Chapter 59
“From the moment the magic tool I gave you was activated, I had already decided to come into the forest. Even if I wasn’t accused as a criminal, I still would have come.”
“…You’re risking your life again for something foolish.”
“I won’t die. Don’t you trust me? I’m more capable than you think, Your Grace.”
“I never said you had no ability. The problem is, you’re far too talented.”
“…Oh.”
The sudden praise made Melody blink. Of course, she knew she was talented, but hearing him acknowledge it so directly left her embarrassed.
“If you had no talent, I could have locked you safely in the castle.”
“In that case, we wouldn’t have even met.”
At that, Dering, who had been watching, spoke carefully.
“Truly, your ability is remarkable. Without Lady Melody, we would already be dead, crushed into pieces by that Grizzly Fang.”
“You encountered a Grizzly Fang?”
“Yes. She used a magic tool to snap its neck and cut off its breath.”
At Talia’s reply, Deonis’s eyes turned back to Melody.
“…Better than me.”
“That’s why you should listen to me sometimes,” Melody insisted.
He gave a faint smile and bowed his head slightly.
“As you command.”
“Don’t strain yourself. The wound will tear open again.”
At her words, the tension in his shoulders loosened. His wound wasn’t fatal, but it was serious enough. Luckily, it hadn’t come from a monster’s strike. Melody carefully tied the bandages tight to stop the bleeding.
“I will heal him,” Dering offered, stepping forward.
But Melody quickly covered the wound with her hand.
“No. You should save your divine power. It’s not a big wound. My bandage will be enough.”
“But you just said it opened up again—”
Before Dering could question her further, Melody quickly changed the subject.
“Why don’t we repair the barrier stone before we return? It will be difficult to come back later.”
“That’s too dangerous.”
“I oppose it as well.”
Awhin and Deonis objected at once. But if they returned now without fixing it, they would face endless fights with monsters again.
“This is the Grizzly Fang’s territory. For a while, no other monsters will appear.”
“But it will take me two days before my divine power recovers. Sir Dering cannot handle it alone.”
So it was true—Awhin was in no condition to fight, his divine power nearly gone. Melody pointed back up toward the cliff they had descended.
“I found traces of other survivors. They were heading deeper into the forest.”
Awhin looked toward the darkness with doubt, but nothing could be seen.
“…There are still others alive in this forest?”
“Are they still alive now?”
At Dering’s careless remark, Awhin’s shoulders stiffened.
“…At least three more people will be needed.”
“Then once the sun rises, we’ll search for the survivors. For now, we should find a safe place to rest.”
Everyone needed rest. Leaving the forest would take days. After finishing her treatment, Melody stood up to look around. As soon as she took one step, the others hurried to follow behind her.
“Shouldn’t we split up nearby and check around?” she suggested.
The replies came one after another:
“I’ll go with Lady Melody.”
“I want to go with Lady Melody.”
“I’ll follow her.”
“I will accompany you.”
Melody considered carefully. She couldn’t separate from the injured Deonis. Awhin looked fine but wasn’t in full condition. Yet it would also be hard for her to take responsibility for two injured men at once. Her eyes darted around.
“I’ll go with Sir Talia and the Duke. You two check that direction.”
Dering let out a loud cry.
“What?! I thought we had become close friends!”
“No matter how close you are, you can’t compare to the Duke’s household. Did you forget where Lady Melody belongs?” Talia teased.
“…That’s true.”
Accepting it quickly, Dering went to stand beside Awhin. Awhin looked like he wanted to argue but only nodded instead.
“Very well. Please be careful.”
It was Dering who found the ruins deeper inside the forest. He called everyone back together and pointed ahead.
“Over there! I see something.”
Through the low mist, the faint outline of a collapsed arch came into view.
“No monster presence detected.”
“Let’s go.”
They went down a slope tangled with tree roots until the building appeared more clearly. The ceiling had mostly collapsed, and the floor was littered with broken stones and shards of glass.
“Survivors might be hiding here. I’ll check inside first.”
Talia went in and returned quickly.
“Not a single rat in there. What kind of crazy person would build here?”
“They say outside the barrier was once ordinary land. This must be a remnant from those days.”
Awhin brushed dust from a half-fallen pillar. The days before the barrier. What kind of mages had lived then? Melody glanced at Deonis, her mood heavy.
“No traces of monsters either,” Deonis muttered, inspecting inside.
“Could it have been a temple long ago?”
“That makes sense.”
“We’ll take patrol duty. The three of you should rest a little,” Dering offered, pointing to the part of the roof still standing.
Talia gathered leaves and started a fire. Warmth filled the cold air.
“I’ll set up magic tools at the entrance.”
There was no sign of monsters here. Still, Melody kept checking the detection tool as she walked to the doorway.
“Not even a drop of blood…” she murmured.
It was strange. As she tied the device between pillars, her eyes caught a worn stone slab. She blew on it and wiped it with her sleeve. Faded letters appeared, half-eroded.
“Rune letters?”
They were hard to read, but the shapes could be made out.
“Looks like a symbol of darkness.”
While she was staring at it, faint voices drifted in from outside—it was Dering speaking.
“By the way, isn’t His Grace famous for being a perfectionist? He never let anyone touch him, not even the priests; they complained so much. But now he lets her treat him and even gives her a bracelet marked with his seal. What exactly is the relationship between the two of them?”
He meant her and Deonis.
What relationship? A contract, nothing more. Because Deonis only allowed her to touch him, it might look strange, but it was just an exchange—giving and receiving what was needed. Hadn’t he himself said it? That he needed her.
Just then, Talia’s laugh rang out softly.
“Curious, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am.”
The sound of Dering’s heavy breath came through the cold dawn air. After a brief silence, Talia continued.
“I’m curious too.”
“…”
“Every time, I’m amazed. Even when his ankle was torn and bleeding, His Grace refused any treatment or even help standing. That’s the kind of man our Duke is.”
“And he still didn’t accept healing?”
“Exactly. That’s when I realized—the real madman was him.”
“… But if he lets Lady Melody heal him, doesn’t that mean… maybe the two of them are… you know.”
“You know what?”
“…Lovers.”
Melody froze, her hand stopping in place, eyes blinking.
