AME 31

CH:31

Red rubies welled up in his eyes. His vision blurred for a moment as the object suddenly came close, and his mind was just as dazed.

‘What’s going on?’

Kaon thought absently in that instant. Too many unexpected things were happening in quick succession, leaving him completely disoriented.

If he had understood things correctly, it was Alessia who was interrogating him now—not the other way around.

His returning focus locked onto Alessia, who was staring at him coldly from beyond the ring.

Her hair, gleaming like it reflected moonlight, and the delicate features that he could never take his eyes off—all of it was unmistakably Alessia. And yet, the woman standing in front of him didn’t feel like her at all.

Alessia, who always smiled gently whenever their eyes met, was now looking at him with a glacial expression. The unfamiliar coldness in her gaze was suffocating.

“What… did you just say?”

“You can see it, can’t you? You see what others can’t. Am I wrong, Kaon Ferdinand?”

Everything about her was different, but the most jarring difference was her demeanor. Alessia, who used to ask questions gently as if seeking his cooperation, was now pressing him with sharp, cutting words.

“Kaon, Kaon…”

Even the way she used to call his name—soft like a feather that would fly away if touched—was gone. She now called him strictly “Ferdinand,” adding a distance that hadn’t been there before.

“…What are you talking about? Why are you acting like this, Alessia?”

Kaon forced a smile as he subtly took a step back. His instincts told him now wasn’t the time to press forward.

Whatever excuse he could come up with, whatever story he spun—anything to end this situation for now and come back better prepared was the right move.

“Then explain it to me. Why were you staring at my ring like that? What were you trying to confirm? Tell me everything.”

But Alessia had no intention of letting this go. She kept pushing him further into a corner.

“Don’t think you can blame the Tower’s magician, either. He’s seen my magic many times and never cared. If he’d noticed anything strange, he’d have run straight to the Tower.”

“…….”

He had, in fact, considered using that very excuse. So when she cut it off, he was left speechless. Alessia smiled coldly, tugging one corner of her lips.

“There’s only one magician in this castle, and he never suspected anything. But you, you acted strangely from the very first time you saw my magic—after only two demonstrations.”

She took a step closer. Kaon backed away again, but this time there was no more room to retreat. The cold touch of the wall against his back mirrored Alessia’s icy demeanor.

“……!”

He was about to ask if they could talk with some distance between them, but Alessia grabbed his collar and yanked him forward. In an instant, their upper bodies leaned in close, and her red eyes filled his entire vision.

Kaon saw his own flustered reflection in the darkness of her eyes. And it hit him—this was how close she really was.

He tried to step back reflexively, but the wall still blocked his way. He couldn’t push her away either, so Kaon could only stare into her eyes, breathless.

He needed to think of a way out of this. But his mind was blank. Only Alessia filled his vision.

“Why do you think you asked if I was really a magician?” she whispered.

Her tone wasn’t curious—it was that of someone who already knew the answer and only needed confirmation.

“You’re right, Kaon Ferdinand.”

Her next words came in a markedly softer tone, brushing his ear.

Even in his disoriented state, Kaon focused hard on her words. This was it—the most crucial answer. Whether or not Alessia was truly a magician. Whether she had deceived Ferdinand and himself. That answer would determine everything that came next.

“I’m not a real magician.”

Her voice was so soft that it wouldn’t have been heard from even a slight distance, but Kaon heard it loud and clear.

His eyes widened. It was the answer he’d been looking for, and yet he couldn’t believe it. Alessia wasn’t a magician. She had deceived the family—and him.

And her attitude… Kaon couldn’t comprehend it. If she were the Alessia he knew, she’d be apologizing by now. She would’ve explained everything with that sweet face and asked for forgiveness.

But the woman before him had no intention of doing any of that. She was far too calm, too composed, even after being caught. In fact, she looked more at ease with every passing second.

“But how will you prove it?”

Alessia let go of his collar with a flick and gently pushed him back. Though smaller in build, Kaon yielded without resistance.

“Everyone here seems to really like you. They’ve told me countless stories about how proud they are of you.”

