Chapter 38
The greater the power you hold, the less you should reveal it.
I can’t even remember when I first heard those words—probably when I was very young. And if I think about it now, those words weren’t entirely wrong.
<Storm’s Lover, Kanoe Bluebell. 22 years old.>
<Bounty: 20,000 Gold>
The Imperial family had classified me as an ability user with the potential to become a threat to the Empire.
“The men came to the island… they asked where you were. Nana never opened her mouth, not until the very end, and then she…”
And there was the group that hunted me—“Hunters,” who had set their sights on my head.
To flaunt one’s power meant drawing countless eyes upon yourself. It meant being used, again and again.
This was the power I had wished for so desperately, yet at the same time, a terrifying strength I never wanted. Now that it was in my hands, I tried my best to keep it hidden.
“But it really isn’t that easy…”
The more I tried to hide my strength, the more the world refused to leave me in peace. All I wanted was to live freely.
“Master, are we going into battle now?”
“Jelly, you stay in the pocket. It’s dangerous.”
“Eeehh.”
Jelly squirmed and refused to go in, as if it thought we were just going to watch some kind of fight for fun.
“Kanoe. We’re almost there.”
“…All right.”
A low fog hung heavy over the sea. Beyond the mist, the faint outline of an island gradually sharpened into view. I rubbed my cold fingertips against each other in the damp chill.
“You’ve never fought against people before, have you?”
At Ian’s question, I quietly nodded.
Until now, I had only used my powers to protect myself or to fight beasts. Deciding to fight people head-on—this was a first for me.
“It’s different from fighting monsters or beasts. This is a matter of life and death—you might have to kill someone.”
The weight of his words pressed down on me. Someone could die. Someone could be killed.
“Well, luckily you’ve got someone experienced by your side. I’ve lived my life in real combat.”
“…Really?”
I glanced at him as he shrugged and couldn’t help but smile faintly.
“As it happens, I’m a practical fighter too.”
At that, the tension in me suddenly dissolved. I flexed my wrists, shaking off the stiffness in my fingertips.
“I’m sorry, miss, for asking you to do this…”
Behind us, Anselmo finally spoke up, looking restless. I turned toward him.
“No, sir. You don’t need to apologize.”
The fog over the sea began to lift, revealing toppled statues and ancient pillars scattered across the island’s surface.
“The guilty ones are them.”
I fixed my eyes straight on the abandoned temple.
“This is nothing more than a night’s lodging fee.”
Far from Muiya Island, half a day’s sail away—
“Hey, Roing. Are you sure these people even know where that woman is?”
Inside a dilapidated, nameless island’s ruined temple, Nana suppressed the fear rising within her.
Blood was everywhere—splattered across the broken walls, the shattered statues, even across the altar floor.
With her arms and legs bound, she could do nothing but clamp her eyes shut and listen closely to her captors’ voices.
“Why are we even bothering with these useless humans?”
“Yeah, Roing. They’re just ordinary folk, no profit in them.”
“And who’s to say this Bluebell or Blackbell woman will even show up?”
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—their words suggested they had no immediate plans to kill the Muiya islanders. Nana let out a shallow, shaky breath.
It had been half a day since these merciless men stormed the island, demanding to know Kanoe Bluebell’s whereabouts.
“I don’t know.”
“You really don’t?”
“…Yes. I’ve never seen such a person on the island.”
“Well then, I guess there’s no helping it.”
And once everyone kept silent—
“We still have to do our work as Hunters.”
They had dragged people away in place of answers.
“Whoa, whoa. Everyone, calm down.”
The man in the gray coat leaning against the wall raised a hand. His indifferent tone silenced the air around him in an instant.
Roing. That was his name. He slowly shifted his gaze beyond the altar as he continued.
“What the Nameless one wants isn’t corpses. He wants living, breathing humans.”
Roing’s voice lingered, his eyes drifting lazily over the captives. There was no malice in his gaze, nor pity.
“And the higher the bounty, the higher the price they’ll pay.”
