~Chapter 48~
Blink, blink.
Even with my eyes closed, the light flashed. Waves shattered in the sunlight and rolled toward me. I could feel them touch my toes, yet they weren’t cold.
Where am I? Am I dreaming?
I slowly opened my eyes and turned my head.
Strange— the sea rushed at me. The water stood like a wall in front of me. I should have been scared, but I wasn’t.
I reached out and pushed my hand into the water. It should have splashed, but for some reason there was no sound.
Come to think of it, I couldn’t hear the waves or even my own breathing. All the sounds around me were gone. Had I gone deaf?
Then water rose up from beneath my feet.
I can’t swim. Do I have a life vest? Useless thoughts popped up. How high will the water rise? I looked down— I couldn’t feel it, but it was already up to my nose.
And in an instant, it covered my head.
But how odd. I could breathe and keep my eyes open. Seawater should sting, but I felt perfectly comfortable.
Dreams really are nice. The water felt warm and safe. I wanted to stay here forever.
I was about to close my eyes when—
[Wake up!]
A tiny hand grabbed me by the collar. As soon as the child spoke, it was like someone put a hearing aid in my ear— sounds rushed in all at once.
I snapped my eyes open. Blue hair, bluer than the sea, floated and swayed in the water. Big eyes, a round face— maybe seven years old at most.
[Can you see me? You can see me, right?]
Her voice was full of joy. She let my collar go and spun around me, then suddenly hugged me tight. For something so small, she was incredibly strong.
[We finally meet.]
Her tears fell on my shoulder— very hot. I wondered who she was to cry so sadly. She stopped, pulled back, and took my hand.
[I’m Yak, the water spirit, Lovelace!]
“Water…? Spirit?”
[Yes. I’m so happy to find someone I can talk to.]
Yak was an affectionate child. She pressed her face into my neck and rubbed against me again and again.
After a while, Yak squeezed my hand. Her blue eyes flashed— and the scene changed in an instant.
I was sitting under a sunny awning on a hill. Yak was half in, half out of a large, antique bathtub, looking up at me.
[I thought this would feel more familiar than being underwater.]
Even as a child, she was very considerate.
[Lovelace. Lovelace.]
“Why do you keep calling me? And how old are you? Why are you speaking so casually?”
Even though I thought, It’s just a dream, who cares, my inner Korean manners slipped out anyway.
[After I turned three hundred, I stopped counting, so I don’t know.]
Gasp! I sucked in a breath.
[I’m… older than Lovelace, right?]
Do you hate me, then?
Tears filled her round eyes.
“No, I don’t… hate you.”
It’s just a silly dream. Who cares about like or hate.
[Thank goodness! I finally found a spirit summoner— you can’t hate me!]
“Spirit summoner?”
[Yes!]
Yak looked very proud.
“Who is?”
[Lovelace!]
“Me?”
[Yes!]
Yak nodded so hard she looked like a bobblehead on a dashboard.
“Me… a spirit summoner? Does that make sense?”
[You use magic! I’ve never seen anyone handle the power of water so well.]
“That’s not mine. It’s Larvihan’s…”
[Ugh! Larvihan… don’t even say his name!]
She clearly had a lot to say about Larvihan. There must be a story there…
Suddenly something flashed through Yak’s mind— her eyes went wide.
[Hey… are you going to send me to Larvihan?]
Yak’s voice trembled.
Is that something I can decide on my own?
I wanted to ask, but my question was swallowed by a wave rolling over us.
“…—ice, Lovelace!”
“Ah!”
A desperate voice rang in my ear and brought me back. When I opened my eyes, I saw Larvihan, soaked to the skin. He was looking at me with burning eyes.
“Are you awake?”
I was in Larvihan’s arms. He hugged me as he spoke. I couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality.
“…I met Yak… a spirit…”
Larvihan cupped my cheek when he saw my unfocused gaze.
“What are you talking about? A dream?”
My eyes slowly focused.
“There’s… no water?”
“What do you mean? It’s raining.”
He took away the shield he’d put up to keep the rain off me.
Ssshhhhhh—
The downpour roared. The smell of blood rushed in. I realized we still hadn’t left that brutal place.
