《My Ex-Husband Became The Male Lead》 Chapter 1 - The End Is Coming Chapter 1: The End Is Coming ¡°Catch them all!¡± There was fire everywhere. After a long period of time, the acrid smell of the fire went into Renna¡¯s bedroom. I covered my mouth and nose with a towel and stood by the window, coughing. The people¡¯s screams came from outside the flaming windows, but there was nothing Renna could do. ¡®What happened to you¡­¡¯ My mouth dried up as I waited nervously. How much time has passed? Renna¡¯s tightly shut bedroom door opened and her husband, Kaligo, came in. Even in this situation, as usual, his face was expressionless. Renna, who stood by the window, hurriedly ran towards Kaligo. ¡°Kaligo! What the hell is going on!¡± Whether he knew her nervousness or not, Kaligo put his hand in his pocket without saying anything. He took a small necklace out of it and hung it around her neck, and called her name in a low voice. ¡°Renna.¡± Her eyes grew bigger when she heard her name come out of his mouth. It was the first time. Instead of being called ¡°you¡± or ¡°ma¡¯am¡±, he called me by my name. Maybe, that was the reason why his name sounded so unfamiliar to me. Kaligo, who finished putting the necklace around Renna¡¯s neck, held her and said. ¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡± Renna¡¯s once shaking body now stiffened after hearing Kaligo say those words. What? Don¡¯t leave? Even in this situation? During our five years of marriage, there wasn¡¯t a moment where I escaped my duties as a Duchess. But, even when I¡¯m about to die, he¡¯s still telling me to stay in this mansion? ¡­¡­Are you saying¡­.I should die here?¡¯ His orders, under the guise of a favor, still remained even when the world was in chaos. She bit her lower lip gently, escaped from his arms, and asked. ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°Are you¡­.coming back?¡± To this room, where I am waiting? Are you coming back alive? Until then, can I stay alive? No, do you even have the intention of saving me from this place? I wanted to ask a lot of questions, but my voice was shaking tremendously. In the end, I decided to just close my mouth. Instead of replying to her question, Kaligo stepped away from her. ¡°I¡¯ll be back¡­.. no matter what.¡± Kaligo turned away and went out of the room without looking back. After 5 years of being married, his back looked no different. No matter how many times I looked at it, it always looked cold. And¡­ That was the last time I saw him alive. ¡°Find all the remnants!¡± The knights of the Imperial Palace eventually reached the front of Renna¡¯s room. It didn¡¯t take long for the locked bedroom door to break because of the immense force of the knights. Until then, I tried to remain calm. Since he was the Duke of Edmund, who had a lot of enemies, she was worried this would happen someday. It happened today. Before it has come to this, schemes and plots would always be directed towards the Duchess. ¡°The fact that they¡¯ve come all the way here¡­¡­ It was clear to me that the worst had happened. That¡¯s why I tried to keep my composure. As the wife of the Duke of Edmund, she will neither fall in disgrace nor will she beg for her life for fear of death. That¡¯s what I vowed. But¡­. When one of the imperial knights was holding her husband¡¯s head came into view, Renna immediately collapsed. Yes, it was the Duke. It was her husband, Kaligo. It was his head. ¡°Kal¡­igo?¡± On both hands of the imperial knights were traces of the suppression of the rebellion. The blade of one of the imperial knights has blood dripping from it. On the other hand, he held the head of her husband. It was a shocking sight to see that she collapsed the moment she saw it. ¡°Ka¡­Kal¡­¡± ¡°The head of the rebel army was immediately disposed of.¡± ¡°Kali¡­go¡­Ka¡­ligo!!¡± What rebellion? What disposition? Even if I hate him or love him, he¡¯s still my husband. It¡¯s true that I resented my husband, but I didn¡¯t want it to end like this. His unusual gaze and voice when he first called my name still lingered in my head and ears. ¡®But, what good change can it bring now that this happened? Nothing can comfort me in the face of fear and vanity. Saying that he would come back were all¡­empty words. ¡°According to the law, all the families that participated in the rebellion will¡­.¡± The bloodstained sword rose high up into the sky. ¡°Be punished according to the imperial order.¡± In the bedroom, the sharp sound of the sword cut through the air landing on the back of Renna¡¯s neck. On the same day, at the same place holding on to the memory of her husband¡¯s terrible death, that¡¯s how she died. *** The morning sun brilliantly shone over the river in the city. The laughter of the people, and the savory smell of bread filled every corner of the alley. The usual mornings of Carmain, the capital of the Karhan Empire. A place where people are friendly and greets everyone they pass by. As Ashia passed the narrow alley with a basket full of freshly baked bread and fresh milk, shopkeepers who were cleaning the alley greeted Ashia. ¡°Ashia, good morning!¡± ¡°Likewise, Aunt Chelsea.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the business going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s great, of course~ Ashia¡¯s face, as she answered with a bright smile, was as fresh as the morning sun. The scent of flowers blooming in spring, the heat felt in summer, autumn with its golden fields, and the cold wind during winter. It¡¯s a place where you can see it with your eyes, hear it with your ears, and feel it as it makes contact with your skin. It¡¯s not fiction, but reality. ¡®Who would think that this place would be that of a novel?¡¯ Ten years ago, Renna reincarnated to this place. There is no pain in my heart because my husband was indifferent, no harm in the interference of my surroundings, and no loss of my voice in rebellion. The place she transmigrated into was a novel. Cling As Ashia entered the shop, opening the sky-blue door, the small bell on the door shook lightly and produced a cheerful sound. Ashia immediately began to move the potions that have been stored in a wooden box. ¡°This is the potion Berna ordered that should be delivered to the temple, and this¡­.¡¯ Then, the door of the shop opened and the bell rang once again. Upon hearing the sound, Ashia quickly bowed as if she was waiting for someone. ¡°Welcome. This is Ashia¡¯s Potion Shop.¡± As she walked fast to the customer, she showed the customer her signature lively smile. ¡°What do you need? Tell me anything.¡± < > The man, who came in the shop, looked around, while slowly walking towards Ashia. ¡°¡­¡­.Are you the owner of the shop, Asha Bliss?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m Ashia Bliss.¡± The man¡¯s tone, who was neatly dressed in a dark navy ¡°Oh, you need a special potion. What exactly do you need?¡± A bright smile graced her fair face. Her eyes, which resembled the deep blue sea, and her golden hair, which curled elegantly at her waist, added magnificence to her overall aura. There are many beautiful women. But, very few women have both beauty and magnificence. It was very difficult and rare to even find noble women with such beauty and magnificence. ¡®And, just by looking at her, I know that she¡¯s a witch.¡¯ Even though the usual peculiar gloom of a witch was not found in the woman before his eyes, it felt like one look into her eyes had the power to paralyze the other gender. The man who was looking at her inhaled. He then answered as soon as he exhaled. ¡°¡­.. It¡¯s not me who needs the potion, but the person I serve.¡± uniform, seemed rather cold. Nevertheless, Ashia did not lose her smile. It¡¯s just not the typical soft and sweet guests that usually come. ¡®Amazing¡­.¡¯ The man stared at Ashia whilst thinking, Ashia Bliss. She was a witch whose name was quite known among the people. The rumors pertaining to her as a witch were both good and bad. That¡¯s why I had a prejudice. I expected her to have a strong presence. Furthermore, I imagined that she¡¯d resemble the figure of a witch that I had learned from books. Contrary to what I imagined, she is rather sweet and gentle. No, if I¡¯m careless for even a moment, my thoughts would be obvious to her. ¡°¡­..I heard you can make special potions here.¡± After hearing his answer, the smile on Ashia¡¯s face slowly disappeared. ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± 6 ¡­¡± The features of her face became clearer as soon as she stopped smiling ¡®Was she only smiling because of her business?¡¯ The man¡¯s eyebrow moved slightly while looking at her face. At first glance, she looked elegant, but as soon as the smile was erased, all that was left was a haughty atmosphere that surrounded her. The gap between her smiling face and her normal face was bigger than I expected. Ashia, who was pondering for a while, smiled again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but for special potions requests, I need to meet the client personally in order to be able to make it.¡± Ashia tried to give a regretful smile while scanning the man in front of her. Mid 20s, well defined features, straight posture, speaking in calm tone and wearing a uniform. The master he¡¯s serving seemed to be someone with a high-ranking position. ¡®Count? Marquis? Or maybe a Duke?¡¯ The man, who was listening to Ashia¡¯s answer, replied in a calm tone. ¡°I need you to come with me.¡± Instead of answering, Ashia¡¯s eyebrows went up. It was roughly predictable that an employee was sent instead of the client personally coming to a shop like mine. But, she was surprised with his answer, as if she never expected him to say those words. ¡°What do I do with this¡­.¡± Ashia tried her best to appear troubled by his request, and continued. ¡°As you can see, I am the only shopkeeper, so when I leave¡­¡± I¡¯m asking you to come up with something to cover the loss specifically the damage it will cause if I leave the store. The man, who was still listening to Ashia, placed a heavy bag on the counter, as if he was expecting her to reply with those words. ¡°Since my master¡¯s request can result in a huge loss, we¡¯ll be paying you this much gold.¡± Gold. Her favorite thing in this world was gold. ¡°It¡¯s just a deposit. You won¡¯t be disappointed. I¡¯ll be paying you ten times the deposit as soon as you are finished with the potion.¡± ¡°Of course, if you decide to cancel the request midway, you will have to pay 20 times the deposit as a penalty.¡± As Ashia listened to him, her blue eyes were fixed to a fairly heavy-looking gold pouch. Cancel the request? Penalty? Those words are not in her dictionary. Moreover, it was clear that with that much gold, she doesn¡¯t need to open the store for three to four months. Ashia had a confident smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ve never given up on a request myself.¡± Her deep blue eyes were full of confidence, no, what her eyes now contained was obviously greed. ¡¯10 times the amount you say¡­.¡¯ It¡¯s been a long time since my ears heard anybody offering 20 times more than the amount required for the penalty of breaching a contract. Ashia, smiling, pulled the gold pouch on the counter and said, ¡°Will you be covering the travel expenses, sir?¡± Chapter 2 - Why Are You Leaving? Chapter 2 ¨C Why Are You Leaving? The carriage, which was full of quality mana, ran at a terrific speed as soon as it left the capital. Ashia looked around in the carriage and soon fixed her eyes on the man sitting in front of her. The man seemed to be busy as he was handling important documents even inside the carriage. ¡®Given the quality and quantity of the mana stone, I am certain that this man is very rich¡­..¡¯ Who the hell sent this man here? No symbols were engraved on this carriage. It meant that there was no way for one to know who the owner of the carriage is. Moreover, he probably did this as he didn¡¯t want to draw the attention of anyone. I am curious about who the master is of that man, but it seems like he wouldn¡¯t let me know any detail about him even if I asked. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll see him soon anyway.¡¯ I decided to stop worrying about such meaningless things. I moved closer to where the window of the carriage was located and looked out the window. Ashia, who hasn¡¯t left the capital for a long time, was a little excited. The man, who was looking at the documents, lifted his head slightly. He stared at Ashia, who was busy looking out of the window. ¡®Ashia Bliss¡­..¡¯ The investigation into that witch has been blocked off. It was not easy to know whether it was because the tower did something about it, or there was really no information to dig out. In the past, she recklessly used her magic, which caused both big and small accidents. But, one day, she just quietly started to make potions. Due to her glamorous and beautiful appearance, there were many scandalous rumors tying her to the opposite gender, but it is said that such rumors were quickly disbanded after she had strictly discredited everything. ¡°But what kind of disease does your master have to the point that he even had to find me?¡± Ashia asked him, still looking out of the window. She didn¡¯t expect him to answer, but she couldn¡¯t resist asking him because she was curious. The man looked down at the documents, then answered her question. ¡°You¡¯ll see him soon. You can know it by then.¡± ¡°Ah, of course.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of spilling a grain of information as expected. At this point, I wondered if this could be any different from kidnapping, but Ashia decided to still follow. ¡®Come to think of it, we¡¯ve been in the carriage for quite a while¡­.¡¯ Having a trade with many secrets is always dangerous. The bigger the risk, the shorter the gold earned from the request, but this seems to be the way out of the capital. Ashia didn¡¯t like to get out of the capital. No, to be exact, it was dangerous for her to get out of the capital. It was deeply related to the main characters of the original work. When the original characters, which had been forgotten for quite some time, suddenly came to mind, a fever of anxiety began to rise in her heart. ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be ever run into them in this vast piece of land.¡¯ TL/N: You really think so? She shook her head to shake off the worries she had. Not long after, the carriage¡¯s speed dropped noticeably. Only then did the territorial landscape come into sight. ¡®Wow¡­..¡¯ At first glance, it was a vast land. With its white houses and vibrant shops, it seemed as good as the capital, Carmian. ¡®Wait, a territory that has a similar territory as the capital?¡¯ Realizing that, deeper anxiety began to settle in Ashia¡¯s head, which was full of thoughts that scare her the most. As the carriage slowed down, it finally stopped in front of a large mansion. ¡®Oh my¡­..¡¯ Ashia, who got off the carriage, was speechless for a while. Her eyes shook in disarray as she gazed at the picture-like mansion in front of her as though she was hypnotized. [The size of the territory of Etous was comparable to that of Carmian, the capital of the Karhan Empire. The magnificent and enormous mansion, comparable to the Imperial Palace, contained the greatness of defending the Karhan Empire for many years.] A place often described in the novel, even rumored to be located in the capital. ¡®¡­.It¡¯s the Grand Duke¡¯s residence!¡¯ Obviously, this land and mansion were places she had never gone to before, but Ashia could tell at once what this place was. Grand Duke Etous¡¯s territory Etous Boer is where Ashia had just stepped foot in. ¡®There¡¯s a lot of families I can run into. Yet¡­..it had to still be the Grand Duke.¡¯ Not a Count, not a Duke. It¡¯s the one and only Grand Duke of this Empire. Ashia frowned and sighed. The man, who was looking at her expression, took a step closer and leaned over her. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce myself formally. My name is Redin Karantes. You can call me Redin.¡± Ashia¡¯s gaze, which was fixed on the mansion, turned to Redin. I was annoyed at this man. However, I had no choice but to hide my anger. ¡°¡­..Ah. I see.¡± Seeing her expression and tone was as cold as ice, Redin added. ¡°No need to be nervous. He¡¯s not as scary as what the rumors say.¡± ¡°He better not be.¡± Ashia¡¯s attitude towards the Grand Duke will depend on how he was going to act. If he behaved kindly, then she would be kind. If he behaved overbearingly, then she would be overbearing too. Of course, she has the power and the ability to do that. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Because of her blunt tone, the butler, Redin, was a little curious about her. Most people usually only looked at the main gate of the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion before being stricken by fear, running away as though they had seen a monster. Some would abandon their carriages and just run around empty-handed, scaping their knees on the dirty road. However, she wasn¡¯t like most people. Instead, Ashia sank into a deep and cold atmosphere. ¡®Is she not scared because of the current rumors? That¡¯s impossible.¡¯ The Grand Duke was notorious for being a tyrant and a rascal. He can¡¯t sleep without a woman, and he even thinks that human life is equivalent to that of a bug. But he changed a few years ago after having a near-death experience. Not only did he stop whatever evil deeds he had been doing, but he also began collecting and giving money instead of wasting away his fortune. It was as though he had become someone else. But¡­ Can a person really change so easily? Right? How would you know if he¡¯s just faking it or not? The fact that he has changed wasn¡¯t probably important among the people of his country. Over the years, there have been countless good deeds he has done himself, yet his reputation still hasn¡¯t changed for the better. The doctor of the Grand Duke also ran away. Neither the commissioned members nor the temple¡¯s monks could withstand the pressure of communicating with the Grand Duke. Moreover, they also fear that they may lose their voice anytime whenever they¡¯re with him. That¡¯s why Redin thought that the reason why Ashia¡¯s complexion suddenly changed was not much different from them either. But, the reason for that was different. ¡®Sigh¡­.¡¯ I held back the sigh that was about to leak out of my mouth. If that man¡¯s words were true, this place is definitely the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. That would mean it was the Grand Duke who ordered this butler to bring her in. The problem is that the hero of this novel is the Grand Duke. ¡®Of all people¡­..¡¯ Ashia, who sighed, slowly scratched her forehead. The current situation was both annoying and embarrassing. If I run away now, there will be a penalty. Furthermore, the amount of gold that I have to pay is twenty times more than the gold I received. ¡®Never.¡¯ Which part did she get wrong exactly? She bit her lower lip tightly in agony. In the meantime, Ashia was already on her way to the entrance of the mansion, passing through its splendid garden. ¡®Oh my¡­..How can I avoid meeting him?¡¯ ¡®A stomachache?¡¯ ¡®No, a headache?¡¯ ¡®No, I¡¯d rather fall down the stairs.¡¯ I could go up the stairs quietly, and fall down, making it seem like an accident. At that moment, when she was agonizing over what she should do to avoid meeting him, Redin stopped walking when they arrived in front of a room. ¡°This is the Grand Duke¡¯s Office.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°The details will be told directly by my master.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± As soon as she finished with her reply, the door of the office opened right away. ¡®Wow¡­..¡¯ It felt like I was looking at a cave without any light. After taking a deep breath, I took a step inside. The door of the Grand Duke¡¯s office closed right away. Even in broad daylight, the Grand Duke¡¯s office was pitch-dark. A faint ray of light leaked through the opened curtains, but that did not help much. Ashia tried to locate the position of the Grand Duke with her eyes inside the darkness. She couldn¡¯t see his face but she could feel the presence of a dark shadow standing beside the desk. He did not talk, greet, or move. He just stood there. An awkward and uncomfortable silence continued. ¡®¡­..I wonder what his personality is.¡¯ Proud and arrogant, or mean and ferocious? I heard you¡¯ve been quiet lately, so I thought it was weird. Ashia kept pondering about what personality the Grand Duke has. However, that rude man in the dark is a client who paid a lot of gold. ¡®Let¡¯s just think about the gold I received. Just make the potion and leave. He¡¯s a total stranger¡­..That¡¯s right, he¡¯s just like any other client I had received.¡¯ Even if the person, who was in front of her, has a rotten personality and is the novel¡¯s male lead, he is just another client who gave her gold. A smile graced her face out of habit, though nothing could be seen in this dark office. ¡°Nice to meet you, Grand Duke.¡± Wearing a hood indoors, such a mannerless thing to do! She raised her hand so that she could take off her stuffy hood. Then, she carried on in a gentle voice, as always, towards her customers. ¡°I¡¯m Ashia Bliss. I run a potion store in the capital, Carmian.¡± At that moment, the man, who stood in the dark without moving, took a step forward. Then, the light, through the small gap between the curtains, crept over his face, illuminating it. ¡°Thanks to your help, I can arrive here safely and comfortably¡­.¡± His sudden movements caused Ashia¡¯s voice to diminish and her hand, which was about to take off the hood, also quickly stopped moving. Looking at him, Ashia¡¯s blue eyes shook as she could not hide the shock she felt. The air in front of her seemed to have gotten heavier. Under the thin stream of light, the face of the Grand Duke was fully revealed. ¡°Likewise.¡± A quiet, deep voice pierced her ears. Ashia¡¯s lips opened a little after seeing his face. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Ashia looked at him without giving a reply. It was a familiar face. He looked so familiar, even if she only met him today. ¡°Kal¡­..go?¡± When I realized that this place was in a novel, I failed to control my mana and blew up a mountain in the Empire. I even destroyed a small island nearby. When I found out that this was the male lead¡¯s house, I lamented, but I wasn¡¯t as surprised as I am now. After living as Ashia Bliss for 10 years, she thought that she had already forgotten everything. As I stood in front of him, this man forced me to recall the memory of ¡°Renna Cornelli¡±, something that I had forgotten for a long time. ¡®How can¡­.this man be here?¡¯ Ashia was so surprised that she forgot to even breathe; her lips were the only ones that moved ever so slightly. ¡®No¡­¡­no.¡¯ The man facing Renna right now was her ex-husband, who lost his life in the same place and on the same day as she did. Chapter 3 [Part 1] - What Curse? Chapter 3 [Part 1] ¨C What Curse? ¡®No¡­..Why is this man here?¡¯ As soon as I caught a glimpse of the man¡¯s face, I remembered that night. The night when we lost our necks for the crime of revolting. 10 years have passed since then. Yes, ten years. ¡®No¡­..It¡¯s been 10 years. Why can I recognize him at a glance?¡¯ Shouldn¡¯t I have at least examined his face further and think, ¡®Who is he? I think I saw him somewhere.¡¯ I lived thinking that Renna Cornelli¡¯s memories had faded away. Now, I realized that it was just an illusion of mine. ¡°Kal¡­¡­igo?¡± Ashia muttered his name unconsciously. Then, Kaligo¡¯s insensitive, slender gaze moved slowly. ¡°¡­..I see, Grand Duke.¡± My heart sank when I called his name without even realizing it. Fortunately, the name of her ex-husband and the male protagonist of the novel are the same. That is also the reason why Ashia remembers the man. Naturally, he lowered his head slightly as she let go of the hem of her dress and lifted her head. Beyond her hood, she could see the man¡¯s face in front of her in a little more detail. ¡®Wow, he really¡­.looks like him.¡¯ His face was identical to her ex-husband, Kaligo Edmund. Dark eyebrows like that of an artwork¡¯s, and red eyes with an indifferent and languid atmosphere around them. Those were the eyes of the man who stared at Ashia. ¡®No¡­..Maybe they just have similar features.¡¯ Ashia began to take a closer look at him starting from his slick, seductive hair. ¡®He¡¯s not him. He¡¯s not him. Find proof that he¡¯s not him. ¡¯ His height soared above hers¡¯ and his magnificent figure was enough to cover her whole body. He was like a predator who reigned at the top of the food chain and was slow yet oppressive. Contrary to her earnest desire, he was too much alike with her husband to only be regarded as similar. ¡®I must be crazy¡­¡­.¡¯ If that¡¯s not Kaligo, then who the hell is he? Again, the man moved one step closer to her. In response, all the lamps in the office turned on at once. As her dark vision brightened, the Grand Duke¡¯s appearance became clearer. ¡°I should¡¯ve visited you myself, but my condition is far worse than it seems.¡± The man spoke in a low voice with no trace of arrogance. I only thought he looked similar to him, but his voice, tone, and beautiful and noble atmosphere were appallingly the same. ¡®He¡¯s definitely Kaligo.¡¯ Upon realizing that it was him, I was shaken for a while as I still naively believed that it might be someone else. I was furious, but when I reincarnated in the novel, I never said that no one wasn¡¯t allowed to do the same. Including my ex-husband. ¡®Come to think of it, the temperature in the room suddenly dropped ever since I realized that the male lead and my ex-husband¡¯s name were the same.¡¯ Still, I never thought that this Kaligo would be my ex-husband. She suppressed her thoughts to try to calm her thumping heart. Ashia wasn¡¯t quick-witted, but her ability to understand and adapt to the situation wasn¡¯t bad. ¡®Calm down. If you think of the many things that you¡¯ve been through¡­.you¡¯ll be fine. Everything will work out.¡¯ Can this be considered a simple matter? Can I treat my reunion with my ex-husband, who died with me, as something of minor importance? ¡®No, that reason does not suffice for me to be desperate to reunite with him with a passionate hug and a sweet kiss, does it?¡± Of course, I had many questions. How were we able to come here? How do I remember my memories of my past life? Why did we revolt? Why did we have to die that way? I wanted to ask those questions and hear proper explanations right away. However, this man is the male lead of the novel. I¡¯d be glad to reunite with my ex-husband, but he¡¯s the main character of this novel now. Ashia gently rubbed her neck, which was somehow calming. Is it vicious of me to say that he might be the person who¡¯ll cause blood to appear and complicate my peaceful life? ¡®Ha¡­¡­.¡¯ She took a deep breath that was low enough for him not to hear. As if taking a deep breath worked, she was finally able to maintain her composure and stop her eyes from trembling. She calmly raised her hand above her head and naturally pulled the hood over to the tip of her nose. The most important thing to her now was to hide her face in front of the man who might be her ex-husband. ¡°No, Your Highness. Rather, it¡¯s an honor to meet the Grand Duke in person, whom I¡¯ve only heard about before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Is that so?¡± Followed by his heavy voice, his piercing gaze poured upon Ashia. Even though the hood was covering half of my face, I could obviously feel his glare. His glare was as hot and prickly as his red eyes. Kaligo, who looked at her for a while, beckoned and started walking towards the sofa. ¡°First of all, let¡¯s sit down and talk.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Chapter 3 [Part 2] - What Curse Chapter 3 [Part 2] ¨C What Curse? There was a brief silence between the two who was sitting opposite each other. It wasn¡¯t long before the employees of the Grand Duke¡¯s residence came in. Once tea and cookies were served on the table, the spacious office was filled with the scent of fragrant tea and sweet cookies. Ashia carefully observed Kaligo who sat cross-legged across the table whilst starting at the teacup placed on the table. ¡®Oh my, he sits cross-legged?¡¯ It was not a strange sight to see. He sat that way when I was Renna. The hero of the novel, ¡®Kaligo Etous¡¯. Her ex-husband, ¡®Kaligo Edmund¡¯. They only had the same name. Their words, deeds, and personality were diametrically contrary to one another. ¡®Kaligo¡¯, her ex-husband, was abstemious and always restrained. On the other hand, ¡®Kaligo¡¯, the male lead, suffered from lack of support and emotional ups and downs. -A mix of both would¡¯ve been preferred. TL/N ¨C How smart of you. There was a time where she compared the two polar opposites whilst reading the novel in her past life. ¡®Wait¡­¡­.¡¯ As she was observing Kaligo, Ashia¡¯s vision became hazy. ¡®If that man is really my ex-husband, Kaligo Edmund¡­¡­¡¯ In the novel, the male lead, who was a straight man, lived his entire life in sexual abstinence. Ashia¡¯s eyebrow crept up. Somehow, it was more interesting that the man was living in the body of a person who is the complete opposite of him than the fact that his ex-husband had entered the same novel she did. ¡°Isn¡¯t it uncomfortable for you to keep wearing a hood inside a room?¡± Kaligo, who had been gently gazing at her for a while, asked as he lifted a teacup on the table. Even when he asked, his gaze was still focused on the teacup. At Kaligo¡¯s question, Ashia, who was about to grab a cup of tea, hesitated. I expected for him to ask the question, so I didn¡¯t panic much. As if it was insignificant, she answered as she wrapped her finger around the handle of the teacup. ¡°Though I know it may not be polite of me to do so, I have an ugly scar on my face I don¡¯t wish to show.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Please excuse me.¡± Of course, it was a lie. Why would I have a scar? ¡°I see.¡± Fortunately, he seemed to believe what Ashia said. Despite his well-known personality, there was nothing strange about him even if he insisted on taking it off immediately. ¡®I am certain that¡­¡­the atmosphere isn¡¯t coercive.¡¯ His response was closer to that of her ex-husband¡¯s, ¡®Kaligo Edmund¡¯, than to ¡®Kaligo Etous¡¯, in terms of the atmosphere and his words and actions. There was no need for her to think about it deeply. As long as she finishes the request as soon as possible and receives the promised gold, she¡¯ll be able to go back to her serene routine. ¡°Are you finished looking?¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­..Pardon?!¡± ¡°I can feel your eyes observing me, and it¡¯s quite unpleasant.¡± Kaligo¡¯s gaze, which remained on the table, moved slowly. He would not be able to see her face clearly as it was covered with her hood, but Ashia felt his eyes look exactly into her¡¯s. As the red-eyed man stared at her quietly, Ashia¡¯s throat began to dry up. Was it too obvious? Ashia cleared her throat and continued her words. ¡°Think of it as a part of the process.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Looking at the client¡¯s complexion and observing his behavior helps me in creating potions.¡± Upon hearing her explanation, Kaligo leaned his head towards the side and folded his arms. Then, as if he had outgrown his white shirt, it seemed like it was about to burst anytime soon. ¡®Huh.¡¯ Ashia¡¯s eyes widened as she watched the man sitting in front of her act in pursuit of his instincts even in this serious situation. ¡®How come your body seems to have grown in mere seconds?¡¯ As she was swallowing dry saliva, Kaligo suddenly asked her a question. ¡°Like those who make laws?¡± At his question, Ashia put the teacup down. ¡°Oh, yes. It is.¡± Of course, her words were not false. Though there are subtle differences between the two, that doesn¡¯t mean they are completely different from each other. In terms of context, there isn¡¯t much of a difference between healing wounds and reinforcing laws to overcome areas of weakness. ¡°I understand. If you¡¯ve observed enough, I¡¯d like you to make the medicine already.¡± ¡°Yes, I will. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here in the first place.¡± Kaligo nodded in agreement. ¡°I heard you can create medicines that don¡¯t have any side effects.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the reason why it¡¯s called a special potion.¡± ¡°That is also the reason why I specifically requested you to be the one to make my medicine.¡± That¡¯s right. Ashia¡¯s potion was famous for having no side effects. That was the reason why high-ranking aristocrats sought her, even though the price she asked for was not low. Her red lips that raised a smile under the hood allured me. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Your Highness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the answer I¡¯ve been expecting. My expectations of you, Miss Ashia Bliss, are high.¡± Following her subtle smile, Kaligo laughed, too. His low voice tickled Ashia¡¯s ears. ¡®I didn¡¯t know he knew how to laugh like that¡­¡­.¡¯ His expression, which people had never seen him make in the past, left Ashia¡¯s mouth bitter. Although she believes that he¡¯s just a client of hers, it seems inevitable for him to be her ex-husband, Kaligo. ¡°First of all, can you tell me about the symptoms you are experiencing? I can¡¯t get the exact information I need just by looking at it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± Somehow, his mouth, which had been smiling just now, hardened. He didn¡¯t seem to want to tell her about its symptoms. ¡°You don¡¯t have to know the symptoms in detail.¡± The person who asked me to make the medicine for him said that he won¡¯t tell me the symptoms. One of Ashia¡¯s eyebrows wriggled as she felt her anger rise. ¡°I don¡¯t know the symptoms, so how would you like me to make the potion?¡± She said every word with her jaw clenched. At her question, he replied in a sharp tone. ¡°Just because.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Just because?¡± Kaligo, who was organizing his thoughts in his head again, buried his back deeply on the sofa, sighed, and said. ¡°I want you to make a potion that will make my desire disappear.¡± A brief silence filled the room. Ashia¡¯s eyes widened before asking again. ¡°¡­¡­..D-Desire?¡± Kaligo replied as he rubbed his temple with an expression of aggravation. ¡°¡­¡­.Sexual¡­¡­desire.¡± He said it in such a low voice that she could hardly hear what he was saying. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4 [Part 1] - A Turbulent Night Chapter 4 [Part 1] ¨C A Turbulent Night ¡°Ashia? Ashia Bliss?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± On the fourth floor of the Grand Duke¡¯s residence, there was a lab wherein everything that is needed to study magic could be found. It has always been quiet, but it will soon be a place filled with excitement. A man reading a book in one corner of the lab jumped up from his seat and shouted. ¡°Ashia¡¯s really here?¡± As he stood up, Redin, who was sitting in the opposite chair, also rose up from his seat. ¡°Do you know Miss Ashia Bliss, Mr. Ventus?¡± ¡°I know of her. Do you know each other? More than that, where is she as of now?¡± ¡°She is currently in His Highness¡¯ office¡­¡­¡± At Redin¡¯s reply, Ventus threw the books he was reading onto the floor and walked towards the door. But, Redin wouldn¡¯t let Ventus go to the Grand Duke¡¯s office. When Redin blocked Ventus¡¯ path, his face hardened at once. ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°They are currently having a conversation.¡± ¡°Ha, their conversation would surely be about his sexual desire. You should know that I am also aware of that fact. So, get out of the way.¡± Ventus tried to push Redin¡¯s hand away, but he tightened his grip even more, as if he wouldn¡¯t back down. ¡°I was told not to let anyone in.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Am I just anyone?¡± TL/N: Sounds like something the male lead would say. Ventus¡¯ eyes widened at his unexpected behavior. ¡°Please wait for a moment. I¡¯ll let you in as soon as their conversation comes to an end.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Tsk.¡± Ventus, who was pouting his lips, turned to his persuasion. I trudged towards where I sat earlier and picked up any book that I could reach. ¡®Ashia Bliss¡­..Is he even sure that she¡¯s Ashia?¡¯ Because he couldn¡¯t meet her right away, his expression showed nothing but grief. But, it quickly turned to anticipation once he was reminded of his memories of her. Of course, the first place where Ventus and Ashia met was the tower. One day, a brash 15-year-old girl suddenly appeared in front of him. She asked him to help her live inside the tower in exchange for doing chores. It was Ventus who took her in and taught her magic. ¨C Ven. ¨C Kiddo, you should call me ¡®Master¡¯. ¨C It¡¯s too long. I prefer just Ven. ¨C You¡¯re also going to speak informally to me soon, aren¡¯t you? ¨C Can I? ¨C ¡­¡­.. She was a loud but lovely child. Rather, her endless energy made the tower, that was usually dull and gloomy, lively. It was also Ashia who changed him. The Wizards of the Tower were known to be obsessed with endless research and excessive desire for knowledge. Ventus was no different. Seven years ago, an accident occured. For that reason, Ashia sealed her fire attribute herself, and eventually had to leave the tower. Had it not been for that, Ashia wouldn¡¯t have left the tower, and Ventus and Ashia wouldn¡¯t have parted that way. If it weren¡¯t for that matter 7 years ago¡­ Ashia could have been the master of the tower. *** The marriage between Kaligo Edmund and Renna Cornelli only lasted for five years. It wasn¡¯t a marriage that was decided out of love in the first place, but as time went by, Renna fell in love with him deeply. TL/N: I¡¯m literally screaming- From then on, Renna, who didn¡¯t have the will to live because she couldn¡¯t escape from the grasp of her cruel family, was able to have a reason that was more than enough for her to live on. He was indifferent and cold, but the unexpected expressions he¡¯d show her once in a while made her intrigued by him. However, the relationship between the two never really developed. That was probably the reason why Renna became tired of him as he kept on drawing a line between us. The two were known to be a perfect couple. But that¡¯s what the people around him perceived. Aside from the fact that she loved him, Renna, the real person involved, was the only one who knew of their horrible and lonely marriage. He was ascetic in every situation. It goes without saying that he is also ascetic in terms of sexuality. In their 5 years of marriage, they have not had their first night yet. Indeed, can such a relationship be like that of a married couple¡¯s? Is there a woman my husband has hidden? Does he have a certain disease he can¡¯t inform me of? Is it because he fancies someone of the same gender? Renna was getting tired of having such doubts day by day. Every night, I waited for him to warm our cold bed, but he never once came. As I waited, I felt extremely cold, lonely, and miserable. When no successor was born after five years of marriage, she was the one who had to bear all their suspicious and stinging glares. Moreover, all the arrows were headed for her life. Nevertheless, Renna never felt hatred towards him or changed the way she looked at him. Tired and distressed, she couldn¡¯t hate him. Every woman¡¯s dream is to have a marriage full of happiness. She was no different. But, there was a man who shattered all her visions of a woman¡¯s supposedly marriage life. That man was Kaligo Edmund. He was¡­..pardon? What curse? Chapter 4 [Part 2] - A Turbulent Night Chapter 4 [Part 2] ¨C A Turbulent Night ¡®Sexual desire?¡¯ It was so ridiculous to the point that I almost laughed out loud. For ¡®sexual desire¡¯ to have come out of Kaligo¡¯s mouth, who lived in abstinence throughout his life. I can¡¯t believe he asked me to make a potion to make it disappear. Because the original owner of this body never held back his sexual desire, it was clear to her that her ex-husband now finds it difficult to continue living in abstinence every day. How many years has it been since he ended his promiscuous past? Looking back, it was said that after you nearly died, your behavior changed in an instant as if you were a completely different person. Which is to say that my ex-husband probably entered the novel at that moment. Ashia narrowed her eyes at Kaligo. Ashia was already convinced that he was her ex-husband, but she decided to find more proof to add to her conviction. ¡°Maybe the rumors you heard are true.¡± ¡­..In fact, they were more of a scandal rather than just rumors. When she started talking about his scandal, his head, which had diverted away from Ashia, turned to face her again. ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± Perhaps, because of the way she said those words, the atmosphere changed at once. He couldn¡¯t easily say the words ¡®sexual desire¡¯, so he¡¯d divert his head away from her and bend his slender eyes as if he was happy about his curse. ¡°There are countless rumors about me. Which one exactly are you talking about¡­.?¡± Kaligo¡¯s lips, which were straight, now formed a shallow smile. At his answer, similar to that of a large predator, she made a mean, voluptuous smile. But, her smile was never a gentle one in the first place. She had always lived everyday with fascinating but dangerous smiles. Upon hearing his question, Kaligo might¡¯ve thought that she¡¯d back out, however, she won¡¯t. It was the perfect moment for a wizard¡¯s curiosity to be executed. ¡°I heard rumors saying that you completely changed as if you became a completely different person.¡± ¡°A completely different person¡­..? Please explain in detail.¡± ¡°In detail?¡­¡­If you say that, you might not be able to think of an excuse as I tend to be tenacious at times like this.¡± Kaligo laughed at Ashia¡¯s words, which were rather bold. Soon after, permission was given with a laugh. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Kaligo¡¯s red eyes watched Ashia with half-closed eyelids and his head tilted. Because his eyelids are half-closed, it seems as though he is looking at her with slightly sharp eyes. ¡®You thought I won¡¯t be able to talk any further if you asked me to explain in detail?¡¯ Without hesitation, Ashia began to explain his scandal in detail as if she had been waiting for him to give her permission to do so. ¡°I heard you spent the night with a woman every single day before. But, after that day, you never slept with a woman, not even once.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Day and night, inside and out. It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve struggled to keep your dignity as a noble¡­¡­¡± TL/N ¨C Day and night, inside and out. Like he doesn¡¯t care when and where he does it. ¡°¡­¡­.Hmm.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows twitched slowly. ¡°It is said that among the nobles of the Karhan Empire, only a few have been to the villa built in the northern mountains of the Tetrious territory¡­¡­The territory is called the ¡®Enchanted Labyrinth¡¯, right?¡± The North of the Karhan Empire, Tetrious territory. It was another estate owned by the Grand Duke of Etous. That specific territory has the shortest days but the longest nights on the entire continent. Only Grand Duke Kaligo and Prince Desian enjoyed the promiscuous life there. As she was aware that she warned him that she might be tenacious, Ashia continued to talk about his embarrassing rumors for a long time after that. ¡°That is why it was rumored that you changed so much as if you became someone else. I can still explain, but do you want me to continue?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.No need.¡± Silence filled the office yet again. Tadak, Tadak- Only the fire burning the firewood in the fireplace rang gently. ¡°Your Highness.¡± After a while, she spoke again. ¡°¡­¡­¡­Speak.¡± ¡°Now, may I know why you are trying to suppress your sexual desire?¡± Kaligo, who was staring at Ashia, straightened his upper body that was buried deep against the sofa. ¡®Come here¡­¡­.¡¯ Only his upper body was revealed, yet the scent of his body spread throughout his whole office. Ashia was taken aback. She didn¡¯t directly come in contact with it, but she could feel that his body temperature was very hot. ¡°You¡¯ve heard those rumors, but you haven¡¯t heard all of them.¡± Ashia raised her hand to pull her hood down a little bit more so that she could have a clear view of it. I am aware that my hood is covering my whole face. However, I somehow feel as if he can see my face whenever he gazes at me. ¡°What are the¡­..other rumors?¡± ¡°The other rumors state that I did not survive the near-death experience years ago, rather, I came back to life.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes, which were covered by her hood, moved slowly. I think I¡¯ve heard of that before. The way he spoke and acted changed in an instant after he almost died many years ago, which is probably the reason why there are speculations saying that he reincarnated. Unfortunately, the accident did not happen in the original novel, so Ashia was unable to know of the exact happenings at that time. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, did he enter the novel around that time?¡¯ As soon as Ashia, who had been pondering for a while, placed her hand on the table, a blank sheet of paper and pen appeared out of the blue. Whilst holding the pen, she wrote on the piece of paper and continued his words. ¡°First of all, you¡¯re suffering from headaches and numbness in your hands and feet as a basic side effect.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± Kaligo thought for a moment as he touched the tip of his chin. ¡°Insomnia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You have insomnia?¡± ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t sleep at night.¡± ¡°Well¡­..¡± I¡¯ve never heard of insomnia as a side effect of a potion. Perhaps his insomnia is not caused by medicinal drugs. ¡®I think it¡¯s a symptom caused by the lack of efficacy.¡± The nights spent by Kaligo, depicted in the original novel, was described as colorful, promiscuous, and turbulent. He seems to have solved his uncontrollable desire that way. Perhaps, his body clearly remembers that turbulent night. As long as his body remembers the heat, it may have been impossible to sleep soundly without taking proper medicine. ¡®I think his insomnia and the other side effects of the curse will disappear as long as the potions are properly made.¡¯ The problem though lies in this unknowable displeasure. Let¡¯s just think of this as something of minor importance and of him like any other client. That¡¯s how I made up my mind, but somehow, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s causing this irritation of mine that¡¯s coming from my heart right now. The nights spent by Kaligo Etous, which was described in the novel, came across her mind again. As she thought of the scenes described in the novel with the man¡¯s face in front of her, Ashia¡¯s eyes trembled slightly. In fact, no wife would want to imagine or hear about the nights her ex-husband spent with other women. What¡¯s more, he was the same man who never touched her, and the same man who never even blinked at any temptation. As she thought of how other women had touched him countless times, it made her heart boil with anger again. Chapter 5 [Part 1] - In A Locked Room Chapter 5 [Part 1] ¨C In A Locked Room ¡®But, insomnia is a side effect¡­..¡¯ Well, there is nothing strange about insomnia being known as a new side effect when new diseases are discovered and when new treatments are developed every year. ¡°Are you taking any medicine at present?¡± At her question, Kaligo raised his eyebrows. ¡°¡­..I wouldn¡¯t have had a woman in an enclosed room without any precaution.¡± ¡°Is it something worth preparing for?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve heard the rumors, you¡¯ll know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Oh.¡± ¡°Had I not taken any medicine, I am well aware of what I¡¯d do in a place where no one is allowed to enter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± At his words, silence filled the office once again. Kaligo, who had not been moving for a long time, got up from the sofa and returned with a small box and sat down. As soon as he placed the box on the table, he turned his head to face Ashia. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°This is the potion I am currently taking. It was created by a wizard belonging to the Etous family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You still called for me even though you had a wizard in your family?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like this potion doesn¡¯t have any side effects either.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kaligo, who sat down on the sofa again, continued his words as he looked at the potion inside the box that was placed on the table. ¡°As I have mentioned earlier, I am looking for a potion without any side effects.¡± Ashia glanced at him for a moment before she reached out her hand to take the box that was placed on the table and opened its lid. As soon as the lid was opened, the mana and energy that flowed out made her aware that it was a well-formed potion. ¡®You said he was a wizard from your family, but I don¡¯t think his skills are ordinary.¡¯ The mana contained in each option was also not inferior. Ashia picked up one among the many potions placed inside the box and threw the lid off the bottle. She took it under her nose and smelled it, and then, as if it wasn¡¯t enough for her to simply smell it, she poured it into her mouth. Gulp. ¡°?!¡± Kaligo, whose back was slumped against the sofa, quickly raised his upper body at the sight. ¡°What is it now¡­¡­¡± ¡°A component that can be missed cannot be distinguished just by smelling the potion.¡± Ashia smiled nonchalantly. She enjoyed the potions until the last minute and took advantage of his bewildered face as a snack. TL/N ¨C Best female lead lmao ¡°You can just ask them to come and bring a list of the ingredients used on the potions. The same symptoms may start appearing on your own body¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Among the wizards who make potions, to find the exact recipe to completely suppress a client¡¯s sickness, I must risk my life. Neither do I want to ask for it, nor do I want to see it.¡± She said, casually. She then held the potion bottle up high and continued to talk as she looked at the lamp. ¡°You need not to worry about the ingredients in this that may cause harm to me or its toxins as they can easily break down on their own in one¡¯s body. A wizard who makes potion doesn¡¯t simply drink any potion without any precaution.¡± Why would I look at other people¡¯s recipes when I can just have a taste of it? She poured the contents of the bottle until the last drop into her mouth. ¡°Well¡­¡­.there are various herbs in it, in which one is peppermint leaves. And, there¡¯s a little bit of holy water and fire properties of mana.¡± Ashia, who was nodding her head, said. ¡°The best herbs at the right ratio. It contains all herbs of excellent quality to suppress your sexual desire.¡± Gulp. Ashia swallowed the last bit of the potion and tapped the entrance of the empty glass bottle with her fingertips. ¡®His sexual desire is so strong that it¡¯s enough to cause him to have insomnia after drinking this¡­¡­¡­¡¯ Ashia shook her head, and said to herself, ¡°You are also a main character.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes gazed at the fingertips of Ashia. His gaze moved along to her tilted head as she noticed her agonizing. His eyes, which were moving slowly, stopped at Ashia¡¯s face, who was whimpering in the dark red robe. All that was revealed was her narrow chin until the tip of her nose. Occasionally, when her snow-like hands came out of her robe, his eyes would move around busily. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get into producing the potion right away.¡± Ashia said, putting down the potion bottle she was spinning around on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a potion that will let you sleep soundly without any side effects as per your instructions.¡± The agony will be over soon. Similar to how I ended my transactions with other clients, I will immediately hand over the completed potion and collect the promised payment. Ashia¡¯s goal of not getting involved with the main characters is very firm from the start. No, after she was kicked out of the tower, that goal of hers became more intense. Ashia never forgot, not even once. What happened when she tried to go against the original novel even though she wasn¡¯t the main character. ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll often have to ask questions that are necessary for me to be able to make the potion. But before that¡­..¡± Ashia rolled up the paper where she recorded this and that and slipped it into her arms, and took off the necklace she had on her neck and placed it on the table. ¡°Can you do as I say?¡± ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s a necklace embellished with a mana stone.¡± As Ashia placed her thumbs over the mana stone engraved at the center of the necklace, it began to emit a variety of colors of light in response. ¡°As you can see from the light, it is a mana stone with four properties in one place.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a mana stone with multiple properties.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t. It¡¯s a very, very precious child.¡± Ashia smiled feverishly at the necklace. ¡°Every person has different attributes. Even if it¡¯s a normal person who doesn¡¯t give off a magical power, aura, or even both.¡± She also added that the mana stones are needed to be placed on the table to determine one¡¯s properties. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Hold the necklace on one hand¡­¡­¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Ah! Wait!¡± Kaligo, who was listening to her instructions, stretched out his long, big hand and grabbed the necklace on the table. ¡°That¡¯s not right!¡± Chapter 5 [Part 2] - In A Locked Room Chapter 5 [Part 2] ¨C In A Locked Room Ashia, who was taken aback, hurriedly rose from her seat. She reached out her hand in a hurry to stop Kaligo¡¯s hand, but his movements were a little faster than hers. Before she could even say, ¡°I¡¯ll place this on the palm of your hand.¡±, he had already started moving. The mana stone engraved on the necklace, which was held by Kaligo, began to emit plenty of light. Ashia, who was frightened, placed her hands over Kaligo¡¯s and shut her eyelids tightly. In an instant, a light flashed through his hand and permeated the whole office. The little fellow, who gave off a colorful, brilliant light, disliked the sudden unexpected situation very much. In particular, it had the habit of exploding its power when it was directly touched by others without going through Ashia. His power was very dangerous, even more so since he was touched by a rude man without permission. There was only one person whom he recognized as his master, Ashia. But¡­.. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Contrary to what she had imagined, somehow, nothing much happened. Kaligo, who was holding the necklace, only stared at the light that was emitted through his fingers. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Then, Ashia took a deep breath before slowly slumping against the sofa. ¡°Wow¡­..I had to supervise it for 10 years.¡± The mana stone in his grasp only gave off one red light. It was a pure fire property without any other attributes mixed in. As the red light emitted by the mana stone went through his hand, a large black vein popped out of the back of his hand. ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯re not hurt anywhere, are you?¡± ¡°I am, I just feel a little hot.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes drooped down to ascertain his attributes once again. ¡°Your Highness¡­..was a pure fire attribute without any other properties.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± It is easier to make potions for those people who have pure attributes as fewer ingredients are required in comparison to those with mixed attributes, but they cannot use ingredients of high class. ¡®However, the ingredients used are of high class. Is it only to be expected because you are the main character¡­..?¡¯ The main reason why the potions of the wizards from the council, the temple, or the Grand Duke¡¯s residence were not effective. It could¡¯ve been because they weren¡¯t able to properly grasp Kaligo¡¯s attribute, but even if that wasn¡¯t the case, it would¡¯ve been hard to get the ingredients. No one probably has tried to cure him earnestly because of his threatening atmosphere and the wildness of his breath. Rather, they must¡¯ve been busy trying to escape from him. It was a bit unfortunate. Had they figured out and grasped his attribute in advance, he might¡¯ve gotten help from Ashia sooner, even if they did not make a suitable potion and ran away for the fear of losing their lives. A faint sigh came from Ashia¡¯s mouth. ¡°That was dangerous. You should¡¯ve kept listening until I finished speaking.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That was thoughtless of me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± At Ashia¡¯s reproachful words, Kaligo took out an apple at once. It was difficult to hear from a high-ranking nobleman¡¯s lips that he admits his mistake, yet she actually heard it from him. Because of that, Ashia, who was about to continue talking, just shut her lips after. When Kaligo unfolded his fist, the mana stone engraved on the necklace gave off a stronger red glow. ¡°Is there anything I should do after?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Wait.¡± Upon hearing her answer, Kaligo tilted his head. ¡°Wait?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­..right.¡± Ashia, who was grumbling, scratched her cheek and said in a low voice. ¡°We¡¯re out of ingredients necessary in making the potions of those people who have the fire attribute.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re saying you can¡¯t make the potion right away?¡± ¡°Yes. Especially since only a few people look for the ingredients required, I think it¡¯ll take a while.¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re going to get the ingredients yourself?¡± Ashia took the necklace from him and hung it around her neck and continued talking. ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t promise you an exact date because I have overdue requests, but I¡¯ll try to make them as soon as possible.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± She then rose up from her seat and fixed her robe again. ¡°First and foremost, please continue taking the potion you have at the moment until I get back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.I¡¯ll do that.¡± Following Ashia, Kaligo also rose up from his seat. Then came the sound of someone speaking outside the office with a knock on its door. ¡°Your Grade, this is Redin.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as permission was given for him to enter, the door of the office opened, and the man who had brought Ashia here came in. After pausing for a moment, he quickly walked towards Kaligo and said, ¡°Your Highness, he has arrived.¡± He didn¡¯t specify who arrived, but Kaligo must¡¯ve already been aware of his identity. At Redin¡¯s words, his forehead became wrinkled again. ¡°Go down, I¡¯ll see you off.¡± Kaligo said while looking at Ashia and reaching his hand out to the door. Meanwhile, Ashia flinched as she was startled by his words as if she heard a grotesque sound. ¡°What?! No need! I can go alone.¡± It was more than enough for Redin to see me off. But now, I can¡¯t believe the Grand Duke will accompany me on my way home when he is already burdensome as is. Upon hearing his words, the potion I had just taken almost caused me to suffer from indigestion. Sadly, however, it seems like Kaligo isn¡¯t willing to comply with Ashia¡¯s wishes. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that a shabby person might cling onto the precious guest I have brought.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± A shabby person? He must be talking about the man Redin mentioned earlier. But, who the hell is that person Kaligo is so displeased with? Kaligo left the office first, while Ashia followed him from behind. *** As I followed Kaligo until we reached the first floor, unlike when I arrived, employees moving busily came into sight. ¡®What is wrong¡­..What¡¯s with this atmosphere?¡¯ Walking behind Kaligo, she looked around on her way out of the mansion. They walked on a straightened road between the splendid gardens. After a while, when they nearly reached the main gate, ¡°Kaligo.¡± The voice of a young man calling Kaligo was heard in front of the two. ¡°Where are you going?¡± At the man¡¯s question, Kaligo stood in front of Ashia, covering her completely. ¡°Stay inside. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Kaligo, who gave him a brief answer, turned around again to face Ashia and led her to the carriage. However, the man seemed to have no intention of entering the mansion quietly. ¡°Stop.¡± The man¡¯s voice was heard again once the two started heading towards the carriage. ¡°Who is that woman?¡± Eventually, the two, who were walking towards the carriage, were forced to halt. Chapter 6.1 - A Stubborn Young Man[Part 1] Chapter 6 [Part 1] ¨C A Stubborn Young Man Kaligo¡¯s polite treatment and familiarity towards him made it clear to me that it is someone who bears a title comparable to that of the Grand Duke or even a higher one. Even with only these few conjectures, she was able to predict the man¡¯s identity. ¡®Prince Desian¡­¡­.¡¯ It is said that Grand Duke Kaligo and Prince Desian have been close since childhood because of their similar tendencies and behaviors. A deranged Desian who was comparable to a cursed Kaligo. No, rather, he was worse than Kaligo in terms of his cruelty. Upon hearing Desian¡¯s words, Kaligo turned around slowly. Ashia, too, turned after, but her view was covered by Kaligo¡¯s big back, which made her unable to see anything. ¡°At least greet me. I¡¯m the Crown Prince of this Empire.¡± It was definitely said in a soft tone, but that¡¯s not all. As the sound of his footsteps became clearer, Kaligo pushed Ashia behind his back. Behind the large Kaligo, a small Ashia was hidden without a trace. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who is she?¡± Desian tilted his head to see the woman hidden behind Kaligo. ¡°¡­¡­..This is my guest that I invited for my personal reasons.¡± As Kaligo turned his head around following his gaze refusing to back down, Desian¡¯s eyes grew darker. TL/N ¨C Please read this at the original site, mysticalmerries.com. ¡°A guest?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± A strange tension filled the atmosphere as soon as the confrontation took place. No one easily turned his back and tried to go on his own way. Apparently, the two were close friends who grew up together since they were still a child and were described as close friends, regardless of their status. But, at present, the conversation between the two men felt more like one between a king and his subject than one between close friends. Not only that, but also the tension felt between generals from opposing sides encountered on the battlefield was also evident. ¡®I never heard of a rumor saying that you two have a bad relationship. What¡¯s wrong with you two¡­¡­?¡¯ It seemed as if Kaligo wasn¡¯t just simply being cautious. It was difficult for Ashia to understand the current situation in which he confronted his friend to protect a wizard whom he didn¡¯t even know well. ¡®Since he wants to be greeted so badly, I¡¯ll say hello once and get on the carriage as soon as I finish greeting him¡­¡­.¡¯ Ashia escaped from behind Kaligo¡¯s back and opened her mouth. ¡°Oh, hello there-¡± However, Kaligo interrupted her and said to Desian. ¡°She¡¯s a wizard.¡± He responded to Desian¡¯s question and pushed Ashia, who had escaped, behind his back and hid her once again. At the word ¡®wizard¡¯, Desian¡¯s eyebrows flinched. The Towers of Wizards. They are independent forces that do not belong to any Empire. The world¡¯s wizards are set not to be bound by the titles or status of all the people belonging to any Empire. In other words, no matter which Empire they travel to, or whoever they meet regardless of their title, they are placed on an equal footing with them. The nobles, including the Emperor, are not allowed to put the wizards of the tower under their feet, nor are the wizards allowed to rise above the heads of the nobles, including the Royal Family. A relationship where both parties have equal rights. This close relationship had been followed for a long time. Mainly because the tower was a group with good reasoning and power. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re from the Tower.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll be seeing her off, so go in the mansion first-¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Even if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m sure she can still greet me properly, right?¡± Desian interrupted Kaligo and persistently looked at Ashia, who was hiding behind him. ¡°Unlike our Emperor, I have no feelings of anger towards the Tower and its wizards.¡± Desian took a step closer. ¡°It¡¯s rather the opposite. I¡¯m one of those few people who want to get along with wizards.¡± In particular, as Desian added, ¡°Even more so if she is a woman.¡±, the gap between Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows narrowed. Due to the nature of the Imperial Family, who despised the Tower and its wizards, he thought that if he included the word ¡°wizard¡±, he¡¯d be able to get away with it. However, he seemed to have rather aroused his curiosity. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was interested in wizards or simply in the woman who was wearing a robe. At the moment Kaligo tried to stop Desian from approaching Ashia, ¡°Ashia!!!¡± A voice called Ashia¡¯s name out of nowhere, which made the three turn their heads to the direction of where the sound came from in unison. *** The wizard, Ventus, lived on the fourth floor of the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion. The moment he started living there, he was always given a hearty meal, a cozy bed, a generous funding, and top quality mana stones. For Ventus, the Grand Duke¡¯s residence was heaven. If he continues to help Kaligo get what he wants, he could get as much support as he wanted and be able to study comfortably. 5 years have passed since he settled down here. When Redin, who told him that he¡¯d bring Ashia to him, disappeared without a word, Ventus, who was walking around, headed to the window. His lab is located on the fourth floor, whereas the Grand Duke¡¯s office, where Ashia was in, is on the second floor. It¡¯s only a few steps away, but I never thought it would be this difficult for me to see your face. ¡®Can¡¯t I just go in there?¡¯ -He told me not to let anyone in. As he recalled what Redin told him, he slowly scratched his forehead. Ventus, who was a wizard from the tower, is not obliged to listen to Kaligo¡¯s orders. However, it was not possible for him to interfere in their conversation. Even more so since it was Ventus himself who had been watching Kaligo suffer from sexual desire or lust. ¡®Now that it has come to this, it would be better for his condition to get treated already¡­¡­¡¯ Sitting by the window, I looked down at the garden of the mansion with a look of boredom. What came to sight was Desian, the Crown Prince, descending from the carriage bearing the emblem of the Imperial Palace. ¡®¡­¡­.What is he doing here again?¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6.2 - [Part 2] – A Stubborn Young Man Chapter 6 [Part 2] ¨C A Stubborn Young Man As Ventus looked down at Desian, his eyebrows furrowed. Similar to a member of the Royal Family who had mastered the etiquette of a noble, Desian entered the path leading towards the garden of the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion with a straight, neat walk. And soon, Kaligo and a person wearing a robe faced Desian. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Ventus, who was sitting by the window, jumped up from his seat and opened the window. ¡°Ashia¡­¡­.¡± She was wearing a robe, but he recognized her at once as they have spent 3 years together. Soon after, he jumped out of the window situated on the fourth floor and shouted. ¡°Ashia!¡± Ventus¡¯ body, which seemed as though it would fall to the ground with a loud thud, landed on the floor quietly as if it was as light as a feather. As he was able to come down to the first floor in a flash, he ran straight to Ashia and hugged her, who was standing behind Kaligo. ¡°Ack?!¡± ¡°How long has it been?!¡± Ashia, who smiled out of surprise, took a step back from the man who hugged her. ¡°¡­¡­Ve-Ven¡­.?¡± Only then was Ashia able to confirm that the identity of the man who held her in his arms was her teacher, Ventus. ¡°Oh my god. Are you really, really the Ven I know of?¡± ¡°Of course I am.¡± Kaligo, who was silently watching the two reunite with each other, felt the gaze of Desian on them. He then called Ventus¡¯ name in a low voice. ¡°Ventus.¡± As soon as Ventus turned around, Kaligo used his chin to silently make him shift his gaze towards someone else. ¡®Ah¡­¡­.¡¯ Upon understanding Kaligo¡¯s intention, Ventus¡¯ gaze shifted towards the Crown Prince. ¡®That could have been a disaster.¡¯ Kaligo has been quiet lately, however, Desian was still famous for his rough attitude towards women. Thus, the first thing he had to do was to get Ashia out of the two beastly bastards¡¯ sights. ¡°Ashia, let¡¯s go somewhere else first. You¡¯re done here, right?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Ventus reached his hand out into the air right away and created a dark gray gate. Desian, who was watching them, took a step forward to stop the two from fleeing. ¡°Wait.¡± However, the two were a little faster than Desian, who was trying to stop them from fleeing. Before he could even have the chance to capture them, Ventus and Ashia already disappeared into the gate. ¡°Ha¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± When Ventus, who had suddenly stormed in their conversation, disappeared in a flash with Ashia, a brief silence filled the atmosphere. Kaligo, who was looking at where the two disappeared along with Desian, he said as he walked past him on his way back to the mansion. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Desian¡¯s face hardened like a child who had been robbed of his toys before his eyes. He glanced at where the woman disappeared once again before following Kaligo into the mansion. *** Ashia¡¯s Potion Shop was located in the Capital of the Karhan Empire. Ashia left for the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion early in the morning, so the shop was promptly closed. Clang. A man pulled the sky-blue door of the shop and let go, tilting his head. His face looked as if it was telling her, ¡°Didn¡¯t you open the shop today? You can¡¯t simply close the shop without saying anything.¡± ¡°Oh? You must have come to pick Ashia up and depart early in the morning.¡± Verna, who runs a dry goods store, passed by in front of Ashia¡¯s shop and said to the man who was pulling the door of her shop. Then, the man turned around and looked at Verna. ¡°Are you here to pick me up?¡± ¡°Oh! It¡¯s you, Theo?¡± Verna recognized the man and stopped walking. ¡°Yes, hello. Sis, who¡¯s coming to pick up Ashia though?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. There was no emblem on the carriage last time.¡± ¡°You rode another carriage without an emblem?¡± ¡°She¡¯s always like that.¡± When Verna¡¯s bag slipped from her hands, she picked it up again and continued talking. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. She¡¯s not the one who¡¯s going to get wounded if something ever happens.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Theo strode up to Verna. ¡°Give that to me.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah.¡± Verna handed over a bag that was larger than her upper body. ¡°I¡¯ll hold it for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Thanks.¡± Verna smiled back and looked at Theo. The fifteen-year-old boy, who came to the capital¡¯s shopping district for Ashia, already gave off such a different atmosphere. ¡®You must have been doing well after joining the Royal Knights.¡¯ He was popular among women because of his carelessness, his strong physique, and the strange atmosphere he gave off, which meant he¡¯d protect anyone regardless of their identity. Of course, he was also handsome. Verna, who had been walking alongside Theo and looking at him for a long time, said. ¡°Did you get taller?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Theo replied to her, interested. ¡°Ever since the day Ashia said she liked tall men, you¡¯ve been drinking all the brands of milk that came in sight.¡± As Verna laughed, the tip of Theo¡¯s ears became red. ¡°When did I ever do that?¡± As if she finds his reaction cute, she patted his back and said, ¡°You¡¯ve become such a reliable man, haven¡¯t you? How nice would it be if Ashia could understand what¡¯s on your mind, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You should smile more often. You do know that women like kind and considerate men, right?¡± At Verna¡¯s words, Theo slightly nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°The effort you put in counts, too.¡± When Theo arrived at Verna¡¯s fabric shop, he put the bag on the floor and raised his upper body. ¡°Then, if you¡¯d excuse me.¡± ¡°Ah, Theo!¡± Verna called Theo, who was about to leave the shop. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you have anything to say to Ashia? I¡¯ll tell her when I get the chance to do so.¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡°Really? In this weather? You¡¯re not going to wait?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Verna wanted to go against his decision, but she was well aware of Theo¡¯s stubbornness. He¡¯s quiet and gentle, but once he says that he¡¯d do something, no one would be able to stop him from doing it. ¡°Be careful on your way.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡®He¡¯s still stubborn. Even though he looks like a grown-up now, he still thinks like a kid.¡¯ Verna shook her head slightly and began to trim the bag of fabrics that Theo helped her carry. Theo left the fabric shop and headed towards Ashia¡¯s shop. The snow that fell a few days ago still hasn¡¯t melted. As Theo walked on top of it, a rustling sound followed. Ashia had told me several times. ¨C Theo, if I¡¯m not in the shop, there¡¯s a key under the third flowerpot. Enter the shop if needed, okay? A hot summer or a cold winter. To his regret, Theo would always wait for Ashia outside the shop, enduring either the heat or cold with his body. Ashia would constantly be worried about Theo, so she always left the emergency key under the flowerpot. However, Theo would wait for her outside the shop every time. In the middle of summer, he would have a face that¡¯s red because of the heat from the sun. In the middle of winter, he would have a face that¡¯s red because of the cold wind felt during the said season. Arriving in front of Ashia¡¯s shop, Theo glanced at the potted plants lined up next to the shop¡¯s door. It seems like he has no intention of going in the store, as usual. The snow accumulated on the stairs was roughly removed by hand. ¡®When will you arrive¡­..?¡¯ Theo, who had no idea when Ashia would arrive at the shop, waited for her. The snow that had stopped began to fall again. Chapter 7.1 - [Part 1] – That’s My Job Chapter 7 [Part 1] ¨C That¡¯s My Job After leaving the gate, Ventus guided Ashia to a small cabin in the forest. ¡°This is where I come to rest once in a while.¡± He also mentioned that when he is tired of researching, he visits this place to calm himself down. Thereafter, he poured hot tea into an old teacup and gave it to Ashia. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the taste will meet your expectations. In fact, I don¡¯t even remember the last time I made tea.¡± As if he was embarrassed, Ventus scratched his cheek with a worried look on his face. Ashia, who drank the hot tea, smiled at his face. ¡°It tastes the same as the one you used to make in the tower.¡± ¡°Really¡­..? That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Yes, it still tastes bitter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± As Ashia looked at his round eyes, she briefly frowned before bursting into a mischievous laugh. After that, Ventus and Ashia started to fill in each other on the events they have missed about each other. How have you been doing since you left the tower? What have you been up to? After being asked that, I was able to hear information about the tower that I couldn¡¯t ask other people. However, not all the information we exchanged was pleasant to the ears. In the midst of it, there was definitely a couple of pleasant and unpleasant news. Nevertheless, we talked for a long time as if we met a friend from our hometown. ¡°By the way, did you open a store in the capital?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s on Dershio Street, Third Avenue.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. You settled down as soon as you left the tower, right?¡± ¡°I was lucky. What I learned from Ven was very helpful.¡± Ventus, who was holding his chin with the hand that was resting on the table, said with a pleased smile. ¡°Well, show me around the store that I helped in a lot.¡± Ashia smiled softly at his playful expression. ¡°Of course, but I can¡¯t do it right now. I have a pile of uncompleted work that needs to be dealt with. It¡¯s the Grand Duke¡¯s request.¡± ¡°Oh? You must be very busy then.¡± ¡°Yes, I have to acquire the necessary ingredients for the potion, so I think I¡¯m going to be busy for a while.¡± ¡°Ingredients?¡± Ashia nodded her head as she glanced at the teacup. ¡°Yes. His Highness Kaligo¡­¡­.is a pure fire attribute.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a pure fire attribute and is of high class.¡± ¡°Oh, pure! That¡¯s why you need special ingredients, right?¡± As Ashia continued to speak, Ventus¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t get the ingredients in advance because only a few people needed them.¡± ¡°What¡¯s bothering you then? If you are in need of a distributor, I can find someone.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m probably the only one who has the ability to get it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When Ventus noticed that Ashia was smiling, a confused look made its way on his face. Ingredients that only Ashia can get. The place where you can acquire the ingredients is a place where no one else can get in. To be exact, it was a place you couldn¡¯t enter without her permission. The Fairies¡¯ Forest. It was a place that is only mentioned in old books. At present, dragons, fairies, and gods are believed to be just legends. As the saying goes, ¡°The Fairies¡¯ Forest¡± has long vanished and forgotten from human life. Because I knew the original story, I could find its existence first before anyone else. Although she did not find it on her own, Ashia, who had to be kicked out of the tower before she reached adulthood, could not afford to dwell on her conscience. Thanks to this, she was able to open a potion shop, make her name known, and earn a lot of gold. So, even if she turns back in time and goes back, her choice will not change. ¡°Ashia?¡± Ashia, who was immersed in her thoughts, was called by Ventus. ¡°Ah¡­¡­I¡¯ll tell you everything later.¡± There was no need for me to hide it from him, but I¡¯m sure Ventus would want to hear it in full detail. However, Ashia couldn¡¯t manage to do it today due to lack of strength. Ashia then rose from her chair, while Ventus followed. ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± ¡°Yes. I have to go to work.¡± Ventus burst into laughter at the sight of Ashia, who had her fists clenched with a determined look on her face. ¡°Alright, today is not the only day anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll open a gate for you. You said Dershio Street, Third Avenue, right?¡± ¡°No need, I can do it myself.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ashia reached her hand out into the air. The blue mana flowing out of her fingertips fluttered along the movement in the air, creating a gate. ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± Ashia couldn¡¯t create a gate before she left the tower. It seems like she wasn¡¯t just focused on making potions. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll get going.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll see you again soon, Ashia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ashia then turned to the gate. Beyond the gate, white snowflakes slowly fluttered through the landscape. ¡®Snow¡­..?¡¯ It was snowing in Carmain, the capital where her shop was located. Upon knowing that, she tightened her robe before she stepped into the gate. *** Chapter 7.2 - [Part 2] – That’s My Job Chapter 7 [Part 2] ¨C That¡¯s My Job Ashia, who came through the gate, looked up at the sky. A small snowflake landed on her forehead and her cheeks. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s going to snow¡­¡¯ There was a considerable amount of snow piled up on the floor, to the point that sounds resonated. ¡®This is why there are no customers.¡¯ Well, it wasn¡¯t a loss since she just got a huge amount of gold in advance. The moment Aisha, who was thinking about her heavy pockets, took a step forward, a large person propped up in front of her store came into view. ¡°Huh?¡± Since he had been sitting there for a while, a considerable amount of snow had piled up on top of his light brown hair and both of his shoulders. Astonished, her face was pale as she called out to him. ¡°Tero?!¡± The man who was curled up raised his head slowly. Despite his small movements, the snow on his hair fell to the floor. ¡°Sister.¡± Only then did Teros raise his folded body. When he stood up from his seat, his long shadow hung over the white snowfield. Ashia, who ran all the way under the shadow, nagged at him. ¡°Tero, you! I¡¯ve told you several times to get into the store and wait!¡± ¡°I said that there was a key under the pot! How many times have I said that?¡± ¡°How many times?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Three times.¡± ¡°Yeah! Three times! Huh? You know it!¡± While listening to her loud nagging, he began to grow a timid smile on his face. ¡°How long have you been waiting here? You will freeze to death!¡± Ashia frowned heavily, yanking away the snow on Teros¡¯ shoulders. She wiped all the snow off his shoulders and then tried to remove the snow on his hair, but he was too tall. ¡°Head!¡± Then Teros bent down and lowered his head. Ashia¡¯s fingers swept through Teros¡¯ wet hair. She continued to sigh out of lamentation as she shook off the water that had already melted and the snow that had piled up on his head. ¡°Oh, my God! What is this!¡± She furrowed her eyebrows and shook the snow off Teros. ¡°Let¡¯s head inside for now. You can¡¯t shake the snow off like this.¡± Teros pulled Ashia¡¯s hand and lead her into the store. ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ashia turned again and looked him in his eyes. He reached into the inside pocket of his coat, looking for something. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that. I have to go to the palace now.¡± ¡°Already? Have a meal first.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯m here, I¡¯ve got something to give you. I have been yearning to give this to you. ¡°Something you want to give to me?¡± Teros took a small potion bottle and held it out to Ashia. Ashia lifted the bottle up and looked into it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°The spring water from the Fountain of Trust.¡± At his answer, Ashia, who was looking at the bottle of spring water, turned her head toward Teros. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said you were curious.¡± His words suddenly reminded her of what she had said a week ago. -There¡¯s a Fountain of Trust in the temple. -Yes, I know. -What is the spring water from that fountain made up of? I heard that it¡¯s only available in the temple. -Do you want me to give it to you? ¨C ¡­ If you want to. -Oh, no. It¡¯s really not! No, huh? Tero! Look! It¡¯s really not like that! I said no! Okay? As the conversation that took place that day became more vivid, Ashia¡¯s face turned a brighter colour than Teros¡¯, which was blue due to the cold. ¡°Hey, how did you get this?! It¡¯s not easy to even get near to the Fountain of Trust!¡± The eyes of Teros curved smoothly. ¡°I did so because you told me to get you a bottle of spring water if I changed from an Imperial Knight to a Holy Knight of the Temple.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes grew bigger than ever. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ You-¡± Ashia could not speak and just opened her mouth. Teros smiled softly and brushed off the snow that had begun to pile up on her shoulders. ¡°Come on in, you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± ¡°Tero!!!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Ashia burst into tears and Teros closed his eyes tightly. ¡°You! How did you become a Holy Knight!¡± ¡°What are you so surprised about? I¡¯m just gifted.¡± ¡°You¡¯re changing to a Holy Knight for this one thing!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason. Being a Holy Knight is much better.¡± ¡°You. Really!¡± Ashia was speechless once again. Teros¡¯ eyebrows drooped down. ¡°¡­ Do you know that you¡¯ve been yelling at me for a while?¡± The shadows of the two, who stood still for a long time, were cast over the white road covered in snow. Ashia looked at Teros and said in a quiet voice. ¡°Tero, I don¡¯t need this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Sister.¡± ¡°Return it.¡± Ashia continued with a deep sigh. ¡°You said you were really burdened by this, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Let me do this. I know how much you¡¯ve been suffering¡­.¡± ¡°Tero.¡± Her low voice cut his words coldly. ¡°It¡¯s my job.¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Teros expressed his disappointment at Aisha¡¯s words, which drew a firm line. Ashia has always drawn a line. Her determination has been unwavering since the day of the accident. Whatever the cause, it is undeniable that the accident on that day was caused by Ashia¡¯s mana. Even though he knows Ashia¡¯s personality, he gets hurt every time she makes up her mind like today. A fickle snowflake fell again in the space between the two people, where silence had fallen. ¡°It¡¯s cold. Go back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it back.¡± The potion bottle containing the spring water was held out in front of Teros. He stood away from Ashia¡¯s hand and took a step back. ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Tero.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, please. The procedure is already complete. In a few days, I¡¯ll be transferred to the Holy Knights of the Temple.¡± ¡°Tero!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really getting better treatment.¡± Tero took another step backwards. ¡°So¡­ Please take it. It¡¯s a waste to throw it into the trash can.¡± Among the fluttering snowflakes, Ashia¡¯s heart throbbed at Teros¡¯ bitter smile. ¡°You¡¯re so¡­¡± ¡°Till next time then. I¡¯m in trouble. Sister, I really need to go.¡± ¡± ¡­¡­ I see. Go on, go ahead.¡± Instead of answering, Teros smiled sadly with his eyes down. Turning straight around, he went towards the palace. Ashia looked at the back of Teros for a long time while she held the small polygonal glass bottle in her hand. Seven years ago, the town of Tometeros, located in the northern part of the Karhan Empire, was ablaze. During the night, when everyone was asleep and caught unaware by the sudden blaze of fire. The fire was not easily extinguished, and the raging fire burned not only people¡¯s homes but also their parents and siblings. After a long week, the flames finally died down after satisfying its greed. Teros was one of the children who lost their parents and siblings in the accident that day. And it was Ashia Bliss who burned down the village. