Episode 72. It’s a Misunderstanding
A heavy silence filled the room. Ferda rubbed his forehead with his index finger.
‘I understand.’ People often say bad things about others. Talking behind someone’s back can make you feel closer to a group. It’s something anyone can do—but getting caught is a different matter. Especially if the person being talked about is your beloved fiancée.
But Ferda didn’t get angry. Instead, he became calm. Was it because he was too frustrated with the situation involving Erdes? Or was it simply because it was all in the past?
For now, he decided to ask what he was curious about.
“I have a question.”
“……Please ask.”
“Do other dragons also think this way about my fiancée?”
“……Just think of it as dragons not getting along with each other. They have their own pride and power, so they don’t like to follow others. Each dragon wants to be the strongest, and that makes them fight or disagree. It’s like how kings don’t want to bow to other kings..”
“No, I just need objective facts. If you’re going to help, tell me everything without filtering.”
Ferda spoke seriously. Erica couldn’t tell if his serious gaze came from anger or curiosity. Still, she gave him the answer he wanted.
“Yes. Anyone who looks at her actions would have no choice but to say so.”
“……”
“Even now, at this very moment. Wanting to take a human as a mate and marry them? It’s such an absurd idea that it’s not even worth joking about.”
The difference in power. The difference between those who could and couldn’t use magic. From that perspective, it did seem ridiculous. Valdrova was full of contradictions.
“Let’s put emotions aside.” There was no point in being stuck in the past, so he decided to focus on the present.
“What are the benefits of forming an alliance with Iorga?”
“We can help with the Eastern Conquest you are planning as Regent.”
“You mean with your people?”
“Yes. We have been studying the Eastern lands for a long time.”
Erica spoke with pride. And, of course, with the arrogance unique to Dragon Spawns.
“The reason the Eastern lands remain unconquered is because of the demonic energy there, right?”
Ferda already knew about this. The Junk Mana rising from the cursed land could destroy both mind and body.
“To enter the Eastern lands, divine blessings and magic are essential. That’s why only a small group of elite warriors could go on the expedition.”
Twelve heroes. They were protected by high priests who served the gods and dragons who cast powerful spells. Among those twelve warriors were Dragon Spawns—Erica Iorga and Erdes Roton.
“Through our research project ‘Hestia,’ we have recently made a meaningful breakthrough.”
A meaningful breakthrough. Hearing that, Ferda felt a little excited.
“What is it?”
“It’s called ‘Anti-Magic Resistance.’”
Anti-Magic Resistance. Not a bad name. Since he had never heard of it before, it was likely a secret weapon that Iorga had been keeping hidden.
“Can it cure the effects of demonic energy?”
“No. It’s not a fundamental solution to being corrupted by demonic energy.”
“But didn’t you say it was a breakthrough in the search for a cure?”
“That’s how research works. Unexpected discoveries are still considered progress.”
Was she joking right now? Ferda gave her a sharp look, and Erica quickly added,
“Anyway.”
“To put it simply, it’s the difference between prevention and cure.”
Prevention means preparing for something before it happens. Curing means fixing something after it has already happened.
“Then how is the cure coming along?”
“That… we still have no progress. Since we had to start from scratch, the results are uncertain.”
Erica let out a deep sigh.
“So, the main point is—if you plan to enter the cursed land, we will focus on researching anti-magic measures rather than a cure.”
“And what will you do with those anti-magic measures? Expect the Grand Duchy of Valdrova to take the risks?”
“No. We plan to involve the Adventurer’s Guild more actively.”
“The Adventurer’s Guild?”
“We’ve already been working with them, but until now, we only gave them minor tasks. We’ve been putting out temporary solutions, but now it’s time to use them properly.”
Adventurers take on various jobs—delivering messages, running errands, hunting monsters, and even defeating regional guardians. The difficulty and reward depend on the risk.
“Do you think they will willingly go into the cursed land?”
“If there’s profit, why not?” Erica made a circle with her thumb and index finger, signaling money.
“What if, instead of just sending them to scout, we give them a chance to bring back Eastern artifacts before the demonic energy takes them? Even useless junk would sell for a high price at an auction.”
Eastern artifacts held great value, fascinating both mages and knights. Even Ferda had once thought that learning Eastern magic could bring great advancements.
‘If not for the demonic energy.’ Because of that deadly barrier, Eastern magic remained only in legends.
For adventurers, money was worth the risk. It was an interesting idea. Until now, no one had dared to set foot in the cursed land. If they could map the terrain and uncover what lay inside, it would be helpful for future conquests.
Ferda continued to visualize the future based on Erica’s proposal. The missing pieces of his plan started to come together, and new possibilities emerged.
Yet, he couldn’t shake off one doubt.
‘Can I really trust this woman?’ The emotions he felt at the Grand Council still lingered in his mind.
