Episode 10
I Can’t Kill You
“Huz. I can read a little now, so why don’t we start looking into curses?”
Immediately, a chilling glare fixed on me. I forced my stiff body to relax, pretended to stay calm, and chirped on.
“You said you wanted to lift the curse. Then we need information about it. Don’t you think?”
When I emphasized “you wanted,” he just stared in silence. The longer the silence, the more uncomfortable I became.
“…That’s true.”
“Right?”
My eyes sparkled with excitement as he finally agreed. Huz turned his gaze away.
“Should I throw the house away now?”
“What?”
“I’ll get rid of it starting today.”
“Huh?”
I was taken aback by his abrupt declaration. He bent down and lifted me with one arm.
“As of today, that house is abandoned.”
“W-Why? How does gathering information lead to abandoning a perfectly good house?!”
“I was going to get rid of it anyway. The lioness is after me. It’s annoying, so I’m tossing it.”
The lioness again. I pursed my lips. Isn’t Huz the type who just destroys anything he finds annoying? If it bothers him, he’ll go on a rampage and say it’s easier that way.
“And you said you’d look into it.”
“What?”
“You said you’d look for it yourself.”
“Uh, yeah, I did. So what?”
Without answering, his intense gaze softened a little.
“…Go to the Royal Library in the Kingdom of Helga. You’ll find it there.”
It felt like he changed the subject out of nowhere—but maybe that was just my imagination.
I furrowed my brow. The Kingdom of Helga… That was my homeland. More precisely, Cassis, a rural village in the Essen region at the edge of the kingdom, was my hometown.
But the Royal Library?
“Do I really have to go there?”
“It’s the only place large enough to have information about curses.”
Huz glanced at me.
“Stick close. If I teleport and you fall behind, your head will be cut off.”
Startled, I immediately wrapped my arms around Huz’s neck. He flinched and stiffened the arm supporting me.
‘Isn’t this too close?’
I tried to pull back, but he held me tighter. Then the world flipped upside down.
A fierce wind slammed into my face like a blizzard. I shut my eyes tightly, dizzy and nauseous, burying my face in his hair. I felt him clench his fist.
It was pure chaos, but I couldn’t worry about that now. I thought I’d vomit if I didn’t cling to him.
Eventually, the wind died down, and my tangled hair fell around my face. I cautiously opened my eyes.
“Wow…”
An involuntary gasp escaped my lips as I saw the breathtaking view.
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Under a bright blue sky stood countless elegant buildings. Their tiled roofs overlapped like fish scales, and their white walls and pillars gleamed spotlessly.
Wide windows adorned with black iron bars were thrown open. Inside, I could see people reading or getting ready to go out. Judging by their clothes and furnishings, they were quite well-off.
I looked down, feeling guilty for peeking into someone else’s home.
The ground floor was mostly a shopping district, completely unlike the shops back in Cassis Village. I was astonished to see a jewelry store full of luxurious rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.
‘Do those actually sell?’
In Cassis, people only bought things essential for survival—fur, firewood, preserved food.
Occasionally, someone might buy an accessory, but luxury goods were considered useless.
‘But here, it’s the opposite.’
Luxury meant value.
Looking down the street, I saw streetlamps placed at regular intervals. Hedges in full bloom lined the road.
The stone-paved sidewalk was neatly arranged with soft-edged white tiles, and here and there, colorful stones added to the scenery.
Well-dressed women, young men in suits, and old men in formal wear walked along the road.
Some walked, while others rode horse-drawn carriages. The black and white ones were likely public transport. More lavish ones had intricate embossed patterns and three or more horses—surely owned by nobles.
In short, this was a completely different world.
‘As expected, the capital really is something else…’
Even the air smelled different. As I inhaled deeply, I suddenly looked down—and froze.
‘A lightning rod…?’
Huz stood calmly, one foot balanced on the tip of a lightning rod as sharp as a needle.
“Oh god.”
I wasn’t calm at all. I clung to his neck in fear. He turned his face away.
“Annoying. Don’t cling to me.”
“B-But it’s too high! I feel like I’ll fall!”
“Why would you fall when I’m holding you?”
“I’ve never been this high up before—ack!”
Ignoring my panic, Huz leapt forward. I thought we’d drop to our deaths, but a glowing horizontal magic circle appeared beneath him.
He walked forward on it, ascending. My fear only grew with the height.
‘But… it’s beautiful…’
The capital lay beneath us like a painting—fountains, ornate statues, street performers dancing comically, and a massive clock tower. Birds sat peacefully atop it, preening.
