MHWSW | Chapter 006

Chapter 6

[My lady!]

A black, ball-like creature was on my stomach, then quickly hopped off. A very familiar creature to me, it was Kob, my secret weapon. But Kob wasn’t supposed to be here.

As my face contorted further upon seeing him, Kob stopped moving and looked at me. Only seconds had passed since I woke up, and I was still bewildered by this situation. But I quickly grasped the reality.

‘Why is Kob here?’

Kob was supposed to be in my father’s office right now, sending me signals. But Kob, who was meant to do that, was here in this cabin.

‘Did he come to me because I didn’t receive his signal?’

Given Kob’s loyalty, that was possible. But my orders were always his priority, so he shouldn’t have come to me like this. And besides, wasn’t this place too far even for Kob to fly to?

‘Then how did he get here?’

I looked at Kob, trying to calm my confusion. When Kob saw me, he blinked his jewel-like black eyes and spoke in a worried voice.

[Are you in a lot of pain, my lady? You’re badly injured.]

“…A little.”

[A little? How is this a little?]

How is this a little?

Kob looked at me with reproachful eyes, then began pecking with his beak to express his dissatisfaction. After that, he rubbed his beak with his wings, then flew with his wings spread toward a white bird beside him.

The white bird seemed familiar somehow, though I hadn’t seen it before. But right now, the white bird wasn’t what mattered to me.

“Rather, Kob, why are you here?”

[Kaaa! My lady, I’m innocent!]

“…Kob.”

As Kob protested his innocence with shining eyes, he flew back onto my stomach.

“Kob, alright, tell me.”

[My lady! I’m wronged! Your orders are always my priority!]

“And yet?”

[The master of this annoying bird summoned me here!]

“What?”

Kob’s words were enough to plunge me into confusion again.

Shocked by his words, I grabbed Kob’s soft, black-feathered body. Kob, startled by the sudden grip, shook his head. But I wasn’t in a state to notice that.

‘Is that possible?’

I had been with Kob for over ten years, but I had never summoned him. Or rather, I couldn’t summon him. The magic stone that connected me to Kob didn’t have that function, at least as far as I knew.

But summoning?

Who was this Didier that made such a summoning possible?

With my serious expression, Kob became serious too. Though that just meant he raised his head elegantly and puffed out his beak.

[My lady, but I felt something familiar from this place.]

Really, I felt something strange, very strange!

Kob moved his beak to lighten my serious expression, but it wasn’t effective. His words only made me more confused.

“Something familiar?”

Kob, who doesn’t care about anyone but me, said he felt something familiar? That made Didier seem even more suspicious.

Chirring!

The white bird, which had been carefully watching me and Kob, made a sound like jade beads. My head turned instinctively toward the source of the sound, and at that moment, my eyes met Didier’s, who was standing behind the bird.

I hadn’t sorted out my thoughts yet.

I thought I was good at hiding my expressions, but in front of Didier, strangely, I revealed everything for a moment.

All my confusion and suspicion.

Feeling caught, I bit the soft skin inside my mouth. Didier approached me with an innocent expression full of concern.

“I was wondering about the noise, and I found you awake, Lady Erica.”

“…Yes.”

“Ah, I haven’t introduced my friend yet. This white bird is Lis, my friend.”

“…Ah.”

Didier spoke to me in a truly gentle tone. He gestured toward Lis to greet me. Lis looked at me and Didier alternately, then turned his head and flew away.

At that moment, I felt for a second that Didier’s expression turned strangely cold. But he was smiling innocently.

‘Maybe I’m too suspicious and misread it.’

I didn’t have time to closely examine his fleeting expression.

His smile seemed so innocent that I felt I was the strange one for thinking it was cold. So I let it go.

“Sorry, Lady Erica. Lis is a bit shy.”

Didier spoke in a slightly embarrassed tone as he approached me. While I watched his ever-present smile, I tried to gauge his intentions.

‘I must have hit my head for sure.’

Even with all these suspicious circumstances and evidence, I thought Didier might have an excuse. I was truly foolish.

I stared at Didier without saying a word. When he blinked under my gaze, perhaps thinking I wasn’t speaking due to pain, he quickly approached to check on me. His hand didn’t quite touch my body, but it carefully hovered over my injured areas. His tension was evident in my eyes. How could I suspect him?

“Are you in pain somewhere? I’ll quickly get a painkiller…!”

Regardless of my desire not to suspect him, I needed to clarify things.

“It’s fine. But it seems you have something to tell me, Didier.”

At my words, his gaze shifted to Kob, who was elegantly grooming his feathers on my stomach. For a moment, a look of defeat crossed his face.

