Chapter 70
“Most of the knights have joined our lord in advance of the expedition.”
Luna repeated to herself what the head butler had said overnight. In times like this, the mistress had to manage her affairs carefully. She decided it would be best to refuse entering the restricted room and went to find Ash.
“You’re here?”
“Yes. But I’m not going in. When His Highness returns, I’ll formally request again.”
Ash, who had a pleasant expression a moment ago, stiffened as if doused with cold water. He pressed his lips together and twitched the corners of his eyes.
“What do I do? I was so excited I already opened the door.”
“Huh?”
Before Luna could respond in confusion, the locked door slid open smoothly.
Ash took a step or two back while looking at her and then disappeared into the shadows, revealing just a hint of his sharp jawline.
“It’s fine. You came in to stop me anyway.”
“Ash!”
Luna suppressed a loud outburst and hunched her shoulders. The door had been locked, but he had entered with ease that felt almost empty.
Inside the room, furniture covered in white cloths filled the space at first glance. Just like her parents’ study had been painful to her, it was obvious it would be the same for His Highness.
“Come out quickly.”
“I’m fine.”
Luna’s brow furrowed as she watched Ash resist. He reminded her of the intruder who had once violated her old study, making her fists clench.
Should she grab him and drag him out? No—he could resist as he just did, so it would be better to summon the head butler. And she shouldn’t have to deal with him directly anymore.
She could tolerate rudeness directed at herself, but causing trouble for those around her was unacceptable.
Luna controlled her racing pulse and fixed her gaze on Ash. But it lasted only a moment. His usually sharp eyes widened instantly.
“Ash! My goodness, Ash! Are you okay?”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Blood is coming from your mouth.”
Forgetting her resolve, Luna stepped closer and touched his lips. The blood wasn’t from the outside of his mouth but was leaking in considerable amounts from within.
“Did this happen because you forced the door open for me? Was there some kind of mechanism on the door?”
“Ah. No, no. Something else seems to have happened. This is a kind of signal. I’m still not familiar with this magic.”
Ash rambled with incomprehensible words, then licked the blood from his half-cleaned lips with the tip of his tongue.
He met her gaze again, tilted his head slightly, and lingered lazily.
“Sigh… I really don’t want to leave. Sorry, but I have to go.”
“Huh?”
“But Luna… you know? You’re standing in the center of the room. Since you came all this way, take a little look around. You never know.”
Ash teased her, then casually ruffled her light pink hair over her head.
“See you. Next time, we’ll spend more time together. Until then, stay strong.”
“W-wait.”
Ash bid a one-sided farewell and vanished in the blink of an eye. It was obvious he had used wind magic, as Luna’s tousled hair fluttered briefly backward.
Luna blinked as if dreaming. She had tried to scold him in contempt, but ended up worrying and turning back, completely swept away by his antics.
And he’s just leaving like that? It feels like I’m the only one causing trouble!
Luna stood alone in the room filled with mementos, then quietly turned to leave. Maybe if she closed the door quietly, no one would notice.
But then something strange happened.
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, the branded back of her hand stung as purification magic erupted uncontrollably. The white, thin threads of magic extended all the way to a drawer.
A chill ran through Luna like a magnet pulling her hairs upright. At the end of her gaze, an aurora-like glow emanated from the family’s old books.
This magical situation was overwhelming. While the eccentric magician played a role, more than anything, she felt she had betrayed His Highness’s trust, and her throat dried up.
Luna deliberately ignored the drawer and tried to step outside.
“It hurts.”
Unfortunately, the further she moved from the drawer, the more burning pain the brand inflicted.
“They’re all beautiful in color, but why are they all so forceful…”
Luna glared at the cursed drawer and quickly grabbed the handle. Inside was a small, heavy jewelry box.
She shook it roughly. The box seemed full of something; no sound came from inside.
Frowning, she examined the jewelry box carefully and discovered a deep, ring-shaped groove on the side.
Ultimately, this required a key as well.
“Ugh! Ugh! Damn it!”
The man called the captain of Raven desperately clawed his way through the dense snow mountains.
Twilight had already fallen, and the place, famous for its perpetual snow, was filled with bone-chilling cold and slippery ice. Yet the man kept charging forward as if insane.
Crunch! Crunch! Thud!
“Ah!”
He caught on a branch, scratched himself, and finally smashed his face into an icy, rock-like tree.
Reeling backward, he staggered. His philtrum was drenched in warm, fresh blood, as if his nose had been broken.
“Damn it! Why aren’t they coming! Damn! Damn!!”
His screams echoed between the valleys. Swearing wildly, he continued moving his legs.
Everything had gone according to plan: luring the Bahir knights, exploding the traps at the entrance, even triggering the beasts to attack the surroundings.
So why was he running for his life now?!
A hollow laugh escaped his chapped lips.
In retrospect, it seemed he had been doomed since the damned real captain failed to arrive on time.
Or perhaps, facing the Duke from the start, none of it had mattered.
“Abandoned like a dog… that traitor.”
The fleeing man ground his teeth and stopped suddenly. He recalled the traitor’s words: if you’re about to die, bite and swallow. It felt like a last will.
Catching his breath, he dug into his pocket, retrieved the deep purple magical beads, and shoved them into his mouth.
“Guess the game of tag is over, huh?”
“Ugh!”
At that moment, a sword coated in black blood pierced his thigh. The sharp tip drew crimson blood and slid out smoothly.
The man collapsed, wincing in excruciating pain as his muscles twitched and tears flowed uncontrollably.
He barely swallowed the beads through his choking throat and gasped heavily, looking up at the man who had struck him.
A relentless black demon stared down at him.
Except for his icy, moon-colored eyes, he was covered in black blood from head to toe.
His pale skin, silver hair, and ceremonial uniform were a mess, as if soaked in ink. This made perfect sense why the Bahir uniform was usually black.
Damn! He cut through all those beasts to get here?
A nauseating smell of rancid oil wafted from him. Luna would have retched, but this man watched only her movements, unmoving.
“Just by the redness of the eyes, you’d think he’s a beast. There’s no difference from a monster.”
“Talking nonsense when you should be bowing? Bold of you.”
Calid chuckled without mercy, plunging his sword deeper into the other thigh.
“Ahh!”
The dying scream echoed in the air. The unmoving man’s gaze was dazzling and intense.
“Why did you ruin the ceremony like that? Were you planning to take revenge on me?”
“Huff! Huff! Couldn’t predict that from the Duke, huh? Huff! Having much means many enemies, especially those shiny things.”
Calid’s already stern face stiffened further. For him, the one shiny thing was singular and absolute.
He clicked his tongue. He had planned to extract all information from the last remaining crow but now wanted to kill it painfully instead.
“Interrogation seems pointless. Let him faint until the subordinates arrive.”
Calid gathered patience, suppressing his murderous intent, and tried to pull his sword to strike the back of the crow captain’s neck.
But then.
The sword wouldn’t budge.
“Grrr.”
A threatening growl buzzed by his ear. His furrowed brow tightened further.
A strange madness tinged his blue eyes, and a laugh of disbelief escaped.
Before him, the man had transformed into a beast, holding the sword and resisting.