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ TL/N: Greetings! Theo has been changed to Teros. There may also be other name changes, so please take note of that. Thank you! Chapter 8 - You Had To Hide It Until The End Chapter 8 ¨C You Had To Hide It Until The End After Teros went away, Ashia, who remained alone in the store, looked only at the small potion bottle he had given her. ¡®The spring water from the temple fountain¡­¡­¡¯ The delicate blue energy of divine power is such a mysterious and beautiful liquid. I¡¯m just curious about the ingredients. I heard it¡¯s different from holy water. Teros¡¯ life changed when he said to her that he wanted to know what the power in there was. ¡°I should have been careful¡­¡± In fact, Ashia herself or Teros were just a side branch of the original. The children of the Wizard or the burned-out village were also not mentioned in the novel and had no weight. Even if the direction of life changed based on the topic, Ashia didn¡¯t want other people¡¯s lives to change because of her. That one incident that happened many years ago was enough. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ashia put the potion bottle on the shelf and pulled the chair out. ¡°You. What was that earlier?¡± In the space where there was no one else besides Ashia, her calm voice was directed towards someone. ¡°¡­¡­ Are you pretending to be asleep? Or you just don¡¯t want to talk?¡± ¡°Can I take your silence as you having something you want to hide from me?¡± ¡¸¡­.¡¹ ¡°¡­ You won¡¯t tell me until the end, huh?¡± When there was no answer to the question again, Ashia removed the necklace around her neck and placed it on the counter. I¡¯ve been asking too much. Right? Let¡¯s do that. What do you mean earlier? When? A thin voice of beauty, which is more like a whisper rather than a voice, popped out of the necklace that vibrated shortly. Ashia¡¯s eyes narrowed when the voice immediately came from the necklace she had taken off. ¡°Oh¡­ You don¡¯t know? Do you want me to make you remember it? Luke?¡± Ashia, biting down on her molar tightly, lightly placed a finger in the middle of the mana stone that was shining softly. ¡¸¡±Aww! That hurts! It really hurts!¡±¡¹ It was just a bit, but it was also very rough as if it was broken. ¡°¡­¡­¡­. I haven¡¯t even started yet, Luke.¡± ¡¸Oh¡­ Words. Please remove your fingers. Words are enough.¡¹ ¡°Why bother a weak and poor stone?¡± She then gently removed her fingers from the mana stone when she heard it was about to die from the pain. ¡¸¡±Yeah, so let¡¯s talk about it. Why did you do that?¡±¡¹ ¡®¡­¡­¡­. What exactly is she asking?¡¯ Ashia gave a light sigh and folded her arms. ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Didn¡¯t you hate it when someone touches me without your permission?¡± ¡¸Oh, that one? Of course I hate it!¡¹ ¡°You know what? I¡¯ve done that once before, and you¡¯ve been in a frenzy because you were so busy.¡± Luke¡¯s voice rose as if something exciting had occurred to him for a moment. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! I remember! Wow, back then, I was really¡­.¡± Is the memory of that day a pleasant memory for Luke? The mana stone in the middle of the necklace made a sound and vibrated. Ashia¡¯s eyes went towards the mana stone that became thinner. ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Remember how much mana I wasted trying to put you to sleep?¡± ¡°Yes, of course! I remember that!¡± At that time, Ashia had her hands and feet all broken, and her flesh was torn apart. She was a mess. Oh, my goodness! ¡°I guess you had a peaceful life after all the fuss that day. Right?¡± If I was a little more excited, I would have burst into laughter. Ashia leaned her back against the chair and looked at the mana stone quietly. A short silence descended on the space that was noisy. Ashia continued slowly, looking at the Mana Stone, whose vibrations were dying. ¡°You¡¯re very¡­ Excited, aren¡¯t you?¡± Only then did Luke¡¯s voice, who understood the atmosphere, come out. [¡­¡­ No.] ¡°So, I¡¯m asking why you did that earlier. Are you afraid of the great Duke? Really? Are you going to run away from people?¡± The mana stone sparkled with red and blue lights. [¡°No way!¡±] ¡°But he snapped at you and you looked so calm.¡± Luke was quiet again. Even the loud glow faded away. Ashia asked again, tapping her finger on the mana stone. ¡°What? What are you hiding?¡± Not answering her persistent question at first, Luke swallowed his saliva and slowly continued to speak. [¡­¡­ Very occasionally.] [There is a mixed race between the dragon and the human race.] A hybrid born between a dragon and a human race is an unfamiliar topic to Ashia, who knew the original story. ¡°¡­¡­ You. The story.¡± [¡°Yes, that big guy from before.] What is he talking about? Is he mentioning a secret of the Etus family that¡¯s not mentioned in the original? Or is it something that was written in the original but I couldn¡¯t find it? No, maybe there¡¯s something I don¡¯t remember. I did not remember everything even if I had read the book, but even if I remembered it, I can¡¯t guarantee that it will stay in my memory. Luke, who had been vibrating and twinkling in the Mana Stone, continued to speak in a resonating voice again. ¡°Anyway, I was so surprised that I forgot to run away. Hehe.¡± Luke¡¯s short laugh turned Ashia¡¯s eyes back to the necklace. ¡°¡­¡­ Hehe? Are you laughing? Are you laughing?¡± Luke¡¯s voice came to Ashia, who was lost in thought again. ¡°And.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Huh?¡± [Didn¡¯t Ashia know him? You were very agitated.] ¡°Huh?¡± This small stone pointed out something unexpected. Ashia lowered her head toward the necklace and whispered softly to the Mana Stone. ¡°You felt it?¡± Luke also lowered his voice and whispered. [¡°Maybe, just enough for a sensitive person?] ¡°My eyes are shaking. My voice is cracking. How can my heartbeat resonate so loud? It¡¯s not me. It¡¯s Ashia¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Stop¡­¡± Ha, Ashia sighed loudly and buried her face in her palms. *** Between the two men sitting opposite one another in the drawing room, there was an aura as cold as the weather outside. For movement, they held a teacup on the table. There was nothing else to do. Breaking the fairly long silence, Desian opened his mouth and placed his arms over the armrest of the sofa. He said, ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± Ashia¡¯s name seems to have been engraved in Desian¡¯s head for a while now. But Kaligo, as usual, was just drinking tea with a wrinkled expression on his face. ¡°That woman named Ashia.¡± Despite Desian¡¯s continuous words, Kaligo only drank tea without replying. With his good posture, Desian gasped and continued. ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°She said that she is a magician.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s what I just heard, and I know just now, that there is a wizard on the Great Duchy. That damn bastard, Ventus.¡± ¡°But why did you call the wizard again?¡± He slowly looked up, putting down his teacup, as if he was interested in a special person. ¡°Each wizard has a different ability.¡± ¡°They have their own ability?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes.¡± Desian nodded as if he understood. ¡°Why are you covering your face? Your voice suits my taste but how about your face?¡± ¡°I think face and skill are different.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. That¡¯s right. So how¡¯s his face?¡± The eyes of Kaligo toward Desian were imbued with contempt. ¡°What the hell is your reason, sire?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see my friend. Do I have to have a reason?¡± Even with the word ¡®friend¡¯ coming out of his mouth, Kaligo¡¯s expression didn¡¯t even change. However, Desian knew how terrible Kaligo thought of that word. Desian deliberately brought up a story that grated on him. Then one corner of Desian¡¯s mouth crept up. ¡°It¡¯s been so quiet for years that I was wondering if I needed to have some heavy rain. You¡¯re just obviously fed up with the courtiers and aristocratic youngsters.¡± Note: the ¡°heavy rain¡± just refers to a phenomenal event ¡°¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick of them, and now I¡¯m rolling around with magical love.¡± Kaligo¡¯s calm eyebrows wiggled finely. ¡°We agreed to share the good things. Well¡­ ¡­¡­ Why? Is she a special wizard?¡± Kaligo stared at Desian and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± Kaligo¡¯s heavy voice made the air in the quiet drawing room heavier. ¡°¡­¡­ Tell me.¡± ¡°Did you forget what you said before?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ No, I remember.¡± ¨C You should never hang out with the Crown Prince again. In this case, I hope you refrain from stepping into the temple. Kaligo broke off his relationship with the Crown Prince. Apparently, it was Desian who had cut him off from Kaligo¡¯s side, but didn¡¯t let him go. Kaligo Etus is like an uncontrollable active volcano. You don¡¯t know when or where he¡¯s going to explode. Even if he managed to calm the angry fire by drinking a single potion, it is meaningless if he could not break Desian. That¡¯s why Kaligo, who almost died a few years ago, was the first to cut off the crown prince after returning to his grand house. Desian had a livid smile when he remembered that the Kaligo of that time tried to cut him off. ¡°I thought you were going to act like an orphaned nobleman lately. You¡¯re the one who is secretly enjoying in the background, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was a remark with a lot of intentions. However, despite Desian¡¯s provocation, Kaligo¡¯s face remained calm. ¡°I would have said it if I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Well, what was she doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a wizard I met for the first time today. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can look into it for yourself, ¡­¡­ You¡¯re good at that, aren¡¯t you? Digging behind others.¡± Kaligo leaned on the sofa and threw his eyes out the window with his arms crossed. Nothing will come out after investigating anyway. It¡¯s obvious that today is the first time he¡¯d been engaged with someone. Desian slowly opened his mouth, looking interestingly at his unshakable expression. ¡°Then¡­ I can touch her, right?¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes slowly turned to Desian. His face, which had faced him completely, revealed his true feelings that had been hidden until now. His reddened gaze that came across him was like a sharp blade. Kaligo, who did not show his emotions easily, had suddenly begun to exude life. Because of her alone. ¡°You should¡¯ve hidden it all the way.¡± His eyes, still stained with anger, were so intense that Desian got goosebumps all over his body from the energy he was emitting. Looking at his eyes, he¡¯s no different from a man whose wife was stolen. Kaligo had that kind of look. Chapter 9 - Bring Her To My Eyes Chapter 9 ¨C Bring Her To My Eyes Seven years ago, Kaligo Etus, who was on his way out, was hit by a landslide. There was no time to send a rescue team because of his sudden change of route. While forced to march recklessly, the intact mountain collapsed on them with a roar. -L-landslides! -Evacuate! What about the Grand Duke? ¨C He¡¯s gone! -Find the Grand Duke! In an instant, many people were buried under the huge amount of dirt and rocks. Kaligo Etus, who was drunk and drugged, was also buried under a collapsed mountain without any resistance. Shortly after, the soldiers dug up the dirt. They found Kaligo, whose body had been destroyed. However, the medic shook his head when he saw his ragged body. ¨C If you have eyes, take a look. It¡¯s impossible for a man to connect all of that together. The medic gave up his treatment. Soon after, Kaligo Etus¡¯s breathing stopped, and the cold body of Kaligo was left unattended for about half a day in a temporary barrack. But, when exactly half a day passed, a miraculous thing that should have been impossible happened. Kaligo Etus had come to life. His breath that had stopped came back and the skin that was blue turned red. His eyes, which they thought would never open again, slowly opened and his red eyes were filled with vitality. Everyone could not take their eyes off Kaligo, who had a perfectly unscarred upper body with a handsome face. His body, which had just been a dead body, was a bit dirty, but there were no signs of scratches or broken ligaments. The first person that came up to him was Redin, the butler of the Grand Duchy. ¨C Your Highness, are you awake? ¨C It was a landslide. He woke up half a day after he stopped breathing. -First of all, get the medic back¡­ Kaligo raised his upper body, but he didn¡¯t have any reaction. Redin¡¯s voice, which was explaining the whole story, seemed to be inaudible as Kaligo just rolled his eyes and looked at his surroundings. ¨C Grand Duke. ¨C Your Highness? Kaligo¡¯s mouth opened and his voice resounded. His deep voice uttered a name they had never heard of. -What happened to Lena? -¡­Pardon? In a flash, his red eyes were full of life. ¨C I asked you how she is! ¨C Your Highness! Suddenly, Kaligo rose up, grabbed the bayonet, and began to wield it. In his madness, he ran out of the tent without stopping and disappeared into the deep forest, where the temporary barracks were set up. He collapsed and was found unconscious only after dawn. It was from that day. He is Kaligo but acted like he is not, and it looked like another Kaligo started living as Kaligo in this life. The dusk crept into his office. He thought of Desian¡¯s words while pulling back the curtains he normally kept closed. -I¡¯m here to see my friend. Do I have to have a reason? ¨C We agreed to share the good stuff. ¨C Then¡­ I can touch her, right? Redin, who stood still beside him, poured tea into the teacup and took a step back. Kaligo spoke while he stared out the window. ¡°Take a break.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Redin bent down. As he was trying to get out of the room, the office door opened roughly and Ventus popped in. ¡°Kaligo!¡± Ventus, who was breathing hard, strode to the desk. Redin, who was looking between Ventus and Kaligo alternately, slipped out of his seat. ¡°Why Ashia?¡± Kaligo answered back with his arms crossed in front of his chest. ¡°¡­ I would have told you. I¡¯ve found a wizard who can make potions without side effects.¡± Ventus chewed on his lips. He barely calmed himself down and continued to ask his question, saying, ¡°Why Ashia?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What are you going to do with Ashia?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you¡­ What are you going to do?¡± Kaligo sighed lightly and swept his bangs up. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with that wizard?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to know, do you?¡± ¡°If you are answering me like that, I have no reason to answer you either.¡± Ventus clicked his tongue, a frown appearing on his forehead. ¡°Ashia was my student.¡± Kaligo snarled at the answer. ¡°Your student? I don¡¯t think there is a large age difference between you two.¡± ¡°When Ashia was young¡­ No, you don¡¯t have to know that much.¡± Ventus seemed reluctant to bring up the story of Ashia¡¯s personal past in her absence. Ventus, who was shaking his head slightly, asked Kaligo again. ¡°I answered. It¡¯s your turn. What are you going to do with Ashia?¡± He said in a nonchalant voice, arm in arm at his question. ¡°What do you do¡­ What else do you want and have found in her?¡± Ventus looked at Kaligo with disapproving eyes. A crushed voice flowed out of his mouth. ¡°She¡¯s like a female dog¡­¡± Somehow, Kaligo squinted his eyes and had an irritated expression. ¡°Is it a problem that the wizard is a woman?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a problem for you that Ashia is a woman.¡± Ventus walked slowly and sat on the armrest of the sofa. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know the past when the Grand Duke was crazy about women. You drank a potion to calm it down. You, who adamantly stayed away from women suddenly, called me to see a wizard, who is a woman.¡± ¡°You have done some research beforehand, didn¡¯t you? You knew she was a girl, but you are still surprised about it. If it¡¯s not weird to you, then it¡¯s probably a lie.¡± With his words, Kaligo¡¯s expression stilled. ¡°Do you perhaps have a crush on the wizard at first sight? That¡¯s probably why! What do you know about sexual desire? If you want, let¡¯s live by warming up like we did in the past!¡± ¡°Ventus.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Did you change your mind like that?¡± Is it a characteristic of wizards to say whatever comes to their mind without thinking? Or are these two, Ashia and Ventus, just different cases? Kaligo called his name in a voice that was heavier than ever. ¡°Ventus.¡± ¡­¡­ Tell me. ¡°It must be very uncomfortable for some reason.¡± His low voice and even more eerie gaze was directed towards Ventus. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then find another one.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡± ¡°Find another sorcerer who can make a potion without side effects and bring the person before me.¡± Ventus let out a short sigh. A wizard specialized in the making of Ashia¡¯s Body Potion. Even if he searches all over the continent, or to be exact, the entire continent, he will never be able to find one. ¡°I have a rough idea of what kind of ridiculous misunderstanding I have created, but I didn¡¯t find a female wizard. I just found someone I needed.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been watching me for five years, and I didn¡¯t know you still had that misunderstanding.¡± Just like what Kaligo said, it has already been five years since Ventus came into the Grand Duchy. They had learnt a great deal about each other over the years. ¡®It should have been a normal rumor¡­¡¯ It was true that curiosity was swirling around him first because he is the grand Duke who is embroiled in lewd rumors. However, Kaligo¡¯s first-hand experience is not the same as the man that had eccentric and disorderly rumors embroiled in him. But he¡¯s probably the same guy depicted in the rumors. But it is rather confusing whether the rumor was someone¡¯s conspiracy. After watching him for five years, Ventus realised that he intentionally stayed away from women, probably because he was conscious of the rumors. That¡¯s probably why there were no young female employees in the grand duchy. And thus, he was even more curious about the gender of the wizard which turned out to be a woman. Of course, Ventus knew better than anyone that his situation was not that good. ¨C Mr. Ventus! His Highness has a seizure! Again? Where is he? -In the office, sir! Kaligo¡¯s body, who had already consumed all kinds of potions, was still suffering from serious side effects. In addition to the numbness of hands and feet and headaches that he had told Ashia about, frequent seizures and paralysis were still occurring. He couldn¡¯t understand Kaligo due to the fact that he was still embracing the side effects that were too much for his body even when he was already taking too many potions, simply because he wanted to control his libido. He thought that just swallowing some pills would be better than suffering from side effects like this. -¡­¡­ What if I quit? -You can just call any woman into the bedroom and live as freely as you used to. That¡¯s your freedom, right? ¨C I¡¯m free to lose control of my body? Whatever the reason, he seemed to think of his past as a terrible one. He was trying not to repeat the past while he endured the pain. ¡°Do I still look like the kind of guy who used to treat women like toys?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­. I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to worry. You just need to get what I want.¡± That¡¯s where the conversation with Kaligo ended. Ventus, who left the office, turned and looked at the tightly shut door. ¡®Yeah¡­ He¡¯s not a liar. If I get the potion he wants, he won¡¯t get involved with Ashia anymore. Yes, when I am done with this request.¡± Ventus was struggling with anxiety and went to the lab. He then went out. 3rd Street, Dersio Street, Ashia¡¯s Potion Shop. She came back from her grandfather¡¯s house and was busy dealing with requests that had been pushed back for a few days. In the meantime, she was preparing to leave to look for the materials. ¡°Thank you. Watch out for the stairs in front of the door, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, Ashia. I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Yes, Aunt Liera.¡± Liera, the bakery owner, visited Ashia¡¯s store. Usually, there were only two reasons she would visit the potion store for. One is due to a large abscess on the cheek of his daughter, Loenne, and the other is to match Loenne with Terros. -Ashia, think about it. As long as Terros marries our Loenne¡­ -Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s not your position to decide what will happen. -I¡¯m asking you to tell me something. Even if Terros doesn¡¯t listen to anyone else, he¡¯ll die if it¡¯s for you. Terros was not interested in other people. It was to the point where their actions or voices were not heard in the first place. Similar to someone who was missing some sort of emotional components, Terros was so insensitive to everything. Ashia was the only person Terros had responded to. ¨C I want you to get along with the people I love. ¨C Verna, Melinda, Chelsea¡­ -But¡­ With one single word that Ashia uttered, Terros¡¯ attitude toward the people around him would completely change. Liera knew that, so she thought it would be easier to persuade Ashia to tell Terros directly. Standing at the entrance of the store, she looked at Liera, who was striding away. Luke, who was quiet, spoke slowly. [¡°No matter how much you think about it, it¡¯s a waste of time, isn¡¯t it?¡¹ Ashia shook her head shortly. ¡°¡­¡­¡­. It¡¯s not like that. Luke, I just don¡¯t think it makes sense to talk about this without the other person.¡± ¡°Lord Terros¡¯ heart is important. Is that what you mean?¡± [¡°Yes, if he likes it, then I would feel the same way. I can¡¯t ask for anything else.¡±¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­ I want Terros to be happy.¡± She was sitting on the veranda for a long time, and her anxiety-filled sigh leaked out one after another. ¡°Phew.¡± Her face, probably due to the fact that she just came out of the store, showed signs of exhaustion. She was exhausted physically and mentally due to the several nights of work. Ashia¡¯s posture, which was always prim and straight, has been fully stretched to the bone today. She sighed again, stretching her upper body onto the cold glass stand. ¡°Atatata.¡± Ashia, lying face down on the counter, threw a solemn gaze out the window. The sun in the sky was already falling over the ridge. The dusk was enveloping the alley. Then the street lamps began to light up one by one. The snow had stopped pouring. On the snowy streets, the footsteps of merchants preparing for the splendid night of the capital sounded. The night slowly covered the sky, and the frozen streets have revitalized once again. Ashia loved this Karmian. The street is beautiful, colorful, and full of the scent of life. Aisha was rather fascinated by the scenery outside her window. A light smile worked its way across her face. Suddenly, through the window, she saw a youngster walking toward the store. Ashia, who wondered who he was, slowly lifted herself up. ¡°Huh?¡± Her eyes grew bigger when she recognized him. Chapter 10 - Is It Because Of Him? Chapter 10 ¨C Is It Because Of Him? Kaligo? Why? Why is he in the capital? No, more than that, the direction he¡¯s walking in now was her shop. Ashia, who was staring at him blankly, came to her senses. Robe! Robe! A few days ago, she came back to the store and remembered a robe that she had thrown randomly. Inside the store, through the small hallway, he found the space where Ashia lives. She thought that a robe is probably hung habitually on the back of a chair. Ashia ran in quickly and found the robe. She grabbed the roughly laid robe on the table, quickly wrapped it around her, and covered her face with its hood. Jingle. Just in time, the door opened. My heart sank at the sound of the bell, which usually always sounded nice. [¡°Ashia! It¡¯s him!¡± ] ¡°Shhh! I know. Keep quiet.¡± Ashia looked in the mirror on the wall and checked again to see if the hood was properly covered. When I was done, I walked through the hallway to the store. Having already entered the store, he was looking around without saying much. Only one person came into the store, but this large space seemed to have been filled up. As he felt embarrassed, he went into the big store and grumbled. ¡°Welcome.¡± Kaligo turned in the direction of Ashia¡¯s voice. The awkward silence continued as she walked calmly into the store. ¡°Miss Ashia Bliss.¡± Kaligo¡¯s polite low voice called Ashia¡¯s name. He took off his black gloves, crumpled it in one hand, and took a slow step to look at the items displayed in the store. ¡°It¡¯s wider than I thought¡­¡­¡± Ashia, who was looking at Kaligo, sat in the middle of the store and opened her mouth. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Kaligo¡¯s head turned towards Ashia. What he saw was Ashia who fixed her posture while she donned a thick robe and had a heavy hood draped all over her. ¡°¡­¡­ I was on my way back to the palace for work. While we¡¯re at it, I was thinking about hearing about the progress of the potion.¡± Before she knew it, the two had faced each other with little space between them. ¡°It won¡¯t go beyond the date specified in the contract. If you get the ingredients, you can go straight to the production of the potion.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d go get the ingredients yourself.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve settled most of the requests I¡¯ve been behind on, so I think I can leave soon.¡± He looked down, feeling agonized for a moment, and then nodded his head and said. ¡°First of all, I know.¡± What does he know? Ashia tilted her head. ¡°Goodbye, then.¡± Kaligo turned away. Walked out of the store as nonchalantly as he did when he came in. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Through the transparent window, she could see him from behind as the Grand Duke climbed into the carriage. The carriage didn¡¯t start immediately after he got in, but stayed there. ¡°What the¡­¡± [Such a cheap guy.¡¹ Luke, who was itching to talk, voiced out a single phrase. ¡°He¡¯s so bland¡­¡± [¡°But he looks more handsome under the bright lights. And his aura¡­¡¹ [Is just like the sexy type that Ashia would like¡­¡­ Argggghhhh] ¡°Shut up.¡± Luke, being clenched in Ashia¡¯s hand, screamed. She then looked at the carriage outside the store for a long time, while holding the necklace. ¡®What the hell is wrong with him?¡¯ Just in time, another customer came to the store. Since then, she forgot his presence as she dealt with numerous guests. Suddenly, when she came back up and turned her head towards the window, the carriage had already left. At midnight, Ashia locked up the shop, turned off the lights, and walked into the hallway, greeting Luke. ¡°Good work, Luke.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it! Good night. Ms. Ashia!¡± ¡°Yes, till tomorrow then.¡± She gathered and tied her fluffy platinum hair altogether and crept up onto the fluffy bed. She then pulled the quilt under her waist up to her chin, thankful that she was able to go through everything today without a hitch. Another night deepened as the stars settled in the cloudless night sky in Karmian. The next day, just after lunch, Kaligo came back to the store. Entering the store, he walked to the one side of the sofa. ¡°I thought I¡¯d ask for a few more potions. There¡¯s a lot of backlog at the moment.¡± There was a clink in Ashia¡¯s ear, who was turning back curtly. It is so familiar and welcome. And it is the sound that Ashia liked. As she turned toward him again, she saw the coin purse that was placed on the table. ¡°It¡¯s an advance payment.¡± Ashia, who was standing far away and crossing her arms, took a quick step and landed on the sofa opposite him. ¡°What is your request? Sir?¡± She then picked up the coin purse on the table and untied the string. When she saw that there was quite a lot of gold in the coin purse, a smile spread over Ashia¡¯s mouth, which was exposed under the hood. ¡°I don¡¯t mind you asking me. Feel free to say anything. What kind of help do you need?¡± One of Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows crept up in response to her noticeably docile response. ¡°¡­¡­ I need a potion for the Knights of Etus.¡± ¡°Oh, I guess you have plans to go to war?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not exactly decided. Due to the nature of the estate, there are knights who often return addicted to the poison of the beast while patrolling the northern forest area.¡± Ashia tilted her head at his words. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that almost all of the poisonous beasts are gone.¡± ¡°There are quite a few left in the forests north of the Etus Bohr estate.¡± The Emperor of Karhan entrusted the northern part of the country, which was full of dangerous creatures, to the Grand Duchy of Etusl. With an order to give the greatest lands in exchange for the beasts to not invade the Karhan Empire. ¡°Anyway, in any world, the royal family¡­¡± It was revealed that the imperial family was wary of Etus. It was also a measure to keep Etus, who has the right to succeed to the throne, in check and to raise soldiers to prevent them from dreaming of rebelling. And, as the Emperor intended, the Knights of Etus would spend most of their time dealing with the Northern Monsters. ¡°Simple wounds can be treated by a doctor, but a wound that contains the poison from a poisonous beast cannot be removed easily and can only be slowed down. Eventually, the person will die from the poison. ¡°The Etus family¡¯s defenses and the magic of their defenses aren¡¯t that fragile, are they?¡± ¡°No matter how trained and well-equipped you are, mistakes are made as long as you are human.¡± Ashia nodded at his words. Kaligo took a small bottle out and placed it on the table. ¡°It¡¯s the poison of the northern horse, Teledrixia.¡± ¡°¡­ You got this?¡± It was a poison that penetrated the skin even if the person was bitten or if the poison had brushed against the skin. It was only possible to take the poison out of a beast that was still alive, which Kaligo had managed to do. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that the antidote needs the poison¡¯s ingredients. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, by the way. ¡°I was giving up because there were no potion makers coming forward to make the antidote. That¡¯s how dangerous it is to deal with the poison.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a real pain in the neck if the poison splashes or spills. Like you said, as long as you¡¯re human, you can make mistakes.¡± Teledrixia, a Northern-only creature. There was no developed antidote to the poison the beast possessed. It was a monster that did not come from other lands other than the North. Considering the point of view of doctors or wizards, there was no reason to make the antidote with the risks. ¡°But if I make an antidote for it, you won¡¯t have knights that are severely wounded or who lose their lives? Is that what you mean?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Yes.¡± Ashia tilted her head, fiddling with the tip of her chin. Her gaze went back and forth between the vial of poison and the bag of gold on the table. She opened her mouth after a brief silence. ¡°You are going to have to pay three times as much in advance as I am put at risk.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Would that do?¡± ¡°No, I need more.¡± ¡°Please go on.¡± ¡°When the potion is complete and proven effective, give me 20 times the advance payment. If you¡¯ll comply with all of my terms, I¡¯ll draw up a contract and start working on your potion right away.¡± Her position facing him was rather uncomfortable. She felt overwhelmed even if she was in a robe and covered by a hood because she was worried that the hood would fall off and expose her face. However, considering that he¡¯s a customer who has a lot of gold and had entrusted her with a request, it was rather inconvenient on her part. Kaligo buried his back deep in the sofa and nodded his head slightly. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do that.¡± He willingly accepted the deal without a hitch. ¡°You must have a lot of gold.¡± ¡°For the safety of my people, I tend to spare no expense.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay. Let¡¯s draw up a contract right now.¡± Ashia stretched her arms out into the air. As her thin fingers danced in the air, blue light fluttered like powder, and paper jumped out of the air and landed on the table. ¡°Everything you just said and the terms and conditions I have are on it. Take a look and just write your name below¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is it here?¡± He took Ashia¡¯s pen without even reading the contract. Asha tilted her head as she looked at him signing straight away without any hesitation. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been such a sloppy person.¡± When both signatures were written, Ashia rolled up the contract and pushed it aside. ¡°Then I¡¯ll send you the medicine as soon as I can.¡± ¡°Of course. I beg of you. Please do so.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Yes.¡± Kaligo rose from his seat and picked up his coat. Ashia stared at his carriage until he opened the store door and left. ¡®As expected¡­¡¯ Her eyes faded as she looked at the disappearing wagon. It¡¯s weird. It¡¯s weird. ¡°What do you mean, Ms. Ashia?¡± The main characters never came to Karmian, the capital, except to stop by the palace. ¨C I was on my way back after stopping by the palace for work. While we¡¯re at it, I¡¯d like to hear about the progress of the potion. The moment I made a potion deal with him, I think the potion shop was added to his route. But thinking about it, I thought that the amount of gold he gave is hard to decline. Her commitments to not engage with the main characters have undoubtedly collapsed in front of the huge amount of gold. And if today¡¯s request continues, Ashia will probably not be able to refuse. And the foreboding is not deflected. After that day, Kaligo continued to visit three or four more times. Whenever he came, he asked her to make a potion for some reason. From Ashia¡¯s point of view, it was a good opportunity to earn a lot of gold for the easy requests, so there was no reason for her to refuse. Whenever that happened, she had some friction with her belief that she would not be involved, but as always, due to the considerable amount of gold, she bent her belief just like a piece of paper. In the meantime, the preparations to go looking for ingredients was nearing its end. Early in the morning, as soon as the sun rose, Aisha stopped by Verna¡¯s parlor where she had requested supplies for her journey. ¡°Sister.¡± Ashia entered the parlor shop and called out to Verna. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t sleep well? I think you¡¯ve got some charcoal under your eyes.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that it?¡± With what Verna had said, she looked into the mirror hanging on the wall of the parlor. Ashia, who was looking at her face, said with a light sigh. ¡°You must have been tired because you didn¡¯t get enough sleep.¡± ¡°Is it because of him?¡± Verna grinned and brought up a story about a man who visited the potion store every single day. Surprised by him, Ashia turned around and looked at Verna dubiously. ¡°What?¡± Chapter 11 - A Relationship I Don’t Want To Chapter 11 ¨C A Relationship I Don¡¯t Want To Engage In ¡°There¡¯s a lot of rumors that an aristocratic wagon goes in and out of your shop.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± There are a total of five times he has visited this shop personally. Well, there couldn¡¯t not have been a rumor. They don¡¯t know which family it was because it didn¡¯t have a pattern, but when a handsome man gets off a fancy wagon and enters a store, attention is focused on him. His black hair and red eyes. Even the roughness of his large body. It was worth noticing that the man who goes in and out of the store is the notorious Grand Duke, but no one seemed to think that the Grand Duke would come to a small potion shop far from his estate. ¡°They said that he¡¯s so handsome. I was going to go see him too, but I couldn¡¯t because I was busy with work. And you left it to me to take care.¡± Verna continued, dragging a heavy sack out of the warehouse. ¡°I hear he looks like he¡¯s from a great aristocratic family.¡± ¡°¡­ He¡¯s just a client.¡± ¡°A man like that doesn¡¯t send an employee but instead comes personally?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Something is fishy, Ashia.¡± ¡°What¡¯s fishy about that¡­¡± Ashia wrinkled her eyebrows, her hand hovering over the luggage that Verna had put down. As she bit her lips and murmured softly, the magic from her palm surrounded the large load. Slowly reducing the volume, the bag deformed until it was as small as Ashia¡¯s palm. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s always amazing. I¡¯m gonna have to learn that magic, too. Everything in our store is bulky and heavy.¡± ¡°Learn something, sister. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you mocking me?¡± Ashia smiled mischievously, and Verna laughed along with Ashia. After a short chat over a cup of tea, she took everything she had requested and left the parlor. -It¡¯s often torn, so I made it out of a particularly strong fabric. It¡¯s for 4 people, so it¡¯s big in volume and weight, but you can use shrinking magic. ¡®It¡¯s for four. No wonder it¡¯s so bulky.¡¯ ¡®You have to be aware that you need big hands.¡¯ The snow fell again. A light breath brightened Ashia¡¯s vision and then dispersed. While walking on the way back to the store, she reflected on what Verna had said. ¡®There¡¯s a lot of rumors that a high-ranking aristocratic wagon goes in and out of your shop.¡¯ Kaligo was apparently a high-ranking aristocrat. Attention was drawn to the repeated visits of such a man. The carriage he came from and the man getting off the wagon. Both gave off a tremendous aura. ¡®There¡¯s nothing good in dragging it further.¡¯ Everything she needed for her journey was ready, and all she had to do was pack up and leave. Of course, the journey would not be smooth. Every time she went in looking for ingredients, she had to fight the severe cold. Years ago, Ashia sealed a fire enchantment, but it was not that easy to warm herself on a cold winter day, and she is not capable of lighting a fire using firewood. Returning to the store, Ashia threw the bag from the parlor into her suitcase. ¡°Let¡¯s see. I¡¯m not missing anything else, right¡­¡± ¡¸Get your candles and matches, Ashia.¡¹ ¡°Oh, right.¡± It was a cold winter all year round in the forest. So if you don¡¯t get ready, you might freeze to death before you even get out of the forest. ¡¸You won¡¯t be able to make food, so pack beef too¡­¡¹ ¡¸Drinks and dried fruits, too!¡¹ ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll get them too.¡± She then packed it all in the big bag. No matter how big it was, no matter how heavy it weighed, it didn¡¯t really matter, thanks to her volume and weight-reducing magic. *** Instead of packing her stuff, Ashia, who was already exhausted, leaned her back against the wall as she stared blankly into the bag. Luke¡¯s murmur was heard in Ashia¡¯s ear. [¡°He¡¯s handsome. He¡¯s in good shape. He has a great voice.¡¹ ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Ashia lowered her head towards the necklace around her neck. [¡°And he looks strong too¡­ More than anything, he had a lot of gold! But what¡¯s the problem anyway?¡¹ He was obviously referring to Kaligo. Ashia didn¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with her today either. ¡°So what? What do you want me to do?¡± [There must have been rumors in the neighborhood already¡­] ¡°¡­ So what?¡± [Do you really think that the Grand Duke came to this small shop so many times for a mere request? What could be the reason?] ¡°So, what¡¯s the reason? You don¡¯t know, do you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ashia¡¯s discomfort was revealed by her eyes. She knew what Verna and Luke were thinking, but the problem was that he¡¯s her ex. It¡¯s not like he was just any ex-husband. He was the one who left her alone for five years. Only a single word filled with warmth and a friendly touch was directed towards her. And the last moment of the two was death. Although it was rare these days, it was a shocking memory for her to the extent that his last appearance in the past often appeared as a dream. ¡®Sigh¡­¡¯ The memory of that day came back to her. Then, as usual, a numbing pain pierced her chest and she then carefully raised her hand. It was a pain that rarely came to her. His intentions were unknown. Kaligo has never even seen Ashia¡¯s face. Not only does Kaligo not know her face, but they have never had serious conversations. In Ashia¡¯s memory, there has never been a single moment where they were attracted to each other. But he¡¯s so fond of her? It simply did not make sense. ¡®I don¡¯t intend to be swayed again by these feelings that I¡¯m not sure of.¡¯ The days when she loved him one-sidedly were enough when she lived as Lana. ¡°Luke, don¡¯t you wonder why I even wear a hoodie in the first place?¡± [¡­¡­ Are you going to answer me if I asked you that?] ¡°No.¡± [Tss¡­] Ashia leaned her head against the wall and let out a quiet breath. [Does he happen to know Ashia¡¯s face?¡¹ Luke asked carefully, and Ashia, looking into the air, answered softly. ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± [Ashia knows him well too.] ¡°Okay.¡± [So you don¡¯t want to get involved with him again?] ¡°¡­¡­ ¡± [Ms. Ashia?] Ashia didn¡¯t find a suitable answer for that. That he was her ex-husband and that he is the main male character in the original novel. There were so many other obvious reasons. But what was this frustrating feeling? Feelings that she thought were wrapped up began to get mixed up again. Her head began to throb with an unusual headache. *** Cling. Dang ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ashia did not open the store. ¡°Ashia? Ashia~¡± It¡¯s already been three days since she stopped by Verna¡¯s parlor and took the items she had requested, and from that day onward, Ashia¡¯s store remained closed. When she had to leave the store for business trips or deliveries, she used to write them all down at the door of the store, or at least make a statement to Verna at the parlor. She¡¯d never closed the store like this without saying anything. Verna had already pulled on the locked door several times. She looked through the window with a worried look. It didn¡¯t feel like there was a person in the store since the lights were off. ¡°¡­ If you were looking for ingredients, you would have said something.¡± Verna¡¯s face grew darker. When he looked around and was forced to go back to his shop¡­ ¡°Gasp!¡± When did he come? A big man stood behind Verna. Verna looked up at the man, screaming unknowingly. The first thing that stood out was his red eyes. His red-eyed gaze was fixed unshakably on Ashia¡¯s store, and then he would leave just like that. His glamorous appearance and manly aura. No, her shoulders cringed at his overwhelming energy that exceeded his manly aura. While she was frozen and not thinking about getting out of her trance, the man¡¯s voice which came from the top of her head resounded loudly. ¡°Is it still closed today?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, it is.¡± Today? Maybe he¡¯s been walking in vain for days, too many days. Verna bowed her head unknowingly and fixed her posture. Her legs trembled at the overwhelming momentum she felt at that moment. ¡°Do you know why?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He still stared, his gaze piercing through Ashia¡¯s shop. ¡°Does this happen often?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ No, it doesn¡¯t. Not once did she close the store without a word¡­¡± Even before Verna¡¯s words were finished, the man strode past her to the store door. Following his movements, Verna¡¯s head turned. Looking at the back of the man walking to the store, she thought that he was the man in the rumor. She could tell. Apart from being a great-looking man, he¡¯s also so scary¡­ While looking at him with barely opened eyes, Kaligo suddenly raised his fist at the store door. ¡®Huh¡¯ Anyone could see his willingness to break the door. Surprised by him, Verna screamed. ¡°Key!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ ¡± Hearing Verna¡¯s voice, Kaligo turned to her with his fist raised. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a key! If you break the door, A-Ashia will be very, very angry, angry! A-Ashia cares about the store like her mom¡¯s life!¡± While spouting gibberish and stuttering, Verna still talked until the end. She managed to soothe her shaky legs and moved to the flowerpot lined up in front of the store. She removed the third pot with shaky hands and the key hidden underneath it was taken out. ¡°H-here.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go in when you had the key?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done this before, so I didn¡¯t think about it.¡± She then handed the key to Kaligo and opened the store. Of course, it was dark inside the store where the lights are off. Sunlight shone in, but a long structure prevented the light from reaching the inside. He walked into the store without hesitation. Following him, Verna also went in. In the cold weather, as Ashia shivered, she rolled up her blanket and hugged it. Nevertheless, her body did not stop shaking. It¡¯s cold¡­ So, so cold. I feel like my bones are freezing to the core. It feels like my whole body is covered in ice. -¡­ I¡¯m Kaligo kept calling her while her consciousness was vague, but she had no energy left to answer. The voice calling her seemed unfamiliar and somehow familiar. ¨C Everything¡­ I heard the voice again in my deafened ears. Again, I couldn¡¯t answer this time. But when I sat up on the floor, I felt like I was sinking heavily to the floor. The chilling cold made me grind my teeth. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She whined, and suddenly another force held her body. Someone else¡¯s warmth permeated through the blanket between them. At that moment, when her body and mind were eroded in pain, the fact that someone was around her made her feel relieved. With such warmth, she rubbed her face even more and dug deeper into the warmth. ¡°Cold¡­ Cold.¡± Then, a warm hand touched Ashia¡¯s cheek. From the warmth, hot heat spread throughout the body. The cold, which had been residing in her bones, disappeared as if it were kicked out, and the warmth took over. She felt a gentleness and tranquility that she hadn¡¯t felt for a long time. With the idea that the warmth was somehow familiar, Ashia¡¯s soul sank heavily beyond distant consciousness. The warm energy seemed to melt her body and cause her to fall into a deep sleep without even realizing it. Chapter 12 - It’s Only In Fairy Tales Chapter 12 ¨C It¡¯s Only In Fairy Tales I heard the sound of water by my bedside. I barely opened my stiff eyelids and my view was blurry. I somehow knew that someone was here, as I dimly saw someone. ¡°¡­ Sister?¡± Verna, who was wetting the towel, responded to Ashia¡¯s call. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Verna walked straight to Ashia, wiping the water off her hands on her apron. ¡°What the hell is going on with you?¡± Verna¡¯s worriedly touched Ashia¡¯s forehead and cheeks. Ashia, who had been staring at her for a moment, raised her upper body. Verna helped her up and said, ¡°Lie down a little longer.¡± ¡°No, I want to sit up.¡± She leaned her back against the headboard and tucked her flowing hair behind her ears. Looking at her like that, Verna nagged her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask for help when you were sick enough to the point of losing consciousness?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s like an annual event.¡± ¡°Then you should have prepared more!¡± ¡°I usually have my medicine ready, but I forgot because I was so busy this year.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something else you always forget and it hurts me this much.¡± Ashia burst into laughter at Verna¡¯s worried tone. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡± Sigh. Verna, who had been sighing for a long time, sat next to Ashia and made eye contact. ¡°¡­¡­ Are you alright now?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m feeling better. Somehow, my head feels refreshed.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re okay with all this cold sweat¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s really okay. I used to feel worse for a few days after I got sick, but now I feel really refreshed.¡± Then, suddenly, I felt that my condition was really quite different from what it used to be. Never before did I experience this¡­ Verna wiped her face with the wet towel while Ashia was murmuring. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± ¡°Umhm.¡± Ashia uttered, not moving her face from Verna¡¯s touch. ¡°But how did you know?¡± ¡°Oh, I was worried because the store was closed for three days.¡± ¡°Three days, huh¡­¡± She had been out of her mind for three days. Well, she¡¯s never closed the store for three days without telling Verna. Ashia nodded her head. Then, suddenly, another memory came to her mind and Ashia uttered something while looking at Verna. ¡°Oh, Sis.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Uhm,¡± Ashia paused briefly and went on. ¡°Was there anyone else who came besides you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.. Huh?!¡± Verna¡¯s touch halted due to her question. Ashia¡¯s head tilted, recalling the hazy memories for a while. ¡°I thought I heard a man¡¯s voice.¡± ¡°Ah¡­..¡± Verna sighed shortly and got up from her bed. While slowly walking to the table, Verna soaked the towel in hot water again. Ashia¡¯s gaze followed Verna. ¡°¡­.¡± For a moment, there was only the rippling sound of water in Ashia¡¯s room. Verna fixed her eyes on the wet towel and spoke in a nonchalant way. ¡°¡­ The medic came and went. Maybe you heard that.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot, Sister.¡± ¡°No¡­ There was no trouble.¡± At the end of her distant memory, there was a voice calling for her. It was blurry but also clear in another sense. Ashia looked at Verna, who was fiddling with a wet towel, and turned to look out the window. ¡®Medical staff, huh¡­¡¯ Ashia looked out of the window and let out a low sigh. Verna repeatedly wetted and squeezed the wet towel several times while she examined Ashia¡¯s expression. She doesn¡¯t remember anything, does she? She was a little worried that she might have acted unnaturally in front of Ashia, who was faster than Verna thought in detecting lies. She was even more anxious because she knew she had no talent for lying. -Lena, Lena. He called Ashia Lena. It was the first time she had heard that name. ¡°Does she even have a pet name like that?¡± The stoic man¡¯s face, which had a daunting atmosphere that would even cause fear, collapsed at the moment he found Ashia. Ashia was curled up in one corner of the room, and not in bed. She shivered convulsively without covering herself with a blanket. Without even knowing if she had a simple cold or a seizure. Verna found Ashia, but she was stuck outside, unable to reach her easily. It was the man who approached her first. There was no hesitation in his actions. ¡°Lena¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He called Ashia and hugged her carefully. His touch on her forehead and cheeks, and his simple caresses towards her were very careful. Ashia¡¯s face, which was exposed from the blanket, was white as a sheet and so pale it looked like it lacked blood. ¡°It¡¯s cold¡­. So cold.¡± Ashia moaned softly, and continued saying that it¡¯s so cold. Perhaps, because of the cold, she wriggled into the man¡¯s arms in search of warmth. Ashia unconsciously found a person and reached for it. It was the same person who hugged and stroked her silently. At that time, the two looked like a loving couple. The more Ashia suffered, the more he hugged Ashia. Ashia¡¯s face continued to cool down and he called her nonstop. He didn¡¯t forget to pat the whining Ashia either. Then, the man¡¯s large hand stayed in the air for a while, and carefully covered Ashia¡¯s forehead. Soon, a red energy began to radiate from his large hand and sank into Ashia¡¯s body. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Asha, who showed signs of discomfort to the point where she frowned, soon regained her peacefulness. Her bluish face returned to a reddish colour and her cheeks blossomed and became vibrant. The fire filled the cool room with warmth. Looking down at Ashia, who had regained stability, he turned his head and said to Verna. ¡°Call the medic, please.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, yes!¡± Verna jumped out of the store and went to the nearest medic. When she hurriedly returned with the medic, the man had returned to his true self. Verna, who entered the room, felt his indifferent and cold atmosphere and trembled. Asha, who suffered from groaning and was on the brink of death a while ago, was now fast asleep, breathing softly. The man had even lit the stove again in the meantime. He lifted himself up after putting the broken firewood into the stove. ¡°Don¡¯t tell her that I came here today.¡± ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± The man turned his head toward Ashia. ¡°I don¡¯t want her to know that I was here.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I will.¡± He gazed briefly at Ashia¡¯s sleeping face and walked out of the room. That was only half a day ago. Half a day ago, the man was in this space with her. Why didn¡¯t he want to tell Asha? What is the story between the two of them? She had a lot of questions, but she¡¯d rather not ask them. ¡°I don¡¯t think Ashia should know¡­¡± By any stretch of the imagination, the man looked extremely noble. She overcame the difference in status and said, ¡®And they lived happily ever after.¡¯ That¡¯s the story that only existed in fairy tales. The reality is really different. A few people may have overcome their differences in status and even married. But no, she¡¯s never seen those kinds of scenarios before. Most of them would end up being abandoned by people with high status. No matter how capable and determined Ashia is, she may be the one who is abandoned. In addition, nobles who had that kind of appearance and status often indulge in promiscuous private lives. ¡°I wish it was just prejudice¡­¡± Unfortunately, that was the case with most nobles so Verna just dismissed it as prejudice. She didn¡¯t know what the status of the man was, but she could see how chaotic the privacy of the high-ranking aristocrats was just by listening to the Grand Duke, who was always mentioned at the center of gossip. How can she guarantee that he¡¯s not a promiscuous guy like she thought? That man, if not the Grand Duke, may be a man of high rank enough to play with Ashia like a toy. Unexpectedly, Ashia seemed naive in dating. ¡®¡­¡­ You¡¯re going to have a hard time. A man like that would play with a lot of women too.¡¯ Verna shook her head firmly. It bothered her to lie to Ashia, but she didn¡¯t want her to get entangled with such a man. Moreover, it was the man who told her not to let Ashia know first. Verna glanced at Ashia. She was still looking out the window. Perhaps, because of the pain, Ashia¡¯s expression looked worse and more lonely than ever. -Are you sure you¡¯re gonna be okay? I can stay with you until tomorrow morning. -No, Sister. It¡¯s totally fine. It¡¯s okay. She then sent Verna back before the night grew deeper. It¡¯s not a serious disease. Once a year, she would lie down in pain as her whole body was freezing after sealing her magic. For several years, she bought ingredients for fire, made potions, and drank them every time, but this year, she was busy with the emergence of the requests that flooded her and Kalligo. After seeing Verna off, she returned to her room and slumped over the edge of the bed. ¡¸Ms. Ashia¡­¡¹ The necklace on her neck vibrated shortly and talked. ¡°Hmm?¡± Luke let out a mirage of colors while he had a quivering voice. ¡°You don¡¯t know how worried I was¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for surprising you.¡± ¡°I should have taken care of it¡­¡± She vaguely heard Luke¡¯s voice while she was shivering all alone in the corner just before she fell unconscious. In fact, Luke doesn¡¯t volunteer to do human work even if she¡¯s in a critical situation. Without Ashia¡¯s orders, he just watched and waited. She didn¡¯t really like it. It may be considered, but if the implicit rules of those beings are like that, Ashia did not intend to feel upset or force him either. Luke must have been one of the few friends she cared about. Asha fiddled with the necklace and smiled faintly. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t prepare for it ahead of time.¡± Luke has always been playful, but he seems to have been very worried when he saw Ashia fall unconscious after a long time. ¡¸By the way, Ms. Ashia¡­¡±¡¹ ¡°Yes?¡± ¡¸About¡­ earlier.¡¹ Returning to the bedroom, Ashia landed on the bed and leaned her head against the pillow. She said that it was okay, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel tired. ¡°A while ago? When?¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.. That.¡¹ Luke hesitated, unable to easily confide in Ashia. The time when Kalligo came. Ashia lost her mind, but Luke didn¡¯t. He had been watching and listening to everything. -Don¡¯t tell her that I came here today. -I don¡¯t want her to know I was here. Luke remembered what Kalligo had said. He didn¡¯t know the reason. ¡°Luke?¡± ¡¸Oh, well¡­ That is.¡¹ When she called Luke again, Luke hesitated for a moment and continued, vibrating softly. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 13 - The Only Reason Chapter 13 ¨C The Only Reason ¡¸That¡­ those red eyes¡­¡¹ Clang. Luke¡¯s voice was buried by the sound of the bells jingling as the store door opened and closed hastily. ¡°Oh?¡± Ashia¡¯s head turned toward the door of the store. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t lock the door.¡± It seemed that Ashia had forgotten to lock the door as she entered after seeing Verna off. Ashia propped her body back up, leaning against the post of her bed, and walked through her hallway into her shop. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at the person who entered her shop. ¡°What are you doing here at this hour?¡± ¡°She said you collapsed?¡± He walked over and placed the back of his hand on Ashia¡¯s cheek and forehead. ¡°Terros.¡± Terros, who should have been in the Imperial Palace, had arrived. Seeing that her fever had gone down, he sighed and continued. ¡°I met Sister Verna while I was on the way here.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± Ashia then nodded her head with a look of understanding. And soon, Terros¡¯ nagging gushed out. ¡°Why are you acting so stupidly? What did you do after leaving the hospital?¡± His voice and expression were full of concern for Ashia. Just like Jericho, a kind child. Ashia looked up at Terros and laughed silently. Note: Jericho is probably a small child from before from their village ¡°You said you went to the hospital. Why can¡¯t you fix it by telling the hospital ahead of time?¡± ¡°At the very least, you can ask for painkillers.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s such a drug, I can make it myself.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t make it and became like this!¡± Both ends of Ashia¡¯s eyebrows slanted downwards as she watched Terros wrestle with his upset heart. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I made you worry.¡± ¡°¡­Take care of yourself, please.¡± He was so worried about Ashia, who made potions to treat others, but did not take care of her own body. Ashia felt even more sorry when she saw the look on his face, which was clouded with sincerity. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Terros carefully supported Ashia¡¯s shoulders and led her to the bedroom. He put her on the bed, pulled a chair, and sat next to her. ¡°Your face is very distorted.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine now. If I hadn¡¯t taken medicine, I¡¯d have been sick for three to four days.¡± ¡°Starting next year, make medicine in advance. Even if the store is closed.¡± ¡°¡­.I will. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Terros stayed at Ashia¡¯s shop for a long time. Despite Ashia telling him to go back immediately, he insisted that he would sleep in the place he had stayed in when he was young. ¡°I¡¯m really fine now, Terro.¡± Terros gazed at Ashia and rose from his chair. ¡°My room is next to the warehouse, okay?¡± ¡°Terro.¡± Terros returned the chair he had sat on and looked at Ashia again. ¡°I said I¡¯ll be back tomorrow afternoon. I¡¯ll be too worried to train properly anyways.¡± He then walked towards the door, grabbed the handle, and said. ¡°I know you can¡¯t sleep if there¡¯s someone next to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be quiet in my room, so please don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s here and take a nap.¡± Terros opened the door to his room and managed to walk away from Ashia¡¯s room. He walked a little past the warehouse and found the dark brown door. Ashia and him had settled in the capital of the Karhan Empire and had been together for several years. It was Terros¡¯ room at that time. He turned the door handle and entered the room. It seemed that it had already been more than three years since he had been inside this room as he had entered the Imperial Palace Order. And yet, it looked just like the way it did when he had left. It felt like time had not passed in this room. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± It was as if the room was managed every single day. The sun-scented bedding was still spread out straight, and his scent seemed to be lingering in the clean room devoid of any dust. The desk Terros used, the books he read, and the things he used were all in place. He wouldn¡¯t have been sad if the room had been left unattended or cleaned up, but seeing how it was managed, his heart beat so fast that it ached. Despite her busy schedule, he pictured her cleaning and organizing his room every day without exception. Terros slumped down on the bed. He bent over, wrapped his face, and sighed loudly. He knew it¡¯s all just sympathy and guilt. Nevertheless, his feelings for her could not be reversed. No, he couldn¡¯t figure out how to give up on her in the first place. For Terros, Ashia was the beginning and the reason for everything. The only reason he could breathe and open his eyes every morning without being frustrated by any pain and anguish. He couldn¡¯t get her off his mind like that. He couldn¡¯t give up. But he couldn¡¯t force his feelings on her either. So he waited. Until she looks at him as a man. Until then, Terros was going to stay with her quietly. Until just now. It was until just now. Ashia collapsed. He met Verna on the way to Ashia¡¯s store. The moment he heard from her that Ashia had collapsed, his eyes went blank. Verna caught Terros again, who was about to go to the store. -Did you know that guy? -What do you mean by that guy? -I heard about a man who went into Ashia¡¯s shop and saved her from her sickness. Although he was just passing by, I felt that he wasn¡¯t just on the level of a client she had known. -Is Ashia¡¯s nickname Lena? -Lena? Terros tilted his head when he heard that the man had called her Lena. -No, I don¡¯t even have a pet name for Sister Ashia. Suddenly, he remembered a name he had heard in a conversation between Ashia and Ventus seven years ago. -What¡¯s this paper under the necklace, Lena Connelly? -Oh, that¡¯s my other name. I wrote down the name because I needed it for my order. Note: Order is regarded as some sort of ritual or something about theology or magic -Aha. He did not hear why she had to put the name on the magic box she had made, but as a result, the incantation failed. And he completely forgot the conversation he heard that day because Ashia ran away. ¡®Lena Connelly¡­¡¯ Ashia had a strange aura the moment he first saw her. Despite her young age and low status, her speech was eloquent and her confident aura was mixed into her words and actions. The way she acts is as if she was a lady from a noble family. He didn¡¯t hate her for acting like that. It was also good to see her say everything she had to say against people of status without fear of dying. But why did that man know that name? Dark thoughts swirled in his mind. The burning in his chest was enough to be perceived as nervousness or anger. *** It was long after morning that Ashia, who fell asleep, opened her eyes. Last night¡¯s work seems to have caused physical problems. But thanks to that rest, she felt much better. She slowly got out of her bed, changed her clothes, washed herself, and went out to the store. ¡°What are you doing here, Terro?¡± Ashia heard sounds from the store©¤ Terros was taking potions out of the warehouse and putting them in a cart. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Today is the day of delivery to the Knights, wasn¡¯t it? When he heard Ashia¡¯s voice, Terros put down the potion box and turned towards her. ¡°Are you better?¡± Terros, who walked to Ashia, touched her forehead and continued. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever now. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Totally fine.¡± Terros smiled timidly as he looked at her and then smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard and rest a little longer. I opened the store. In the meantime, I wrote down all the businesses of the people who came to check in on the paper over there. I¡¯m almost done with the potions.¡± With what he said, Asha¡¯s head turned to the counter. Instead of Ashia, who was deeply asleep, he opened the store for her and recorded all the requests from customers who visited him. It was something Terros did every day before entering the palace. ¡°This makes me feel like I¡¯m going back in time, right?¡± ¡°Oh, our Terro is suffering because of Sister.¡± ¡°¡­If you know that, then don¡¯t fall sick.¡± Terros turned around again and began to move the remaining boxes of potions. But Asha smiled faintly at Terros. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Terros, who put the last box on the cart, pointed to a sack next to the stand and asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to get the ingredients.¡± ¡°¡­With the state of your body?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know it would hurt this much. But I¡¯m fine now.¡± Ashia raised her arms with a big smile and put them down. Nevertheless, Terros¡¯ expression remained firm. ¡°Put it off.¡± It was not a whine. He was just really worried about her. She knew his mind better than anyone else, but Ashia replied sternly. ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a request that I can¡¯t put off. There¡¯s not a single piece of latent attribute material left.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Latent?¡± Ashia nodded, throwing a few more potions into the sack. It¡¯s a latent material. It¡¯s unusual for a person to have latent materials. It was also the most powerful attribute, and it was not easy for a human body to withstand the strong energy. ¡°I guess there¡¯s someone else who needs these materials.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been putting it off because there aren¡¯t many people who use it except for him, but I¡¯m in a hurry to get it.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s go together.¡± Hearing his words, Ashia moved to the stand, shaking her head. ¡°You know, but you still do it. It¡¯s best for me to be alone.¡± Terros chased her to the stand. Then he stood face to face with her and continued to speak. ¡°It¡¯s too much for that body.¡± ¡°¡­Terro.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In a low voice, she called Terros and looked up at him. ¡°Did you see me accompanying someone?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Have you ever been hurt?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Have you ever been worried about passing the time or breaking news?¡± ¡°¡­No, I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°But what are you so worried about?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± On the days I went to get the ingredients, I always had to face Terros¡¯ worried face. Never once did anything happen for Terros to worry about when I was getting the ingredients. But, of course, he¡¯s worried that someone who¡¯s been sick until last night is going into that rough place. Clang. While the two quarreled, the door of the store opened and the bell rang. Terros and Ashia turned to the door. ¡°Welcome!¡± ¡°Growl¡­¡± The man who opened the door fell down with a loud thud as his knees met the floor. The man gripped his chest and continued to groan painfully. Asha shouted with her eyes wide open. ¡°Kalligo!¡± She rushed to him and hugged him as he was falling to the floor. ¡°Ugh!¡± While supporting Kaligo, Ashia¡¯s face crumpled. His body was like a ball of fire. His whole body was as hot as boiling water. Nevertheless, there was not a single drop of sweat on him. His body did not look well. His skin bulged, as though his body was filled with scarlet circles. It was as if his skin was going to rip and pop out in the next instant. ¡®This man¡­ Just now.¡¯ Ashia¡¯s blue eyes shook wildly as she looked at him. ¡®This kind of symptom wasn¡¯t mentioned in the story, so why?¡¯ Ashia¡¯s hand, which caught him, gained strength. Kaligo was having a seizure, which he really wanted to hide from Ashia. Chapter 14 - She Told Me To Be Quiet Chapter 14 ¨C She Told Me To Be Quiet ¡°Terro, help me!¡± ¡°O-okay!¡± Terros took the cart away and ran to his feet, grabbing Kalligo¡¯s other arm. ¡°We need to move him to my bed.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Terros, with Kalligo¡¯s arm around his neck, widened his eyes in surprise and looked at Ashia. ¡°Hurry up.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Two big men stumbled into the narrow corridor and managed to reach the bed. ¡°Let him lie down here.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Terros threw Kalligo on the bed just like that. Ashia rubbed the tip of her chin, looking at Kalligo who filled her bed. ¡°Seizure¡­ There are no side effects.¡± Why didn¡¯t he tell her about something this important? Maybe he intentionally hid it. If yes, why? After a moment of contemplation, Ashia stared at Kalligo and moved her lips. ¡°Terro, go back today.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Terros, who was looking at the man on the bed, turned his head towards Ashia. ¡°Only he and sister will be here?¡± Miuna Gouna Kalligo is her client. Besides, he¡¯s a pretty powerful man in this place. She couldn¡¯t reveal the disgrace of such a person. Ashia approached Kalligo and spoke to Terros standing behind him. ¡°You worry too much. I can¡¯t leave a client alone.¡± Terros pursed his lips tightly. He wanted to ask if there were any cases in which the client was brought into her room. -Kalligo! In addition, Ashia had called that man¡¯s name. It wasn¡¯t just the customer¡¯s title, but his name instead. At the moment, he could tell that the man Verna had told him about might be this guy. ¡°Let me help you.¡± ¡°Terro, you know my job is one that is not intended for any kind of help from others.¡± Unable to go against her will, Terros walked out of Ashia¡¯s room helplessly. He looked back several times and managed to steadily walk out of the store. *** Ashia reached out to remove Kalligo¡¯s top as Terros left the store. His body exuded visible heat. ¡°Kalligo, wake up!¡± Ashia climbed onto Kalligo¡¯s body easily. What kind of pain was he feeling? Kalligo¡¯s big hands scratched and squeezed her body, causing the bed to shake tremendously. She tried to remove his hands, but her strength alone could not stop him because of their enormous size difference. At that moment, Kalligo¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Hmm? Are you finally awake?¡± Ashia asked, looking into his eyes, staring at him. ¡°Kalligo?¡± She called him again. But instead of answering, his hand reached out first. And he then grasped her wrist. ¡°Kalligo?¡± Her body was dragged helplessly as his large hand held Aisha¡¯s wrist. ¡°Ah!¡± With a thud, Ashia¡¯s body fell onto his chest. ¡°Awww¡­¡± Ashia lifted her upper body, groaning. Is this really a human body? His body was as hard as a stone. Ashia cradled Kalligo¡¯s body, her arms pulled once again below his waist. ¡°Ugh.¡± His body was boiling like an active volcano. While staring at Ashia with his red eyes, he coughed up distorted, wild, and hot breaths. The distance between the two narrowed till the tips of their lips were about to touch. His breaths, his heartbeat, and his desire that was so sensitive were expressed in his gazes. Kalligo was losing control over all three, which were running wild. He was almost like an untrained animal. However, that was just as far. He was engulfed with desire, but even though his body was under Ashia¡¯s superiority, Kalligo¡¯s touch was still friendly. He touched Ashia¡¯s cheek and chin gently, as if she was made of glass. Ashia felt the heat from his palm and his slight tremor. ¡°¡­Kalligo, ah?¡± Kalligo¡¯s rugged touch glided from her chin to her neck and around her shoulders. Surprised by the unfamiliar feeling, Ashia leveled her shoulders and held his hand. ¡°Kalligo, wait a minute¡­¡± However, his strength could not be overcome without the use of mana. He hugged her tightly once again. Perhaps he didn¡¯t like her intention to block his touch. ¡°!¡± Kalligo, who hugged her, buried his face in the crook of Ashia¡¯s neck, and slowly rubbed his face and lips over her skin. Very occasionally, his hard teeth scratched her skin. ¡°Kalligo, wait¡­ ah!¡± The bedsheets were messed up because of Ashia¡¯s struggles as Kalligo hugged her tightly, trying to not let her go. The more Ashia tried to escape, the stronger his power in tying her up. Her reasoning was shaken by the heat that was being transferred from Kalligo. At this rate, she may be dragged away by his desires, as he intended. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ After several deep breaths, Ashia began to soothe him carefully, letting him bite and lick her neck and shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re not weak enough to not overcome your desires, you know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ ¡± ¡°Let me help you. So, please¡­ Wake up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Kalligo¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Did it work? He moaned softly and stopped moving. His hand pulling down her top had also paused, losing strength. ¡®Did he understand what I said?¡¯ Ashia, who noticed his changes, quickly rose to her feet and pressed against his chest, and said. ¡°Luke, [Push].¡± ¡¸Okay!¡¹ Luke¡¯s power was immediately unleashed from the necklace, was combined with Ashia¡¯s blue magic power, and began to weigh heavily on Kalligo¡¯s feverish body. ¡°Ugh!¡± Kalligo let out a scream. Ashia clicked her tongue and began unbuttoning the white shirt he was wearing. Maybe it¡¯s because she is impatient, but the unbuttoning didn¡¯t work out as Ashia wished. ¡®There are so many buttons.¡¯ Ashia furrowed her brows and ripped off more than half of the buttons on his shirt. In the air, buttons that seemed expensive even at a glance jumped and fell to the floor. At last, his solid upper body was revealed. His chest was moving up and down as Kalligo took quick breaths. Ashia, who inhaled sharply while looking down at him, reached over his heart to put in some mana. And just before touching his skin, Ashia¡¯s hands faltered in the air. ¡®What is this?¡¯ His body was full of tiny scars, like badges of war. The old scars were too faint to be seen at first glance. But there was a scar that stood out. His bizarre scar on the left side of his chest. It wasn¡¯t just a scar. ¡°Black magic¡­¡± ¨C It was because of the sorcerer¡¯s attack on the battlefield. I¡¯m going to die like this. I wanted to, but somehow I lived. But¡­ the scar didn¡¯t go away. Once upon a time, she had heard from him about this wound. The problem was that the story comes not from the original male lead Kalligo Etus, but from her ex-husband, Kalligo Edmund. ¡®Why is that scar on his body?¡¯ Black magic wounds and scars were distinctly different in shape from ordinary scars. ¡°The sun¡¯s heat is blazing, spreading scars everywhere¡­¡± This scar on Kalligo¡¯s body now was apparently caused by black magic. Ashia¡¯s eyes began to shake, and she started feeling dizzy. ¡°This is¡­ Why¡­¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± A moan burst out from Kalligo again, and Ashia, whose fingertips had stopped on his scar, winced. Ashia¡¯s eyes then moved to Kalligo¡¯s face. ¡®¨C W-who are you?¡¯ Ashia, who was looking at the wounds on his face and his chest alternately, grinded her molars. If she had any questions right now, she could ask him after calming him down. For now, calming down this man¡¯s energy was the top priority. It was clear that the red oracle was moving dizzily from place to place in his body. ¡°You¡¯ve put up with this, haven¡¯t you?¡± While sighing deeply, she let her mana slip straight over his heart. Then, the blue mana penetrating Kalligo¡¯s skin began to quell the red oracles that were briskly roaming his body. Thanks to her magic, he was finally recovering. His body, which had not shed a drop of sweat, had become wet and moisturized. Perhaps because the pain had subsided, Kalligo slowly opened his eyes. He directed a hazy look at Ashia. Sensing his gaze, Ashia said. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to just fall asleep.¡± Kalligo closed his eyes again as if he had understood what she was saying. ¡°Even if it¡¯s painful, hang in there. This will make you feel better.¡± Her fingertips, which were digging into Kalligo¡¯s flesh, exerted more power. For such a time, she concentrated her mind on calming his spirits down. Meanwhile, Kalligo, who opened his eyes again, looked at Ashia. He could feel her weight on his hot skin. It was both cool and fuzzy. It was the first time that the magic from another person entered his body. He could also feel the aura that was running wild in his body conforming silently to her strange but pleasant magic power. Kalligo¡¯s murky gaze was then directed at her red lips as he coughed up short breaths. Then Aisha¡¯s clothes, almost torn, came into view. Kalligo thought he was the one that did it. And her white skin, which seeped through the gap in her clothes, got caught in his view. Oh, my god. Looking at her disheveled look, he felt like he¡¯s going to die in another sense. Considering that his body was still moving even after drinking a lot of medicine, it was clear that Ventus had made the potion sloppily. Kalligo didn¡¯t think he could do this. He thought it¡¯s better to keep her away from his body¡­ ¡°Ashia Bliss¡­¡± ¡°Be quiet. I don¡¯t know if this is worth living for, but you still have a long way off.¡± Ashia interrupted Kalligo¡¯s words firmly. Then, her lips, which had crept open, closed again. She told him to be quiet. It¡¯s not because of self-interest or desire, it¡¯s because of her determined tone. Kalligo thought that he was overpowered anyway, so there wouldn¡¯t be anything unpleasant So, he thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to stay a little longer. Wherever she¡¯s touching, wherever she¡¯s sitting, it¡¯s entirely her choice, so he wouldn¡¯t be scolded. Kalligo kept his mouth shut. Ashia¡¯s hand came up to Kalligo¡¯s forehead. ¡®There¡¯s still a fever.¡¯ If she left it as it is, she was sure that he would get up and walk around just because he felt a little better. ¡°¡­Now sleep.¡± Cool energy also flowed out of her hands that were touching his forehead. Kalligo soon fell into a deep sleep. ¡®Sigggghhhh¡­..what a heck of a mess.¡¯ Ashia settled down enough of his aura and roughly fitted his shirt, which had less than half of its buttons left, onto Kalligo. She gave a long sigh as she cleared up the surrounding furniture that had been messed up while moving Kalligo. Then suddenly, her reflection in the wall mirror came into view. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± She almost burst into laughter. ¡®Wow, look at my hair. It¡¯s a mess.¡¯ It was an obvious show of how radical and dynamic it was to calm him down. Gasp. She was surprised once again. There were clear red marks on her neck and shoulders. ¡®T-that guy, seriously!¡¯ She thought it was too much, but judging from his behavior and eyes, she was at fault since she couldn¡¯t even control his desire. Then a moment came to her mind. At that time, she was caught by the fiery man and started to be engulfed in his flames. Ashia unwittingly shook her head, swallowing her dry saliva. ¡®By the way, how can I cover all this?¡¯ She looked back at her reflection in the mirror and pulled her torn, sagging clothes up to her neck. Still, it didn¡¯t cover it. ¡°It¡¯s really all a mess¡­ I¡¯ll just cover it all up with my robe.¡± As she was about to go back to her room to change, she quickly turned to the mirror again, rubbing her hot neck and shoulders. From head to toe, Ashia¡¯s eyes, which were double-checking her appearance, widened so much that they couldn¡¯t be bigger. Chapter 15 - I Need You To Save Me Chapter 15 ¨C I Need You To Save Me Indeed it was a late realization ¨C meaningless and in vain. ¡®¡­My robe, where did my robe go!?¡¯ Everything was plainly reflected on the window. In other words, Ashia had completely revealed herself in front of Kalligo from the moment he attacked her until now. ¡®Oh!!! You idiot!!¡¯ Ashia grabbed her head and screamed silently. Kalligo, who had fallen asleep, barely woke up the next day, whether or not he knew about her agony. Through the gaps from the small window, the sunlight poured mercilessly on Kalligo¡¯s face, who subsequently raised his arm to cover his eyes, groaning. Realizing that he wasn¡¯t in his bedroom, he quickly got up. ¡°Ugh.¡± His sudden movement made him dizzy, so he pressed on his head with his palms as he looked around the place. Having never slept in someone else¡¯s room or bed except when he was on the battlefield, this was an unexpected novelty. An unfamiliar place but a familiar scent. This place with a warm and cozy atmosphere reminded him of someone. Kalligo lay on his back, leaning his head against the headboard of the bed. ¡®I had a seizure¡­¡¯ Kalligo retraced what happened the other day. They¡¯d kept moving busily since arriving in the capital at dawn, then his carriage had been parked across Ashia¡¯s store with a river in between. I¡¯d rather get a divorce. I want to open a small flower shop and live quietly. Renna once said that, and he had promised to give her the freedom she wanted when the time came. However, even though that time hadn¡¯t arrived yet, she was already freely living her new life. She got the shop she wanted although it wasn¡¯t a flower shop. The fact that he wasn¡¯t the one who granted her freedom, and that he had no place in her time, was somewhat bittersweet. ¡®Haven¡¯t you recovered enough to open the store?¡¯ He arrived in front of her shop early in the morning to watch her open the door; he just checked to see if the store was open and planned to go back. The store opened not long after. He thought she opened earlier than usual, but the person who came out was a burly man instead of Ashia. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ With furrowed eyebrows, Kalligo jumped down from the carriage and walked towards Ashia¡¯s shop. Meanwhile, Ashia appeared inside the store. He didn¡¯t know what kind of conversation they were having, but the place quickly turned into a friendly atmosphere. ¡®I didn¡¯t hear that you were married or had a husband.¡¯ With impatient footsteps, Kalligo strode over, grabbing the doorknob of her shop¡ª ¡°Cough!¡± Seizures were one of the side effects he experienced. After that, it seemed like he was dragged and moved somewhere, and that was her bedroom. Then Kalligo, who was sifting through his memories, heard a muffled voice. ¡°This is my room, and that¡¯s my bed.¡± He turned his head to the direction of the voice. Standing near the entrance was Ashia with a basket beside her. Of course, she was fully equipped with her large, thick robe. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Asha placed the basket full of bread and fruits on the table. ¡°Would you like to have some bread or fruit after waking up? Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have food of the same quality as what¡¯s served in the grand duke¡¯s residence.¡± She pulled out a chair and sat down, grabbing a piece of bread and tearing off a corner to chew on. Kalligo stared at her, then also got out of bed cautiously. ¡°I will eat.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He sat down opposite Ashia, but he didn¡¯t eat and just continued staring at her. ¡°¡­You won¡¯t eat?¡± ¡°I am curious about something.¡± He thought that the time had come. ¡°¡­Please speak.¡± Ashia put down the bread. She had put on her trusty robe just in case, but she couldn¡¯t shake the anxiety that he would see her face. ¡®You saw my face, right? I wanted to ask you why you were pretending you didn¡¯t¡­¡¯ She just hoped that he didn¡¯t remember anything he saw and heard during his seizure. Kalligo¡¯s face shone even brighter, unlike hers, as she couldn¡¯t sleep at all last night due to all kinds of worries. His messy hair, his ripped and tattered shirt, his red eyes that seemed droopy from sleep. Even though his appearance was a little unkempt, it was very sensual. Ashia withdrew her gaze and clicked her tongue inwardly. ¡®That¡¯s right, he came here so let¡¯s hear what he has to say.¡¯ As Ashia calmed her pounding heart, she waited for his words. He blinked three or four times. ¡°What did you do to me?¡± ¡®Yes?¡¯ She tilted her head at his unexpected question. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have never slept this peacefully, nor woke up feeling this refreshed. Ah¡­ what else do I say?¡± Ashia took another piece of bread and put it into her mouth as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°Did you give me the medicine? The potion you were going to make me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m still unable to find the ingredients for it.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°¡­I just put Your Highness¡¯ aura to sleep as it was going out of control.¡± Judging from what they had talked about thus far and the content of their conversation, his tone and expression, he didn¡¯t look like a person who has seen Ashia¡¯s face. ¡®Is it because he was unconscious of his actions that he can¡¯t remember?¡¯ It was a rather good thing. She would be rather thankful if he really couldn¡¯t recall anything. Ashia cleared her throat as she started to talk about auras. ¡°There were times when the aura overpowered their masters.¡± She then poured milk and handed it to Kalligo. ¡°Auroras are cunning evil spirits. I can sense it when they attack their master viciously.¡± ¡°So, are you saying that you took advantage of that opportunity to put someone else¡¯s aura to sleep? With your magic?¡± ¡°Yes, you got it right.¡± Ashia also poured milk for herself and took a sip, feeling parched. Kalligo looked at her. ¡°You answered simply. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know anything about auras, but you also know that you can¡¯t just control other people¡¯s magical powers and auras so easily.