“You’re wondering if you can trust me, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“You’re very straightforward.” She lifted her teacup, closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them with a determined expression.
“I kept thinking about what you said before—about the final moment.” Ferda had asked her that question out of frustration.
“And my conclusion is—I won’t think about it at all.”
The moment he heard it, he was speechless. A leader saying they wanted to ignore the future? But soon, he realized that wasn’t the case. Her eyes held the weight of responsibility.
“I just want to focus on what I can do right now.”
Seeing that look, Ferda was convinced. He could trust her.
“Alright. Let’s form an alliance.”
A smile spread across her face. But like a skilled leader, she responded with a calm expression.
“I hope we can build a strong relationship.”
“Now that we’re allies, may I ask for a favor?”
Erica, who was ready to end the conversation, looked slightly surprised.
“I didn’t expect you to need help so soon.”
“The timing just worked out that way.”
Ferda gestured to Ruri, who brought a set of items from the Rinne Research Lab.
“What is this?”
“Artifacts taken from a demon research facility. These are a journal and some samples.”
“Demons?!” Erica was visibly shocked.
Ferda briefly explained what had happened at the research facility. As he spoke, her expression grew even more serious.
“Are you saying the demons have created a drug that instantly turns someone into a Knight-class warrior?”
“It’s still a prototype, but a ‘Bouncer-class’ enemy fought evenly against two of my knights.”
“A real Bouncer wouldn’t struggle that much, so the drug is probably incomplete or has side effects…”
Erica examined the liquid inside the vial. Using layered magic and mana detection, she tried to analyze its components. But soon, she frowned in frustration.
“More importantly, this substance seems to mimic Godwin’s power… Unbelievable. How did I not know about this until now? Erica, you fool, what have you been doing all this time?”
Her eyes widened, and she trembled with excitement. Then, realizing Ferda was watching, she gasped.
“Ah! I apologize. I lost my composure. I get too excited when it comes to research…”
“I’m used to it.” He had seen worse—people running around naked in excitement or sniffing things to analyze their properties.
She then examined the journal. As soon as she saw the writing, she frowned.
“This is… High Elf language.”
Unlike Ferda, she recognized it instantly. Could she translate it?
“Can you read it?”
“Unfortunately, I can only recognize it. High Elves keep their language secret.”
“So it’s impossible?”
“Not entirely. Even secrets must be passed down. Those closest to the source can understand everything.”
Ferda immediately understood what she meant.
“The High Elf Grand Chief.”
“Yes. He could translate it. But he lives deep in the western lands, so reaching him won’t be easy…”
They had found a way forward, but it wouldn’t be simple. High Elves were an elite, isolated race. Their Grand Chief would not be easy to persuade.
“If we can convince him, we might get what we need…”
“There’s no need to persuade him. We can threaten him.”
“What?”
“If we reveal that a High Elf has turned into a Dark Elf, he’ll have no choice but to cooperate.”
“That’s… quite…” A bold idea. Genius or madness?
“Let’s discuss this later. Right now, the High Elves are busy with their Autumn Festival and preparing for the Winter Festival.”
A Prayer for Autumn’s Abundance and Winter’s Barren Lands
The prayer for autumn’s abundance and winter’s barren lands continued until the first sprouts of spring appeared. At the very least, they had to wait for over a quarter of a year. But even so, the fact that there was a slight possibility gave them hope.
“I will return the records to you, and I will take these samples. Maybe I can find a clue for the cure.”
Her excited face made it seem like she could really do it. Maybe that’s why—
“There is one more thing left.”
“What else is left?” Erika’s eyes sparkled like a child receiving a birthday present.
“My mana.”
“…What?” She looked disappointed, like a child receiving an old-fashioned gift.
“What do you mean by mana?”
“I can use my mana to release Valdrova’s bloodthirst.”
At those words, Erika’s eyes widened. Her vertically slit pupils shrank like a cat’s in broad daylight.
“Does that mean you’ve already healed her?”
“No. I can only release the bloodthirst that appears in that situation.”
Erika looked more puzzled than interested. What he said was so shocking that it was hard to believe. The blue-eyed mages were elites. They had studied intensely, yet they couldn’t even suppress or release the bloodthirst. And now, a mere human had such strange mana? And that human could even influence a dragon?
“I knew that the Red Circle’s mana was formed from emotions and had unusual properties. But I never imagined it could suppress or release Godwin’s chaos…”
She thought and thought again. But no matter how much she thought, she couldn’t understand. Even Iorga, the highest rank in water and magic, didn’t understand.
For Erica, who was the leader under Iorga, not understanding this was a blow to her pride. In the end, she gave up her pride.
“…Alright.” She spoke.
“Let’s try it.”
“Try what?”
“Your mana. I need to find out what kind of mana it is, so I should feel it directly, right?”
Erica took off her gloves and reached out her hand to Ferda.