“You— you!”
I came to my senses with a start and ran my hand over his back.
Lightning had struck his back. Was this blood smell his? Was he too injured to move?
Contrary to my fears, Larvihan was fine.
Thank goodness. I let out a long breath.
“Since you’ve finished checking me, it’s my turn.”
Larvihan sounded annoyed, his voice blunt, but his eyes on my face were gentle.
His hand touched my cheek. How long had he been standing in the rain? His fingertips were ice-cold. Yet even though I had been in the rain too, I didn’t feel cold at all.
“Next time, don’t just rush in. It’s only lightning.”
He scolded me, even though he’d fainted just a moment ago.
“How did you even get here?”
“By thinking.”
“Thinking what?”
That you might be in danger. But I couldn’t say it out loud.
I didn’t want to get hurt. I was brave, but also endlessly fragile.
I could comfort other people’s wounds, but I wasn’t good at seeing and soothing my own.
So I didn’t want to do anything that would obviously hurt me. I clamped my mouth shut.
“I asked what you were thinking.”
Was his voice wet from the rain? His words felt soft and damp.
“I wasn’t… thinking anything.”
“Good. Better not to.”
He tells me not to think when I was about to think. Well, I will think!
I was about to crack a joke to lighten the mood, but Larvihan didn’t give me time to speak— or to think.
He lifted my chin. He licked around my lips.
Water ran down his hair and over my face. I closed my eyes without meaning to.
He took that as permission, bit my lower lip, and opened my mouth. His tongue pushed in like a conquering general.
You want your power back?
Before I fainted, I was sure some power in my body had flowed to him.
So now that I’m awake, is he kissing me for that?
He told me not to think, but this kiss made me think of everything.
“Didn’t I tell you not to think?”
He murmured as he briefly pulled away. I pushed at him— as if he would really budge.
With one kiss, all my strength melted away. My eyelids trembled as I pried them open.
“Couldn’t you… take it back later? I’m tired.”
“No.”
No… what no?
His mouth devoured mine. His lips pressed hard, his hot tongue forcing through the parted gap.
This kiss was nothing like before— no mercy. In the end, things went exactly the way he said.
I couldn’t think of anything.
I clung to his clothes.
“What on earth happened to you two?”
Judith dropped the pen from her mouth.
Lovelace had vanished and then returned with Larvihan. That part was fine. But Larvihan was soaked and pale as a corpse, and Lovelace was flushed bright red and panting.
“How did you come back together?”
“Instead of asking that, how about letting Lovelace rest?”
Lovelace.
He didn’t say it like his usual playful tease. Drying her hair with the towel Judith gave her, Lovelace glanced at Larvihan’s shoulder.
He must have felt her gaze, but he didn’t look at her.
“I have work to do. I’m going home. Get some rest.”
Before he used teleportation, I grabbed his wrist. His body turned back without strength.
“What is it?”
I grabbed him because it felt like I had to, but nothing came to mind to say.
“Well… Lady Garui said it was a trap. Duke Hendrake…”
“I know.”
“Huh?”
“I know it was a trap. I can guess who did it.”
“I see.”
I didn’t expect applause for bringing information, but I hadn’t expected such a curt answer either. My energy drained away.
“I can get out of a trap like that just fine. Lovelace, how little do you think of me?”
He was angry. My brows slowly knit together.
“I only think that because I have your power!”
“I—!”
To me, he was always as gentle as afternoon sunlight. No matter his feelings, his tone stayed calm. But now his voice rose.
“Do you think losing a bit of power would change anything?”
I flinched and stepped back without meaning to. This time, Larvihan seized my wrist.
“Your Grace, please calm— mmph.”
Judith tried to stop him, but slammed into the wall. Invisible cords bound her in place.
“Larvihan, let Judith go.”
“Listen carefully, Lovelace. I won’t overlook it if you belittle me again.”
He growled the warning, then released my hand. I was so shocked by the way he’d used magic on Judith that I missed my chance to answer.
In that confused moment, Larvihan teleported away.
“It’s not contempt— it’s worry…”
I finally said what I should have said. Unfortunately, he didn’t hear it.