¡± Ashia crossed her arms at. ¡°Um, I didn¡¯t control it. I suppressed it, to be precise, and I didn¡¯t do it so easily.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Fortunately, the main attribute of my magical power is the water attribute. It can easily extinguish fire.¡± ¡°You are talking about the relationship between attributes.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. If Your Highness wasn¡¯t of the fire attribute, it would¡¯ve been difficult even if it was me.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kalligo nodded with a look of understanding as he picked up a loaf of bread and brought it to his mouth. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Yeah, fortunately¡­¡± ¡°It feels like an unexpected path has been opened.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± A path was opened? Ashia tilted her head. Kalligo opened his mouth again after tapping his fingers on the table. ¡°Then.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He wiped the bread crumbs off his lips, curving into a graceful smile. ¡°I won¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡®What are you trying to say?¡¯ Ashia tilted her head. Kalligo continued to speak with his low voice. ¡°You can call me shameless. I¡¯d be happy even if you hit me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What¡¯s with the sudden swearing and hitting¡­ Besides, I will only hurt my hands if I hit that rock-solid body. Her mouth opened wide in disbelief. A little anxiety crept inside her as she looked at the man staring at her. It was as if she had predicted what he was inevitably going to say. While she was busy holding her breath and swallowing dry saliva, his firm voice continued. ¡°I need you to save me, Miss Ashia Bliss.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Renna was the oldest daughter of Count Cornelli. All women who were born into the Cornelli family died at a young age. They would suddenly lose consciousness while eating, fall down on the stars, or suddenly vomit blood. There were many cases where they couldn¡¯t sleep because they were suffering from nightmares, and they were constantly hurt by either big or small accidents. ¨CAre you saying that a doctor can¡¯t figure out what kind of disease that is? ¨CThat¡¯s because no matter how hard we looked, we never found any abnormalities¡­. ¨CIncompetent! The doctor said the cause of their disease was unknown, and as for the cause of their bad luck, it was also difficult to find a clear answer. However, there was one story that had been passed down for a long time. It was said that the family of Cornelli had stolen the mirror of the Goddess ¡®Arden¡¯ then lost it. At first, people who had been scoffing at the family began to gossip behind the scenes, saying that it was a story everyone shouldn¡¯t laugh at, as the daughters of the family became short-lived. ¨C¡­.Are you saying that even Lady Renna started to show symptoms the same as her deceased mother? ¨CThat¡¯s right¡­ It¡¯s a curse. If this isn¡¯t a curse then what could it be? Renna was no different, being born from the Cornelli family. She was just as helpless as her vitality got weaker each passing day. Renna Cornelli was becoming a beautiful and dignified corpse, one step closer to the threshold of death. Nevertheless, there were endless proposals for the incomparably beautiful Renna. Rather than searching for a way to save her, her father, Viscount Talian Cornelli, was busy figuring out which family would benefit them the most if she was sold. Then one day, a man came to visit Viscount Cornelli. He came carrying dozens of gold bars carried by dozens of carriages that even if you put together the gifts from all of Renna¡¯s other marriage proposals, it couldn¡¯t compare. That man was Duke Kalligo Edmund. Of course, Renna¡¯s father sold her away to him after a brief conversation. Moreover¡­ ¨C You cannot leave the Duke¡¯s residence without my permission. Those words he had said after coming to the Duke¡¯s residence were not that much different from a command. She could even ask for more knowing her plight as being sold for gold. She was dying anyway, the only difference was that her location changed from her maiden house to the Duke¡¯s residence. ¨CDo you not want to live anymore? ¨CThere is no meaning in living. ¨C¡­Probably, in the future, there will be such a meaning. ¨C¡­ ¨CWhen the time comes, I will give you your freedom, so please hold on until then. ¨C¡­ Renna had looked up at him silently to his unfamiliar words, making eye contact. I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll save you. Renna regained her vitality day by day, as Kalligo said, and he kept her alive as promised, while also giving her the will to continue living. Of course, she lost her life for not keeping his promise to set her free when the time came, but he undeniably saved her ¨C the Kalligo that time who said he would save her, and that Kalligo who brought her back to health. I need you to save me, Miss Ashia Bliss. Now he was telling her to save his life. Chapter 16 - You Should’ve Read The Contract Carefully Chapter 16 ¨C You Should¡¯ve Read The Contract Carefully Ashia was silent for a long time; Kalligo also didn¡¯t rush her. ¡°Save me¡­¡± Those were words that could not easily come out of his mouth, what with his high self-esteem and pride. Maybe it was because she firsthand experienced his seizures that for some reason, she couldn¡¯t refuse his request bluntly. ¡°¡­¡± While Ashia fiddled with the milk cup on the table, Kalligo was staring at her quietly. After a little time passed, Ashia¡¯s red lips opened, ¡°Your Grace, I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that you should live with me in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence.¡± Ashia was unable to continue speaking when she heard Kalligo¡¯s voice. ¡°¡­¡± It stung her. She actually was worried if he would ask her to do that. Kalligo quietly smiled as he stared at her as if he knew what she was thinking. ¡°I¡¯ve never been so sober after waking up from a seizure. No medication was able to do that before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a potion, it¡¯s the water magic that you use.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I felt like I was walking through a thick fog every day, but now¡­ I can see a ray of light.¡± She could even see the sense of relief on his face as he said that his mind had cleared. On the contrary, Ashia¡¯s eyes under the hood were trembling slightly. ¡°You can use your hand to heal me at the right moment, like in the cases where I have my seizures at the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. Of course, I will pay the corresponding cost.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia still kept quiet while crumbs fell from the piece of bread she held. ¡®It¡¯s a simple task if I think of the gold as a commission¡­¡¯ The problem was that it wasn¡¯t like she could finish it by just giving him a potion; she had to move her body and use her magic. She inevitably had to face him over and over again, so she couldn¡¯t come up with an answer easily. ¡°¡­I heard you were taking care of the people,¡± Kalligo¡¯s cautious voice continued. ¡°¡­¡± Ashia turned to him. He was talking about the survivors of the village Ashia set on fire. ¡°Did you do a background check on me?¡± ¡°Because I can¡¯t just leave the health of the Grand Duke to anyone.¡± ¡°You must have thought of my weakness just in case.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her red lips exposed under the hood twitched with discomfort ¡°I will bear all the expenses that go into them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you stay by my side until I am fully healed, I will spare no effort to support you so that they can make a living doing what they want to do.¡± Kalligo seemed to know that Ashia was taking care of the survivors with her own earnings. ¡°I don¡¯t need help.¡± ¡°¡­That is what you want to say, but those people can live a better life than they are now if you only let go of your pride ¡°I will.¡± Ashia had been providing gold for the survivors to settle down in the capital of the Karhan Empire for the past seven years, but they were labeled as ¡®cursed people from the cursed land¡¯. They weren¡¯t welcomed, suffering both discrimination and contempt wherever they went. Terros was also not different from them. The prejudice was still there though he was already recognized for his exceptional ability and there was no end to those who wanted to recruit him. He still had to remain in the same position of a common knight though he already made countless achievements and been recognized for his talents. If that still happened to Terros, then those without skills couldn¡¯t even find a decent job because they were thought of as cursed. Ashia couldn¡¯t help them settle down despite the amount of gold she had accumulated over the past seven years. It was impossible to predict how many years she still needed so she could accomplish it. ¡®Receive support¡­ from the Grand Duke¡¯s residence¡­¡¯ It would be a different story if it was the Grand Duke of Etous. Whether it was because he was her ex-husband, the male protagonist, or of her own shallow pride¡­ It was just a matter of closing her eyes just this once. ¡°You can think of it as a fair deal. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m giving away gold for no reason.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your ability ¨C I will buy it with gold.¡± Once again, Kalligo shook her hesitating heart. ¡°Do you know exactly how much gold I need?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t looked into things that far.¡± ¡°How do you know if you can give me that much?¡± ¡°¡­It seems like you¡¯re looking down on the Grand Duke¡¯s properties.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After taking a deep breath, Kalligo calmly suggested something even more outrageous, ¡°Miss Ashia Bliss, I will also erase the perception surrounding them.¡± Her jaw dropped. ¡°¡­¡± In fact, the biggest problem was perception. Not only would they be able to find a job, but they would also live a life without being swayed by other people¡¯s opinions if that perception disappeared. ¡°Are you going to change the long-held perception of them?¡± ¡°Have you given up, Miss Ashia Bliss?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you do not give up, I will not give up until the end.¡± It¡¯s not that Ashia didn¡¯t want to change it, however, she had to work day and night for the livelihood of so many people. In short, there was no room for that both mentally and physically. Kalligo offered help to what Ashia was unable to do for the past seven years. ¡°Is it worth it?¡± ¡°Because the only person who can save me is you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I believe in you. Heal me¡­ and bring me back to life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Asha seemed to be in trouble again, but this trouble didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Alright.¡± One of Kalligo¡¯s eyebrows twitched at her answer. ¡°I will write a contract.¡± Making up her mind, Ashia didn¡¯t hesitate from that moment on. As she stretched out he hand into the air, the blue energy immediately flowed out of her fingertips. When the blue energy of a faint brilliance drew a small magic circle in the air, a sheet of paper fluttered from the magic circle and landed on the table. ¡°We will be strictly following the terms of the contract.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Everything you just said has been recorded, so take a look.¡± ¡°Do I just have to sign it?¡± Again and again ¨C was it his habit to sign a contract without looking at it? ¡°¡­Did you look at it?¡± ¡°Are you wondering if I¡¯ve taken care of it?¡± He took the pen that Ashia had placed next to the contract and signed it without hesitation. ¡°Haah.¡± ¡°Your turn.¡± This time, Kalligo turned the contract in front of her. Ashia looked down at the contract, then at Kalligo again with narrowed eyes. ¡°¡­What are you going to do if there is unfair content? What if you signed a different contract?¡± ¡°No way. I¡¯ve never been sloppy when working.¡± Leaning back on the old, creaky chair while folding his arms on his chest, Kalligo spoke with a serious expression and tone, ¡°Because I believe in you.¡± His stare stung. ¡°¡­Whoever you are dealing with, you should read the contract carefully.¡± With the pen handed to her, she quickly engraved her signature under her name. Ashia immediately made an identical contract and handed him one. ¡°Keep it, you might say something later.¡± Kalligo laughed softly. As she rolled the contract and got up from her chair, she went to the bedside table and said, ¡°Now then, you can go back now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kalligo¡¯s head, which had been following her every move, tilted to one side at her words. ¡°Go back?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get the ingredients. I can¡¯t just leave Your Excellency here, right?¡± Ashia tilted her head as well, shrugging nonchalantly. She rolled up the duvet from the messy bed, pulled it down, and continued her conversation. ¡°I¡¯m planning to leave this evening or tomorrow. Your Excellency¡¯s stay here will only increase the time it takes for the potion to be completed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She cleaned out all the blankets, found that the window was closed, and moved to open it. A heavy rubbing noise could be heard from the damp old window sill. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow morning.¡± ¡®Did I hear you wrong?¡¯ Surprised, Ashia quickly turned around. ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have another seizure.¡± ¡®What is he saying?¡¯ There was a clear embarrassment in her round eyes. ¡°But you¡¯ve been doing well all this time.¡± ¡°Is it something you can describe as doing well? As you saw yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kalligo turned completely towards her, hugging the back of the chair and continuing the conversation. ¡°It feels like all the heat has gone out of my body. There is nothing refreshing about it.¡± ¡°But, to accompany me¡­¡± Kalligo gently shook the contract he was holding in one hand. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Did you forget what was written in the contract?¡± ¡°¡­.Oh!¡± An exclamation escaped Ashia¡¯s mouth. Filled with bewilderment, she stared at the paper in Kalligo¡¯s hand. If you stay by my side until I am fully healed, I will spare no effort to support you so that they can live their lives doing what they want to do. [If you help me by my side until I am fully healed.] ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You should have read the contract carefully.¡± Kalligo echoed what Asha had just said. ¡°Haaaah¡­¡± Contrary to the embarrassment on her face, Kalligo¡¯s face lit up with a smile of anticipation, like a man who had found an oasis in the desert. I¡¯ll come early tomorrow morning. Kalligo left the store with light steps. The reticent man continued to laugh in a low voice, marveling at how clear-headed he felt. The inside of Ashia¡¯s shop became quiet, as if a storm had just passed. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 17 - Think Of Me As A Comrade Chapter 17 ¨C Think Of Me As A Comrade The Grand Duke, who they hadn¡¯t been able to contact for a day, went back to his residence. Kaligo took off his coat and handed it to Redin as soon as he entered his bedroom. ¡°I¡¯m going for a trip.¡± With a puzzled face and the coat in hand, Redin asked, ¡°What¡­ do you mean, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m going for a trip.¡± ¡°¡­Trip?¡± He stared blankly. Kaligo called Melanie to bring his suitcase and some clothes. The maid did her work, trembling all the while, and Redin finally came to his senses. ¡°To where? No, how long will you be gone? This is quite unexpected¡­¡± Kaligo stroked his chin as he watched Melanie packing his clothes. ¡°Are the clothes enough?¡± Melanie stood with ramrod-straight back as she answered, ¡°Yes, my lord. However, all of your clothes are thin¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ignoring how surprised Redin was, Kaligo was busy looking down on his bag while trying to figure out what more he needed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it will take, or where I am going.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was asked where he was going; his face was needlessly serious as if he encountered an unexpected difficulty. ¡°Uhm¡­ it will be a week at most, so try your best not to let the outside world know.¡± He didn¡¯t even ask how long they would take. He was afraid that she would change her mind if he asked trivial questions. ¡°¡­By the way, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alternately looking between Kaligo and his suitcase, Redin continued talking, ¡°Did you know that Kyrian is coming back tomorrow?¡± ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± Kaligo, who already turned his back, looked again at Redin. ¡°Is it really tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d like to meet him when he arrives?¡± ¡®Hmm¡¯ Kaligo took a deep breath. Kyrian was rescued alongside Kaligo on the day he was in an accident. As the years passed, the child showed a talent for swordsmanship, catching Kaligo¡¯s attention. Because of this, he was able to receive formal training. Apparently, he was scheduled to return tomorrow after safely graduating. ¡°¡­Just play with him until I get back,¡± Kaligo said nonchalantly. He was the least of his troubles. ¡°Play¡­ with him? Don¡¯t you know how active that child is? I will die, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Kaligo was busy packing his things again, Redin sighed and said softly, ¡°¡­I will summon the off-duty knights.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Redin knew that he couldn¡¯t handle Kyrian¡¯s stamina alone. Sparring, sparring, and sparring. He was a monster who could stay up all night training. Redin thought that he should select knights with good physical strength to play with Kyrian on his behalf. Anyway, about the Grand Duke¡¯s trip¡­ Due to the side effects of the potion, there have been few vacancies in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence¡­ He was worried about Kaligo since Kyrian¡¯s work had been roughly finished. ¡°By the way, what are you going to do about the side effects? Do you have any countermeasures?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± When Kaligo stopped moving and fell into deep thinking, it only deepened Redin¡¯s worries. The Grand Duke had been making great efforts not to disclose his body¡¯s condition to the outside world. Wasn¡¯t he a Grand Duke who already had a lot of enemies? His health condition was top-secret, and yet recently, Kaligo had been acting without hesitation as if he didn¡¯t care about being found out anytime. Knowing the efforts he had made in the past until now. Redin¡¯s concerns were only natural. Besides, he was going alone on a trip without a single escort. ¡°Can you please reconsider, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s head turned to Redin. ¡°The Grand Duke of the Karhan Empire is traveling alone. You should have four or five escorts by your side¡­¡± ¡°Ah, are you talking about someone who will protect me?¡± Kaligo raised his eyebrows Redin¡¯s sigh only deepened. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t know; even a dagger can stab you from behind.¡± Heh Kaligo laughed as if it was a needless worry. ¡°I don¡¯t need someone weak enough to die for me. I have no intention of disposing of the body while on a trip, so don¡¯t give me anyone.¡± He wouldn¡¯t be alone, to be precise, but he didn¡¯t want to tell him he would be with Ashia. If he asked questions after that, he would be annoyed. ¡°Please don¡¯t do that. Wait one more day, then take Kyrian with you when he arrives. Didn¡¯t you train him to keep him by your side?¡± ¡°Staying next to me doesn¡¯t mean he needs to stick with me.¡± ¡°Then give him a suitable job. Whether it is using his brain or body, else he will lose his mind if his head is just hanging around.¡± ¡°Is he a person to be used? Where?¡± Kaligo laughed silently as he picked up his clothes hearing Redin¡¯s grumbling. ¡°The butler of my family is speaking weakly, is it because you¡¯re getting older?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t forget, Your Excellency, that I am younger than you.¡± ¡°¡­If you have time to say things like that, would you like to help me with my luggage?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you already take care of everything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking for help since I don¡¯t know a thing.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± The two men put their heads together and focused on packing the suitcase. It was a small bag that was less than half of Kaligo¡¯s upper body. There have been times when dozens of wagons and wagons were used to transport military supplies to the battlefield. But for some reason, filling a small bag in front of them seemed dozens of times more difficult than that. It was a bright morning. Unlike the men who spent all night packing, Ashia woke up from her deep sleep and was greeted with a refreshing morning. ¡°Aww!¡± She stretched out her legs and arms, simply relaxing, as soon as she got out of bed. It was a morning like any other ¨C she opened the closed windows and briefly cleaned the storefront. She bought freshly baked bread, fruit, and even fresh milk, then returned. After briefly eating, she changed clothes and opened the door. There was no need for her to open shop as it was the day she would be going to get the ingredients, but he had said he would come early in the morning. ¡®Oh, robe!¡¯ Ashia found the robe she had forgotten to put on and pulled the hood tight. She seemed to be thinking about something, staring at herself in the mirror. Jingle~ The door opened. ¡°¡­You came?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ashia walked over to Kaligo, looking at his suitcase. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Travel bag.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She sighed and reached out. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°¡­You mean this suitcase?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Asha snatched the cute-looking bag from his large hand. ¡°Can I open it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She put the bag down on the floor and opened it to see some neatly organized clothes. ¡°A travel bag¡­¡± she murmured Kaligo asked carefully, ¡°Did I miss anything?¡± ¡°Um, no. Nothing is lacking. It¡¯s actually too much.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°For now, I will move all the clothes inside your bag. I think we can leave the rest alone.¡± After speaking, Ashia walked to the store door and locked it. ¡°We will be there for a week, and fortunately I have a lot of space. I think I can accommodate Your Excellency with what I had just prepared now.¡± Kaligo followed her with his eyes. ¡°It would be a bother.¡± ¡°¡­I decided to think of you as my comrade since the moment we decided to go together. Let¡¯s do well together.¡± ¡°Comrade¡­¡± Ashia cleared out his bag. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Yes, I have eaten.¡± ¡°What about medicine?¡± ¡°That too.¡± Ashia smiled brightly at his answer. ¡°Good job. So let¡¯s get started, shall we?¡± ¡°Great.¡± When Ashia had finished organizing everything and put the bag on her shoulder, Kaligo took the bag from her hand. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not rude enough to make a lady carry a load.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Slightly clearing her throat, Ashia immediately summoned the gate. It was a beautiful gate drawn by the light resembling her eyes. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ashia turned to Kaligo and went inside the gate, and so Kaligo also followed her inside. A lush green forest appeared when the two people came out of the gate. It was obviously the middle of winter in the Karhan Empire, but this place was full of the energy of a spring day. ¡°You have to follow along.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Ashia took the lead and entered the lush forest entrance, Kaligo also fixed her bag and followed her. He walked slowly behind Ashia, watching her every move. Whether it was because she hadn¡¯t been there for a long time, or whether the plants grew fast, there were no traces of people in the area. Tough grass grew tall on the ground, blocking footsteps, and even sunlight seemed obscured by the tangled branches overhead. ¡°Here, even a single leaf or even a single branch like this can be used as a material.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Drawing out a dagger filled with magical power, Ashia then cut off the branches, and tall grass blocking the front, making her way. The way she held the danger and slashed the branches was quite absurd. Kaligo¡¯s eyes narrowed as she stared at her back. Chapter 18 - Shaken, Again And Again Chapter 18 ¨C Shaken, Again And Again In the distant past, there was a man who came to the dying Lena Cornelli bringing a huge amount of dowry to propose. Viscount Talian Cornelli, Lena¡¯s father, hurried to the mansion and served him precious food and tea. His brazenly crossed legs, his look of disdain to the other person ¨C all of that was a rude act. Nevertheless, the viscount only had an ecstatic expression on his face looking at the list of riches that he otherwise wouldn¡¯t be able to hold in his lifetime. The man looked at the viscount. ¡°This dowry will be the first and last.¡± The viscount¡¯s face immediately darkened as he looked at the list and amount of the dowry. ¡°Yes? No¡­ what do you mean?¡± An embarrassed expression crept across the Viscount¡¯s face. What do you mean last? The person in front of him right now was Duke Kaligo Edmund ¨C incomparably wealthy and powerful in all the empire. Since there was no one sitting in the position of the Grand Duke, he was the second most powerful person after the imperial family. Such a man came and directly brought dowry with him. He thought of selling her daughter for some gold, but he didn¡¯t expect her to become the duchess. So in an instant, he became greedy. He could spend his life without monetary worries if he used his daughter. He would be able to exact revenge on those who despised him. ¡®But this is the last?! This can¡¯t be happening!¡¯ His downcast eyes turned to Kaligo, who was looking for a drink of water. ¡°That!¡± But as soon as the Viscount Talian made eye contact, he flinched and shut his mouth. It was because Kalligo was looking at him weirdly. That terribly cold gaze seemed beyond mere anger. ¡°If you try to make a profit by selling my name, secretly meet with the duchess of my mansion, satisfy your greed using intimidation in the future¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± A deafening silence fell when Kaligo stopped talking and remained silent. Viscount Talian swallowed his dry saliva as the duke stared at him. After a while, Kaligo¡¯s last warning sounded polite. ¡°You will pay a price for it.¡± Having his inner thoughts discovered like this, the Viscount was shocked, stuttering, ¡°N-no matter wh-what, this is what being blood-related means!¡± ¡°Then you can reject the proposal if you don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Viscount widened his eyes in surprise. ¡®Is there any reason to refuse?¡¯ An opportunity like this to sell his sick daughter and earn this amount of wealth would never come again in his lifetime. He nodded silently, and starting that day, Lena followed Kaligo to the Dukedom of Edmund. It was unprecedented to have ignored all procedures to take the bride on the day the dowry was delivered. This was because the honor and pride of the bride-to-be might be trampled. But Lena thought it didn¡¯t really matter. ¡®Is there a more hellish place than where I came from¡­?¡¯ The fact that she could escape the viscounty was more important to her than honor or pride, however¡­ she couldn¡¯t shake the miserable feeling inside her of being livestock sold for gold. That day, Lena thought and recounted her worth all the way to the duke¡¯s mansion inside the rumbling carriage. It was obviously Kaligo¡¯s mistake that he had not put her position and feelings into consideration ¨C even if there were some excuses hidden behind it. Fortunately, her life as a duchess was warmer than she had expected. It was just that her health didn¡¯t improve quickly despite being under the care of the employees who served her to the fullest. Your Excellency, Madam fainted again! Not a single day passed quietly after Lena entered the duke¡¯s residence as Kaligo¡¯s wife. She would collapse while walking in the garden or have nosebleeds while reading a book. Maybe it was because she bled often that her already pale face looked even whiter. Call the doctors! Bring her medicine first! Was it thanks to their generous care for her? The times she fainted and vomited blood decreased noticeably. It was slow, but she was definitely recovering. A road seemed to have opened for her when she had already given up on living. The man called her husband was still cold and hard as if he was made of stone, but it boosted her spirits to see that he was looking after her health. ¡®He¡¯s obviously a scary person, but I¡¯m not scared.¡¯ Compared her father who beat her every day, he was a man with more ferocious and wild energy. Even so, she wasn¡¯t scared of him. In other words, it was like she could feel that he was considerate of her amidst his indifference. At least, he wasn¡¯t rude and coercive¡­ Can¡¯t we¡­ share a bedroom now? One day, she sat down at the table and suggested sharing a bedroom. It was also a shame for Lena that she still hadn¡¯t had her first night more than a year since she became the duchess. I am really fine now. The doctor also said it was okay, ¡­ so¡­ uhm¡­ Kaligo who was startled at first, slowly set down his knife. Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t know it was also hard¡­ for you. A rush of heat rushed to her cheeks. Those were the words Lena dared to say after having courage that she would never have again. But¡­ I am fine. I don¡¯t have a strong desire for that. So let¡¯s wait and see in the meantime. He stood up from the chair and left the dining room. Kaligo once again pushed Lena away just like that, and Lena had to stare at his vacant seat again. The two of them stood still as always. The invisible wall between the two of them showed no signs of disappearing ¨C until the day they died¡­ The bushes shook violently at the blade Ashia was wielding in the quiet forest. Countless branches and leaves fell onto the forest road every time danger brushed past them. She glanced at Kaligo, who was following her, constantly cutting the grass in front of him. ¡®What the hell are you thinking¡­¡¯ Obviously, her relationship with this man was the same as back then, but how did she end up in this situation. ¡®It would be easier if only I could look inside this person¡¯s head.¡¯ She sighed and continued swinging her dagger. ¡°All the plants here are young with strong vitality. Even if they are cut like this, they will return to their original state in about a week.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ashia¡¯s voice filled the forest road. Kaligo looked at Asha for a moment and then strode behind her back. ¡°Oh?¡± His large hands wrapped around her shoulders, and her hand stopped. ¡°¡­Your Excellency?¡± With the warmth that wrapped her shoulders and back revealing a sudden proximity, she didn¡¯t even think of looking back, merely freezing in place. ¡°I will do it from here.¡± She flinched slightly at the low voice coming from nearby. It reminded her of a memory she had just forgotten. That day when Kaligo lost consciousness due to a seizure, she also felt his heat on her body. Asha subconsciously rubbed her neck as she pulled herself out of his grasp. ¡°¡­Y-you don¡¯t even know the way, and¡­ please follow me from a distance.¡± Kaligo approached Ashia. ¡°You may get hurt, too. And can¡¯t you tell me the direction?¡± His large hand carefully wrapped around Ashia¡¯s small hand holding the dagger. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°¡­Your Excellency.¡± His voice was soft as he ran his fingertips through each of Ashia¡¯s fingers. ¡°Kaligo.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Call me Kaligo.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°I heard that the mages of the Magic Tower weren¡¯t bound by the rules of aristocratic rank.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You can treat me comfortably.¡± Just like what he said, mages of the Magic Tower weren¡¯t shaken by titles as long as the proper level of courtesy was observed. But the problem wasn¡¯t the title. Kaligo. Calling him by his name reminded her of the old days. Though Lena thought she was sold as a commodity, she eventually fell in love with him. During their marriage, she learned a little bit about who he was. He was indifferent but not rude, and he was helplessly drawn away by his restrained but evident strength. ¡®It¡¯s a problem that he was playing his role in the original novel wrongly, but¡­¡¯ The idea of possibly giving her heart to him again and seeing him hurt gave her a sense of deja vu. ¡®I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t.¡¯ Ashia handed him the dagger and stepped back, pulling down the hood even more out of habit. At the same time, he pressed his face once more on the shoulder where he had buried his face. ¡®Calm down, I don¡¯t think anything will change even if you turn up the heat like that.¡¯ Nevertheless, the places he touched throbbed as if her heart had made its way there. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± Kaligo smiled faintly as he looked back at Ashia, who was running away from him. ¡°Alright.¡± He looked down at his own hand holding the dagger. He can still feel the vague heat of her body from where she held it. Whatever he was thinking, those red eyes stared like that for a long time. As he repeatedly clenched and opened his fest, Ashia turned around. ¡°Kaligo.¡± His gaze turned to the woman who called out his name. His eyebrows twitched slightly. ¡°The sun is setting. We have to move quickly¡­¡± ¡°Again.¡± Ashia, who was at the forefront to check the way forward, turned around. ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Please, call my name again.¡± His voice was clear despite the distance between them, red eyes gleaming beautifully today ¨C something between the color of a sunset or a blazing fire. Asha, who had completely lost her gaze to his eyes, opened her mouth as if was possessed. ¡°¡­Kaligo.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A brief moment passed as they stood facing each other for a while. A faint wind blew. Her red robes fluttered and his dark hair swayed. At this moment, the only thing that moved was the wind blowing through the bushes. It seemed that their relationship was being shaken once more. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 19 - Can I Touch You? Chapter 19 ¨C Can I Touch You? Kaligo silently swung the dagger in the direction Ashia gave. The path was cleared swiftly as he cut the branches and grass. Was this the difference between a person who was used to swordsmanship and one who wasn¡¯t? Thanks to this, they were able to get to their final destination quickly. ¡°Are we here?¡± ¡°Yes. We have to go inside.¡± Deep in the forest, through the bushes, a vacant lot appeared. There was a mysteriously shining golden door standing undisturbed and unsupported in the middle of the vacant lot. ¡°Can I have the bag, please?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Kaligo handed her the bag he was carrying on his shoulder. Rummaging through the bag, Ashia pulled out a fist-sized wad of cloth that quickly grew bigger in the palm of her hand. ¡°¡­¡± It was volume-controlling magic¡­ Kaligo¡¯s brows raised slightly but he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this would be okay. You suddenly said that you wanted to go with me so I made it in a hurry.¡± The bundle on her palm suddenly became a thick and heavy cloak, dropping to the floor. ¡°It¡¯s a cloak.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaligo took the coat he was handed and draped it over his body, then the warmth of the cloak wrapped around him. Ashia¡¯s hand reached out to his face unexpectedly without him having time yet to feel the warmth. ¡°¡­¡± His neck muscles stiffened at her sudden approach. Without noticing his reaction, Ashia carefully touched the cloak and patted the shoulder part. Her hands were meticulous and gentle so that there were no gaps where the cold wind could penetrate. ¡°This is an enchanted cloak. It is especially essential because it¡¯s a harsh winter here all year round.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Speaking of that, what¡¯s with your shirt under the cloak? All of your clothes were thin¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s gaze on her turned to her hand as he opened the cloak. Her fingertips, flushed from the cold, moved diligently. In fact, Kaligo didn¡¯t feel cold. It wasn¡¯t that he was numb and did not feel the change in the temperature; it was just that it was not to the point where he would shiver or suffer from the chill. Fire attribute auroras filled his body. It was one of the few strengths of those who ran rampant without trying. Maybe Ashia didn¡¯t even know that. So the cloak she had prepared was useless to him, but he didn¡¯t take it off. He really liked this cloak she said was tailored for him. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± A faint smile appeared on his face. Looking up at him, Ashia smiled back. ¡°Oh? But I¡¯m not giving it to you.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Kaligo let out a short gasp. As if his reaction was funny, Ashia¡¯s lips under the hood burst into laughter. ¡°I¡¯m just joking, I can¡¯t even wear something that big.¡± His lips curled up at her playful smile. And that smile stayed on his lips, even for a short time. Until another man¡¯s name came out of her mouth. ¡°Ah, so you have the same size as Tero.¡± Kaligo¡¯s expression slowly hardened at the strange man¡¯s name. ¡°¡­Tero?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ashia, still tying the bag closed, looked back up at him. ¡°You just said Tero¡­¡± ¡°Oh, my brother.¡± ¡°Did you have a brother?¡± ¡°Um, not a blood-related brother.¡± Not a blood-related brother? Wrinkles formed on Kaligo¡¯s forehead. ¡°¡­Was he at the store yesterday?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­ do you remember? But you were unconscious.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She tilted her head and continued talking. ¡°At that time, it was Tero who helped you and carried you to my bedroom.¡± Kaligo recalled his memories in the confusion. Tero! Help me! Y-yes! I need to move him to my bed. ¡­Yes? Hurry. Ah yes. Lay him down here. ¡­Yes. The voice of the man who was always answering ¡®yes, yes, yes¡¯. ¡°¡­He¡¯s not your real brother, but you seemed to get along quite well.¡± ¡°Yes, he is a good boy.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t look like a boy. What makes him a child?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡± Ashia handed back the bag to Kaligo. ¡°Does he frequent your store?¡± ¡°About four days a week?¡± ¡°Is he unemployed?¡± ¡°No, he belongs to the Imperial Knights Temple. Ah, he will be a member of the Holy Knights in a few days. Anyway, he¡¯s a responsible and diligent child.¡± ¡°Child, again¡­¡± Kaligo was still frowning, muttering to himself. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence fell over the two of them again. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Kaligo pulled the bag over his shoulder once more and walked past her without a word. He walked towards the door leading to the Fairy Forest and looked back at Ashia. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming? Shall I open the door?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh, no! I will do it.¡± Ashia stopped Kaligo who was trying to grab the knob. ¡°It will be quite cold. Tighten your cloak.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Hearing his answer, Ashia turned the handle as she looked up at his face. ¡°But why have you been frowning since earlier?¡± ¡°I am? No way. I¡¯m the same as usual.¡± ¡°Look at you now.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m not.¡± Even as they slowly opened the golden door, the two bickered. * * * * * * * * * * * * ¡°Aauu¡­¡± The situation inside the fairy forest was markedly different from the situation outside the door, which had a warm spring vibe. She wore her cloak and tightly covered her face with the hood, but the strong blizzard made her feel like she was submerged in ice-cold water while naked. ¡°Aauuu¡­¡± ¡°¡­Are you very cold?¡± ¡°Uuuh, i-i-it is b-b-bearable.¡± Unlike Ashia, who trembled as if her whole body was convulsing, Kaligo was the same as usual. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t normally get cold.¡± ¡°B-b-but th-th-this cold is u-u-unbearable¡­¡± Her teeth clattered with each other as her jaw trembled. Kaligo frowned, seeing Ashia shivering. ¡°So, how did you get the ingredients?¡± ¡°What do you mean, h-h-how? I g-g-get it while trembling l-l-like this.¡± As if to set an example, she reached out with a trembling hand towards a small fruit she had just encountered. Since the fruits were small, it was not easy to get them all at once. After several unsuccessful attempts, she managed to knock off one. ¡°S-s-see? It¡¯s th-this s-s-simple.¡± Ashia¡¯s lips stretched into a proud smile. She then put the freshly picked fruit into the small pouch tied on her waist and returned. She crouched down and hurried down the road. ¡°You mean you spent a week in a place like this?¡± ¡°This is a w-w-water zone so it¡¯s e-e-especially cold, b-b-but you can survive if y-y-you set up a tent in an area where there are fire materials g-g-gathered¡­ L-l-let¡¯s go quickly.¡± She took the lead, fastening the collar of her cloak. After looking at her for a moment, Kaligo took off his own and placed it on her. ¡°Ack!¡± She almost fell on the snowfield with the sudden weight. Almost buried in his large and heavy cloak, she looked back with difficulty. ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°Take that too.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I told you before that I don¡¯t get cold¡­¡± ¡°With those clothes?¡± Kaligo only had a see-through shirt and thin trousers. Anyone would see that he was wearing clothes for summer. There was no change in his expression though he was dressed like that in the freezing weather. ¡®You¡¯re fine like that?¡¯ Ashia rolled up the cloak again and handed it to him. ¡°You¡¯re going to freeze to death!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°What if you faint in this cold? How can I handle someone with a body as big as yours?!¡± Her figure shook, words stuttering as her jaws trembled through her nagging. Kaligo¡¯s size wasn¡¯t a big deal for her because she could use magic to move him easily. The problem was if his body froze. She couldn¡¯t use fire magic, so there was no way she could thaw him. ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°What?!¡± When she screamed her answer in anger, his large hands slipped through Ashia¡¯s hood and covered her cheeks without warning. ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± She could feel the heat of his palms before she could even push him away. The heat seeped into her cheeks and began to spread slowly into every inch of her body after a while. ¡°Haa¡­¡± The tip of her nose and both cheeks, which had been frozen red by the cold wind, were now red with warmth. She could feel the heat running through her body. ¡°¡­This is what fills my body.¡± Ashia¡¯s lips parted slightly as if something came to mind at his words. ¡°¡­Aura?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The freezing cold was gone, but in another sense, she was frozen. ¡°I can share with you the warmth if you want, but that would mean¡­¡± His fingertips on her cheeks moved gently, rubbing her skin. ¡°Can I touch you?¡± Ashia¡¯s breath caught. ¡°With this as an excuse, I don¡¯t know where I will touch you but still¡­ Can I?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Touch me? Oh my, does this man know what he is talking about right now?¡¯ She bit her lips and swallowed dry saliva. ¡°¡­I think it¡¯s possible¡­ even with fingertips¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s head tilted to the side at her answer. ¡°What if I say no?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What if I, especially¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s palm slowly slid down, skimming her neckline, and stopped. ¡°Want to touch you like this?¡± ¡°Hic¡­¡± Her hair raised. It was definitely there. The day he had a seizure, when his lips stayed there for a long time and left a mark. A place where the tingling sensation and the intense heat still lingered. A large hand slipped in, and even the string that was tying the collar of the cloak came loose. Surprised, Asha hurriedly grabbed the cloak strap and his hand together. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s breathing stopped for a moment when she grabbed his hand. Chapter 20 - If I’m Going To Regret It Anyway Chapter 20 ¨C If I¡¯m Going To Regret It Anyway Silence passed for a moment, and Kaligo whipped his hand away, overflowing with regret. As Ashia grabbed his hand, she looked a little embarrassed. ¡°For the time being¡­ it will be warm.¡± He turned around, putting the cloak back on himself, while Ashia was tying the knot of her cloak that had been loosened again. Maybe because of his aura, there was a rush of heat on her cheeks hidden under the hood. His hand was unfamiliar, but Ashia couldn¡¯t easily remove it because she was also embarrassed. Was it unpleasant? Not really, and that was confusing. ¡®I think I should take the medicine.¡¯ A small laugh broke out from her. Was it because he existed that she had a good time laughing even after the five years of marriage that she thought were unhappy, or was it because the past ten years had dulled her resentment towards him? The image of him reaching out his hand out, and the image of herself accepting it graciously, even felt unfamiliar but somehow familiar. ¡®Besides¡­ it was likely his aura just now.¡¯ The aura that Kaligo transferred to Ashia¡¯s body. There was another reason why Ashia couldn¡¯t push him away. She knew this feeling, the red energy that had entered her body, and the warmth it gave her¡­ ¡®It was you¡­¡¯ That day when she fainted fighting the cold a few days ago, that energy that drove away the perpetual chill even as she didn¡¯t ingest medicine ¨C it was only now that she found out it was Kaligo¡¯s aura. ¡°¡­¡± She walked behind him and quietly watched Kaligo¡¯s back as he was leading the way. Were there any other people besides your sister? I think I heard the voice of a man. ¡­The doctors came and went. She probably heard that voice. It wasn¡¯t an illusion. She thought it was strange that Verna couldn¡¯t answer her question while avoiding her eyes. It was definitely Kaligo¡¯s voice that called her name ¡®Renna¡¯ in her dream-like, hazy consciousness. But that seemed impossible. He was the person who shouldn¡¯t have been calling her ¡®Renna¡¯ in that place and time. However¡­ ¡®¡­Really, that day¡­ You were there.¡¯ It was neither a hallucination nor a dream. He was there by Ashia¡¯s side, at the moment she was at her weakest. ¡°¡­¡± Walking across the wide shadow he cast, Asha¡¯s eyes fluttered slightly as she looked at his back. The conversation between the two had disappeared, including the short-lived jokes that came and went. She diligently walked on the ankle-deep snow and finally entered the fire property area. Fire-property materials that radiated bright heat over the pure white snow made a spectacular appearance. Ashia could definitely feel the wind blowing and the strength of the blizzards getting weaker compared to the previous area that spewed cold air. ¡°I think we have to decide where to spend the night¡­¡± Kaligo stopped and turned around after a while of walking silently. ¡°Yes, we are almost there. I have a separate place for our tent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. If I have a seizure here, I don¡¯t think you can handle it.¡± Then Ashia responded as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal, ¡°Oh, it doesn¡¯t matter. There¡¯s magic.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if I can¡¯t thaw your frozen body, I can carry you around.¡± Kaligo raised his eyebrows. ¡°You can¡¯t thaw a frozen body?¡± ¡°¡­Uhm,¡± Ashia answered with an awkward smile after hesitating briefly. ¡°I am very weak in fire-attribute magic¡­.¡± He looked down at her cloak as she spoke in a small whisper. ¡°Then, the thermal insulation magic on the cloak is¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I asked Tero for that. That child also uses the fire-attribute aura.¡± ¡°¡­You mean that he is strong enough to transfer that aura to an object?¡± Ashia nodded and followed Kaligo, who started walking again. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why the Imperial Knights and the Paladins were eager to take him for themselves.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His brows furrowed again at the name of the man she mentioned repeatedly. The surroundings became quieter thanks to the slowly fading snow. The footsteps of the two people walking on the snow were particularly loud. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of setting up our tents here.¡± After arriving at the barracks, Ashia took another wad of cloth from her bag and threw it to the floor. The bundles of cloth increased in volume as soon as they touched the floor. ¡°As for the cloak earlier¡­ you can also adjust the size.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not an easy class of magic.¡± As Ashia shrugged her shoulders, Kaligo smiled slightly and picked up the tent that had fallen to the ground. ¡°Can I put it up around here?¡± ¡°Ah yes! Please do that.¡± Kaligo seemed very good at setting up tents. The bulky tent was spread out, and the camp was built at high speed, using large, bare, wooden posts as support. In the blink of an eye, he had completed a structure that could withstand strong winds. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get some firewood.¡± ¡°Ah yes. I will unpack everything in the tent.¡± ¡°Yes, I will be back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± He left as Ashia entered the tent. And there, she ran into a problem. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I made it with a specially strong fabric because it rips frequently. It¡¯s enough space for four people, so it¡¯s bulky and heavy but¡­¡¯ One tent for up to four people. ¡®It would be nice if the barracks were spacious.¡¯ Although it was difficult to install and disassemble, it was worth being able to use the space without feeling stuffy during their stay. Besides, Kaligo¡¯s body wasn¡¯t usually that big, so maybe it was better in the current situation. There were no problems in this tent for four people. The problem was that¡­ ¡®¡­There¡¯s only one set of travel bedding where up to four people can sleep.¡¯ Travel bedding¡­ One. Bedding¡­ One. One¡­ ¡°¡­¡± The travel bedding Verna, a fabric store, had produced was a combination of a floor covering and a duvet, and it was not only soft but also waterproof, elastic, and thermal. Its materials were the finest cotton¡­ ¡®Ah! That¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now.¡¯ She had thought that it wasn¡¯t impossible to accommodate Kaligo along with herself in a four-person tent. ¡®One travel bedding¡­¡¯ ¡®Why did I ask her to make another cloak but not one more bedding?¡¯ She instantly remembered Verna¡¯s reaction and words. Where will you use such a large cloak? There is something. For Terros? Oh, no. Huh¡­ Is that so? Verna made and sold many products for people who went on trips. Ashia needed one more cloak but Verna didn¡¯t ask her to have another travel bedding, as a businesswoman. Ashia laughed and said she was suspicious for no reason¡­ ¡®I didn¡¯t say that on purpose¡­¡¯ Alone in the tent, she stomped her feet and screamed silently. Kaligo, who had been searching for firewood while scouting around the barracks, put the firewood he had picked up on the ground. Turning to the brightly lit barracks, he stared at the camp for a moment. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It was already dark all around. That¡¯s why, thanks to the lamp that illuminated the inside of the barracks, he could clearly see Ashia¡¯s shadow struggling inside. ¡®Did something happen?¡¯ After quickly making a bonfire with firewood, he rolled the tent opening and entered. ¡°Ashia, no matter what¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ashia, surprised to find him, looked even more unusual. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°¡­That.¡± Her anxious eyes turned to the object on the floor. Kaligo¡¯s gaze followed hers. ¡°¡­¡± The two couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the travel bedding spread out on the floor for a while. It was then that he realized why she was so flustered. ¡°There¡¯s only one.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. To be precise, the bedding is spacious enough for four people.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s big enough for the two of us.¡± Ashia, who was nodding her head involuntarily, hurriedly looked at him. ¡°Yes?¡± Kaligo smiled faintly as he looked at her lips, which were slightly open in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s a joke. Sleep comfortably. I think one of us will have to stand guard anyway.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± She quickly grabbed the hem of his cloak. Kalligo turned his head and looked down at her. ¡°¡­Ashia?¡± ¡°I am not a person without a conscience to let the only duke of our empire stand guard outside. What¡¯s more, there is nothing dangerous enough for you to stand guard outside.¡± ¡°Earlier, you said I need to take medicine.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­Then, there is nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gently letting go of his cloak, Ashia looked down at the floor again. The wide bedspread once again came into her view. There was no way for him to see her as a woman now. Besides, she said it was safer since he was taking medicine. Even if the effect of his medicine wore out and he suddenly changed and attacked her, she would just knock him off with magic. And above all¡­ She didn¡¯t like the idea of Kaligo standing guard alone in the blizzard outside. Ashia tightened her fists when she thought of that. ¡°It¡¯s wide. I already said that four people can sleep here, so I think we can sleep on each end.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He stared at Ashia without replying. She was somewhat uncomfortable with his gaze and opened her mouth, turning her head away. ¡°¡­Wh-why are you looking at me like that?¡± Kaligo took one step closer. ¡°You seem to think too lightly of men.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What to do? Should I scare her a little more and go outside, or pretend that I can¡¯t win over her and stay inside?¡¯ Whichever one he chose, he was sure he would regret it ¨C like he did in the past¡­ ¡°However¡­¡± ¡®If I¡¯m going to regret it anyway¡­¡¯ ¡°I won¡¯t refuse if it¡¯s your will.¡± Opportunities should be seized when they arrive. (T/N: Now, kiss <3 ) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 21 - You’re Alive Chapter 21 ¨C You¡¯re Alive ¡°You came?¡± Redin, the Grand Duchy¡¯s butler, approached Kyrian who jumped off his horse. ¡°Look at this kid.¡± Kyrian looked behind Redin instead of greeting him back. ¡°How about His Excellency?¡± He was looking for Kaligo first. Redin squinted his eyes seeing him like this. ¡°¡­Do you expect His Excellency to greet you here personally?¡± Kyrian shrugged his shoulders and showed a playful smile, ¡°No, but he might go out himself and give a hug if it was me; you can look forward to it.¡± ¡°¡­How shameless.¡± Playfully joking, he followed Redin and walked towards the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. ¡°But for real, where¡¯s His Excellency?¡± ¡°On a trip.¡± ¡°¡­I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°I said he went on a trip.¡± Kyrian let out a short sigh and followed closely behind Redin, who was walking ahead. ¡°The person who told me to quickly come back here went on a trip the day I came back? With that body?¡± ¡°But it didn¡¯t seem like he went alone.¡± ¡°That sounds crazier.¡± ¡°Be careful with your words.¡± When Redin rebuked Kyrian, he raised his voice of resentment. ¡°Not that, hyung*! You know he wasn¡¯t someone who would act with a group unless he was on the battlefield!¡± (T/N: I know many of you know this, but ¡®hyung¡¯ means older brother used by younger males/brother. ) ¡°He told me when he would be back.¡± ¡°When is that?¡± ¡°In about a week.¡± ¡°About a week? What is that? It¡¯s definitely not decided, right? Then, what about me? What am I going to do in the meantime?¡± Redin¡¯s brow furrowed at Kyrian shouting behind him. ¡°¡­Just spar as you like.¡± A wicked smile spread on Kyrian¡¯s face which had darkened like cloudy weather. ¡°Ooh, does our butler willing to be my opponent?¡± ¡°Your opponent is already ready.¡± ¡°Is there anyone here capable of me other than the Grand Duke himself?¡± ¡°There is.¡± They arrived at the Grand Duke¡¯s training ground as they were talking and walking. Over there were the Grand Duchy¡¯s knights who were sitting and chatting with each other. Looking around, Kyrian snorted. ¡°Oh my, them? Are those all of them? Where did the rest go?¡± ¡°They went to the border to take care of the monsters. Do you think they¡¯re free like you? I even called the off-duty people just for you.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not too late. You should¡¯ve called mercenaries or the Imperial Knights at the very least.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to come at me five times more if you¡¯re going to deal with me for a week.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kyrian took off his coat and threw it on the dirty floor in excitement, then he took out the sword from his waist and ran to the training ground. ¡°Hey! Kyrian!¡± Ignoring Redin¡¯s cry, he rushed through the gathered knights. The knights gathered in threes or fives also saw Kyrian running towards them. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t that Kyrian?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s him.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s back already?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that? Redin suddenly asked us out to come out; are we supposed to throw a welcome ceremony for the kid?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Looking at Kyrian who had returned after a long time, the faces of his colleagues who were welcoming him began to harden. ¡°That bastard¡­ Isn¡¯t that a sword?¡± ¡°¡­I think it is? Why did he pull out his sword¡­¡± ¡°Wow! That crazy kid! He¡¯s starting again!¡± Because of Kyrian smiling at them brightly while rushing towards them with his sword, the knights were so startled that they quickly got up from their seats. Kyrian¡¯s sword slammed into the ground with a terrible clang. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Kyrian! You bastard!¡± In an instant, a brawl disguised as sparring began to take place inside the raining ground. ¡°¡­Crazy bastard.¡± Redin shook his head and entered the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. And exactly half a day later, as Kyrian said, all the knights summoned to the Grand Duke¡¯s residence were all thrown out while dealing with him. Inevitably, Redin had to contact the Imperial Knights and ask for help. Contacting the Imperial Knights, not mercenaries, was intentional. Except for the emperor and the crown prince, no one could command the Imperial Knights to come and go, but nonetheless, it was the Grand Duke of Etos who dared to do so. The current Grand Duke had enough power to do so. Kaligo had to spend frantic days adjusting to the memories of the person that filled his body and mind after waking up in a new world seven years ago. He quickly grasped the situation he was in and decided to reorganize the Grand Duchy first. The man named ¡®Kaligo Etos¡¯ was a fool who didn¡¯t even know how to use his title ¡®Grand Duke¡¯, but nevertheless for some reason, he was a very lucky man. One of his good fortunes was that he had very capable and loyal subordinates. This was true with his butler Redin, Kyrian whom he met at the landslide, and everyone employed by the Grand Duchy. Kaligo began to remove all the evil things deeply rooted inside the family, and it took him seven years to do that. Under Kaligo¡¯s leadership, he restored the lost authority of the Grand Duchy and expanded its power to unsurpassable levels. Even if they didn¡¯t like what Kaligo was doing, there was a reason that even the imperial family couldn¡¯t cut him down at will. ¡°I heard that the Grand Duke is responsible for all expenses.¡± The Imperial Knights came to the Grand Duchess¡¯ residence. The knights, who were in the midst of training, and the deputy chief moved at the request of the Grand Duke¡¯s butler, Redin. ¡°Of course. All expenses and equipment for sparring will be borne by the Grand Duchy.¡± Think of this as a training session and go. He thought that the leader¡¯s face was very mischievous so he guessed that he roughly anticipated the situation inside the Grand Duchy. The newly appointed vice-captain was unaware of the relationship between the Grand Duke and the imperial family. Of course, he knew that the Grand Duke had immense influence in the empire and the power he held, but he didn¡¯t seem to like the situation where the Imperial Knights had to move at the Grand Duke¡¯s request. ¡°Are you saying we will deal with only one person?¡± The vice captain pointed at Kyrian with his chin, who was running rampant at the training ground. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Redin gulped. He probably hadn¡¯t heard about Kyrian from the manager.. ¡°¡­Yes. You will deal with him. You can fight him as a group or whatever, just that I hope you can fight him as long as possible so he runs out of energy.¡± The face of the vice-captain of the Imperial Knights Templar was distorted. No matter how powerful one was, he had asked the Imperial Knights to deal with him. ¡°We may hurt him.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°He may also die.¡± ¡°It also doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡®If only you can do it.¡¯ Redin silently smiled, adding that he wished them well. The knights were led inside the training grounds. The knights who were fighting with Kyrian were panting while lying on the floor. Kyrian looked at his colleagues and smiled. He was in the middle of forcing his colleagues to stand and pick up their sword when he saw the Imperial Knights entering the training grounds. He stopped moving. ¡°Oh¡­ who is this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pretending to know and speaking informally. The vice-captain¡¯s forehead wrinkled as he watched Kyrian sneakily walking in an arrogant manner. No matter how vulgar his opponent was, he would keep his beliefs and dignity, and that was that he should protect the honor of the knights as the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Knights Templar. The deputy coughed slightly before saying, ¡°I serve as the vice-captain of the Imperial Knights and¡­.¡± Kyrian grabbed his sword before the vice-chief could even finish speaking, rushing towards him. ¡°Wh-what!¡± The surprised deputy commander quickly drew his sword and positioned himself to defend against Kyrian¡¯s attack. Kyrian jumped in the air in an instant, thrusting his sword over his head in one stroke. Clang!! A sharp sound of two blades clashing with each other resounded. ¡°¡­?¡± The vice-captain followed Kyrian¡¯s movements, turning his head behind him. Against his expectations, Kyrian ran towards the person behind him, not at him. The man who had unintentionally pulled out his sword easily blocking Kyrian¡¯s attack murmured, revealing his displeasure. ¡°What¡­ are you doing?¡± Then, Kyrian tilted his head. ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He raised the corners of his lips as he made eye contact with the man beyond the blade. And he called out his name in a clear voice. ¡°You¡¯re alive, Teros.¡± The village was all burned down, and it was nearly impossible to determine if there were any survivors. This was a reunion after seven years of separation. Ashia turned down the light on the lamp that had been placed in the corner of the tent. Then Kaligo, who went to the bed first and sat down, gently lifted the quilt, as if to come in. She looked at his face, then the lifted quilt. ¡®It¡¯s narrow.¡¯ But this was meant for four people, so it was either Verna had cheated her or¡­ ¡®That person is too big.¡¯ It was the latter, no matter how she looked at it. Kaligo occupied at least two times the space as she did. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± As Ashia hesitated, unable to enter easily, Kaligo moved his eyebrows up and down. ¡°Why are you like that? You can hold me anytime.¡± ¡°Something¡­ is strange.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Us¡­¡± ¡°Us?¡± Ashia closed her mouth again. ¡®How could that man make such a natural expression in this situation? Is it okay for him since he had a lot of experience with women?¡¯ ¡®You, you knew me!¡¯ She almost screamed at him in anger. Ashia looked at him as she narrowed her eyes. ¡®No¡­ if he pretended he didn¡¯t know then I should be thankful.¡¯ He must¡¯ve properly checked Ashia¡¯s face that day. He definitely¡­ called her ¡®Renna¡¯ and knew about Ashia¡¯s identity very well, but he was no different than usual. ¡°Ashia?¡± He called her. An ominous feeling rose inside her. If that person was going to pretend he didn¡¯t know her, then Ashia also didn¡¯t want to show her face nor pretend to know him. Ashia took a deep breath and exhaled, gripping her hood a little tighter and tucking herself into the quilt he opened. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 22 - Renna Chapter 22 ¨C Renna The two didn¡¯t talk until Ashia laid down too. Lying on her back, she tossed and turned a little to find a good position, then stopped moving. They were obviously two people with a good distance between them, but it seemed like they were right next to each other. She could even hear his heartbeat. ¡®No¡­ is it my heart?¡¯ At first, she was only worried about her heartbeat being too loud, but it seemed like even the sound of her breathing was different than normal. ¡®Is it alright to breathe like this?¡¯ Everything was awkward and unfamiliar. She almost wanted to faint, if only to fall asleep faster. She closed her eyes tightly, strengthening her resolve to sleep. As she calmed herself down, Kaligo behind her briefly tossed and turned too, then got into position. The time in the quiet tent passed by very slowly. ¡®How much time has passed?¡¯ She was definitely tired, but she couldn¡¯t sleep. Her ears reacted more sensitively inside the quiet space. She could hear his labor breathing, as well as the sound of the grasshoppers outside the tent she didn¡¯t even know were outside. ¡®This is driving me crazy¡­ If only morning can come sooner¡­¡¯ Normally, she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. Now, though, she was waiting for the sun to rise. It was then that her head was suddenly filled with all sorts of thoughts. ¡°Keuk!¡± A short gasp came from behind her. Ashia¡¯s tightly closed eyes shot open. What was that? ¡®Kaligo?¡¯ He sounded pained. Was it a nightmare? Sleep paralysis? ¡®¡­Is he having a seizure?!¡¯ Startled, she jumped up from the bed. ¡°Kaligo?!¡± ¡°Keuu!¡± ¡°Kaligo!!¡± Ashia quickly got up from the bed and climbed onto Kaligo¡¯s body. Instead of him having a seizure, it was a monster with long black tentacles that was gripping his body painfully. A part of the monster managed to slip through the small gap of the tent, and it was wrapping around his limbs and neck, struggling to pull him out. ¡®What¡¯s this?!¡¯ She knew for sure that the Fairy Forest was full of animals and plants she had never seen before, and of course, she also noticed the existence of monsters. However, they rarely showed up in front of Ashia, so this was even worse. She initially thought that those monsters that existed but don¡¯t attack were simply docile. The monster dragging away his body faltered for a moment, but he was dragged again using its strength. (T/N: The reason the monster stopped dragging away Kaligo¡¯s body for a moment was because Ashia was on top of him, in case you suddenly got confused. ???) ¡®Tie it up for now.¡¯ Roots began to sprout from the ground starting as she hurriedly hit it. They dug between its tentacles, helping her bind the monster until it let go of Kaligo. ¡°Haak! Haa¡­ haa.¡± ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Just then, Kaligo caught his breath violently. Ashia sighed in relief as she saw his face regain its original color. And soon after, she angrily took out a necklace from her robe as she clenched her molars. ¡°Luke¡­ find the body.¡± Then, Luke, who was still quiet, shimmered with colorful lights. [Yes, Asha-nim~ And?] ¡®And? Oh come to think of it, I had kept Luke locked for so long.¡¯ When was the last time she let Luke out of the necklace? This was a good opportunity for Luke who was itching to get out of the necklace from being locked up for so long. ¡°Do whatever you want¡­ I don¡¯t mind even if you eat it this time,¡± Ashia said as she raised her eyebrows. [Wow! Really?! I will do as you command!] As soon as she granted him permission, the necklace flew into the air. A translucent giant bird enthusiastically came out of the magic stone embedded in the center of the necklace. It was the first time in half a year. Excited, Luke flew straight out of the tent. The interior became quiet again. Her fluttering hair and robe floated down, and Kaligo¡¯s harsh breathing subsided. The suppressed monster struggled to break free from the roots that were binding it. Perhaps, it decided that its own life was more important than dragging this intruder away. ¡°Kaligo? Wake up!¡± Ashia slapped his cheeks and shoulders as she called his name. Jjak, jjak, jjak~ She slapped him three to four times on his cheeks. ¡°Kaligo! Kaligo!!¡± ¡°S¡­top¡­.¡± Kaligo regained consciousness and gently grabbed Ashia¡¯s hand and lowered it. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you know where this place is? What just happened, and where do you hurt?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yes?! Kaligo!¡± He just looked up at her with a hazy gaze while the barrage of questions continued. ¡°Answer me! Who am I?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am?¡± ¡°¡­¡± But he still didn¡¯t answer. ¡®Is he still not coming to his senses? Did something go wrong? He was dragged and hit his head?¡¯ He smiled faintly while staring intently. Ashia grew more worried when she saw him smile. The expression on her face was also something that made his smile widen. Even Kaligo knew that the lower part of the completed tent was sloppy since he went to get some firewood. Perhaps Ashia was unaware that this was a dangerous place for herself. She might have thought that the tent had done its job if it could block the wind and cold. That was what Kaligo thought. However, he felt an existence while he was scouting that he had never felt when he was with Ashia. ¡®It¡¯s not just one or two¡­¡¯ From the moment Kaligo was left alone, they were showing their naked intent to kill. ¡®You seem to think I¡¯m an intruder.¡¯ He let it go, rather he walked more confidently through the forest. He deliberately provoked them. Perhaps thanks to his provocation, the monster attacked him just before he could even sleep. In fact, the monster who broke through the tent was no big problem for him. Kaligo didn¡¯t subdue it although he had the power to easily do so. He just quietly let it attack and drag him away. And as expected, Ashia moved to save him. Kaligo!! Kaligo needed the assurance that Ashia wasn¡¯t going to break down easily, both mentally and physically. This was because the memories of the past were deeply etched in him. Renna was like a doll in the past ¨C a beautiful, fragile paper doll. However, Kaligo confirmed today that Ashia was different in many ways. She was agile, wise, and strong. He was thinking of going out if there was danger, but Ashia dealt with the monster and rescued him ¨C only using her own power. Of course, there was one more unexpected harvest in the process. ¡°Kaligo?¡± She was still unaware of her situation. Ashia tilted her head as she looked at his wordless smile. Her coveted platinum blond hair cascaded down the side of her face. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She quickly moved away and sat down, slowly raising her hand over her head. Her blue eyes filled with embarrassment, not knowing where to look as she was trying to grasp the situation. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence fell over their shared space. Stroking her head, Ashia let out a small sigh and slowly lowered her gaze to Kaligo, who was lying beneath her. Her clear blue eyes met his and intertwined without any sort of obstruction. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡­¡± Kaligo smiled a little deeper, as if he had been waiting for this moment. It made her even more embarrassed. ¡°So, about this¡­¡± Ashia didn¡¯t realize it until her hair flowed down. The situation was really urgent. The hood of her robe, which always covered her face, didn¡¯t feel like it was brushing against the back of her head. Ashia took a deep breath and opened her mouth. ¡°Ka¡ªKaligo.¡± ¡°¡­Are my eyes weird?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As his low, heavy tone reverberated in the tent, his dark blue eyes reflecting the light of the lamp shook wildly along with the light. ¡°You said you had an ugly wound.¡± Beautiful hair, flawless skin, a sharp nose and mysterious eyes, and even the red lips that he often got glimpses of, now opened slightly. The unfinished puzzle found its place and completed the perfect shape. He had longed to see this face. ¡°You are still¡­ beautiful.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes looking at her didn¡¯t even move. Ashia, who was carefully fumbling through her exposed hair and face, bit her lower lip. ¡®¡­That expression, tone of voice¡­ I knew it too.¡¯ Her proud, fierce blue eyes met unshakable red ones. ¡°Kaligo.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I can explain¡­¡± His voice was heavy. ¡°Renna.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He called her, just like the day the two of them died together, like the day he called her name for the first time in their five years of marriage. Kaligo called Renna just like that. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 - It Was Very Docile Chapter 23 ¨C It Was Very Docile She knew she couldn¡¯t hide it forever, but she didn¡¯t expect that he would call her by that name as soon as he saw her face. ¡°Renna¡­ Renna.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Called by her past name, Ashia widened her eyes in surprise and looked down at him. On the other hand, Kaligo wasn¡¯t at all surprised. ¡®Even though you really knew¡­ you knew everything but you pretended not to know anything.¡¯ As her eyes narrowed, Kaligo smiled silently and added a word. ¡°¡­My wife.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes, which had narrowed at the sound of his low voice, quickly grew bigger. The deep blue contained in it became a rippling wave. ¡°¡­Are you crazy? Did you really hurt your head?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Kaligo looked at his embarrassed companion and gave a small smile. She looked down at him with a puzzled face. ¡°Did you just smile? Are you smiling like that now?¡± ¡°Ashia¡­ Ashia.¡± Kaligo¡¯s laughing voice called out Ashia¡¯s name several times as he supported himself with his elbows and raised his upper body halfway. ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s face and red eyes were full of vitality to the extent that she thought he wasn¡¯t a person who just came back from almost dying. No, it was bliss rather than vitality. His eyes were filled with joy for some reason. After looking at Ashia for a moment, he tilted his head and slowly moved his gaze downward, then opened his mouth. ¡°Are you going to keep sitting there?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Following his gaze, Ashia¡¯s head also turned downward, and Ashia realized where and on whom exactly she was sitting. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°It seems that you are in a very bad place to have a conversation.¡± He smiled. ¡°But it¡¯s fine if we stay this way too,¡± he muttered. Contrary to his attitude, she looked down at him with her big eyes and blinked. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I will get up now¡­¡± Kwaang! A roar shook the entire forest. Their heads turned in the direction of the sound. ¡°Luke!¡± Astonished, Asha jumped off Kaligo¡¯s body and ran out of the tent. It was as if a huge explosion had occurred somewhere in the forest, quite far away. She could see Luke flying busily through the puffs of smoke. ¡®That guy, what¡¯s making so much noise¡­?¡¯ She looked at Luke and shook her head slightly. After a while, Kaligo followed her out of the tent and stood next to her. ¡°It¡¯s divine.¡± Ashia looked up at him once more, then turned back to Luke. ¡°¡­Maybe it is.¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a divine beast that looked like that no matter how many books I searched. And I never said that it was a divine beast.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that, based on its actions and abilities, I¡¯m willing to believe that.¡± ¡°Is it sealed in the Manastone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really a seal. I think he was living in it in his own will.¡± ¡°¡­Own will.¡± Ashia grabbed her necklace. She continued talking while gently rolling the magic stone that had lost its light in the middle with her thumb. ¡°Just as there are a lot of things I can¡¯t tell Luke, there¡¯s a secret that Luke can¡¯t tell.¡± Kaligo¡¯s gaze, looking at her, also turned to Luke. ¡°¡­You called it Luke.¡± ¡°Yes. The name of the god who was sitting on the right shoulder of the god Khan was Luke.¡± The god Khan was one of the gods outside the book. ¡®Khan¡¯ had a divine beast on his right shoulder, and the name of the bird that sat on his shoulder and looked down at the world was Luke. The being who had been sleeping in Ashia¡¯s mana stone woke up accidentally, and as soon as she saw it, the name Luke came to mind. And so she gave it a name. ¡°As you know, the new ¡®Khan¡¯ is the guardian deity of the Duchy of Edmund¡­¡± Ashia quickly shut her mouth. In this situation, mentioning the family of her ex-husband was practically affirming her identity. Biting her lip, Ashia gently raised her head and looked at him. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m finished¡­¡¯ His lips were already drawing soft curves. He looked down at her with an expression of immense joy that the memories of Renna that had come out of Ashia¡¯s mouth were about his family. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. As you said, the name of the guardian deity was ¡®Khan¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± His eyes softened. ¡°You still¡­ remember.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At this point, it was close to impossible to deny that she was Renna. She didn¡¯t want to be sloppy, so Ashia turned around with her mouth shut, but Kaligo hurriedly grabbed her hand. ¡°¡­Ashia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As his hand grabbed her, she slowly turned towards him again, meeting his emotion-filled eyes. ¡®Why¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t know why he was looking at her with such a sad face. It was her who was abandoned unfairly, but it was Kaligo who had such an expression. ¡°Don¡¯t we¡­ have something to talk about?¡± Kaligo said, holding her hand tighter. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Renna.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Perhaps he didn¡¯t know what she remembered whenever he called by that name. Even after ten years, he didn¡¯t know what kind of memories invaded her dreams. Asha looked up at him with a calm gaze. ¡°There is no one here named Renna¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her denial made Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows furrow. ¡°I hope Your Excellency the Grand Duke is not so foolish as to be caught up in the past and confuse it with reality.¡± A fool who is stuck in the past. Kaligo seemed to know that the word was referring to him. He couldn¡¯t say no, but it was foolishness and yet not foolishness, for it brought her back to him and confirmed that she was still alive. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? Am I the only one wondering about you? How did I¡­ live here¡­?¡± ¡°This conversation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We can do it anywhere, anytime.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But do we really have to do it here?¡± ¡°Renna,¡± Kaligo called her again. Ashia took a step back from his grip on her. ¡°I am Ashia Bliss, as the Grand Duke is called Kaligo Etos.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At Ashia¡¯s firm answer, Kaligo couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut any longer. She would pretend not to know him as long as she hid her face, but he would easily be pushed away if she shook off his hand. But even though she¡¯d already made up her mind like that¡­ she couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. ¡°Kaligo.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I know you want to talk. After this, I have no intention of escaping either. However¡­¡± The chance to run away from him was already gone ¨C from the moment she knew he was the Grand Duke but didn¡¯t run away, from the moment she set foot in the Grand Duke¡¯s office. ¡°The stories we are going to share¡­ won¡¯t be easy to hear.¡± Ashia looked around slowly and continued speaking, ¡°This makes me nervous. It makes me miss home and it makes me feel lonely. In a situation like this, in a place like this¡­ I don¡¯t want to talk about the past.¡± ¡°Yes, I know what you mean.¡± He crept closer to her. ¡°I¡¯ll wait. Until the day you can talk whenever you want, wherever you want.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you. It won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Again, an awkward atmosphere lingered between the two of them. Ashia coughed as she walked towards the tent. ¡°First, let¡¯s start with medicine. That seems to be our priority now.¡± ¡°¡­Medicine?¡± Kaligo followed her to the tent. She walked in and started taking out the production tools she had brought. Kaligo looked at her and turned to the place where the monster was tied. There were no traces of the monster left. ¡°Perhaps the main body¡¯s core was destroyed. Luke is good at finding those,¡± Ashia said. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°By the way, the potion¡­¡± ¡°The tools aren¡¯t perfect, so I can¡¯t make a lot. I¡¯m just going to make a small amount.¡± ¡°What kind of potion is it?¡± She raised her head. Gathering materials was never an easy task. They had to travel many distances and collect dangerous items. They would not be able to eat properly and would have to fight the harsh cold. The condition of the man¡¯s body, which had to sleep in the same bedding as her, seemed unusual. ¡°The potion that I drank. Is it a potion that Ben made?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why are you like that? Did something go wrong?¡± After resting for a while, Ashia continued speaking, listing the tools she had pulled out on the simple table. ¡°I think the potion doesn¡¯t seem to work at all.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Earlier, when I was sitting on it.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°That thing under your pants.¡± ¡°¡­That?¡± Ashia turned her back on him and took out a small piece of cloth and began to polish the tools on the small table to a glossy finish. ¡°If you drink the medicine and it still happens, it means that the potion is not doing its job.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Using the same bedding while the medicinal effect has gone down may cause unpleasant things, so I think I¡¯ll have to make one here as soon as possible¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Ah, um¡­ So¡­¡± ¡®How to explain¡­¡¯ Kaligo opened his mouth first. ¡°It was very docile, though.¡± ¡°¡­That?¡± she said incredulously. Chapter 24 - Why Don’t You Break The Contract Chapter 24 ¨C Why Don¡¯t You Break The Contract? Tilting his head slightly as he raised his chin, Kaligo made eye contact with her. Arms crossed in front of his chest, it was as if he was bragging about something great. ¡°Yes, that was docile.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± ¡°And¡­ no priest or person from the temple has ever said anything about the thing under my pants.¡± Ashia shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m different from others.¡± ¡°¡­In what way?¡± She stopped organizing her tools and looked at him at his continued questioning. ¡°They were probably afraid of the Grand Duke, so, they would have to risk their life if they wanted to say something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even if he¡¯d already changed his conduct, the rumors surrounding him weren¡¯t at rest at all. But still, Kaligo was one of the great powers of the Karhan Empire and was revered as a tyrant in power. No matter how well-spoken one was, if one day they got on his nerves, their neck would have flown away without fail. Who would have said such a thing in such a situation? But Ashia was different. ¡°¡­Are you saying you¡¯re not?¡± ¡°Yes, at least I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± In fact, she feared nothing in this world except for a situation caused by deviating from the original novel. Besides, it was clear to her now that the original male lead wasn¡¯t Kaligo, but her ex-husband Kaligo. She knew he wasn¡¯t the kind of person to commit such a cruel thing. So there was nothing to be afraid of. Instead of avenging the past, she intended to be more selfish. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to say what I want. If you don¡¯t like it, then why don¡¯t you break the contract first?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®You remember the twenty-fold penalty, right?¡¯ Ashia smiled as she wrinkled her nose. Kaligo¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he looked at Ashia being like that. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Why? Are you really going to break the contract?¡± His hand approached her face. ¡°Oh?¡± With the tip of his finger, Kaligo carefully swept down her high, slender nose bridge. ¡°¡­You¡¯re still the same. This habit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was a habit since childhood. Her playful personality was finally revealed. She often wrinkled her nose and laughed like that when teasing or playing pranks on someone. ¡®¡­Habit?¡¯ Ashia shifted her gaze from his fingers to his face. Even as Kaligo lowered his hand, he did not avoid her gaze. ¡°There will be no breach of contract. Do whatever you want to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo moved away, but the heat lingered on Ashia¡¯s nose. Did he use his aura? Her neck, shoulders, and the bridge of her nose he just touched ¨C all the places he touched were scorching hot. ¡°¡­Anyway, I thought we should be careful with each other when the potion you¡¯re drinking isn¡¯t working,¡± Ashia said as she gently rubbed her nose. ¡°No way. Did you think I would touch you without your permission?