Chapter 14: Prepare for the Foreseen Ruin (6):
It was just as it looked.
The knight and Limos Therion were hugging.
As if that weren’t enough, the knight patted Limos Therion on the back and pulled away. The knight’s smiling face was strangely bright.
‘…What is this?’
They didn’t seem close.
…A frown formed between my brows in discomfort.
Did he use mental magic?
No. That’s not possible.
A holy mage can’t use illusion or mind control magic. They wield divinity like mana, but that doesn’t mean they can manipulate mana itself.
Then that means…
‘He’s genuinely happy.’
But why? Why really?
As I stared in confusion at the two hugging, my horse let out a loud snort at the worst possible moment. I quickly stroked its mane, trying to calm it…
“…….”
“…….”
But Limos Therion had already turned to look this way.
Our eyes met.
…So even the horse’s snort could be heard that far.
What if he thinks I was spying on them? Not that he’d be wrong….
After a few seconds of silence, he was the first to smile softly.
“Lady Edith… You’ve returned.”
“…Yes.”
He started walking toward me. When I glanced behind him, the knight had already disappeared.
“Just now, with him—”
“Oh…”
Limos Therion tilted his head at my question, then gave a clean answer.
“We—we’re close. Always have been.”
“…Always?”
“Yes.”
He said it so shamelessly I was briefly at a loss for words.
Should I have asked it more indirectly? As I hesitated, he suddenly said:
“Lady Edith. This…”
“Ah.”
Limos Therion pointed to the bloodstain at my feet.
It was the one I coughed up earlier and hadn’t yet cleaned.
His eyes widened as he looked between the stain and me.
…Crap.
I quickly rubbed the corner of my mouth with my sleeve, worried there might still be blood there.
Still, I was relieved. At least he was the one who saw it.
With that comfort in mind, I spoke lightly.
“This is a secret…”
“A secret?”
But Limos Therion gave an unexpected reaction.
He had always acted as if he’d obey anything I said, but this time, he hesitated and repeated my words.
…Considering how he treats other knights, it doesn’t seem like the way he treats me is his real personality.
‘What’s this sudden change? It’s unsettling.’
Trying to stay calm, I nodded.
“…Yes. Could you keep it a secret?”
“Hrmm…”
Limos Therion didn’t answer right away and tilted his head.
After maintaining his usual vacant expression for a moment, he smiled gently and whispered:
“Of—of course. I’ll keep it secret.”
“Thank yo—”
“But since I’m keeping this secret… I—I have a small request too…”
…A request? It’s not like I couldn’t hear him out, but interrupting me to say it?
I needed to be cautious. I added a small condition to my reply.
“A request. If it’s not too unreasonable, I’ll consider it.”
Then Limos Therion stared at me intently and asked something different.
“Be—before that… If everyone knew Lady Edith is sick, they’d all worry. Should I… tell someone anyway?”
…Excuse me?
“…I just asked you to keep it secret. There’s no benefit in that being known during the subjugation training.”
“O—of course. I wouldn’t tell just anyone if Lady Edith asked me to keep it sec—secret…”
“…….”
“For example, shouldn’t Ethan Behemoth know?”
Why is his name coming up now?
Limos Therion blushed and slipped his hand under his hood to rub the back of his neck.
At first glance it looked like a nervous habit, but in truth, it was a cute form of blackmail.
‘So even if my request is unreasonable, I should agree to his?’
The fact that he mentioned Ethan Behemoth, who leads the subjugation practice, shows he knows that if my illness is revealed, I’m the one who’ll suffer.
What should I do?
As if urging me to make a decision, his violet eyes looked at me and he whispered:
“P—please… You’ll listen, right?”
“…Fine. I’ll hear it.”
“I—it’s nothing big.”
He smiled shyly.
“Are—are you… ready?”
“Yes.”
And his request really wasn’t anything special. It was simply—
‘May I… check Lady Edith’s condition during break time?’
