EP: 98
“I have nowhere to go. Tucker and Rockford are in the same situation. They both may look otherwise, but… they’re good people. They’ll be nice to you, sister. Can you please take us with you?”
What do you mean nice? They were just chasing her to kill her. Tucker also seemed to be stabbed by that, so he avoided meeting Muriel’s gaze.
“I can help you find a safe place to settle down…. I’ll give you settlement funds so you can live in another village. I don’t have any money now, but I can give it to you when I go to the estate.”
“…Is it because I’ve become a thief? I, I really haven’t done many bad things… I needed to survive… I only took what I needed so we could eat… I’ve never killed anyone! Even though he tried to kill you… he’s never killed anyone, it’s true!”
“No, that’s not it. I’m currently staying with black wizards.”
Muriel’s head naturally turned towards Tucker. It was questionable whether Tucker, who was trying to kill the black wizards for a ridiculous reason, would willingly join their new stronghold. Even if it wasn’t for that reason, ordinary people couldn’t be let into the Ghost Estate. It was a place where wanted criminals, black wizards, and the Demon King were gathered, all being tracked down by Sharan. They lived at the edge of a word where they could be exposed to danger at any time. It would be better for her to start a new life in some other land.
“I don’t hate black wizards! I like them! Tucker, you too, right? It’s not like the black wizards turned your brother into a demon…! Don’t you think so?”
“Uh… no… I’m sorry, Muriel. I didn’t know you were the benefactor CC always talked about. I misunderstood and thought you were a… a black wizard.”
Tucker, with wide, frightened eyes, tearfully apologized to Muriel, almost as if he was being threatened by this “CC”. Whether he was truly scared of her or if he was feeling remorseful belatedly, his expression seemed sincere.
“…I have a situation of my own to deal with. I can’t take you with me. But I’ll give you enough money to settle….”
“-Muriel, please give us a chance!”
“Please, take us…!”
“Eek! Let go, this…! What’s wrong with you…. Aren’t you going to let go of this?”
Tucker and Rockford grabbed Muriel’s legs and pleaded desperately, even dropping to their knees and shedding tears, begging her to help them. Their desperation was so intense that one might suspect they were trying to follow Muriel and rob the estate’s treasury. If it weren’t for Sierra’s bright and clear brown eyes, she would have thought the thieves were plotting something and would have fled long ago.
“It’s dangerous for you to come with me. Sierra, wouldn’t it be better for you to start anew in a safer village…?”
“I’m willing to risk my life. I’ve been searching for you, sister.”
“Why risk your life for me…!”
As Muriel jumped up in surprise and questioned, Sierra pressed her lips tightly, as if finding it difficult to speak. Tucker and Rockford also looked at Muriel with exaggerated cries, as if there was something they were struggling to convey.
“I’ll tell you later… about that.”
“Don’t tell me. Don’t risk your life. Absolutely not…! Let go of me….”
“Sister?”
“Uh… I don’t feel very well…”
Muriel’s face, which had been filled with disgust, turned pale. She had reached her limit now.
Although her pacio was limitless, its usefulness was near zero when it came to the output of the wizard said to be the best in the kingdom. Struggling to withstand the output, her body was beginning to strain.
“Let go… Let’s take a break… I’m tired.”
Sierra looked bewildered as she supported Muriel’s body. Tucker and Rockford, who had been slow to react and stuck to Muriel, were swiftly taken care of with two swift and merciless kicks. Judging by their skills, it seemed that their well-built bodies were not just for show, and yet.
“S-Sister… Are you okay? Your body… it’s so… cold.”
“M-Muriel…! Did you push yourself too hard because of me? Sob. I’m sorry…! How… How dare I do something to CC’s benefactor… I will atone for it my whole life!! Please, forgive me…!”
Tucker, whether he was apologizing or subtly vowing to stick by her for life, made Muriel’s head ring with words that couldn’t be deciphered. His vocal cords were so healthy that she could hear the sound of startled animals fleeing.
“Miss Muriel, are you short of pacio? So was my wife. Before becoming a living disaster… her pacio ran out, and she became terribly cold. I can still vividly see her shivering in the cold…”
“Quiet.”
“Sob… I’m sorry.”
“Be quiet. It’s a monster.”
