~Chapter 100~
“Youngest fairy.”
It was Liam.
“Ah, brother…”
“Your face looks pale, Cream. Come here.”
I clung to Liam. He had also received a pendant, but he simply put it in my pocket.
I closed my eyes tightly, riding on Liam’s back.
When my body trembled slightly, Liam sighed softly and patted my legs.
“Fairy, what’s this on your wrist?”
Liam looked at my arm wrapped around his neck.
When I moved one arm, a soft clinking sound came out.
“It’s Khalid’s bracelet…”
“Why do you have it?”
“I borrowed it for a moment.”
It was a bracelet that suppresses magic.
It was a kind of large-capacity magic restraint that could hold a large amount of Khalid’s magic, though not all of it.
The type of restraint used in the Mage Kingdom was fixed—usually chokers worn around the neck.
Anyone would instantly recognize it as a restraint. So “the Fourth” would never expect I was wearing one.
Besides, those types weren’t as powerful as this bracelet. They could not completely hold high purity magic like mine.
‘A treasure is a treasure. Its power is amazing. Even wearing just one drained all my magic…’
My energy was draining. In truth, it had started since I sat at the banquet table.
[Rubian, Emperor Babylon allowed the tracking magician to pass the gate. He will probably use magic detection tools. What should we do?]
Asha had been there when the Emperor permitted the tracking magician’s entry. As soon as she left, she sent me a letter.
Since I had already expected some of this from my tea time with the Emperor, I acted quickly.
“Give it to me!”
I had found through earlier experiments that Khalid’s bracelet worked on me too.
So I had kept one of Khalid’s bracelets with me during the entire contest.
The question was when to use it.
‘If the Emperor worried about the festival atmosphere, he would surely allow a search only after the festival… that is, during this banquet.’
That was my guess.
Of course, meeting the magician in the maze garden had been sudden. I could not have worn the bracelet then.
But as expected, the magician only did a light search and withdrew. His real timing was today, when all the children gathered.
‘I must have been the most suspicious, but he might want to search others too.’
So the moment I entered the banquet hall, I secretly put on the bracelet under the table.
The problem was Khalid, who had magic. But as expected, the magician showed no interest in boys like Khalid. They were not his target.
‘Even if you disguise yourself, it’s hard to change your skeleton.’
No matter what, I could not match Khalid’s build.
‘Different eye color, no magic—there is no reason to suspect.’
Both were things “the Fourth” had confirmed with his own eyes.
This really was hide-and-seek. Once he found nothing in a place, he rarely came back.
In that sense, I thought I had taken the first step successfully.
‘But… “the Fourth” being the magician in the original story…’
I closed my eyes to calm my thoughts. My heart was pounding.
Had the magician in my dream been similar in build? I could not remember clearly.
‘But the brand’s position is certain.’
The World Tree branch shown under the sleeve. That was rare.
Besides, “the Fourth” was one of the magicians devoted to the Demon King. So the line in my dream about the punishment for opposing the king was something he might actually say.
‘But…’
How would it happen that he attacks Father?
“The Fourth” and Father had no connection. His only order was likely to come find me.
“Ahhh… everything’s spinning.”
My head was dizzy. Too much information.
I needed to remove the bracelet… but my fingers felt heavy.
“Youngest… Rubian?”
Liam’s voice trembled faintly.
My whole body went limp. Fighting my heavy eyelids, I whispered.
“N… no… fa…airy…”
“….”
“Brother! What’s wrong with Rubi?!”
“…She seems a little drunk. What is it?”
I let out a long breath. No, I was fine… but even my tongue froze, unable to speak.
Then—
“Bracelet.”
Suddenly, my strength surged.
“I’ll take it.”
“Ah!”
I sat upright.
“Fairy, careful.”
From melted chocolate to full recovery, I steadied myself on Liam’s back and looked around with bright, clear eyes.
Khalid put the bracelet on his wrist and stared at me.
“Are you okay? You suddenly look full of energy.”
Void approached quietly, checking my face.
“Yes! Fresh air revived me completely!”
I lightly tapped both cheeks.
‘Let’s think more about that magician’s identity!’
I gripped Liam’s hand firmly so he would let me stay collapsed a bit longer.
At that moment, I met Khalid’s eyes.
‘It’s over, right?’
‘Thanks to you!’
We didn’t need words to understand.
Though Khalid didn’t know what I was thinking, he smiled slightly and touched his finger to my little finger.
Magic flowed to the tips of my head.
‘It tingled… electrifying!’
Meanwhile, the red-haired magician walked restlessly through the corridor. When he saw the silver-haired child, he felt certain.
“No?”
The glowing pendant came to mind. Before giving it out, he had tested it perfectly—so there was no doubt.
“…But it was a mistake.”
The magician clenched his teeth and stopped walking. Something felt wrong, but he could not dig deeper. The knights following him were making him nervous.
‘Palace knights? Or Zebert?’
Tsk. Either way, now was not the time to move carelessly.
He took out a small magic paper. With a fingertip filled with magic, he wrote in the air. The paper recorded his words clearly:
“First… I must report.”
Northern search results:
Target whereabouts unknown.
Main search target: Rubian Zebert.
Low possibility of match with target.
“Your Highness?”
Leviathan turned. He leaned on the Emperor’s desk.
Licht burst in, gasping.
“Huff… Duke Zebert.”
“Licht, what happened? Why do you look like that?”
The Emperor frowned at Licht’s strange expression. Leviathan, who had been protesting the magician matter, did the same.
“What’s going on?”
“Rub… Rubian…”
The Duke’s face changed immediately. He approached quickly. Licht caught his breath.
“What happened to Rubian?”
“Rubian… actually… no, maybe…”
At that moment—
“Your Majesty.”
A palace servant approached quickly. He had been at the banquet hall with the children.
“The kingdom’s magician has finished the search.”
“What?”
Licht asked in surprise. The servant bowed politely and continued.
“It seems they concluded there is no magician. There is no child with magic in the hall.”
“Tsk, of course.”
The Emperor nodded as if it was obvious. He gave a short dismissal order, and the servant withdrew.
“See? Duke. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“That doesn’t convince me. You let a magician into the north.”
“I understand. Next time I will report first, Duke.”
Even with the Emperor’s flustered response, Leviathan kept his stern expression.
“So… Fourth Prince Licht.”
The violet gaze fixed on Licht. Licht shivered and stepped back.
A low, tightening voice followed.
“What happened to my daughter?”
