After the commotion, the Magic Club room was buzzing.
“Hiyayayak!! It’s a monster!!”
“Hahaha, Ariel. It’s just Licht and Mardol.”
“Oh… really?”
Kainel, dressed as a yellow Cerberus, and Ariel, decked out like a red Cheshire Cat.
“Ow. Oww. Ah, this isn’t right. Kurulurruk.”
The clueless neighbor pup and the tsundere red cat.
Truly fitting nicknames. I tried to enjoy the sight, holding an extra helmet in one hand.
‘..I’m feeling uneasy though.’
Right now, there’s a rose in my coat pocket, creating a weird discomfort.
Just in case, I stopped by the boys’ dorm on the way and grabbed a Mana Rose.
It’s a high-grade item. It won’t wilt without water. It will somehow manage with mana.
‘If it couldn’t be carried, they wouldn’t have told me to take it. It should be fine, right?’
I recalled Lyn, the black-haired girl I saw earlier. It’s strange how she resembles me a bit.
On top of that, she left with an ominous remark. This game company loves Easter eggs. It might come in handy.
In the game, certain events could only occur if you had specific items. I pondered deeply about it,
‘…Could she really be my future child? But why the black hair? One side is brown.’
It’s proof that the Nameless Saintess and I didn’t connect. Shaking my head, I denied a fact that came to mind.
There’s no way that could be true. It was probably just a spontaneous event. Saving a child from a cart is pretty cliché, isn’t it?
Just like a lost child calling the protagonists mom and dad. It shows up in those romance novels our Saintess likes.
‘It’s probably just my imagination.’
There’s not even a slight chance. It was just a misunderstanding, and didn’t the boy called Ifrit call me father just based on my armor?
“..Licht, what are you doing?”
“Nothing at all.”
I guess I’m not part of the princess route yet. If I were, I’d have called Mardol mom too. Since that didn’t happen, let’s just relax.
“Your Dullahan costume looks really realistic. Completely hiding the head part with glass makes it….”
“Thanks to Mardol.”
Currently, the upper part of my neck appears distorted due to the glass knight’s magic. Transparent glass was floating around me.
Magic expresses the mind, and this glass feels sharp and cold. Just like her.
“Licht, give me the helmet.”
“Ah, yes.”
As I stared at Mardol, who was dressed as a wooden monster, she approached me.
“Do I just add fire magic here? Mardol?”
“Yep. Ariel. Please.”
Flahrrok. At that moment, blue flames erupted. Once Mardol confirmed the magic was finished, she tried to pass the helmet back to me.
“Licht, here. It’s not hot.”
“..Ah.”
Flames flickered inside the black helmet. I was choking. As I watched the dancing fire, memories from the past flowed in.
I thought it would be fine since it’s magic. But isn’t watching and touching different? Cold sweat started pouring.
“..Licht?”
“Huff.”
I’m still afraid of fire. Mardol noticed as I wobbled with weakened legs. My vision was spinning.
“Licht, are you okay?”
“I’m fine…”
I just have to hold it. If I’m this scared, I won’t be able to save our Saintess. I bit down hard and tried to shake off the fear.
“Hey, are you okay? What’s with the sweat under the helmet…!”
“Helmet! What’s going on?!”
Oh no, the hero couple saw me too. Water was dribbling down where the helmet connected to the armor, like someone just took a shower.
“Licht.”
“Just a moment….”
“Licht, if you’re scared, you don’t have to do it.”
After that, the glass knight in a Kuer costume took the helmet back into her arms. She carefully cradled it as if it were precious.
“I’ll hold it for you.”
Thanks to that, I survived. I could finally breathe again. The feeling of drowning in a dry place disappeared. I lowered my head, calming my startled heart.
“..Thank you, Mardol.”
“Then what about the Dullahan costume? Doesn’t Licht need to hold it?”
“It’s okay. There’s a way.”
Maybe Mardol had a good idea. She released the magic floating around my face and gently tapped the forehead part of the helmet with her finger.
“Say it, Licht. Are you okay now?”
“Ah, yes. Thanks to you.. oh?”
My voice echoed back from the spare helmet Mardol was holding, a little delayed like a speaker.
“..It’s voice modulation magic.”
“Correct. You’re smart.”
So that’s the magic on the glass helmet. It changed into a booming voice, like speaking in a cave.
“Good job….”
Like praising me for getting the answer right, Mardol absentmindedly reached to pat my head. The wooden hand adorned with decorations came down.
“Mardol?”
“Oh, sorry, Licht. I just wanted to cheer you on…”
Noticing something was off, she awkwardly halted her movement.
Was she about to encourage me after my earlier reaction? What is she, a puppy?
‘Unlike Rufus from the sequel, she’s a good person.’
A snicker escaped me. The princess seemed surprised by her own actions, clenching and unclenching her little palm in confusion.
“Then Mardol has to go together with Helmet, right..?”
Just then, the observant red cat planted a flag first.
Well, can I even break this? She noticed that I’m scared of fire and was considerate towards me.
