, so Muriel dug deeper into his embrace to ensure she wouldn’t fall.
Without slowing down, Kaiton landed in a tall forest overlooking the abandoned estate. The trees were thick, and the place, filled with small wildflowers, resembled a meadow more than a forest. Although it was relatively close to the estate, there was no stench of foul creatures, perhaps due to the refreshing scent of the flowers and grass.
“How are you going to check?”
The moment they landed, Kaiton pushed her away, and Muriel struggled to regain her balance while he questioned her as if interrogating her. His voice sank low, as if he was holding back his anger.
“Ah, that’s…”
Muriel’s idea was to look into each other’s eyes and say, “I love you.” In fact, it was the method she had come up with after On Dal’s confession. When she heard On Dal say he liked her, she felt sorry for him, but she didn’t feel any fluttering in her heart. She was grateful and sorry that he liked her, but that was all. However, Ondal shed tears of joy even though Muriel said she only liked him as a friend.
To think it was such a happy thing that he cried.
It was an emotion that Muriel could not easily imagine. So she wanted to hear it from Kaiton’s mouth. How would she feel if he said, “I love you”? Would she be nervous and tremble? Would she be happy? Would she be so moved that tears would flow from joy?
Muriel had been guessing Kaiton’s feelings from his gaze and actions towards her, but she wanted to hear him say he loved her. She felt that if she heard those words, she would be able to confirm her own feelings for sure.
However, when it came time to actually say, “Tell me you love me,” her words got stuck in her throat. When she was hesitating because of embarrassment, Kaiton strode up and lifted her chin.
“You’re saying you don’t know with just a kiss, right?”
He swept Muriel’s lips while speaking in a raspy manner.
“These cheeky lips… I should have chewed on them more. Then you wouldn’t have been able to say things like you don’t know or been able to tease like this… Dammit.”
Kaiton pulled away from Muriel, muttering words that couldn’t be determined were meant for himself or not. Then with his arms crossed like shielding himself, he glared at Muriel, his chin held high, and eyes filled with wariness. As he took steps back with his long legs, the distance between them became quite big/
“Alright, go on. Where? What do you want me to do?”
“Well, um… I’ve imagined it by myself before, but since it would be different if Kaiton does it, I thought I’d just ask for it… for now.”
Muriel had imagined Kaiton saying he loved her. Somehow it seemed like Kaiton would grimace his eyebrows and make a scary expression when he confessed. As if he couldn’t help it, he might say it in a low voice to quickly get done with Muriel’s bothersome request. In any case, it was certain that he wouldn’t have a tender face like the dream butterfly imitating Kaiton. The idea of Kaiton whispering sweetly was even unreal to imagine.
“Alone… What did you do?”
Kaiton’s voice sounded slightly cracked, but she couldn’t tell whether it was due to the distance that seemed to create a barrier mingling with the sound of the wind, or if he’d suddenly caught something in his throat.
“Just… a simulation…”
“What?”
“Oh… just, you know, a stimulation…”
“No, I don’t know… that’s fine, but It feels like I shouldn’t know. Sigh… I, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but…”
Kaiton’s expression gradually contorted as he listened to Muriel, and he eventually wore a perplexed look as he rubbed his forehead. With his large hand partially obscuring his face, he turned to glare at Muriel. With his arms crossed, he leaned forward and rubbed his forehead, his back and shoulder hunched.
With his bent posture and twisted look, Kaiton’s intense gaze as he glanced slightly was so intense she felt like she’d turned into a specimen insect on a skewer. Unable to escape the microscope’s view and meticulously observed under sharp eyes.
“I understand that you don’t want to admit that you love me.”
“…!”
Kaiton’s gaze on Muriel was clear and persistent, as if he would not miss any tremors.
“No… it’s not like that-“
“-Right. You’re skillfully trying to evade that fact by saying you’re attracted to my body instead of love, aren’t you?”
Kaiton spoke firmly with a cold face. He pushed up the corner of his mouth, but somehow, it seemed like he was angry. He didn’t make any facial expressions or raise his voice, but she could feel a subtle sense of displeasure in his low, composed voice.
“It’s not like that…”
“But desire is love, isn’t it? Burying your body in mine, embracing me, wanting to passionately rip my lips off… even that sticky feeling, it’s love, Muriel.”
Kaiton’s gaze swept over Muriel’s body as if his eyes were licking it. It felt like it wasn’t just his gaze, but a sticky tongue touching her. Realizing that the slimy sensation he spoke of was contained in his eyes, Muriel cautiously swallowed her breath. The tingling sensation that intruded, stimulating her skin, spread throughout her entire body.
“Why won’t you just admit that you love me?”
“What…”
“You say you love me with your entire body. So why do you… why do you desperately deny it like that?”
Me? I want to deny it?
Saying that I love him with my entire body?
“Me… Do you not want to love me?”
Muriel was a little dazed. She had never thought about it that way. How could she deny her own feelings? The dream butterfly clearly showed it. It firmly presented Kaiton as the person occupying her heart.
Yet, she wanted to be sure, because it didn’t feel quite real. If it was the real Kaiton, not the fantasy shown by the dream butterfly, he could put an end to her lingering doubts and uncertainties.
Kaiton’s piercing gaze seemed to see through her heart. It felt like he was questioning her. If the dream butterfly had not shown me, would you have realized your love for me? If there were no dream butterfly, would you have not thought of loving me until the end? Weren’t you forced to face the heart you’d been turning away from because of the dream butterfly?
Muriel knew she had to say something to Kaiton, who was staring at her, but her throat felt tight and heavy, and she couldn’t open her mouth. The silence grew longer. Melancholy crept into Kaiton’s eyes, which seemed to be holding back anger. Unable to withstand that gaze, Muriel turned her eyes away and unexpectedly caught sight of the figure she had been eagerly waiting for, the Murishi.
“There’s a Murishi over there…”
After enduring two and a half days of a nauseating wait that made her head dizzy, the savior finally arrived. It was a rescuer who appeared after enduring the stench. Crooked ribs, matted and dirty fur as if covered in mud, and bizarrely shaped tusks. That figure was undoubtedly the Murishi, who ate rotten monsters.
[Food. Food. Food.]
At first sight, there was quite a large group of the Murishi. The cowardly Murishis seemed unable to step forward alone and waited until their comrades arrived. Whether they believed they had gathered enough numbers or simply couldn’t endure their hunger any longer, they cautiously approached the rotten monsters.
[Let’s go eat quickly, kyu.]
Muriel was relieved that she could still understand the Murishi, who were sincere about food as always. She had worried about what would happen if the only Murishi she could communicate with was Pony, the first one she’d met.
Following Muriel’s gaze, Kaiton glanced at the Murishi who passed by. Then he fixed his gaze back on Muriel. It was an attitude that clearly showed he would hear her answer today.
“Kaiton…”
However, when Muriel anxiously called out to him, as if she couldn’t afford to miss the timing, Kaiton let out a deep sigh as if he had no choice. With a look of disapproval, he took Muriel’s hand and descended below where the Murishis were gathered.
Muriel quietly breathed a sigh of relief in his steadfast arms. Thankfully, she’d bought some time. If the conversation hadn’t been interrupted, she wouldn’t have known how to respond.
I feel bad for Kaiton 🙁
And he most definitely was not thinking about a pure hearted confession of love when he heard the word stimulant