“It probably won’t have much effect. It only works on Valdrova.”
“Are you sure? One hundred percent?”
It worked on Valdrova. But it didn’t work on Ruri, Silverwind’s spawn. So, it would probably not work on Erica either, or if it did, it would be very weak.
“I am fairly sure.”
“‘Fairly sure’ and ‘completely sure’ are different things. I need to feel it for myself. It won’t be a big deal anyway.”
Right, what’s so special about sharing mana? Thinking that, Ferda held Erica’s hand.
“I predict that your mana isn’t special. Maybe, like shamans born with magical blood, you used magic unconsciously or in some form like—Ahhhhhhhhhh!?”
A sharp scream burst from her lips the moment the mana entered her. A cold breeze brushed under her skirt, making her jump in surprise.
Erica’s legs lost strength, and she collapsed onto the floor. Sitting on the ground, she looked up at Ferda.
Ferda, also caught off guard, quickly let go of her hand.
The usually cold and composed leader, Erica, now had flushed cheeks filled with embarrassment and shaking pupils.
“??”
“??”
Ferda and Erica stared at each other.
“?????”
“?????”
But no matter how much they looked, no one could explain what had just happened.
“Cheater.” Ruri coldly accused him. She had been silently watching everything.
Ferda was flustered.
“What are you talking about?”
“You cheated with that arrogant woman, didn’t you?”
“I just held her hand, and the leader screamed.”
“Screamed? Anyone who heard it would call it a moan.”
Ferda couldn’t deny that.
“I only shared my mana. That’s what Ior’s leader wanted.”
“That’s exactly what cheaters always say.”
This was frustrating.
“You’ve felt my mana before too.”
“Yes. But did I scream like that arrogant woman?”
“No.”
“There was nothing special about it. Just mana. But when you did it to Ior’s leader, something was different. Maybe…” Ruri narrowed her eyes.
“Do you like her?”
“Are you crazy?” He instinctively scowled and swore.
“It was just mana.”
“Then why was I fine?”
“Does that matter?”
“It matters.”
Annoyed, Ruri removed her gloves.
“Do it again. If I feel even a little bit of it, I’ll scream as loudly as that woman did.”
Her attitude made Ferda not want to do it at all. He decided to push back.
“Why are you so sensitive about this?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“You usually don’t care this much. But today, you’re acting very persistent.”
“…Because you have a fiancée, and yet you act like this.”
“To me, it looks like you’re overreacting. Did I whisper love to her? Drag her to my bedroom? It was an unknown reaction. So why are you making me the bad guy?”
Ferda spoke calmly but firmly.
Hearing that, Ruri’s expression faltered. She thought about his words and lowered her head.
“…I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m just Valdrova’s attendant…”
Her voice trembled like a sad puppy.
Seeing her like that, Ferda remembered something. Ruri had also had a tough day. The pressure of war. The sharp gaze of Goz Silverwind. She had to endure all of it.
‘Right, today was a hard day for her.’
That’s why she was acting overly sensitive. She was just pushing herself as always. She didn’t need scolding—she needed praise.
Looking down at her lowered head, Ferda spoke.
“You worked hard today.”
Then, he gently patted her head.
“….” Ruri didn’t lift her head or react. She just sat there, frozen.
Ferda thought. Wait, what am I doing? He had done it without thinking. Why did he do this? Then he realized—
When Mori was a child, she asked for head pats whenever someone praised her. That was it.
Ferda had treated Ruri like a child. She always hated being treated like a kid. She was definitely going to get mad.
“Ugh…”
But surprisingly, she didn’t. Instead of getting angry, she just sat there, feeling his touch.
‘Why?’ He had no idea. Some animals feel safe when their necks are grabbed, as if their mother is holding them. Maybe that was it. Or maybe, the moment he removed his hand, she would explode with anger.
While Ferda was lost in thought, Ruri suddenly spoke.
“…Hurry up and leave. I have to clean.”
“…Alright.”
Ferda finally removed his hand, and Ruri started moving again. She turned her back and quickly began sweeping the floor. For a moment, her hair shifted, revealing her skin. Her face was bright red.
Ruri’s Thoughts
Humans always change. Hearts cannot resist the flow of time. That’s why consistency is seen as a virtue.
Ferda was no different. In less than a year, he had changed completely. Even though Valdrova was there, he kept holding other women’s hands like some flirt. He was doing nothing but annoying her.
‘….’ No. Ruri knew the truth. He hadn’t changed. Even when he held their hands, he had no special feelings. He wasn’t cheating. She had just used it as an excuse to bother him.
But now, a different feeling was growing inside her. Yes. The one who had changed was her. Ruri had started relying on Ferda.
The first time it happened was when Goz arrived. She had instinctively grabbed Ferda’s sleeve. And when Abel died—
She had cried in his arms.
At that moment, for the first time… Ferda had felt like Silverwind.
