DNCTFB 27

<Episode 27>

Melody handed Anna a simpler spellbook, hoping it would help.

“Is there an even easier book?”

“That one harder than this?”

Anna opened the new book and frowned.

“I feel like such an idiot.”

“You’ll get it after a few reads.”

“Do you really think so?”

Anna grabbed the book and left. Melody opened her window and spotted Rohan sitting with the puppy—on his lap, the dog rolled onto its back, trusting and content.

Since the day she touched Deonis, Melody added one thing to her daily routine:

“Touching time.”

She visited Deonis’s room to gently hold his forearm—exactly as it sounded.

“Is this just like caring for a puppy?” she wondered. He remained distant, passive—even as she rested her head on his arm and read or dozed quietly. But she leaned on his back once, and he politely withdrew.

“I want bare skin. To feel warmth,” he’d said.

She glanced away—embarrassed. Her mind raced with memories from the novel’s spicy scenes.

“Lick it. If you don’t want to, I will.”
“Lord Ryan, stop…”
“Where should I lick? Ankle? Calf? Thigh?”

Melody shivered at the memory.

“Eat it instead of watching,” Deonis said, offering a strawberry.

“L-lick it… I mean… eat it?”

“A strawberry?”

“Yes? Ah! The flavour’s sweeter when you lick it, and you taste the seeds.”

She muttered and ate the strawberry—it burst with sweetness.

‘Focus’, she told herself. She leaned against his arm and reviewed spells when he spoke:

“I’m leaving for a few days.”

“Will you come back late?”

“I’ll return as soon as I can. Maybe in two days.”

“Two days.”

“Don’t bother checking on me.”

She nodded. She wanted to test her sacred energy theory, but with him gone, that wouldn’t be possible.

As she swallowed the strawberry, she paused. It was spring—just like the day they first met. At the prayer ceremony, Deonis fled the temple in pain; the priest reached out, but Deonis collapsed—he remembered that touch.

‘That was too cruel.’

He sometimes fainted after visiting the temple. She worried she should give him a slime-based healing magic tool for his next visit. As she pondered, Deonis’s voice reached her:

“Aren’t you curious where I’m going?”

“To prepare for the hunt, I suppose. I’ll work hard here. Safe journey.”

He twisted her hair and left. Then, quietly:

“Stay safe.”

Back in her workshop, Melody asked Rohan to buy all the rumoured sacred-energy stones.

“The minerals you asked for,” he said the next morning, carrying a bag filled with colourful gems—including fist-sized diamonds.

“How much did this cost?” she gasped.

“Not more than usual,” Rohan answered casually.

“More expensive than jewels?”

Melody examined the stones, overwhelmed. “It’s better not to know.”

“Let me know whenever you need more.”

She catalogued them, then tucked the stones in her clothes. Anna, watching, exclaimed:

“Are you really going to carry those around?”

“Do you notice?”

“Of course!”

So Melody settled for a pouch engraved with a protective charm, tied to her waist.

“I added a spell to burn the hair of thieves,” she said.

“Haha—I’d love to see who’d dare.”

And she made a tracking charm for her black horse—if Deonis went to the temple, she’d know. She couldn’t miss the novel’s starting moment.

“Will it be okay?”

She traced the horse’s mane. “I hope his next owner is kind.”

After Deonis left, Melody returned and saw a white dove from the temple perched on her window—part of the letter system shared with Awhin.

“Where can I see you? Anywhere, I’ll go to you.”
– Awhin

The handwriting was unmistakably his. She scribbled the old inn’s address and a note: “Don’t reveal who you are.”

The next morning, Melody dressed in neat clothes and grabbed her brown hood. Anna, bringing breakfast, froze.

“You have no dirt, no odd leather, no ugly sleeves—are you going somewhere?”

“I’m going into town.”

Anna brightened. “I’ll prepare!”

“I’m going alone.”

A plate clattered. Anna’s eyes widened.

“But serving you is my job.”

Melody smiled, but fewer companions would mean more freedom—she needed to meet Awhin.

“Next time, we’ll go together.”

“Master says to do laundry. The sun’s lovely.”

“I wish it would rain suddenly.”

“It won’t!”

Melody soothed the upset Anna and escaped the workshop. Next hurdle: the steward.

“I’d like to go out for a bit.”

“Do you have somewhere to go?”

Melody spoke calmly, “I want to buy some materials for magic tools.”

“If you’d asked, I could have prepared them.”

“I want to check them myself. Their condition and what else is available.”

The steward’s eyes narrowed, like a disappointed boss finding a lazy worker.