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaligo didn¡¯t seem to remember that he definitely lost to his desires when he was in a seizure. ¡®No, it¡¯s not because it¡¯s me, it probably didn¡¯t matter who the other person was.¡¯ Kaligo, who had no way of knowing what he had done, had a puzzled expression on his face. ¡°There were rumors about me that way, but now¡­¡± Cutting off his words, Ashia answered naturally. ¡°Am I not pretty?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her question was bold, arrogant, even. Even so, Kaligo couldn¡¯t answer because he wasn¡¯t good at telling the truth. As he stared at Ashia, her two big blue eyes were arching and curved. Kaligo¡¯s gaze went down as the corners of his mouth tugged up playfully. ¡°Aren¡¯t I a beauty everyone coveted? I¡¯m a little shirt, but I definitely got good body and height ratio.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Ashia took a step back and flapped her robes, her silhouette briefly came into view. Was it to test his self-control, or was she just flaunting it? She smiled brightly when she saw Kaligo staring at her blankly, then put the tools back into her bag. ¡°What would you do to me if you suddenly had a seizure in the middle of the crowd?¡± ¡°¡­Crowd? Who are you talking about?¡± ¡°There are a lot, but you should be able to count them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Having organized the tools and materials, Ashia turned around and headed for the bed. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll let you rest as I know you don¡¯t need the potion right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia snuggled into the warm, cozy bedding. ¡°We will be busy when the day is bright, so we have to sleep.¡± Shifting into a moderately comfortable position, she lifted the top of the cover and looked up at Kaligo. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡± Kaligo, who had been standing crookedly with his arms crossed, widened his eyes in shock and carefully put down his arms. ¡°If you¡¯re not coming, I¡¯ll sleep firs¡­¡± ¡°Coming.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo took off his cloak, threw it on the floor, and walked over to the bed. ¡°No, it¡¯s cold if you take it off¡­¡± Before Ashia could finish her nagging, Kaligo entered. ¡®Oh, it definitely feels cramped. Is this really capable of fitting four people? The temperature increased, the two inadvertently facing each other. ¡®Wow¡­ I think this is closer than before?¡¯ There was no place to look at. It would be strange to look at his face, but it was even stranger if she looked down and stared at his body. If she turned her eyes to another place, it was too awkward. Ashia gulped, turning around despite feeling his gaze bore into her back. However, it was not as uncomfortable as the first time. Ashia couldn¡¯t sleep when other people were by her side, but for some reason, it seemed like she could sleep deeply now. Was it because there was a commotion earlier? Or because her face was uncovered? ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eventually, his breathing slowed. The heat on her cheeks and her pounding heart cooled as well. Ashia, who became more comfortable, spoke in a small voice. ¡°Sleep well, Kaligo.¡± ¡®Is he already asleep?¡¯ His answer did not come immediately. Blinking slowly, she was about to give up and close her eyes, ¡°Yes¡­ Ashia.¡± She smiled, falling into a deep sleep without realizing it. ¡°Aww!! Be gentle!! Ah, hyung!¡± ¡°Stop exaggerating.¡± ¡°Aww! Can¡¯t I complain because it was painful?¡± Butler Redin was applying medicine to Kyrian¡¯s wounds. ¡°Then why do you keep fighting? You¡¯re ignorant.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s ignorant? Wow, really¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re from the same village. You should¡¯ve known in advance.¡± Kyrian grunted while pouting his lips. ¡°Tch. What village¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t such a monster back then.¡± ¡°Even so, the fact that you didn¡¯t know about the Imperial Knight Sir Teros while you were at the Academy proved your ignorance.¡± At Redin¡¯s words, Kyrian said in a hoarse voice, ¡°¡­Is that person that great?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been able to hurt Sir Teros the whole time, are you still asking that?¡± ¡°No, that!¡± ¡°Right arm.¡± When Redin removed his left arm after treatment, Kyrian, who was trying to make an excuse, closed his lips and extended his right arm full of scars to him. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Sir Teros, you wouldn¡¯t have been running like a crazy pony for a week. I was surprised to see you knelt down after half a day.¡± ¡°I got down on my knees. I just had a break.¡± ¡°So you like resting. You lost your mind for a moment and stretched.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Redin turned Kyrian to sit down and began to apply medicine on his back. ¡°Keuk!¡± ¡°Anyway, he must be a monster. If you look at his skills, there will be no one who can match him in the Imperial Knights.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a talent coveted by both the Imperial Knights and the Temple Holy Knights.¡± Kyrian raised his arm, showed Redin the wound on his back, and spoke bluntly. ¡°Why? Did he make any great achievements? If he¡¯s that great, he should be a general now.¡± ¡°¡­Do the two of you even have to be enemies? Why are you so dark?¡± Redin, who sighed briefly as he looked at Kyrian with his mouth shut, continued his conversation. ¡°Even though one has superior skills, it¡¯s not easy to rise up the ranks¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­You also know that.¡± Kyrian tightened his jaw, realizing what Redin meant. ¡°Listen. Don¡¯t just swing your sword.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in that.¡± Redin¡¯s fingers tightened at his belligerent answer. ¡°Aww! Ah, hyung!!¡± ¡°If you keep acting like you are now, I think you will be stripped of your knighthood.¡± Kyrian with his chapped lips looked at Redin and sat down. ¡°¡­But that¡¯s where I came from.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t look like it, but how do you know that?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s obvious.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He wiped his hands and closed the lid. ¡°An informant.¡± Kyrian barely contained his shock. ¡°Greed and selfish people are everywhere. It¡¯s no wonder that one or two of them come out.¡± ¡°What informant¡­?¡± ¡°It could be one¡­ two, three, or more.¡± ¡°Then, you mean that guy was caught because of someone too?¡± ¡°You¡¯re fussy¡­ And talking about it.¡± Redin shook his head and sighed. ¡°It was said that he was a close friend who had applied for the Imperial Knights as well. Only Sir Teros passed, so he blew up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Redin finished tying the bandage. ¡°Anyway, take care of your wounds and rest until the day His Excellency returns.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Redin left the room, Kyrian, who was left alone, furrowed his eyebrows. Friend¡­ and informant. On the day the village was burned down, Kyrian was wandering through the forest as he looked for Teros. He found out that there was a fire in the village, but he was caught in a landslide and was buried in dirt and rubble on his way there. Fortunately, there were many people who came to rescue the Grand Duke that day. When he regained his senses, the village was engulfed in flames and was out of control. But, wasn¡¯t this like a story of those who barely survived the chaos biting each other? ¡®It¡¯s all because of her.¡¯ The culprit, a witch-like woman who gained people¡¯s trust and burned everything in the end. ¡®Ashia Bliss¡­¡¯ Kyrian clenched his fist. Chapter 25 - Mark Your Territory Chapter 25 ¨C Mark Your Territory The first morning dawned in the Fairy Forest. ¡°Hnng¡­¡± She turned her body with difficulty as she opened her eyes in an unfamiliar, uncomfortable bed. When she turned her head, a man¡¯s face came into her view, another thing that was unfamiliar to her. ¡®Heok!¡¯ Startled, Ashia swallowed the scream down her throat and covered her mouth. ¡®Right, I came to the Fairy Forest¡­ with this person.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t the only thing¡ªshe had revealed her face to this person on the very first day. And then¡­ Renna. It was also the day that she confirmed he was her ex-husband, Kaligo. ¡®¡­Kaligo Edmund.¡¯ His arms were folded while he slept facing Ashia. ¡°¡­¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes quietly traced his face. They traveled over his smooth forehead to his thick eyebrows, his black hair softly falling between them. It didn¡¯t take long for her gaze to reach his straight nose bridge to his tightly pursed lips. ¡®Have I ever looked at him this close..?¡¯ She tried to rummage through her memories, but there seemed to be none of that nature. She wasn¡¯t given the chance to properly look at her husband¡¯s face. there might not be another chance like this in the future, so she stared at every inch of him slowly. ¡®Tch¡­¡¯ She pouted when she concluded that he was undeniably handsome. ¡°¡­Do you like it?¡± ¡°!¡± Ashia was taken aback, half-thinking that it was her inner thoughts. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t run away that far with only four-person bedding. His closed eyes opened slowly. ¡°You should¡¯ve liked something about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Blinking, Ashia coughed and stood up from the bed, Kaligo¡¯s eyes following her movements. ¡°Let¡¯s eat something first if you have woken up.¡± Ashia then walked over to her bag, brushed her messy hair, then took out some simple food and handed it to him, who came from behind. Kaligo took it put it in his mouth with a slight smile. Though she didn¡¯t answer his question, he thought that her reaction seemed like a positive answer. ¡°We¡¯ll be going faster today than yesterday, so¡­ be prepared.¡± ¡°Whatever you want.¡± The two people who simply satiated their hunger set out for the fire attribute forest. On the second day, the atmosphere in the forest was quite different. The forest monsters who were hiding from Kaligo were now attacking him openly. Tak~ Kaligo grabbed a part of the monster¡¯s body that flew towards him. ¡°¡­¡± As if he had already gotten used to it, he destroyed it by accurately stabbing the hidden core deep inside its body. Looking at the scene from behind, Ashia clicked her tongue and said, ¡°Why were you acting like that yesterday when you caught it very well today?¡± In response to her question, Kaligo wiped his hands. ¡°Must be because I was asleep?¡± Ashia narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°You want me to believe that?¡± Kaligo chuckled in a low voice seeing her expression. ¡°You seemed like you were in a hurry every time.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What are you sorry for? I didn¡¯t tell you to attack me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find a way when I get back.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly at her answer. ¡®Was she going to return?¡¯ It meant that they might come here together in the future when she said this wouldn¡¯t be the last time. He clenched his fist and covered his mouth as he coughed a little, continuing his words, ¡°¡­Please tell me if you are close to the owner of this forest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you aren¡¯t on the same page as them.¡± ¡®She didn¡¯t deny it.¡¯ ¡°Why don¡¯t you just mark me as yours?¡± (T/N: You sneaky male lead *fufu*) While Kaligo joked with subtle confidence, Ashia replied with a calm look, ¡°Oh, something like marking territory?¡± ¡°Mark your territory.¡± He heard that wizards put small labels on their things. Kaligo only thought that it was just a small mark. ¡®But a territorial mark?¡¯ Kaligo looked up in the sky, his thoughts inscrutable. Ashia chased after him, stepping into the ankle-deep snow. ¡°Why? Would you like some saliva?¡± Slightly startled, Kaligo looked back at her carefully. ¡°¡­I guess that¡¯s the way you wanted to do it.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that I want it. I would try it if it¡¯s marking.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s more common to mark areas by coating the body with pheromones.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. We can try this and that, and if it still doesn¡¯t work, then we can try to do that as a last resort.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At some point, Ashia began to joke with him¡ªno, was it from the beginning? The two of them now were doing something they wouldn¡¯t be able to imagine happening in their last life, which ended with terrible memories. Although they were hungrier today than yesterday, Kaligo¡¯s steps became obviously lighter. ¡°Please take care of this tree. I¡¯ll harvest it from the tree right next to it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two people who entered the fire-attribute areas were eager to collect the fire-concentrated materials. Fittingly, it was an area that was hot enough to burn if touched with bare hands. Not only were its fruits hot, but also its stems, thorns, and the finely attached leaves. ¡°Be careful there. The thorns are extremely sharp and hot like a heated sword.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaligo¡¯s size wasn¡¯t something for her to be worried about. Moving between densely pack materials wasn¡¯t easy, and he didn¡¯t look like he had any intention to be careful. For him who had been hurt on the battlefield, the current situation wasn¡¯t that dangerous. ¡°Ah! Careful!¡± As he drew near to the glowing branches and leaves, Ashia suddenly poured water elemental magic onto the materials near him. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was a loud buzz that rang around the area as it blazed red; the heat around it stopped at once. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Um¡­ if you freeze it.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the effectiveness of the materials would also disappear if you froze them?¡± Kaligo asked gently. ¡°¡­Please go that way. And it¡¯s not frozen.¡± Ashia let out a small, hoarse cough as she moved to the area that wasn¡¯t frozen. Following closely behind her, Kaligo covered his lips as he held back his laughter. Twilight fell on the forest as the two of them were focused on gathering. Ashia raised her head and looked at the sun barely hanging on the horizon. ¡°The sun is setting. Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Returning to their tent in a hurry, the two shared the chores like they had yesterday. Ashia organized the gathered materials while Kaligo headed to the nearby forest to find firewood. Finished with her task, Ashia touched her chin as she looked down at the bedding. ¡®I managed to pass it earlier¡­¡¯ Ashia¡¯s troubles deepened as the night also deepened. Even today, her heart was stuffy just thinking of spending the night with him on the same bed. Just then, she heard a rattle outside. It was Kaligo, busy lighting a bonfire. Ashia looked in the direction of the sound and sighed lightly. ¡®Ah, I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s the answer now.¡¯ They already used the same bedding yesterday, so why couldn¡¯t they do the same tonight as well? Since when did she live in deep thought? Wasn¡¯t she the woman who overcame the brutally terrible memories? ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Ashia took a deep breath. She pushed the bag to one side and went out of the tent after tidying up. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You came out?¡± Kaligo was sitting next to the bonfire he made, warming himself. Ashia also sat down opposite him. ¡°You worked hard today.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ashia took some of the jerky to eat and dried fruit from the bag, then threw the bag to him. ¡°You¡¯ll lose weight by the time you get out of here as you can only eat things like this.¡± ¡°There were many times on the battlefield that I didn¡¯t even have this much. I would be grateful for a meal like this.¡± ¡°Why did you follow me if you knew it¡¯d just be suffering?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She looked down at the bonfire as she ate. Staring at her, Kaligo opened the bag and took out a jerky. He didn¡¯t eat it, but rather looked down and opened his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s hard work.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The two of them silently stared at the flames. It seemed that she kept on eating to avoid the awkward atmosphere, rather than because she was hungry. Ashia lightly brushed her hands when she finished the jerky. ¡°It¡¯s better than when I came here alone¡­¡± Kaligo turned to look at Ashia when he heard her voice. ¡°It was a lot easier building the tent and gathering materials.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Though you were forced to follow me here for fear of having a seizure, I still want to say that you being here was very helpful¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t because I had no choice that I followed you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He continued to speak, breaking up the branches he had piled up beside him and throwing them into the bonfire, ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­ for the reason that you think.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s firm gaze locked on Ashia. ¡°The reason why I recognized you, pretended not to know you, the reason I kept going to and from the store making the contract as an excuse.¡± The fire intensified as he added another piece of wood, illuminating his eyes. ¡°And why it had to happen that day.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± That day¡­ It was clear that he was talking about that day they died together. Chapter 26 - Sharing Each Other’s Temperature In A Cold Place Chapter 26 ¨C Sharing Each Other¡¯s Temperature In A Cold Place She was curious. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder why her life as Renna was so lonely and futile. It wasn¡¯t like she hadn¡¯t thought about it. ¡°I will tell you everything without hiding anything, so I hope that it won¡¯t create any misunderstandings in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His usually sharp eyes were downcast. ¡°I¡¯m waiting. I¡¯m going crazy from curiosity.¡± Ashia was smiling bitterly as she bit her lip, and said in a small voice, ¡°Please wait a little more.¡± Their conversation would probably be about why Renna and Kaligo¡¯s ending had to be so tragic. They walked in the snow all day and ate little food. It seemed like they couldn¡¯t handle and digest their stories with such weak mental and physical energy. She knew he wanted to talk. It wasn¡¯t like he wasn¡¯t curious about Ashia either, and from the moment they knew each other¡¯s identities, they knew that a conversation between the two of them was one of the obstacles they had to go through. ¡®I don¡¯t mean to run away either.¡¯ She just needed time to get out of there and relax a little bit. She¡¯d be willing to talk about it as long as they were comfortably settled, glasses of milk in hand. Ten years had already passed. It would probably take a day or two to take all the information in. Time had the power to dull any emotion. Actually, this was a good point in time to face him and have a talk. It also seemed like the resentment she felt towards him had greatly lessened. ¡°¡­Yes. I will wait.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashia got up from her seat, fixing her clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ go in first.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, casting his gaze towards the bonfire. Hesitating for a moment, Ashia slowly walked towards their tent. She decided to give up on inviting him inside. It wasn¡¯t like they should go in and fall asleep together; they weren¡¯t that close. ¡°¡­¡± Ashia entered the tent and stared down at the four-person bedding on the floor for a moment. After standing for a while thinking about something, she slowly went to her side of the bed. Just so that he could come inside and sleep properly, she left a large space where he could lie down. But Kaligo probably¡­ ¡®¡­won¡¯t come inside the tent.¡¯ Obviously, he would stay up all night outside as he watched the bonfire. Ashia was certain because it was Kaligo. She tucked her body a little deeper into the bed. The Fairy Forest was a place where she often went and slept alone, but the bedding tonight was warm and spacious. But why? Why couldn¡¯t she feel the warmth just like last night? There was only the cold wind on her cheek instead of the warm bedding. Ashia tossed and turned for a long time, unable to sleep easily. On the morning of the second day, sunlight shone inside through the tent. She rubbed her face against the warmth. ¡®It¡¯s warm¡­¡¯ Then she suddenly remembered while half-asleep where this place was. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± She slowly opened her eyes and carefully lifted her head. ¡®Huh?¡¯ It was Kaligo. She thought he wouldn¡¯t come in, but he was suddenly sleeping right there, and in the same bed, and¡­ ¡®Why¡­?¡¯ She was naturally using his arm as a pillow and pulling him close with her own arms. His other arm was also embracing Ashia very naturally. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Even when they were married, they had never had a morning like this. Besides, their relationship now wasn¡¯t even close to being a couple. The quiet man she knew was hugging her. While he must¡¯ve been in a calm state, she wasn¡¯t at all. ¡®This is¡­ a little dangerous.¡¯ Blinking quickly, Ashia squirmed as she pulled herself out carefully so as not to wake him up. ¡°¡­Just a moment.¡± The freshly woken up voice was like a low cry of an animal. ¡°Just a little bit¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± He gently embraced her as he softly rubbed his cheek against her hair, as if taking care of a small bird that might escape. His actions made Ashia even more embarrassed. ¡°¡­Kaligo.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Judging from his answer, it seemed like they didn¡¯t simply sleep. ¡°We are now¡­¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re hugging.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. Why on earth¡­?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural for survival to share each other¡¯s body temperature in a cold place?¡± ¡®Is it normal for men and women to share their body temperature in this way? I mean, didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t get cold that easily?¡¯ She wanted to retort, but she quietly swallowed her words. ¡°The bedding is already warm even if you don¡¯t do this¡­¡± Kaligo seemed to be unwilling to let her go no matter what she said. He kissed her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to tell you because I was afraid you would be embarrassed.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°It was you who dug into my arms first because it was cold.¡± ¡°?!¡± She gaped. ¡°The person who ripped all the buttons off my clothes, and the person who slipped their hands into my clothes, mumbling about warmth.¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± Ashia hurriedly tried to pull herself away from him, but he was still hugging her tightly. Either way, Kaligo continued speaking in a voice mixed with laughter, ¡°It was you who rubbed your face against my chest, hugged my waist, and held me tight.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I couldn¡¯t sleep properly.¡± ¡°!¡± His voice calmed down a little more. ¡°I gave up my body all night like that, so are you going to pretend you didn¡¯t know now?¡± ¡°Ka¡ªKaligo! Let me go first!¡± ¡°I am cold now. So, let¡¯s just stay like this for a moment¡­just a moment.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Oh, so that¡¯s why. But you don¡¯t get cold that easily¡­ But as expected, no complaints came out of Ashia¡¯s mouth. It seemed that she could vaguely remember what she did last night. When she glanced down, there was evidence that he wasn¡¯t lying. ¡®Did he rip his shirt on purpose so he can make fun of how I did that the day he had a seizure?¡¯ His thin, white shirt had more than half the buttons torn off. ¡®You¡¯re crazy, Ashia Bliss.¡¯ She carefully removed the hand that was holding him by the waist and covered her burning face, Kaligo¡¯s laughter audible overhead. At first, he had thought that he just wanted to see Ashia¡¯s sleeping face for a moment. He knew that once Ashia fell asleep, she slept so deeply that no one could wake her up¡ªjust as it had been in the past. Previously, he would reject each of Renna¡¯s requests to sleep together and would head to their bedroom when she was already fast asleep. She wouldn¡¯t wake up even if he touched her. For a not-so-short time, he would keep silent and suddenly leave. He had also thought like that last night until his name came out of her mouth. ¨C Kaligo¡­ Don¡¯t go¡­ Ashia¡¯s voice was enough to stimulate him. It was clear that the potion Ventus made for him had exhausted its efficacy. Kaligo turned around unconsciously. He was greedy. Whether she called his name or held his hand, he needed to turn away indifferently in any situation. But Kaligo didn¡¯t. ¡°The drug¡­ it¡¯s because the effect was gone. ¡­because of the drug,¡± Kaligo kept muttering to himself an excuse that no one would hear nor an excuse that no one knew for whom it was. Looking down at her who called for him in her sleep, he cautiously reached out to her. ¨C Ren(na)¡­ ¨C You idiot¡­ She seemed to curse him, but he ignored it. Even if she didn¡¯t, his desire for her was writhing in his heart. As his name came out of her mouth again, he tucked himself in as naturally as a puppy waiting for an order. And as if she was waiting for him, Ashia began to cuddle into his arms in search of warmth. He was a bit perplexed at first, but Ashia was so restless that he wondered if this was alright. She then ripped off the buttons of his shirt and fumbled over his skin without hesitation. ¡°Ashia¡­¡± With an unknown emotion, he called her name in a very low voice. It was a very, very small voice. Thanks to this, she did not wake up and did not stop moving. Kaligo had no intention of stopping Ashia or getting out of bed. It reminded him how she vowed that she wanted him to leave her alone, and let her do whatever she wanted for the rest of her life. He had to stay up all night, leaving her hand unattended. There was a reason why he couldn¡¯t open his eyes properly even in the morning when it was bright. She wiggled and murmured, trapped inside his chest. ¡°¡­It¡¯s cramped.¡± ¡°Should I just do what I want?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Carefully looking up at his face, he had erased all the overwhelming and sharp expressions he had. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen that man smile so softly.¡¯ No, in the first place, Kaligo had never smiled at Renna. So every time he smiled at her, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of him. ¡®Why would a person who could smile like this do that back then? Is this also the influence of the main character, Kaligo?¡¯ Or was that the real Kaligo? Meeting his eyes, Ashia was startled and hurriedly bit her lips. ¡®What are you staring at!¡¯ This time, Kaligo¡¯s arms let her go. Ashia quickly got out of bed. ¡°I¡¯ll go out first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She quickly touched her messy hair, put on her robe, rolled up the tent flap, and jumped out. As she stepped out, the cold wind blew past her. Normally, she would shrug her shoulders as she pressed her hood down, saying it was cold. But there was no need now. On the contrary, the wind that blew past her cheek was even colder. She took a deep breath as she patted her cheek with the back of her hand. Once again¡ªyesterday and today¡ªshe couldn¡¯t push him away when he approached her suddenly. No, actually¡­ ¡®I didn¡¯t¡­¡¯ A little cautious and a little slow, Ashia was slowly realizing the own changes in her personality. The difference between ¡®I can¡¯t push him away¡¯ and ¡®I didn¡¯t push him away¡¯ was clearly there. Aside from her problem that she wasn¡¯t immune to men, the reason she didn¡¯t like him approaching was even deeper. Even though he was the same Kaligo, he was very different from her ex-husband in many ways. It wasn¡¯t because of Kaligo¡¯s pure change that she was hesitant, but rather the influence brought about by him being the male lead, Kaligo. ¡°Huu¡­¡± Behind Ashia who breathed in the cold wind and sighed, Kaligo, dressed in torn clothes and cloaked, came out from the tent. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Just like yesterday, Kaligo also took the lead today. Still, he did not forget to turn around and check on her from time to time. When his gaze met hers for a moment, it tickled Ashia¡¯s heart. Just as the atmosphere on the first day of entering the Fairy Forest was different from yesterday, there was also a different atmosphere today. Chapter 27 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 27 ¨C It Would Be Game Over If My Father Is The Emperor ¡°Finished!!¡± Ashia closed the storage box and patted it with a satisfied expression on her face, then turned to Kaligo, who responded to her with a smile. ¡°I filled up all the lockers I brought. Now I think I should pack our bags and go home.¡± She walked past him and towards the tent. Kaligo¡¯s expression slowly hardened. ¡°Did you say we¡¯re going back now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you mean that when you say the work is over then it¡¯s over¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. It means that this trip is completely over.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes went back and forth busily with her on the snowfield. ¡°¡­You said it would take a week, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I did. But it was over quickly because you did better than I expected.¡± Ashia scrunched her nose and smiled excitedly. Contrary to her joyful look, Kaligo¡¯s face was dark. He thought there was still a lot of time left. Of course, it was important to go back quickly and have a talk with her, but he also saw that this kind of opportunity might not come again. But they were already going back. Ashia¡¯s light steps continued over the ankle-deep snow. No matter what kind of expression was on Kaligo¡¯s face as he followed her, she was humming in happiness at the thought of going home. The time for them to part ways came sooner than he expected. Now, it was time to go back to their respective domains. At the same time, in the capital city in a mansion overlooking the square, two gorgeously dressed women were chatting over tea. ¡°Lisa, how can all of Carmian¡¯s buildings be so beautiful?¡± ¡°Hey, wasn¡¯t the Etous Estate building more amazing, Princess?¡± ¡°Oh, right, it was!¡± Recalling the buildings and the scenery of the Etous Estate she had visited recently, she clapped her hands. ¡°Yes. It was a place perfectly fit for the Grand Duke of the rumors¡ªmagnificent and dignified.¡± Sitting opposite Lisa, she smiled softly as if she could somehow imagine his face, which she had never seen before, since they were also a good match for each other. ¡°Since you sent him a letter again, the Grand Duke will call upon Miss Aileen when he returns. Then you can ask him to take you for a tour around.¡± ¡°But, Lisa, will you be okay?¡± ¡°Yes? About what?¡± ¡°You are the owner of the tower. You came out of the tower like this¡­ and that was because of me.¡± ¡°Are you worrying about me?¡± Lisa lowered her gaze, looking touched. ¡°Of course, we are friends.¡± ¡°¡­Friends.¡± For a brief moment, Lisa¡¯s expression changed and then returned to normal. ¡°That¡¯s right, Princess. We are friends. So I want to help more.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lisa.¡± Aileen smiled happily. Lisa did as well. ¡°Obviously, the Grand Duke will also welcome you. I think it is a great blessing to have a beautiful woman like Miss Aileen as a wife.¡± ¡°Lisa, you¡¯re really¡­ I¡¯m flattered.¡± The smile turned shy as she blushed. Lisa chattered more. ¡°You are the Imperial Princess of the Perthenia Empire, a country that is friendly with Karhan. Who would dare refuse the Imperial Princess¡¯ proposal? You sent a wedding proposal in advance, so he will surely welcome the princess with open arms.¡± Aileen answered with a soft smile and brought the teacup she was holding to her lips, ¡°I wish he would.¡± The third princess of the Perthenia Empire, Aileen Encherances. For the first time in her life, she left her empire and came to Karhan. It was full of unfamiliar things, but she had warm anticipation and piqued curiosity. She was spending every day in excitement thinking that she would soon live in the Karhan Empire. ¨C I¡¯ll be by your side until the drug is complete. ¨C I don¡¯t think that can happen. ¨C Ashia¡­ ¨C I¡¯m not running away. I¡¯ll make it asap and take it to you, so wait for me at your house, okay? -¡­ Ashia returned Kaligo to his Grand Duke¡¯s residence then went back and immediately prepared a potion for him. Perhaps because it was just for a very short period of time, Kaligo didn¡¯t have a seizure throughout their trip. but since Ashia saw with her own eyes how he was when he was having his seizure, she knew how painful it was. ¡®I have to bring it as soon as the sun rises tomorrow.¡¯ She decided to make a week¡¯s worth of potions. While sorting out the materials and tools, she found his torn shirt and the four-person bedding in her suitcase. ¡°Ah¡­¡± She suddenly remembered what had happened in the Fairy Forest. It was a place that used to be filled with her cold and lonely memories, but when she thought of Kaligo being there, she thought that calling it a good memory wouldn¡¯t be too bad at all. Ashia carefully pulled out his shirt. She burst into laughter looking at the shirt with only the traces of buttons left. ¡®It looks expensive, but can I get the same thing?¡¯ She threw the shirt into the laundry basket and hurriedly started making the potions. Without her realizing it, the sun that was floating in the middle of the sky disappeared over the mountain. After that came the moon and the stars embroidered beautifully at the stem of the Carmian River. Ashia was so concentrated that she had no time to see the beautiful night view of Carmian that she loved so much. Then a new morning dawned. ¡°Yaaaawn!¡± She opened her store then went back inside, blinking dazedly and stretching. At that time, Ashia turned around again when she heard the sound of knocking on the store door. ¡°The store is open today.¡± A man was leaning against the store door. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ah?¡± When she saw him, Ashia involuntarily let out a sigh. His blonde hair and golden eyes were shining in the sunlight. She could tell who it was even though it was the first time they met, just by looking at his rough appearance. ¡®¡­This is driving me crazy.¡¯ Besides, she remembered his voice. She was looking at his feet when she was at the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. The owner of that voice was probably Crown Prince Desian. ¡°Just now, what does that ¡®ah¡¯ mean?¡± ¡°Ah, that you are an unwelcomed guest?¡± Ashia left him and turned away indifferently, stretching her stiff neck. ¡°¡­You haven¡¯t invited me in yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She had no energy to respond to him due to a lack of sleep. Ashia slowly walked to the counter, rubbing her neck and shoulders. And as usual, she stood upright. Standing on it, she put on her business smile. Obviously, she was just showing annoyance and treating him as a nuisance until a while ago. ¡°Welcome to Ashia¡¯s Potion Shop. How can I help you?¡± She was smiling, but there was no emotion in her voice. Desian sighed. ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s a very heartfelt welcome.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He then entered the store, glancing at the items on the wall and the display case, before turning to Ashia. When he met her flat gaze, Desian smiled blithely. ¡°Looking at your expression, you seem to know who I am.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just like the first time, she was just maintaining a business smile. Desian strode forward and stood right in front of her. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was no change in Ashia¡¯s expression. He smirked. ¡°Nice to meet you again. Right, wizard? I¡¯m curious about someone, so it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve come here in person.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± His eyes that were bent into crescents were both so beautiful and creepy that it gave her goosebumps. ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Because this is not a place for a high-ranking person to come.¡± He closed his eyes at her words and nodded. ¡°Right? They would usually send their subordinates.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Desian leaned against the counter and looked at Ashia. ¡°I thought Miss Wizard already had a good voice, but I didn¡¯t expect that you also have a pretty face.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why did you hide that pretty face before? It¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He tilted his head as he looked at Ashia, who was staring blankly, wordlessly. ¡°I think you¡¯ve heard that often seeing that it doesn¡¯t excite you.¡± ¡°Yes, I hear it so often that it¡¯s boring.¡± ¡°¡­Haa.¡± He looked so surprised one moment then burst into laughter another. It wasn¡¯t even that funny, but tears began to form in his eyes. After he calmed down, he continued, ¡°Just looking at you, I don¡¯t think you are the type of person who wants to talk.¡± ¡°I am the type to tell the truth.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s great. Usually, people value their necks more than telling the truth.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Turning his back on her, Desian started to look around her store. ¡°Did you say you could make any potion?¡± ¡°Yes, if you place an order.¡± ¡°Order¡­ So, what kind of potion did you make for our Grand Duke Kaligo?¡± ¡°¡­Ask him yourself. It¡¯s not my duty to tell you that.¡± ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s not easy.¡± Desian continued to wander around the store, stroking his chin. Then he suddenly stopped and turned to Ashia. ¡°Isn¡¯t this store precious?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know I am the type of person who can make this store disappear with a snap of a finger?¡± He raised his finger in a twirling motion. ¡°Do it if you want. Then I will set up another store at another place.¡± ¡°¡­What if I chase after that too and get rid of it?¡± ¡°I will find another place, of course. Is this the only empire on the continent? There are plenty of places to open up a store.¡± ¡°¡­Wow, doesn¡¯t it bother you just thinking about it?¡± ¡°If you think it¡¯s going to bother you, then you don¡¯t have to do it.¡± At her words, Desian raised his eyebrows and smiled. ¡°Huh. Miss Wizard, I thought it was only your face that¡¯s my type, but even your personality is just my taste.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yours is not mine.¡± ¡°More and more.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Desian walked back to Ashia, who was standing at the counter. ¡°What do you think of me?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Ashia spat out her answer as if she had been waiting for an opportunity to say it. Desian tilted his head with a puzzled expression. ¡°But why? I am the crown prince of this empire, and after that old emperor dies, that seat will be mine.¡± Looking at him like that, Ashia calmly responded, ¡°Well, I would do that too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± His eyebrows shot up. ¡°It means that if my father is the emperor then I would remain in my high position¡ªno matter how lazy, incompetent, and even if my reputation is at the bottom.¡± ¡° ¡­What?¡± ¡°What do you think, if my dad was the Emperor, then the game is over.¡± Desian¡¯s flattering, infinitely light atmosphere disappeared in an instant. Knowing that, Ashia didn¡¯t stop talking. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 28 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 28 ¨C That Bastard Crown Prince¡­ ¡°Aren¡¯t you lucky enough to be born into the royal family and enjoy such luxury?¡± Ashia closed her eyes and smiled as she continued talking, ¡°You must be really happy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But what about it?¡± She folded her arms in front of her chest and tilted her head. Her dark blue eyes were unwavering as they turned towards Desian. ¡°All of the conditions you mentioned earlier do not seem very attractive to me, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia clearly drew a line. Needless to say, she was very satisfied with her life now. She was free to do whatever she wanted without lacking anything. She was at ease when she received the gold through her deal with the Grand Duke, and she would also be able to take care of the survivors of the fire. ¡®The Crown Prince or His Majesty the Emperor, what do you know?¡¯ To her, it was only natural that the position of the crown prince didn¡¯t seem great enough to shake her heart. Of course, it was no question that he had a beautiful appearance, but to be honest, he wasn¡¯t to Ashia¡¯s taste. Her type hadn¡¯t changed over the years. Rather than the crown prince¡­ ¡®There is no one like Kaligo.¡¯ Desian¡¯s lips, which had been chattering a while ago, stilled. It was obvious how he was gritting his molars now. Staring at him, Ashia continued with a gentle smile, ¡°Oh, I was talking too much. Sorry. This will make you want to get rid of my store. I didn¡¯t know how to stop in that moment.¡± And then she calmly scolded herself, saying that she spoke violently about a person¡¯s character. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, I sincerely apologize.¡± She lightly bowed her head in an apology that was not an apology. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that your original personality?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you if that was your real personality?¡± ¡°¡­You do remember that I am a wizard from the tower, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then be polite.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯Be polite?¡¯ As if Ashia was teaching a little kid, she spoke in a gentle tone toward Desian, who was thinking about what she was saying. ¡°Surely, Your Highness wouldn¡¯t say that you didn¡¯t know about Article Three of the Treaty of Alliance between the Magic Tower and the Empire, right?¡± Desian raised one eyebrow as if he had just remembered it. ¡°Ah¡­ that treaty. ¡­¡­.I don¡¯t remember our Miss Wizard ever being polite to me.¡± ¡°I think I am being polite enough to not kick you out of the store,¡± Ashia said with a bright smile. His eyebrows shot up. ¡°I would think that you are making fun of the Magic Tower if you keep on being rude. You may want to think about the possible effects of it to the relationship between the Magic Tower and the Empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ashia was no longer a member of the Magic Tower, but Desian wouldn¡¯t know it as such information was treated with confidentiality. ¡®It is uncomfortable to bring up the Magic Tower like this, but he won¡¯t take it that far.¡¯ Wizards who weren¡¯t affiliated with the Magic Tower couldn¡¯t use the rights in the provision, and Ashia¡¯s situation was exactly that. She belonged to the Empire but she didn¡¯t have any right to receive any title nor be treated as a member of the Magic Tower. When Ventus said that Lisa had become the master of the Magic Tower, she thought that she shouldn¡¯t entangle with it anymore. ¡°Okay¡­ All right. I humbly accept that advice. Thank you. By the way, Miss Ashia Bliss.¡± ¡°Yes, tell me.¡± After a while, Desian continued, ¡°My birthday is in three weeks.¡± He unexpectedly brought up his birthday¡­ Ashia tilted her head in confusion and said, ¡°Ah, yes. Well¡­ it¡¯s still too early to congratulate you in advance.¡± ¡°Yes. So instead of congratulating me in advance.¡± The playful smile returned as he leaned closer. ¡°I want to be congratulated on that day.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°As Miss Wizard had said, I am going to throw a big party because I was so lucky to be born with the Imperial Family¡¯s blood, and with the gold that others who have shed blood and sweat¡­¡± ¡®Ha! Look at this bastard.¡¯ It seemed that he really liked her expressions. ¡°Please, how about attending and making the event brighter?¡± Judging by the way he was speaking, it was clear that he had suggested it even though he knew it would be an uncomfortable place for Ashia. ¡°I¡¯m thankful for your words, but I am not interested in such positions.¡± ¡°Oh, because Kaligo is coming?¡± She frowned slightly. ¡°¡­Kaligo, the Grand Duke?¡± Attending a banquet in his condition? No, he had never liked places with many people like banquets in the first place. ¡°Well, there was no such provision that you can¡¯t meet your client in private.¡± ¡°So, Kaligo¡­ the Grand Duke is attending the banquet?¡± As she showed interest, Desian smiled more brightly. And he said something that he shouldn¡¯t have, ¡°Yes, he will. He had no choice but to come. That banquet will be attended by a noble person appointed as the Grand Duke¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± Her gaze shifted. ¡®¡­Fianc¨¦e?¡¯ He could see that the woman¡¯s firm eyes were shaking subtly now. ¡°It¡¯s a secret. It¡¯s too early to tell.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I think something interesting will happen in the future. Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Wizard?¡± His snake-like lips arched into a smile again. It seemed like the appetite of the beast in front of her was painted over his red lips. Redin came to the bedroom at Kaligo¡¯s call. ¡°You woke up early. You look nice too.¡± Kaligo listened to him and smiled slightly. ¡°Perhaps because your Aura has been quiet that you seemed to listen to me more than usual.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Their master was also smiling. In recent years, his big change included him losing his laughter. The atmosphere around him, dominated by bloodlust, was indescribably ferocious and overbearing. Now, he had a fresh smile like those ladies in the flower garden in summer. Maybe he didn¡¯t realize it himself. Redin put down a letter on the table without a word. Kaligo, who was fastening the cufflinks on his sleeve, stared at the seal. A letter Redin brought not a long time ago had the same one. ¡°It has the same seal as before.¡± ¡°Yes, it is a letter from the same place.¡± Kaligo put on his coat. ¡°¡­Redin.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you receive gold from that family? Or territory?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Redin¡¯s eyebrows fluttered upwards at his sudden question. ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, then why do you keep bringing in those letters?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a family, Grand Duke.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from the Perthian Empire¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them before, but I am asking you about what kind of family are they in that empire that you keep on bringing that letter in front of me.¡± Redin sighed. ¡°¡­They are the royal family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is a letter from Princess Aileen Encherances, the third princess of the Perthian Empire, Your Grace.¡± ¡°So it was the seal of the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo kept his mouth shut for a moment, then looked down at the letter and began to button his coat. ¡°Alright, throw it away.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Throw it away, Redin.¡± Redin continued speaking again with a slightly bewildered face, ¡°Your Grace, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be this simple.¡± Kaligo slowly fastened the rest of the buttons of his coat without saying anything. ¡°It seems that a lot of the rumors surrounding me have waned recently.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why all of you are slacking off? Is the Grand Duchy a place where dogs and cows can freely come and go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let that woman come to the Grand Duchy again. If possible, not even one step into my territory.¡± ¡°Your Grace!¡± Redin called him again with a look of dismay. ¡°Listen to me, Redin.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, please tell me.¡± Kaligo¡¯s voice lowered. ¡°I have someone I have in my heart.¡± ¡°¡­.Pardon?¡± Redin¡¯s eyes widened. One day, he suddenly started avoiding contact with women and had half given up on welcoming the Imperial Princess to the Grand Duchy. But he suddenly said that he had someone in his heart¡­ Looking at Redin¡¯s expression, which went beyond wonder and embarrassment, Kaligo continued, ¡°I can¡¯t lose this opportunity just because of some stupid scandal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He stood up straight, adjusted his clothes, and said with a firm voice, ¡°Redin, deal with the rumors They should know their limits.¡± ¡°¡­The limits¡­ of the Imperial Family (of the Perthian Empire)¡­?¡± ¡°I already told you I will bring the Grand Duchess myself quickly.¡± ¡°¡­You did.¡± ¡°Every time I said that, you said that I was going to live and die alone.¡± ¡°¡­I did.¡± ¡°If I miss this opportunity now, I will really see myself living and dying alone.¡± Redin felt a headache building. ¡°That¡­ absolutely won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°You seem to have figured it out.¡± ¡°I received your order, Grand Duke.¡± Kaligo tapped his shoulder a couple of times and walked out of the bedroom, heading straight to Ashia¡¯s shop. When he arrived there, he had a brief quarrel with Ventus who refused to open the gate, but Kaligo won at the end and arrived at the entrance of Ashia¡¯s shop. And just then, the door of the shop opened. ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t this our Grand Duke Kaligo?¡± It was Crown Prince Desian who walked out through the open door. ¡°¡­¡± After that was Ashia who came out to send off Desian. When she saw Kaligo, Ashia greeted Kaligo and said calmly, ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His gaze on Ashia turned to Desian again. After that day, he thought that he had lost interest in her but it seemed like he had searched for her. ¡°What did you come here for, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Oh, well. I¡¯m just¡­ passing by?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Desian turned to Ashia, took her hand, then kissed the back of it lightly. Kaligo¡¯s brows twitched while he was watching though he knew it was just a simple greeting. ¡°You seemed to have an appointment with her beforehand so I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Ashia gently pulled out her hand, Desian grinned. ¡°When the time is right, I will send someone out.¡± ¡°My answer will be the same.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being firm. You don¡¯t know what people can do.¡± Desian put his arm on Kaligo¡¯s shoulder and continued speaking slowly. As if whispering a very important secret, but in a voice that was not too small, he said, ¡°Congratulations on your engagement, Kaligo.¡± ¡°¡­¡± In an instant, Kaligo¡¯s eyes darted towards Ashia, who was standing at the shop door. She must¡¯ve heard it from Desian, but her eyes were still calm and indifferent just like the first time they had met. Her gaze was looking down from the stairs as it met his. ¨C I have someone I have in my heart. ¨C I can¡¯t let go of this opportunity just because of a stupid rumor. ¨C If I miss this opportunity now, I will really see myself living and dying alone. The conversation he had with Redin suddenly flashed through his mind. Ah, it wasn¡¯t something that can only be done by supervising Redin. ¡®That bastard Crown Prince¡­¡¯ Kaligo silently cursed through his gritted molars the swear words he couldn¡¯t spit out. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 29 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Warning before you read this chapter: You might find some words/statements that are disturbing. Read at your own risk. Before you read, (A)=Ashia, (K)=Kaligo, (D)=Desian Chapter 29 ¨C Male Nature No matter how Kaligo was feeling now, Ashia was just looking at the two of them with a blank expression, then turned her back and entered the store. ¡°Oh, she just went inside. Be cool like her.¡± Kaligo opened his mouth, suppressing his anger at Desian¡¯s sarcastic voice. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°What else? There may be some reason to congratulate a friend on his engagement.¡± Kaligo continued to speak, shaking off Desian¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡°Betrothal. Was it something that could be decided without the parties involved?¡± ¡°The Imperial Princess of that empire directly named you. Do you think a Grand Duke like you would be able to refuse?¡± ¡°There is nothing that cannot be done. I think you want to see what great things I can do with my position as the Grand Duke.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo looked at Desian and tilted his head slightly. Then his eyes grew sharper. ¡°You still don¡¯t know which side she will take.¡± With clenched teeth, Desian stared at Kaligo with his gleaming golden eyes as if he was a spy. Then he raised the corners of his mouth as he laughed lightly, pretending to tap his shoulders as he lightly threw his words, ¡°Are you mad that I tried to touch that wizard? Do you like her that much?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s much more my type than I expected, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to try it right now. Only pure curiosity, no, just the good impression of her. That¡¯s right, let¡¯s just leave it like that.¡± Whether it was his curiosity, it was a feeling that Kaligo didn¡¯t accept from him. ¡°¡­I think you chose the wrong person to relieve your dirty greed.¡± ¡°Dirty greed?¡± Desian smiled brightly as if he had heard a funny joke. ¡°And what are you? You think you look so clean and pure, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same for you? You want to put her next to you when your heart wants to, you want to touch her when she¡¯s beside you, and when you touch her, you want to kiss her and move with your body¡­ Can you still say no?¡± Despite his blatant expression, Kaligo still had his calm expression. ¡°Yes. I think of that way towards the woman in my heart.¡± ¡°See, that¡¯s just our male instinct.¡± Desian put his arm back on Kaligo¡¯s shoulder and whispered in his ear. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯ve rolled around with that woman already. Well, it wasn¡¯t the first time we shared something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was a fierce energy that permeated through Kaligo¡¯s eyes as he glanced at Desian¡¯s arm on his shoulder. But not noticing it, Desian continued to mock him. ¡°I¡¯m just curious about something. How great was her skin under her skirt, and what did that proud woman look like when she was disheveled while trapped under you¡ªkeook!¡± In an instant, Kaligo was quickly pushed his neck against the carriage. Kwaang. His breath stuttered. Although he had learned swordsmanship and fighting skills, he was still not comparable to Kaligo¡¯s physique and strength, who steadily fought on the battlefield. In addition, Kaligo had been devoted to training with the Knights Templar in recent years. In other words, he was not an opponent that could be taken lightly. ¡°Keok! You!¡± ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Keook!¡± ¡°What have you learned while watching me?¡± Desian¡¯s eyes become fiercer from the pain. Ashia had talked to him like that earlier, and now, even Kaligo was talking to him in the same way, in a tone of reproach. ¡°Ah, if you learned something, you wouldn¡¯t have been exposed like this¡­ And it is regrettable that Your Highness is indeed the one who will be the next Emperor after His Majesty.¡± ¡°This b*s(t**d)¡­¡± ¡°If you think about the future of this empire¡­¡± Kaligo stopped talking for a moment as he ground his molars and murmured slowly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it better for the sky to turn upside down, Your Highness the Crown Prince?¡± (T/N: turning the sky upside down = throwing into disorder or confusion) Turning the sky upside down ¨C it only meant treason. Desian¡¯s eyes distorted at Kaligo¡¯s words. ¡°You¡­Keuuk!¡± As Desian struggled, Kaligo pressed his neck again. ¡°If you mention that person with that filthy mouth one more time, I¡¯ll tear you apart before that impossibility happens.¡± He pulled back and relaxed his arm. Desian, who felt a little more alive then, caressed his neck. ¡°You keep saying I¡¯m dirty.¡± ¡°¡­And¡­ You?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Looking into Kaligo¡¯s narrowed eyes, Desian let out a small laugh. ¡°Am I the only one wallowing with women? Am I the only one dirty? You¡¯re just pretending to be noble.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His sarcasm continued as he continued to cough. ¡°What? Abstinence? Ha, all the dogs passing by will laugh at you. What does she know about all the women you called behind her back and played around with?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Think of the many potions we drank while playing, Grand Duke.¡± Potions¡­ As Desian mentioned the potion, there were scenes that quickly ran through Kaligo¡¯s mind. These were the potions that Desian gave him, saying that they were drugs to keep sexual excitement from subsiding. At that time, the man named Kaligo Etous was busy pouring the drug into his body without even knowing what the side effects were. He was truly an idiot. ¡°It was only a few years since you were soaked in those potions. Did those potions disappear from your body after only a few years?¡± Kaligo¡¯s expression was calm despite Desian¡¯s continuous sarcastic remarks. ¡®It was a potion.¡¯ Since he met Ashia again, he had been ignoring the most important fact that he was wasting his time. ¡°How long was it? It could take 10 years or 20 years for all of those ingredients to disappear.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­With a body like that, would you be able to hold the woman you have in your heart? Trying to get pregnant in a hurry, huh? Do you think a normal child could be born?¡± A faint wrinkle appeared on Kaligo¡¯s firm forehead. He remembered what Renna had told him once. -Kaligo ¡­don¡¯t you think we should have children? ¨C I would like to have kids. I wish this Duke¡¯s mansion would be livelier with the laughter of the children. She¡¯d brought it up during dinner once. Her cheeks were flushed red as she told him that having two children would be enough, and when her words didn¡¯t work, she eventually begged in tears. -Please, Kaligo ¡­ just one, please? Please give me¡­ a chance. She tried to convince Kaligo that if it was because she was weak and fragile, it was really okay and that she would be careful. Renna really wanted to have children. Ha, he was about to burst out laughing. This situation was absurd, and it was amazing to see himself worrying like this. When he knew for the first time that Ashia was in this world, he just thanked her for being alive. He should have been happy with just that, but with his greed slowly rising inside him, he invited her to the Grand Duchy to see her up close once more. He just wanted a confirmation that time: have you been well, how are you doing now, is there no one who¡¯s bothering you now, or is there anything that you lack? That shouldn¡¯t count as being greedy, but no¡ªhe was greedy. That greed eventually shook him and his resolve to see her from a distance and let her live her life fully. So now, that worry felt so ridiculous. If only I had stopped there¡­ If we had lived without knowing each other¡¯s existence¡­ He already felt that he was losing control of himself in front of her. Even if he drank the medicine, it didn¡¯t work at all when she was near. No matter how effective the potion was, it wasn¡¯t to this extent¡­ Even with the touch of a fingertip, her pulse and warmth made his desire flare. ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo, who had been silently rolling his eyes slowly for a while, turned his head toward the store. ¡®Renna¡­ Can I go back? Can I live without you again? To that time I was only relieved that you existed in the same world as me and lived happily ever after ¡­ Can I go back to that time and live?¡¯ Kaligo¡¯s handsome face contorted in anger. He has never been more resentful to the original owner of this body than today. Unable to guess what was Kaligo thinking, Desian leaned back on the carriage and continued speaking again. ¡°Well, pregnancy can be prevented with a contraceptive potion¡­ Actually, girls or whatever, shouldn¡¯t we just enjoy them?¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes flashed like lightning and turned to Desian. ¡°What a trashy b**t**d.¡± ¡°What? What did you say?¡± The two men clenched their fists, raising them ¡°[Restraint]¡± They heard Ashia¡¯s cold voice behind them. In an instant, tiny roots came out between the cracks on the stone floor and quickly tied them up. ¡°Wh-what is this!¡± While Desian twisted his body in bewilderment, Kaligo looked at Ashia with a relatively calm expression. Ashia crossed her arms on her chest as she looked down on the two men from the stairs pathetically. (A) ¡°What the hell are you doing in front of someone else¡¯s sacred place of business.¡± (K) ¡°Ashia.¡± (A) ¡°It¡¯s noisy. The important thing now is that the two of you are disrupting business. You¡¯re rude and disrespectful.¡± (K) ¡°¡­¡± (D) ¡°¡­¡± ¡®If you want to fight, fight in a secluded place; it¡¯s ugly to see two grown-ups fighting.¡¯ Ashia clicked her tongue and went back to the store. Desian, who was staring blankly at the place where she disappeared, let out a sigh. ¡°¡­Wow. I think I understand why you¡¯re clinging to her. I just got goosebumps.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was fortunate that they were tied into a corner of the alley where people rarely passed by, but they became a spectacle to the rare people that did. The Crown Prince and the Grand Duke of the empire were famous. Time passed slowly, but Ashia¡¯s magic showed no signs of weakening. With the cold wind of midwinter, large snowflakes fell lightly on the heads of the two men who were rooted on the ground like trees. (D) ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s cold. Now stop playing around and undo this.¡± Desian shook his chin and looked at Kaligo. (K) ¡°¡­¡± (D) ¡°I said undo this.¡± (K) ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± (D) ¡°What?¡± (K) ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± (D) ¡°What nonsense. If you can¡¯t, who will solve this?¡± Desian whined endlessly. Either way, Kaligo ignored Desian¡¯s voice, frozen in the cold, and only looked towards Ashia¡¯s shop. He thought that it didn¡¯t matter at all if he stayed up all night like this because he never got cold anyway. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Before you read, (D)=Desian, (K)=Kaligo, (A)=Ashia, (T)=Teros Chapter 30 ¨C Excuse-like Explanation Desian grumbled again, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s really cold. How long do I have to be like this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± (D) ¡°Crazy, what woman in the world treats the Crown Prince like this¡­ Huh? What is that?¡± Kaligo followed his gaze. (D) ¡°You know that person?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes widened. ¨C Oh, he¡¯s my brother. ¨C He¡¯s not my blood related brother. ¨C He¡¯s a good kid. ¨C A responsible and diligent child. He wasn¡¯t her real brother, but he was a kind, diligent Imperial Knight or Holy Knight whatever, a child that everyone would want to have. It was Teros. Looking at Kaligo and Teros alternately, Desian grew even more frustrated. (D) ¡°Who is that?¡± (K) ¡°. . .¡± Kaligo could no longer hear anything. (D) ¡°Kaligo?¡± A red aura leaked from Kaligo as he stared intently at Ashia¡¯s shop. It quickly spread throughout his body, and as it got hotter and hotter, all the roots binding him were burned. (D) ¡°Oh? Hey! You said you couldn¡¯t!¡± It took him quite some time, but he was able to break free from the bindings. Ashes floated down to the snow. Then Kaligo walked straight to the shop without looking back, ignoring Desian¡¯s desperate call from behind. He went inside the store, brushing off all the ashes left on his body. (K) ¡°Ashia.¡± Upon entering the shop, Teros and Ashia came into view. The man was bowing his head towards Ashia while she was carefully trimming his hair. (K) ¡°¡­¡± Her gaze on Teros¡¯ hair turned to Kaligo. ¡°Oh? You broke free.¡± (K) ¡°¡­People can do anything when they are pushed to their limits.¡± ¡°Limits?¡± She tilted her head, not quite understanding what he was saying, then brushed Teros¡¯ hair softly again. (K) ¡°What¡­ are you doing now?¡± (A) ¡°Can¡¯t you see? I am brushing his hair. Your hair is done. Is it okay? Of all things, the sandbag happened to burst here.¡± Both of Asha¡¯s eyebrows drooped down. It was sad and pitiful, that tender gaze¡­ (T) ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ Ah.¡± (A) ¡°Why? What¡¯s the matter?¡± (T) ¡°In my right eye¡­¡± (A) ¡°Did it even get into your eyes?¡± (T) ¡°I think so. It hurts, noona.¡± (A) ¡°Let¡¯s see, bow your head again.¡± Teros leaned his face towards Ashia. He (Kaligo) roughly knew what was going on, but nevertheless, his heart swelled in anger. He wanted to separate that man and Ashia right now. But did he have the right to stop her? She had been his wife, but maybe he was afraid that she would say they were nothing in this world. (A) ¡°Is it okay now?¡± ¡°Yes, I think it is.¡± The hand brushing off the sand was as soft as a feather. Teros smiled lightly at her touch. Then, there was a dimple on one side of his cheek following that smile. (A) ¡°Our Tero, you came to help but you just encountered a mishap.¡± Ashia caressed Teros¡¯ cheek. For each of her actions, one was tasting heaven while the other was experiencing hell. She, who had built a wall around herself, approached that man (Teros) without any hesitation. He (Kaligo) didn¡¯t like it, and on the other hand, his mouth tasted bitter. At one point in time, Renna was also mad at him. When he returned from the battlefield with wounds on his body, she would look at him with a broken expression as if the world had collapsed. It was Kaligo that pushed her away everytime. All of his actions pushing Ashia away had a reason, but for Renna who didn¡¯t know anything, she was repeatedly hurt even before her wounds healed. So Kaligo had nothing more to say. (T) ¡°Can I come over for dinner?¡± (A) ¡°No.¡± When a large hand grabbed Ashia¡¯s arm and started whining, Kaligo¡¯s jaw clenched painfully. ¡°Then deliver potions to him instead.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to something delicious next time. I have a customer now.¡± Standing behind Teros, Ashia looked at Kaligo with crossed arms. Teros slightly tilted his head and said, ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like an important guest to me.¡± ¡°Tero.¡± Teros asked with a sullen expression when she called her with a tone of reproach, ¡°Then when? Please set the date and time now.¡± ¡®Lately, it seems that there have been quite a few times that I haven¡¯t been able to eat with Teros on the pretext of being busy.¡¯ ¡°Uhm, would you like to eat with me on the weekend? I have no deliveries and reservations on that day. Let¡¯s have lunch together by then.¡± Teros¡¯ face, which had just been sullen until now, glimmered. ¡°Great.¡± Kaligo glared at their pointlessly sweet conversation. ¡°I¡¯ll see you then, noona.¡± ¡°Hmm, be careful.¡± Ashia sent Teros off and freed Desian, who was freezing in the alley. She entered the store after putting him back in the carriage, glanced at Kaligo, then walked straight to the counter. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, anyway. I finished the potion. I was just going to go to you by myself, but since you came here, you can take it back with you.¡± Ashia placed the box she had prepared in advance on the shelf. ¡°The antidote and other potions will be available soon¡­¡± ¡°Do you remember?¡± Ashia raised her head at his sudden question. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°That just by guessing¡­ that day in the forest, I told you that I don¡¯t want to create any misunderstanding between us two.¡± Ashia didn¡¯t reply. She opened the lid of the box she was fiddling with and showed it to him. ¡°I made you a week¡¯s worth of drugs in a hurry. Set a time and take one bottle a day. I will send you another month¡¯s worth of drugs in two days.¡± ¡°Ashia,¡± Kaligo impatiently called her again. ¡°¡­He said it was a secret so it¡¯s still too early to tell.¡± Ashia moved closer to him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to make assumptions on my own and build up misunderstandings.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There were specks of black ashes on Kaligo¡¯s face. He probably used his Aura to burn the stems that bound him. Ashia carefully reached out to his face. ¡°If you don¡¯t get cold that easily¡­ you can wait a little bit, but what is this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo widened his eyes at the hands that approached him first. Looking up at his startled face, she carefully brushed away the ashes from his face, hair, shoulders, and chest. ¡°And in the first place¡­ I never misunderstood.¡± It was true. Though it was unpleasant to hear from the Crown Prince Desian that Kaligo was attending his banquet, she thought that attending such a banquet was something she could not meddle with. The same was also true of his fianc¨¦e. It was clear that Kaligo¡¯s opinion was never included judging from the words and actions of the Crown Prince. Before Ashia could have misunderstood him, she focused more on the content that was different from the original novel. That was why her expression was dark, but Kaligo seemed to have misunderstood what was the meaning of her expression. Kaligo opened his mouth carefully, keeping his face in her hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that even the Crown Prince would know about it.¡± ¡°¡­Even the Crown Prince? Didn¡¯t you already know that? I thought you found out already when we came back.¡± Ashia blinked her big eyes and stopped stroking his cheeks. ¡°I received a letter before I followed you into the Fairy Forest.¡± ¡°A letter?¡± As if fulfilling his promise of not creating any misunderstandings, Kaligo began to confide in her about the proposal that had come to him. There were a total of two marriage proposals that arrived, but he didn¡¯t open the first one that arrived so he didn¡¯t know who sent it. ¡°I didn¡¯t even open the second marriage proposal, but I only found out because Redin told me.¡± ¡°¡­Kaligo.¡± Asha¡¯s hand fell down. She thought it didn¡¯t matter what kind of banquet Kaligo was going to attend, who he would be engaged to, or who he would get married to. However, at his excuse-like explanation, it felt as if her heavy chest that was like a cotton ball soaked in water, had been opened. Why¡­? Why was it? Seeing her taking a deep breath, Kaligo continued talking, ¡°None of what I said to you is a lie. It has been and will always be.¡± ¡®There were things that I couldn¡¯t say, but I said no lies.¡¯ The truth might sound like an excuse, but he had to say it. If this excuse could quell all of her misgivings, then he was willing to do it all night and day. Ashia was listening to him quietly, fiddling with the potion box on the counter. She was silent for a moment, then glanced at him and asked, ¡°¡­Who is it?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The woman¡­ who sent you the proposal. The one who suddenly became your fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She was curious. Although he was famous for his promiscuous personal life, she knew that there were still many families who wanted their daughters to be his wife or force their daughters to be attached to him because of his accumulated wealth and power. But what was power and wealth? His physical appearance might also have played a part. They may have thought that they could live happily with the rest of their life sponging off with that face. ¡®But you don¡¯t know what kind of hardships you may face¡­¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t know the details either. I only knew that she is the Third Princess of the Perthian Empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her fingertips stopped moving. ¡°I can¡¯t even remember her name¡­¡± ¡°Aileen.¡± Before he could finish speaking, a name came out of Ashia¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aileen¡­ Encherances.¡± That one name that made her breath catch. She had forgotten it to the point that she was feeling very comfortable. Her plan to live without getting entangled with the original characters had finally gone awry. The 3rd Princess of the Perthian Empire, Aileen Encherances ¡ª she was the female lead in the original novel. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 ¨C Tell Me¡­ Tell Me, Quickly Ashia remembered the ending of the original novel in her fading memory. ¨C Aileen, meeting you was the best thing that happened in my life. ¨C I love you, Kaligo. Their marriage under the blessing of the temple, vowing to cherish and respect each other for the rest of their lives. Like most novels, the original story also ended with a happy ending. A special but natural ending that overcame all adversity and hardship. Kaligo came up to Ashia, who had stood silently for a long time, and approached her. ¡°Do you know her?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I know¡­ I know her very well. Asha turned towards him with a carefree face and smiled softly. ¡°I know her.¡± Her heart, which had regained peace for a moment, seemed to be smashed onto the cold stone floor with that one particular name. ¡®At the end of the day¡­ you¡¯re going to meet the person you need to meet¡­¡¯ As she took a deep breath, Ashia pushed the potion box on the glass shelf in front of him and opened her mouth. ¡°I made it very well, and I can guarantee you that there will be no side effects. When you return to the Grand Duchy, discard all the other potions you have. Don¡¯t be confused with them and drink the right potion.¡± Kaligo looked down at the box she handed him. ¡°¡­Did you stay up all night? You didn¡¯t rest when we came back?¡± Ashia answered his question as if it was natural, ¡°It was a request.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And¡­ if I take one more day off¡­ you¡¯ll have to suffer another day in return.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo looked down at the potion box in response to Ashia¡¯s answer. Her heart ached for some reason when she saw him being like that. The reason she dared to live in the capital was because of her will not to go against the original novel. Seven years ago, the day the magic failed and the village was burned. The magic she had created over the years was the magic that could get Ashia out of the book. Even turning back time was a bonus for her. However, the magic failed and many people lost their lives as a result. Ashia regarded the events of the day as a warning from the original novel. A warning about the original characters trying to deviate from the original. She was just another side character in the novel. Nevertheless, she caused hundreds of casualties, but this was the main character this time ¨C the male protagonist who should lead the original novel. If she kept getting entangled with him like this, and his life deviates from the original turn of events¡­ ¡®What will happen this time?¡¯ Would people die again this time, would millions? ¡®Again¡­ will I cause a problem that will lead to the deaths of several people?¡¯ And there was no way to prevent them and their loved ones from being victims. ¡®People who love and cherish¡­¡¯ Ashia lifted her head and looked at Kaligo. She could see herself in his eyes, the ones so passionate until yesterday, full of depth today. Oh yeah. She had to admit it. Ashia was now being swayed by Kaligo again. She had never been in a proper relationship before, but this feeling she felt every time she saw Kaligo was very familiar to her¡ªbecause it was no different from what Renna felt every time she saw him. She was shaken by Kaligo¡¯s actions that were different from before. He was igniting those feelings that she had already forgotten, all without her realizing it. If this had been the story of Renna Cornelli and Kaligo Edmund, the heartbreaking unrequited love alone itself might have paid off. ¡®But this¡­ it¡¯s in a book.¡¯ In the book, it meant that the main characters and the path they had to take were already decided. And just in time, the female protagonist appeared¡ªas if she was waiting for it, as if she didn¡¯t like what the male lead was doing. Eventually, the original novel decided to put the female protagonist in front of the male protagonist. Perhaps, the original content moved directly in order to correct the wrongs. ¡®Haha¡­ I really don¡¯t like this feeling¡­¡¯ Right now, her existence was caught between the two main characters and couldn¡¯t be labeled as insignificant. The one who had to disappear between the two was her. She looked at Kaligo¡¯s face. His sharp eyes and even his indifferent face¡ªshe knew what that expression meant. That the emotion in that indifference was a sincere concern. When did she start being able to read the subtleties in his constant expression? ¡°Ashia,¡± Kaligo called her gently. He carefully raises his hand over her shoulder and peered into her face. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You have a bad complexion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s going on¡­ What should I say? Where should I start? The woman who sent the proposal was the woman he had to meet, and she knew her, the two of them were truly in love and lived happily ever after. ¡®And I¡­ Seeing you like that will hurt me again¡­ ¡°¡­Are you telling me to go back?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here to pick up a potion. You¡¯ve got the medicine, so you can go back now.¡± She decided to go back from the very beginning. From the moment she met him until now, she opted to think of him as just a simple happening. Just like being wounded, it might be painful at first but as time passed by, only scars would remain, and maybe someday she wouldn¡¯t even remember. It was a feeling that Renna had already experienced before. ¡®There is nothing I can do if you were to forget everything again.¡¯ She had lived without that man for 10 years, so there was no way she couldn¡¯t live without Kaligo for the next 20, 30, or more years. It was not too late yet if she cut him off here before she fell out of control. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± However, the pain she had experienced once was more terrifying. ¡°Did the Crown Prince talk about something else?¡± ¡°No, there was nothing like that. He told me that you were just attending the banquet, and that you have a fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is great. I just finished the potion so you won¡¯t have any seizures until the banquet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± He forcibly uttered words that were not even in his heart. Still, his unshakable gaze went straight to Ashia. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t need the potion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She knew it to be true. He didn¡¯t tell her from the beginning because he was an honest man. His voice had the power to make one believe that those words weren¡¯t lies¡ªin the past, and even now. That was also one of the reasons she was drawn to him. No, it might be insufficient to say that she was just attracted to him at this point. ¡®And it will repeat the vicious cycle of getting hurt again.¡¯ As much as the original novel went wrong and things happened that she couldn¡¯t handle, she was most afraid of the wounds she would receive. She was scared that she would be abandoned again, and that man would really fall in love with the female protagonist because of his original settings. She was afraid that the gaze he was using to look at her now would be directed towards that woman. She was afraid that by choosing him, the original would go wrong and the one whom she would lose¡­ was that man. Ashia was lost in thought as her fingers beat a rhythmic pattern. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. And the moment the movement stopped, she said in a low voice, ¡°Kaligo.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± So, she would try to give him a chance¡ªa chance to run away so that he could have a happy ending just like in the original. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± And she shut her mouth again. Kaligo had an intuition that what she was going to say wasn¡¯t easy. What is she trying to say to me? Kaligo¡¯s chest tightened. And soon, her calm and dry voice turned towards Kaligo. ¡°I am going to push you away.¡± He frowned. Without giving him time to refute, she continued, ¡°I can¡¯t see you anymore.¡± His eyes fluttered wildly like the flames of a freshly lit bonfire. ¡°Do you hate me?¡± Maybe it was an opportunity. If, as Desian had said, his body was damaged by drugs to the point where he could not have an ordinary family, now was the chance to let her go. This was a golden opportunity. He knew it very well. ¡°Our conversation hasn¡¯t even started yet.¡± Kaligo couldn¡¯t let her go even if he knew it was a selfish choice. ¡°Kaligo.¡± ¡°There must be a lot of things to be solved between us.¡± Ashia bit her lips wordlessly, then Kaligo spoke quietly, as if he were speaking to himself, ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise¡­ you won¡¯t run away?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo wanted to talk even when they were in the Fairy Forest. The key to dissolving all their old misunderstandings was a conversation between them. ¡°Are you not going to give me a chance to tell you?¡± ¡°¡­Kaligo.¡± He was saying he was ready to confide. In the past, he tried to hide everything by not confiding in her, and now he was trying to bring that out to Ashia. It wouldn¡¯t be easy for him, but he was willing to do so even if it was already late. If so, Ashia also had no intention of treating his sincerity half-heartedly. I wasn¡¯t trying to run away. ¡°Kaligo.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In fact, Ashia was still uncertain. Was it right to bring this up? She was feeling anxious and afraid, but she was sure that this conversation was more important than simply following the story. At least this would give him autonomy over his decisions. ¡°Go on, I¡¯m listening.¡± Ashia¡¯s heart wept bitterly at his upright gaze. Tell him¡­ Tell him, quickly. Trying to comfort herself, she bit her already dried lips. ¡°Here¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking¡­ about this place.¡± ¡°Yes, Ashia.¡± Ashia slowly took a deep breath. ¡°This place¡­ is inside a book.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This time with a slightly firmer voice and slightly clearer voice ¨C like hammering a wedge. ¡°We¡­ are in a novel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was a secret she had hid for 10 years as she lived as Ashia Bliss¡ªa story she couldn¡¯t tell anyone. It was a story of loneliness, the burden that Ashia had to bear alone. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ¨C Eventually, The Time Has Come Trigger warning: mentions of an abusive household, physical violence. If you want to skip any of these, the recounting starts from ¡°You¡­ knew?¡± to ¡°Thank you¡­ for that¡­¡± ¨C We¡­ are in a novel. A suffocating silence fell over Ashia¡¯s shop. The flow of time seemed to have stopped between them. Swallowing her dry saliva and waiting for his reaction, Kaligo finally moved. He put the potion box he was holding back on the shelf. He then turned and walked towards the store door and told Ashia, who was standing behind him. ¡°I will close the store first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He closed the open shop door and locked it. After checking once more to make sure the door was properly locked, he turned back to Ashia. ¡°It seems that our conversation shouldn¡¯t be disturbed today.¡± Kaligo approached her around the counter, carefully grabbing her hand. ¡°I will listen to everything you have to say¡ªI won¡¯t miss a single thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll believe all of it.¡± He was adamant, no longer trembling. Ashia¡¯s anxious heart slowly began to regain its composure. And so the story about the two of them spilled out. They sat down with a table between them. Kaligo didn¡¯t say much even if he was told that the world they were in now was inside a book. He seemed to be accepting everything calmly. Certainly, he wasn¡¯t doubting her words. Uncomfortable with his silence, Ashia spoke first. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Kaligo¡¯s gaze turned to her. ¡°Yes. Please speak.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking anything?¡± He leaned back on his chair and took a deep breath. The wooden chair creaked as he did so. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what to ask.¡± ¡°But it was such an unimaginable story.¡± ¡°No, Ashia. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe it.¡± He blinked slowly, voice low. ¡°The thought that I had entered another world and another person¡¯s body already crossed my mind. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I thought it was such an amazing coincidence that I am now in the body of a man with the same name and appearance as me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I just never thought it would be a book, so I was just looking back at my memories.¡± Kaligo, who was fiddling with the objects in front of him one by one, continued, ¡°It now all looks a little different. These cups, trays, tables, and chairs¡­it¡¯s fascinating that this all came out from a string of letters.¡± ¡°¡­But this is a reality for us.¡± ¡°Yes, reality. The touch, texture, the taste of the food we eat, and¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Nostalgic scents and warmth.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kaligo rested his arms on the table, his gaze gentle. ¡°And again.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± He smiled softly as Ashia tilted her head with confusion. ¡°Are there any more?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Anything. More stories, even those you haven¡¯t told anyone else before.¡± It was an absurd story, and Kaligo¡¯s reaction was very refreshing. ¡°¡­I thought you would be very shocked when I told you that this place is inside a book.¡± ¡°Um¡­ I don¡¯t know. Another world, another person¡¯s body, and another memory¡ªit¡¯s a situation where it all fits together, so it¡¯s rather easy.¡± Perhaps because he had lived this life full of questions. When he heard the answer, it felt as if a stone was lifted from his chest. ¡°Then tell me more.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I will be shocked by any stories now.¡± Looking at the faint smile on his face, she was shaken by his determination to the point that she almost wanted to give in to him. ¡®From where should I start and until where should I tell him¡­¡¯ First of all, if she wanted to talk about the female lead, then she had to tell Kaligo first that he was the male lead of the original story. After that, she could say everything, including the fact that nothing should go wrong and about what she did seven years ago. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± It was more difficult to tell the story behind it rather than telling him what was inside the book. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Countless questions were floating ¡°Am I the only one doing the confiding?