In this instance, I didn’t want to repay gratitude with malice.
Honestly, it’s quite unexpected. In reality, many people would take advantage of that.
“I’m fine….”
“I’m okay. Ariel.”
Before I could say anything, she gave me a definite answer, but for this one time, let her do as she wishes.
If it weren’t for Mardol just now, I would’ve been in big trouble. My heart is still pounding like crazy.
“..I trust Licht.”
“…”
“It definitely doesn’t look right. If it’s a Dullahan with only the head visible.”
This seems like an overly established flag, but thinking back, she was willing to even give up her Dragon Heart for me.
She’s just a kind person, right? She wouldn’t possibly like me. If Mardol thought of me that way, my status window would have reacted instantly.
“Then, Kainel and Ariel, please go scare the others….”
“Got it, Licht. Don’t overdo it today and get some good rest.”
“..Thank you.”
I have to boost the hero couple’s affection level too, so this will be a bit easier. As I relaxed, fatigue washed over me. Should I just take a nap in the dorm?
“..Licht.”
“What is it, Mardol?”
“Do you want some candy?”
It’s candy. Does she still have some left from the group project last time? I don’t know how she pulls out stuff like this after dressing up.
“..Thank you.”
Mardol stared at me intently. I received the candy, lifted my mask slightly, and popped it into my mouth.
“..Ah. What a waste.”
“Not at all. Haha.”
Did she want to see my face? You’d probably hate my burn scars. My scars are a bit special. It happened when I was young and didn’t know better.
As I recalled that stale nightmare, my brow furrowed, and my eyes narrowed. I felt dizzy. It looks like I’m still far from overcoming it.
‘Regret is not what I feel….’
At that moment, sweetness lingered on my tongue. The honey and sugar melted and permeated me. This is my first time actually eating an item that restores stamina.
“..It’s sweet. Thank you.”
“Yeah, I’m glad. Licht, you look okay.”
It’s not something trivial; I hadn’t eaten it because I was saving it for our Saintess. It’s delicious. The candy eased my worries for a bit.
‘..Oh?’
Mardol’s golden eyes, watching me find my composure, looked especially beautiful that day. This shouldn’t be happening. She must’ve been surprised a lot.
‘Shaky Bridge Effect.’
My heart hasn’t stopped racing. Am I not calming down? Maybe it looks the way it does because of the sudden situations like Kainel in the carriage.
There’s no way I’d develop feelings for someone while thinking of our Saintess.
“..Why? Licht?”
“Nothing.. it’s okay..”
As I swallowed, the sweetness melted away, blending into the atmosphere. Today, I endlessly felt guilty towards the Nameless Saintess.
‘It’s only the Saintess for me. Lee Soo-hyun. Let’s keep our head in the game.’
I gripped my hand tighter, denying the thoughts that surfaced in my mind.
*
Meanwhile, while Licht was distressed, at a fountain in the empire.
“..Currently, Kainel can’t break my powers.”
A bespectacled gentleman was flipping through a book, confirming something.
“A new hero, a new hero… the gods are causing a fuss again.”
Holding his pen, a dissatisfied man was jotting something down in his notebook.
“Excuse me, sir. Can you spare a penny..!”
“Hmm, what now?”
An old man with a hunched back appeared beside the gentleman, begging. He appeared to be a poor beggar in tattered rags.
“..It’s Tom.”
“Uh, oh? How do you know my name..?”
The man waved his hands dismissively, showing no interest in the beggar.
“Well, there are always ways.”
“Please, sir, I don’t know how you know me, but just one penny!”
Despite seeing this, the beggar didn’t back down. The gentleman sighed, showing his annoyance, and stood up.
“Instead of begging, go dig under this fountain.”
“..Huh? Why?”
“There’s ‘treasure’ down there. Get something to eat with it and buy a shovel.”
Pointing to the ground, the gentleman handed over a silver coin and walked away,
“Thank you, sir!”
“Watch yourself, Tom.”
Receiving the shiny silver coin, the man bowed deeply, offering his gratitude to the departing gentleman.
“..If left as is, he’d become a criminal who kills people as part of a gang.”
As he walked, Head Ake wrote something down in his notebook.
“I hope you can excuse this little consideration, Tom.”
In the densely packed notebook, a small note read:
‘Empire Year 18, around 01:00 AM, Tom dug deep at the fountain, found treasure, and died while trying to bring it up.’
The distinct phrase was written in tiny letters.
“We’re old acquaintances, after all.”
The Demon King of All Knowledge adjusted his disheveled clothes, considering it a trivial matter.
“This time, two heroes….”
Putting the notebook into his coat again, Head headed towards Grand Hertz Academy, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of who could have broken his powers.
“..No, that’s not it.”
Suddenly, the sound of boot heels clacked. Head came to a stop.
“Should I call you Soo-hyun? That would be more accurate.”
The Demon King, having finished his calculations, grinned slightly. The gentleman in the black suit was approaching the summer festival.
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