~Chapter 102~
“Shh.”
Leviathan placed a finger gently on his lips.
Hazel and Adolf, who had come out to greet them in front of the mansion, quickly understood and softened their footsteps.
Leviathan, holding the child in his arms, climbed the stairs and went to the bedroom. The child’s face was deeply asleep. She must have been very tired.
“I wonder if Asha Drukan and Rubian knew each other from before.”
The young prince’s voice echoed in his ears. Leviathan laid Rubian on the bed and stared at her sleeping face for a long time.
Honestly… he couldn’t even clearly remember what state of mind he was in when he got into the carriage with her.
“So you’re saying Rubian could be the magician that the Magic Kingdom is looking for?”
His own voice, when he remembered it, had been trembling badly. Even he could tell. He didn’t even want to imagine such a thing.
Licht had quickly shaken his head.
“No, not at all. Didn’t you also hear just now? The kingdom’s magician said their search failed.”
“…”
“So… it must have been my mistake.”
Leviathan clenched his fist tight.
The conversation ended there, but the uneasy feeling never left him during the whole ride back.
‘What if Rubian really were a magician…?’
That thought kept haunting him.
It was a terrifying assumption. Just imagining it made his blood run cold.
He reached into his pocket out of habit and touched a smooth glass vial.
“Haah…”
He brushed back the hair stuck to Rubian’s forehead and let out a long sigh.
If Rubian were a magician…
‘That would be… far too cruel.’
If she were one of the kingdom’s magicians, she might have experienced the battlefield.
And he knew better than anyone else what kind of place the battlefield was.
He had fought for ten years without stopping, just to keep his precious ones from being thrown into that terrible place.
But if she had really been there…
‘Then why did I even take up the sword?’
Everything would become meaningless. He didn’t think he could endure such a truth.
“Master, you should get some rest…”
Hazel whispered softly.
Leviathan gave a short nod and stood.
‘Useless thoughts, too many.’
It was nothing more than a misunderstanding caused by the prince.
‘Tch. I only ended up making her feel awkward for no reason.’
As if in apology, he pressed a long kiss to Rubian’s forehead. He stayed longer, making sure she wasn’t having a nightmare, before turning away.
But at the doorway, his steps suddenly stopped.
“…”
His gaze was caught by a familiar coat rack.
It was holding both neatly arranged boys’ clothes and girls’ clothes all jumbled together.
‘Rubian hid her gender once.’
That old memory came back suddenly, and his expression deepened.
‘…Could that be all?’
He startled himself with that thought.
“Ridiculous.”
He scoffed, shaking his head, and strode out of the bedroom.
Once you start imagining, it has no end.
‘I should go greet Rosetta instead.’
He walked down the hall quickly, shaking off his thoughts.
The hazy moonlight stretched a long shadow behind him.
Night. Under the pale moonlight.
‘Huh? What is this place?’
The atmosphere was strangely familiar.
A dream.
Not just any dream—one she had seen before.
I widened my eyes with both fingers and scanned the area.
But everything was wrapped in thick mist. Nothing was visible.
‘This fog! Get out of the way!’
Then, two familiar silhouettes appeared.
“The price of standing against our king will be harsh…”
That same line again.
‘So? Who are you, the one saying this?!’
But no matter how hard I tried, the only things I could recognize were the priest’s robe and the World Tree symbol peeking from the sleeve. Just like before.
‘So this is the “fourth one”…?’
Then suddenly, like the angle of a camera changing, my view shifted.
I froze in shock.
‘Dad…?’
Because right in front of me was Leviathan, from the original story.
It was as if I had stepped into the body of the magician who killed him, and now I was facing him directly.
It was the first time I had clearly seen his face. And it looked so…
‘So worn-out…’
He looked very different from now.
Not just rough skin—his eyes had no life in them. His complexion looked dark and unhealthy.
And yet, somehow he didn’t feel unfamiliar.
At that moment, Leviathan’s violet eyes locked with mine.
His lips opened.