A faint grin tugged at his lips.
“Why do you think that is?”
The Hunters began murmuring among themselves, tossing out guesses.
“Because a high bounty means they’re harder to catch, right?”
“Exactly. It’s extra pay for the trouble.”
Roing sighed and shook his head.
“Wrong.”
Tap!
He rapped his fingers against the altar’s edge, drawing every pair of eyes toward him.
“It’s because the Nameless desires humans with stronger abilities.”
Half-lidded eyes scanned the captives. Roing carried himself as though he alone truly understood what “Nameless” desired.
“So, what should we do?”
Roing lifted his shoulders as though tossing the answer to the others. Someone snapped their fingers.
“We should use your ability to track her down right now!”
“Yeah, no time to waste hanging around here!”
Some nodded eagerly, but Roing merely snorted without changing expression.
“Even among partners, you lot are painfully stupid.”
The mood instantly soured.
“What was that? You want to die?”
“Cocky bastard, acting high and mighty with a few tricks!”
“Hah! Truth is, you don’t know where she is either, do you?”
Even with killing intent thick in the air, Roing casually kept his hands in his pockets and lowered his head before speaking.
“A bounty that high means her power is dangerous.”
A brief silence followed his calm words.
“So instead, we lay a trap on the stage we’ve set.”
Roing strolled slowly to the altar’s lamp, spreading his arms.
“So that she comes to us of her own accord.”
A cold smile crept across his face as he turned to the terrified captives.
“…And if she doesn’t?”
Someone’s disgruntled voice cut in. Roing tilted his head slightly.
“She will.”
His certainty rang clear.
Roing’s ability let him see the footprints of his target. They faded over time, and only appeared on the ground, but he had confirmed it—Kanoe Bluebell had stepped into a certain house.
“And we kidnapped that family’s daughter. We let the father go on purpose. To save his daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to find Kanoe Bluebell.”
Low chuckles spread among the Hunters. A flawless plan. Now all that remained was to wait for the prey to walk into their jaws.
“Have you informed the Nameless?”
“Not yet.”
Roing shook his head, his grin widening mischievously.
“Surprises are always better.”
“They called themselves Hunters,”
Anselmo said, still aboard the ship.
Ordinarily, the word “hunter” meant someone who pursued animals. But given their deeds, it was obvious what their true prey was.
Humans.
Hunters tracked, captured, and killed humans.
“…For such people, they’re rather sloppy.”
Boom!
An explosion rang out. Traps had been expected, of course—but not so blatantly obvious.
“The places they’re avoiding—that’s where they’ve set traps.”
Ian studied the ground for a moment, scanning the traces hidden beneath the underbrush as the standoff continued.
“At this rate, they won’t come anywhere near their own traps.”
“Then why don’t we provoke them a little?”
Whispers fluttered through the brush. Then, the hidden Hunters suddenly lifted their heads and jeered.
“So this is the so-called ‘Storm’s Lover’? What a joke.”
“Storm? More like bed sheets flapping in the wind!”
“Hahaha! Then she’s the Lover in bed, eh?”
Cheap mockery. Childish insults. Was this supposed to be provocation? I almost felt disappointed.
And just then—
“Ah.”
Ian gently tugged at my arm. As if to say I needn’t listen to such garbage, he looked at me warmly.
“Bunch of loudmouths who’ve probably never been in love.”
He smirked, tossing out the words with feigned indifference.
“…What, what did you say?”
One Hunter slammed his weapon against the ground. Others who had been silent began to bristle with rage.
I stared at Ian, realizing he was getting better and better at acting with each passing day.
Fighting provocation with provocation—was that his plan?
“So what are you gonna do about it?”
I didn’t miss the flow he had set. Raising a hand slowly, I conjured a bead of water at my fingertips.
“We can attack from afar all we like.”
The droplet bounced lightly in the air, shifting its course. A hush fell over the clearing.
“You’re the ones who need my head, aren’t you?”
I tilted my head slightly, lips curling.
“If you want me, you’ll have to come and take me.”