¡± Ashia got up and brought a pitcher of water. She poured it into the glass in front of Kaligo and handed it to him. ¡°Now¡­ it¡¯s your turn.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since you came all the way here, you can¡¯t say you cannot do it, right?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Perhaps it was Kaligo who had been waiting for this moment more than anyone else. Keeping his gaze on Ashia, the corner of his mouth was slightly raised. ¡°What are you most curious about?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Countless questions floated in her mind. But there was one thing that came to her mind instantly. ¡°Why did you marry me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyebrow twitched. He had been waiting for this moment, and yet, he didn¡¯t want it to come. He had to explain many things just with this one question. Nevertheless, all of his actions only pursued one goal. ¡°It was to save you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia couldn¡¯t possibly have known what her condition had been when she was Renna, but that one sentence couldn¡¯t explain everything. ¡°Was it just like buying things with gold?¡± ¡°I thought that was the surest way to get you away from the viscount.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you think that it could be misunderstood and that it needed an explanation?¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows drooped further at her inquisitive voice. ¡°I regretted it. The choice I thought was the best was silence¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo said he took slow steps to propose to her. He also added that had it not been for the sudden war, he wouldn¡¯t have taken her earlier and not in such a way, but through a proper procedure. However, the war lasted longer than he expected, and it was reported to Kaligo, who had barely returned to his residence, that the viscount was already planning to marry off Renna Cornelli. ¡°It was urgent. I couldn¡¯t think of a smarter way.¡± If he even had a moment of hesitation, she would be married off to a completely unfamiliar man. He felt as if all his blood had dried up while he was loading the gold into his carriage. ¡°And to explain why I had to bring you out there in such a hurry¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­I knew what the viscount did to you.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes slowly widened. She could vaguely understand the meaning of Kaligo¡¯s words. ¡°You¡­ knew?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Renna¡¯s biological father, Viscount Talian, was a very bad man. Not only did he drink and gamble, but he frequently indulged in women as soon as his wife died. Renna was an asset for him to sell, but he would beat her to vent his anger until she lost consciousness. ¨C You¡¯re pretending to be noble when you ruined your mother¡¯s life when you were born. ¨C She is a precious person who will be able to build our family, so we will be in trouble if she has a scratch. Her father was calculating; he made sure that he would only hit her in places where it would be covered up by clothes, and that he wouldn¡¯t leave scars. Was it thanks to that? Renna grew up to be a beautiful doll with no flaws. Completely empty with dark bruises inside. ¡°You probably didn¡¯t want to reveal it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ If I could, I wanted to take it to my grave.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia looked down at her hands on the table and continued speaking calmly, ¡°Even in the hot summer, I had to wear a dress that covered my neck. I couldn¡¯t even pull my long hair up.¡± She frowned as she recalled that time. ¡°¡­When I first came to the duke¡¯s house, I had to let all the employees out and change clothes by myself. Of course, that was the case during baths as well. The bruises from the beatings didn¡¯t go away quickly.¡± The good news was that she received no more bruises after coming to the duke¡¯s residence. She smiled sadly, saying that once in a while, she was startled by the shadows that fell over her head, and that she shuddered and trembled. ¡°Thank you¡­ for that. I would have told you every single word of gratitude when I was still alive if I had known in advance¡­¡± ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t an easy story to tell.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The air became heavy. As the events of that time came back to them one by one, their heart ached, even faintly. Kaligo carefully placed his hand on Ashia¡¯s hand, which was clenched in a fist on the table. They both looked at their hands. ¡°That¡¯s right, I think I know what you were worried about.¡± Ashia¡¯s gaze turned to Kaligo. ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I understand that you took me to your mansion to save me¡­ Then why did you leave me alone? ¡°¡­Ashia.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t express my feelings at that time with just one word.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It was a miserable and terrible marriage.¡± She lifted her head and looked at Kaligo¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with her. ¡°So, you have to explain it to me properly. Why did you leave me like that? ¡°¡­¡± The time had come when he had to reveal all the emotions and desires he had been hiding. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ¨C You Did Well ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Redin pulled the curtain that blocked the sunlight. ¡°Ugh, hyung?¡± Kyrian frowned at the sunlight pouring on his face. ¡°His Grace had already woken up and left, but you¡¯re still sleeping?¡± Kyrian raised his upper body, blinking dazedly. ¡°Nagging in the morning¡­ His Grace is busy dating so he was like that.¡± At Kyrian¡¯s abrupt remark, Redin turned around. ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you so surprised? Was that supposed to be a secret?¡± ¡°Tell me, where did you hear that?¡± ¡°¡­I went to a pub yesterday and people were chatting with each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This was a disaster. The fact that it had been circulating in the tavern means that it has already spread wide. ¡°That¡¯s fast.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­ It spreads too fast.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It couldn¡¯t have spread quickly unless someone intentionally did it. ¡°I must hurry.¡± ¡°To do what?¡± ¡°Kyrian.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You have work to do today.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± Redin put a letter down on the small table next to the bed. ¡°Prepare to welcome the Grand Duchess to the Grand Duchy.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°To do that, our first priority is to get rid of the bug hanging around His Grace.¡± Muttering ¡®what the hell are you talking about¡¯, Kyrian picked up the letter on the table and started reading it. Kyrian¡¯s eyes gradually widened as he slowly read it from top to bottom. ¡°So you want me to watch this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You mean, you will be using such a high-end talent like me for surveillance?¡± ¡°At his status, of course I should be sending talented people. And I¡¯m sending you because it is for him. Don¡¯t be caught.¡± ¡°Oh, this is exciting.¡± Thanks to his praise, Kyrian headed straight for the capital. The capital was unfamiliar and difficult for him as it had been a long time since he came here. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ it¡¯s been a while, so I have no idea where this is.¡± As he looked down at the crumpled paper that had been folded and unfolded over and over again, Kyrian murmured. Dercio Street, 16th Street¡­ Dercio Street, 16th Street. 16th Street. Carefully examining the numbers engraved on each building, Kyrian wrinkled his eyebrow and twisted his lips. ¡®Wow!! Really! You¡¯re too much! This is 3rd Avenue! If you¡¯re going to open a gate, you should¡¯ve dropped me at my destination or at least open it somewhere close!!¡¯ Kyrian gritted his molars as he recalled Ventus¡¯ words that he couldn¡¯t say the exact location, since he didn¡¯t know the exact coordinates. (T/N: The gate here is some sort of teleportation gate just like the one Ashia and Kaligo used when they went to the Fairy Forest. ) ¡®I¡¯m sure you think you would regret doing that for me.¡¯ It was a distance that seemed very far from just looking at the numbers. His eyes were dark as he whined about finding 16th street again. He folded the paper again, put it in his pocket, and walked slowly, looking at the numbers engraved on the wall one by one. It was, after all, an undetermined command. All he had to do was sneak in a place where security is expected to be tight, watch their movements and report back. It was a simple task for Kyrian, who was good at hiding his presence. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s better to kill him and destroy the evidence¡­¡¯ Tch Kyrian clicked his tongue as he looked around and walked slowly. Maybe because it was the 3rd Avenue that was a bit far from the square, there weren¡¯t many passersby. Now that it was like this, he decided to move around while leisurely looking around the capital. ¡®As expected of the capital.¡¯ Fruit shops, clothing shops, meat shops, general merchandise shops and flashy trinkets. There was nothing lacking in the downtown area of the capital. Then all of a sudden, his eyes focused on a certain store. ¡®Oh, there was a potion shop here? Is this really the capital?¡¯ He stared at the store with the lights off curiously. Etous was as prosperous as the capital, but it was hard to find one potion shop nonetheless. Aside from not being able to make money, there were many aristocrats that were resentful or even lost their lives due to the common side effects of it. In other words, you could not keep a potion shop open if the business wasn¡¯t very good. ¡°This must be a successful potion shop, to be able to stay in the capital.¡± The door hadn¡¯t opened yet. He tilted his head as he examined the dark interior of the store through the transparent window. ¡®You have good skills, but you seem to be a lazy owner.¡¯ Just as he was about to turn around thinking that it was a pity, Kyrian stopped when he saw the sign above when he happened to look up. ¡°Oh?¡± His eyes and legs froze as if he was nailed down to his position, as he checked the shop sign again. ¡®Ashia¡¯s Potion¡­ Shop?¡¯ Ashia¡­? It was by no means a common name. He looked up at the signboard for a long time, then slowly lowered his gaze to check the shop owner¡¯s name engraved on the wall of the shop building. [Ashia Bliss] A sigh erupted from Kyrian¡¯s teeth. ¡®Ashia Bliss? Ashia Bliss?!¡¯ His bewildered face was suddenly engulfed in anger. Who was Ashia Bliss? Wasn¡¯t she the witch who suddenly came to their village and set fire to it? As a result, his parents, brothers, and most of their friendly neighbors lost their lives. ¡°Have you been hiding here?¡± He laughed maniacally. Staring at Ashia¡¯s name engraved on the wall, Kyrian walked towards the store with killing intent. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡®Shall I jump right in and overthrow everything? No, fire is fire. Shall I set fire to the store?¡¯ Kyrian¡¯s eyes lit up as if he decided to do it right away. ¨C Don¡¯t think about messing up. Now is the most important time for His Grace. Redin¡¯s voice spoke in his mind. ¡°¡­D*mn it.¡± ¨C He said that it is a crossroads between whether or not you can meet the Grand Duchess. Don¡¯t mess anything up with your temper for nothing, and do what you¡¯re told to do. -¡­. ¨C If you don¡¯t want to see His Grace grow old without his Grand Duchess for the rest of his life, then go do whatever you want. No way¡­ there was no way. Grand Duke Kaligo was the benefactor who saved Kyrian¡¯s life. Though he felt intimidated and scared by his aura, he was also a person that accepted him as he was. It was Grand Duke Kaligo who raised Kyrian, who nearly died from the landslide, and recognized Kyrian¡¯s talent, which was of not much concern. The fact that Kyrian, with his dirty and unruly temperament, quietly took classes at an academy he didn¡¯t want to go to and even graduated from, was also for Kaligo. In order to be of any help to him, if he could repay the favor by doing that, he could endure the boring and tedious daily life. ¡®Your Grace, you should welcome a flower-like Grand Duchess, and give birth to children who look like you.¡¯ He pictured the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess standing side by side, with their rabbit-like children, trying to calm his heart that had just been brimming with anger. Kyrian looked back at Ashia¡¯s shop and spoke softly, ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t afford to miss out on the precious and important details about the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess because of my temper.¡± He kicked a stone on the pitiful side of the road and quickly brushed off his regrets. He figured out where he was and what they were doing, so he thought he could come by anytime. He¡¯d come back slowly once he met the Grand Duchess. In the darkened shop after the lights went out, the atmosphere between the two of them was still serious. ¡°I asked why you turned away from me, Kaligo.¡± He took a moment to catch his breath before continuing. ¡°¡­It was also to save you.¡± Ashia looked at him with round eyes. ¡°¡­Again?¡± What was the relation between being left alone and saving lives? Understanding her unspoken question, Kaligo continued speaking in a calm voice, ¡°You were like a butterfly that has just taken off its skin. You were so weak that everything around you seemed dangerous.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I was weak for a long time.¡± Kaligo smiled faintly and shook his head slowly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Enough to die. You often said that you would rather die.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± The words she had said and the actions she did came to her mind one by one in a hazy mist. It was unbearably painful to vomit blood and lose consciousness everyday. It was also difficult for her to show her weaknesses in an unfamiliar place, in front of strangers. So she thought that she would rather die than live. She wanted to shout things like ¡®please, don¡¯t do anything about me, ¡®don¡¯t worry about me¡¯, and ¡®just let me die like this¡¯. ¡°But still¡­ I got pretty healthy at the Duke¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± ¡°So, you didn¡¯t even come close because you were afraid I would die if you touched me? Even after being healthy?¡± Kaligo looked into Ashia¡¯s eyes and let out a light sigh. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His hand, which was covering the back of Ashia¡¯s hand, slowly gained strength. ¡°I knew you were getting healthier day by day.¡± He had watched her every day and received reports about her health. There was no way that Kaligo, who had done so, was unaware of her condition. ¡°And you became even more beautiful.¡± Kaligo couldn¡¯t look into Ashia¡¯s eyes and lowered his head, choosing to look at their hands instead. ¡°Every time you appeared in front of me, every time you passed by.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­As a man, my greed increased.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What>¡¯ Ashia doubted her ears. She didn¡¯t know that such words would come out of the mouth of a stoic man. She had never dreamed that he would see her as a woman. Kaligo smiled bitterly as he saw Ashia¡¯s gaping lips. This was already sufficient. The shackles he had made for himself to block his desires still bound him. ¡®It would be perfect if you could just come back to life and breathe in front of my eyes.¡¯ That¡¯s what he had wanted for her in the beginning. However, his desire grew day by day. He felt like a beast each time. What the hell was he imagining about a weak woman? Every time he saw her and his delusions of her as the main character in his heart unfolded, he scolded and rebuked himself. ¡°Without certainty¡­ I couldn¡¯t attack without consideration. I felt like a beast every time I fell into horrific fantasies of your frailty.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The terrible imagination, the beast¡ªwhat she was hearing right now came from the man who was thoroughly armed with abstinence. Ashia blinked her big eyes and just looked at Kaligo quietly. A brief silence overtook them. Both Kaligo and Ashia seemed to need time to organize their thoughts. ¡°Why do you have to tell me that now? Those things are supposed to be between a couple.¡± Kaligo looked at Ashia again. ¡°¡­Those things?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°Were you worried about hurting your self-esteem?¡± ¡°No. Self-esteem¡­¡± ¡°Then, did you want to protect the dignity of the noble nobility?¡± ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re just a coward if that wasn¡¯t it.¡± Kaligo¡¯s brow furrowed faintly. Pride and dignity ¨C there was never a single moment when such things mattered to him. He felt like what he had just told her to clear up their misunderstanding was now creating another misunderstanding. ¡°How can I talk to you about that?¡± ¡°Why not? We were a coupl¡­¡± Before Ashia could even finish speaking, Kaligo¡¯s words popped out. ¡°I wanted to hug you, but I was afraid you might die! Every night, every night! Whether the sun was up or the moon was up, I was just thinking of holding you like a beast! How could I say such a thing!¡± The words that came out of his mouth as if he was vomiting, made silence fall again on the spot. ¡°¡­¡± Hearing all of his words, Ashia raised one eyebrow slightly. ¡°You did well.¡± Kaligo quickly blinked. And soon, the tips of his ears were dyed red like flowers. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ¨C It¡¯s Your Turn Again Kaligo shut his mouth firmly for a moment. ¡°Drink,¡± Ashia said as she poured cold water into a cup and pushed it in front of him. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Kaligo quietly took the glass of water and drank it in one breath before setting it back down on the table. The tips of his ears that had been tinged red gradually regained their normal color as time went by. Ashia continued talking as she stared at him. ¡°So¡­ it was an inevitable choice. I see.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So the reason for our unhappy marriage for five years was because of my life?¡± He couldn¡¯t look at Ashia properly and fiddled with the glass of water. His unfamiliar expression was somehow refreshing and cute that she almost burst into laughter. She looked at him, barely suppressing the corners of her mouth. ¡°¡­Do you have more to say?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it your turn again?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was Ashia who told Kaligo that it wasn¡¯t only her who should confide. ¡°Well¡­¡± Ashia got up from her chair and reached out to Kaligo. ¡°How about we reconcile first?¡± He stared blankly at her outstretched hand and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Are you forgiving me? This easily?¡± ¡°Forgiveness? I am reconciling with you. It was partly my fault for not trying to resolve the misunderstanding.¡± This was what time did. It didn¡¯t make someone forget everything entirely, but rather, it didn¡¯t let the resentment and anger one had remain intact. Those unstable and dark emotions were gradually fading away. Forgiveness and reconciliation ¨C it might have been impossible if it hadn¡¯t been for the time that Renna lived as Ashia. But time passed, and Renna came to love her life as Ashia. For her now, things associated with her life as Renna were nothing but memories. Kaligo slowly reached out and took her hand as he stood up from his seat. ¡°I caused your death. Are you still going to forgive me?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ right. You did, right?¡± Her eyes were round with realization ¡°I was curious about that too. Why the hell did you revolt¡­?¡± Bang! Bang! Loud knocking grabbed their attention. ¡°Ashia! Ashia!!!¡± ¡°Vershia?¡± Ashia quickly ran to the door. ¡°Vershia?! What¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°A-Ashia! M-m¡­ Mister Derek, he! Sob. Sob.¡± she cut off, out of breath. ¡°Black Forest! He went to the Black Forest¡­¡± ¡°What?! I told you not to go there!¡± Ashia immediately swept the potion bottles on the shelves of the store and put them in her bag. ¡°What happened?¡± Kaligo walked out from the hallway where Ashia¡¯s bedroom was. He saw Vershia sitting on the floor. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m busy right now so tomorrow, Kaligo¡­ Ah, no. I will be making a potion for a knight and I must find its ingredients first, so you can go back now.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°See you again, alright?¡± Ashia lifted up Vershia and went outside, dragging her out¡ªcompletely abandoning their conversation. ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo, who was left alone on the spot, looked at Asha¡¯s disappearing back with a smirk. Then he looked down at his hand, which still felt warm from hers, and recalled the words she had just said. ¡°You worked hard, Ashia.¡± Ashia sighed, wiping the sweat from her forehead. ¡°He would have needed his arm amputated if I had been late.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm, I¡¯ll tell him to be careful.¡± ¡°Tell him never to go in there again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ashia left Derek¡¯s shop and looked up at the sky. Her shuddering exhale turned into mist. ¡®How many times was it¡­¡¯ It was forbidden to enter the Black Forest, and nobody knew when exactly it was banned. One day, people who entered it out of curiosity disappeared or came back alive having a part of their body cursed or something. Those people risked their lives to sate their curiosity She used various means to prevent people from entering the forest, but it wasn¡¯t easy to stop a group of curious people that gathered. However, Ashia couldn¡¯t just stand at the entrance of the Black Forest all day. Although they bravely entered the forest and had her cure the wounds of the returning people, she had no intention of saving the lives of strangers. There were too many other things to do, and she wasn¡¯t generous enough to even care about those who ignored her warnings. That was how she lived quietly for the past seven years. There were a few accidents in that time frame, but except for that, it did no damage to the original novel as she planned. That was until she met Kaligo. Everything turned to chaos because of him Ashia hurried her steps while grumbling, ¡°And so what if he¡¯s the male lead?¡± When she returned to the store and finished tidying up, the sun had already set and darkness fell over the street. Watching the night view outside of the store for a while, Ashia ended the day by locking the door. When she entered the bedroom through the hallway, she saw the cup he had drunk from on the table. ¨C It was to save you. ¡®Tch¡­¡­.¡¯ It felt stupid. There were so many things they could have talked about, but that was about the gist of it. The five years of marriage and death¡ªaround it was his effort to save her life. It didn¡¯t mean that he put his effort on the wrong thing. It was also understandable how she couldn¡¯t easily confide in him. However, it was a clear fact that their misunderstandings were also the effect of not being able to communicate properly. ¡®Would something have changed if we had a conversation together?¡¯ Her mind was replaying Kaligo¡¯s words even until she went to bed. It was a day that wasn¡¯t that much different from other days, but it seemed as if something that had been bottled up inside her for many years had escaped. ¡®Ah, should I have told him about the female lead¡­?¡¯ Her thoughts became complicated again when she thought of Aileen. ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t know¡­ Let¡¯s think about it tomorrow.¡¯ Ashia pulled the blanket up to the top of her head and buried herself. After tossing and turning for a while, she could not resist the rushing fatigue and quickly fell asleep. Another day passed and the sun came up, but the lights in the Grand Duke¡¯s office did not go out all night. Due to his frequent outings recently, the documents he had to deal with were stacked on top of his desk, layer by layer. ¡°This is a list of members from each empire.¡± Kaligo turned over the papers that Redin handed over and looked at them carefully. ¡°Make sure that the supply of gold won¡¯t be cut off.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± While doing things in a hurry, Kaligo wouldn¡¯t simply skimp on them or neglect them. These were the habits he developed since his time as a duke. Kaligo paused as his hand held a certain document. Redin, who was standing by, checked the documents and carefully opened his mouth. ¡°My Lord, he¡­¡± ¡°I remember he told me he was going to take care of his old mother.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡­It seems that you were coaxed beforehand.¡¯ Coaxing, he liked the word coaxing. In fact, he turned his back on the Grand Duke. It was stupid to do so. ¡°Take care of him.¡± ¡°I received your orders.¡± Kaligo was infinitely merciful to his people, but the moment they turned away from him, he was sharper than any other blade. Needless to say, if it was some kind of betrayal¡­ ¡°What about Kyrian?¡± At his question, Redin put the letter on his desk from his arms. As Kaligo pulled out the letter and opened it, Redin added, ¡°He¡¯s on his way to the capital now.¡± ¡°Capital?¡± ¡°I sent him there because of what you told me to take care of.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kaligo put the letter he was holding down on the desk. He looked straight ahead and thought for a moment, then leaned back on his chair and said, ¡°If he has some things to do in the capital, he should be able to find lodging.¡± ¡°Yes, but still¡­¡± ¡°It seems that His Majesty the Emperor is plotting things.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord. It seems to have something to do with the Royal Family.¡± ¡°It must be, seeing that the Crown Prince already knew about it.¡± After staring into the air for a moment, he got up and picked up his coat. Redin followed closely behind him. ¡°Where are you going all of a sudden?¡± ¡°The Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Since we have sent Kyrian, how about waiting for him¡­?¡± ¡°Kyrian is Kyrian, but I have to move too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He just started talking to Ashia. That day¡¯s conversation wouldn¡¯t be everything. There were still a lot of unresolved issues between the two of them, and Kaligo still had a lot of work to do. He had to deal with the things that were getting in the way of his relationship with her. ¡®If the warnings don¡¯t work, you¡¯ll be in a lot of trouble, Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t it the Crown Prince who told Ashia about his engagement that he was unaware of? He might not know it, but there may be another plan from that snake-like person. Redin and Kaligo got into the same carriage. Of all things, Ventus had to move to the Imperial Palace so he had to move by carriage. ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow me.¡± ¡°I will go with you.¡± Kaligo wasn¡¯t planning on making a big scene, but Redin decided to accompany him out of anxiety. In fact, Kaligo doesn¡¯t like the Imperial Palace. It was the same as outside and inside the book, and as soon as they arrived, his body started to express discomfort. His turbulent spirit while walking inside the Imperial Palace was no different than when he was on the battlefield. Redin gulped. ¡°My Lord¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kaligo had no idea what Redin was worried about. He walked down the corridors of the Imperial Palace and reached the Crown Prince¡¯s office. The soldier guarding the entrance blocked Kaligo from entering. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°I am sorry, Grand Duke. Someone is inside. I received an order not to let anyone in.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes narrowed. Who came first? Unless it was the emperor, there was no way that the soldier would stop the Grand Duke Kaligo. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°G-Grand Duke.¡± At that moment, when the atmosphere was becoming increasingly harsh, the door to the office opened. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 ¨C Do That With A Man As the door opened, he encountered a wizard who was trying to get out of the office. Behind him, the Crown Prince, sitting on a chair with his legs crossed, came into view. ¡°I heard some noise¡­ What¡¯s the matter? Why did you come all the way here?¡± As Desian gestured to the wizard looking back at him, the wizard pulled his hood down a little more and ran through Kaligo. Kaligo¡¯s gaze followed the wizard¡¯s back for a moment. ¡°Come in. This place has room now.¡± Kaligo turned away from the wizard at Desian¡¯s voice from within the office. The two men sat face to face with a long table in between. Shaking his crossed legs, Desian said with a small smile, ¡°We saw each other often, don¡¯t you think so?¡± He swirled his glass. ¡°Why did you make such a rumor? I think I told you clearly that I don¡¯t want to get engaged.¡± ¡°I know it well.¡± ¡°So why?¡± ¡°I think you are patriotic.¡± Drunk or drugged, Desian muttered nonsense and joked around alone as if he was having fun. ¡°It¡¯s not a loss. Though she isn¡¯t a big shot, she¡¯s the imperial princess of a strong empire. They said she had good looks and a great personality that deserves praise, so why refuse?¡± ¡°Then enter into that engagement yourself, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the heart,¡± Desian said, bringing the glass to his mouth. ¡°Neither do I,¡± Kaligo answered immediately. ¡°No, what I mean is I don¡¯t have the heart of the Imperial Princess.¡± He removed the glass of wine from his lips and placed it on the table. He continued speaking, wiping the area around his mouth with his sleeve, ¡°That princess had chosen you, Grand Duke Kaligo Etous.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve coveted her body if I was the one she wanted. I saw her once and she was a beauty.¡± Kaligo looked at him with a sharp gaze and clicked his tongue slightly. ¡°That face again. That makes me want to harass you more, Kaligo.¡± ¡°Are you going to fix it?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°What can you gain from being connected with the imperial princess?¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Desian closed his eyes and patted his chin. He pretended to think for a moment, and then quietly opened his eyes and said, ¡°Our pretty wizard?¡± He was obviously provoking him. Kaligo had been prepared by that level of provocation so he was able to keep his expression firm. ¡°I think our Grand Duke probably isn¡¯t that serious about our Miss Wizard¡­.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t touch her.¡± ¡°No, I will touch her.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am still a person who wonders what¡¯s under our Miss Wizard¡¯s skirt.¡± ¡°It looks like you haven¡¯t come back to your senses yet.¡± ¡°What can you do, my mindset will be like this until the day I die.¡± Desian got up and took out a new bottle of wine. ¡°Hey, Kaligo, I am talking to you this once as a close friend.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who spread the rumor.¡± He poured alcohol into the empty glass. ¡°You asked what I could get from that engagement?¡± Desian continued to tilt the bottle over the full glass. The drink, which had started to overflow, spread across the table. ¡°I like to be overflowing with anything. Like the drink in this glass. Power and wealth¡­ even women.¡± He took the glass and drank from it, then put it back down. ¡°It¡¯s good that Miss Wizard will break up with you because of that engagement, and it would also be good for this country as it will be stronger because of that engagement.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well¡­ even if you find the source of the rumors and slaughter them yourself, well, that¡¯s not bad either.¡± ¡¯No, wouldn¡¯t it be better?¡¯ Desian¡¯s snickers filled the quiet office. Hearing his last words, Kaligo pushed his chair and got up. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re already going back?¡± ¡°I understand that you have given me permission, so I will be going now.¡± ¡°What? What permission?¡± Looking down at the lazy figure of Desian sitting on his chair, Kaligo said, ¡°You said it would also be alright if I slaughter them.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°It was the crime of daring to speak false information against the Grand Duke. Your Highness was so displeased that you allowed the Grand Duke to slaughter them himself.¡± ¡¯So that was it¡¯ The reason why he was quietly listening to his provocations that crossed the line without talking or even trembling. ¡°I sincerely thank you for your deep affection for the Grand Duke. Then, I will get going.¡± Desian looked at Kaligo¡¯s back with a sharp gaze. Looking at it now, it seemed like he now had a rough idea about the source of the rumor. It was his drunken babbling that further confirmed his doubts. ¡°Crazy bastard.¡± ¡¯Isn¡¯t he just going head-on with that power just because of one woman? So d**n crazy¡ªreally crazy.¡¯ Desian shook his head as he poured the wine from the glass in his hand to his mouth. ¡°I came from the potion shop on 3rd Avenue on Dercio Street. Here¡¯s my pass.¡± She handed her pass and flipped her hood. The security guard checked the pass. ¡°It was Miss Ashia Bliss.¡± ¡°Yes. I have a potion delivery today.¡± ¡°Sir Teros would be very moved, a busy person like you coming here yourself¡­ It¡¯s good for us,¡± said the guard with a cheerful smile. Ashia, who was following him, smiled brightly, tucking her hair behind her ear. ¡°Today will be the day Tero becomes a paladin.¡± ¡°Oh, I heard about that. They kept saying that it was today.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After a small conversation, they had to separate the guards that were fighting over who would move the carts, and they were barely able to enter the Imperial Palace. Ashia¡¯s cart rattled against the smooth marble floor. Entering the narrow hallway leading to the garden, She looked down at her cart and muttered quietly, ¡°Five for the imperial knights, six for the paladins¡­¡± There were more potions than usual, so she was appropriately slow. [You have no energy because you were making potions indoors.] Seeing Ashia struggling to pull the cart, Luke, who had been quiet, started talking. Well, it always happened, so Ashia accepted it as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°¡­Then what, are you telling me to go and learn swordsmanship or martial arts?¡± [No, I¡¯m not saying you have to exercise like that. I¡¯m telling you to go outside for a bit¡­ Ah, why? You can go to places like the theater and eat food that is famous for being delicious¡­] As if Luke¡¯s words were interesting, Ashia asked with a grin, ¡°With whom, with you?¡± [¡­Do that with a man.] ¡°Tero is busy.¡± [No but, is Teros the only man? ] ¡°Yes?¡± [You know the Grand Duke, that dark Grand Duke¡­ ] Ashia, who had been joking a while ago, stopped laughing and looked down at Luke with a steely gaze. Then she heard the sound of heels walking on the marble. ¡°Shh.¡± Looking at the cart, Ashia turned around in the direction of the sound. The person was wearing a dark gray robe, the color of the wizards of the Magic Tower. It was inconvenient for her to meet her fellow wizards after she left the tower. It had already been seven years so only a few people would recognize her, but she was reluctant to remove her hood. Underneath the robe of the walking wizard, a splendid dress appeared. Ashia¡¯s eyes blinked at the unwelcome foreboding. She heard the sound of the heels walking getting closer and closer. After belatedly discovering Ashia, the wizard slowed down. Click clack. The wizard stopped walking at a certain distance from Ashia and flipped the hood that was covering the face from behind. ¡°¡­Wow, who is this? Nice to see you.¡± Her red-painted lips curled smoothly. As her reddish-brown hair fluttered and she smiled brightly, Ashia¡¯s mouth slowly opened. ¡°Lisa.¡± Lisa raised her eyebrow. ¡°You remembered me, Ashia.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten you either¡­¡± Lisa suddenly came close to Ashia and stood there. Looking at her intently, she tilted her head. ¡°Has it been seven years already? I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Our Ashia is getting prettier.¡± She was still the same. Ashia could recognize Lisa at one glance even though it was their first time meeting again in seven years. Her green eyes were still filled with cuteness; seven years had already passed but little had changed about her except for her increased height. ¡°What is this,?¡± Lisa tapped her chin and looked at Ashia¡¯s cart. ¡°Potions?¡± Passing by Ashia, she lifted the cloth that was covering the top of the cart. ¡°What are you doing with someone else¡¯s stuff?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, Ashia¡­ Have you been living like this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lisa dropped the cloth to the floor and brushed her hand. Ashia¡¯s gaze also turned to the cloth that had fallen to the floor. ¡°Were you using your amazing abilities for something like these? You, who was once a candidate for the Magic Tower Successor?¡± As she looked alternately at Ashia and the potion, Lisa¡¯s eyebrows drooped down as if she had seen an unexpectedly sad scene. ¡°My heart hurts¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia frowned. She must¡¯ve already heard about it, but it was funny how she was pretending not to know. ¡°I¡¯ve been indifferent to you Ashia, haven¡¯t I? I thought that if it was you, you¡¯d be living well outside even if you were kicked out of the Magic Tower¡­ I guess I didn¡¯t pay you enough attention. But still, you were once a wizard.¡± Ashia¡¯s expression was still the same even with her trembling voice. Lisa took one step closer to Ashia and reached out with her little hand. ¡°But still, thank you so much for not hiding and living proudly¡­ ¡± Slap. Ashia slapped Lisa¡¯s approaching hand. ¡°Ah!¡± The back of Lisa¡¯s hand was dyed red because of her strike. ¡°Are you tricking me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia sighed and picked up the cloth that had fallen on the floor. ¡°You¡¯re still the same.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You still touch other people¡¯s things¡± ¡°¡­What?¡±Lisa caressed the back of her throbbing hand. Looking at her swollen hands and Ashia¡¯s face alternately, she clenched her molars. ¡°I¡¯ve never touched anyone else¡¯s things.¡± It was then that Lisa¡¯s true face was revealed, hidden under the mask that seemed gentle and fragile. Her lovely features frowned. ¡°Did you ever have one of yours in the first place?¡± Ashia whispered softly as she passed by Lisa. Her head turned. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Lisa.¡± Ashia put the cloth she was holding back on the cart and started organizing it. ¡°As you can see, I am living very well¡ªenough to know about my limits.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know my limits too well. I think I made a good judgment on what I should and should not be greedy of.¡± Just like the first time, she unfolded the cloth neatly, covered it, and stood back up. Ashia immediately turned to Lisa and looked at her with a straight, firm gaze. ¡°But you?¡± Today, an untimely chill rushed through the quiet corridors of the Imperial Palace. Ashia¡¯s calm but chilly voice turned to Lisa. ¡°I¡¯m asking you, how about you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She brushed her curly, platinum hair. ¡°Do you think that is your place?¡± Lisa¡¯s lips began to tremble at Ashia¡¯s words. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ¨C Do You Want To Go To My Shop? Ashia smiled faintly and walked to the chair on the other side of the hallway. ¡°Is it because I live proudly without hiding?¡± Sitting down on the chair, she tilted her head and looked at Lisa, a cold shadow cast over her eyes. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re walking around just fine, so why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Ashia¡¯s voice sounded even colder. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting, Lisa Felthran.¡± ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Lisa¡¯s gaze gradually filled with anger. ¡°It looks like you don¡¯t have anything to fear in this world ever since I left the tower without saying anything and started living quietly¡­¡± Unable to bear it, Lisa cut off Ashia¡¯s words and sarcastically told her, ¡°Leave? You need to say it straight, Ashia. You didn¡¯t leave, but you were stripped off of all your rights and kicked out, weren¡¯t you?! The tower and the wizards did! You were kicked out from the tower.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lisa¡¯s face was fuming with anger as if she was about to explode. Ashia folded her arms. ¡°Lisa¡­ it¡¯s better to do it in moderation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for you that I endure such insults.¡± ¡°Endure?¡± ¡°Yes, I endured a lot.¡± Hah! Lisa burst into laughter and stared at Ashia with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Anyway, maintaining the Magic Tower¡¯s elemental cube means that you have the abilities, but if something goes wrong and the elemental cube breaks, wouldn¡¯t all the barriers connected to each empire also break?¡± Lisa¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even more when Ashia started talking about the elemental cube. Nevertheless, Ashia¡¯s words continued, ¡°Then the power and prestige of the tower will end overnight, right?¡± Lisa ground her teeth. ¡°Saying the tower would collapse with that mouth¡­¡± ¡°Because I am one of those people who doesn¡¯t want to see the Magic Tower collapse.¡± Seeing Lisa burning with anger, Ashia sighed softly. She got up from the chair and walked towards her cart. ¡°I have no regrets and interest in that place you don¡¯t want to be taken away from you.¡± Ashia, who had fixed the handle of the cart, paused for a moment to speak, ¡°By the way.¡± She looked down at the cart and turned to Lisa again. ¡°Since you act like a child who doesn¡¯t want the candy in their mouth to be taken away¡­ I am curious as to how sweet and delicious it is.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So, if you want to keep that place, don¡¯t touch those people who are still, Miss Magic Tower¡¯s Master.¡± Oil was poured into Lisa¡¯s rage. ¡°Ashia Bliss!!¡± She turned her head towards Lisa¡¯s screaming voice. Lisa then created fireballs with both her hands. ¡°You¡¯ve gone cr¡ª¡± A fireball flew towards Ashia before she could even finish speaking. Surprised, Ashia hastily summoned a water attribute barrier. Blagsh! As the barrier vibrated on impact, the surrounding air also shimmered. ¡®Has she finally gone crazy to use attack magic inside the Imperial Palace?¡¯ The first fireball that flew towards Ashia disappeared as soon as it touched the water attribute barrier. Lisa threw the next fireball to Ashia without pause. Boom! The Imperial Knights might soon arrive if this continued. This place wasn¡¯t good. Using attack magic inside the Imperial Palace also meant treason. Even though she couldn¡¯t understand Lisa¡¯s actions, maybe the Imperial Palace had some exceptions for the Master of the Magic Tower. Then that would be even worse. It meant that Ashia could overturn everything. ¡®I have to end this.¡¯ Ashia clenched her jaw tightly. Mana once again breathed into the water attribute barrier she made from her fingertips. When the fifth fireball hit the water attribute barrier, the mana on the barrier was used to blow the flying fireball back. ¡°!!¡± Lisa hurriedly created a water attribute barrier to prevent the fireball from making impact. Boogsh!. The two people were strongly pushed back by the magical power. Ashia¡¯s potions were also shattered by the shock wave, and fragments flew here and there. ¡°Aww.¡± Ashia regained her balance and wiped her forearms. As her body was pushed back, her robe was caught and was now hanging on the twigs of the flower bed, and she was wounded in several places. There was a scar on the exposed part of her skin, and blood began to flow, but that wasn¡¯t the part that made Ashia angry. ¡°Huh?!¡± The cart containing the potion was shattered by Lisa¡¯s attack. Naturally, the ruins of the broken potion also ruined the Imperial Palace¡¯s corridor. ¡°Do you know how much all of this?! Are you crazy?!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m crazy.¡± Lisa¡¯s voice trembled with anger. Her green eyes were cloudy and murky. ¡°I will kill you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡¯Ho! This is amazing. Who should be the one angry?¡¯ Ashia¡¯s hatred for Lisa was so deep that she thought whether she should or shouldn¡¯t forgive her even if she suddenly begged for her forgiveness after meeting her. Lisa wouldn¡¯t back down quietly either. Therefore, it was a fight between the Magic Tower¡¯s Master and an expelled wizard from the Magic Tower. But anyone who would see it as a fight against Ashia who was kicked out from the Magic Tower because of an accident. Staggering due to the shock, Lisa got up and looked at Ashia. ¡°Are you attacking without knowing our subject?¡± ¡°Please speak straight. You were the one who attacked and I just defended.¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing. You must¡¯ve been ignorant enough to use attack magic inside the Imperial Palace,¡± Ashia said as she remove the leaves and branches on her clothes. ¡°I am Magic Tower¡¯s Master. Do you think you can catch me just because I used a little magic?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The location doesn¡¯t matter. This is a world where the Magic Tower, wizards, and the imperial families of other empires only see me.¡± ¡°So the Magic Tower¡­ was under the management of a Master like you.¡± ¡°You¡­ from the beginning¡­¡± If this went on like this, it looked like Lisa was going to reveal her white teeth and bite her. ¡¯I think I need to leave sooner.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t lose any more energy here, go back to the tower and take good care of the element cube, Magic Tower¡¯s Master.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you forget already that you were there for that purpose?¡± Thinking that it should only be right to avoid this place before Lisa could shoot another fireball, Ashia slipped away from her and walked away from the ruined floor. But unlike Ashia who was struggling to control her emotions, Lisa didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of sending Ashia away peacefully. ¡°You didn¡¯t die that day.¡± ¡¯What? What the hell is she talking about now?¡¯ Ashia burst into dumbfounded laughter. ¡°I wanted to give you back those words as it is. Who said that it was unfair that someone had to die?¡± ¡°If you can do it now, try it.¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case here.¡± ¡°What about it, who will see it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy, Lisa Felthran.¡± Their hostility towards each other was revealed clearly in their eyes. Lisa put out her hand from inside her robe after staring at each other without saying anything. Ashia¡¯s brows narrowed at her actions. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ White energy soon rushed into Lisa¡¯s fingertips. Noticing what she was going to do with that power, Ashia¡¯s jaw tensed again, ¡°Are you going to use attack magic again? This is the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± The energy gathered at her fingertips immediately created sharp and pointed ice picks. Through the air in front of Lisa, without a gap, full of sight¡­ This was the second attack magic inside the Imperial Palace, after the fire attribute magic. Soon, Imperial Knights or Imperial Wizards would surely come. She shouldn¡¯t be entangled with her anymore; she was in such a disadvantageous situation. Before she could even turn away from Lisa, the ice picks left Lisa¡¯s hand and flew in Ashia¡¯s direction. ¡®Ah! Really! Are you really wasting your mana on a thing that barely even affects the elemental cube?¡¯ The ice picks mercilessly flew towards Ashia with a loud sound cutting through the wind. Sizzle. As soon as the ice picks hit the barrier of heat that was suddenly erected, they melted in an instant and fell to the floor in puddles. ¡°Oh¡­¡± It was similar to the magic circle, but the texture of the energy felt was different. ¡®¡­Aura?¡¯ Ashia turned her head at the energy she felt behind her back. ¡°¡­Kaligo?¡± Looking up, she saw Kaligo staring right ahead with a fierce expression on his face. He then opened his mouth while controlling his aurora, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, but the situation isn¡¯t very pleasant.¡± Whether she was surprised that her magic was blocked or that she was startled by someone else¡¯s presence, Lisa hurriedly put back her hood, stepped back, and ran away. ¡°Shall I catch her for you?¡± She shook her head in response to his question as he lifted the barrier. ¡°¡­No need, just let her go. She¡¯s an ignorant human being who doesn¡¯t pay attention to the fact that this is the Imperial Palace.¡± Only then did Kaligo¡¯s gaze, which was looking at the place where Lisa disappeared, fall to Ashia in front of his chest. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still gonna meet¡ª¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at her. ¡°Are you hurt? Because of that wizard earlier?!¡± With wrinkled brows, Kaligo lowered his head and checked her face. ¡°I-I¡¯m okay.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes lost their way and wandered on his face as he suddenly approached her, embarrassed. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re okay when you¡¯re bleeding?¡± Kaligo took out a handkerchief from his inner pocket and wiped her wounds gently on her cheek, neck, and the back of her hand. ¡°¡­¡± They were, in fact, very small wounds, and the blood that came out of them was already dry so there was no need to wipe it. However, Kaligo was wiping Ashia¡¯s face diligently and carefully with such an upset expression. His face was still so handsome even if he was frowning and the corners of his eyes were lowered. She heard Kaligo¡¯s low voice at that moment, ¡°Who was that person?¡± ¡°¡­¡± His eyes that were examining her wounds turned to Ashia when she didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Ashia.¡± She met his gaze silently.. ¡°Is this one of those private things you can¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± A faint wrinkle was drawn on his forehead. ¡°If that privacy is a threat to you, I can¡¯t afford to just sit around and watch it any longer.¡± Kaligo lowered his eyebrows and again brought the handkerchief to the wound on her face. ¡°¡­¡± He showed her a new side of him every time. ¡¯Was he such a sweet person? Was he such an honest person in expressing his emotions?¡¯ ¨C I¡¯ve always wanted to hug you but I was afraid that you might die! Every night! I was just thinking of holding you like a beast whether the sun is up or the moon is up! How could I tell you such a thing! She knew that what he said was true. His cry at that time was like a confession that he saw Ashia as a woman. Was she not an attractive woman when she was still living as Renna, or did that man buy her and thought that she was just an ornament? She used to stay up all night with so many doubts and misunderstandings. ¡®Why weren¡¯t you as courageous a little earlier¡­?¡¯ Ashia rested her face in his hands and looked at him quietly. Watching his face, folding the handkerchief, and wiping the blood from the wound with a clean part, made her heart pound with numbness. ¡°I feel like you¡¯re getting more handsome each time I see you.¡± His hand, which had been running back and forth on Ashia¡¯s cheek, stopped. ¡°I don¡¯t think I had ever told you that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Since you didn¡¯t want me to find out about you¡­ I was just the same.¡± Quietly listening to Ashia speaking, Kaligo bowed his slender eyes and smiled faintly. His red eyes were visible through the black hair disappearing through his softly curved eyelids. The harsh and murderous atmosphere of the man earlier was dispersed in an instant with just one smile. Ashia then spoke again, ¡°You smiled¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You smiled again. I really can¡¯t get used to it¡­ your smile.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate it. I rather¡­ like it.¡± Ashia¡¯s hand reached his cheek involuntarily. She just thought to herself that she wanted to touch his face once, but her hand was somehow already touching his face. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia was really surprised by her actions, but it seems that Kaligo was also just as surprised as her. The smile on his face disappeared with a single touch He was just staring at Ashia with a shocked look. Despite Kaligo¡¯s hot gaze, Ashia¡¯s slender and white fingers gently stroked his chin. Her hand that started from his cheek trailed down his face and reached straight to his lips. His neck muscles tightened, and she saw his throat bob. ¡®Ah¡­ look at how nervous you are.¡¯ In response to his reaction, Ashia slowly raised her gaze and looked into his red eyes. ¡°Are you busy now?¡± Kaligo, who had his eyes fixed on her small lips, answered with blank eyes as if possessed, ¡°I¡¯m not busy.¡± Opening her eyes slowly at Kaligo¡¯s reply, she looked up at him and said, ¡°Then, do you want to go to my shop?¡± (T/N: I think I need to prepare my popcorn for the next chapter [runs in bunny mode]) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 ¨C Follow Your Heart His eyes opened wide, disbelieving. Ashia tilted her head at him. ¡°You don¡¯t want to? I¡¯ll go alone if that¡¯s the case.¡± When she took a step back and turned away, Kaligo urgently grabbed her hand. ¡°No! I don¡¯t hate it!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will go. Wherever you go, I will go.¡± Ashia smiled softly and nodded, very satisfied with his answer. She didn¡¯t care at all the broken potions she had worked so hard nor the messy floor of the Imperial Palace. She didn¡¯t even pay attention to the scratches on her body or her torn robes. She was concentrating on the hand that was holding her. ¡°Do you want something to drink? Water? Tea?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with tea, please.¡± They sat around the round table as they returned to the store. A rather unsophisticated kettle and teacup were placed on the table. Moving her hands leisurely, she poured the water to the tea leaves in the teacup. ¡°There¡¯s no pretty teacup here unlike in a duke¡¯s or grand duke¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That is a luxury. But still, the tea leaves are of the highest quality.¡± Pour Ashia smiled softly as she looked down at the water filling the teacup, ¡°I will slowly tell you ten years¡¯ worth of stories. It¡¯s a lot, so it shouldn¡¯t be let out in such haste,¡± she said with a sigh as she pushed the teacup in front of Kaligo. ¡°By the way, what should I do after I made that mess in the Imperial Palace? There was even attack magic¡­¡± She raised her head and her eyebrows. ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t get me wrong. It wasn¡¯t me. It was only used by my opponent.¡± Kaligo slightly smiled as he saw Ashia and grumbled that he was a witness. ¡°Were you watching?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t watching. I saw it on my way back.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Kaligo thought for a moment, then tilted his head slightly and spoke softly, ¡°There will be probably an investigation regarding the use of attack magic inside the Imperial Palace. We will find out who it was.¡± Ashia tilted her head at his words, scratching her cheek. ¡°¡­And what if it was the Magic Tower¡¯s master?¡± Surprised, Kaligo looked at Ashia. ¡°Was it the Magic Tower¡¯s master?¡± ¡°Yes, but I think I¡¯ve heard that Magic Tower masters cannot be punished by the empire¡¯s laws.¡± Hmm Kaligo raised his chin. ¡°It can be seen as a problem between countries, as the Magic Tower has as much power as a small country.¡± He sighed as he leaned back on the chair and rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°You are right. But even if that person was the Magic Tower¡¯s master, if it was revealed that they used attack magic, they won¡¯t be able to move quietly.¡± ¡°I see. Ah! I¡¯m gonna say this again, but I never used attack magic.¡± ¡°I know. Even if you used it, I will ensure that it won¡¯t cause you any damage, so don¡¯t worry.¡±He looked at Ashia and smiled before closing his eyes. Even if his words were mere promises, her anxious heart seemed to be lightly relieved. ¡°Then¡­ what about you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°You used your aura.¡± Kaligo smiled at her again. It feels good that he had a place in her worries. ¡°There are only a few people in this empire who can hold me accountable for my sins as grand duke.¡± ¡°¡­Was it because you have a higher position than the Magic Tower¡¯s master?¡± ¡°You seem to be aware of all the bad rumors about me, but you don¡¯t seem to have any interest in the good ones.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± She was reminded when she first met Kaligo and listed his scandals. Somewhat embarrassed, Ashia wiggled her hand on the table. ¡°That¡¯s, well¡­¡± ¡°Even the current emperor and the crown prince cannot so easily blame me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If it reaches the emperor¡¯s ears, it will be quite annoying, but don¡¯t worry too much, as even that will be dealt with by the crown prince.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The concern on Ashia¡¯s face didn¡¯t go away even with Kaligo¡¯s words reassuring her, so he gently grabbed her fingertips as he stood on the table. He then continued talking while looking at the hand he was holding, ¡°What more, my aura was used for defensive purposes so that shouldn¡¯t be a big problem.¡± ¡°Alright then¡­ I¡¯m glad.¡± The corners of her lips trembled as she watched his large hand grabbing one of her fingers and reassuring her. Sadness marred his forehead as she tried to pull out her fingers to grab the teacup. ¡®Ah really¡­¡¯ Ashia bit her lower lip as she held back a peal of laughter while quickly lifting the teacup to cover her trembling lips. She didn¡¯t know why she would come to think of love as she looked at this wild, intimidating man. Who was Kaligo Edmund? ¡¯He was a person who wouldn¡¯t change his expression even if a knife were to stab his neck. He would¡¯ve been calm even if I was the one who died first and heard the news later.¡¯ The day they both lost their lives, when he died before her¡­ Renna remembered how Kaligo looked in his last moments that he didn¡¯t know about. At the end of the day, he could never know, so Ashia alone remembered it and kept it for herself. ¡®Ah¡­ of all things.¡¯ As the memory she had deliberately tried to bury came to mind, she trembled. ¡°Ashia.¡± Kaligo called her name softly as he saw her suddenly pale face. Ashia¡¯s head turned to him. ¡®You¡¯re alive.¡¯ Both the man and Ashia¡ªthey were both alive. That was enough. No matter wherever he was in this book or he ended up with, it was enough that he was alive here. Ashia struggled to hide her bitter feelings, raising the corners of her lips and smiling. ¡°No, it¡¯s nice of the crown prince to take care of it.¡± ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t have to worry about that part.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was silence for a while. It seemed that the work at the Imperial Palace would be handled in an appropriate way, fortunately. ¡¯Then, the problem is that Lisa Felthran came to the capital, and the female lead Princess Aileen also appeared.¡¯ The timing was too good to call it a coincidence. ¡°Ashia?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Are you thinking about by yourself again?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo reacted sensitively to her silence. ¡°Your complexion hasn¡¯t been good since earlier. Did something happen?¡± She was confused about what to answer to his question. She couldn¡¯t bring up Aileen in the first place. ¡°¡­It is different from the original content I know.¡± ¡°Uhm,¡± Kaligo gulped, tilted his head, and continued speaking, ¡°Of course, a lot has changed.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes widened at his calm words. He looked at her expression and said in a calm tone, ¡°I said a lot of things has changed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s words now meant that the 10 years Ashia had lived, careful not to damage the original story during those years, were all in vain. Ashia¡¯s goals changed after her plans of getting out of here were thwarted¡ªa life where she could safely reach a happy ending just as what was in the original story, hear about the happily ever after of the main characters, and applaud. ¨C Of course, a lot has changed. ¡¯Of course?¡¯ Those words made her face the reality that her instincts had been avoiding for so long. ¡®But why? I tried so hard not to interfere with the original, but why?¡¯ In fact, she already knew the answer to that question. The original was already twisted from the moment she entered the book. Ignoring the changed story, she turned away from that and rushed to run away. The result of ignoring the minute cracks in front of her eventually shook her whole life. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you wish for me to live protecting the original story?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes fluttered violently at his words. ¡°Is that for real?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ashia¡­¡± In an instant, Kaligo burst into the laughter that he had been holding back. The gloomy Ashia looked at him with a puzzled face. He tried to cover his mouth with his clenched fist, but his laughter was difficult to suppress, so Kaligo laughed for a long time. Barely calming down, Kaligo coughed a few times before continuing, ¡°My apologies.¡± She was a strong woman that he met in a new world. Not only with the magical power she had, but also the mental fortitude that allowed her to live alone. He wanted to be someone she could depend on and open up to instead of someone who would provide materially. However, Ashia seemed to be getting well enough that she didn¡¯t his help at all, so he was inwardly upset. She was close to perfection, except for being a little ignorant. He was so glad that she also had a flaw. ¡°I think I¡¯ve just found something I can help you with.¡± He put his arms on the table and rubbed his chin. ¡°Just tell me everything, Ashia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There are only the two of us who know about the situation. So, let¡¯s both think about it and solve it together. What do you think?¡± His voice was soft and soothing. ¡®Thinking together¡­ and solving it? Is that¡­ is it possible? No, maybe, with this person¡­¡¯ He was the main character of the original story, so he was a person who had to move in the direction the original wanted him to be. However, on the contrary, he was also a person who didn¡¯t dare to touch the original even if he deviated from the original story. Ashia could feel a sense of relief at Kaligo¡¯s direct gaze. She had lived safely in the original story for ten years already. She expected that if she lived her life like that without anything else, she would be able to live until she died of old age. But this man made her face that what she considered safe had been broken in the first place. Her heart was pounding. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was from the overwhelming feeling of disappointment or relief. Silently looking at Kaligo for a long time, Ashia slowly opened her mouth, ¡°Can I live my own life now?¡± It was a question that she had never asked. It was also a question no one could answer. ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°Just¡­ the kind of life that I don¡¯t have to hide anymore.¡± Her eyebrows scrunched down, considering the burden she had placed on herself. Just as Kaligo exercised abstinence, Ashia had lived with her ultimate goal to protect the original story. Then there was only one answer¡ªthere was only one thing Kaligo could say to Ashia. ¡°You can.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Not avoiding, running, or hiding¡ªyou can do as you please.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes fluttered at his permission; his voice was like a magic spell powerful enough to instantly melt the bars within her heart ¡°I will be by your side to help you. Wouldn¡¯t two be better than one?¡± Kaligo¡¯s answer now was magic to Ashia. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Follow your heart, Ashia.¡± (T/N: Oh, I guess my popcorn isn¡¯t needed [cries in bunny]) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 ¨C A Perfectly Sad Ending The resentment she was holding back eventually burst out after Kaligo¡¯s words. She had cried many rivers of tears when she was still living as Renna Cornelli that she thought her tear glands had dried up while living as Ashia. But it wasn¡¯t like that at all. It was only today that she realized she could still cry like this. She cried like a child, just like that, abandoning everything and just crying. Through the sudden burst of her tears, Kaligo¡¯s figure approached her. ¡°A-Ashia.¡± He hurriedly took out his handkerchief and wiped her tears and her runny nose without any hesitation. He was confident and sincere as he told her that he would help her with a reliable expression, but he was now struggling with his lack of knowledge on how to comfort a crying woman. Sob Ashia¡¯s cries of pent-up resentment were so loud that her face turned blue. ¡°Ashia¡­ Ashia.¡± Getting up from his chair and jumping beside her, Kaligo was trembling and unable to even touch her, though he had easily reached out to her at the Fairy Forest. Ashia wiped her tears and grabbed his other hand that was hesitantly reaching out. ¡°!¡± It was quite interesting to see his red eyes shook in surprise. ¡°If you want to comfort me, do it right.¡± She snickered and pulled his hand up, placing it over her shoulder. ¡°You must have the memories of the original owner of that body. Take those out and soothe a woman.¡± ¡°That,¡± Kaligo hesitated for a moment and closed his eyes. ¡°He wasn¡¯t the kind enough to do that.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± In the original story, Kaligo changed after he met Aileen. He was the kind of man only she had. ¡®Aileen¡­¡¯ Her beating heart seemed to calm down slowly as she thought of her. She was someone she had to tell him about. Sadly, it happened that she had to confide in him about Aileen just when she had finally realized her feelings for him. The heroine Aileen was one of the beings that created anxiety in Ashia¡¯s heart. Ashia had no intention of confessing to Kaligo unless his relationship with Aileen was resolved. Of course, she couldn¡¯t also accept his heart. Ashia took a deep breath. Her breathing slowly stabilized. Meanwhile, Kaligo¡¯s hand was patting her small shoulder. A faint smile was drawn on her lips at his clumsy yet unfamiliar touch. ¡°Kaligo¡­¡± she said calmly. He retracted his hand. ¡°Yes, tell me.¡± He sat down again with one knee next to her, meeting her gaze. ¡°Do you believe in fate?¡± Kaligo answered honestly and seriously even with her unexpected question, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Expecting his answer, Ashia nodded and continued their conversation, ¡°I believe in fate.¡± She then turned her head and cast her gaze towards the table. ¡°Renna Cornelli¡¯s fate was to be born in such a family, meet you, and die that way.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo wordlessly waited for her next words. ¡°I told you that this place is inside a book.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The ending has been decided. As with most books, there is only one ending.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a story that has a set path.¡± ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°There was something I couldn¡¯t tell you about a few days ago.¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± Ashia wiped her tears with his handkerchief and set it down on the table. She continued to speak to hide her trembling voice as much as possible, ¡°The male protagonist in this book is Kaligo Etous.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And, the female protagonist.¡± Kaligo¡¯s voice came out a little faster than hers. ¡°Is not you.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Neither the exhausted Ashia nor Kaligo could continue to speak. Even the sound of their breathing couldn¡¯t be heard inside that quiet space. It was Kaligo who spoke first and broke the silence. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Were you going to tell me about the identity of the heroine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaligo stood up without a word. Meanwhile, she found a glass and poured water into it He sat down in front of her and placed his hands over hers. ¡°Ashia. I don¡¯t need to hear about her.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Looking at the glass of water on the table, Ashia turned her head to look at him. ¡°I¡¯ll just listen if there¡¯s a reason I need to know about who she is.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± He wasn¡¯t curious as to who was the female lead. The fact that he was the male lead didn¡¯t seem very exciting. From the first day Ashia met Kaligo at the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion, she knew that his gaze and voice were always directed at her. She was very anxious even from merely looking at his strong appearance, and the cause of that anxiety was none other than the heroine Aileen. She was anxious about how the relationship the book had set would work out between Aileen and Kaligo. The reason she had closed her eyes and couldn¡¯t accept him was no different. She was afraid that just like fate or some magic, the two main characters would fall in love; she was afraid that she would see him turn away from her in an instant. ¡®Will I be able to act calmly when I see Kaligo like that¡­ Can I live like I didn¡¯t know him in the first place? Will I be able to clap at the set happy ending for the two main characters as I initially planned?¡¯ Ashia decided to confide in him her anxiety as well in order to give those questions a definite answer¡ªtogether with the reason why she couldn¡¯t accept him¡­ ¡°Aileen Encherances.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes narrowed when the imperial princess¡¯ name came out from Ashia¡¯s mouth. He remembered that her complexion changed when he mentioned that name a few days ago. ¡°She is¡­ the female protagonist of this book.¡± And immediately, Ashia continued to speak. ¡°She¡¯s the woman destined to be with you.¡± Bang! ¡°Lisa?¡± Aileen got up from her chair. Coming into the dormitory while hurriedly opening the door, Lisa leaned on the door, slipped, and fell. ¡°Pant¡­ pant.¡± Aileen approached Lisa, who was breathing heavily. ¡°Are you okay? ¡­My goodness.¡± As she pulled her hood back, Lisa¡¯s hair, soaked in a cold sweat, was glued to her face and neck. ¡°Lisa?!¡± When Aileen grabbed her by the shoulder and shook her lightly, Lisa was startled and slapped her hand away. ¡°Ack.¡± ¡°¡­M-Miss A-Aileen, my apologies.¡± ¡°¡­What happened?¡± ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s¡­ nothing.¡± Lisa tried to get up several times before falling down again. ¡°I¡¯m going to call you a physician.¡± ¡°No!¡± She even yelled at Aileen. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll get better with a little rest.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Aileen supported Lisa and moved her to the bed She had stopped sweating, but her body still trembled, her face was still pale, and her lips were blue. ¨C Are you going to use attack magic again? This is the Imperial Palace. ¨C What do you know? At that time, there was nothing in her eyes, whether it was the Imperial Palace. Being the Magic Tower¡¯s master was the place she worked hard to climb. The anger that was swelling on her face as Ashia refuted that and laughed at her, exploded. She didn¡¯t even know who was walking behind Ashia she blindly gathered her magic power. She didn¡¯t feel his presence until her attack magic failed. Exactly beyond that red shield barrier, she saw his eyes redden with anger and killing intent. Thump. Thump. The pain in her heart was choking her. She had managed to maintain her balance after she injected magic power into her staggering legs. Her power was already maintaining the continuously-used barrier in the Magic Tower. Her magical power was immediately consumed due to her sudden use of attack magic. The shock would have been transmitted throughout the whole body when the magic power reached its limit. She had to quickly put on her hood and get out of that place. As she ran to her dormitory without a break, the memories she had forgotten resurfaced in her mind. -Renna!! That man who ran in the forest like a madman calling that name. Why was that madman there! She knew those eyes. She already knew that face, that gaze, and the life contained inside it. Her body was trembling helplessly as she remembered the fear she felt at that time. ¨C Give it to me¡­ Why do you have it? Tell me, what did Renna do. It was the same guy she met seven years ago in that forest. Kaligo who had been silent for a while let out a soft sigh as he listened to her words. ¡°Who decided that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This book? The original author?¡± As soon as Kaligo heard it all, he started to spit out the words he had been holding back, ¡°Ashia, do you¡­ want it to go the way it was?¡± ¡°¡­That.¡± ¡°Is it alright with you if I stick with the original story and end up together with the heroine? What does it mean to continue?¡± Kaligo didn¡¯t give her a chance to answer¡ªno, Ashia couldn¡¯t answer. She didn¡¯t know how to answer his question. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Does it make sense? Mixing our bodies together?¡± ¡°Kaligo¡­¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Ashia.¡± Kaligo buried his face in the palm of his hand. Ashia¡¯s expression became gentle as he slowly said her name. Kaligo raised his head again and looked at her silently. Their gazes met for a moment. At some point, there was a faint smile on Kaligo¡¯s lips. ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Whatever it is¡­ I think it was wrong.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± she asked, round-eyed. Kaligo gently held Ashia¡¯s cheeks in his hands, ¡°I have no intention of having intercourse with any other woman.¡± ¡°Kaligo¡­¡± His voice soon grew stern, ¡°So give up. This book will never ¨C ever end with the intended happy ending of the author.¡± ¡°Kaligo, what are you¡­?¡± He didn¡¯t care about Ashia¡¯s face full of confusion as words like a cry of war poured nonstop from the male lead¡¯s mouth, ¡°It would be a perfect sad ending.¡±Besides that, he added the last words with a smile, ¡°Because the male lead is not going to fall in love with the heroine, but will love another woman.¡± (T/N: Ayo, what a wonderful declaration of love [hops in bunny mode] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 ¨C Do You Like It That Way? Love between the two main characters was a necessary condition for a happy ending, and wasn¡¯t it the standard ending that most novels sought? But this man here said he wouldn¡¯t do it. He had no intention to conform with the original novel even though he found out that he was the male lead. ¡°Sad¡­ ending.¡± Every word Kaligo uttered shook Ashia¡¯s life down to its roots. It was so simple for him to say he wouldn¡¯t live according to the plot, but she had never lived with that idea before. -I couldn¡¯t be the main character in this life either. She started this life with resignation the moment she found out that she had become a person whose name had never been mentioned. The accident seven years ago may have further restricted her actions. In front of that Ashia, Kaligo had a nonchalant attitude. ¨C Because the male lead is not going to fall in love with the heroine but will love another woman. She thought that today would be a special day for Ashia to change the direction of her life as she hears those words. Rather than living in fear of things that had never happened yet, perhaps she had the willingness to fight back no matter what was waiting. ¡¯Why didn¡¯t I know that? Why didn¡¯t I notice? That he had the strength and will to do that? And¡­¡¯ ¨C I¡¯ll be by your side to help. Wouldn¡¯t two be better than one? The courage blooming inside her heart was given to her by the man in front of her. ¡°¡­¡± Ashia didn¡¯t say anything and just blinked. Their eyes met for a moment. Again, he was smiling. It was very faint, but he was definitely smiling at her. Kaligo¡¯s hand held her cheek, moving slowly toward her hair. He twirled a lock around his finger, playing with it. ¡°If I ask who that other woman is¡­ I think you would somewhat feel sad.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia¡¯s gaze, following his hand, turned to Kaligo¡¯s. ¡°No, you can ask. You can ask if you really don¡¯t know, or ask to see if you know about it.¡± He laughed leisurely. Ashia, looking down again with his hand holding her hair, asked ¡°Are you okay?¡± His eyes were curious. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about that person? Aileen?¡± Kaligo let out a small laugh and snort, and raised one of his eyebrows. ¡°I am not interested.¡± ¡°She was described as very beautiful.¡± ¡°I bet you are more beautiful.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her eyes grew even bigger with his absurd answer. Kaligo smiled silently, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. ¡°If you want to say more, go ahead.¡± ¡°¡­She was also kind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like nice girls.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡­Kind, dignified, and¡ª¡± Kaligo cut her off. ¡°I don¡¯t like a neat and dignified woman as much as I don¡¯t like a kind woman.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Was there anything else?¡± Ashia burst into involuntary laughter seeing his sly smile. ¡°Then, do you like me because I¡¯m not nice, I¡¯m not neat, and I¡¯m not dignified?¡± Seeing her smile like that, Kaligo¡¯s red eyes lit up. ¡°Certainly, and now you know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What I think of you. You can¡¯t deny now that you know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Looking at him with narrowed eyes, Ashia got up from the chair without a word and walked to the side table. Kaligo followed her and got up from the floor. He looked regretfully at her platinum hair that slowly loosened and slipped away from him, repeatedly clenching and opening his empty hand. ¡°The person you just confessed is so relaxed.¡± She pinned her long hair up with a hairpin placed. She continued to speak with her back still facing Kaligo. ¡°What if I refuse?¡± Ashia turned and looked straight at him, tears replaced by serenity. ¡°Then I will confess to you until you accept it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even though Kaligo knew very well that his decision was selfish, he couldn¡¯t give up on her in the end. Because he said that he didn¡¯t believe in fate, he wanted to somehow hold on to that somehow as an excuse. Ashia sat on the edge of the bed. She crossed her legs and placed her hands on her knees. ¡°Then go ahead. Until I change my mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now that we are on it, this may sound funny, but the truth is, I have no intention of dating or getting married.¡± Kaligo didn¡¯t show any particular expression at her words. It could be inferred that Ashia¡¯s present decision was made under her present circumstances and memories of the past. Her eyes and lips suddenly became resolute as if she wasn¡¯t the person who was just crying earlier because of her strong belief that she wouldn¡¯t be shaken¡ªit seemed that she could be shaken. She couldn¡¯t help it because the man she once loved confessed his heart to her with utmost sincerity . She could also admit and accept the circumstances that made her fall in love with him again. Accepting his heart in the place where their misunderstandings had been resolved¡­ and also¡­ Marriage? ¡¯What for?¡¯ Ashia was quite satisfied with her current situation. She was capable and independent, and although she needed a lot of gold with her responsibilities, that would be resolved once she cured the Grand Duke in front of her. Having feelings for him, loving him, dating or marrying him, were another matter. ¡°I didn¡¯t hate it when you told me about your feelings. Rather, it flatters me to see your different expressions¡± ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°But dating or marriage, um¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Tilting her head, Ashia smiled bewitchingly. ¡°So, try to get my heart like that. It¡¯s alright if you cling to my skirt, or beg me, ah¡­ I want to see your face as you suffer because of me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He didn¡¯t even dare to speak out until she said she wanted to see his crying face. ¡°Do you like it that way?¡± ¡°¡­Well, if you fall in love with the female lead before that or get tired of me, then there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± Her hidden anxiety came out of her mouth. The reason she felt her heart ache while saying this was probably because she was halfway to accepting him. Kaligo smiled at her reassuringlyl. He was prepared to be rejected by her in the worst case scenario, but now, she was giving him a chance to be accepted. ¡¯That was it. If that was the one¡­¡¯ ¡°That will never happen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia intended to see it with her own two eyes. It looked like her anxiety would only disappear when the two main characters met and didn¡¯t play along with the original novel. She couldn¡¯t accept his heart with such worries because she wasn¡¯t so young to recklessly jump into a passionate love without thinking, and she wasn¡¯t innocent either. A person¡¯s mind could change easily even without the intervention of other forces. The feelings of love weren¡¯t very different. Even more so, she couldn¡¯t be sure that Kaligo¡¯s heart wouldn¡¯t change at the encounter of the two main characters, which was fated in this world. Kaligo walked over to Ashia and carefully grabbed both of her shoulders. ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If I was destined to act as what the original intended to, then I think I wouldn¡¯t have thought of a way to ask you to make a potion nor meet you to get it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo turned again and took his overcoat, which had been placed on the back of the chair. She, who had just kept her distance, lowered her eyes and took a step closer. ¡°¡­Are you going?¡± ¡°Yes, I think I have to be diligent to change your mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia summoned the gate to the Grand Duchy at his request. Standing in front of the gate, Kaligo couldn¡¯t just enter so he turned and faced her again. ¡°Even if I tell you not too worry and take it easy, you¡¯ll be impatient waiting, right?¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know me yet. I¡¯m the type of person who forgets when I turn around.¡± Kaligo¡¯s lips curved softly as her nose twitched. ¡°¡­I really hope you are. We will deal with any concerns you may have as soon as possible. Trust me.¡± He caressed Ashia¡¯s cheek. His hands were obviously rough and large, but his fingertips were warm for some reason. Ashia nodded, then he turned around and entered the blue gate. It quickly burst into small particles and disappeared into thin air. Half-excited, half-worried, laughing at the thought that she might have to be vigilant all night, Ashia fell into a deep sleep as soon as she went to bed. ¡°How about contacting Kyrian?¡± Kaligo called Redin early in the morning and inquired about Kyrian¡¯s contact with the capital. ¡°As expected, the tower was involved.¡± He frowned as he recalled the Magic Tower Master he had met in the Imperial Palace. ¡°¡­In the end, the people I need to annihilate seem to be in the Magic Tower.¡± Redin nodded at his words and handed over the material he had been researching. ¡°We have yet to figure out why the two were together for any reason.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something we need to figure out step by step, so make sure to thoroughly identify the number of knights.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± He walked down the hallway again and headed to his office. ¡¯That small wizard I saw at the Imperial Palace¡­¡¯ The corner of Kaligo¡¯s lips slightly rose as he recalled Ashia¡¯s gaze when talking to the Magic Tower Master, and the image of that woman running away with her hood up. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 ¨C I Guess That¡¯s The Way I Like It The morning in the capital city of Carmian was simple and friendly. It was a completely different look from the glamorous, luxurious, and bustling evening scenery. She opened the shop right away after she had filled her stomach with fresh milk and freshly baked bread. It was a morning like any other. The trees and flowerbeds that added fresh vitality to the street, and the birds coming to and fro on top of them, were refreshing. She opened her shop with her usual expression, but what was in her heart was definitely different than usual. Ashia herself was perhaps unaware that there was a real smile on her face rather than her business smile. Just in time, a customer came in and opened the store door. ¡°Ah!¡± Cleaning the shelves, Ashia quickly ran back to the sales stand. ¡°Welcome!¡± The woman who just entered the store turned to Ashia at her greeting. Her eyes widened as she looked at her. ¡°Oh my, you are beautiful!¡± She covered her mouth in admiration. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Ah! I didn¡¯t even know I said it out loud.¡± She smiled as she lowered the hand that covered her mouth and closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just thinking.¡± It was a graceful and bright smile. There was no feeling of arrogance or contempt from her smile, which Ashia generally felt from other young ladies of noble families. Her eyes were taken aback first by the unusual silver hair for a moment, but she moved back her gaze to her face. Ashia smiled looking at her. ¡°Do you need any help? I was a little surprised because a young lady from a noble family doesn¡¯t normally come here directly.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I am in a bit hurry right now, so I came here by myself.¡± ¡°Yes, please go ahead I will help you with anything.¡± Thinking for a moment, the woman¡¯s gaze turned thoughtful. ¡°Well, my friend is very sick right now. I think something happened yesterday, but she won¡¯t tell me what, so I also don¡¯t have any idea.¡± ¡°What are her symptoms?¡± She enumerated her friend¡¯s symptoms as if she was waiting for that question. She said that her fever kept going up and down, and she was also shaking and talking gibberish. Now, she couldn¡¯t even get up. Ashia blinked worriedly. ¡°Ah¡­ I think you should call a physician at this point.¡± The woman was looking around the store with her pinkish silver hair, but she turned around at Ashia¡¯s words. ¨C I¡¯m going to call you a physician. No! I¡¯ll get better after a little rest. Last night when she was about to call a physician, she remembered that Lisa screamed at the top of her lungs to stop her, so she shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t, she told me to never call a physician.