~Chapter 65~
“Ouch, my back. The bushes are too thick—this shortcut can’t be used anymore.”
The one who made her presence known with a sudden fall was a woman in a blue misty robe.
“Hehe. I bet no one imagined I’d get home first by taking the hot spring path.”
I froze like a statue. It wasn’t just the shock of discovering there was a secret path here.
‘This voice…’
That soft voice sounded so familiar.
The woman dusted off her clothes and tied up her long, loose hair. Then she squealed:
“Oh, I can’t wait to see Levi’s twisted, angry face!”
Did she find out I cleaned up those Ipsun criminals? She must’ve realized I cleared the magic beasts too, right?
Her words poured out like a storm. Without thinking, I mumbled:
“Gr… Gravekeeper?”
That familiar dark brown hair.
Yes, it was her… wasn’t it?
Then she noticed my presence and slowly turned around, reaching for the bow on her back.
“Eek.”
At the same time, raindrops began to fall—plop, plop.
“Hm?”
Our eyes met. Blue eyes. The woman froze mid-motion, stopping herself from drawing her bow.
She blinked a few times, then opened her eyes wide.
“Huh? Oh! You’re that kid I met at the memorial park.”
The moment our eyes met felt like three seconds… or maybe three thousand years.
“Why are you here?”
“Why are you here?”
We spoke at the same time.
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
“…Huh?”
“…Eh?”
What was this situation?
Then, something strange caught my eye.
In the drizzle, the woman’s hair started to… melt away.
That beautiful chocolate-brown color was peeling off, like a shell.
‘Dye…?’
Her hair quickly revealed its real color.
Bright, vivid pink.
“Oh no, the dye is washing out. Humidity really is my weakness.”
A woman who knew the Jebert hot spring’s secret path.
A beautiful woman with pink hair.
‘Come to think of it…’
I suddenly remembered. The Jebert family didn’t have a single family portrait in the house.
That’s why I didn’t know.
“Rosetta… Jebert?”
I had already met her before.
“Mm, so you know me?”
“Y-you’re not the Gravekeeper?”
“Sorry. Back then, I had my reasons.”
I leapt to my feet, dizziness hitting me. Rosetta quickly stepped forward and grabbed me before I could stumble.
“Careful, little lady. More importantly—won’t you tell big sister your name? I forgot to ask it last time.”
…What?
I looked down blankly. The cloth I had clutched like a lifeline was still wrapped tightly around me.
“Stand up straight. You’ll slip.”
Rosetta lifted me out of the water and set me down under the shade where the rain couldn’t reach.
“Hurry and put on your clothes.”
“Uh, um, what did you just say…?”
“I said put your clothes on.”
“Before that…”
“You’ll slip.”
I stood there dumbfounded, and Rosetta gave a troubled look.
“Wait, you’re not upset about the word ‘big sister,’ are you? Don’t call me ‘aunt.’ I really hate that. My heart’s still eighteen, you know.”
Rosetta naturally handed me dry clothes. If I just stood still, she’d probably dress me herself, so I quickly hid behind a tree.
“Shy little thing. We’re both girls, what’s the big deal?”
As I dressed, my eyes instinctively searched for an escape route.
“So? Did you come all the way to Ipsun with your dad? Strange. He rarely brings kids along on trips.”
Her words felt distant, muffled, like I was underwater. My breath grew rough, my head dizzy.
“Ah, or maybe… did you become friends with a girl named Rubian? Is that why you came here together?”
“……”
“Hm, weird. Why’s my little cutie so quiet today…”
…Right?
Her cheerful smile slowly stiffened as she peeked around the tree to catch my gaze.
“Kid.”
Her hand on my shoulder tightened with sudden seriousness.
“What’s your name?”
I couldn’t see a mirror, but I knew my eyes shook violently at her question.
‘Calm down… hide your expression… make an excuse…’
Would that even work?
In that moment, reality crashed over me like a wave.
“No way.”
No.
“You’re not Rubian… are you?”
No!
I didn’t know where the strength came from.