There were so many birds in the world.
‘I thought only sparrows, pigeons, and long-tailed birds like Joy existed.’
Then Huz pulled me back to reality.
“Your role is important from now on.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Yes.”
He stopped and said,
“I’m mentally defective.”
I blinked. Well, yeah, I figured that much. He’s obviously insane. That’s not news.
“I don’t just mean I’m crazy.”
He read my face and added sharply.
“I have severe insanity. Sometimes, I confuse objects for living beings.”
“What?”
“And I have an instinct to slaughter.”
His voice lowered.
“What do you think will happen if I walk among people?”
Immediately, I recalled him blowing up a mountain of garbage, saying:
— It wasn’t human.
So that’s what he meant. I replied in a quiet voice.
“A city would be destroyed.”
No—obliterated. Just imagining it gave me chills.
“But why is my role important?”
“Because you’re supposed to stop me.”
Huz’s voice was low and steady.
“If I were alone, I’d wander around without caring. But I can’t now, because of you.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“If I bring you, I’m exposing my weakness.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“That could cause problems for both you and me.”
I couldn’t believe I was Huz’s weakness. It felt… strange.
It was burdensome, awkward, embarrassing… and just a little warm.
“So if I go insane and rampage, you have to stop me.”
“……”
“Whether you hug me or hit me over the head—I’ll let it go this time.”
I frowned.
Uh… thanks? For giving me such an enormous responsibility?
“Wouldn’t I die if I tried?”
“You won’t die.”
I pouted.
“But you said you confuse objects and people.”
“You’re the exception.”
His reply was blunt. I was at a loss for words.
“I always say I’ll kill you. But in truth, I can’t.”
Right. He can’t kill me. He won’t. His tone wasn’t threatening—it was… regretful.
Huz picked me up again.
“Let’s go. Stay close.”
I fell silent as the wind hit my face like knives.
Maybe I was imagining it. But his voice—“I can’t kill you”—didn’t sound like it was just because I was the key to something.
‘It must be my imagination, right?’
Yes. I’m overthinking it. It has to be just that.
I bit my cheek and forced the thought away.
A strange, indescribable feeling stirred inside my chest.
＊ ＊ ＊
Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.
The Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Helga was guarded by an impenetrable iron barrier.
It was fortified with dozens of high-ranking spells, so tight that even a rat couldn’t sneak in. For over 200 years, not a single soul had infiltrated it.
‘Right… It should be like that.’
So why am I inside it?
‘Huz really is… something else…’
After a few teleports, I found myself standing inside the Royal Library. I thought he’d chant a long spell, but no. Huz just walked in, like he was mocking the fortress’s reputation.
‘Never mess with this man… ever.’
I reaffirmed my life motto while watching Huz yawn against a wall.
Looking around, the library had three floors. The center was open, so I could see the ceiling—a mural depicting the fair god Unus.
Shining marble pillars, golden carpets, rows of luxurious bookshelves, and portraits of royal family members lined the walls.
A place clearly reserved for the noble class.
“Three people.”
“Huh?”
Huz spoke absentmindedly and got up.
“There are three people currently inside.”
“What?! Should I run?!”
“What do you mean run? Just make them not see you.”
He flicked my forehead. A cool sensation spread across my skin. I touched the spot—smooth, but… odd.
“It’s a stealth, silence, and distortion spell. You’re good to go.”
“Oh, it was magic! Thanks, I’ll still be cautious—”
“No need. Even if you bump into someone, they’ll think they tripped.”
“Oh… right…”
Truly powerful. I forced a smile as Huz casually bragged. He nodded a few times and mumbled.
“Still… knowing people are nearby… makes me hazy…”
“W-What?! Don’t space out, Huz!”
I grabbed his hand tightly. His eyes widened.
“You want to die? Let go.”
“Y-You said you’d let me off no matter what this time!”
I stood firm and looked him in the eye. His forehead wrinkled in frustration. Maybe I should’ve stayed quiet. But I didn’t let go.
“You said it’d be bad if you killed someone.”
I spoke softly, like coaxing a tantrum-prone child. Slowly, the lines in his forehead smoothed.
I decided to push for victory.
“Are you okay?”
I slipped my fingers between his. He frowned, his lips twitching.
I remembered his words:
— You won’t die. You’re the exception.
— I always say I’ll kill you, but I can’t.
He was being sincere.
And that gave me just enough courage to stay by his side.