¡± Anguish crept across her face. She seemed to care a lot for that friend. Looking at the woman, Ashia told her as a suggestion, ¡°Well, then shall I go with you and see?¡± ¡°Your¡­self?¡± ¡°Yes, because she told you not to call a physician but not a wizard.¡± ¡°Oh, were you a wizard?¡± ¡°Yes.¡±. Even now that she suddenly had something to do, Ashia was smiling because of the beautiful and kind-hearted customer who deeply cared for her friend. The woman pondered for a short time at Ashia¡¯s suggestion, ¡°Hmm¡­ no, thank you. I don¡¯t know if that friend of mine will get angry at me again if I do that.¡± She waved her hand at Ashia with a puzzled expression on her face. Ashia did not push anymore thinking that the friend was very picky. ¡°Yes. Do what you feel comfortable with.¡± She took a small box and walked out from behind the sales counter, then headed to the shelf where the potions were listed. Aileen liked watching Ashia like that. The owner of this shop certainly didn¡¯t seem like a young lady from a noble family with her light footsteps, but the habit permeated throughout her appearance was no different than that of nobility the more she looked at her. There was no law prohibiting a noble to open their own shop, so this might be only her narrow-minded view on it. She stopped tilting her head and looked at Ashia again. ¡°First, I¡¯ll bring you some potions for her symptoms.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± Ashia began to move the potion bottles into the small box while giving her brief explanations for each. She moved three to four potion bottles, then turned to her with the last of the soft purple potions. ¡°Finally, this is a pain-relieving potion, and it works great for muscle pain as well.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ You are so kind.¡± ¡°Though it would have been better if I had gone there myself and helped her.¡± ¡°This is enough.¡± Aileen smiled softly as she spoke, and so Ashia returned her smile while she moved back to the counter. She closed the lid of the box, wrapped it, and looked at the woman standing in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re from the Karhan Empire just by your accent.¡± ¡°Yes, I came from another place.¡± ¡°Ah, you came here to travel?¡± ¡°Well, that was my primary goal, and I will soon be living in this empire, in fact.¡± ¡°By any chance, for marriage?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He¡¯s from the capital? Here in Carmian?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not. It was quite a distance¡­¡± While Aileen was thinking of the distance between the capital and the Grand Duke¡¯s estate, Ashia held out the already wrapped box. Aileen also took out gold from her pocket and placed it on the stand. ¡°Thank you. I will use it well.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re welcome. Have a nice day.¡± The door swung open and a man ran inside the moment Aileen opened the door to get out of the store with the box. ¡°Oh, Miss Ashia Bliss!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Aileen, who was about to go outside, paused for a moment, then moved on slowly. ¡°H-His Grace, His Grace the Grand Duke¡­.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes widened when the words ¡®His Grace¡¯ came out of his mouth. ¡°What happened?!¡± ¡°Wh-what I mean is, he¡¯s having a s-seizure!¡± Before he could finish speaking, Ashia summoned the gate. ¡°Guard the store.¡± She hurried to the gate, and the gate soon disappeared, leaving only sparkling powder behind. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± [¡­] The bustling store became quiet in an instant. Watching the Grand Duke¡¯s employee who had surprised eyes, Aileen only left the store after Ashia disappeared. ¡®He said His Grace the Grand Duke¡­¡¯ Kaligo was the only Grand Duke of Karhan Empire, but it seemed like the two of them were close. ¡®Is he receiving treatment?¡¯ Tilting her head, Aileen hurriedly went back to where she was staying as she fixed the medicine box. ¡°Kaligo!¡± She followed Redin into Kaligo¡¯s room. He was struggling too much that bed sheets were already a mess as if a war already had begun. Ventus was also exhausted who rushed in to stop him. ¡°Ah.¡± Ventus walked over to Ashia, wiping the sweat running down his chin. ¡°What¡¯s this? He was still having seizures even after the medicine I gave him?¡± Ashia¡¯s brow twitched as she looked at Kaligo. ¡°No, he drank the wrong medicine.¡± Ashia¡¯s head swung back at Ventus¡¯ words, ¡°How did that happen?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. First of all, that guy over there.¡± Ashia bit her lower lip and chewed it. ¡°Everyone get out, quickly!¡± ¡°Ashia, this is the antidote. You have to feed this to him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Antidote? So he knew what Kaligo drank? Ashia looked at Ventus with fierce eyes as she was handed the medicine bottle. ¡°Everyone, get out.¡± After letting Redin, Ventus, and some of the servants out, she hurriedly jumped onto the bed. ¡°Ugh¡­ urgh¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s with you? I made it really well, so why did you drink the wrong thing?¡± Looking down at Kaligo who was clawing at the skin on his chest without even opening his eyes properly, Ashia¡¯s expression crumpled like a sheet of paper. ¡°Luke, I need to tie him up¡­ ah.¡± She had forgotten that she had taken off her necklace for a while because it happened to get tangled with her hair when she was cleaning in the morning. ¡®D**n it¡­¡¯ Her magical power would be consumed and reduced to less than half when she used magic with Luke¡¯s help. He was a unique and useful guy in many ways, so she never took it off from her body, but today¡­ Blue energy flowed from Ashia¡¯s body in an instant. She seems to have gotten used to tying people now. Her magical power pressed Kaligo¡¯s hands and feet firmly without hesitation, preventing him from struggling. ¡°Urggh!!¡± ¡°I said you should drink this.¡± She reached out several times to pour the potion into Kaligo¡¯s mouth, but even aiming the vial¡¯s tip to his mouth was difficult. ¡°Ah, really!¡± The impatient Ashia poured all the medicine into her mouth before throwing away the vial somewhere, and then she held his face firmly with both her hands. As she quickly put her lips on his, she paused for a moment; his head that was resisting strongly became as quiet as if everything had been a lie. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia rubbed her lips softly against Kaligo¡¯s pursed lips, urging him to swallow. She quickly ran the medicine through his teeth when a small gap appeared. She heard the sound of him swallowing. ¡®He drank it, right?¡¯ Asha slowly parted her lips and lifted her upper body. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± The drug quickly seeped into Kaligo¡¯s body. His erratic heartbeat and the sound of him breathing vigorously had subsided. Ashia caressed his face and fixed the hair that was stuck to his cheek. ¡°Kaligo, are you finally coming through?¡± ¡°¡­Renna.¡± Ashia sighed in relief at his dry voice that came out scratching his throat. but her tone was blunt as ever when she spoke, ¡°Since when did you start calling me by that name?¡± ¡°Renna¡­¡± His watery eyes didn¡¯t even fall away even though he was in a dazed state. Ashia was also caught in his gaze. Looking at him from above, Kaligo was captivating even though he¡¯d just gone through an ordeal. The thin shirt he was wearing was already torn and was unable to use its function as a garment, while his sweat-soaked skin and well-defined muscles were clearly defined. Kaligo was looking up at Ashia with narrowed eyes with all his arms and legs tied, whether he was aware or unaware of his condition. Blood gradually came to his lips, which opened as he breathed, while his eyes were wet with pain. He groaned loudly as he swallowed dry saliva and blinked. ¡°¡­Ashia.¡± An indescribable shiver ran down to her up to the nape of her neck as his low voice called out her name. Slowly examining Ashia, Kaligo had a slight smile on his face, and said with a soft smile, ¡°In other words¡­ I thought I was going to die.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She still had her gaze fixed on him without saying a word. Kaligo realized that his arms and legs were immobile, so he looked at her and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Ashia, really, your taste¡­¡± As if it was contagious, Ashia followed suit and swallowed dry saliva. ¡°Even then, you were asking about my taste.¡± ¨C It¡¯s alright if you cling to my skirt, or beg me, ah¡­ I want to see your face as you suffer because of me. ¨C Do you like it that way? ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Certainly¡­ I guess that¡¯s the way I like it.¡± Ashia¡¯s arms rested on his firm chest. She lowered her upper body very slowly and continued speaking, ¡°Say no¡­ if you don¡¯t like it.¡± At her low voice, the corner of his mouth raised in a natural smile. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t hate it.¡± Ashia instinctively lowered her head. Her curly blonde hair fluttered, cascading down his cheek and casting a thin curtain next to the two of them. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 41 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 41 ¨C You Look Like You¡¯re In Pain There was a swarm of desires within his glowing gaze. The sound of harsh breaths made his body and mind heat, set ablaze when their lips met. It was a light kiss at first. Her soft lips came down as if crushing him, sweet as a forbidden fruit. Their lips parted and his tongue slipped into her mouth teasingly, lust cresting like a storm-blown wave. His stomach tightened. ¡°Hnnng¡­¡± Ashia let out a sound. The soft noises they made dragged an exhilarating, ticklish sensation up their backs. The heat in his body also grew diligently along with the rising emotions. ¡¯I want to stroke her cheek. From her slender neck to her fair shoulders. He was about to lose his reason while imagining the feeling of fullness if all that smooth skin was held in his hand. ¡¯Haa, I don¡¯t know whose breath it is now.¡¯ Their breathing that became rougher, intermingled in such a short distance. The direct contact was unfamiliar, so different from his memories of promiscuity from before. That stimulated him even more. It made him run out of control. Kalligo moaned as he moved his waist. ¡°Keup.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± As the startled Ashia pulled away from his lips, Kaligo followed her when she moved away. His throat felt thick with desire. ¡°¡­You shouldn¡¯t move. What were we doing?¡± ¡°Haa¡­ Ashia.¡± ¡¯I wish you could just release just one hand or an arm.¡¯ ¡°You want it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it in detail, so that I can give you what you really want.¡± She was an unstoppable evil with her soft smile, and yet it was what captivated him, mesmerized him. ¡°I think you know even if I don¡¯t tell you.¡± Kalligo gasped. But still, he didn¡¯t hide his desires. Ashia looked down at Kalligo and tilted her head. ¡°¡­Did you forget? You are unable to move now.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Kaligo grinned, pretending to be relaxed as he struggled to his flickering reason. ¡°¡­I think you like this look.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was hinting at the fact that he could break free from the bindings if he really wanted to. Ashia smiled, interested. The hand on his chest moved slowly, tracing his cheeks, then his lips, down to his neck, back to his chest. ¡°Eup¡­.¡± He seemed to be unfamiliar with her touch. His large muscles twitched as her fingertips made contact. His tanned skin drenched in sweat looked sensual. This arrogant man was trembling in response to her single touch. Ashia¡¯s heart filled with a sense of satisfaction. His hazy red eyes looking up at her made the area around her chest tingle. ¡¯How much heartache had I had because of this man during those times?¡¯ A subtle joy erupted inside her when she saw that very man straddle the border of pleasure and pain below him. ¡°There were times when I thought about how I could make you suffer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia¡¯s fingers continued to move over the scar on the left side of his chest. Kaligo, on the other hand, was busy reacting to the stimulation, only half-hearing her. ¡°You look like you¡¯re in enough pain now.¡± Ashia grinned and leaned down over his lips, Kaligo rushed in as if he was waiting for her. He could only use his lips and tongue and it stoked a deep part within. Longing made the air in the room heavy. As if enjoying his reaction, Ashia fell in love for a moment while kissing her immobilized ex-husband. He was a man whom her hands couldn¡¯t reach during their five years of marriage. Now, she was kissing him. ¡¯I think I can understand now why it¡¯s possible for kissing to lead to more.¡¯ ¡°Eu-heup!¡± His hips bucked. It was certainly something he did unconsciously, but thanks to that, the nasal sound mixed with her breathing became deeper and deeper. It wasn¡¯t only their hearts that burned. ¡°Huh?!¡± Kalligo suddenly hugged her tightly. It was because his hands and arms which had been clinging to the bed sheet and unable to move were suddenly released from their bondage. He grabbed her body and quickly flipped their positions. Asha looked up at Kalligo with surprised eyes. ¡°H-how¡­¡± Kalligo smiled at her and growled in a low voice, ¡°¡­Let¡¯s say that instinct prevails over reason.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯Does a person¡¯s feelings change depending on the location?¡¯ They were so close that the tip of their noses touched. Kaligo¡¯s gaze looking down at Ashia was ferocious. It was similar to the state he was in during a seizure. The other thing was they had a different dynamic than back then. It was as if she had become prey thrown in front of a ferociously hungry beast. Kaligo¡¯s eyes were glistening as if he would devour every inch of her. ¡°Ka¡­ ligo.¡± His brow wrinkled as she called his name in a small voice. He bowed his head to the nape of her neck. He caressed her cheek and neckline with his lips. Something hot pressed against her leg. ¡°Heut¡­¡± Ashia took a deep breath at the unfamiliar feeling. Kaligo¡¯s movements stopped for a moment at her reaction, but it seemed like he had no intention of biting her. His desire for her body seemed to have not been enough. The man finally let go of his reason. He gasped and drank in all of her as if he had met an oasis. Even so, he felt like his body was getting drier. He hugged her even tighter as a moan of excitement and pleasure escaped her. It was as if his longing for her had not subsided at all. His hand gently caressing her body finally passed down her thigh and reached her knee. Slowly¡ªvery slowly¡ªhe grabbed both her knees, spread them apart, and settled between them. He pulled her lower body against himself, her dress hiking up. ¡°Mmmm¡­ heuk!¡± It must have been a huge stimulus for him. He bit Ashia¡¯s lips and tongue as he diligently moved his hands. His hands were nimble as he began to undo her shirt. He undid the buttons, one by one, until he finally reached the last button at the end, ¨C Think of the many potions we drank while playing, Grand Duke. ¨C How long was it? It could take 10 to 20 years for all of those ingredients to disappear. -¡­With a body like that, would you be able to hold the woman you have in your heart? Trying to get pregnant in a hurry, huh? Do you think a normal child could be born? Desian¡¯s words suddenly flashed in his mind. His reason came back to him in an instant. A startled Kaligo hurriedly pulled away from her. ¡°¡­Kaligo?¡± Ashia sat up at his bewildered expression, rearranging her clothes. His eyes shook. He looked at Ashia for a moment, then reached out to her face. But he put his hand down. ¡°Are you¡­ alright?¡± ¡°What?¡± It was Ashia who approached Kaligo first after seeing his strange expression. She cupped his cheek and asked again, ¡°What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯Fortunately, she seemed fine.¡¯ However, it was possible that the ingredients that remained in his body were passed on to her. ¡°Ashia¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaligo said in a gloomy voice as he buried his face into Ashia¡¯s palm, ¡°There is a problem¡­¡± ¡¯Crazy b*st*rd. How many years have passed since you exercised abstinence, and yet you cannot resist the temptation and had this kind of accident? Maybe this would be an irreversible situation with the kiss from a while ago.¡¯ Kaligo blamed himself for this brief moment. He couldn¡¯t easily pull his lips away. At this point when they were just beginning to be honest with each other, he had to confess to her that he had a body that couldn¡¯t hold her for the rest of her life. ¡°I¡­¡± his voice was dull. ¡°A problem, you say¡­ What do you mean by that?¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes filled with concern. Kaligo looked at her with a sluggish gaze, then opened his mouth with difficulty, ¡°This body.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He continued his words after pausing for a moment, ¡°¡­ It was very dirty.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes widened. Rather than being surprised, she had a bewildered expression when she heard such nonsense. Kaligo continued to speak with desperation, ¡°My body still has the ingredients of the potions Kaligo Etous drank.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°They may have been passed on to you. Maybe somehow with the kiss¡­¡± He took a deep breath, rubbing his face with one hand. ¡°I can¡¯t transfer those filthy ingredients to you. Just now, I¡­ lost my mind.¡± A faint sigh escaped through Ashia¡¯s teeth, who had been quietly listening. He couldn¡¯t even look into her eyes. ¡°¡­So that¡¯s why you stopped now? You were afraid those medicinal ingredients would transfer to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It was the Crown Prince, right? The person who gave you those potions and the person who said that those ingredients would remain in your body?¡± Kaligo looked at Ashia with a ¡®how-did-you-know expression¡¯ on his face. Ashia remembered the two of them having a fistfight outside the store. ¡®I was wondering what kind of conversation you had, but it was about potions.¡¯ As if exhilarated, Ashia let out a sigh. ¡°Were you swayed by the words of someone who has no medical knowledge? You two trusted each other that much?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Where did the cool and rational Kaligo go?¡± ¡°No matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t keep my cool in matters involving you.¡± Ashia pursed her lips. She herself couldn¡¯t make a rational decision when it come to things related to Kaligo. After a brief silence, Ashia got up from the bed. ¡°Fine, we will start the inspection.¡± (T/N: I swear, I thought nothing with the word ¡®inspection¡¯, promise [wheezing inside]) ¡°An inspection?¡± ¡°I need to know what ingredients will come out of your body so I can do something about it¡ªwhether or not I can make an antidote for it or have to stop meeting you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯That¡¯s true, but a sudden inspection? What kind of test are you going to do?¡¯ There was a moment of silence. His innocent red eyes looked at Ashia. Then her gaze slowly trailed away from his eyes. Kaligo followed her eyes down towards his navel, somewhere down there. (T/N: Maybe I really needed my popcorn at this point hehehe ???? [bunny wheezing for the nth time]) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 42 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 42 ¨C A Spoonful ¡°Where are you looking now?¡± Kaligo looked at Ashia again. ¡°You seem to be wondering where and how to test.¡± ¡°¡­Does it have to be there?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you thinkdoing that would be especially better? I think we can get the most accurate information that way.¡± Kaligo looked at her with narrowed eyes. ¡¯So she was someone who could say things like that¡¯. She skillfully said erotic jokes with a bolder and more confident face than he expected. ¡°I¡¯m just joking. There¡¯s no point in asking you to take out something I¡¯ve never seen nor touched.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She was just joking, but it was indeed a place where she could get really good information. But looking at his quivering and bewildered eyes, it seemed like the time had yet to come. And no matter how thick-faced Ashia was, she didn¡¯t have the courage to face it. They never slept together even if they were once a couple. He would have gone beyond embarrassment and his cheeks would have tinged red if she had teased him a little more. His body and head must have had the memories of the male lead ¡®Kaligo¡¯, but this Kaligo had a genuine innocent side. ¡®Doesn¡¯t that nature go away¡­?¡¯ Ashia coughed and slowly turned her back as she continued talking, ¡°It just takes a drop of your saliva or drop of blood from your fingertip.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll bring back the tools from the store.¡± Ashia reached out into the air in the bedroom. The blue magic that flowed out from her fingertips immediately began to draw a magic circle. By the time she was finished summoning the gate that completed in an instant, Ashia frowned and quickly folded her outstretched arm. Her entire arm was tingling from the unpleasant pain. She took a deep breath as she rubbed her hands. It was one of the aftereffects of sealing her fire attribute seven years ago. It was also a kind of warning: [Before you lose your temper and explode your magic power again, please refrain yourself.] She apparently left Luke behind today, so she had to use a large amount of her magical power. That didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t good at handling her magic. It was just that the body couldn¡¯t stand it once it was weakened by drawing out a large amount of magical power. Perhaps there was also a psychological effect on her. ¡°Ashia?¡± Kaligo called out worriedly. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ nothing. I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± Ashia waved her hand and hurriedly entered the gate as if in avoidance. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kaligo, who was walking towards her, stopped in his tracks. His eyes twinkled as he looked at the gate. It didn¡¯t take long for Ashia to come back. ¡°Close the shop, and bring the tools.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And you should also go back to the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The employee who ran to Ashia¡¯s shop and reported Kaligo¡¯s condition was quietly guarding the shop. She took the employee and returned to the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. Ashia approached Kaligo and held out her hand, ¡°Your hand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo, who was sitting on the bed, looked at Ashia¡¯s hands and face alternately. ¡°What are you doing? Your hand.¡± Staring at her hand, Kaligo sighed and slowly put his hand up. ¡°It will sting a little.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ashia pricked the tip of his finger with a tool and brought it near the mouth of the vial. As she watched the blood dripping from the tip of his finger, she said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll have to go to the shop and test the ingredients to find out information about it, but it won¡¯t be toxic.¡± ¡°How do you guarantee that?¡± Asha smiled bashfully at his question. ¡°Have you forgotten? I can tell just by looking at the ingredients.¡± Kaligo remembered the first time she came to the Grand Duke¡¯s residence, when she poured the potion into her mouth to find out the ingredients of the potion. ¡°By tasting¡­¡± ¡°Yes, by tasting.¡± ¡°Are you going to drink my blood?¡± ¡°¡­Why would I drink your blood when I¡¯ve already tasted it?¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia tapped her lips with her finger and turned to Kaligo, who was staring at her blankly. ¨C It just takes a drop of your saliva or drop of blood from your fingertip. Only then did Kaligo understand Ashia¡¯s words and lightly exclaimed. Ashia put the glass bottle into the box and said laughingly, ¡°If it was to the point that I couldn¡¯t taste it, then that means there is really little or none at all. It will break down as soon as it enters my body with that amount.¡± She also added that he won¡¯t need to worry about her. Kaligo had a relieved expression at her words. ¡°Yes, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ¡°So¡­.¡± Having finished organizing the tools, Ashia turned to him while dragging her words, ¡°I am saying this now since we¡¯re on the topic¡­.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this because I think it¡¯s better to make sure it is done¡­¡± Ashia slowly stepped forward and headed towards Kaligo, who was sitting on the bed, ¡°I think we should test it a little more properly.¡± ¡°¡­Is this for inspection purposes?¡± Ashia sat on his lap and grinned as she pressed her chest against his, pushing him. And despite her dismal strength, his large body collapsed weakly on the bed. ¡°Let¡¯s say it takes a spoonful of self-interest.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s like a spoonful.¡± Lying on his back, Kaligo smiled as he looked at her, gradually approaching him. She seemed to have a magical talent for quickly quelling his worries. No matter how serious something was, it would just become a passing amusement to her. The worries that filled Kaligo¡¯s head just now had completely disappeared. He was very happy to be assimilated with her bright, cheerful, active appearance, and her bountiful energy. ¡®Really¡­ She¡¯s an unpredictable woman.¡¯ Kaligo smiled and tightly hugged Ashia, who was sitting on top of him. The cold air instantly burned with passion ¡¯How long has it been?¡¯ Someone rushed down the hallway not long after. Then standing tall in front of the bedroom, they walked and knocked on the door. Their lips were filled with regret as they had to separate due to the appearance of an unwanted guest. They looked at each other¡¯s eyes at a distance where their lips would meet again if they tilted their heads. Kaligo put his forehead against Ashia¡¯s and let out a slight smile. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. The men in this mansion are so ignorant.¡± ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s fine.¡± As if she was embarrassed, Ashia went down from the bed with a small smile. Kaligo also got up after her as she fixed her hair and clothes. He walked behind her and hugged her. He, too, was still feeling hot because the heat had not escaped his body yet. He let out a deep sigh as he rubbed his cheek against her hair. ¡°Shall we just kick him out?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Or tell him not to come close to me for a few days.¡± ¡°¡­How many days?¡± ¡°A few days won¡¯t be enough¡­. I will just send him to a quiet place for a few months¡­¡± Knock, knock, The inattentive intruder knocked on the bedroom door again. Kaligo let out a deep sigh and hugged Ashia tighter. ¡°¡­Just give me the order and I won¡¯t let him in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Ashia sneaked out of his arms, looking up at Kaligo with a smile on her face, ¡°Maybe he has urgent business.¡± ¡°Ashia¡­¡± Knock, knock ¡°This is Redin, Your Grace. Have you woken up?¡± Ashia stood with her back to the door. She still felt embarrassed to face the Grand Duke¡¯s butler. She tried to calm her heart by pressing her hands to her hot cheeks. Kaligo wrapped his arms around Ashia¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Oh, Kaligo?¡± ¡°Come this way.¡± He led Ashia to the large bookshelf. On the wall next to the bookshelf, there was a door that she didn¡¯t notice at first. Kaligo opened the door for her. ¡°Please rest here for a while.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine.¡± It was a consideration for her, who would have been uncomfortable facing other people before her heightened emotions subsided. And, it was also for Kaligo himself. ¡°I am not fine. I don¡¯t want to show that face to anyone else now.¡± ¡°My face? Why? Is it strange?¡± As Ashia looked up at him, fumbling over her face, Kaligo let out a groan in pain. ¡°Haa¡­ what should I do?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo silently laughed when she tilted her head as if she had no idea what he was talking about. Guided by his hand, they stepped into the dark room, and the small lamps operated with magic stones lit up the room one by one. ¡®Wow¡­¡¯ Ashia began to look around the room with a slight admiration. ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo hesitated, unable to respond to her simple question. ¡°Whose room is this?¡± When Ashia asked him again, he scratched his cheek and said, ¡°It¡¯s the Grand Duchess¡¯ bedroom.¡± Ashia looked around the room and looked back at him in surprise. ¡°Pardon?¡± Kaligo continued talking as if he didn¡¯t care about her gaze. ¡°It won¡¯t be dusty or smelly because it hasn¡¯t been neglected.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Perhaps he had more to say, but when Kaligo was about to open his mouth agai¡ª ¡°Your Grace.¡± Kaligo once again heard Redin¡¯s voice calling for him. He sighed, ¡°I will leave this door open. This place can¡¯t be seen from my bedroom anyway, so you can rest comfortably.¡± ¡°Ah yes¡­¡± He gently rubbed Ashia¡¯s cheek with his fingertips, telling her to sit anywhere and rest. ¡°I will be back soon.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Kaligo went back to his bedroom and slumped down on his bed, answering bluntly, ¡°Come in.¡± Redin carefully opened the door and entered. Kaligo sat down on the bed and looked at him, the uncomfortable expression on his face evident. ¡°Ignorant b*st*rd.¡± Redin¡¯s eyes widened. He had no idea what he had done to make his lord so upset. ¡°¡­My apologies, Your Grace. I have received an urgent message.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± Redin inhaled and exhaled slowly. ¡°It is said that the barrier of the Magic Tower has collapsed, Your Grace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± One of Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡®The barrier of the Magic Tower¡­ has collapsed?¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 43 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 43 ¨C What Kind Of Relationship Do We Have?! Kaligo, who was leaning against the bed, raised his upper body at Redin¡¯s words. ¡°Tell me more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not totally broken yet.¡± ¡°You mean to say it¡¯s in progress.¡± ¡°Yes, and there is about only a half of it left.¡± ¡°¡­A half.¡± ¡°I heard that it would all be gone in a day or two.¡± The barrier was collapsing and there was half a day remaining. Redin spoke calmly while Kaligo listened indifferently, but it was actually a very serious situation. That barrier had never been disturbed or collapsed during the long time the Magic Tower was built. The allied Empires of the Magic Tower were being protected by the barrier, but that now was collapsing. In other words, it meant that the protection of the other empires would also be in trouble. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what happens when an unqualified person ascends to an undeserved position?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The position of being a Magic Tower¡¯s master ¨C a position where one had to take on a heavy responsibility, one had to have strong magical and mental power to get it. ¡°It looks like it will affect the Imperial Palace as well.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Kaligo¡¯s glare didn¡¯t waver as he let out a small sigh. At that moment, Ashia, who had been quietly listening to Redin¡¯s words next door, entered Kaligo¡¯s bedroom. ¡°I think there¡¯s something wrong with the Elemental Cube.¡± Looking at where she came out from, Redin widened his eyes in surprise. The room was something he had never looked at before. Kaligo used to be displeased with that space connected to his bedroom. He hated the Grand Duchess¡¯ room itself to the extent that he threatened him that one day, he would block that door. And yet, Ashia Bliss calmly walked out of that room. ¡®No wonder I was told that Miss Ashia Bliss was nowhere to be found¡­¡¯ Redin realized that the relationship between the two of them had gotten deep without him knowing. Kaligo got up. ¡°Ashia.¡± He grabbed her hand and led her to the chair next to the table. ¡°The barriers of the Magic Tower work with the Elemental Cube, and the barriers protecting the other empires we have allied were also affected by the Elemental Cube.¡± He nodded as he pulled out the chair so she could sit down, then he brought another chair beside it and sat down. Ashia continued speaking after Kaligo sat down. ¡°The Elemental Cube is a mana stone that is maintained by the Magic Tower¡¯s master¡¯s power.¡± ¡°Mana stone¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s gaze then shifted to the area around Ashia¡¯s neck. ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t see that mana stone necklace of yours today.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Ashia glanced down and patted her empty neck, ¡°I forgot and left it.¡± She smiled awkwardly before continuing, ¡°The Elemental Cube is very different from regular mana stones, although they vary greatly in ability and size. Of course, it¡¯s also important how much magic power of the Magic Tower¡¯s Master is maintained enough to use the Elemental Cube in various ways.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡¯Are you even listening to what I am saying?¡¯ Kaligo sat next to Ashia and nodded while he fiddled with each of her fingers. Ashia¡¯s eyes moved busily between Redin and Kaligo. ¡°Kaligo.¡± ¡°Yes, keep talking, I am listening.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His answer was natural. Seeing how he was holding Ashia¡¯s hand tighter, it seemed like he had no intention of stopping. Ashia cleared her throat and continued speaking, ¡°If the barrier is collapsing, then that means there is a problem with the Elemental Cube¡­ that¡¯s what it is.¡± ¡°I think something happened in the vicinity of the Magic Tower¡¯s master ¨C that woman named Lisa.¡± ¡°Yes, she probably ran out of mana from using it in the Imperial Palace. She used a spell that consumed a lot of it.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ So it¡¯s a place using the mana of the Magic Tower¡¯s Master at most.¡± Kaligo laughed slowly. He was still moving his fingers diligently. He scrambled to fit his large fingers between her small ones. Satisfied, he raised his head and met Ashia¡¯s eyes. His smile deepened more than even his cold eyes gently curved. ¡°Isn¡¯t that better?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I thought that the tower system would collapse at some point. Would it thus be called the Tower of Bad Omens?¡± His hand continued fiddling with hers contrary to his serious tone and expression. Ashia nodded, watching her hand disappear as if swallowed into Kaligo¡¯s large one. ¡°¡­I agree with the opinion that the tower needs to be shaken up at least once. But, we have to stop the Elemental Cube from breaking,¡± she said determinedly. ¡°How? Wasn¡¯t that the unique authority and ability of the Magic Tower¡¯s master? Who on earth can do such a thing?¡± Ashia sighed for a moment, closed her eyes, and opened her mouth slowly, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo stared at her lips as he waited for her next words. ¡°I will go to the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The smile on Kaligo¡¯s lips disappeared. Silence fell between the two of them as they stared at each other. The first person to open his mouth was Kaligo. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Kaligo shook his head as if he didn¡¯t want to hear anything anymore. Though he gave instructions to investigate Ashia, he didn¡¯t delve into the smallest information about her. Because of that, he was unaware of the fact that it was because of Ashia that the village was burned, and that she was expelled from the Magic Tower as a result. Naturally, he was also unaware of her situation that she couldn¡¯t receive any protection from the Magic Tower at all. Still, he just didn¡¯t like it. For some reason, it seemed like he shouldn¡¯t send her to the Magic Tower at all. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go to the Magic Tower. Can¡¯t we just let it fall into ruins? Let them take care of it on their own.¡± There was a sigh in his voice, but Ashia had no intention of backing down either. ¡°Karhan Empire will also be in danger if the Magic Tower collapses, Kaligo.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°No empire will ever be at peace. There are crises and we overcome them. It means that you don¡¯t have to step in to do everything.¡± What he said wasn¡¯t wrong. It was just that Ashia¡¯s thoughts were a little different. ¡°There will be great chaos if all the barriers collapse. We can calm down that chaos in advance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I am asking you why you should be the one doing that?¡± His doubtful eyes stared at Ashia. ¡¯Why on earth do you not know? Was it because he had come to realize that this place was a world inside a book? And is that why it doesn¡¯t matter what this place is? No, he may have no regrets or affection in this world in the first place.¡¯ But even if he really took this world lightly, Ashia couldn¡¯t. She¡¯d spent ten years here. What she experienced during those ten years wasn¡¯t an illusion but her reality. This wasn¡¯t just a book to her, but a new place to live. ¡°I don¡¯t want my world to fall apart again.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s lips parted softly at her words. He thought that she knew what she was talking about, so he could see what she was worried about right now. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose anything anymore¡ªthis time, for a long time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­I want to be happy.¡± Her voice was soft but firm. It seemed she had already made up her mind. Kaligo¡¯s lips twitched, but he didn¡¯t follow through. Because to her, he was also the person who took away the world she had lived in. Ashia let out a sigh as he slowly turned away, as if he was ashamed. ¡°Are you going to lock me up again?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Are you going to order me not to leave the mansion again?¡± Kaligo couldn¡¯t even look at Ashia. He felt his skin become hot with remorse. ¡°¡­Ashia, things are different then and now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you¡¯ve come to that conclusion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As you said, the situation is completely different. I¡¯m not the kind of person who would collapse and vomit blood.¡± Kaligo began to realize that the more he spoke, the more he dug his own grave. ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat those things again.¡± Ashia stroked the back of Kaligo¡¯s hard hand in a circle as if soothing him. ¡°Kaligo¡­ Let me do as I want, please?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You have nothing to worry about, trust me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The corners of Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows drooped down at Ashia caressing his hand and soothing him. ¡®This is so¡­¡¯ Redin was a little perplexed now. The conversation between the two of them seemed like one between people who had been married for several years. What more, it wasn¡¯t his master that led the conversation and set the tone, but that small and slender woman. Kaligo was more feared by his subordinates who had committed wrongdoings. Such a small woman had him on the palms of her hand, and she gently calmed the situation so that he couldn¡¯t open his mouth. ¡¯The world is falling apart. Losing? Locking up? What do they mean?¡¯ Had the two of them known each other before? That would be impossible though¡­ Redin had a vague idea they had some connection with each other that he couldn¡¯t possibly understand. ¡°I was a completely different person from back then, Kaligo.¡± ¡°Ashia¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, I am Ashia¡ªAshia Bliss.¡± Ashia gently caressed Kaligo¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Renna Cornelli isn¡¯t here anymore.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows moved further downward at Ashia¡¯s words. He sighed, resigned. Deep anguish formed between his wrinkled brows. Ashia let out a light sigh as she looked at Kaligo being like that. It seemed like they were now finished with the talk. Her heart aches seeing Kaligo¡¯s gloomy expression on his face. ¡°Kaligo¡­¡± ¡¯Sorry, I had no intention of bringing up the things of the past that had already passed¡­ I had to do this to convince you, and I am regretting it now.¡¯ Kaligo looked so exhausted. She caressed his cheek carefully, feeling apologetic. ¡®But I can¡¯t let the world we live in collapse¡­¡¯ Kaligo rubbed his face against Ashia¡¯s palm and let out a sigh. ¡°Ashia¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not possible.¡± Of course, he couldn¡¯t accept it. ¡°Oh really?! Kaligo!¡± He was too stubborn! Ashia jumped up from her seat. ¡°I will go!¡± ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°I will!¡± The fact that none of her words she told her as an adult, and soothing worked on him, brought out her voice full of anger. ¡°What kind of relationship do we have?!¡± Redin, as well as Kaligo, opened his eyes in surprise. Kaligo looked at Ashia with a puzzled expression. ¡¯So, who on earth was the woman I was rolling around with in the bed just now?¡¯ ¡°Ashia?¡± Ashia didn¡¯t pay any attention to Kaligo. ¡°Did we sleep together? Did we have a baby? All we ever did was kiss!¡± ¡°Haa!¡± Kaligo also got up after her and sighed. ¡°Listen, don¡¯t think that you can sway me with just one kiss. Do you understand?!¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes shook slightly as if he had received a shock. ¡°Kissed¡­ one time? How can that be only one time?¡± ¡°Do you count it by how often our lips touched? We just grabbed each other and did it once!¡± The quarrel between the two of them had reached its climax. Of course, even then, Redin, who had to listen to all of their words, wasn¡¯t even worried. (T/N: I worry for Redin who was third-wheeling [bunny praying for Redin]) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44.1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44 ¨C The Real Condition ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be summarized as a light kiss!¡± Ashia took a deep breath as she refuted Kaligo¡¯s words, and only then did she realize Redin¡¯s existence standing next to her. Opening her mouth, Ashia coughed loudly and turned her head away. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s stop this, we are not the only ones here.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Kaligo only looked at her even though Ashia told him to stop. But for Redin, this moment where their conversation was cut off was an opportunity. ¡°I care, Your Grace,¡± Redin interrupted their conversation with a serious voice. It was then that Kaligo¡¯s gaze turned to him. ¡°Redin.¡± ¡°I think you forgot so I will say it again. Your Grace, the situation in the tower isn¡¯t good.¡± Ashia opened her mouth again when Redin mentioned the Magic Tower, ¡°I am going.¡± ¡°Ashia, please.¡± Redin intervened when signs of another quarrel were about to arise between the two, ¡°Please calm down, the both of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The barrier is continuing to melt as of now.¡± Ashia then put her hands on Kaligo¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Kaligo¡­ I wouldn¡¯t go if there were no conditions. Did you forget? What I like the most is gold.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The amount of gold the Magic Tower had accumulated over the years will be quite a lot. If they don¡¯t give me much gold, then I will come back regardless of whether the barrier melted or the Elemental Cube split in half.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯Huh? Kaligo?¡¯ Her long eyelashes fluttered as she blinked. Kaligo swallowed a sigh after seeing Ashia like that. He was defeated in the end. The childish quarrel stopped right there; it was a fight Having no other choice, he nodded his head. Ashia regained her smile with his permission. Ashia told him several times that she would be back and would be careful. ¡°Come back right away if you think it is dangerous.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. It really won¡¯t be a big deal.¡± Smiling brightly, Ashia stretched out her hand into the air without any hesitation. The magic that flowed from her fingertips quickly drew a magic circle of complex patterns, and through that, a gate was immediately summoned. She slowly turned her head to look at Kaligo, ¡°I will be back.¡± She ran into the gate with a bright smile. From the moment she summoned the gate to the moment she entered, she had no hesitation. The gate that had appeared in the Grand Duke¡¯s room disappeared in an instant. Kaligo cried out in despair as he looked at the remnants of the magical power. ¡°If anyone saw that, they would think that she was going to a picnic.¡± Kaligo sighed heavily as he turned around and told Redin, ¡°Redin.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Reinforce the knights on the border and bring in all the off-duty ones.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± ¡°We need to prepare for the time when the barrier completely disappears. Also, find out what the Imperial Palace is doing now.¡± ¡°I have received your orders.¡± As Kaligo turned around to change clothes, Redin tilted his head and asked him, ¡°Where are you going, Your Grace?¡± ¡°To the woman who caused trouble.¡± ¡°Ah, I did have something to tell you regarding that.¡± Kaligo turned and looked at Redin, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°While I was separately looking for the Magic Tower¡¯s Master and the Imperial Princess, I found out that the two of them were staying in the same mansion.¡± Kaligo took a deep breath and tilted his head at an angle. ¡°Come to think of it, I heard that there was one more person with the Imperial Princess who came to the Grand Duke¡¯s residence last time.¡± ¡°Yes, I think that it was probably the Magic Tower¡¯s Master.¡± Kaligo laughed silently. ¡°¡­ This is going to be fun.¡± Redin swallowed a sigh as he continued, ¡°Since Kyrian is there, why don¡¯t you wait until he contacts you? He should have arrived by now and taken a look.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let Kyrian watch that fun alone.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The Imperial Princess was probably nothing more than a doll being used by the Magic Tower¡¯s Master. It was obvious that she was the one behind all this judging from her brash personality. ¡°Besides, this isn¡¯t the time to keep an eye on them now that the barrier is slowly collapsing. I¡¯ll have to bring back the Magic Tower¡¯s Master to the Magic Tower as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Perhaps Kaligo was worried about Ashia. Redin took a step back and bowed his head. ¡°Yes, then I will prepare.¡± Walking straight out of the bedroom and walking down the hallway, he stopped for a moment in front of the staircase. He turned his head and looked towards Kaligo¡¯s room. [¨C Look, Renna Cornelli isn¡¯t here anymore. ] The name Renna Cornelli came out of Ashia Bliss¡¯ mouth. ¡®She clearly said Renna Cornelli.¡¯ The accident seven years ago flashed into his mind as soon as he heard that name. [¨C What happened to Renna? -¡­Yes? ¨C I am asking you what happened to her! ¨C Your Grace! ] He was crazily shouting ¡®Renna¡¯ on the day he died and came back to life. Redin tilted his head. ¡¯Is this really a coincidence?¡¯ The woman who had never met his master, came in and out of the Grand Duchess¡¯ secret bedroom and even grabbed him. It was the same with the content of their conversation and the flow of atmosphere between the two of them. ¡°¡­¡± Redin started going down the stairs. It didn¡¯t matter. There were some suspicious things about it, but it wasn¡¯t that important to him. If he had to choose between the crazy Kaligo and the now-changed Kaligo, then it would be the current Kaligo without any hesitation. It is probably the same with the other employees of the duchy. Arriving on the first floor, Redin was able to quickly finish preparing to go to the capital with the help of the head maid, Melanie. The Grand Duke¡¯s carriage loaded with high-quality mana stones started running towards the capital city with Kaligo and Redin on board. Their destination was the mansion where the Imperial Princess Aileen was staying. (T/N: Hello! Bunny here~! From now on, the chapters of this novel will be divided in half as chapters keep on getting longer each chapter. I hope you can understand that, and thank you for reading ~ ^^) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44.2 Chapter 44 ¨C The Real Condition The first Magic Tower from seven years ago still remain¤¨£ä the same. The gloomy place with the cold air and the cold stone walls ¨C even the cold gaze thrown at her. ¡®No¡­ it seems to have gotten worse.¡¯ Ashia straightened her back and proudly widened her shoulders as she walked through the crowd of wizards. Her steps were leisurely and elegant as she slowly passed them by and walked to the sofa. ¡°She¡¯s Ashia Bliss, right?¡± ¡°Where does she think this place is that she can come in shamelessly?¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°There is that person. She was kicked out of the Magic Tower a long time ago.¡± ¡°She was kicked out? Why?¡± ¡°Yes, there was a huge accident.¡± ¡°Accident? What kind of accident?¡± Ashia¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change even in the face of their whispers. They were being very talkative She sat down on the sofa as if their stares didn¡¯t matter. Not a long time after, the group of wizards split into two and an elderly wizard came in. ¡°It has been a long time.¡± ¡°Yes, it has been a while, Redanes.¡± It was Redanes, the wizard who taught Ashia the basics of alchemy. A lot of memories flashed into Ashia¡¯s mind in this brief meeting, but she couldn¡¯t remember any good ones, so a bitter laugh instead came out. ¡°A wizard that has been expelled usually cannot enter the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Redanes clicked her tongue at her answer and her forehead scrunched. ¡°Even more than that, a wizard that had been kicked out after making a big accident¡­ No, the moment you left the tower, you could no longer be called a wizard.¡± There was a thorn in her tone and gaze. The smile on Ashia¡¯s lips disappeared after that, because she wasn¡¯t so kind so as to just smile at obviously unpleasant treatment. Her blue eyes turned to Redanes, who sat opposite her. ¡°¡­Keep on annoying me and see¡­ whether the Elemental Cube split or crushed and turned into powder¡­ See if it can go back to its original state.¡± Redanes¡¯ lips twisted as she let out a sigh. ¡°You must¡¯ve been thinking you¡¯re something¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was thinking I have plenty of cards in my hands right now, but does Redanes have another opinion?¡± The older woman¡¯s eyes contorted at Ashia¡¯s remark, who cut off her words confidently. She couldn¡¯t even refute what she said, since in this situation, she might be the only one who could handle the Elemental Cube, and they didn¡¯t know when the Magic Tower¡¯s Master will arrive. ¡°¡­the Elemental Cube is not something that can be easily handled just because you have a strong magical power.¡± ¡°Then what are you going to do? Other than me, is there anyone here who has enough magical power to handle the Elemental Cube? Ah, the barrier wouldn¡¯t have collapsed like that if there was such a person.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What will you do if I really succeed? Besides, other than the current Magic Tower¡¯s Master¡­ I am more capable of handling it with stability.¡± Redanes gently closed her mouth at Ashia¡¯s bold and sharp words. ¡®What on earth are you believing in to act so proud?¡¯ The Elemental Cube was on the top floor of the Magic Tower and could not be approached without the Magic Tower Master¡¯s permission, the Elders¡¯, or some professor wizards¡¯. Of course, it was also possible for a person to use it if the Elemental Cube itself chose that person as its master. If an unqualified person tried to use it, all the magic in their body would be absorbed, and they could even die in the worst-case scenario. As for the danger, Ashia must also be well aware of that since she had been constantly warned about it and taught to her a lot. ¡®But she says it too casually¡­¡¯ They stared at each other wordlessly for a while. It was a battle where the one with the most regrets lost. Clearing her throat, Redanes drew back her sharp gaze away and opened her mouth first. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to help out without any conditions.¡± Ashia nodded slightly. ¡°Gold.¡± ¡°¡­So you¡¯re here to make a deal.¡± ¡°Because I am a merchant.¡± ¡°Can I just give you gold?¡± The Magic Tower had a lot of gold as she had guessed, not raked in through corruption. She thought that this wasn¡¯t a bad business even if they gave her a few pieces of gold coins in exchange for stabilizing the barrier until the Magic Tower¡¯s Master came back ¨C even if she failed to stabilize it and get seriously injured or even die¡­ But Ashia had no intention of ending it with that alone. ¡°There is one more thing. Gold is just an additional reward that must be followed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The real conditions are different.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± ¡°If I can stabilize the Elemental Cube and restore the barrier,¡± Ashia paused and put a business-like smile on her lips, ¡°I am saying if there is peace again¡­¡± ¡°Continue.¡± The parlor of the Magic Tower became more silent than ever as the wizards waited for the next words that would come out of Ashia¡¯s mouth. And in the stillness, Ashia¡¯s clear voice resounded clearly. ¡°I will have the same power as the Magic Tower¡¯s Master.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Redanes jumped up from her seat and glared at Ashia as if she would kill her right away. ¡°This crazy¡­!¡± The energy of the other wizards gathered wasn¡¯t that different from her. It was as if Ashia was detonating a bomb in the middle of the enemy camp, where she had no allies. (T/N: It means while Ashia was trying to save them [by detonating the bomb or rather stabilizing the Elemental Cube and restoring the barrier], they don¡¯t believe in her, as she was a kicked out wizard [from another camp]. ) Unbothered by their anger, Ashia buried herself in the back of the sofa and continued talking, ¡°Please gather the Elders and hold a meeting.¡± A wizard¡¯s expulsion from the tower and the discussion of the Magic Tower¡¯s course of action was only possible through a meeting of the Elders. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare tell them to come and go.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do if you don¡¯t like it¡ªbecause I have nothing to regret.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then I will just watch if this condition is not accepted.¡± Ashia slowly turned her head towards the window. She pointed her chin toward the window of the tower where the half-remaining golden barrier could be seen. As if looking at a spectacular view, she said with a smile, ¡°First, shall we watch as the barrier melts like ice?¡± Chapter 45.1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 45 ¨C That¡¯s The Original Deal Redanes clenched her fists in anger at her relaxed expression. Even so, she didn¡¯t tell Ashia to get lost immediately. Even now, the barrier was continuously melting and half of it already disappeared. In other words, they had no time to find another way. There was no other choice from the moment they brought her inside the Magic Tower. It was Redanes, more than anyone else, who hurriedly asked for Ashia to be brought in after she heard she had come to the Magic Tower. Ashia seemed to be more relaxed than ever in the current situation where she could clearly see what they were thinking. She tapped her finger over her lips and spoke skillfully, ¡°Let¡¯s see, let¡¯s see¡­. It will take a long time if we hold a meeting with the Elders now, and¡­ discussing it before coming to a conclusion¡­ phew, is the barrier going to be safe until then? No, rather than the barrier¡­¡± Ashia tilted her head and blinked. She met Redanes¡¯ eyes. ¡°Will the Elemental Cube hold on?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I wonder if they are splitting the gold now,¡¯ Ashia added and Redanes ground her molars. Had there ever been a time in the history of the Magic Tower that was as urgent and precarious as it was today? It was frustrating and disgraceful. It was also vexing that they had to borrow the power of the wizard whom they had driven out with their own hands. Suppressing her anger alone, Redanes fixed her gaze on Ashia and beckoned a wizard. ¡°¡­Contact the Elders scattered across the country using the telecommunication channels. Gather all those who were summoned at the gate as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Ah! Y-yes, Madam Redanes!¡± The wizard who was given the order rushed out. Redanes¡¯ gaze was still on Ashia, while the latter was smiling warmly at her. ¡°Satisfied? Either way, a meeting with the Elders will soon be held and will reach a conclusion. But first, starting with the barrier¡­¡± ¡°Pardon? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t ask me to put out the fire first when none of the conditions I set have met yet.¡± ¡°Ashia Bliss!¡± The anger that had barely subsided rose up again, but Ashia didn¡¯t care. She just put her arms on the sofa and put her chin on it. She gazed out of the window, muttering, ¡°That¡¯s the original deal.¡± Those in desperate need are inevitably at a disadvantage. ¡°I hope the meeting results come out soon.¡± ¡¯Give up. I already took initiative.¡¯ Redanes glared at the smiling Ashia. The other wizards who filled the parlor swallowed dry saliva at that ferocious energy. The sky was dyed red through the glass window that occupied one wall. At that moment, Lisa, who had fallen asleep like a dead log, began to tremble. She lifted her eyelids sticky with sweat and tears. She suddenly realized that she had lost consciousness as she looked around with a hazy vision. ¡®What happened¡­¡¯ Lisa kicked off the blanket and got up from the bed. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake?¡± Fiddling with the potion she bought from Ashia¡¯s shop, Aileen got up from her chair at the sight of her waking up. She approached Lisa with a blank look on her face, felt her forehead, then sighed with relief. ¡°Your fever fortunately has gone down. I¡¯m glad the medicine worked.¡± Aileen¡¯s demeanor felt unfamiliar¡ªno, the body temperature of the person who touched her was unfamiliar. Avoiding her touch, Lisa slowly turned her head. ¡°How¡­ long have I slept?¡± Aileen looked out the window and fell into thought for a moment at Lisa¡¯s question. A long time had passed even after she bought the potion early in the morning and fed it to Lisa. ¡°Uhm¡­ you¡¯ve been sleeping ever since you woke up for a bit last night. Now that I see it, the sun is already setting.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lisa¡¯s eyes fluttered violently. ¡®That long?¡¯ Lisa looked down at her hands and repeatedly closed and opened her fists. She quickly assessed the amount of magic remaining inside her body. However, something was strange. ¡®What is this? My magic¡­.¡¯ ¡®What is this? My magic¡­ This can¡¯t be, this can¡¯t be happening.¡¯ She bit her lip. It didn¡¯t seem like her body. She could still feel the tingling sensation in her muscles and skin; her energy was restored to some extent, and she had regained consciousness, but her magic was somehow not restored at all. ¡®I¡¯ve only used that much magic so far¡­¡¯ Clenching her fist, Lisa¡¯s hand trembled with exhaustion. The Magic Tower¡¯s master¡¯s magic was bound to the Elemental Cube. The Magic Tower Master¡¯s magic had to continuously be supplied to the Elemental Cube in order to maintain it. Their magic was the supply, as if their magic was being exploited the moment they became the Magic Tower¡¯s master. That was also one of the conditions to become the Magic Tower¡¯s master. The problem was that Lisa¡¯s magic recovery speed wasn¡¯t that fast. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 46.1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 46 ¨C Then That Necklace ¡®How is that mad man here!¡¯ She wasn¡¯t in a good physical condition and she was entranced by the knight that she didn¡¯t feel the other presence in the parlor. Theros took a step back from Lisa when he saw her face contort with embarrassment. ¡°Then, I will wait at the door until you give me an order.¡± ¡°N-no! W-wait!¡± Theros glanced at Kaligo, who was sitting on the sofa, and frowned as he walked out of the room. Only two people now were left inside the living room. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You have poor hospitality towards your guests.¡± His ominous voice resounded through the quiet living room. ¡°How long are you planning to stand there?¡± Lisa closed her eyes tightly and bit her lower lip. She slowly turned towards the sofa after she took a long and faintly trembling sigh. She pretended to be calm as if nothing had happened, as if she was meeting him for the first time. Time seemed to slow down a dozen times to that short distance towards the sofa. She couldn¡¯t even move her feet, but that man¡¯s gaze was making her body freeze. It feels like there was a weight on the hem of her dress sweeping on the floor. She walked slowly with twitching lips. ¡®So what? What are you going to do? Are you going to kill even the Magic Tower¡¯s master?¡¯ Recalling the alliances the Magic Tower had with various empires, she tried her best to pretend to be calm. Barely reaching the sofa. Lisa sat down and spoke in a curt voice, ¡°You came to visit me without contacting me first. Isn¡¯t that too rude?¡± Kaligo¡¯s head tilted to one side. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what the person who came to my house without contacting me first would say.¡± ¡¯Went to your house without prior contact? Me? The only house I¡¯ve been to was when I recently visited the Grand Duke¡¯s house for the Imperial Princess¡¯ wedding¡­¡¯ Lisa¡¯s gaze that was staring at the floor dizzily, quickly turned to the man. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°I am Kaligo Etous.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lisa¡¯s eyes grew even bigger. The madman she met in the forest seven years ago turned out to be the Grand Duke Kaligo Etous, the man whom she longed to connect with Aileen. No, wait a minute¡­ Lisa rolled her eyes again. Why was that man very calm now when he had lost his reason in that forest and yelled at her to bring out that necklace? She thought that that necklace must have been important based on his reaction, so wouldn¡¯t it be normal if he rushed back there and found out about the whereabouts of that necklace? It didn¡¯t take long for all those questions to come to a single conclusion. He couldn¡¯t remember. She looked back at him again and examined his expression. His red eyes turned to Lisa without any hint of distraction. He had an unreadable expression, no signs of madness anywhere ¡®Indeed¡­ he didn¡¯t look sane that day.¡¯ Besides, it had been a dark night. ¡®You don¡¯t recognize me. You didn¡¯t even recognize me in the Imperial Palace.¡¯ Lisa¡¯s mind became more at ease when she thought up to that point. A faint but light smile showed on her lips, stiff due to tension. ¡°Ah¡­ so you are Grand Duke Kaligo Etous. Nice to meet you. I am¡ª¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time. Didn¡¯t we meet at the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He apparently saw her face even though she quickly put back her hood on. ¡°Is¡­ that so? I don¡¯t remember that well¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even have a good memory.¡± Lisa¡¯s eyes turned to Kaligo talking with a sarcastic tone. With his head tilted at an angle, he looked Lisa eye to eye and added, ¡°Nor do you have the capacity to hold your own position by your own means.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cold air filled the living room. What was this wrenching feeling when he clearly could not remember her? ¡°You seemed to be offended when I visited the Grand Duchy without prior contact first, but I thought that I¡¯d met you again.¡± Lisa forcibly pulled up the corners of her trembling lips and continued her conversation. ¡°Oh, this shouldn¡¯t be like this, you should meet the Imperial Princess. Since you came all the way here.¡± Kaligo¡¯s low voice cut off Lisa¡¯s words. ¡°Even now that the barrier of the Magic Tower is melting, you¡¯re still preoccupied with matchmaking?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Lisa¡¯s expression quickly hardened. The barrier was melting? Thud! ¡°Heok!¡± Lisa vomited her suppressed breath and collapsed on the table. She raised her head and glared at Kaligo while grasping her chest with a pained expression. ¡°Wh¡­ what is this!¡± It was aura¡ªa power different from magic. A red aura rose like smoke from Kaligo¡¯s entire body. ¡°I am not going to listen to you. You, just have to listen to what I have to say.¡± The immense pressure coming from the aura seeped into the air in the living room and pressed tightly on Lisa¡¯s body. ¡°Have you¡­ forgotten a¡­bout the alliance trea¡­ty?¡± Lisa¡¯s voice came out sparsely from the pain squeezing her whole body, but Kaligo just smiled leisurely. ¡°Well, did I forget?¡± ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± ¡°Magic Tower¡¯s master¡­ I want to tell you that I am a person who doesn¡¯t forget a lot of things ¨C especially things or people related to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m telling you this.¡± Kaligo slowly raised his upper body. He then leaned over the table to the collapsed Lisa, and whispered in a heavy and low voice, ¡°¡­Then that necklace¡­ where is it now?¡± ¡°!¡± Lisa¡¯s eyes were instantly engulfed in fear. It was because the man¡¯s red gaze, who had been indifferent until now, was filled with the madness that flashed in that dark forest that night. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 47.1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 47 ¨C I¡¯m Giving You Orders ¡°Everyone, get out.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Demiact raised his hand and snapped it, the wizards filling in the living room rushed out and the door was closed tightly. ¡°You came back to the tower after a long time.¡± Tch Demiact looked at Ashia with a disgusted gaze. Silence filled in the living room for a moment. ¡°We sent you with our grace of not taking away your magic, and now you¡¯re repaying that favor like this? What an ingrate,¡± he said petulantly. Ashia¡¯s smile hardened in an instant. ¡°We took in the lowly girl who had nowhere to go, dressed her, fed her, and even taught her beyond our means, and beyond our own abilities. But still, you don¡¯t know your place.¡± She regained her composure at his very obvious provocation. She brought the teacup to her lips, soft smile returning. ¡°Other empires most probably have heard of the fact that the barriers are melting down. A country that was hostile towards the Magic Tower would be looking forward to this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What would you do if all the barriers melted down? You aren¡¯t thinking that a Magic Tower without an army would be able to confront hundreds and thousands of armored and armed armies of robed wizards, right? There¡¯s no such thing as a wizard with infinite magic.¡± Ashia put down the teacup and placed her hands on her knees. ¡°You have to think carefully. If you provoke me here furthermore¡­ you¡¯ll see that cheeky and ungrateful girl smashing the Elemental Cube and tearing down the Magical Tower.¡± ¡°Who do you think you are?!¡± ¡°Therefore!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s enough, Elder.¡± How could Lisa, the Magic Tower¡¯s Master, and Demiact, an Elder, be so stubborn? It was Ashia who should be angry and vent her anger. Even though Demiact knew that Ashia could do what Lisa should do, they were both anxious to kick her out. Neither of them, even Redanes, were that bright. Even so, their pride wasn¡¯t willing to acknowledge Ashia¡¯s existence. Demiact glanced at the barrier outside the window. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ By now, they should have been attempting to stabilize the Elemental Cube. It was risky as the Magic Tower¡¯s Master wasn¡¯t there, but they had no choice but to hope that it would hold on. Demiact ground his molars and glared at Ashia. Ashia also did not avoid his gaze. ¡°Elder!!¡± At that moment, the door to the living room hurriedly opened and a wizard ran in. ¡°Who told you to come in?!¡± ¡°Th-that! The barrier suddenly melted quickly!¡± At his words, Ashia and Demiact¡¯s heads turned to look out the window. It was true. The golden waves of the barrier that had been slowly melting just now, were shaking and collapsing three to four times its initial speed. The faces of the three people looking at the barrier were all different¡ªespecially Ashia, who had a soft smile on her lips. ¡°You seem to have no choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Demiact¡¯s expression wrinkled grimly at the frightening speed at which the barrier was collapsing. ¡®What the hell are they doing!¡¯ There seemed to be a problem with the wizards who took the Fairy¡¯s Heart and sent it to the Elemental Cube Room. Glaring at Ashia as if he would tear her limbs away at any moment, Demiact opened his mouth. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s sign a contract.¡± ¡°Good thinking.¡± The contract with Demiact went smoothly. With the consent of the Elders, Demiact signed the contract as the Magic Tower¡¯s Master representative. This gave Ashia everything she wanted, including the gold she requested and the same authority as the Magic Tower¡¯s Master. Now, there was really no time to delay. Ashia quickly moved to the top floor with Demiact and the wizards. She turned and looked at the wizards who had followed her and said, just before entering the room, ¡°Are you all going to watch?¡± ¡°¡­I have an obligation to make sure the contract is being fulfilled.¡± ¡°You would be able to see it done as soon as the barrier outside the window is restored.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you want to wait here, I won¡¯t stop you. But I am the only one going inside.¡± ¡°What nonsense!¡± ¡°Do you think I was asking for a favor?¡± Ashia cut Demiact¡¯s words sharply. ¡°With my authority stated in the contract, I am giving you orders, Elder Demiact.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That shut him up quickly. That was because the contract made with a wizard¡¯s magic was tied to their life. The sound of his teeth grinding became audible. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see how quickly that confident face goes away.¡± ¡°Well, you can keep looking.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia entered the Elemental Cube¡¯s room, closing the door and locking it so that no one could follow her. A bad smell hit the tip of her nose as soon as she entered the room. ¡®What the hell have they done here?¡¯ She frowned as she covered her nose with the back of her hand. Taking a long breath, Ashia calmed down her heart and walked towards the Elemental Cube. She heard that the Elemental Cube was a huge mana stone that vibrated with power, with brilliant colors. But the Elemental Cube in front of her now was no different from the large rocks scattered around the mountains she¡¯d seen. It had no dazzling light, no colors, no mysterious vibrations. As she pulled out something inside her robe, Ashia said, ¡°Luke, this is a hundred times bigger than you.¡± ¡¸¡­¡¹ ¡°Why do you think he¡¯s doing this?¡± ¡¸I think it¡¯s been a long time since it communicated.¡¹ ¡°Communication¡­ They can¡¯t communicate and yet they manage to maintain the barrier?¡± ¡¸They took a Fairy¡¯s Heart and used it.¡¹ ¡¯Ah, the Fairy¡¯s Heart.¡¯ The awful burnt smell was explained. ¡°Did it really exist?¡± ¡¸Humans are cruel and cunning. The fairies just hid themselves, but they didn¡¯t completely disappear. ¡¹ ¡°So it was like that. Though I don¡¯t know what kind of fairy this is¡­¡± ¡¸They took away its heart. ¡¹ ¡°¡­¡± Goosebumps peppered her arms. Humans invaded the Fairy Forest in the past to satisfy their greed. Even after many years had passed since the fairies had disappeared, the evil deeds of the past only changed the people involved but the actions were still repeated. ¡®The forest wasn¡¯t enough for them, so now it was their hearts?¡¯ ¡¸Humans are really something. It wasn¡¯t enough that they used it as if it was their own, they even killed it and took it.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 47.2 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 47 ¨C I¡¯m Giving You Orders He continued speaking calmly, but she could tell that Luke¡¯s changed voice was filled with anger. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the barrier was maintained in this state.¡± [They cheated with the Fairy¡¯s Heart, but the magic power was forcibly injected where communication wasn¡¯t even done properly¡­] ¡°¡­¡± [It would never have been able to use its full strength.] ¡°That¡¯s awful¡­¡± Ashia carefully raised her hand over the gray Elemental Cube that had lost its light. [Be careful. It might not like touch as I do.] ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking for help.¡± [Yes?] ¡°It¡¯s the same as you. It¡¯s just a slightly larger mana stone. Do you want this to be your brother?¡± [Ey, I¡¯m gonna be sad if you compare me to that stone.] ¡°Is that so? Then prove to me that you¡¯re not just a stone.¡± [Yes?] ¡°Why else did I bring you?¡± Startled, Luke muttered that he would rather live as a mere pebble lying on the side of the road. However, Ashia didn¡¯t listen to his cries and loosened the necklace. [Wh-what am I supposed to do?] ¡°It¡¯s hard to find now, but there were many spirits in the past.¡± [I know.] ¡°One of the reasons they were called Nature Spirits was because of their influence with the spirits.¡± Ashia carefully placed the twinkling Luke in the palm of her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s see, what was the spell used by Nature Spirits? My memory is hazy as I don¡¯t specialize in that.¡± [¡®Affinity¡¯.] ¡°Ah right. You¡¯re indeed smart, Luke.¡± [Hihi.] Ashia immediately took the necklace and uttered a small spell. ¡°[Affinity], the miracle of Vehil.¡± Luke responded to the spell and slightly vibrated, then a rainbow of mana flowed out and wrapped Ashia¡¯s body. Recognizing that the magic Ashia used was the magic used by the Nature Spirits, Luke spoke in surprise. [Uh? ¡­No way. ] ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not it maybe. I studied elemental art before I changed my trait to alchemy.¡± [Hah!] ¡°So, let¡¯s do it together Luke.¡± Ashia focused on Luke. She slowly closed her eyes and opened them to catch her breath. ¡°Look, mana stones are no different. Like you, Elemental Cubes aren¡¯t just simple stones.¡± Ashia wrinkled her nose as she gently stroked the cube. She felt sorry and heartbroken for it. Fairies weren¡¯t the only ones being victimized by human greed. The Elemental Cube was a huge mana stone. Was it because of the chatty Luke who lived in a mana stone? Every time Ashia looked at it, it wasn¡¯t just a piece of stone to her. Even for strangers, the energy you could feel from the Elemental Cube was clearly different from a mana stone with a little mana. It was like another being with life. You could touch it if you wanted, it would respond and interact like a living creature if you talked to it. The method of communicating with spirits wasn¡¯t that much different from communicating with mana stones. ¡°Now I promise that no one will be rude to you.¡± Ashia continued to speak as if she was talking to the Elemental Cube. ¡°Take my magic and use it to your heart¡¯s content. This is not cheating this time, I am lending you my real magic.¡± [Miss Ashia, that¡¯s¡­] Luke knew that if she used a lot of magical power, it would put a strain on her body. ¡°It¡¯s not magic that goes through my body, so I¡¯ll be fine. Why? Do you remember that time? That demon who absorbed my magic from me at the Kroken Forest.¡± [Ah yes! I remember.] ¡°A lot of my magic was drawn out at that time, but nothing was wrong with my body.¡± At least one arm should have been paralyzed at that time considering the amount of magic taken. But no symptoms occurred, so Ashia could guess that mana that escaped intentionally and was not directly used might not have any effect on one¡¯s body. ¡°It may not be, but we should give it a try first.¡± [¡­] Ashia once again absorbed Luke and her mana into the Elemental Cube. It was the first preparation for communication. However, the Elemental Cube didn¡¯t respond to the mana it was given. The mana stone had lost its light and turned gray with the melting barrier outside the window. ¡¯Maybe it was already too late¡­ Everything was the same as the moment I entered the room.¡¯ ¡°¡­Did it not like it?¡± [¡­Then what should we do? The wizards won¡¯t stand still.] ¡¯Hmm¡¯ Swallowing her saliva, Ashia turned and walked to the window. ¡°Among the potions, there was a potion that increased the power of influence¡­¡± [Oh, did you bring it?] ¡°No way.¡± [¡­] ¡°They would think I was running away if I left the Magic Tower to bring it, right?¡± [Absolutely!] ¡°We don¡¯t have any ingredients so we can¡¯t make it.¡± Ashia put her hands on the windowsill and looked down from the Magic Tower. She saw around a hundred wizards and quickly turned around. ¡°Wow¡­ it¡¯s impossible to walk out,¡± she said with a playful laugh. [Ah¡­ Then what?] ¡°I¡¯ll go to the store and grab the things I need, then go straight to the Fairy Forest to get the ingredients¡­¡± Another voice came out of nowhere. [Did you say Fairy Forest just now?] A deep, low voice that seemed to resonate in a large cave filled the room. And there was silence right away. ¡°¡­¡± [¡­] Ashia slowly stood up and looked at the Elemental Cube. ¡°What was that? You knew how to talk?¡± [¡­] The Elemental Cube went silent again as if it had never talked. ¡¯I thought it was too late.¡¯ Gently raising one eyebrow, Ashia also slowly smiled. She unhurriedly approached the Elemental Cube and spoke in a friendly voice, ¡°I think we can have a conversation, right?¡± [¡­] Ashia, who had entered the Elemental Cube¡¯s room, only came out after three to four hours had passed. The barrier naturally was restored like new before it completely melted away, and the Elemental Cube also regained stability. None of the wizards praised her for doing a better job than the current Magic Tower¡¯s Master, Lisa, but they saw and confirmed with their own eyes who was really necessary for the future of this Magic Tower. Meeting all the conditions of the contract, Ashia proudly took the gold and the power of the Magic Tower¡¯s Master as promised. And of course, she decided to keep it a secret that she got a helper who didn¡¯t talk much. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 48.1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 48 ¨C Eventually, They Met Looking at the disappearing sun over the mountain, Theros let out a deep sigh. I don¡¯t have time to be here like this¡­ As if the tight-necked uniform of the Knights Temple Order was choking him, he tore off the chain from his uniform. ¡°Haa¡­¡± He looked down silently at his trembling hand with displeasure. His anxiety intensified his tremor. At that moment he was trying to calm down himself, he heard a familiar voice. ¡°Tero?¡± Theros lifted his head to confirm the owner of the voice. ¡°Noo¡­ na?¡± The two met in an unexpected place. Standing in daze, Theros slowly walked towards her. As he quickly sped up, he immediately reached Ashia. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Tero, why are you¡ªack?¡±! Theros hugged her tightly. ¡°¡­Tero?¡± Theros¡¯ breaths were slightly shaky. It wasn¡¯t only his breaths; even the arms hugging Ashia and his back couldn¡¯t hide the tremors. ¡°Noona¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, Tero.¡± It wasn¡¯t a hallucination. He breathed a long sigh of relief with his face buried deep in Ashia¡¯s hair. ¡°Haa¡­ you¡¯re real.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re really Noona.¡± After only sighing for a moment, Theros continued on hugging Ashia and began to say the words he had been holding back, ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Why is the store empty? The person who was supposed to bring the potion spilled all of it in the hallway and disappeared!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to see me go crazy?¡± ¡°Te¡­¡± ¡°How could you do this without leaving a note!¡± ¡°¡­¡± He didn¡¯t give Ashia a chance to answer; he was clearly angry, but his voice was trembling too much that she thought he was about to burst into tears. ¡°¡­Tero.¡± As she whispered his name, Theros quietly shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s enough. This is enough¡­ it¡¯s enough that you¡¯re safe.¡± Ashia patted him on his back, feeling sorry for him. It was as if she could picture Theros who was frantically searching for her. ¡®I should¡¯ve left a note¡­¡¯ She stopped by the store, but she didn¡¯t think that Theros might look for her. ¡°Did you worry a lot?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯That being said, my head was in circles, I thought I was really going to go crazy.¡¯ Theros didn¡¯t know that she was very strong, but even so, she was still a human. He already saw her get hurt and collapse. It was probably seven years ago, when the village burned down, he told himself he would protect her. The heart of a fifteen-year-old, young and unyielding, had remained unwavering for seven years. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± Taking a deep breath, Theros slowly pulled away at her apologetic voice. He looked at her face to face. As he examined Ashia¡¯s face and body, Theros asked her, ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? What are these wounds?!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t hurt. Well, that¡¯s just a slight scratch.¡± It wasn¡¯t a big wound, but still, he frowned. ¡°You even bled¡­¡± ¡°Tero, I¡¯m fine¡­ really.¡± She smiled and patted the back of his hand. He sighed. ¡°Why did you have to do that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long story Tero, and I don¡¯t have time for that right now.¡± ¡°¡­Is it because of the barrier? Is that why you are on the way to meet the Magic Tower¡¯s Master?¡± When she heard the words ¡®Magic Tower¡¯s Master¡¯, she remembered what she was supposed to be doing. The news was all over the place, but the Magic Tower¡¯s Master, whom they didn¡¯t know the current location of, was in the capital of the Karhan Empire. It was the Elemental Cube that hinted Ashia of that fact. ¡°¡­Talking about that, why are you here?¡± ¡°The Crown Prince sent me to escort the Magic Tower¡¯s Master?¡± ¡°Escort the Magic Tower¡¯s Master?¡± Ashia looked around. ¡°But there are many hidden escorts.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There were dozens of hidden escorts. What was a little strange to those hidden escorts was that they had no mana. ¡°¡­Then, you must have met Lisa.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Theros¡¯ expression darkened when Lisa¡¯s name was mentioned. ¡°It must have been difficult for our Tero¡­¡± Ashia smiled bitterly and stroked Theros¡¯ face lightly. His eyes drooped down, nodding grumpily at her touch. ¡°Like Noona said¡­ she didn¡¯t recognize me.¡± ¡°I thought so. The 15-year-old Tero and the 22-year-old Tero look very different.¡± Theros was one of those who knew what caused the events of that day. And because of that, he lost his sister. ¡°¡­Can¡¯t we just kill her?¡± It was something Theros always used to say. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± She had always said no to killing, but she gave a different answer today. Surprised, Theros widened his eyes and asked her again, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Our Tero, you¡¯ve been waiting a long time.¡± ¡°Noona.¡± ¡°So, your noona will do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Noona will get rid of her right away, okay? Let¡¯s not sully the hands of our Tero.¡± Ashia smiled brightly. She wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would say she would go and kill someone. What happened? He was somehow unhappy to hear it even though it was something he had been waiting for her to say. Rather, he was afraid she would really get blood on her hands. ¡°¡­Sorry, I was only thinking of myself. Noona also had something to get from her.¡± ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯ll give up on it.¡± ¡°But that is important.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s meaningless now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Now¡­ I have no intention of leaving here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Theros could see the loneliness in her eyes. He had lived with the anxiety that Ashia would leave anytime. The magic seven years ago was also the magic that allowed her to go to the place where she lived. Ashia must have really intended to leave this place. The first one was a failure, but that didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t try again. She said with her own mouth that she had no intention of leaving this place, but why wasn¡¯t it nice to hear that? ¡°¡­Are you going inside?¡± ¡°Hmm, I have some business with Lisa.¡± ¡°¡­Can we not go inside?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 48.2 - Eventually, They Met Chapter 48 ¨C Eventually, They Met Theros couldn¡¯t easily answer her question. Putting Lisa aside, the discomfort and anxiety in his chest grew more when the other person came to his mind. At that moment, a strong energy flowed out from inside the mansion as if it was announcing its existence. Ashia¡¯s head turned to the door of the mansion. ¡°¡­ Aura?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia asked, raising her head and looking at Theros. ¡°Tero, is there anyone else in there besides Lisa?¡± Theros didn¡¯t answer that question either, but Ashia seemed to know the answer without needing to hear his reply. She looked again at the door of the mansion and whispered, ¡°Kaligo¡­¡± ¡°Noona.¡± Ashia called the name of that distant man again. His anxiety multiplied. Just imagining the situation in which the two of them would meet face to face if she opened that door clouded his judgment. However, it wouldn¡¯t stop her. He couldn¡¯t even block and stop Ashia. She walked away, leaving Theros behind. She walked forward without hesitation towards the door of the mansion. ¡°¡­¡± As expected, he couldn¡¯t grab her. ¡°Urgh!!¡± ¡°Is that because you don¡¯t want to answer, or you can¡¯t?¡± ¡°S-stop!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the answer I want to hear.¡± Lisa¡¯s expression distorted even more at the man¡¯s sarcastic voice. The pressure intensified over time. Her eyes began to blur as she slowly reached the point where she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡®Wh, what¡­ is this?¡¯ Maybe it was because it was only an aura that she thought of it as something ridiculous. No matter how much mana he had, wasn¡¯t she still the Magic Tower¡¯s Master? Lisa ground her teeth. ¡®You can¡¯t do this to the Magic Tower¡¯s Master!¡¯ She needed to escape. She was about to attack the man with the magic gathering at her fingertips. ¡°Please stop it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A woman¡¯s voice was heard from the door of the tightly closed receiving room. Kaligo¡¯s gaze turned from Lisa on the table to the woman. