Chapter 08
The two of them, startled, tried to let go of each other’s hands, but the hands stuck together wouldn’t budge an inch.
A thin line of light began to draw slowly across the backs of their hands, forming a pattern. Three lines converged into a triangle, and then another triangle upside down.
The two triangles merged into a star. Strange characters filled the gaps, and a circle connected the star’s points. The moment the circle completed, their clasped hands finally separated. Both stared blankly at the backs of their own hands.
A golden star, etched in fine lines, now adorned each of their right hands.
“…A hexagram.”
“Hexagram?”
“It’s a complete geometric form often used in magic circles. Seeing it in person makes it clear—it’s definitely magical in nature. Though I’ve never seen this specific design before.”
At that moment, Rines slid between them, his sharp eyes scanning their hands and surroundings. His transparent brown eyes studied Cordelia’s hand—the one currently possessed by Noah—with meticulous attention.
“There’s a faint trace of magical power,” he murmured.
“Magical power?”
“There’s a thread connecting your fingers. Both of you.”
Cordelia looked down at her fingertips in confusion.
“I don’t see anything.”
“Of course you don’t. Only a mage’s eyes can perceive it. We should hide it before someone notices. Here, give me your hands.”
Both Noah and Cordelia extended their hands simultaneously. From Rines’s fingertips, a reddish light seeped out, enveloping the hands. The faint thread that had briefly appeared vanished again. Cordelia muttered unconsciously,
“It really does look like the red string of fate.”
Though the thread disappeared, the hexagram remained on the backs of their hands. Rines clicked his tongue lightly.
“As expected, I can’t erase that part. You two should wear gloves until those marks fade.”
Muttering what sounded like magic theory under his breath, Rines finally introduced himself to Noah, who still looked dazed.
“Ah, right. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Rines Sandria.”
“Uh… so you’re a priest?”
Every priest, upon joining the temple, discarded their former name and adopted the temple’s name as their surname. The moment Noah heard the name of the Grand Temple Rines belonged to, his eyes turned wary. Rines replied firmly,
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. If I intended to, she wouldn’t have come to me in the first place.”
With that calm assurance, Rines folded his arms and sighed.
“You two… don’t really know each other well, do you?”
“Yep,” Cordelia answered confidently, while Noah remained silent for a beat too long. Before the pause could feel strange to the others, he hurriedly spoke up.
“Uh, speaking of magic…”
“Hm?”
“I, um… I recently got this crystal orb that supposedly grants wishes…”
As Noah explained the rough details, Rines looked at him like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Seriously? Why on earth would you just accept something like that? That screams suspicious!”
“Sorry. I didn’t know it was like that.”
While Noah apologized meekly, Cordelia tilted her head, resting her chin on her hand.
“A crystal orb? There wasn’t anything like that in the room.”
“You’re sure?”
“Of course! The first thing I did after waking up was check the whole place. If something that noticeable had been there, I’d definitely remember.”
“Then maybe it was just a catalyst…”
Rines didn’t look pleased as he muttered, clearly troubled. It didn’t seem like a curse, but… Before he could finish, Cordelia spoke up.
“Maybe… the traditional method might actually work?”
“Traditional method?”
“You know, like in fairy tales—breaking a curse with a kiss.”
“…What?”
“…Excuse me?”
Ignoring their overlapping protests, Cordelia grabbed Noah’s arm. Looking up at his slender face, blue eyes, and sharply defined features—features that were technically hers—she thought,
Damn, my face really is pretty.
“Should we give it a try?”
Sure, it felt weird doing this with someone who had her face, but whatever. Cordelia mischievously leaned closer, and Noah panicked.
“W-Wait a second!”
He quickly raised his hands to block her approaching face. His defense was merciless—maybe because it was his own face. Cordelia’s lips squished against his palm as she grumbled,
“Huh? Why? It’s not like your lips are gonna wear out.”
Noah shook his head violently, brushing a hand over his reddening face.