She’d thought the animals were leaving because they were sick of Tucker’s loud voice, but it turned out a monster had appeared. It wasn’t good. The monster was the corrupted form of Vireo, the name with the nickname harsh frostbite bird. Fen, a real frost spirit, had a mischievous and laid-back personality, but Vireo, with the nickname Frost Bird, had a vicious and sensitive nature. Even as a spirit, it was a dangerous creature to run into, let alone as a monster…
“Run away!”
“For your kindness…”
At the same time as Muriel’s scream, Sierra rushed towards the monster. Drawing two long swords strapped to her waist, she climbed up a tree and leaped.
“I will repay you…!!”
Sierra moved as if she were a swordmaster who knew how to use magic. Her movements were fast, and her swords were already aiming accurately for the neck of the Vireo monster, ready to strike. Tucker and Rockford, as if confident in her success, exclaimed in admiration and swung their fists.
“No… Sierra…! Watch out!”
However, it was unlikely that three ordinary thieves and one magic-user without a wizard could face a flying monster that spewed magical attacks. Sierra was hit by Vireo’s blade-like ice attacks pouring from its mouth and fell to the ground. Vireo became even more frenzied and went on a rampage. With quick, nervous movements, it flew towards Sierra and grabbed her with its sharp feet. Then, with a thud, it threw her against a tree as if crushing a bug, causing her to faint.
“To treat Sierra like this…”
“Damn it…! You filthy spawn…!”
“Aaah!!”
“No, you can’t…!”
The three seemed to be closer than expected. Seeing Sierra fall, Tucker and Rockford, with renewed determination, charged at Vireo. If they had been cowardly, they might have survived… but they were easily overpowered. They were crushed by the frenzied demon like insignificant bugs.
Damn it…. I told them to run away…
Muriel froze. She hesitated when the young girl, who hadn’t shed her childishness yet, threw herself into danger to protect her. But if she used magic, Kaiton would be in danger. To defeat the disgusting creature that created demons, he would need her pacio. … If she went to save Sierra now, she thought he might be in danger, so her body didn’t move as if she were bound.
I’m sorry….
I can’t do it. Sorry, Sierra.
Muriel tightly closed her eyes. I’m really sorry….
I… I can’t abandon Kaiton.
I can’t see him in danger.
So Muriel chose to run away. As she took cowardly steps back, her eyes met with Sierra, who fell to the floor and looked at her pitifully.
“Sister, I’m sorry…. Please, run away… quickly….”
Swoosh!
Vireo made a chilling sound and flew high into the sky. Like a bird spotting its prey, it started circling the sky. It was a gesture preparing for the final blow. It was a declaration that it would descend straight down and pierce through the little girl’s body.
***
Muriel could not see properly amidst the tears. She couldn’t believe what she had done. She used magic towards Vireo descending towards Sierra. She saved Sierra. She also saved the lives of Tucker and Rockford who kept their friendship to her until the end. But what about him…?
Kaiton, who always had casual and cold eyes fixed on her? That chilling man who saw through her heart even when she didn’t put it into words..? Even though she knew Kaiton was only able to use her pacio… Even though she knew that he was now engaged in a dangerous battle with the demon… She used her pacio to save someone else. What if at that moment, Kaiton also needed magic? What would she do then…? What if that gap put him in danger…
Unbearable anxiety and fear engulfed Muriel. Even the gradual recovery of her body was painful. Her pacio wasn’t leaving her anymore. Her ominous thoughts grew because of that ill-timed coincident.
The terrible horror she’d once experienced in the Dream Butterfly’s grasp.
Kaiton, who doesn’t open his eyes.
“…You don’t know yet… Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry so ominously, Muriel Storm! Kaiton will be fine… Kaiton’s okay… You made the choice. Even though you…didn’t choose Kaiton! Don’t be like this and invite bad luck.”
Muriel felt like she would die if she didn’t push herself. The feelings she couldn’t convey to him because of fear and hesitation poured out like tears. She couldn’t stop. Her feelings, which she kept suppressing and pressing down on because she was timid and embarrassed, burst through the cracks of her heart. The belated admission wiped out everything like an avalanche.
I like…
I like you.
I really, really like you.
Give me just one more chance.
Please… stay alive.
She couldn’t think of anything else. Like the snow covered the world in white, only he existed in Muriel’s mind. She felt like she would go crazy in her wish to see him with his black eyes that seemed to extinguish the light, sparkling like stars.
“Kaiton… Kaiton… Where are you…?”
“Muriel.”
