CHAPTER 98………………………………………………….
Outside the kingdom, the heat was intense.
I had fled in such haste that my clothing was inadequate, so I decided to avoid the sun before getting burned.
The barren desert offered no trees for shade, so I headed there anyway.
It felt strange stepping into the old house I had been confined to after being exiled—like entering a prison in the desert.
“It’s weird, coming here on my own feet again.”
The mood now was completely different from when I was exiled.
Back then, I would have gladly preferred a prison crawling with rats, but now, even this felt like a relief.
The desert sun, with nothing to eat or drink, felt tolerable simply because there was a roof.
The one struggling most in this situation was still Jenny. I laid her down in the coolest spot to recover from heat exhaustion.
“I’m sorry. You must be tired too, miss.”
“I’ve done this before, so I’m fine.”
I patted her drooping head and looked at Giovanni.
“Prince, are you okay?”
“You keep asking what I should be asking you.”
Giovanni chuckled softly and looked up at the sky outside.
“The sun will set soon. Once your maid recovers and leaves, that’s fine. In the meantime, I’ll bring some light food.”
“There’s nothing to eat here.”
Giovanni pointed at the sky with his finger.
Looking up, a bird was gliding gracefully.
“……?”
“Just wait.”
Giovanni and Kitchef strode outside.
“You’re not planning to catch that bird, are you?”
“They’re naturally good at things like that.”
Tyrein’s tail was flicking against Jenny’s forehead.
Every time his translucent blue tail brushed her skin, her complexion noticeably improved.
“I thought you hated humans.”
“This…this human is on our side.”
“You’re so easily embarrassed.”
I shrugged and asked something that had been on my mind.
“Is it because I’ve become complete that I can maintain this form even with Giovanni present?”
“Yes. Your energy no longer yields to the master’s. That’s why even I, connected to you, can endure it now.”
Tyrein’s tongue flicked quickly. He seemed pleased.
“You must have been frustrated all this time. Finally, you can survive! But strictly speaking, you’re not complete. Over a thousand years, much of your power was lost. Compared to then, you’re…like an ant’s claw…”
“Who asked?”
Jenny squinted her eyes.
“Miss, who were you speaking to?”
“Talking to myself.”
I dismissed Jenny calmly and poked at Tyrein’s ear.
Tyrein twitched his mouth.
Thwap! Thwap!
His tail hit the ground in dissatisfaction.
“Regardless, recovering even a portion of your former self is a huge gain. Now we just need to repay our debts.”
“Debts?”
“The humans who helped us and were defeated.”
“You mean the people of sun and fire?”
Tyrein’s gaze went to the door, nodding as he recalled Giovanni and Kitchef.
“I get what you mean, but do we really need to call it repaying a debt?”
“Of course. I only managed to escape safely because of the guardian.”
Tyrein’s expression grew curious.
“Do you really think they helped us?”
“What do you mean?”
“Sure, some guardians helped us fight. But not all of them.”
“….”
“How could humans harm us?”
“Because we were trapped in human bodies.”
“Then why did we end up like that?”
“Because of the evil magic…”
“Still don’t get it?”
“….”
“As I thought, your state is not complete.”
“What?”
“You don’t remember, do you?”
“What are you trying to say?”
Frustrated, I frowned. Tyrein’s heavy eyes stared at me.
“Think about who created their magic.”
My head throbbed.
“The people of sun and fire knew how to use magic. Their magic thrived on our energy. But the magic itself belonged to them—gifted by Salla, the fire god.”
Magic.
The evil magic weakened the spirits trapped in human bodies.
“Even in human form, we are spirits. Beings closest to nature itself, revered by humans as gods.”
“….”
“How could humans, incapable of controlling even a stream of water, dare harm us?”
A sharp snort escaped me.
“The descendants of fire! If not Salla’s sons and daughters, then how!”
I stared blankly at Tyrein, who chuckled softly.
He lowered his voice.
“Do you think they knew about the evil magic?”
A heavy doubt struck me.
How, indeed.
I turned to the outside.
The yellow sands of the desert, cursed according to the kingdom’s people, swirled in the wind.
In the past, ancient humans worshiped different gods.
One believed in water spirits, another in sun and fire.
Though their gods differed, their relations were good.
Water and fire—both essential to sustaining the world.
Spirits provided humans with abundant water and fertile lands, while Salla, the fire god, gifted bright light and warm energy for their bodies.