The word “prove” etched itself into his mind. She was right. There was no way Kaon could prove Alessia wasn’t a magician.

“But no one mentioned you had any special powers. Funny, isn’t it? If a knight had magical powers, they’d be shouting it from the rooftops.”

“……”

“I guess no one really knows, huh?”

Alessia smiled brightly, like a child who had found a treasure. In contrast, Kaon’s expression grew darker.

If only Alessia had denied it, he could’ve tried to persuade her into telling the truth. But admitting the truth and then turning the tables on him—he had no idea what to do with that.

“Does your sister know? That her brother can see magic? If she did, she wouldn’t have kept it secret all this time. I wonder why?”

The barrage of questions only added to the chaos in his mind. He was already confused, and her sharp words left him dizzy.

“Oh, so she doesn’t know either. I see.”

So Kaon couldn’t even deny what needed denying. All he could do was retreat further into the corner she was backing him into. This was all too unfamiliar for someone like him, who had always lived honestly.

“She would’ve listened if you told her. So why didn’t you?”

“Because…”

He instinctively answered the question that finally made sense, but then clamped his mouth shut.

If he’d told Leonidas, she would’ve listened. Eventually, he’d have to explain how he figured it out, but at least she wouldn’t have dismissed him.

But still, he couldn’t do it…

“Or was it that you couldn’t?”

“……”

“Why not?”

Her red eyes sparkled as if peering into the depths of his heart. Kaon turned away, afraid she’d see too much—but then Alessia tilted her head.

“Do you… like me or something?”

“You…!”

It was the first time Kaon had raised his voice since the confrontation began. It wasn’t intentional—he was just too shocked.

Everything that had happened so far was overwhelming, but that last question was truly unbelievable. Or more precisely, he didn’t want to believe it.

Asking if he liked her—as if it were nothing more than casual small talk. That’s when Kaon realized: the Alessia he knew had been a lie. A dull ache pressed down on his chest.

“If you did, you could’ve just ignored it all. Then none of this would’ve happened, Kaon.”

Alessia bit her lip softly, blinking slowly. She looked just like the Alessia he used to know—used to like.

“You knew… all along?”

Kaon clenched his fists and asked. He didn’t even know what he hoped to confirm. Maybe he just wanted her to say it was all a lie.

“How could I not know? You look at me like that.”

Alessia looked up from his clenched hands and answered the moment their eyes met.

Then why did you pretend not to know?

Kaon wanted to ask, even though he felt pathetic for doing so. If she had known all along, why did she pretend? If she had just acknowledged it, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out this way.

He was confident about one thing—if Alessia didn’t return his feelings, he would’ve given her his whole heart anyway. If something about him didn’t please her, he would’ve changed. If she wanted him to step aside, he would’ve let go.

He might’ve even covered up her secret if she’d asked. If she had explained things, asked for help, he would’ve helped—without being threatened like this. He really would have.

She was right. The reason he couldn’t go to Leonidas was because he liked Alessia. So she should’ve just used that.

That was the kind of blind, foolish devotion that ran in the Ferdinand blood. He had that kind of love for her. Even now, part of him wondered…

Maybe she’s only acting cold to hide something.

“Let’s make a deal, Kaon Ferdinand.”

Her once-empty eyes suddenly turned cold again. Kaon felt something inside him sink.

They were eyes that said: “It was all in your head.” That whatever he’d thought they shared had never existed.

‘I’ve seen that look before.’

Kaon recalled catching glimpses of it now and then. It had always been fleeting—followed by a smile. He’d brushed it off as his imagination. But that… had been the truth.

Then was the Alessia he knew… fake all along?

A late-blooming question hit him and rattled him again. Maybe he really didn’t know anything about her.

“It’s simple. I’ll keep your secret, and you pretend you didn’t find out mine.”

It was a question with a predetermined answer, and Alessia already knew what it would be. When Kaon gave the slightest nod, she turned away without hesitation. He couldn’t stop her.

Alessia’s fingertips trembled faintly—but neither Kaon nor Alessia herself noticed.