But before I could examine his expression further, his bird let out another Chirring! sound.

My gaze instinctively shifted to the source of the sound, as if enchanted. When I looked back at Didier, he seemed so sad, like someone about to be abandoned.

“…Please don’t hate me.”

Didier spoke in a resigned tone, as if he anticipated my reaction, and carefully took my hand. Or rather, he only placed his hand over the back of mine.

Even that seemed to require great courage, as his neck turned red. If I were my usual self, I would have pushed him away easily, but strangely, I didn’t want to. I must have really hit my head.

I was thinking strange thoughts, like how I liked the warmth of his tense hand.

“Didier, it’s okay, explain.”

Didier opened his mouth twice, then closed it. But my patience wasn’t long enough to wait for his hesitation. So, I spoke in my mother’s gentle, warm tone to encourage him to speak without fear.

“It’s okay, Didier.”

At that, he knelt beside my bed, bowing his head, and spoke.

“I’m a mage…”

His words, after his hesitation, were enough to shock me.

A mage.

A being capable of controlling magic. It could only be explained as being chosen by the Ruler.

A trait that isn’t inherited. Thus, in the past, they were sometimes feared. And why not? They could destroy a castle or kill and revive someone with a single gesture. Because of this, mages were feared by the common people and revered by those in power.

So, when Didier’s parents discovered he was a mage, they might have abandoned him in the forest out of fear. This also explained why he lived here alone so well and why he told me not to fear him after saving me.

‘I was the arrogant one.’

Being a predator and the heiress of Guinevere made me misjudge. I hadn’t realized that always being in a position of power could corrupt me like this.

But regardless, this was great luck for me, who needed to reformulate her plan. Didier, the mage. Just his title as a mage carried immense power.

I hid my conflicting emotions behind a neutral expression. Then, Didier spoke quickly, perhaps sensing my concern.

“…But I don’t know much. I barely made Lis my secret weapon.”

Even that, I failed at several times…

His next words sounded sad and pitiful. He seemed to want to assure me he was harmless, that he didn’t know anything. That in itself was a great achievement.

‘He said he lived alone in this forest, so maybe he doesn’t know.’

He must have realized he was a mage on his own. His humble behavior might stem from ingrained memories in his subconscious that mages are frightening.

‘They say mages remember even their infancy.’

As I was lost in thought, Didier looked at me, his eyes slightly red.

“I know I shouldn’t touch others’ belongings. But when I saw the magic stone, I couldn’t resist touching it…”

He didn’t need to finish. I knew what happened next. He probably found the magic stone in my pocket while arranging my clothes.

Despite knowing he shouldn’t touch others’ belongings, his curiosity was stronger. He probably hesitated between touching it or leaving it.

‘Then, when a mage touched the magic stone, it activated, and Kob was summoned here.’

That’s why he blurted it out unconsciously? If I knew him well, I’d have guessed he acted this way. The scene was somewhat amusing. Only one day had passed since I met him, yet I was thinking as if I knew him completely.

‘I judged him by his appearance alone… I’m still foolish.’

When I showed no reaction, Didier seemed more nervous. He pulled my hand until the back of it touched his cheek. Its texture was as soft as a child’s skin. That texture began to enchant me gradually, erasing all my thoughts and leaving only Didier in my mind.

“Sorry, Lady Erica…”

[What an act…!]

Kob, who had been trying to stay silent to avoid disturbing his lady, couldn’t help but throw out a word. I laughed unconsciously. If Didier knew he was considered an actor, he wouldn’t have acted this way. But I laughed because I was letting him enchant me so easily. When I laughed out loud, Didier looked at Kob with a wronged expression.

“Acting?…”

[If that’s not acting, what is it? I don’t even like that you’re holding my lady’s hand. My lady’s hand is mine alone!]

“Heh, funny… It’s okay, I know you’re not acting. And I’m not afraid of you because you’re a mage.”

[Yes! My lady is a great wolf!]

Kob raised his wings in a proud stance, but it looked pathetically funny. Didier and I looked at each other and laughed.

“It’s fine. As Kob said, I’m somewhat strong. And I know you’re not lying to me.”

“…Lady Erica.”

“And rather…”

“I should be the one thanking you.”

Because he appeared at the most opportune moment for my situation.

“So, don’t worry too much.”

“….”

Didier’s eyes were redder than before. I don’t know why, but I reached out to stroke his wavy golden hair. Its texture was truly wonderful. I wasn’t the only one who felt that, as Didier quietly closed his eyes under my touch.