The harmonious peace ended because of the greed of a few humans.
“So there were traitors even among the people of fire?”
“Yes.”
“…If there are traitors, then they…”
“They?”
“They need a different kind of justice than the kingdom’s people.”
“Justice! Sounds nice, but be careful. The desert has always been Salla’s land; her energy is strong there.”
“I’ll try.”
“Good. But what are you looking at?”
I muttered while staring outside the door.
“Giovanni.”
I glanced down. Jenny slept peacefully, her breathing even.
“Even if not all descendants of fire are innocent, I clearly received help. Memories are vague… but the intent to help is certain.”
“What will you do?”
“I want to fulfill what that man desires.”
Tyrein flicked his tail. He didn’t seem displeased, though he didn’t object.
I stretched my arms forward.
“But Tyrein, if we’re connected, can you read my thoughts no matter what I think?”
“Yes.”
Shall I test it?
“As before, your personality is still obnoxious…”
“Your cheeky personality hasn’t changed one bit!”
Hmm, he really can hear everything.
This is awkward.
When I knew nothing, I assumed it was like a ghost, but now it’s different.
A childhood friend-turned-ghost reading my thoughts thoroughly is… uncomfortable.
“A connection…”
I closed my eyes and imagined a blue door and its handle.
Treating it as a door to Tyrein, I grasped the handle of the open door and closed it.
“Honestly, I think the old version was a bit more obnoxious.”
I stared at Tyrein.
“Why?”
“Huh?”
His narrow serpent eyes swept me, and he shouted.
“Did you do something strange?!”
“No? What strange thing?”
I opened my eyes wide and shrugged in protest.
Just as I tried to defend myself, Tyrein was about to speak—then a sound came from outside.
Giovanni? But the presence was lighter than his usual weighty step.
After glancing at Tyrein, I cautiously got up, leaning against the wall.
“Could the kingdom soldiers have reached here already?”
Why now?
I glanced at Jenny.
Without Giovanni or Kitchef in the yard, I was the only one who could temporarily block the soldiers.
Tension rose as I watched the door. Long legs wrapped in black fabric entered. Blond hair slightly tousled, white skin beginning to appear, and soon fully inside.
Hubert’s eyes narrowed as he spotted me. His expression brightened with delight, and I froze in a defensive stance.
“Ig…”
Tired green eyes, a slightly haggard face, dusty clothes.
Unlike usual, he looked unkempt, but the mere fact he had come here left me speechless.
We stared at each other silently.
After a while, he spoke with a sigh.
“Finally, we meet.”
“What’s going on here?”
“…….”
“Hubert.”
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
“What kind of crazy nonsense is this?”
Hubert saw my expression and exhaled a laugh.
“I thought you might come here.”
“…….”
“Shall we talk?”
“Did you come to capture me?”
I glanced around as I spoke.
A horse appeared faintly behind him.
So he hadn’t come with soldiers.
“Then why did he come all this way?”
“If you’re asking if it’s by the king’s order, then obviously no.”
“Then why?”
Hubert sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“When you left with the prince, I left immediately too. No matter what, sending you off like that is absurd.”
“What’s absurd?”
“Sending you to the empire.”
Hubert’s gaze was inscrutable.
His translucent green eyes were objectively beautiful, but his skin felt cold, like touching mineral.
“Especially with the prince. He would treat you like a slave.”
“…….”
I responded vaguely, watching the door for Giovanni.
“What am I supposed to do? I’m already a criminal of the kingdom.”
“You’re not a witch.”
“Try telling the king that. Your precious reputation will be ruined. Or is there another way?”
“Hide.”
I almost laughed—though it was a bitter laugh.
“There’s a secret villa in the southern region. Stay there. I’ll visit occasionally, and you should meet no one else. Just manage the villa.”
My chest tightened.
“That villa’s probably already sold.”
I shrugged.
“That villa is Aris’s favorite.”
“I’ll keep it secret from her too. And don’t worry about Aris anymore. I’ll have her marry someone from a different branch.”
“No matter what nonsense he says, I was going to ignore it, but…”
I sighed heavily.
“Are you telling me to basically run a government now?”
“Government? No need for such a crude word.”
I suppressed the heat rising in my face at his pitying expression.
Right. The crude thing isn’t the word—it’s your brain structure.