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this, but can¡¯t you solve it through talking?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As the woman walked to the two of them, she spoke leisurely, closing the door she had opened. Kaligo slowly rose from the sofa, simply following her movements with his gaze. Her steps were like a butterfly on the field. Her yellow dress was fluttering like the wind as if she was walking on the clouds ¡°She is my friend. I apologize on behalf of her if Lisa did something wrong. Please calm down and retract your aura.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°She is not in her best condition right now. She might really die from this¡­ Please.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Had Aileen¡¯s request been granted? There was no affirmative answer from Kaligo¡¯s mouth, but the dark red aura that had restrained Lisa disappeared in an instant as if scattered into the air. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°¡­Lisa!¡± Aileen went straight to Lisa¡¯s side, supporting her. ¡°Lisa, are you alright? My goodness¡­ Rendell!¡± When she called her escort, a knight hiding somewhere appeared and stood by her. ¡°Take Lisa to her room.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Royal Highness.¡± Aileen sighed only after leaving Lisa to Rendell. Her gaze was on Lisa, but she could feel Kaligo¡¯s gaze on her. She then turned towards him, fixing her hair and dress lightly. ¡°Thank you for listening to my request. It seems I have yet to introduce myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The man standing in front of her had his mouth tightly closed. It felt rather rude and cruel of him. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Grand Duke Kaligo. I¡­.¡± ¡°Aileen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aileen Encherances.¡± He was indeed disrespectful. There wasn¡¯t even the slightest respect for an imperial princess of an empire. But instead of being upset, all the muscles in her body stiffened with tension when his heavy and low voice called her name. She somehow felt goosebumps, and her heart was pounding. She had never once been nervous in front of others. She was always relaxed and calm. ¡®Why¡­ why am I like this?¡¯ From what she heard, he was a handsome man with an elegant appearance. Aileen didn¡¯t know much about men, but her standards weren¡¯t that low. He was attractive enough to feel her heart flutter with just his pleasant voice and an intense gaze that resonated through the space. Even with so many bad rumors about him, she could see why many ladies from noble families still swarmed around him. ¡®That¡¯s a bad habit, but I can fix him¡­¡¯ There were also rumors that he had changed a lot in recent years. That was enough. ¡®His eyes are like rubies¡¯ Her cheeks felt hot, but she didn¡¯t want to turn her head away ¨C because she didn¡¯t want to ruin this moment when they were staring at each other. And so, the two of them stared at each other for a long time. Just as the two of them stayed still, so did Ashia. She felt Kaligo¡¯s energy when she opened the door. The reason her heart was pounding was probably that ominous feeling in her chest. Aileen¡ªthat was what Kaligo called her. She didn¡¯t know why the female lead had to be here when she was supposed to meet with Lisa, but that wasn¡¯t what was important now. ¡°¡­¡± Eventually, the two main leads met¡ªthat was what mattered. It wasn¡¯t a very pleasant situation for Ashia, knowing it was supposed to happen. Her chest felt tight as if it was being crushed. For some reason, it was challenging to say something in this atmosphere, so Ashia turned her eyes away. Chapter 49.1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 49 ¨C Dating Will Be Done By Adults ¡°I see you know my name.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The fact that he remembered her name and called her made Aileen¡¯s heartbeat faster than ever. Is this what love at first sight felt like? She was swept away by emotion for the first time in her life¡ªwithout knowing why. She thought that this might be an opportunity for them to talk to each other and about the marriage. With her cheeks flushed, Aileen continued speaking, ¡°I heard that you had just come back from your trip. I was planning to visit you soon and¡ª¡± ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯Ashia?¡¯ When someone else¡¯s name came out of the man¡¯s mouth, Aileen¡¯s eyes widened. Kaligo turned his head towards the door, where Ashia was hesitating. Aileen also looked towards the door with a puzzled look. Her mouth slowly opened. The woman she met at the potion shop was standing in front of the door. ¨C Kaligo! She remembered how she called the Grand Duke¡¯s name while entering the gate. ¡®They know each other, as expected.¡¯ Aileen looked at Kaligo again. ¡®No¡­ I can¡¯t say they just know each other¡­¡¯ His gaze was completely different from when he was looking at her. She had also seen that kind of look before. There were theatrical performances at royal banquets once in a while, and the eyes of the two main characters in love looked exactly like that. Aileen turned her gaze away from him in embarrassment. Kaligo then walked straight to Ashia. ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°Oh, Kaligo¡­.¡± He lifted Ashia¡¯s chin and carefully examined her face. ¡°Are you alright? Did everything go well at the Magic Tower? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m fine.¡± It was Ashia who was embarrassed when Kaligo left Aileen behind and turned to her. ¡®What is this? What happened?¡¯ Ashia quickly looked toward Aileen who was standing behind Kaligo. A little startled, Aillen stood still while looking at the thin air. ¡°Ashia?¡± ¡°Are you¡­ alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also alright. I didn¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°No, not about if you got hurt.¡± She knew he wasn¡¯t one to get hurt. Even if it was Lisa, the Magic Tower¡¯s Master who was weak enough to have the barrier break, she wouldn¡¯t be a match for him. In the original novel, the female lead was also said to not have aggressive tendencies. In other words, there was no one in this mansion who could have possibly hurt Kaligo right now. What Ashia was worried about wasn¡¯t the wounds on his body. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying is¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t bear to continue her words. This place wasn¡¯t the best one to bring up the original novel. Kaligo raised his eyebrows as if he was piercing into Ashia¡¯s innermost feelings. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± He closed his eyes and smiled. Then he slowly lowered his head and whispered into Ashia¡¯s ear, ¡°Falling in love with the female lead¡­ Were you worried about that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He laughed softly. Kaligo raised his back again and continued, ¡°I told you it would never happen.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t swayed. The only person who can sway me in this world is you,¡± his low voice rang softly, a large hand settling behind Ashia¡¯s neck carefully. She felt the warmth of his fingertips gently soothing her. ¡°Your Royal Highness Princess Aileen.¡± Startled, Aileen slowly turned towards him, Though he was only looking at Ashia. ¡°The Grand Duke Etous of the Karhan Empire respectfully rejects Perthenian Empire¡¯s marriage proposal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s my answer. Also.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That Magic Tower¡¯s Master who is your close friend.¡± Ashia looked at Aileen at those words. ¡¯The sick friend she went to buy a potion for¡ªwas it Lisa?¡¯ ¡°If you once again played dirty tricks with the Crown Prince, you won¡¯t be left alone like today¡­ I would appreciate it if you could tell her that.¡± ¡°Dirty¡­ tricks?¡± ¡°I think you have to hear that for yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo hugged Ashia¡¯s shoulder without giving Aileen a single glance. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°N-no, wait.¡± Ashia turned her head to look at Aileen. She was standing there with a shocked expression on her face¡ªwithout even looking at Kaligo and Ashia. As they walked out of the living room and down the hallway, Kaligo softly whispered to her, ¡°My expectations were correct.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ashia looked up at him. Kaligo couldn¡¯t look at Ashia as they walked, only looking straight ahead. ¡°¡­When I said that you would be much prettier.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kaligo also coughed as Ashia coughed heavily. Whether it was awkward or embarrassing to talk, the two walked into the hallway without even looking at each other¡¯s faces. Theros ran to them as if he was waiting as soon as they emerged. ¡°Noona¡­?¡± ¡°Tero.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 49.2 Chapter 49 ¨C Dating Will Be Done By Adults Walking in front of Ashia, Theros¡¯ eyes were ferocious. Theros looked at Kaligo¡¯s hand wrapped around Ashia¡¯s shoulders and his hand on her face. Realizing where his gaze was directed, only then did Ashia realize that she was in Kaligo¡¯s arms. She then felt embarrassed like a person who had her love affair found out by her younger brother. Ashia stood away from Kaligo after she sneaked out of his arms. Rubbing her nose in that awkward situation, Ashia said, ¡°Oh, so. Tero, this is¡­¡± Looking at her flushed cheeks, Theros¡¯ sleek brows twitched. He reached out to Ashia, then Ashia¡¯s gaze turned to his hand. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back. To our house.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This was all Theros could say. ¡®When did they get so close?¡¯ The man and woman who came out of the mansion¡¯s door looked like lovers. His anger rose beyond anxiety as soon as he saw it. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, please?¡± ¡°Tero.¡± Ashia tilted her head at the strangely different atmosphere around Theros. He wasn¡¯t a fussy kid like this¡­. Carefully guessing that it must have been difficult for him to meet Lisa, Ashia turned towards Kaligo. ¡°I will go back today.¡± ¡°Ashia.¡± That didn¡¯t mean she took Theros¡¯ hand. ¡°Tero, you should also go back to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Noona¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go back to the store. You¡¯re not on your escort duty, don¡¯t want to go back to the palace, and now you¡¯re leaving without permission?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will ask the Chief Knights Commander about escorting Lisa. So you should go back too.¡± Ashia was thinking of asking for a favor from the Chief Knights Commander of the Imperial Knights Order. He owed her a lot so he would listen to this much. She looked at the two men before summoning the gate, then took another glance at the mansion. Facing an unexpected situation, she had forgotten that she had come here to meet Lisa. Ashia shrugged, and then went away. ¡®Well, they¡¯ll figure it out themselves.¡¯ She quickly turned around and entered the gate. She had checked what she wanted to so she didn¡¯t look back anymore with no regrets. The two men stood still while staring into the empty air where the gate¡¯s magic scattered for a long time. ¡°I¡­¡± In the silence, Theros¡¯ voice was directed to Kaligo. ¡°I love Ashia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s red eyes, which were facing the air, had a cold chill. ¡®Ashia?¡¯ This already irritating man began to confess that he saw Ashia as a woman. Unlike Ashia who drew the line between them, treating him as a younger brother, that man¡¯s feelings toward her took on a dangerous and provocative path. Kaligo turned to him completely and tilted his head. ¡°So?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you to not get involved in the relationship between me and her.¡± Haha Either way, Theros continued in a calm and courteous tone, ¡°We have been together for a long time. Ashia and I were indispensable to each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We have come this far by giving each other the needed strength when we were at our strongest. The Grand Duke had no place to get involved, and I have no intention of giving her to you.¡± Kaligo¡¯s mirth stopped. His red eyes towards Theros were still sharp. ¡°You are confident.¡± ¡°The person who knows Ashia better than anyone else is me.¡± ¡°Then why are you so anxious?¡± Theros paused at Kaligo¡¯s question. ¡°¡­Who are you calling anxious?¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you have such a strong and unshakeable relationship, you will naturally stick together.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Theros bit his lips. He, who didn¡¯t show his emotions that well, was barely able to control his expression. It must have been because the anxiety he had been holding back exploded when he saw Ashia being held in Kaligo¡¯s arms. ¡°I meant that I don¡¯t want you to cause any kind of disturbance.¡± ¡°Disturbance, you say¡­.¡± ¡°You should know better than that. Just what kind of scandals are going on with the Grand Duke.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ those rumors.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother people who are doing fine on their own¡­¡± ¡°Hey, good, responsible, and hardworking kid,¡± Kaligo cut off Theros¡¯ words coldly. In fact, there was no need for him to listen to the words of a single knight and put up with him. It can be said that for him whom the Imperial Family can¡¯t kill openly, a knight¡¯s life was nothing more than a passing ant in front of him. However, he couldn¡¯t just get rid of this man with his own conjectures. Yes, he couldn¡¯t. Because it would be big trouble if he were to be hated by Ashia. And so, he was listening to him in silence¡ªuntil all of this man¡¯s inner feelings were revealed. In order for him to decide if he could trust Ashia¡¯s words that he was just a younger brother to her and let her keep him by her side, he waited until the man spit out all his hidden greed. ¡°What did you say just now¡­?¡± ¡°You just stay as a child.¡± Theros frowned, not understanding what Kaligo meant. ¡°Yeah, a child¡­. Be like that forever, just like now.¡± Finally understanding the meaning of his words, Theros clenched his molars and a vein popped out on his forehead. But Kaligo smiled leisurely while staring at his expression. ¡°Dating will be done by adults.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 50.1 Chapter 50 ¨C Answer To The First Question The fierce energy of being unable to control his emotions added to the murderous aura in the surrounding. At that moment, madness began to seep into Theros¡¯ eyes and his hand turned towards the sword he was wearing by his waist. ¡°Stop there, alright?¡± The cold blade pressed against Theros¡¯ neck. His skin would be cut if he moved clumsily. ¡°¡­¡± He was unable to sense the other energy coming from behind as he was concentrating all his attention on the man standing in front of him. It was clearly a mistake and a defeat on his part. Theros ground his molars and stared at the man in front of him. Kaligo raised his eyebrows with his arms folded in front of his chest. ¡°Kyrian.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°I am also a human being so I did my business.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Squinting his eyes at him, Kaligo continued to talk while alternately looking between Theros and Kyrian who were both staring at him. ¡°Looking at it now, you two must have known each other.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kyrian said as he glanced at Theros. ¡°I know this guy here very well.¡± ¡°Then have a conversation with each other. I¡¯ll go now.¡± ¡°Yes, there is a carriage waiting at the front door.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kaligo walked across the garden to the main gate, leaving the two men alone. Until he left the front door and got into the carriage, Kyrian¡¯s blade did not leave Theros¡¯ neck. And not long after, they heard the sound of the carriage leaving. ¡°Do you want to do it again? I think you already know the victory and defeat back in the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion,¡± Theros, who missed his chance with the Grand Duke, spoke in a sharp tone with Kyrian, who was blocking him. Kyrian responded with a smirk, ¡°Theros¡ªa dog chasing after rats in the front yard, and a dog fighting with his life to protect his owner in the hunting grounds.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think that we fight with the same power, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kyrian slowly removed the sword from Theros¡¯ neck. He might have to kill him if Theros had gone on a rampage and chased after Kaligo to the end, but Theros seemed to have a good grasp of his rationality. He walked slowly in front of Theros. ¡°Why are you attacking the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®So he didn¡¯t see it.¡¯ Indeed, if Kyrian happened to recognize Ashia, then he would rush at her like a mad dog. Anyhow, the person Kyrian holds a grudge against was the same as the person the Grand Duke had in mind. He never thought that the Kaligo Ashia was talking about would be the same person as Grand Duke Kaligo. ¡®Is this supposed to be a good thing¡­¡¯ Theros sighed. This man hated her enough to kill her, but if Kyrian saw Ashia, he wouldn¡¯t be able to hurt her in the meantime. ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer me?¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t need to know.¡± Theros turned his back and started walking through the garden. Raising his eyebrows, Kyrian closely followed behind him, ¡°Is it because of that woman earlier?¡± Theros¡¯ steps stopped. ¡°You saw?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I only saw the Grand Duke hugging her. As I said before, I was in a hurry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But are you really going to fight His Grace the Grand Duke just because of that woman? That would be absolutely crazy, man.¡± His cheerful smile was like a child in front of a fire show. ¡¯If he was a man who hated women, then I would say that woman was someone he loved. I only saw a little bit of her, but I think the Grand Duchess candidate Redin was talking about was that woman.¡¯ ¡°Theros, she will be Her Grace the Grand Duchess.¡± Theros¡¯ forehead that had returned to its usual indifferent look was crumpled roughly. ¡°Who says?¡± ¡°His Grace the Grand Duke.¡± ¡¯You stupid guy, you don¡¯t even know who that person was, and I¡¯m telling you, that was your Grand Duchess to be.¡¯ He wanted to tell him that and correct the fact that it would be impossible to happen, but Theros held himself back. Like most of the survivors of that village, Kyrian also lost his parents and siblings that day. The story behind that incident wouldn¡¯t be important to the victims¡ªthe only thing that mattered was the person who was responsible for the fire that day, which took the lives of many villagers. Kyrian¡¯s and the other survivor¡¯s resentment were only directed toward Ashia. He couldn¡¯t tell that in front of Kyrian when he was blinded by his own jealousy. ¡°We should wait and see for that to happen.¡± ¡°Even if we are from the Grand Duchy, we won¡¯t condone those who will interfere.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s an opportunity that will never come again.¡± Once again, he murmured in his heart towards, ¡¯stupid guy.¡¯ ¡°Oh, so? Who was that person?¡± The two of them, who had been reunited for the first time in a few years with a sword, began bickering. No, most of them were Kyrian¡¯s one-sided questions. * * * The white moon disappeared behind the gray clouds. Staring at the sky outside the window with her arms folded, Aileen slowly opened her mouth. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you asked the Crown Prince to arrange for Grand Duke Kaligo and me to meet?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°And?¡± Aileen turned and looked at Lisa, who was lying on the bed. Lisa barely got up and sat down. ¡°And¡­ what¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Another story¡ªanother story you tried to deal with on your own without telling me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lisa.¡± ¡°¡­The Grand Duke had accepted Your Highness¡¯ proposal¡­ and spread rumors that there will be an engagement ceremony soon¡­¡± ¡°Haa¡­.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 50.2 Chapter 50 ¨C Answer To The First Question Aileen¡¯s lament erupted even before Lisa could finish her words. She turned toward the window again. From what happened during the day, Lisa got bruises all over her body. Although Kaligo¡¯s aura was formless, his power was truly destructive. His attack intended to kill her, truly. It must have been for the purpose of finding that necklace, but it didn¡¯t make sense to kill her who knew about the whereabouts of the said necklace. To make matters worse, Aileen started questioning Lisa as to what had happened to her. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Why¡­? It¡¯s of course for your sake, Imperial Princess!¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°What?¡± Aileen turned from the window and looked at Lisa. ¡°I am asking you if that all was to only arrange a meeting with me and Grand Duke Kaligo.¡± Her face which had always been smiling kindly, was now colder than the surface of a frozen lake. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lisa, I¡¯m going to pretend this engagement never happened.¡± ¡°N,o!¡± Lisa, who was lying on the bed like a corpse, jumped up and shouted. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Aileen¡¯s eyes narrowed at Lisa¡¯s reaction. ¡°¡­As expected.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± ¡°Did you make a deal with my father?¡± ¡°M-Miss Aileen.¡± ¡°What did my father offer you? A mine? Or a territory?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aileen sighed. ¡°I was a fool to have believed that you were a close friend.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Take a rest for now. We¡¯ll talk again tomorrow when the sun comes up.¡± Aileen turned coldly and left Lisa¡¯s room. Bang! The sound of the door closing sounded heavier today. * * * Ashia had gone to visit the Magic Tower early in the morning. Although it was still a place where no one welcomed her amicably, her purpose in visiting was inevitable. What she wanted to know and what she should know¡ªshe hoped that she would find a clue about it in the ancient books at the Magic Tower. She went back to her store and sat on the sofa, then began to turn the pages leisurely. Less than an hour after she started reading the book, the door of the store made a rattle and opened. ¡°Welcome.¡± Standing up, Ashia saw a person walking into the store and sighed. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°¡­Shall we talk?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aileen entered. ¡°Sure, come in.¡± Ashia gladly acquiesced to her request. She locked the store door again and guided Aileen to the sofa. She left Aileen, asking her to wait for a while. The atmosphere felt different than when Aileen first came. Was it because she changed her thoughts about Ashia? After a while, Ashia served warm milk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is all I can offer.¡± ¡°No, I like it.¡± Ashia also sat down opposite her. Aileen immediately opened her mouth, ¡°May I ask what your relationship is with Grand Duke Kaligo?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aileen nervously fiddled with the glass of milk, without even making eye contact with Ashia. ¡¯Is this how it feels like to be a mistress in front of the legal wife?¡¯ To be honest, Ashia wasn¡¯t in a situation where she should be treated like a mistress. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± For a moment, Aileen¡¯s head that was drooping quickly turned to Ashia. Her expression seemed to be one of liking that answer quite openly. She blushed and lowered her head shyly. ¡°But¡­ yesterday, the two of you¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Are you mocking me? There¡¯s no way you two wouldn¡¯t have some sort of relationship.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not mocking you, Your Highness.¡± Aileen raised her head again and looked at Ashia. ¡°There¡¯s really no word to define the relationship between the two of us. Even if he meets another woman now and gets drunk with her, I don¡¯t think I am in a position to stand in the way and stop him. This relationship, what do you think I should call it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was just saying that there wasn¡¯t some sort of relationship between us as I couldn¡¯t come up with how I should define what is it between us.¡± Ashia smiled bitterly as she lowered her eyes. It was funny that she had to make excuses for her relationship with him and at the same time, she was sad that she couldn¡¯t clearly define her relationship with Kaligo. ¡°Then.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aileen, who was swallowing dry saliva, asked Ashia. ¡°Do you love him?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What about his feelings? Are they directed at you?¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes widened slightly then returned to their original state. She thought about it dozens of times a day before putting such thoughts out of her mind because she didn¡¯t want to be too serious thinking about it, or because she thought it would be such a luxury. She admits that he had shown her almost all of his heart, but she had feigned complete ignorance about his feelings at the end of it. She just glossed over it as his feelings were simply liking her, being attracted to her, and being shaken by her. Aileen had been persistently burying her feelings that she had no thoughts of dating or marriage. Her gaze hovering on the table, Ashia¡¯s gaze turned to Aileen. Looking at those fearful, anxious eyes, she slightly tilted her head. Her slightly closed lips twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t know about his feelings.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aileen waited nervously for Ashia¡¯s answer, swallowing her dry saliva. ¡°I think you can answer the first question, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯The first question¡­¡¯ Aileen flinched. There was a slow smile showing in Ashia¡¯s insensitive expression. Her smile shook Aileen¡¯s eyes. For some reason, the answer after that refreshing smile was just as expected. Then came Ashia¡¯s answer. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 51.1 Chapter 51 ¨C In A Fit Of Anger ¡°Yes, I love him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aileen¡¯s eyes shook. She couldn¡¯t contain her embarrassment as she blinked her trembling eyes. That was the answer she was concerned about. She was suffocated by the anxiety squeezing her heart, probably because she could feel the same way from Ashia and that man¡¯s gaze. She¡¯d pondered all night long why her mind was at a loss. There was a time when she imagined him and expected something from him. But that wasn¡¯t love. It was just anticipation and curiosity. That was it. Her heart had never raced like this before. It happened. It really happened¡­. ¡®Did I really fall in love with that man at first sight?¡¯ Even though she changed her mind this much after seeing her (Ashia) face, she (Ashia) was confident herself. Kaligo¡¯s way of speaking to her and his way of looking at the other woman¡ªit tore her heart recalling each of her actions, throbbing with pain all night. And as soon as the sun came up in the morning, she ran to her store. With the thought that she should know the answer to this feeling, deep in her heart, she thought that the relationship between Ashia and Kaligo wouldn¡¯t be that deep. However, Ashia¡¯s answer was clear and unwavering. ¨C I love him. Why was it that having confirmed Ashia¡¯s heart, Aileen was caught by an unaccountable conviction that she should break any kind of relationship between the two of them? That the other woman should be gotten rid of? Aileen continued in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯ve never been so excited to see someone before.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The smile on Ashia¡¯s lips slowly disappeared. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s in love with another woman now.¡± He used to play with other women in the past anyway. Adding one or two more people to that wouldn¡¯t make much difference. ¡®She must be one of the passing women in his life.¡¯ Aileen thought that Ashia would be just that kind of woman. Because she was beautiful, he was just also mesmerized by her. Maybe that was why he was trying to touch her out of curiosity. ¡°I heard that when bodies are away, the mind also goes away.¡± (T/N: When you are not physically with your lover, the mind/heart can naturally change and forget. This was what Aileen wanted to say.) It was greed. The more she thought about him, the more she wants him for herself alone. ¡°I can open a bigger store wherever you want. It doesn¡¯t matter which empire or continent.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want a store, I can give you enough gold to play and eat for the rest of your life.¡± Aileen now wanted the seat of the Grand Duchess of Karhan Empire, the wife of Kaligo, rather than the position of an Imperial Princess of the Empire. ¡°What I am saying is,¡± ¡®What I am saying is, you should disappear.¡¯ The woman in front of her should stay away from the Grand Duke. If she couldn¡¯t move his heart because of this woman, she should just get rid of her. ¡°I want you to leave this empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Heok Aileen, who had just been calm until now, widened her eyes. ¡®Wh, what am I saying now?¡¯ Looking at Ashia for a while, Aileen¡¯s eyes shook violently. ¡°I, wh-what I want to say is, so¡­.¡± Ashia listened to Aileen without saying anything. The reason why she didn¡¯t stop Aileen midway even though she knew what she was talking about, was because she wondered how far the original novel¡¯s main character would go. ¡®Leave the empire¡­¡¯ She expressed very openly that she wanted her to stay away from Kaligo. ¡®Is it Aileen¡¯s true intentions, or¡­ the original novel¡¯s power?¡¯ She was afraid of that not too long ago. The fact that the two main characters would meet and fall in love at first sight as the original novel intended. In the first place, this was a world created for the fateful love between the two of them. No matter how confident she was that Kaligo wouldn¡¯t change his mind, no one knew what would happen when that time came. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Kaligo didn¡¯t change when he met Aileen at the mansion. There wasn¡¯t an inch of him that wavered. It only meant that Kaligo¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t controlled by the original novel, although he was the male lead. However¡­ Aileen was different. ¡®What is this uncomfortable feeling?¡¯ The male lead who wasn¡¯t influenced by the original and the female lead who was swayed by the original. And between the two of them, her existence was nothing. It was as if she had become the original¡¯s impurity. ¡°You are speaking as if you have already become the Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, that.¡± Ashia¡¯s sharp voice made Aileen¡¯s face slightly bewildered. ¡°Am I even his mistress? Did I seduce the Grand Duke? That¡¯s why you must have thought that I broke a peaceful family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your Royal Highness. You should talk about this with the Grand Duke and not me.¡± Aileen gently bit her lips. She probably realized that her words greatly disrespected Ashia. But she still looked puzzled as to why she said those. Ashia couldn¡¯t be more certain when she saw that. Aileen was influenced by the original novel, but that doesn¡¯t mean that she would understand her, forgive her disrespect, and be convinced. Ashia wasn¡¯t na?ve enough to say, ¡®Oh, please do that. Have a beautiful love¡¯, nor nice enough to back down. On the contrary, it was the good-natured Imperial Princess Aileen who was in front of her. At this point, she just seemed to be no different than a villain who was tormenting and harassing the female lead. The more that Aileen went on like this¡ªno, the more that the original story came out like this, the more determined Ashia became. Chapter 51.2 Chapter 51 ¨C In A Fit Of Anger Regardless of her feelings, Aileen opened her mouth again, ¡°Miss Ashia Bliss.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was that expression again. Aileen instantly erased her embarrassment and continued her words with a face close to apathy. Ashia saw that expression on her face. Lisa¡¯s expression was just like that when tried to ruin her work. ¡°¡­Please speak.¡± Ashia narrowed her eyes as she looked at Aileen. Aileen pursed her lips into a straight line with a calm look. ¡°You said you love the Grand Duke Kaligo.¡± ¡°And so?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you hoping for his happiness?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You will be a weakness in his path.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I can give him wings. I can even give him the throne of this empire if he wants it.¡± The original now tried a different method¡ªfrom coaxing to intimidation. Aileen¡¯s words now sounded more like the original rather than her own thoughts. Ashia knew that, and even when she already knew that, her heart was still seething. ¡°Do you want him to fall?¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± ¡®Calm down. She isn¡¯t in control right now.¡¯ Ashia¡¯s heart pounded wildly like a raft in a stormy sea. She took a few deep breaths as she tried to calm down herself. But as if laughing at Ashia¡¯s feeble struggle, Aileen even added the following. ¡°You are not in the position to be greedy for him.¡± ¡°¡­I beg your pardon?¡± Ashia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeper. ¡®I guess it had to come to this.¡¯ Ashia quietly stood up from her seat. ¡°Did you fall in love at first sight with His Excellency the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She walked towards the tightly closed door. ¡°Or did that close friend of yours make you do this? I am talking about Lisa.¡± Aileen¡¯s gaze turned back to Ashia when she said Lisa¡¯s name. ¡°¡­Do you know Lisa?¡± ¡°Yes, I know her.¡± ¡°How¡­¡± ¡°¡­A person who takes people¡¯s lives lightly for their own greed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She unlocked the locked door. The uncomfortable friction sound echoed as the metal collided against metal. ¡°I think the friend who needed that medicine was Lisa.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Did the medicine work?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ thankfully.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I didn¡¯t expect that the medicine I made would make her get better.¡± ¡®What an extremely ill-fated relationship.¡¯ In a way, Lisa was the female lead in this empire. It wasn¡¯t certain, but it could only be called an end if only one of them (Ashia and Lisa) died. ¡®And what¡¯s more, the pair of the female lead and the Magic Tower¡¯s Master (Aileen and Lisa)¡­¡¯ It was a combination she had never dreamed of in the original. ¡°¡­To think that Your Royal Highness is close to such a person. I am afraid it will hurt your reputation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you know that it¡¯s easy to become like someone you¡¯re close to? It would be a big trouble if Lisa¡¯s shamelessness and greedy heart started to act up.¡± Ashia opened the store door widely with a generous smile. Her hair fluttered as the cold wind blew into the store. Her chest felt refreshed. As she slowly closed her eyes and inhaled the wind for a moment, she turned towards Aileen. Aileen¡¯s face had already turned pale. ¡°¡­Greed?¡± The word greed would not suit a woman who was revered as a saint in her own land. Aileen grinned. She stared at Ashia as she clenched her sweaty fist. The wind from the opened door shook Ashia¡¯s hair and dress. She continued to talk as she brushed her platinum-blond hair behind her ear. ¡°I will try to be more straightforward from now on.¡± Ashia¡¯s words weren¡¯t directed to Aileen, but to the original novel¡ªas if she was looking at it, as if it was listening to her. ¡°If he were here, he would have accepted my love right away and offered to be my lover, but what a pity he isn¡¯t.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t you think so?¡¯ She smiled leisurely. Ashia no longer had any plans to run away. She was now entangled with both the male and female lead she had been avoiding. She even thought that she should make the original regret that she was thrown in front of the main characters¡ªwhether it was through courage, stubbornness, or fits of anger. ¡°Please go back safely. I will send you off here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aileen rose from her seat and picked up her coat. ¡°Miss Ashia Bliss¡­¡± she walked slowly and called Ashia in a weak voice. ¡®Ah, even her sullen look and voice were pitiful, spontaneously stimulating the protective instinct.¡¯ Clicking her tongue, Ashia took a step back from the entrance and answered, ¡°Yes, please speak.¡± ¡°¡­Think carefully about the conditions I said.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even with a wounded expression, Aileen didn¡¯t give up. No, she continued the original¡¯s intentions. ¡®Haa¡­ until the very end?¡¯ Ashia¡¯s smile became firmer as a result of her confusion as to which ¡°Aileen¡± was speaking at the moment. ¡°I think our conversation has come to an end, Your Royal Highness.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± Aileen glanced at Ashia one more time before completely walking out of the shop. Ashia mumbled in a deep sigh, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m fighting a princess over a man.¡± As soon as she tried to hold the handle of the shop door again, a big shadow fell in front of Ashia. ¡°Oh?¡± She raised her head and looked up. Kaligo stood in front of Ashia, silently staring at the path where Aileen had disappeared. Chapter 52.1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 52 ¨C I Like It Right Now ¡°Ka, Kaligo?¡± Ashia stammered and gaped her mouth with Kaligo¡¯s unexpected appearance. ¡°Wh-when did you arrive¡­?!¡± ¡°It has been a while since I arrived, though my greetings were late because I was waiting for the door to open.¡± Saying so, Kaligo turned his head towards her. The two main characters almost met again in this place. Even though it bothered her, there was something more important to Ashia than that. ¨C I will try to be more straightforward from now on. ¨C If he were here, he would have accepted my love right away and offered me to be his lover, but what a pity he isn¡¯t. I wonder if Kaligo heard what I said, half sincere and half said in a fit of anger. His sudden appearance made her heart drop and jump. Embarrassed for no reason, Ashia stepped towards the sales counter as Kaligo followed her into the store. ¡®¡­Did he hear what I said?¡¯ Her head was filled with fifty thousand worries even with the short time she walked towards the sales counter. And, just in time, Kaligo¡¯s gentle voice echoed from behind her. ¡°What happened?¡± Ashia turned to him. He walked to the sofa and sat on its armrest while his eyes naturally set on Ashia. He saw it. He was asking this question probably because he saw Aileen. Well, it wasn¡¯t something she should hide. That woman came because of you, and she didn¡¯t need to hide the truth. Glancing at the store door, she tilted her head and said, ¡°She asked me what my relationship with you is.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Ashia turned her head toward her door and walked over to her sofa. ¡°So, what did you tell her?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I told her nothing was going on between us.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Disappointment instantly descended on Kaligo¡¯s face at her answer. ¡°Kaligo.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ashia then brushed past him and sat down on the sofa, burying her back in it. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she continued to speak slowly. ¡°I am greedy for you.¡± Kaligo sat down opposite her and casually replied, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Huh? You knew¡­?¡± His eyes were drawn with arcs with a big smile. ¡°Because your eyes don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡­Eyes? Ah¡­ well, looking back on Ashia¡¯s actions during that time, her greed was fully revealed. ¡®Looking back, wasn¡¯t I the one who kissed him first?¡¯ Was that all? It was also her who tied the man who can barely come back to his senses while he was suffering from seizures and the one who jumped on top of him. As her words and actions come to mind, Ashia drew a deeper sigh and touched her forehead. ¡°Haa¡­¡± ¡°Ashia?¡± Unable to comprehend her inner troubles, Kaligo only tilted his head. Ashia acknowledged her feelings for him. It was also confirmed that Kaligo wasn¡¯t swayed by the original story and didn¡¯t fall in love with the female lead. But still, she hesitated with other concerns when that part was resolved. ¡­No, it would be more right to say that she had no energy to spend on an emotional game. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I am still not thinking of dating nor marriage as I told you. I like how it is right now.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Moderately exciting and moderately free.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yes? Ashia raised her eyebrows as if she had heard an unexpected answer. ¡°¡­What do you mean by ¡®Yes¡¯?¡± ¡°I also know that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kaligo laughed leisurely in a low voice. What she emphasized several times, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t remember them. ¡°You¡®ve said it before. My answer will not be different, then or now.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You can do whatever you want.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°A moderately exciting and moderately free life¡­ because I want you to live like that.¡± Ashia gazed at him silently. A person who didn¡¯t push her¡­ His honest and firm disposition could be seen in his expression and tone of his voice. Her heart was itchy for some reason. There wouldn¡¯t be a woman who wouldn¡¯t fall for those words with that face. ¡°What a total expert.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes widened at her sudden words. Hmph, Ashia got up and went into the hallway before telling him. ¡°Let¡¯s go have lunch.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make some soup for you today.¡± As the hem of her dress fluttered with her each step, he gazed at her back and smiled softly. ¡°Yes.¡± Kaligo walked into the hallway, following Ashia. In the carriage returning to her quarters, Aileen burst into tears with her uncontrollable emotions. ¡®Strange¡­ why does my heart hurt so much?¡¯ The tears that flowed to her cheeks didn¡¯t stop even after it soaked her handkerchief. Her heart sometimes thumped against her chest painfully, and it sent shivers down her body with a sudden chill. After crying to the point of exhaustion, she leaned against the carriage wall and remained silent for a while. She couldn¡¯t forget the look in his eyes. ¡®¡­Is this what love at first sight was like?¡¯ She didn¡¯t know she would fall in love with a man who already had another woman in his heart, and she didn¡¯t know that she would say such harsh words to that woman. ¡®How did I¡­¡¯ Her mind was puzzled, as if a war had broken out. But strangely, she knew with her mind that she was the one who stood between the couple, but not her heart. This feeling of unfairness wouldn¡¯t go away as if it wasn¡¯t her own. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The carriage soon arrived at her quarter but Aileen couldn¡¯t get off straight away. She spent some more time inside the carriage even after the flowing tears had dried up. She couldn¡¯t tell whether her emotions were of sadness, fear, or anger. Eventually, Aileen entered the mansion with the help of an escort. She laid flat on the bed after barely finishing changing her clothes and washing herself. ¡ª ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 52.2 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 52 ¨C I Like It Right Now Knock, knock At that moment, someone entered Aileen¡¯s room. The door was immediately opened and closed without her permission. Surprised, Aileen rose and looked towards the door. ¡°¡­That¡¯s rude.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Royal Highness, but I have something I must tell you¡­¡± It was Lisa. Lisa checked Aileen¡¯s face and asked with her eyes wide open, ¡°I heard you went out¡­ did something happen? Why are you crying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of Lisa¡¯s business.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even though it was clear how much she was hated, Lisa had to cling to her (Aileen), or all her plans would go awry if it turned out to be like this. ¡°Your Royal Highness¡­¡± Aileen interrupted her when she cautiously called her and uttered. ¡°I will return to my country.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?!¡± The words she was afraid of came out of Aileen¡¯s mouth. Becoming impatient, Lisa took one step closer. ¡°Y, Your Royal Highness.¡± ¡°Right¡­ it is right to go back. This is a strange place. I don¡¯t want to be here anymore.¡± Choked up with emotion, Aileen held back her anger by biting her lower lip. She was so confused. Her resolve had been shaken a dozen times during the day, and she felt the ups and downs of her emotions going back and forth from heaven and hell. She asserted she had never been like this before. As she pointed at her throbbing head, asking Lisa to quit it, Lisa suddenly screamed. ¡°You must get married! You¡¯re here to marry the Grand Duke Etous!¡± Lisa approached her with threatening steps. Aileen replied as she looked at her. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you hear me? I¡¯m going to give up and go back.¡± ¡°Your Royal Highness!¡± ¡°That Grand Duke has a woman.¡± Ha, Lisa let out a sigh as if it was ridiculous. What¡¯s the big deal as if you didn¡¯t know the rumors going around about Kaligo Etous? ¡°You knew the rumors beforehand, didn¡¯t you?!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that.¡± Holding her handkerchief tightly, Aileen continued as she gathered her breath, ¡°Who is playing whom? It wasn¡¯t a light joke, do you understand?! I don¡¯t think¡­there¡¯s even a slight chance for me.¡± Whether she was in the carriage or in the bedroom, what lingered in her mind over and over again was the look in Kaligo¡¯s eyes as he looked at Ashia¡­ how could that gaze be playing with a woman? Meanwhile, Lisa¡¯s face was strangely distorted as Aileen continued. ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I am asking what kind of family that Lady came from.¡± ¡°What does it matter?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Tell me, please.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lisa¡¯s eyes urging her to answer seemed to have gotten even darker than their original color. It was almost as though it was seething in madness. Aileen thought that her aura was terrifying, and without realizing it, she spat out a name. ¡°A, Ashia Bliss.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Ashia Bliss¡­ Lisa¡¯s eyebrows were subtly distorted by her answer. ¡®Again, again¡­ it¡¯s you again, Ashia.¡¯ It just never ends. How long and how far are you planning to linger with this sickening ill-fated relationship? ¡®As expected¡­¡¯ Looks like I¡¯ll just have to kill her. This ill-fated relationship will only end if I kill her. Haha While the vicious expression still remained on her face, Lisa laughed in a lower voice than usual. At that, fear on Aileen¡¯s face grew even more apparent. ¡°¡­Lisa?¡± ¡°¡­You will do that marriage.¡± I need you to move as planned in the first place. That way, I can get what I want. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°With the Grand Duke Kaligo Etous¡­ you will go ahead with the wedding.¡± So. tell me that you¡¯re going to marry him right now, and that you¡¯ll marry that man by any means you can. ¡°¡­Lisa.¡± ¡°Please, answer me that you will get married¡­ that you will marry that Grand Duke.¡± Aileen looked perplexed. Her purpose was, of course, the same though in this situation, a marriage was¡­ ¡°Lisa, as I said before, he already has a woman in his heart¡ª¡± ¡°That extraordinary playboy!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± When she screamed again, Aileen¡¯s shoulders shrank. ¡°¡­He can¡¯t be serious, right?! What is wrong with you all of a sudden? You already knew everything! She is probably also a passing affair of his!!¡± ¡°Lisa¡­¡± Glancing down at the floor and giggling, Lisa started to laugh as she shrugged her shoulders as if she had seen something funny in front of her. ¡°How dare that low-born bitch be the Grand Duke¡¯s companion? Grand Duchess¡­? She is not even worthy of that. He only fell in love with her just because of her pretty appearance.¡± She tilted her head, widening her eyes in a shrill voice. ¡°¡­That can happen before marriage, right? Your Royal Highness thinks the same too, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, ask His Majesty the Emperor of the Perthenian Empire for help! Make them send a firm demand on the Karhan Empire!!¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Lisa¡¯s voice, which had changed again, resounded through her bedroom. [ T/N: The being is fictional, but my anger is real. I can never like this character. Author-nim should definitely give Lisa a torturous death, or I will rally seething anger ] ¡ª ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 53.1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 53 ¨C With Whom? Aileen, who had been silently listening, called for Lisa in a quiet voice. ¡°You are the Imperial Princess, Lady Aileen! Ask for a cause that the Grand Duke won¡¯t be able to refuse!¡± ¡¯I need that necklace! If you marry that man, then the necklace in my hand! The power of that necklace will be mine!!!¡¯ The greed that filled her eyes was one she couldn¡¯t shout out loud. As Aileen had guessed, Lisa had some kind of deal with the Emperor of Perthenian. ¨C I need this? ¨C That¡¯s right. The Emperor, who had been laughing cheerfully, stopped and looked at Lisa. ¨C All right, Magic Tower¡¯s Master. I am willing to give you this, in return¡­. ¨C ¡­ ¨C As long as you help our Imperial Princess Aileen to get married to the man she wants. ¨C¡­I¡¯m happy to help. ¨C I have trust in you. I will give this to you as soon as you finish it. He then untied the necklace and showed it to Lisa. The golden necklace swayed in the air. It was certainly that necklace. It was one of the materials of Ashia¡¯s magic square. The necklace that was lost while being chased by Kaligo, was in the hands of Aileen¡¯s father, the Emperor of the Perthenian Empire. The brilliance of that necklace seemed to flicker before her eyes. ¡®I am almost there now¡­ my goal is just right under my nose!¡¯ Lisa briskly walked to Aileen, who was sitting on the bed. Grabbing her arms with all her might, she screamed as if she was coughing up words, ¡°You should have him! The Grand Duke of the Karhan Empire! Weren¡¯t you longing for him so much?! Huh?! His wealth and power will certainly be of great help to the Perthenian Empire¡­¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Aileen firmly cut off Lisa¡¯s words and pulled out of her grasp. Lisa sank to the floor like a person with limp legs as Aileen rose to her feet. In an instant, anger erupted on Lisa¡¯s fingertips scratching the floor. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lisa, I asked you to help me get married, but I never told you that you could control me to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Aileen¡¯s voice was calm and not loud. Her sad expression and wet voice, like a woman with a broken heart, disappeared in an instant. ¡°I really made up my mind now.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Aileen looked down at Lisa¡¯s face and swallowed her dry saliva. She was also afraid that she might suddenly change and yell. But thanks to Lisa, she came to her senses. In just a day or two, she was struggling with a great wave of emotions. She felt a desperate love as if she had a thousand years of affection towards the man she had only met for the first time, and even felt the pain of a desperate broken heart because she was dumped. She thought that it was strange, but what of it? She tried to force the man with the help of her father, Emperor Ferdinand. It was just until now. Then, Lisa came. It felt like lightning struck her head when she saw Lisa screaming at her to get married right away. That greed and anger, jealousy and envy¡ªshe was wondering if she was like that now. Almost inhuman. ¡®Is this really me?¡¯ She must be looking very different from the time when she spent each day, dreaming of a happy married life. ¡¯I didn¡¯t come here to do this¡­¡¯ Aileen turned her back on Lisa and walked toward the door. She staggered and supported herself on the bedside table. She took a few deep breaths and stood up again. ¡°I will¡­ never get married to that man.¡± ¡°What¡­ did you say?¡± ¡°The Karhan Empire¡­ I think it¡¯s making me and Lisa strange.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve felt like this, couldn¡¯t handle myself¡­ I don¡¯t want to stay in this place any longer. I want to get this sorted out as soon as possible¡­ and leave.¡± Aileen drew a line between her and Lisa¡ªof her own volition. ¡°It has been¡­ a pleasure, Lisa.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯That simple? Was it that easy for her?¡¯ ¡°I will go home safely.¡± Aileen walked out of the bedroom and never came back. Lisa sat on the floor, motionless and silent. She remained in that position even after realizing that Aileen wouldn¡¯t be coming back. ¡°Then, won¡¯t you continue to run into the Magic Tower¡¯s Master in the future?¡± ¡°Probably?¡± ¡°Will you be alright? She even attacked you with the intention to kill inside the Imperial Palace.¡± Ashia put away the finished dishes and prepared tea. She carefully poured the tea into the teacup on the table, and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. She would get really pissed off. She may even call for the elders and make loud shouting noises.¡± She giggled as she handed him the teacup and sat down opposite him. ¡°Why did she even touch me and create a situation like this?¡± ¡°¡­You are a more terrifying person than I thought.¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± Kaligo lifted his cup with a faint smile. Tilting her head, Ashia asked him back, ¡°Then why are you here again?¡± He raised one eyebrow and said calmly, ¡°Because I miss you.¡± She made the same expression. ¡°¡­The Grand Duke must have been too relaxed.¡± ¡°If possible, If possible, I leave my work to my capable subordinates.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Nodding, Ashia put down her teacup when she suddenly thought of something. ¡°Oh right. I had a question, but it worked out quite well.¡± ¡°Yes, tell me.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 53.2 Chapter 53 ¨C With Whom? Blinking her eyes, Ashia seriously asked him, ¡°That day when you had a seizure because you drank the wrong medicine, how on earth did that happen? What did you drink?¡± Kaligo put down his teacup and quietly looked at Ashia at her question. His red eyes were still and calm¡ªas if he had already expected it. ¡°Kaligo?¡± After a few seconds of silence, Kaligo slowly opened his eyes and opened his mouth. ¡°I was nervous.¡± ¡°But¡­ why?¡± ¡°Because I can¡¯t seem to overcome my sexual desires even when I am taking medicine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia blinked several times at his answer. As if it wasn¡¯t a big deal, Kaligo continued without heightened emotions. ¡°The medicine obviously worked well enough for me to maintain my daily life. The side effects are definitely gone. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°That?¡± He seemed to be lost in his thoughts again as he trailed off. Just what on earth was he thinking that he couldn¡¯t easily open his mouth? As he kept silent for a long time, Ashia became frustrated and opened her mouth first. ¡°Kaligo, I have the right to know about your condition.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Their eyes met again. Kaligo said with a faint smile, ¡°The side effects were all gone, but not my sexual desires. So¡­.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes widened at his words, ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Yes. It doesn¡¯t matter if the side effects are severe, so I asked you to make me the most powerful medicine to suppress my sexual desires.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia let out a deep sigh. ¡¯He commissioned me to make a potion without side effects because of the earlier side effects, but even that wasn¡¯t good, so he made a toxic potion and drank it? Kaligo made Ventus make it again, and Ventus made it again.¡¯ Why were all the men surrounding her so¡­ ¡¯They aren¡¯t even brainless people, but they are endlessly simple-minded in this kind of thing.¡¯ As a matter of fact, neither Ashia was rational about things related to Kaligo. ¡°Kaligo, that¡¯s something you should have told me and not to Ven.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I am the one in charge of your potions.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaligo¡¯s expression was calm even though he was being scolded. Rather, he seemed to have a strange smile on his face. Ashia looked at him and stood up from the chair with a sigh. As she walked out to her store, Kaligo followed her with his gaze and rose from his seat as well. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve made an even stronger potion for you.¡± She walked behind the counter, took out a box of potions, and handed it to Kaligo. ¡°You can take it and take it if you want.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo looked down at the box for a moment before opening its lid. It was undoubtedly darker in color and had a stronger smell than the previous potions he had received. ¡°This potion has no side effects. This potion will instead eliminate all of your sexual desires. Even if you quit taking this medicine, there is no guarantee that it will come back.¡± You will be able to go back to your life of celibacy this time, she added. Looking at the potions, Kaligo snapped the lid off the box and pushed it in front of Ashia. ¡°Then, are you saying that the potion you made before wasn¡¯t the right one?¡± ¡°That is the right potion¡ªa drug that calms the sexual desires without any side effects.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The one from before wasn¡¯t a potion to put all of your sexual desires to sleep¡­ it just balances them out.¡± ¡°Balance?¡± Ashia continued her words as she moved to the sofa. ¡°People have different needs, and it is important to strike just the right balance so that none of those needs would stand out¡±, she told him. ¡°It is very easy to get rid of the unwanted desires. Rather, it was difficult to find a balance with each of them, leaving the right needs behind.¡± The medicine she made for Kaligo was an example. Among his needs, she managed his stronger sexual desires. She also told him why she had to do so. ¡°If I make all your sexual desires disappear¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­You might regret it when you really need it.¡± Ashia, who was staring at the table in front of the sofa, didn¡¯t notice Kaligo¡¯s slightly distorted expression. ¡°You are the head of a family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So¡­¡± The next words seemed to be stuck inside her throat for some reason. ¡°¡­You have to continue the line of the family as the head.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes darkened as Ashia continued speaking as if they had been cast by a shadow. ¡°You will one day take your Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Kaligo was married to Renna in the past, he didn¡¯t have a successor as he was intentionally practicing abstinence, but the situation was different now. He would have a good life as long as Ashia corrected only his excessive needs with the potion she made. She didn¡¯t necessarily have to kill his sexual desires. ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still young. When the time comes when you really need it, there may be situations where you may not be able to use it¡­¡± ¡°So,¡± his sharp tone interrupted Ashia. And his voice, directed to her, was colder and heavier than ever, ¡°With whom?¡± Chapter 54.1 Chapter 54 ¨C We Just Have To Start Over Again ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Whom are you going to use it for?¡± His voice contained both resentment and disappointment toward Ashia. Haa, Kaligo sighed deeply and squeezed his temples with his fingertips. ¡°Who the hell did I kiss and whom did I confess to?¡± ¡°¡­Kaligo.¡± ¡°Was that woman someone other than you?¡± Ashia bit her lower lip again. ¡°I¡¯ve never imagined another woman next to me¡­ but why are you always thinking of another woman beside me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He spoke coldly with a hardened face again. ¡°Do you want that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Tell me. didn¡¯t you ask me¡­ if I want to have another woman by my side?¡± ¡¯Another woman¡­ another woman by Kaligo¡¯s side.¡¯ Ashia hesitated. The first reason was that he was her ex-husband, and the second one was that he was the original¡¯s male lead. The third was that she was afraid of his change after confronting the female lead, and the fourth¡­ ¡®The fourth is¡­¡¯ She was afraid of getting hurt by her own selfish choices. Her heart wanted to ignore the original, as well as the worries that he would get hurt as he constantly swayed her. But if she had to choose between the two of them, she would¡­ Ashia slowly shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want another woman¡­ by your side.¡± Ashia couldn¡¯t bear to look at him and continued speaking with her head down. ¡°¡­Sorry. It was just¡­ it came out of habit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am a person who may put the people around me in danger. That¡¯s why I am pushing people away rather than keeping them close to me.¡± She fiddled with her fingers with a self-deprecating smile. ¡°I don¡¯t dare think that my position can be beside the person I want. It¡¯s just¡­ a luxury. I think that was how I defined myself. That I just had to live my whole life quietly atoning. That I shouldn¡¯t have false hopes and create accidents¡­¡± Everything was an absurd position for her. It was also the same for the duchess¡¯ position, the seat beside the male lead. She pushed him away because she felt it wasn¡¯t her place. Quietly listening to her words, Kaligo moved. He sauntered to the sofa where she was sitting and called her name. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ashia still couldn¡¯t raise her head. Kaligo sat down next to her. ¡°Look at me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders and turned her body. Following her body, Ashia turned her head to face him belatedly. There was a faint smile on his mouth. She was momentarily nervous with worries¡ªperhaps he was angry at her for repeatedly pushing him away, or because he had lost all of his pride. But Kaligo was looking at Ashia with a smile of absolute satisfaction. ¡°You¡¯re active in other people¡¯s affairs but defensive in your own.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ashia, you were the one who told me that this place was inside a book.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°But once in a while, you act like a character in the original story that you don¡¯t know about. Even though it can be avoided and confronted.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That was true. Because she didn¡¯t want the original to change, she tried to follow the flow of the original more accurately. ¡°Ashia¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°This time, live as the protagonist.¡± Asha¡¯s eyes slowly grew in size. Kaligo¡¯s smile deepened even more as he looked at her. ¡°In your life, and in my life¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As he got closer, she felt composure wash over her. A rough touch swept her hair behind her ear and grabbed her cheek. His temperature and scent, his eyes and voice ¨C every part of him permeated not only her skin but deeper into her heart. Ashia was getting her peace of mind from him. ¡°I will make it happen.¡± ¡°Kaligo¡­.¡± His voice and eyes captured Ashia¡¯s shaking heart every time. Nervousness and anxiety melted away with a few words from him. Looking back, this was also the case during the old days with Kaligo Edmund. It was shameful how he pushed her away and turned his back, but his presence was more reliable than anything else in this moment of necessity. Ashia looked him straight in the eye. ¡°I¡­ I thought I was a very confident and positive person.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s still the same today.¡± Ten years after entering the book, she woke up at the worst moment and survived until now. The present Ashia now was very different from Renna in a good way, but she was still very stubborn. ¡°But I am only like this towards you. I feel like I am Renna again in front of you¡­ I assume and misunderstand, then I feel timid and heartbroken by myself.¡± ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot¡­ but I am still standing in that place alone. I am still¡­¡± ¡°That, too.¡± Kaligo held her hand and gently hugged her. ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia quietly listened to his words inside Kaligo¡¯s arms. ¡°If our beginning wasn¡¯t like that¡­ if I had been more thoughtful, you wouldn¡¯t have been hurt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have met such a futile end.¡± Kaligo pulled himself away from Ashia and looked at her face. There was an impish grin on his face again. ¡°We just have to start over again.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make happy memories so that we can forget all about the past.¡± ¡¯Again? Memories happy enough to forget all of the others?¡¯ Ashia slipped out from his arms and looked up at Kaligo¡¯s face. ¡¯With this person¡­¡¯ Kaligo¡¯s eyes arched as if he could hear her thoughts. ¡°Of course, I know you still don¡¯t want to date or get married.¡± Ashia, who had been serious for a while, burst into laughter. ¡°Of course. I plan to live a beautiful single life until your feelings melt away.¡± Kaligo gently caressed her smiling face. ¡°Now, this is just like you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He gazed deeply at her jewel-like eyes. Ashia was no different. She looked at him then buried her face in his touch and smiled softly. There was no eternity in the flowing time. Everything faded and traces of time were engraved. It wouldn¡¯t be much different with Ashia and Kaligo. Just as there was no eternal pain, hatred, or resentment¡ªit might gradually fade, then suddenly disappear one day. (T/N: Hah, my single self and this fluff here¡­ let me just cry in the corner because they are just cute~) Chapter 54.2 Chapter 54 ¨C We Just Have To Start Over Again * * * At dawn, while everyone was asleep, Kaligo returned to his Grand Duke¡¯s residence. As he entered his office, he asked Redin who was following after him, ¡°Did you find it?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord. I¡¯ve locked it in the basement.¡± ¡°Have they confessed everything?¡± ¡°Yes, I was planning on doing an investigation after I reported it to you after you arrived.¡± ¡°¡­Investigation?¡± As Kaligo snorted, Redin raised his eyebrows. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to say investigation rather than torture?¡± ¡°¡­ Show me your skills. Your hands must have been itching.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will work out since it has been a while, but I will do my best because you put your trust in me.¡± He took off his coat and handed it to Redin, then walked towards the window with the curtains drawn. Dim lamps were illuminating the garden. Kaligo fixed his gaze somewhere in the garden and continued in a low voice, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t open his mouth until the end¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± His red eyes darkened. ¡°Cut off his head and send it to the palace.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± ¡°Planting a spy and playing with my medicine¡ªhe won¡¯t be able to publicly question me if I send him his neck.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± He told Ashia that he drank the medicine Ventus made, but the reality was a little different. The Imperial Family planted people inside the Grand Duke¡¯s residence, and Kaligo planted people inside the Imperial Palace. This was the work of one of those spies. Those whose only job was to give information started to tamper with Kaligo¡¯s medicine, as if they were determined this time. ¡°Because warnings didn¡¯t work with them.¡± Kaligo¡¯s voice was tinged with laughter, but his face was calm and cold¡ªjust like when he was killing off people on the battlefield. His red eyes were as murky as a puddle of blood on the battlefield for the first time in a long time. And a few days later, a box arrived at the Imperial Palace from an unknown sender. It was obvious that inside the box was a decapitated head without the need to open it. The arrival of the severed head in the Imperial Palace was clearly an act of treason, but Crown Prince Desian ordered for it to be quietly covered up. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± The Crown Prince Desian went to the emperor¡¯s audience chamber, a desolate and cold place. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that it wasn¡¯t yet the time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± The emperor slowly brushed his beard down, remaining ignorant. ¡°Your Majesty, the present Kaligo is different from the Kaligo of the past.¡± ¡°Different?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been seven years. I¡¯ve been watching him so I know. It¡¯s been seven years since their inexhaustible treasury pot was shut in the storage, and seven years since the Grand Duke, who was acting like a man with candy in his mouth, changed.¡± The emperor¡¯s face gradually distorted at Desian¡¯s words. ¡°You might have intended to use the Perthenian Imperial Princess to put a leash on him again, but that was also wrong.¡± The emperor spoke to him in a suppressed voice, ¡°You¡¯re being impolite.¡± ¡°I am only telling the truth, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Need I remind you that this seat isn¡¯t yours yet?¡± ¡°¡­ I am not like that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cheeky b*st*rd.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡± There was a cold silence between the two of them. The emperor asked Desian a question after a while, ¡°¡­So, how would you deal with him if it were you?¡± ¡°Treat him¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to kill him?¡± Desian slowly closed his eyes and opened them. ¡°¡­No. Your Majesty.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°What was your reason for giving the estate to the Grand Duke of Etous?¡± The emperor brushed off his beard again. It was not long after the Karhan Empire was established. Wary of the House of Etous¡¯ power, the Imperial Family granted them the most dangerous and barren land. That was the present-day Etous Bohr¡¯s estate¡ªa territory that boasted the largest territory in the empire but had the constant presence of powerful evil spirits. There was also the hidden intention of isolating them so that they wouldn¡¯t even think of raising a private army there. ¡°The first few decades seemed to be going our way. But what about now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In the past seven years, Kaligo has further expanded the power of his house and raised the size of the Etous Knights to a level that cannot be ignored.¡± The emperor pressed his temples with a frown. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t such a person be prepared for anything?¡± ¡°¡­Do you have any idea?¡± Desian faintly smiled at the Emperor¡¯s question. ¡°With all that comparison¡­ we need to create a situation where everything would become useless.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you still keep your friendship with him? Was that why you stopped me from killing him?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are stupid, my son. What use was your lingering attachment to someone who turned his back on you?¡± Quietly listening to his words, Desian¡¯s eyes glistened in the dark. His twisted smile deepened even more. ¡°¡­You got it wrong, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Friendship and lingering attachments? There was nothing like that¡­ in the first place.¡± One of the emperor¡¯s eyebrows moved upward. And immediately, Desian¡¯s laughter-filled reply followed, ¡°I never thought of Kaligo as a friend.¡± With a cold smile, he slightly bowed his head in farewell before walking out of the audience chamber. (T/N: Why do I feel as if Desian is protecting Kaligo from the Emperor instead using his own way? I¡¯d like to be positive [secretly trembling] And also, this series has been adapted to manhwa~! You can read it at KakaoPage~! Kaligo and Ashia yay~!) Chapter 55.1 Chapter 55 ¨C Our Home Flower buds in pots started to blossom on the roads of Carmian not long after the cold winter. Streams of rivers that were frozen thawed, the white snow piled up on the shade melted like a lie. It was just like any other day. She was on her way back from delivering the potion to the Imperial Palace. A loud explosion roared when she was about to open the gates. ¡®What, what is that?!¡¯ Even though it was quite a distance, the loud explosion disturbed the surroundings nearby. And Ashia soon realized: it was coming from the direction of her shop. She hurried through the gate and returned to her shop. It, as well as the nearby buildings, collapsed as if it had been bombed. Chaos naturally broke out and many people also came out to watch. The front of her shop, which was believed to be where the explosion started, was particularly crowded. The condition of the building was terrible. The building didn¡¯t even look like a proper building. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! There was a flash of light!¡± ¡°Did lightning strike?¡± ¡°What lightning?! The sky is so clear!¡± Everyone was talking about the current situation. ¡®A flash of light?¡¯ As Ashia looked around her shop with a frown on her brow¡­ ¡°Ashia?!?!¡± A person came out from the crowd and called Ashia. ¡°Unnie?¡± It was Verna. The deadly pale Verna ran and looked at Ashia¡¯s face. ¡°What happened? Are you hurt? Are you okay? Why are you here? Did you avoid it?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m not hurt anywhere. I was on delivery.¡± Looking at the carriage behind Ashia, Verna nodded and let out a deep sigh. ¡°That¡¯s really a relief. I was so surprised. I can¡¯t even get inside.¡± ¡°Of course. Entering a building like that is suicide.¡± Verna nodded her head and agreed with her. At that moment, there was another loud sound from some of the buildings that were barely standing. All the people watching nearby shrieked and ran away. Watching that scene, Ashia grabbed Verna¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Unnie, I think it will be dangerous if you stay here. You can go back.¡± ¡°What on earth is happening?¡± ¡°I know, right? I¡¯ll find out.¡± ¡°Be careful, Ashia.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Soothing Verna¡¯s tearful face, Ashia let her return home and looked at the building. ¡°Haa¡­¡± The place that had been her home for seven years collapsed in an instant. All her happy and pleasant memories were buried under the pile of stones. It was also the place that became her support during the times when she wanted to put everything down. That place disappeared in an instant. ¡°¡­¡± [Ashia-nim¡­] Ashia heard Luke¡¯s voice, which was as shaky as she felt. Staring at the building, she said with a deep sigh, ¡°It was magic.¡± [Yes¡­ it was definitely because of magic if you look at the shape of the marks.] ¡°I almost died instantly.¡± [Is this a warning?] ¡°Probably? They might have wanted me to die with this level of magic.¡± [Who is it?] ¡°¡­Hmm¡­¡± Ashia softly whispered with a serious face, ¡°There are so many suspicious people¡­.¡± She might have unintentionally met people who pretended while she was doing business. There were many traces of magic, but she couldn¡¯t confirm if it was because of the wizards. Although it was being traded for such a huge sum, she couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that a scroll containing magic was used. Ashia thought of the wizards who resented her. ¡®Ah¡­ too many.¡¯ Since she made a scene in the Magic Tower, there could be one or two more people who held a grudge against her. No, it might not necessarily be a wizard. Then, was it a merchant? A denied client? Someone who could use an expensive scroll¡­ there were too many options. [It¡¯s a bit¡­] Ashia¡¯s head turned to her necklace at Luke¡¯s serious voice. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± [Isn¡¯t it a little bit wrong?] ¡°¡­¡± Looking down at Luke for a while, Ashia grabbed him tightly and hurried her steps. There was a voice like a death rattle. Ashia cast a spell on the building so that it would no longer collapse before she headed to a nearby inn. She needed a place to stay for a while. But things didn¡¯t work out as easily as she expected. ¡°There was¡­ nothing?¡± ¡°What to do with this¡­ Not only that building collapsed, but the buildings nearby as well. It must have collapsed and trembled. All the people who lived there came and left¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Many buildings in the vicinity, including Ashia¡¯s shop, suffered damage. As the debris continued to fall, anxious people came to the nearby inn. ¡°What do we do? The inns nearby are probably full.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ we can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Ashia smiled widely. In fact, if she wanted to, she could use her gate to go to the inn of another estate. ¡®It¡¯s a lot of trouble¡­¡¯ There will be an investigation as to why the buildings became that way. They will call for repairmen to repair it¡ªno, they would surely build a new building. ¡¯I need to go inside and check if there are any items that are still intact, also¡­ Ah¡­ my head hurts¡­¡¯ Fortunately, she had a separate place to store gold and high-quality materials. That meant she doesn¡¯t need to look for them under the huge pile of stones. Though of course, the potions and ingredients buried under were certainly a huge loss if it was converted into gold. Ashia pondered for a moment. Kwaaang! ¡°Noona!!¡± The old, creaky door of the inn swung open and Theros entered. ¡°Tero?¡± Chapter 55.2 Chapter 55 ¨C Our Home He strode towards Ashia with a scared expression. Verna was walking behind Tero. ¡°Are you alright? Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°Tero.¡± Theros asked the same thing as Vernia. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± Theros grabbed Ashia¡¯s hands and placed the back of her hands on his forehead. His deep sighs were trembling. ¡°So you were worried¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m really fine. I was just on my way back from a delivery.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Theros¡¯ fingertips were still trembling despite Ashia¡¯s attempt to reassure him. ¡°The building¡­ crumbled to pieces.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ you saw that?¡± Theros was probably surprised when he heard that there was an explosion in the capital, and in Ashia¡¯s store as well. He also might have heard of the news from Verna. ¡°I was afraid I would find noona under the pile of rocks¡­ If that happened¡­ I will really¡­¡± ¡°Tero, I¡¯m fine. Look, I¡¯m well.¡± Only then that Theros buried his face in her hands. ¡°Huh? Tero! What happened to your face?¡± No, his face wasn¡¯t the problem. Due to the present circumstances, she noticed Theros¡¯ condition only now. ¡°He went into the building and dug up the pile of rocks.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Ashia¡¯s forehead wrinkled at Verna¡¯s words. ¡°Goodness, you.¡± It was a mess. ¡°What the hell¡­ is this?¡± Theros¡¯ hands were stained with blood. It seems like he dug into the pile with his bare hands. Judging from his personality, he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would carefully pick the rubble up one piece at a time. ¡°Ah, really¡­¡± Ashia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. She turned to the innkeeper. ¡°Aunt Chelsea, let me use the kitchen a little bit.¡± ¡°Ah, uh, go ahead.¡± Ashia hurriedly took Theros¡¯ hands and headed for the inn¡¯s kitchen. She washed his dusty and bloody fingertips, then placed his fingertips on hers. Very faint energy slowly flowed out and seeped over his wounds. ¡°Why are you so stupid?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The wounds that were cut and torn very slowly began to heal. But it was too slow. Ashia¡¯s healing magic was not very effective compared to the priests of the temple. ¡°This won¡¯t do. It¡¯s too slow. Hurry and go back to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Noona.¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m not good with healing magic. Hurry up and receive proper treatment.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Tero.¡± Theros looked down at Ashia and lowered the corners of his eyes. ¡°But¡­ if it goes like this.¡± ¡°Why? Are you afraid I¡¯ll run away?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am thinking of going to another estate because there are no rooms in Aunt Chelsea¡¯s inn. Though it would be a hassle to open a gate.¡± Theros looked at Ashia with a more worried expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Wherever I go, I¡¯ll write down the location and contact you. Since the store looks like that after all, I won¡¯t be able to open it for a while. Just think of this as me having my first vacation and quietly living somewhere¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t worry about me and get treatment. Do you understand, Tero?¡± He sighed. ¡°Which estate, which inn?¡± ¡°I will tell you.¡± ¡°The next day, too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°And the next day.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And, the next day, and the day after that.¡± ¡°Tero.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say no or that you can¡¯t. I feel like I want to be by your side even if I have to rent a room next to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± In any case, he was still overprotective. Well, Ashia would have been too if it was Theros who was the one under the wreckage¡­ ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps all over her body. ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t forget to contact you.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± She managed to persuade Theros to go back to the Imperial Palace. He repeatedly looked back and had difficulty walking away. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Starting from the Third Avenue of Dersio, many people were rushing to the streets¡ªa person who lost their home overnight, a person who lost their store, and like Ashia, people who lost both. Ashia stood blankly on the streets among the crowd of people until Theros disappeared. ¡®Ah¡­ I also have to go now. Anyway, where should I go¡­¡¯ The surroundings were noisy, and her point of view was congested with people coming and going. ¡°Ashia.¡± She turned. He stood out conspicuously¡ªhis appearance, voice, gaze, and the overwhelming atmosphere surrounding him. ¡°Ka¡­ ligo.¡± He was among the crowd but wasn¡¯t mixing with them. Except for his unrivaled aura and voice, he was invisible and no one could see him. ¡¯Maybe it¡¯s because I was exhausted.¡¯ Calm up until this moment, Ashia choked when she saw Kaligo slowly walking toward her. The dark blue cape fluttered with each step, falling from his broad shoulders. Through swaying black hair, her heart was also captured by his red eyes. She was enthralled as he approached her with an indifferent expression. Taking off his black gloves, Kaligo came closer and put his hands on Ashia¡¯s cheeks. His face, which had been smooth until now, was contorted so badly that it was impossible to tell whether he was feeling sorry or angry. ¡°Let¡¯s go first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ashia.¡± The warm body temperature from his palms again put her heart at ease. He didn¡¯t ask if she was alright like everyone else, but she was grateful for his warmth. Pretending to be composed, Ashia cleared her throat and asked quietly, ¡°¡­Where are we going?¡± ¡°Our home.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Kaligo followed up faster than Ashia, ¡°To the Grand Duchy.¡± Chapter 56.1 Chapter 56 ¨C Why Would I Go There? ¡°Ah¡­¡± *** ¡°With this, you will be safe from any attack. It might be even stronger than the Imperial Palace,¡± Ventus said confidently. At that, Ashia glanced at Kaligo. He was sitting quietly with the two of them chatting and sipping tea. He seemed to understand why Kaligo shouted that it would be safer than the Imperial Palace. ¡°Then, are you going to stay in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence for a while?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what we¡¯ve decided.¡± With Ventus¡¯ appearance, their tea time ended there. Kaligo went back to the office so the two of them could have a conversation, so Ashia and Ventus went up the stairs and talked. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to attack here. Even if they attack, there won¡¯t be any danger of the building collapsing or getting hurt.¡± The two headed to Ventus¡¯ lab. This was because Ashia told him she wanted to borrow his laboratory. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no shortage of tools here, but do you have any ingredients?¡± ¡°Yes, fortunately, I have kept the expensive or hard-to-find ingredients somewhere else.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The Grand Duke¡¯s mansion.¡± Kaligo unfolded the extra coat on his arm and draped it over her shoulder. Ashia looked down at the cape that fitted her body and continued speaking, ¡°Why would I go there?¡± ¡°Then do you plan on staying at the inn?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem with that?¡± When Ashia asked him back with a ¡®Isn¡¯t it only natural?¡¯ a faint wrinkle was drawn on Kaligo¡¯s head. ¡°Didn¡¯t you think you should have contacted me?¡± ¡°I did. I was going to contact you and say that there will be a delay in the making of the potions. But morning should come first before that.¡± ¡°Not in that way.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Kaligo¡¯s voice lowered even more. a crushed voice escaping through his gritted teeth, ¡°Like, for looking the person who made that building like that, to find them and take care of them right away, or helping you find a place to live because there is no safe place for you to stay.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia looked at him with wide eyes and tilted her head. ¡¯Are you so bummed that I didn¡¯t call you for help? Do I have to call you to ask for help with this kind of thing?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t a child¡­ ¡¯But what do you mean by the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion? For some reason, I am hesitant to go for such a trivial matter, and not because you requested me or that you were having a seizure.