Chapter 58
Memory and Magic
“Huff…”
Dierian’s knees buckled as he wandered the base of Mount Rebiv.
“Dierian-nim?”
Jex, who was walking ahead, turned around. The mage’s pale face was filled with shock.
“What’s wrong?”
“This energy… What is it? And why…?”
Dierian murmured in a daze, eyes searching the eastern ridge—where Eslyn and Tebet were.
“Why is my magic…”
“Dierian-nim, you’re bleeding!”
Blood dripped from under Dierian’s nose. He wiped it, then shakily stood up and looked at Jex.
“Sir Jex, before we left, I placed a protective spell on Her Highness. It was designed to activate in danger.”
“Wait… don’t tell me—”
“Yes. Judging by how a chunk of my magic was just drained, it must’ve been triggered. But this ominous energy… What in the world is it?!”
Panicked, Dierian frantically looked around.
Just then—BOOM!
A massive explosion shook the sky and earth.
“What was that?!”
“Dierian-nim!”
Dierian’s shoulder jolted. He quickly gathered magic and conjured a blue hawk.
But his magic, barely recovered, was draining again. He fought the urge to vomit from exhaustion.
“That black magic…”
“Something’s wrong,” Jex muttered.
A brief, eerie glow lit the black sky and vanished. Dierian’s lips trembled.
Could it be… dark magic?
Jex suddenly pushed down on the back of Dierian’s head.
“Wind’s coming.”
“Ugh—Sir Jex!”
Before Dierian could protest, strong winds shook everything. Their cloaks whipped around. Jex grabbed a nearby tree for support.
They crouched and waited.
Eventually, the wind died down.
“Something definitely happened to Her Highness,” Jex said, eyes uneasy.
“Can you use magic to check?” he asked Dierian.
“I already tried.”
Dierian tried to connect with the blue hawk, but the storm had broken the link.
He tried again—only to sense a scorched landscape. Too late.
“I’ll try a detection spell. We should hurry.”
Dierian’s face was unusually serious.
“Dierian-nim… do you think Her Highness…”
“She’ll be okay. Ripherius is with her.”
He spoke with desperate hope. Jex gripped his sword tightly and nodded.
They hurried up the mountain, too focused to even feel the physical strain.
Did we make a mistake?
Was splitting up the wrong move?
Should we have stayed at Her Highness’s side, no matter what?
Dierian bit the inside of his cheek. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.
Jex’s darkened eyes showed he was likely thinking the same.
Your Highness, please be safe.
He sighed.
Dierian thought of the man who should be protecting her now.
If he fails to protect you… I won’t forgive him.
He clenched his teeth.
He didn’t trust Tebet Ripherius as a person—but he trusted his skills.
And more than anything:
He believed in Tebet’s blind love for Eslyn.
“Damn duke,” he muttered, spitting blood.
“If he hesitates even once, I’ll never forgive him.”
Dierian’s sharp eyes glowed in the dark, the only clear thing in his worn-out expression.
Elsewhere…
Eslyn slowly blinked.
Whoosh, whoosh.
A dry breeze passed by. Not like the previous whirlwind.
The scent of grass and trees gently touched her nose.
It was still dark.
I got caught in the explosion…
She thought.
It had been massive. She thought she would die.
But somehow… she was alive.
Then, she felt a faint magical energy around her.
Dierian.
She wasn’t good with magic, but she could recognize his aura.
He cast a protective spell…
She bit her lip.
Even though he was injured and exhausted, he still protected her.
“Phew…”
She let out a long breath and sat up. Her body felt tight and heavy, like it was wrapped in chains.
“Sir Tebet?”
Only then did she notice the strong arms wrapped around her.
She turned her head and saw him—his eyes closed, unmoving.
Once again, Tebet had shielded her with his own body.
“Sir Tebet…!”
The nightmare from the Sehaz River flashed in her mind. She rushed to check his breathing.
“…”
His perfect face twitched slightly. Then, slowly, his eyelids opened.
“Where…?”
“You’re awake? Are you okay?”
Eslyn asked quickly.
Tebet sat up. It seemed Dierian’s magic had protected him as well—he wasn’t seriously hurt.
“I’m fine. But you—”
He clutched his head.
Eslyn froze.
His memory…
Is it still intact?
But the Pelissas magic stone broke…
She remembered.
Originally, when she regained her memories in the cave, Tebet was supposed to lose his. That was the price.
But he hadn’t forgotten—yet.
She guessed the magic stone had delayed it somehow. But now that it was shattered…
Could he have escaped the curse?
A spark of hope rose in her.
She looked at him with cautious optimism. Their eyes met.
“Ugh.”
“Sir Tebet!”
He groaned in pain.
His fingers dug into the red dirt. Eslyn panicked.
“Your head hurts? Let me see.”
She reached for his shoulder.
Then—
Thud.
His large hand shoved her away.
“You…”
His cracked voice filled the air. He looked up.
Their eyes met again.
But his red eyes were missing something—something that had always been there.
Kindness, love, longing, tenderness…
Eslyn understood.
“Who are you?”
Ah. That cursed god.
Had taken their bond after all.
“If you don’t answer, I’ll cut you down.”
Tebet growled. His voice was cold—completely unfamiliar.
Eslyn froze, like she’d been stabbed.
She remembered her old self, who had once rejected him.
Even when you were missing, I didn’t realize something was gone…
And now—
Is it your turn to forget me?
She had braced for this. But actually experiencing it…
It hurts so much.
She fought back the lump rising in her throat.
“Ha… damn it.”
Tebet ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Then winced from shoulder pain.
He’s injured?
Clicking his tongue, he stood. He noticed signs of magical creatures nearby and assumed he had been attacked.
Step. Step.
His broad back began to walk away.
Eslyn stared, stunned.
Then stood up. Her heart ached, but she had no time to cry.
I won’t give up.
She remembered the god’s cold words—about cutting their bond.
But I made a promise, didn’t I?
I’ll get you back.
Her deep blue eyes focused.
Eslyn stood tall and called out:
“Lord Ripherius.”
His towering figure paused.
He half-turned, but the shadows hid his expression.
She slowly approached. Her calm, graceful movements somehow drew attention.
“You were caught in a magic explosion.”
His indifferent eyes flicked toward her.
“A magic explosion? Here?”
“You must’ve had urgent business nearby. If your memory’s fuzzy… maybe it’s from the blast.”
Eslyn said, trying to control her trembling hands.
Tebet tilted his head, looking down at her.
His eyes were cold—completely emotionless.
It stung like tiny needles, but she didn’t look away.
I’ll get you back.
This man, with his cold face, had once been hers.
A flicker of blue light glowed in her eyes.
Not just you…
I’ll reclaim everything that was mine.
Rustle.
The forest moved.
Cool air brushed her pale cheeks. She could smell the damp grass and hear the dry wind clearly.
Eslyn took a deep breath.
The dense forest air filled her lungs. Her foggy mind slowly cleared.
For the first time in a while…
She felt truly alive.