“Run. Far away.”
‘Wait—was he talking to me just now…?’
Before I could even ask, the fog swallowed everything.
The dream ended there.
“Whoa.”
I sat up in bed, stunned.
What kind of dream was that?
‘Was that dream-Leviathan talking to me?’
Or was it just the original scene replaying?
But Leviathan would never tell the magician who came to kill him to run away.
‘Weird. Was it just my imagination?’
I crossed my arms, deep in thought.
The soft sunlight streamed across the white sheets. Only then did I realize it was already morning.
“Ah! Wait.”
I had forgotten—
Last night, I was supposed to use the herb!
Just as I leapt up, the door opened.
“Young Lady, good morning—huh? What are you doing under the bed? Playing hide-and-seek?”
“Hazel! Where’s my herb?!”
“Goodness, calm down. It’s right here.”
Hazel pointed at the table. Lifting the cloth revealed the transparent box.
I finally let out a long sigh of relief.
“Phew. I thought I lost it.”
“My, was it really that precious?” Hazel chuckled as she drew the curtains.
‘Did sleeping with that herb nearby make me dream like that?’
I stared at the fresh, green leaves, lost in thought.
Maybe its sacred energy reacted with my magic?
‘Answer me, Wigeria!’
But as usual, my inner sea was silent. I was already used to his laziness.
Last night, I had planned to use the herb. But I had fallen asleep so deeply in the carriage that I missed the chance.
Well, there had been a lot going on. Still!
“Did Dad bring me here?”
“Yes. And he stayed for quite a while, watching over you.”
“Oh…”
If Dad had been there, I wouldn’t have been able to use the herb anyway.
I stroked the box, thinking over everything that happened yesterday.
‘Yesterday was really shocking…’
I almost got suspected of being a magician.
Thankfully, Dad seemed to have drawn his own conclusion, and somehow it ended well.
But still…
‘Ugh. I just made excuses again.’
I sighed a little.
“How will you take it? Should Lord Borbel prepare it into a tea for dinner? Or maybe empty stomach in the morning?”
“No!”
I quickly hugged the box tight to my chest.
“I’ll eat it myself!”
“Raw? You’ll chew it?”
“Yes. I’ll just chew it up… Th-that’s the right way to eat it.”
“But you hate bitter things…”
Hazel looked doubtful, but didn’t argue further.
After all, I was known as the “herbology ace” certified by Borbel of the north. She must have trusted me to handle it.
I tucked the box safely under the blanket.
Pat pat. “I’ll eat you later. Sleep well for now.”
Then I washed up, changed clothes, and even put on the brown shoes Mom gave me—perfect for running.
“Where are you going?”
“To meet Khalid!”
“What about breakfast?!”
“Later! Brunch or something!”
“Young Master will not like this!! Young Lady!!”
Hazel’s desperate voice chased after me, but nothing could stop the first-place winner of the Green Festival race.
“Kaaaal!”
I ran straight to the training grounds.
On the way, I met several senior knights. They congratulated me on winning and showered me with gifts.
“Careful, you’ll trip.”
Khalid frowned as he trained with a wooden sword.
I panted under the blazing sun, and he came over to shade me with his hand.
“Phew, it’s hot.”
“What’s all that you’re carrying?”
“Oh, just puzzles, cookies, blocks, dolls, hairpins…”
“…So all the seniors skipped training this morning to go shopping?”
Unbelievable. For seniors, really.
The unexpectedly model-student type Khalid clicked his tongue.
“Give them here.”
He took the pile of random gifts from my arms. We went under a tree’s shade.
I picked up the blocks—it caught my eye the most.
As I stacked them up, Khalid helped from the side.
“What about that magician? Did he leave?”
I whispered, lowering my voice. From far away, it would look like we were just playing.
Khalid stared at me.
“You didn’t hear?”
“What…?”
“The northern portal broke. He’ll have to stay three more days.”
“What?! No way!”
Crash. The blocks I had stacked up to two levels collapsed.