“I-I’ve just… never done that before…”
He didn’t dislike the idea of kissing her, but… he had certain ideals. Doing something like that without any feelings involved didn’t sit right with him.
Then their eyes met—Cordelia, in his body, looking utterly confused. That’s when Noah realized his words might be misunderstood.
“I mean… I didn’t mean—”
That I dislike you, Lady Cordelia. I just don’t want my first kiss to happen like this.
“Ah, sorry. Yeah, that’d be kinda… a lot.”
Cordelia jumped in before he could finish, while Noah fretted, worried he’d offended her. Meanwhile, she was scolding herself internally.
Come on, Cordelia, seriously? Making a guy use his first kiss for this? That’s messed up.
Trying to rein in her thoughts, Cordelia mentally swept away the little devil on her shoulder.
“But seriously, you’re twenty-four, right? And with this face, you’ve never kissed anyone?!”
Noah averted his eyes under her incredulous stare.
“It just… never happened.”
“Wow. You’re nothing like Cordelia at all.”
Amused, Rines’s voice chimed in. Cordelia stiffly turned her head toward him, creaking like a rusty hinge.
His face practically had the word thief written across it in bold letters, making sweat trickle down her spine.
Okay, yeah, maybe I did play around a little too much…
Facing a pure-hearted younger guy who’d never even kissed before, guilt tap-danced all over her conscience. Ugh, this is exhausting!
“…It’s not that weird, right?” Noah asked cautiously.
“Huh? No, of course not. Happens,” Cordelia replied breezily. Her hat had slipped slightly askew on her head.
“Lady Cordelia, your hat—”
“Hm? Oh.”
She took it off, sweeping her bangs out of her eyes before putting it back on. The motion was so natural, as if it were her own body.
“By the way, why do you keep your bangs so long? It startled me at first—and it looks uncomfortable. Never thought about cutting them?”
“…I just don’t like showing my face.”
“What? What a waste.”
“A waste…”
“Wait,” Rines interrupted, pressing a finger to his lips and jerking his chin toward the street.
All three turned to look—and saw them. A group in white robes, running their way.
“They were definitely around here!”
“Search everywhere!”
Temple priests. Rines cursed under his breath.
“Damn it. Should’ve reinforced the barrier.”
The temples monopolized magic, which meant they also enforced magical law. A sudden surge of unreported magical energy was enough to bring them running.
And unfortunately, they were the cause.
“What now?” Cordelia whispered.
“We run. This way!” Rines snapped, bolting ahead.
They followed, darting out of the alley into a crowded area—not as bustling as the city center, but busy enough. Cordelia strained to keep Rines’s head in sight as they pushed against the flow of people like salmon. Then she spotted more priests approaching from the left diagonal.
Crap. What now?
As she instinctively reached to cover the hexagram on her hand, someone grabbed her wrist.
“Lady Cordelia!”
She almost shook the hand off—until the voice made her freeze. The grip pulled her into a narrow alley, barely wide enough for one person.
Priests ran past, unaware of the gap. Cordelia, now pressed tightly against her rescuer, rolled her eyes nervously. Looking down at the deep purple hood clinging to her, she thought—
Wow, I’m smaller than I thought. Or… is this person just huge?
Her thoughts screeched to a halt when she looked up at his face. Noah clutched her sleeve, silently urging her to wait.
Thump. Thump. His heartbeat was so loud, she could hear it. Their breaths mingled in the tight space. She wasn’t narcissistic enough to swoon over her own face—but this close, it felt… weird.
Is he thinking the same thing I am?
Just then, Noah reached toward her face. Cordelia flinched slightly, only to realize he was fixing her crooked hat.
Ah. It was tilted.
Not to be outdone, Cordelia brushed aside the golden strands falling across his cheek. For a moment, it almost sounded like silk rustling.
So elegant—and yet, his fingertips are rough. His job, maybe?
“There! A magic surge from that direction!”
The priests’ distant shouts and the commotion gradually faded. Noah whispered, his breath tickling her skin.