¡¯ This was going to be difficult¡­ Ashia had already told Kaligo that she had no intentions of dating or getting married. Was that all? She also said that she would live a confident, smoothly flowing, wonderfully single life. She didn¡¯t want to accept his heart right away, but she felt like he was taking advantage of this kind of work, and she didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Kaligo, I¡­¡± ¡°The person who made the building that way may still be nearby. They might attack again at the place where you are staying.¡± ¡°¡­¡± If the attack was indeed directed to Ashia, then it was impossible for them not to attack again. ¡°You¡¯ll be safe at the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± (T/N; That¡¯s smooth Kaligo hahaha) If she had to find a place, she could go to another empire, or continent using a gate. But she may have to stay up all night preparing for someone¡¯s attack. ¡®The Grand Duke¡¯s mansion¡­¡¯ At the very least, it wouldn¡¯t be necessary if it was the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion. That man, Kaligo, is a trustworthy person. ¡®Yes, well. There¡¯s no particular reason why I shouldn¡¯t go there.¡¯ No, haven¡¯t we already kissed each other? Under one roof with that kind of situation¡­. ¡®But Kaligo didn¡¯t touch me first.¡¯ ¡®No, I can touch him first, right?¡¯ ¡®Should I really start taking medicine?¡¯ ¡®No, but, why was I always the one touching him first? I liked it so much back then, and acted as if we will do it right away, but why is he only looking at me now? Am I not attractive?¡¯ ¡®No, what is that? Do you want to touch him?¡¯ ¡®Haa, I must be crazy.¡¯ The conflict with her another self has conflicted her thoughts. Her worries that started with going to the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion ended with her worrying if she lacked charm. Regardless of her thoughts, Kaligo led her to the carriage. She was in a daze so she was getting on the carriage without even realizing it. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± Kaligo also sat down as the puzzled Ashia sat down on the chair. And the carriage immediately began to move slowly. ¡°There is no better way than this.¡± He said as he closed the window that had been left open. Ashia stared at Kaligo and asked him, ¡°¡­ How can you guarantee that?¡± ¡°I am confident that the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion is safer than the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo looked at Ashia with his arms crossed in front of his chest. ¡°You can close your eyes for a little bit. I will wake you up when we arrive.¡± ¡°¡­¡± If he had asked Ashia to open the gate so they could move faster, but he didn¡¯t. Even though he had no idea that using a lot of mana was too much for Ashia¡¯s body, his strange way of thinking is better than expected. She doesn¡¯t know if she was very tired. She didn¡¯t think she was going to fall asleep, but Ashia fell into a deep sleep less than a few minutes later. * * * ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t wake up when we arrived.¡± She sat down across the table with breakfast on it. Maybe she was too tired yesterday, but she was deeply asleep until morning and she didn¡¯t even wake up even when she was moved from the carriage to the bedroom. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t wake up.¡± Kaligo cut the food on the plate into small pieces and put it in front of Ashia, silently laughing. ¡°¡­ But I might have woken up if you woke me up.¡± ¡°Once you fall asleep, you won¡¯t wake up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It was the same then and now.¡± While he was looking down at the plate, smiling quietly and muttering in a low voice, Ashia silently raised her head. ¡°Yes?¡± How did you know that? It was a fact the maids told her when she was Renna. That once she had fallen asleep, she wouldn¡¯t get up until morning. Did they tell it to other people? They had never slept and woken up together¡­ ah, there was one time. The day that they had slept and woken up together. ¡°That time at the Fairy Forest! You found out then, right?!¡± Kaligo only smiled meaningfully at her question, but didn¡¯t respond. ¡®Ah¡­ it wasn¡¯t that time?¡¯ Ashia tilted her head and concentrated on her meal again. The two finished their meal and headed for the garden in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. ¡°The garden is beautiful.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you not cold?¡± ¡°Yes, I guess spring is just around the corner. It¡¯s especially warm today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing then.¡± There were expensive and luxurious teacups, accompanied with colorful and appetizing cakes on the tea table. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you enjoyed teatime too.¡± ¡°It was a habit you made me do.¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± Kaligo raised his teacup. The transparent red tea shook inside the white teacup. ¡°This is Lemet tea.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°When it comes to tea, I still don¡¯t know anything that much other than this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Every time I come back from the battlefield, you always send me this tea.¡± ¡°You remembered that?¡± ¡°How can I forget?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If it was something you did¡­ I haven¡¯t forgotten a thing.¡± Chapter 56.2 Chapter 56 ¨C Why Would I Go There? Every time Kaligo said something like a confession, he was very casual. Perhaps he had no idea ¨C how much she understood each word he says. The words he said very indifferently caused a rippling in her calm heart. In the past, she was sad and hurt by his words and actions, but that must be the reason why she couldn¡¯t hate him. In any way, Kaligo¡¯s words had the power to make her heart flutter. That nature of his probably hasn¡¯t changed that much. ¡°Did you¡­ miss that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia decided to muster up her courage again. She was afraid that she might hear the answer she didn¡¯t want to hear, so she decided to ask him the questions she hadn¡¯t been able to ask him. ¡°Renna Cornelli, the daughter of a Viscount, and Renna Edmund, the Duchess of House Edmund.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you miss them¡­ even just a little bit?¡± His red eyes that were looking down slowly looked up. When he met Ashia¡¯s eyes looking at him, his slender eyes bent in an arc. ¡°There was never a single moment I didn¡¯t miss them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°At least¡­ until a little while ago. Because now¡­ I miss Ashia Bliss too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t turn her eyes away from his gaze. Kaligo¡¯s red eyes and low voice were a trap ¨C both her eyes and heart were caught and unable to escape. He was showing her his sincerity for a long time without taking a step back. ¡°Ashia!!¡± Just then, a voice calling for her came from the direction of the main building. Ashia¡¯s head turned to that voice calling her name. ¡°Ven?¡± The man who came running quickly was her teacher, Ventus. She rose from her chair. Not used to using his body in such a manner, Venus gasped for air. ¡°Are you okay?! Haa, aigoo.¡± ¡°Are you alright, Ven? Why did you run?¡± ¡°Ah, I used too much mana today, so I want to save it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I should have gone there myself, but as you can see, I was busy reorganizing the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion¡¯s barrier.¡± Ashia then raised her head and looked up at the sky. The deep purple barrier made by magic surrounded the Grand Duchy and everything around it. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°With this, you will be safe from any attack. It might be even stronger than the Imperial Palace,¡± Ventus said confidently. At that, Ashia glanced at Kaligo. He was sitting quietly with the two of them chatting and sipping tea. He seemed to understand why Kaligo shouted that it would be safer than the Imperial Palace. ¡°Then, are you going to stay in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence for a while?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what happened.¡± With Ventus¡¯ appearance, their teatime ended there. Kaligo went back to the office so the two of them could have a conversation, so Ashia and Ventus went up the stairs and talked. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to attack here. Even if they attack, there won¡¯t be any danger of the building collapsing or getting hurt.¡± The two headed to Ventus¡¯ lab. This was because Ashia told him she wanted to borrow his laboratory. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no shortage of tools here, but do you have any ingredients?¡± ¡°Yes, fortunately, I have kept the expensive or hard-to-find ingredients somewhere else. It would be no problem at all.¡± Ventus¡¯ laboratory was admirably spacious and magnificent. As Ashia looked around in amazement, Ventus chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s different from the Magic Tower, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡± Filling the walls were lines of bookshelves tightly packed with hundreds of thousands of books, and tools needed for research were on one side lined up. ¡°You can come here anytime and make what you want to make. Of course, just let me know if you need more ingredients. Kaligo will surely save you.¡± It means that the person who supplied gold and materials was Kaligo, and for some reason, Ventus¡¯ shoulders and nose were turned up to the sky. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± As Ashia giggled and eventually burst into laughter, Ventus followed her and laughed as well. ¡°By the way, what floor are you staying in? The room near the stairs has a nice view. It overlooks the garden.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Ashia hesitated. Ventus didn¡¯t seem to know that she was staying in the Grand Duchess¡¯ room. ¡¯Should I tell him that or not? He will find out soon enough anyway¡­¡¯ After thinking for a while, Redin entered the lab. ¡°We meet again, Miss Ashia Bliss.¡± ¡°Yes, hello.¡± ¡°I am glad you weren¡¯t seriously injured.¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern.¡± Ashia smiled back. ¡°His Grace is looking for you.¡± ¡°Kaligo?¡± Then, from behind Ashia, Ventus¡¯ voice suddenly intervened, ¡°Ah, she had only been away for a few minutes. Tell him to be patient.¡± Despite Ventus¡¯ grumbling, Redin didn¡¯t pay him attention and looked at Ashia. ¡°He said that he had something to explain to you.¡± Explain? Ashia tilted her head. Ah, maybe there was a secret place inside the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion that she shouldn¡¯t go to. If that was the case, then there was nothing wrong with listening to things she should be careful of in advance. ¡°Ven, I¡¯ll be back later.¡± ¡°Tch¡­ okay.¡± Ashia followed after Redin and left the lab. The place where she was led to was the Grand Duchess¡¯ room, where she woke up in the morning. ¡°Kaligo?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± When Kaligo looked at Redin and then turned away, Redin bowed his head in farewell, then left the room. ¡°I have something to explain.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaligo walked over to the side of the bed and then tapped on the long rope, saying, ¡°If you pull this, the Head Maid Melanie will come up.¡± ¡°Ah yes.¡± ¡°And if you open the top box on this table, you will find a set of keys. You can open all the doors and safes in the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± And immediately Kaligo walked to the door connecting the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess¡¯ rooms. He continued his speech, pointing to the part of the door that had been closed. ¡°This door can be opened by pressing and pulling this to open. We haven¡¯t put a safe inside the Grand Duchess¡¯ room yet. If you urgently need gold, you can take it out from the safe inside my room.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And if you look here¡­¡± ¡°Kaligo.¡± Ashia stopped Kaligo, who continued to speak. ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why are you explaining this to me now?¡± Her question drew a faint line on his smooth forehead. ¡°Kaligo?¡± Chapter 57.1 Chapter 57 ¨C Irresistible Force Ashia¡¯s eyes widened at Kaligo¡¯s next words. ¡°Subjugation?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaligo¡¯s voice was calmer than expected. Talking about the subjugation all of a sudden¡­. Crackle, crackle¨C The sound of the wood burning in the fireplace could be heard occasionally through the brief silence. Ashia¡¯s eyes shook as she wrapped her head around the situation. Looking at Ashia, Kaligo slowly opened his mouth, ¡°The subjugation will likely last for a week.¡± Ashia lifted her wandering gaze from the floor and looked at him. ¡°I would like to ask you to take care of the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion while I am away. Since you¡¯ve set up the Duke¡¯s mansion well, I know that that Grand Duke¡¯s mansion will also be¡­.¡± ¡°No, no! Wait a minute.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Subjugation? Explain that first.¡± Ashia grabbed Kaligo¡¯s hand and led him to the sofa. The large Kaligo was gently fragged by her little power. Ashia pressed Kaligo on the sofa and sat down on the sofa opposite him. ¡°Housekeeping or whatever, you need to explain it properly. What is this subjugation all of a sudden?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo couldn¡¯t open his mouth easily. Getting frustrated, Ashia started to pour out her words, ¡°Did you bring me here to order me around?¡± ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°What more misunderstandings are you trying to make by making me sit recklessly in this position without any proper explanation? I thought you told me I shouldn¡¯t misunderstand you by just guessing. But in order to do that, you have to explain it properly, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, first of all, let¡¯s talk about the subjugation.¡± Kaligo paused for a moment before he answered her question, ¡°It will be the Crown Prince¡¯s birthday soon.¡± ¡°I know, he came to the store before and said his birthday was three weeks away.¡± She remembered the day when Desian visited Ashia¡¯s shop. She forced him to leave, saying that he would invite Ashia to his birthday banquet. It has been three weeks already; so much time has passed. ¡°This year, he said that he would hold a subjugation ceremony without a special banquet.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes widened at Kaligo¡¯s words. ¡¯What? No banquets?¡¯ ¡°Really? But that time, he definitely¡­.¡± [¨C I want to receive your congratulations on that day. ¨C That¡­ ¨C As our Miss Wizard said, I am going to throw a party with the gold that someone else has collected with blood and sweat as a lucky person in the bloodline of the Imperial family¡­.] Desian shouted that in front of Ashia. That he would throw a big, fancy party with the blood of the Empire people. But now, there was suddenly a subjugation. ¡¯What the hell is he thinking? It isn¡¯t like him at all.¡¯ ¡°From this year on, he said he would not waste the national treasury on unnecessary things.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Instead, he said that he would implement a subjugation system for the safety of the people of the empire.¡± ¡°Subjugation system.¡± Ashia tilted her head as she let out a sigh. He wasn¡¯t a man who had such a deep heart for the people of the empire. He was a person who was only focused on playing, eating, and fulfilling his desires. ¡°I think he is up to something.¡± ¡°I will find that out when I go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going?¡± Ashia looked at Kaligo with surprised eyes. Expecting that reaction from her, Kaligo nodded slowly. ¡°But¡­.¡± The Crown Prince and the Grand Duke. The two were best friends in the original story. The relationship between the two of them seemed to have fallen apart now, but it wasn¡¯t a circumstance where he would ignore the Crown Prince¡¯s invitation. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Kaligo raised his gaze at Ashia¡¯s words. ¡°Dangerous¡­¡± ¡°It was something that wasn¡¯t in the original story. Of course, I know that the contents of the original don¡¯t really matter now. I know that but¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying that the Crown Prince may do harm to me?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Kaligo smiled faintly as he buried his back deep into the back of the sofa. ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The position of Grand Duke can never be superior to the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No matter who I am in this novel, there are certain settings that I cannot resist. For example, the part where I am a man or the part where you are a woman. The part where the Grand Duke has to bow his head to the Imperial Family.¡± An irresistible force. He also said that if the Crown Prince asked him to come, he had to attend the subjugation ceremony. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. As you said, I am the male lead, so will I die?¡± He had a very relaxed face. But despite his calm expression, Ashia couldn¡¯t keep her cool. ¡®Should I tell you¡­¡¯ She said that she wasn¡¯t trying to deviate from the original, and what would happen because of it. And she was still afraid that something like that would happen again. ¡°Kaligo.¡± Kaligo¡¯s gaze turned to Ashia again. ¡°The original story¡­ I won¡¯t just wait and watch.¡± Ashia opened her mouth without the intention to hide it. At the words ¡®original,¡¯ Kaligo tilted his head and asked, ¡°Do you mean you now have an existence?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s because I was trying to get out of this book seven years ago.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia began with what happened seven years ago. ¡°I thought that because I came here, there must be a way to get out of here somewhere.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And I finally found the gear.¡± It took several years to gather the necessary materials. She had dreamt of complete success and believed that she would succeed. ¡°That was a mistake. I wasn¡¯t prepared for failure.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She didn¡¯t think of the betrayal of people, and she wasn¡¯t prepared for the danger it would inflict on those around them in case of failure. The village was set on fire as a result, hundreds of people were killed, and she had to look for the survivors. Kaligo quietly listened to her story. He must have had a lot of questions as well, but he didn¡¯t ask about the events of that day in detail. Chapter 57.2 Chapter 57 ¨C Irresistible Force ¡°I didn¡¯t know at the time. However, as time passed and I reflected on the events of that day again, what I learned was the changes in the people around me.¡± In particular, the words and actions of people she was close to had changed. They began to interfere with what Ashia was trying to do with tones and actions they never normally used. ¡°And the gears created the unexpected.¡± Ashia couldn¡¯t shake the thought that an unspoken power was working to stop her. ¡°I have already taken the lives and futures of many people by the choices I made that day. If something like that happens again in the future¡­ So, if the people around me suffer the same thing¡­¡± Ashia could not finish her words. The shadow in her eyes grew darker. Kaligo raised his waist and stared at Ashia¡¯s face. ¡°You just said that subjugation is something that wasn¡¯t in the original story.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then this subjugation festival will be an opportunity to find out for sure.¡± ¡°Kaligo, you don¡¯t have to risk your life to find that out.¡± Kaligo smiled softly at Ashia¡¯s worried voice. An opportunity. Kaligo seemed to regard this as an opportunity. As if he had no intention of running away or escaping, after all, they were inside a book. ¡°Ashia, you and I are already living in a different direction from the original.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Is that just the two of us?¡± Kaligo stared straight at her blue eyes and quietly continued, ¡°The same goes for the subjugation system. It was the Crown Prince¡¯s will, not yours or mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A lot of people started to take a different path from the original. If anything bad happens because of this subjugation, it is not your fault.¡± Kaligo¡¯s words and gaze were firm. It wasn¡¯t her fault, and whatever would happen, it was not Ashia¡¯s fault. She was comforted once again by his resolute voice. Kaligo stood up from the sofa, telling her a few more things. Ashia followed him with rounded eyes. ¡°Are you going?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyebrows fluttered at her question. ¡°Yes¡­ I have a lot of work behind me.¡± ¡°Oh, then you should go. And¡­.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ashia gently stretched out her hand. Grasping one of his fingers that was hanging down by the side of Kaligo¡¯s thigh, she said in a soft voice, ¡°Thank you, Kaligo.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes shifted to Ashia¡¯s fingertips. A momentary desire gleamed in the man¡¯s eyes, which had been calm a while ago. As she touched him, her trembling hand cautiously moved. His thick and calloused fingers were intertwined between her small ones. His fingertips were rough, but he was careful as he brushed her soft skin. He looked down at their intertwined hands and quietly whispered, ¡°The head maid will come up and attend to you during your bath.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Well then, see you later.¡± Kaligo gently pulled his hand back. As if feeling sorry for him, she licked her lips and asked him, ¡°When is later?¡± ¡°¡­¡± (T/N: I just remembered a line from the drama ¡®It¡¯s Okay Not to be Okay¡¯. It says, ¡®Later means some time before you die.¡¯ Lol) As he was about to turn back, he stopped. ¡°¡­I will make sure we can have a meal together.¡± ¡°Oh, so I can see you at lunchtime, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­¡± For some reason, Kaligo had been quite dry in treating her as of late. It was as if he had returned to being the man who was practicing abstinence. Even after he left the bedroom and closed the door, Ashia¡¯s gaze was still on the door. It felt gloomy without the sound of his breathing, ¡®What is wrong with him, really.¡¯ If he was planning on making Ashia feel hot, then he had succeeded by half. Not by exciting her sexually, but by making her stuffy heart boil in anger. Still staring at the door, Luke whispered to Ashia, [You seem sad.[ ¡°¡­What?¡± [Wasn¡¯t he the customer at your store and you asked him, ¡®Are you going to go?¡¯] ¡°Is this place the store? Is that person a customer?¡± Speaking bluntly for no reason, Luke jeered, [Oh? Your words have changed. When did you say he was just a client?] ¡°¡­¡± As expected, Luke was a stone and shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. Each time, he took advantage of her carelessness and stabbed her hard. ¡®By the way¡­¡¯ The Grand Duchess¡¯ bedroom? She woke up here in the morning without knowing how she got there. Ashia still didn¡¯t dare to think that this would be her place. How could she? But when she thought of another woman coming inside the Grand Duchess¡¯ bedroom, her nasty temper was invigorated. ¡®Aileen¡­¡¯ Perhaps it was because she knew how she looked. With a more elegant and dignified figure than anyone else, she naturally thought of her as the master of this bedroom. That would have been what the original wanted. ¡®But the fact that I am here now is worse than dust.¡¯ What conclusion would the original come to? A male lead who completely went against the intentions of the original. A dusty extra who turned the male lead¡¯s heart around. It might try to warn Ashia by creating an accident once again. Or this time, Ashia might die herself. Ashia cautiously walked to the bed. She slowly swept over the expensive and luxurious-looking quilt. [¡®Can I enjoy it?¡¯] [¡®Is it alright to be greedy?¡¯] [¡®No, I already¡­¡¯] Ashia slowly sat on the bed and let out a long sigh. Soon, her eyes met the mirror on the dressing table. ¡®You wouldn¡¯t give it back if you were asked to return it. That¡¯s pretentious.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t the conclusion already decided? Ashia had no intention of giving Kaligo to the female lead. She had no intention of dating or marrying Kaligo right away, but she also had no intention to just watch him go to another woman. ¡¯It¡¯s selfish. I know it all too well. Since it would be like this anyway, I am determined to be selfish. I will not let go of this selfish choice until the very end. When the moment comes when I really want you from the bottom of my heart, it¡¯s going to be quite a headache, Kaligo.¡¯ She looked at the door connected to Kaligo¡¯s room and let out a small laugh. Chapter 58.1 Chapter 58 ¨C A Pretty Useful Guy Knock, knock ¨C Head Maid Melanie knocked on the door of the bedroom. Entering quietly, she politely greeted Ashia and introduced herself. ¡°I am the head maid of the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion, Melanie Serument. Feel free to call me Melanie.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, my name is Ashia Bliss.¡± Melanie led Ashia inside the bathroom after a brief exchange of greetings. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± Ashia burst into admiration as she entered the bathroom. She quickly glanced at the huge and lavish bathroom with wide-open eyes. ¡®It can¡¯t even be compared to the Duke¡¯s mansion. Being a Grand Duke must be great.¡¯ The Duke¡¯s mansion could never be said to be modest and simple, but the bathroom inside the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion was even more splendid. Starting from the size of the bathtub, as well as the design of the bathtub and walls, and the various precious jewels used for decoration ¨C it wasn¡¯t only that. The variety of flowers and herbs floating in the bathtub was too luxurious. ¡¯If they only used things that weren¡¯t available during this season, then they must have used things that were preserved with magical power.¡¯ Just how much does it cost? The shelf on the wall was full of various perfumes, and the warm and clean, hot water filling the tub was slightly swaying. Haa, a sigh escaped through her teeth. It was as if she had a glimpse of the Grand Duke¡¯s wealth. Ashia carefully immersed herself in the bathtub with the help of the Head Maid Melanie. A weak moan automatically escaped from her lips. It felt like all the fatigue inside her body disappeared. ¡¯It feels good to be immersed in water like this.¡¯ ¡°The employees inside the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion are very excited right now.¡± Ashia slowly opened her eyes and looked at Melanie. Melanie smiled faintly. The soft lines around her eyes wrinkled as she smiled. ¡°Why?¡± Ashia tilted her head. ¡°Because someone whom the Grand Duke values had come.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Melanie¡¯s warm smile deepened more. Seeing that, Ashia continued to speak with a small, and hoarse cough, ¡°Values¡­ that¡¯s a little bit¡­ it isn¡¯t that kind of relationship.¡± Slightly embarrassed, she cleared her throat again and gave a somewhat impish smile. ¡°First, I think it would be better to say that the Grand Duke and I are just friends.¡± Melanie, who was following her and smiling, asked her back with startled eyes, ¡°Just¡­ friends?¡± ¡°Yes, friends,¡± Ashia said, and then stirred the water in the bathtub filled with petals with her hands. ¡°We don¡¯t know what people will do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Melanie was diligently moving her sponge in her hand, still sporting a questionable look. Friends? Most of the employees inside the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion were loyal people who had worked for the Grand Duke for a very long time already¡ªeven when he was a tyrant. And then seven years ago, a change occurred in the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion. Not only did Kaligo fix his messy private life, but he also built again the collapsing power of the Grand Duchy so that no one could take it lightly anymore. Only then he became a respectable head and a master that the employees could follow with confidence. If there was one thing they thought was a pity, maybe because he had been playing around too much in the past, the Grand Duke didn¡¯t want to keep any women by his side at all. That was why there were no young women among the employees of the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion. ¡®Now, he has become an outstanding groom no matter which angle you look at him¡­¡¯ She used to imagine the second-generation Grand Duke and Grand Duchess who would leave this beautiful and majestic Grand Ducal mansion. She was very worried that she would close her eyes without hearing the laughter of children even once. But just in time, Ashia appeared when she was very sad that her perfect master would die of old age alone like that. This weird lady called herself the Grand Duke¡¯s friend. For a man with such fierce and rough energy, a man who didn¡¯t want to make eye contact with anyone and was in a hurry to avoid it, she didn¡¯t lose confidence at all. ¡¯This is a chance ¨C this is definitely a chance.¡¯ Melanie was sure of it. ¡°That¡¯s right, Lady Ashia.¡± ¡°Just call me Ashia.¡± ¡°How can I do that?¡± ¡¯You will soon become the venerable Grand Duchess of this Grand Duchy.¡¯ ¡°Ah, then I would feel uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Then¡­ Miss Ashia, how about calling you Miss Ashia?¡± ¡°Um¡­ alright, Melanie.¡± Ashia¡¯s eyes, which had risen after a moment of thinking, drew arcs again. It was a smile that made the one looking feel better at the same time. * * * It seems that he wasn¡¯t lying when he said he had many things left undone. He said that he didn¡¯t have much to do and went to and from the store every day, but it wasn¡¯t like that. Sending her in person to the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion, Kaligo stayed up all night and was busy with his work. ¡®I want to help, but I need to know something¡­¡¯ The piles of papers piled up on the desk were full of matters she didn¡¯t know of at one glance. Even when she was in charge of the housekeeping for the duchy, she wasn¡¯t so interested at all, so she wouldn¡¯t be much help now. Kaligo told her that he was sorry for being unable to tour her around the mansion and said that she could wander anywhere around freely. ¡®Anywhere, you say¡­¡¯ Chapter 58.2 Chapter 58 ¨C A Pretty Useful Guy It had already been three days since Ashia came to the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion, and the times she saw Kaligo¡¯s face were only a handful. But as promised from the beginning, he tried to spend the mealtime together. ¡°A room you can¡¯t enter? There is no such thing. You are free to roam around.¡± ¡°Really? Even if I searched all the rooms inside the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion?¡± Kaligo put down his fork and drank water, then chuckled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter either.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­? The more you say that, the more I want to know where the limit is.¡± ¡°That too.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am serious. Ah.¡± He put down the napkin he had been wiping his mouth with and stood up from his chair. Ashia, who was waiting for him, also got up. ¡°What are you planning to do today?¡± Kaligo asked her as they were leaving the dining room and climbing down the stairs. ¡°Are you also going to make potions today? Inside Ventus¡¯ lab?¡± ¡°Yes, I think I can finish all urgent commissions if I make it today.¡± ¡°I see. Then what will you do tomorrow?¡± ¡°Um, I want to go to the store.¡± Kaligo stopped on his steps and looked at her. ¡°The repair work may not be finished yet. ¡°I have to see how much progress they made, and Theros will be worried. I was dragged here in haste so I couldn¡¯t leave him a note. When I go out, I want to stop by Tero.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He looked at Ashia for a moment. His eyes were full of things he wanted to say, but he walked away as usual without saying anything. Kaligo took Ashia to the front of the lab and headed to his office. It was the third day already, but he still had a ton of work to do. ¡®I think he¡¯ll faint at this rate¡­¡¯ Ashia stared at Kaligo¡¯s back for a long time as he sent her back. Only then did she enter the lab after his figure disappeared down the stairs. Even though her store had collapsed, the number of broken potions and incoming requests remained unchanged. Moreover, she didn¡¯t have many potions to give to Kaligo. She was thinking of going to Theros after she worked today, because he would be worried for the whole day tomorrow. She would also take a look around the store. ¡°How about this combination compared to the other one?¡± ¡°I have never thought of the attributes it will have with that combination.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather use this herb for the first combination, and it also works better.¡± ¡°Ohh.¡± The two people helped each other with the research and production, not leaving the laboratory until late. When the sky was already dark in the evening, Redin arrived at Ventus¡¯ laboratory. ¡°Miss Ashia.¡± What had changed over the course of three days was his way of calling her ¡®Miss Ashia Bliss¡¯ had been changed to only ¡®Miss Ashia.¡¯ He must have picked it up from Melanie. ¡°Redin?¡± ¡°His Excellency wanted to see you for a moment.¡± ¡°Kaligo is awake?¡± ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Ashia had stopped by Kaligo¡¯s office a few hours ago. It was because he didn¡¯t come down even though it was time to eat lunch. But she had to go back as she didn¡¯t want to wake him up when he had just slept. He would naturally wake up after sleeping so well. Mumbling inwardly, Ashia followed Redin back to the Grand Duke¡¯s office. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± As soon as they entered the office, she saw Kaligo. He was dressed neatly as if he had never slept. ¡°Yes¡­ But weren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Kaligo laughed silently when Ashia asked him with a confused look. ¡°Yes, I had slept enough so I woke up.¡± He didn¡¯t look like someone who had just woken up. He looked like someone who had been awake the entire time. ¡°You said you¡¯re going to the store tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°So I looked into it. They said it would be completed sooner than expected.¡± ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Kaligo got up from his chair and handed her a piece of paper. The paper detailed how the process of restoring the building was going, and the expected completion date. Ashia looked down at the paper and nodded. ¡°Are you planning to go back to business right after the repair is completed?¡± ¡°Of course. I still don¡¯t know how much I lost.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± At her question, Kaligo gave orders to Redin, who was standing behind him, ¡°Tell him to come in.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Redin moved, opening the door to the office and pulling a man who was waiting outside. ¡°Oh, let me go. What¡¯s the hurry? I can walk by myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re noisy. Behave yourself.¡± A mumble rang out in the quiet office. Ashia¡¯s gaze was also focused on the man entering through the door. Ashia could recognize the person who was entering the office at a glance. Kaligo looked at the door, then looked at Ashia again. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from leaving the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion. But instead, take him with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just for a while. Even if he looks like that, he¡¯s a pretty useful guy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The man who Redin dragged was forced to stand next to Kaligo. ¡°He will serve you for the time being. Greet her, Kyrian.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was none other than Kyrian who Kaligo had chosen as Ashia¡¯s escort. Kyrian¡¯s eyes also turned to the woman sitting opposite the Grand Duke. Kyrian¡¯s mouth, which had been mumbling until now, was pursed tightly as if his lips were glued together. ¡°This¡­ this must be a joke, right?¡± Chapter 59.1 Chapter 59 ¨C For Staying Alive Kyrian¡¯s voice, which was always tinted with playfulness, instantly cooled, ¡°What is this? What kind of ridiculous joke is this¡­?¡± ¡°Watch your words.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Redin gritted his teeth. In spite of that, Kyrian continued talking without withdrawing his sharp gaze away, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you want me to escort that woman¡­¡± ¡°Kyrian.¡± Kaligo¡¯s voice cut him off. His gaze on Ashia turned to Kaligo. No matter how mischievous he was, Kaligo had never been angry with Kyrian. It wasn¡¯t just to Kyrian. He showed infinite trust in the ones he strongly believed were his people. But Kyrian could tell¡ªthere was anger in the voice that called him just now. ¡°Your Excellency! I¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let me down.¡± Kyrian¡¯s jaw clenched. His gaze on Kaligo turned back to Ashia on the other side. ¡°So¡­ are you telling me that wo¡ªI mean, I am supposed to escort her?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No¡­ but still, this is¡­.¡± Just as Kyrian was about to start grumbling again, Ashia, who was sitting quietly, interrupted him. ¡°Please take care of me, Sir Kyrian,¡± she continued her words with a smile on her face, ¡°I will really appreciate an escort who cares about my well-being and safety.¡± ¡°What? Why would I¡­¡± ¡°Then, can I go out now and have a look? I am with an escort knight who will take care of my safety.¡± She raised her curved eyes and looked up at Kyrian. Kaligo then nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± ¡°Kyrian, you can give up if you are not confident.¡± Kaligo¡¯s voice made Kyrian¡¯s shoulders shudder and his body tremble. He hated the words ¡®give up¡¯ the most. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°You can stop if you find someone who will replace you.¡± Kyrian¡¯s lips twitched and stopped at his words. ¡°Your answer?¡± He hesitated, making a pained grumble, and finally opened his mouth to respond, ¡°Leave¡­ it to me, Your Excellency.¡± Ashia got up from the sofa after Kyrian gave his answer. Kaligo, Redin, and Kyrian¡¯s eyes were fixed on her figure. ¡°Then, I will go first.¡± Then, looking at Kyrian, she made a gesture with her chin. It seemed like she was telling him to follow her. Kyrian clicked his tongue as he looked at Ashia¡¯s back walking out of the office with her dress fluttering in the air. ¡®Hah, that woman really!¡¯ Kyrian followed after her while secretly clenching his fists. As the door to the office closed, Redin, who was quietly staring at the door, opened his mouth, ¡°¡­Will it be alright?¡± ¡°They are people who should meet at least once anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now is also an important time for each and every person I can trust.¡± Kaligo had a vague understanding of their relationship¡ªthe survivor who survived the burning of the village, and the person who set it on fire. It was not a good kind of relationship to have. ¡°If I had to choose between those two people, I already have an answer. But I don¡¯t want that kind of situation to happen.¡± The best outcome was that they would reconcile and let go of their grievances so neither of them would have to leave. And Kaligo believed Ashia could make it happen. * * * ¡°You¡¯re crazy, right? What is this place?¡± ¡°Are you going to start again just after being warned to watch your words a while ago?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia diligently walked without even looking behind her. And she soon stopped in front of the Grand Duchess¡¯ room. ¡°Why would you go there?¡± ¡°Did you come back from somewhere? You don¡¯t seem to have any idea what happened inside the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion.¡± Ashia turned around and looked at Kyrian. ¡°I am staying here, inside this room.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°And Kyrian, I am the Grand Duke¡¯s friend¡ªthe friend of the Grand Duke whom you are serving.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You need to know that doing anything to me would humiliate Kaligo.¡± Hah, Kyrian snorted. ¡°Who are you to worry about that¡­.¡± ¡°I am not saying this for me. It is for Grand Duke Kaligo. I don¡¯t want him to be humiliated by the conduct of his subordinates.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ashia had long since erased her smile. She gave Kyrian a warning and advice at the same time. He pouted. When he looked at Ashia again with sharp eyes, she was smiling again. ¡°You can call me noona when it¡¯s just the two of us. Like before.¡± ¡°What? Hah! What are you?¡± He could feel his emotions churning wildly as if they were about to explode at any moment. Ashia tiptoed and her hands went above Kyrian¡¯s head. His eyes quickly widened as large as those of a startled rabbit. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Kyrian.¡± Her small hands lightly touched Kyrian¡¯s red hair, softly stroking it. Whether it was because he was just surprised or because of another reason, Kyrian who had just been ferocious, was looking down at Ashia with his eyes wide open. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And, thank you¡­ for being alive.¡± Then, Kyrian¡¯s eyes widened even more. As if he had suddenly come back to his senses, the quiet Kyrian struck Ashia¡¯s hand off. ¡°¡­Wh-what do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± ¡°Aiyah.¡± Kyrian ruffled his hair and hurriedly took a step away from Ashia. ¡°It was nothing¡­.¡± He turned around and started walking at a fast pace, the tips of his ears and his face red. ¡°Where are you going? You still have to escort me.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Kyrian walked forward without looking back. Looking at his back, Ashia muttered in a voice mixed with laughter, ¡°You were the same. You¡¯ve grown up, but you¡¯re still the same. Just like Tero.¡± He had nowhere to run away after all. Looking at Kyrian, he seemed to listen well to what Kaligo told him, and Kaligo also seemed to have done that knowing everything. ¡®It seems like we will stick together forever, Kyrian.¡¯ Smiling bashfully as she watched Kyrian go down the stairs, Ashia opened the door to the bedroom and entered. Chapter 59.2 Chapter 59 ¨C For Staying Alive * * * ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Kyrian?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She usually ate with Kaligo, but for some reason, Kyrian was also with them today. Kaligo tilted his head. ¡°Oh, I told him to stay with me. My escort should be a person who is with me when I eat, go for a walk, or make potions.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ is that so?¡± Kaligo¡¯s low laughter was heard as Ashia replied indifferently. As if he was dissatisfied with that again, Kyrian wrinkled his eyebrows. Kaligo believed that she would do just well on her own, but he didn¡¯t expect her to take the initiative sooner than expected. In fact, Kyrian was a person far from the normal category. Kaligo also knew it, so he was cautious as he set up the meeting between the two of them. He couldn¡¯t ignore the probability that he would suddenly go crazy without listening to his orders. But surprisingly, Kyrian seemed to be following Ashia¡¯s orders just well. Though it was of course mainly thanks to the Grand Duke¡¯s orders, it can be said that it was Ashia¡¯s ability to use it well to make good use of Kyrian. ¡°I am going to the capital tomorrow as soon as the sun comes up.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I will look around the store and also visit Tero at the Imperial Palace.¡± Kaligo flinched at the word ¡®Imperial Palace,¡¯ while Kyrian flinched at the name Tero, or Theros. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I have Sir Kyrian with me.¡± ¡°It would be best if you don¡¯t visit him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you must visit him, why not have Sir Theros come out himself rather than going directly to the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was saying it indifferently, but his words contained his wish for her not to visit Theros and not to go inside the Imperial Palace. ¡°Are you saying that the Imperial Palace is dangerous?¡± ¡°Because it is not a safe place.¡± ¡°Tero is there so it would be alright. In that place.¡± Ashia turned her head to Kyrian. When their eyes met, her eyes curved in an arc. ¡°Sir Kyrian will also be with me. Right, Sir Kyrian?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The knight tightened his jaw and the sound of his molars grinding against each other was heard. ¡°Until the sun goes down¡­?¡± ¡°I told you not to worry. I will be back as soon as possible.¡± She could understand a little bit about Kaligo¡¯s concerns. The image of the fragile Renna would always remain in his mind. Ashia was no different than Kaligo, as she also sees her ex-husband from his figure, but she couldn¡¯t just hide until the criminal was caught. Because Ashia has ¡®Ashia¡¯s¡¯ life. They moved to the office after eating. Ashia returned with the potion she had made and placed it on the table. ¡°This is a new medicine.¡± ¡°I still have some left, though.¡± ¡°I made it easy to carry around. When I heard that you were going to the subjugation, I thought you won¡¯t be able to use a fragile glass vial.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°I made it into pills and not potions. Though there is a difference to how much you should take, there is no significant difference in its efficacy.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°And.¡± Ashia took out another box, ¡°I also made hemostatic agents and various things that are useful on the battlefield.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The directions on how to use them are indicated inside, so be sure to read them before using.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I will.¡± ¡°Also, give this to the Knights Templar before you leave.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ a magic scroll?¡± ¡°Ven and I worked hard to make that.¡± (T/N: Hemostatic agents are used to manage bleeding. Most common of them includes ferric (ferrous) sulfate and Aluminum Chloride.) It seems like she wasn¡¯t just making potions after spending a few days with Ventus inside the lab without showing her face, to the point that it made him feel sad. ¡°As you know, magic scrolls are really complicated to make and require a lot of mana. Well, is that all? It is very expensive and doesn¡¯t last forever.¡± ¡°Yes, I know that.¡± As she bragged, Kaligo¡¯s low voice burst into laughter with an audible echo. Quietly listening to his voice, Ashia continued her words with a calm voice., ¡°¡­So.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt and come back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Etous Knights Templar¡­ and you as well.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I will keep that in mind.¡± She decided not to tell him that she would grant him a wish if he returned safely. It was like saying goodbye to someone who was going far away. Ashia walked out of the office, once again telling Kaligo how to use the things. She planned to go to bed early today to move early tomorrow morning. Leaving the office, Ashia slowly walked down the hallway laid with a dark blue carpet. Sure enough, Kyrian, who had been quiet until now, opened his mouth. ¡°That magic. I thought it was only used to kill people, but I see it can also make good things.¡± ¡°You¡¯re cheeky.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She dismissed his sarcasm with an uninterested voice. Kyrian¡¯s attack didn¡¯t seem to work that much against Ashia. Humming, Ashia entered the office next to the Grand Duchess¡¯ bedroom. ¡°Sit on the sofa.¡± Kyrian walked to the sofa at Ashia¡¯s words. She looked for something on her desk, and then found a small piece of paper, then sat down across from Kyrian. She placed the paper on top of the table and held it in front of Kyrian, then said, ¡°Look for it if you have time. You can stop by there since we will also be going to the capital tomorrow.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Kyrian picked up the paper on the table. An address was written on the paper. ¡°An address?¡± ¡°You can tell by looking at it. I, too, recognized you at a glance even though it has been seven years already.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kyrian¡¯s eyes were full of doubts as he checked the address again. Ashia smiled bitterly and continued talking. ¡°They are survivors. It was still a small village, but it is getting bigger and growing, and life is also getting better.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯d probably be happy if they know you¡¯re still alive¡­.¡± ¡°What kind of rubbish is that?¡± Crumpling the paper in his hand, Kyrian stared at Ashia with his red eyes. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can it make the dead come back to life?¡± (T/N: I thought Kyrian would be made as a character who just made up with the person who made his family die, but I am glad to see him still having second thoughts about Ashia. It made him feel like a person who had emotions and was still grieving about the death of his loved ones, instead of just a written character in a story.) Chapter 60.1 Chapter 60 ¨C Nothing Will Change Ashia swallowed down her saliva and lowered her gaze. As she stared at the crumpled paper on Kyrian¡¯s hands, she continued her words, ¡°I am not making any excuses. It doesn¡¯t change the fact that it came from my magical powers, and that it was something I couldn¡¯t control.¡± Kyrian¡¯s hand clenched. ¡°Ha¡­ you¡¯re really shameless.¡± Ashia¡¯s gaze looking at his hand slowly rose. As she stared at him, she met his brown eyes. But still, Ashia remained calm. Rather, there was a cold chill in her voice. ¡°So?¡± ¡°What? So?¡± ¡°Did you also want me to die then?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Looking at Kyrian¡¯s distorted expression, Ashia spoke in a clear and definite voice, ¡°But one thing¡¯s for sure that even if I died back then, they wouldn¡¯t have survived until now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to understand my circumstances. It is also alright if you keep on hating me.¡± Ashia¡¯s voice became more assertive as she kept on talking, ¡°Whether you hate me now or not, you should know that I will live as I am now and nothing will change.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you keep on putting yourself on edge like that¡­ you¡¯ll be the one who gets tired.¡± Kyrian, who was looking at her, lowered his eyes again to the paper in his hand. ¡®The survivors¡­.¡¯ He once tried to find them. The peaceful small town, his close friends and neighbors who he was born with and raised together ¨C he missed them all, he missed his family. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to find them with the Grand Duke¡¯s intel. However¡­ ¨C The people of the Cursed Land He hesitated. They must¡¯ve been all dead anyway. Was there really a need to find them and let them know? And Kyrian¡¯s thoughts stopped there. In the end, Kyrian didn¡¯t even visit them. He hated being labeled as a person of the Cursed Land, rather than wondering if they were doing just fine. He was afraid that if they had a negative image of him, it would damage the Grand Duke he was serving, and then one day, the Grand Duke would suddenly abandon him. That¡¯s why he decided to turn his back on them. He thought that since his family was all dead, there was no reason for him to meet them. Forgetting them just like that, he continued living with hatred towards the culprit who burned the village. However, that person who set the village on fire was also the same person who took care of those people he turned his back on and the people he tried to forget. ¡°This is making me annoyed¡­ because that person is you¡­ Really.¡± It was always like that. She won the people¡¯s trust at once with her quite reasonable actions and words. Kyrian jumped up from his seat. The white paper was still in between his clenched fists. ¡°¡­You¡¯re going?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He looked down at Ashia with sad eyes. Not long after, Kyrian turned without a word and left her office. Bang¨C! Only after the door was closed that Ashia leaned back on the sofa. ¡°Phew¡­¡± [Phew¡­ his murderous intent was really intense.] ¡°I would also hate it. I¡¯d be lying if I said I wouldn¡¯t.¡± [But still, I¡¯m glad that guy seems to listen to your words really well.] ¡°I know. He wasn¡¯t that type of kid who would easily open up¡­¡± It was probably possible today because of Kaligo. She heard that men were drawn to men who were more masculine than them. In that sense, it seemed like Kaligo had captured Kyrian¡¯s admiration. It was probably not just Kyrian. ¡®In any case, opening up his heart¡­¡¯ She expected that she had to push him further. Because Ashia was the one who killed Kyrian¡¯s family and his neighbors. However, Kyrian just turned around without saying anything despite the fierce look in his eyes. He was a kid just like that. He would grunt and plain, but he would do what Ashia asked for like he always did. When she found out that Kyrian wasn¡¯t among the survivors, she had a heartache for some time. What Ashia said to Kyrian was sincere. That she was thankful for him staying alive. * * * ¡°You¡¯ll faint at this rate.¡± Redin¡¯s worried voice echoed in Kaligo¡¯s office. But still, the person in question was still looking down at the documents with a dull voice. ¡°Are you praying for me to faint?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t had a proper sleep for a few days already. The people who must attend the subjugation soon¡­¡± ¡°You must have been thinking I am weak enough to mess up the subjugation just because I haven¡¯t had enough sleep.¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°Almost done. Stop staring at me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The papers that had made up a tower filling Kaligo¡¯s desk were neatly organized within a few days. It was the result of not sleeping and diligently working on it. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that the date of the subjugation had been moved to a earlier date?¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°If you said that because you¡¯re afraid, then you¡¯re wrong.¡± Kaligo raised his head and looked at Redin. ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. She will definitely be disappointed if she finds out later.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°There are things you can feel and know only with words.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sometimes, small things like that can cause misunderstandings.¡± Putting the papers down, Kaligo turned his head towards the direction of Ashia¡¯s bedroom. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You have to sleep.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Kaligo thought for a moment, then picked up the papers again. ¡°Tomorrow. I can do that tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Again, only the sound of the flipping pages of the papers was heard inside the office. He flipped the papers without any rest. No one was chasing him, but Kaligo seemed to be in a hurry. Thanks to that speed, he was finished sooner than expected, then Kaligo went inside the bedroom to change his clothes. Even until then, Redin¡¯s nagging worry about him continued. ¡°Please close your eyes for a moment.¡± ¡°When I am sleepy.¡± Kaligo walked to the window after changing his clothes. Following him, Redin asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t your insomnia acting up again? Do you want me to fetch you a new medicine?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think this is insomnia. I don¡¯t have a headache and I also don¡¯t feel dizzy.¡¯ ¡°Then¡­ should I bring you some sleeping pills?¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a rest. You can go out.¡± He motioned for Redin to go out. At that, the aide bowed with a look of helplessness. ¡°¡­Yes, Your Excellency.¡± He sighed and cautiously walked out of Kaligo¡¯s bedroom. ¡®I need to look for Miss Ashia¡­¡¯ Without any orders, he closed the bedroom door and turned around, with the thought that he should meet up with Ashia at daybreak. ¡®Aack!!¡¯ Redin almost screamed. He barely managed to swallow back the scream that almost escaped from his throat and looked at the shadow of a person that surprised him. ¡°Oh, did I surprise you?¡± Chapter 60.2 Chapter 60 ¨C Nothing Will Change Ashia was waiting outside. In a whisper, Ashia asked him, ¡°Are you finished now?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite late.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t gone to sleep yet?¡± ¡°Ah, I was going to ask you to prepare some tea.¡± ¡°This hour?¡± ¡°Not for me, but Kaligo.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ His Excellency doesn¡¯t like tea.¡± ¡°There are teas that are more effective than sleeping pills. If he plains and says he won¡¯t drink it, then just tell him to drink it instead of nitpicking.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She moderately covered her mouth with her hand as she let out a yawn and handed Redin a piece of paper with different types of tea leaves written there. ¡°Rather than relying on potions, it is better to drink tea for mild symptoms. You can find those probably somewhere inside the Grand Duke¡¯s warehouse. That is a mon tea leaf after all.¡± ¡°Yes, I have seen it.¡± ¡°Then, I am asking you.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ashia pulled back the shawl over her shoulder and entered her own bedroom. Moving his gaze from Ashia¡¯s back to the paper, Redin blinked for a moment and couldn¡¯t e to his senses. Would this be the reality of having a Grand Duchess? Although it was said that the employees inside the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion were loyal and talented, they couldn¡¯t check Kaligo¡¯s condition better than Redin. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Redin walked down to the first floor. He prepared the tea as Ashia instructed. Kaligo, who initially refused to drink, downed the tea quietly after he heard about Ashia¡¯s words. And perhaps thanks to the efficacy of the tea, Kaligo didn¡¯t wake up for a long time even after sunrise. * * * ¡°Let¡¯s wait for him, Miss Ashia.¡± ¡°No, Melanie. Lunch break will be over if I wait for him. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°His Excellency might be upset if he knows.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wake him up. It seems like he¡¯s finally sleeping deeply after a long time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Ashia smiled as she looked at Melanie who was mumbling. She then noticed the guy walking towards her. ¡°¡­ You went away pretending you would never see me again.¡± ¡°As your escort, I ought to do my best in my job.¡± Her eyebrows raised at the sudden change in his attitude. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He must¡¯ve remembered when she said that he shouldn¡¯t let Kaligo lose his prestige because of his attitude towards her. He naturally used honorifics since there were a lot of eyes. Clearly, he was not absolutely a zero-intelligence person¡­ ¡°I¡¯m glad you think that way, Sir Kyrian.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His eyes narrowed. It was a look telling her she was shameless and also cursing her inside. Ashia smiled regardless of his expression and turned her body to summon a gate. Magic flowed out from Ashia¡¯s outstretched finger in the air. Flamboyantly rocking it, skillfully casting mysterious and plex-looking magic circles. The shining gate soon appeared in the middle of it. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come in. It is later than I thought so we have to move quickly.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The two entered the flickering gate after one another. Coming out of the gate, Ashia and Kyrian looked up at the building in front of them. Fiddling with the tip of her chin, Ashia murmured, ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s still a long way.¡± As expected, the building was still in its miserable condition, contrary to the words that the renovation work would be finished soon. Though the rubble was almost all removed, the framework of the building was still exposed. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like a normal grudge.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°You must have accumulated many grudges here and there.¡± ¡°Yes, my personality is like this as you know, so I get a lot of hate.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kyrian¡¯s sarcastic tone was still there. Of course, Ashia also didn¡¯t seem to care, so he had to stop her from entering the structure. ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± ¡°Ah, are you worried about me?¡± ¡°Because¡­ I am your escort.¡± ¡°Ah, right?¡± Ashia snickered as if she was having fun before continuing, ¡°First, I cast magic on it. It won¡¯t fall down.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re really powerful.¡± ¡°Thank you for the pliment.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The remaining debris inside the building were trampled under her feet. ¡¯Haa, when are they going to clean this up and replace the building?¡¯ Ashia let out a long sigh. ¡°Why did you start a fire with such great power?¡± Ashia, who was looking around her shop, turned her head to Kyrian. He averted his gaze, rubbing the pitiful floor of the shop with the tip of his shoes. ¡°The magic failed.¡± She continued walking again, saying that it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you since you¡¯re curious. This is not an excuse, but it will sound like it is.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The person I trusted ruined the magic circle and the ingredients. That¡¯s why the magic failed, and the magical powers inside my body ran wild as a result. I guess that¡¯s why I started pouring out fire magic.¡± She walked down the part that was once the hallway. ¡°Even my master couldn¡¯t stop me. Recklessness is that dangerous.¡± ¡°¡­So you feel misjudged?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I just tell you? I am not making excuses, but I am just telling the truth when asked.¡± ¡¯Phew¡¯ Ashia kept going, waving away the dust floating in the air in front of her. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be my fault? The sin of trusting the person I shouldn¡¯t have trusted, being unprepared for failure. Maybe¡­ there is more if you look into it, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯Wow, this is a mess.¡¯ She looked at what remained of her bedroom. If she really fell asleep without knowing anything, or if she was just preoccupied with making the potions, she might have been crushed under the collapsing building. She got goosebumps when she imagined it, and thought that it was a good choice to keep expensive ingredients elsewhere. ¡°¡­ Kyrian?¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Kyrian went to Ashia and grabbed her shoulders. Then, a purple aura flowed down from Kyrian¡¯s fingertips and wrapped around Ashia and himself. ¡°¡­I felt a murderous intent.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ashia blinked. The words, ¡®I feel the murderous intent ing from you since earlier,¡¯ were something she was saving for a while. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything, though.¡± ¡°Why would you think of me that way? I am the best at hiding presence or noticing other people¡¯s presence.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ashia looked down at his aura, which was wrapped around them both. ¡°Stay still, so the aura won¡¯t e off.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Kyrian said that he could feel the energy of people from hundreds of meters away. It was a little cumbersome in places where there were many people, but there was nothing he couldn¡¯t do if he put his mind to it. Ashia smiled as she watched Kyrian calmly observe the surroundings. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± ¡°I just thought you were reliable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t just a grown-up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kyrian looked down at Ashia with a puzzled expression, then coughed and raised his head. ¡°It¡¯s ing.¡± ¡°What?¡± His eyes were directed outside the building. Chapter 61.1 Chapter 61 ¨C I Heard Boys Are Like That When They Grow Up It was just as Kyrian said. She started to feel the energy that she didn¡¯t feel earlier. That energy quickly closed in on them. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ashia let out a short sigh. She knew just who this aura belonged to. Leaning over Kyrian¡¯s shoulders, she slowly raised her body. But Kyrian grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her down, speaking with urgency, ¡°What are you doing? I told you to stay still.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°What? What on earth do you mean no?¡± Ashia didn¡¯t answer Kyrian¡¯s questions and just ran out of the building. Kyrian¡¯s aura that had been wrapping Ashia dispersed like smoke when she was at a certain distance from him. As she watched the figure approaching terrifyingly from a distance, Ashia softly muttered, ¡°Tero¡­.¡± The owner of the aura that came to them wasn¡¯t from someone else but Theros. The reason was unknown, but he was approaching them, emitting ferocious energy. ¡°Tero!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Seeing Ashia, Theros stopped on the spot and looked at Ashia from head to toe. Relief crept up on his face tinged with anger. After checking that she was safe, his eyes began to examine the surroundings. Seeing Kyrian walking out just in time, Theros yelled, ¡°Kyrian, you!¡± ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t you Theros? Why are you here¡­?¡± Before Kyrian could even finish his words, Theros ran and charged at him. ¡°Urgh!¡± Kyrian¡¯s body fell on the floor with the force that came out from nowhere, Theros falling along with him and grabbing his neck. The two grown-up men rolled mercilessly on the ground. ¡°Tero! Kyrian!¡± Even though she shouted their names, Ashia¡¯s voice seemed to fall on deaf ears. Tossing and turning, the fight grew rougher. ¡°Stop!¡± They did not. She let out a silent sigh. She had been hoping that Theros would feel happy once he knew that Kyrian was still alive. But as soon as they called out each other¡¯s name, their reunion seemed to have ended already. Ashia stood from the cloud of dust and narrowed her eyes at the two men with muffled voices. They looked just like neighborhood kids rolling on the dirt floor, swearing harshly as they used their fists. Seeing as how the two of them fought like that despite having auras and wearing swords on their waist, their fight didn¡¯t seem to be that serious. Of course, if they weren¡¯t just fighting and used their swords and auras instead, she wouldn¡¯t just be watching them. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Muttering softly, Ashia slowly walked over to the bench and sat down. Behind her, she could hear the gentle sound of the Carmian River flowing. Compared to the scene in front of her of swearing men with ¡®this b*t*rd, that b*st*rd,¡¯ it was a calm that caressed the heart. Are you not going to stop them? ¡°Leave them alone. I heard boys are like that when they grow up.¡± ¡­ Who? ¡°All men are like that.¡± ¡­ It was said that men behaved like children even when they were old. It wasn¡¯t all that wrong when she was witnessing it firsthand. Ashia just stared at them for a while. Then at some point, they stopped fighting. The two men, who spent a not short time at each other¡¯s throats, sat down with their backs to the building that had yet to be repaired, catching their breath. Without words, their shoulders moved up and down. It seems like they are done. ¡°Hmm, it didn¡¯t take longer than I expected.¡± The two were talking about something with their scratched and swollen faces. She couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, but Ashia decided to wait for them. They seemed to need a conversation. ¡°You fought with His Grace over a woman back then.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shk, shk Kyrian opened his mouth before he could even take a breath. ¡°That woman was that woman, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Theros didn¡¯t answer, and Kyrian burst out into a laugh as he thought it was too ridiculous. ¡°Haa, so you are staying with that woman despite knowing everything?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s because I know everything that I am staying with her.¡± ¡°What do you know? About the person who betrayed her and the person who ruined the magic circle?¡± Theros tilted his head and looked at Kyrian. ¡°¡­Did you find out about it as well?¡± ¡°If I found out, so what? Is she already forgiven with just that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What a cowardly b*st*rd.¡± Kyrian¡¯s chin twitched as he ground his molars. ¡°Nothing will change. That woman is still that woman who burned down the whole village, and it was her fault that the villagers died.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kyrian continued to mutter, spitting out the blood from his mouth onto the dirty floor. Theros looked at Kyrian with a pitying gaze. ¡®Nothing has changed¡­. You¡¯re still a thick-headed jerk.¡¯ While Theros was on his way to the Imperial Palace, he felt an unfamiliar aura inside Ashia¡¯s collapsed shop. He hurriedly moved there, thinking that the aura might have something to do with the person who destroyed the store. But Ashia walked out of the shop. It was the third day today after the store collapsed and they had no contact until now. She was a person who made others feel hopeless, disappearing without a trace. It was clearly a situation where he should hate her, and be angry with her. But he found himself checking to see if she was hurt anywhere. ¡®D**n it.¡¯ At that moment, Kyrian popped out of the shop. When he saw those two people who shouldn¡¯t be standing side by side, he lost all of his reason. No, the idea that he had to separate Kyrian from Ashia came first. ¡¯But an escort? Kyrian for Ashia?¡¯ He had no idea what on earth was happening, but Kyrian was still a thick-headed jerk to him. When he said that nothing had changed, it still sounded like an excuse to him. A lot had changed¡ªAshia, who stayed in the same place for seven years, was suddenly changing. Chapter 61.2 Chapter 61 ¨C I Heard Boys Are Like That When They Grow Up (2) ¡°Think about it again seriously.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Has nothing really changed?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I think I get it when you say nothing has changed.¡± Theros tilted his head and looked at Kyrian, continuing his words, ¡°It¡¯s because you liked noona from the beginning.¡± Kyrian¡¯s eyes widened at his words and his brows quickly narrowed, ¡°What rubbish are you talking about?¡± ¡°You went to that forest that day, not to look for me, but to look for noona.¡± ¡°¡­¡± (T/N: So does that mean that it was Kyrian who liked Ashia all along and not Theros? Or do both of them like her? You won¡¯t have any chance, Kyrian. Better yet, look for someone else. For example, me hehe~) Kyrian bit his lower lip and rolled his eyes. Seeing that expression, Theros sighed and smiled. ¡°Yes, like you said, nothing has changed. From then and now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Theros sat on the bench and looked at Ashia who was looking down at the river. Kyrian¡¯s gaze also turned to Ashia. She became tired of watching the two men, so she rested her chin on the railing, looking at the course of the Carmian River. ¡°Don¡¯t let her get hurt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re entrusted with being an escort, you should be faithful to your duty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for you to worry about.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a moment had passed, Ashia straightened. For some reason, the two men were sitting side by side and looking at her. ¡°Are you done talking?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Just about¡­¡± The two kids replied as they looked up at Ashia, who walked over. At that, Ashia¡¯s eyebrows went up. As if they had gone back seven years, their childhood appearances were above their grown-up selves. Ashia smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re both messed up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± She slightly bent her back and placed one of her hands above the faces of the two men. The cooling air and the golden energy flowed from her fingertips, covering their wounds with warmth. ¡°This will be the last day I will heal your wounds over a foolish fight.¡± Even with Ashia¡¯s magical power, it was still difficult to treat serious injuries like damaged organs or broken bones. She¡¯d instead give them potions as she wasn¡¯t very good with healing magic. ¡°I am treating your faces because they have scratches. What would you do if you broke a bone?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kyrian pouted his lips at her tone, which sounded so relaxed mixed with laughter. ¡°That¡¯s very condescending.¡± ¡°Yes. I really hate using my magical powers for something so stupid and meaningless.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After all the scratches on their faces were gone, Ashia withdrew her hand. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to see me being condescending, then make sure that this kind of thing doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± Tsk, slightly clicking his tongue, Kyrian got up and brushed his behind. Theros, who was sitting beside him, also got up. ¡°Noona.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Are you¡­ staying at the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion now?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ yes. It just happened.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Theros lips, opened slightly and then quietly closed again. ¡¯Why do you always get entangled with that man? Is there really such a thing as fate that humans can¡¯t defy? If that¡¯s the case, I am only looking at you. Does it mean that it wasn¡¯t fate¡­¡¯ He looked at Ashia with eyes that seemed to have many things to say. (T/N: Oh yeah, both of them like her. Sheesh, when will a man like me as these characters in fiction do? Sad life~) ¡°Tero¡­¡± Theros let out a shallow sigh when she called him in a low voice. ¡°That woman is in the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°That woman¡­ you mean Lisa?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lisa disappeared from the Magic Tower after Ashia received the same authority as the Magic Tower¡¯s Master. The Elemental Cube, which originally needed Lisa¡¯s magic, was now being maintained with Ashia¡¯s magical powers. Lisa must have hated the Elemental Cube more now¡ªthat same Elemental Cube who easily accepted Ashia but didn¡¯t accept her and only drained her magical powers. ¡°I heard that even the Magic Tower doesn¡¯t know where she is. How did you know?¡± ¡°There is a lodging near the Imperial Palace where other Imperial Envoys stay. She was there. Maybe other people don¡¯t know who the Magic Tower¡¯s Master is, but I recognized her at once because I knew what she looked like.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Was it a coincidence? The fact that the birthday banquet was changed to a subjugation, and that the Magic Tower¡¯s master, who was nowhere to be found all this time, was residing in the Imperial Palace. And Ashia¡¯s anxiety grew more with the words Theros said after. ¡°There are also secret rooms in the basement of the Imperial Palace beside the prison.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. No one can go there whether they are the Imperial Knights Order or the Knights Order of the Temple.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But she went in and out of there.¡± Ashia¡¯s heart pounded at Lisa¡¯s unexpected move. It wasn¡¯t enough to say that her heart only pounded. She felt so anxious and nervous that she felt a tingling pain. After appeasing Theros and sending him back, Ashia went back to the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion with Kyrian. ¡°Is he still sleeping?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Redin replied, scratching his cheek in embarrassment. Whether it was because of the effect of the tea leaves, or the accumulated fatigue, Kaligo was still sleeping past lunchtime and until dinner time approached. Ashia returned to the Grand Duchess¡¯ bedroom, changed her clothes, and collapsed onto the bed. She thought for a moment. Then, suddenly reminded of something as she turned and tossed around, Ashia turned her head to the door leading to the Grand Duke¡¯s bedroom. ¡°¡­¡± Blinking her large eyes, she slowly got up and walked to the door. ¨C This door only opens when you press and pull this part. She remembered his words as he explained how to open the door and put her hand on the doorknob. ¡®He said I just have to pull this while pressing, right?¡¯ Click ¨C As Ashia pressed one of its parts, she heard the lock release. And immediately, the door that had been blocking the two rooms opened slowly. Chapter 62.1 Chapter 62 ¨C Are You Avoiding Me? The air filling Kaligo¡¯s bedroom rushed inside the Grand Duchess¡¯ bedroom. Ashia involuntarily swallowed her saliva. It seemed like the warmth resembling him and the body scent that embraced her came out to welcome her. ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± Ashia was startled when she heard him groaning in his sleep and covered her mouth, stifling a gasp. ¡®No, I¡¯m not even here to steal anything nor commit any crime, so why am I feeling so nervous?¡¯ Was it because she sneaked in? Well, what about it? He said she could come in anytime.¡¯ Ashia raised her eyebrows and slowly moved. She took her steps more carefully for fear that she would wake him up from his deep sleep. When she did, she felt like she really came to steal something¡­ She walked lightly and headed to the bed where he was sleeping. It wasn¡¯t until Ashia sat on the edge of his bed that she heard his breathing. ¡®I think brewing him tea was even more effective than having him drink potions.¡¯ Her heart throbbed as she looked at his weary face and his shallow breathing like a newborn baby. It was hard to find the cold expression he had on his face when he was awake. He even looked somewhat na?ve and defenseless. Ashia chuckled at his clearly different appearance. Just then, his thick fingers at the end of his long arms twitched. But he didn¡¯t wake up. He must have been very tired. Ashia got off the bed and sat on the floor. She rested her chin on the bed and stared at his profile. ¡®Why did you do that?¡¯ He visited her shop every day and looked for her, saying that there wasn¡¯t much work. It made it seem like his position of Grand Duke was better for eating and playing than his title of Duke. Compared to the days when he was a Duke who was obsessed with working, he really had nothing to do now that he was a Grand Duke. She had such vague thoughts like that. But it was only when she saw the tall piles of paperwork on his desk that she realized what he had given up and what he had left behind just to see her. ¡®Is it worth it? Us?¡¯ Ashia¡¯s eyebrows slightly lowered in an instant. ¡®Isn¡¯t it better to live our own lives after dying once? Why did I meet him again? This could just pass by flipping the pages of the book in the bookshelf, but what was the difference when I met him again? God may exist even if we are inside a book. So should I call this God¡¯s trick?¡¯ Hundreds and thousands of times a day, her heart was still confused about Kaligo. Even though they said that a woman¡¯s mind was unpredictable, she took great confidence in living her second life as Ashia. But in the future, she might not be able to give an answer that would satisfy everyone. ¡®Is this the right thing to do? What if my choices put myself, you, and the people around me in danger? If that really happens, then¡­ things will happen because of me again.¡¯ She didn¡¯t think she could continue living on in that case. It was fear. The wind rocking her was her fear. Her serene daily life was like the calm before the storm. It caused fear to grow in her heart. Moreover, she had failed to push Kaligo away. No law stipulated that a confidence that collapsed once wouldn¡¯t collapse the second or third time. But that was why, ¡®You have to hold me¡­ Every time [I] was shaken, every time [I] collapsed, every time [I] turned my back and pushed away. [I] started to believe that the person who would continue to hold me without getting tired would be Kaligo.¡¯ ¡°I will continuously ask you for a hundred and thousand times,¡± Ashia cautiously reached out her hand to Kaligo, ¡°whether I can trust you, whether you can stand my selfish choices¡­ I will keep checking again and again.¡± Kaligo¡¯s eyes slightly opened as she touched his cheek. Through his half open eyelids, his red eyes looked straight at Ashia even in the dark. ¡°¡­Kaligo.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was it an illusion? It seemed to be the sound of his low-pitched laughter in the silence. And as if to confirm that wasn¡¯t an illusion, a smile spread across his face. Kaligo¡¯s hand broke through the covers and grabbed Ashia¡¯s hand which had touched his cheek. His still drowsy eyes stared at Ashia. He put the tips of Ashia¡¯s fingers on his lips and lightly kissed them. ¡°Are you awake?¡± He only laughed at her question. His kiss gradually deepened. When Ashia tried to pull her hand away from him, Kaligo grabbed her by the arm instead and pulled her up. ¡°Ah!¡± Tugged into his arms, Ashia let out a short scream. When she came to her senses, she found herself lying on the place where he had been lying. He was on top of her as if it was only natural. Kaligo kissed her face all over with a hazy gaze. ¡°Ka-Kaligo.¡± Chapter 62.2 Chapter 62 ¨C Are You Avoiding Me? His gaze moved to Ashia¡¯s lips when she called him. Her face felt hot, too. It was probably because of his red eyes. It must have been because his red eyes had so much warmth. Kaligo slipped his hands behind Ashia¡¯s head and wrapped them around her. Goosebumps crawled on the nape of her neck at his gentle touch. Ashia turned her head to avoid this hot and tickling situation, but Kaligo lowered his face and placed his lips on Ashia¡¯s. Objectively, it wasn¡¯t really a long kiss, but in Ashia¡¯s standards, it was. People say that it was difficult for the first time, but Kaligo hadn¡¯t done anything since their first kiss. He must have felt disappointed at himself somehow, seeing how his kiss now seemed to have a sweet fruit mixed with it. Ashia¡¯s widened eyes also slowly subsided. The man waiting for her permission bit and licked Ashia¡¯s lips. When she reacted, the hot flesh slowly entered through the gap. It felt the same as their first kiss, but it was also different. Unlike that day when it felt like he was rushing into it, he slowly approached her with caution. Slowly scanning every nook and cranny, he dug deep. ¡°Mmm.¡± Her body had steadily warmed up at his gentle movements. Kaligo slowly lowered down his body and touched hers. It was burning. The air around them was thick. Only the sound of their tongues coiled with each other filled the bedroom. ¡°Haa¡­¡± He pressed his lips on her cheeks several times. He kissed her lips again, then licked her cheeks and lips again. He bit her neckline where her pulse was, leaving a trace, like a child intent on leaving his footprints on the white snow. ¡°Ah!¡± Ashia¡¯s clothes were also loosened without much resistance by Kaligo¡¯s natural touch. Ashia didn¡¯t stop him. Rather, she wanted Kaligo to think that it was too late to stop. A large hand slipped under her dress and brushed up to her thigh. She let out a gasp and twisted her waist as his rough palm touched her skin. Kaligo¡¯s breath grew rougher in response. His gaze, breathing, and every single movement were slowly filled with nervousness. That urgency was probably a perfectly normal reaction to excitement. Kaligo¡¯s hand diligently caressed her whole leg, and gently wrapped around her when he reached the apex of her thighs. Ashia writhed again, a faint exclamation escaping between her parted red lips. Kaligo straightened after sucking and releasing her delicate skin. His bright red eyes were drawn to the place where even the moonlight wasn¡¯t allowed. He threw off the gown she was wearing and pulled her under him, stroking her white thighs that were on either side of him. Their skin stuck to each other. He was such a big man. So much that it was easier to find a part of him that wasn¡¯t [that big]. Even when he was removing his clothes one by one, his defined, large muscles were unnecessarily dynamic with each other. ¡®Gulp, should I call this swallowing dry saliva, or mouthwatering?¡¯ Ashia swallowed and couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. She could guess what the hot thing pressing down on her was. That lust that had pushed her undergarments away, moving slowly and adding heat. She didn¡¯t hate the feeling. Tears welled up in Ashia¡¯s reddened eyes. ¡°Ka¡­ ligo.¡± When Ashia called out to him in a faint voice, the strong desire in his eyes turned into bewilderment in an instant. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kaligo staggered away from Ashia. ¡°Kaligo?¡± ¡°¡­Ashia?¡± It was the first time she had seen him so flustered. Ashia raised her body. Her body was sluggish as she suffered quite a bit. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, huh? Kaligo?¡± Staring at her, Kaligo cautiously reached out and cupped Ashia¡¯s cheek. When he realized that the touch and warmth were real, he stepped back again. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a dre¡­¡± ¡°Dream?¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± He buried his face in his hands and couldn¡¯t lift it for a while. Maybe it was more accurate to say that he was unable to straighten his back. After spending some time alone to think, he picked up the gown he had thrown on the floor. Quickly adjusting his own clothes, he wrapped the blanket over Ashia¡¯s body. ¡°Ashia.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­ a dream?¡± She still looked like she didn¡¯t know what to say. Kaligo seemed rather perplexed. Even if he was embarrassed, Ashia should be even more so. The man who had been radiating lust and whole-heartedly working to eat her up until just now, ran away in an instant. That same person who loosened her clothes and turned her body inside out. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I be angry in this situation?¡¯ Ashia waited for him with a firmly upset expression on her face, then turned to him. ¡°Are you going to explain what¡¯s going on right now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Now that she thought about it, something was strange. The man who came to her shop every day and tried to hold her hand once in a while didn¡¯t even lay a finger on her when she arrived at the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion. It wasn¡¯t just that. There were also no situations when he looked her in the eye. ¡°Answer me. Are you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you avoiding me?¡± His straight eyebrows slightly twitched. (T/N: Pardon me if the scene was kind a¡­ messy [sweat smile]? I¡¯m not really good with those kinds of scenes, so yeah¡­ haha¡­ But I hope you enjoyed, even though, for the second time, Kaligo didn¡¯t go alllll the wayyyyyy~ maybe in the future hahaha [more blood, sweat and tears to shed]) If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.