He was concerned for my health.
‘I’m just… worried…’
‘I was going to ask for your help anyway, so this works out well.’
‘R—really? I’m glad…’
At my reply, Limos Therion had smiled sweetly and acted relieved.
That’s how we ended up sitting face to face now.
“Then, p—please… place your hand on mine.”
He extended one glowing hand, asking me to take it.
So he was going to examine me through hand contact?
I reached out thoughtlessly to do as he said.
But just before our hands touched—
A sudden feeling of wrongness swept over me.
“…….”
“…Lady Edith?”
Ah.
I blinked and quickly withdrew my hand, staring at him.
For an average student, meeting a holy mage for the first time, they probably would’ve followed his instruction without question.
But I had met holy mages before…
So I knew—
‘A holy mage’s divine power doesn’t require physical contact to activate.’
So why the hand?
I stayed silent, not answering. His usual vacant expression faded as his smile dropped instantly.
He tilted his head.
“Lady Edith… what are you thinking?”
A sharp tension settled in the air—ready to snap at any moment.
I instinctively knew that if I tried to use mana, Limos Therion would immediately act.
His calm violet eyes looked like dried violets sunken at the bottom of a tea cup.
I couldn’t look away.
“What are you two doing?”
Just then, someone stepped between us and shattered the tense standoff.
“I didn’t interrupt anything, right?”
At first, I didn’t recognize the voice. But as her dazzlingly bright blonde hair shimmered in the twilight, I realized who she was.
“Oh, Dame Guinevere.”
She smiled brightly at my greeting.
“Just call me Camilla.”
Camilla Guinevere. The academy’s best spirit summoner, and a rising prodigy.
Also… the older sister of cowardly Cain Guinevere.
If my guess was correct, then…
“Edith. I wanted to thank you. Are you very busy right now?”
“No, it’s fine.”
I figured. She must’ve come to thank me for saving Cain Guinevere.
Camilla Guinevere wasn’t someone who left debts unpaid.
At least, not the one I knew.
Considering the arrogance she’d shown while shouting from the cliff, I probably shouldn’t expect any thanks from Cain himself. But having his sister come instead would actually help my reputation more.
“If you’re not busy…”
She trailed off, glancing between me and Limos Therion.
Trying to figure out the mood between us, perhaps.
‘Perfect opportunity.’
I turned naturally toward Limos Therion and said:
“Therion. Can we talk later?”
“Yes. O—of course…”
Limos Therion, whose expression had gone cold just moments ago, quickly returned to his soft, timid demeanor and nodded.
That shift was chilling.
‘Why is someone like that even in the academy?’
No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t recall a character like him.
Looking at him always made me feel like I was staring at a puzzle piece that just wouldn’t fit.
He had already withdrawn his outstretched hand.
When I glanced at it, he gently raised that hand and covered his mouth with it.
It seemed like a shy gesture, but from his eyes, I could read the meaning clearly.
“P—please go ahead.”
“Sure.”
‘If I don’t stay quiet, he’ll reveal my secret too… huh.’
Clicking my tongue internally, I gave a polite nod on the outside.
Where did someone like him come from?
The unpredictable factor named Limos Therion irritated me endlessly, but for now, I had no way of removing him.
My gaze wandered to Ruth, who had just barely finished setting up the tent alone.
The sight of someone I used to scorn building my tent was absurd.
When I had spied on them in the forest, I didn’t know what Limos Therion had done, but Ruth had started acting like a completely different person.
If Limos Therion could do that to Ruth, then he was undeniably dangerous.
But still—
As long as he didn’t harm me right now…
‘Fine. As long as he’s not a direct threat at this moment.’
I could tolerate the danger he posed.
I didn’t have the energy to worry beyond that. And if things went wrong—
Well.
‘What’s the worst that could happen? I die?’
Oops, there it is again. That kind of thought.