! Muriel’s eyes widened at the voice she longed for so much. It was Kaiton. Maybe it was the afterglow of the battle, he was unable to completely erase the roughness and exuded a dangerous atmosphere. His clothes were a little torn and covered in dirt and dust, but it was him. The person who engulfed her entire heart, who made her unable to think of anything else.
There were still problems that lingered to her liking him. However, he covered up all those problems like snow. The moment she saw him, her mind blanked, like encountering a blizzard on the plateau. There was nothing else she could think of.
“Kaiton…!”
Muriel rushed towards him and threw herself into his arms. She didn’t where the strength came from. It was difficult enough to not faint, but when she saw him, her legs forcefully rolled on the ground. She really wanted to hug him. That way, she would feel relieved. Because she wouldn’t be able to bear it if he was just an illusion she created. She felt like she had to feel that cool body temperature of his to truly believe it.
“You…”
Kaiton tried to pull Muriel away in surprise, but when she lost her strength and started to collapse, he tightly held onto her waist. Muriel breathed a sigh of relief, relying on the familiar strength that supported her.
“I like you.”
She wanted to say it step by step. She wanted to make sure he was okay, to ask if he had caught the demon, to hear everything about what happened when the pacio was cut off. However, the overwhelming feeling that filled her heart popped out. It had no choice but to. It was full of him right now. He was the snow that covered the plains with nothing else in sight.
“I like Kaiton. To the point I can’t think of anything else.”
***
Kaiton looked at Muriel, who was asleep in his arms.
“I like you.”
“I like Kaiton. To the point I can’t think of anything else.”
After shaking him with tremendous words like that, Muriel once again left him alone. After saying those unbelievably sweet words which sounded out of character, Muriel closed her eyes. Kaiton blinked and gently slapped her cheek to wake her, but Muriel had fainted. As if she couldn’t endure any longer.
Should he wake her up…?
Kaiton wondered if he should shake the graceless Muriel to wake her up. Suddenly confessing like that, he wanted to ask what she was thinking all of a sudden. He wanted to turn her inside out; pretending to be strong and saying that it didn’t matter if she fainted, that she wasn’t cold at all. He wanted to say, ‘Look at this. You couldn’t stand it and fainted after all.’
But Kaiton embraced her tightly as he cast a spell to warm her up. He didn’t hate the way her face relaxed as if his arms were comfortable. Yes… he wished she could rely on him a little more.
“Kaiton… where are you?”
His heart sank when he saw Muriel crying with a look he’d never seen before. Muriel, who looked fragile, vulnerable and on the verge of collapse, was unfamiliar. He wanted to run to her right away, hug her, and ask her what was wrong. But he was still resentful, so he turned away from wanting to rush over and comfort her. He was still upset and his insides felt twisted. So he continued to look at Muriel, who looked in pain with her face distorted like she was going to fall down right away, with a frozen face.
But her frowning face loosened with relief as soon as she saw him. It was as if she had no strength to stand, she was even staggering – yet instead of reaching out her hand to be embraced, Muriel directly towards him. He didn’t know she would go to such lengths and act so helplessly, but as he saw her grimace with relief and embrace him, all his pain melted away. It was as if he would completely melt and surrender under her feeble strength, which seemed to say she couldn’t bear it unless she hugged him and burst into tears.
The annoyance that had hidden his worries melted away, and the coldness that concealed his nervousness and guilt crumbled. Embracing her warm body that had become cold because of him, he wanted to confess honestly; that he was worried… that he was scared when he couldn’t see her… that he would have gone crazy with guilt if he saw her pale face and found she died because of him.
‘I like you.’
But to hear such a confession. His head went white. It was him who couldn’t think of anything but that. He knew in his head that her recklessness and gaze were solely because of her feelings towards him. Muriel liked him, he knew that. However, it was an unbelievable miracle that he couldn’t check and verify, he felt like he was going insane because she kept denying it. His childish anger rose, and anxieties, restlessness and a funny nervousness tormented him.
‘I like you.’
Muriel’s words rang in time with his heartbeat. His heart had never been so full since his pacio ran out, so he wanted to keep confirming. It was a strange thing. He couldn’t believe he was still greedy for more of her heart when he already felt so full. Muriel sighed with relief by his side, as if she had finally found solace, but Kaiton felt like he was destined to feel a desperate thirst and longing that was ever to be felt by her side.
Wow, that last line is so damn romantic omg