The moment those words hit me, I shook off Rosetta’s hand and ran blindly.
Her urgent voice calling after me grew distant.
I didn’t know if I was running, tumbling, or using magic.
“Hiding your identity and sneaking in like a rat!”
No. No, it’s not like that!
“That’s the worst crime of all, Father! Using trust against us!”
I was going to tell them… once the barrier was ready… once everything was prepared…
“Exactly.”
Somewhere, a cracking sound echoed.
The sound of the shell I’d held together so tightly… breaking.
This isn’t good.
“Ugh…”
Running away won’t solve anything, Rubian!
“I know. I know, I know…!”
I crouched in the corner of an alley, scratching meaningless drawings into the dirt.
At least I hadn’t escaped completely naked—that much was a relief.
No, honestly, it wasn’t much different. I felt utterly exposed. Like I’d been stripped bare.
“Idiot! Are you an idiot, me?! You burned-out fool!”
I banged my head against the wall.
Why hadn’t I realized it sooner? The Gravekeeper had been suspicious from the start!
I was going crazy. And now, bolting like that—
It was basically the same as admitting with my whole body that she was right.
“So what now, running away like this?”
I should’ve just denied it! Instead, I panicked like a coward…
But Rosetta’s eyes… they had been so sharp, so certain. If I had denied it, maybe she would’ve tried to check my body herself.
“Ughhh.”
Stop digging yourself deeper. Go back. Handle this maturely…
“I can’t. What do I do…”
I was completely panicked.
I’d always planned to confess my secret someday. But not like this. Not at this timing.
“What do I even start with…”
Then—buzz! A strong pulse of magic burned against my earlobe.
“Huh?”
Finally, I realized what that static noise had been all along.
“Right—Khal!”
Oh no, I left him behind too!
By now, he must be frantically looking for me.
Ever since I disappeared once at Kanalan Canyon, Khal had hated when I suddenly vanished without warning.
Total disaster. Pure chaos.
‘What do I do. What do I do.’
I nervously chewed at my fingertips.
There’s a world of difference between confessing a lie yourself… and being caught.
“Hey, don’t people hate liars?”
“Most of the time, yeah.”
It was true. People hate lies.
Even that easygoing uncle, with his hidden sense of honor—he wouldn’t be an exception.
And the one I’d lied to was none other than Rosetta Jebert.
“What do I do…”
I knew deceiving was wrong. But I’d stayed silent anyway. Would they add betrayal on top of the crime?
‘Should I just run away with Khal?’
My arms, heavy with despair, drooped down, then lifted again.
Should I just leave Ipsun behind altogether?
‘But then… what about the original story?’
What about uncle?
What about this ending?
Everything was a mess.
‘Maybe… I should’ve just helped from the shadows.’
Like back on the battlefield. Quietly. Secretly.
Regret and fear crashed into me all at once.
It was never supposed to be mine in the first place. But now that I thought of losing it, I was terrified.
I curled up in the dark alley, the locked black box inside my heart rattling violently.
‘I don’t want to go back.’
Buried in my arms, I asked myself—back where?
‘To the orphanage…’
Or to that battlefield where survival was all that mattered.
It would’ve been better if I’d never known these feelings.
I sobbed like a child who’d let go of her handful of colorful balloons. It was all so sad and hopeless.
‘Greedy fool…’
Yes. I never should’ve wanted balloons in the first place.
Thud. I banged my forehead against the wall again.
Meanwhile, the static buzzing grew louder and louder. I reached for my earlobe, thinking I should at least contact Khal.
And then—
From the far end of the alley, I spotted two familiar figures.
‘…Huh?’
I blinked away my tears slowly.
‘Is that… Olivia and Titi?’
The two young ladies walked by, each holding cotton candy as big as their heads. Dressed like commoners—clearly sneaking out for fun.
I quickly wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and scanned the area.
‘Why are they out without guards… so dangerous…’
In that moment, my body shot up on its own.
“Gasp!”
Because I saw another shadow silently following them.
Kidnapping.
That single, sharp word blazed across my mind.
