CHAPTER 61…………………………………………..
Sierra opened her eyes, feeling the soft sheet cradled in her hands.
This was not her modest cabin in the village of Ashkal.
What a luxurious bed.
The small house she looked around upon waking had every household item imaginable, yet offered no warmth at all.
It was a familiar style, one that could belong in a kingdom.
“What… is going on?”
She had clearly fallen off a cliff because someone had pushed her from behind.
The last face she had seen came to mind: Ashur’s.
Eyes caught in a strange desire, lips parted in pleasure.
“…Weird.”
Creak—
Lost in thought, the door opened.
Ashur entered, smiling brightly, carrying a basket brimming with fruit.
The face was familiar, but the expression was one she had never seen before.
“Wow, there are so many fruits here I’ve never seen.”
The voice was as pleasant as ever, low and soothing, yet the tone was completely different.
Still, she could hardly believe her own guess.
‘That kind of magic shouldn’t exist.’
Sierra got out of bed and slowly approached him.
“…Ashur?”
“Huh?”
He pointed at his own face, as if confused that she was calling him.
The suspicious man seemed to have no intention of hiding now.
“Ha…”
A wave of emptiness swept over her at the thought of having been completely fooled.
She had thought something was off from the moment they met.
Had a magic developed that could transform someone into another while away from the Mage Tower?
From the refined face to the sharply trained body, there was nothing different from Ashur.
Yet, it was not him.
“Who are you?”
“Oh. Already caught me? Hehe, what a shame.”
The man laughed shamelessly in a tone that conveyed not a hint of regret.
It was a lecherous expression that didn’t suit Ashur’s face at all.
“…Why did you bring me here?”
Despite deceiving her to kidnap her, there were no restraints.
Her hands and feet were free.
She considered trying magic, but no mana was detectable.
The man chattered away with an elated expression.
“This is the forest below the cliff from earlier. There happened to be an abandoned house. I cleaned it all up! Even brought in the furniture. Good job, right?”
Sierra looked out the window. All she saw was pitch-black darkness.
Sensing her gaze, the man began to explain without being asked.
“Ah, yes, it’s night too. But I blocked it. Even if you wanted to go out, you couldn’t.”
Only then did she notice the black curtain surrounding the entire house.
Not even the slightest light could pass through it.
It was a magic she had never seen, yet it felt familiar.
‘Ah.’
The unsettling shimmer reminded her of a curse.
“You… are a dark mage.”
Sierra’s eyes sharpened with caution.
The man, however, smiled slyly and admitted it without resistance.
“Oh, correct. Otherwise, how could I have broken through such a tight barrier and entered the sanctuary?”
Apparently, he had no immediate intention of harming Sierra.
She still did not want to look at the man wearing Ashur’s face.
Her stomach churned with helplessness.
Sierra sank into the sofa silently.
She didn’t feel even a shred of obligation to be polite.
“Gross. Go back to your original face.”
“Oh? Didn’t you like this face? I heard you get along well with this barbarian.”
Emily, no doubt. She had anticipated it, yet her information had been leaked.
“Ha… Emily must have reached your side safely, then?”
“As expected, very affectionate. To call a spy by name so kindly.”
“…Undo the disguise.”
The man laughed nonchalantly.
“Ah, earlier you were so gentle. What a pity.”
Then, suddenly, he leaned in so close that she could feel his breath.
The eyes identical to Ashur’s curved slyly.
Sierra recoiled at his mocking behavior.
“Go away!”
“Enjoying it, aren’t you?”
The man chuckled and covered his face with his hand.
When he removed it, a completely unfamiliar face was revealed.
Bright blonde hair and purple eyes.
The elegant face was full of mischievous smiles.
Though smaller than Ashur, the physique seemed quite strong for a kingdom-born.
“Who are you?”
“Hmm. Call me Adrian, Mademoiselle.”
He offered a polished noble greeting, smiling gently at Sierra.
“I have no reason to call your name.”
“Hmm, if you behave nicely, I might let you go.”
Sierra bristled but held herself back.
‘Dark magic must have a weakness.’
She needed to somehow lure him into letting his guard down.
“How would you let me go?”
“If you willingly cooperate with the kingdom?”
“What cooperation?”
“You know, don’t you? Sierra Kleshade. I intend to form an army enhanced by your magic.”
“…I can’t do that.”
“If you win the war, you could become a hero.”
“I don’t need that.”
“Ha, well. I suppose you already have plenty of money and aren’t short of honor. But what to do… if you side with the barbarians, you won’t gain anything.”
“It doesn’t matter. Are you hoping for a war? Terrible.”
He smirked as if Sierra’s venomous glare were trivial.
“Ha, a noble lady siding with barbarians. Everyone would be shocked.”
Adrian grinned and examined her closely.
Sierra shivered under his snake-like gaze.
He was not someone to underestimate.
“Sierra Kleshade. From rumors, I thought you’d be dull.”
He lifted her chin with his finger, forcing her to look up.
“Ugh.”
Though she didn’t comply willingly, the force was stronger than expected.
“Even Emily said, but seeing you in person, you’re unexpectedly charming.”
If he received information through Emily, he must know her trusted position within the sanctuary.
“Still, try pretending to cooperate. Just the two of us here… someone like you might fall for my charms and reveal information, right?”
Clap—
“No need.”
Sierra’s cold dismissal made Adrian step back obediently.
After deceiving her using Ashur’s face from the start, suggesting cooperation was absurd.
He had smiled at her displeased expression, but now grasped her hand as if to kiss.
“I will gladly wait.”
She couldn’t move under his intrusive touch.
Finally, she shuddered at the slick sensation of his lips pressing against the back of her hand.
“Stay still for now. I have something fun to do. Goodbye.”
Adrian waved as he opened the door and left.
“Wait!”
She hurried after him, but the doorknob didn’t turn.
“Ha… how did it come to this?”
She had been foolishly captivated by Ashur’s face after such a long time.
Wanting to see him, she hadn’t thought deeply despite sensing something suspicious.
“It’s my fault.”
Sierra collapsed onto the bed like a drained person and closed her eyes.
She remembered Ashur’s kind face.
“I can’t stay trapped like this.”
For now, he was leaving her alone because she was useful, but she couldn’t predict when his mind might change.
‘A cunning one. And a dark mage… I definitely can’t trust him.’
Sierra stood again and began examining the inside of the cabin.
Ashur was growing weary of the endlessly drawn-out meeting.
There had been no satisfactory conclusion.
“[We supposedly removed all curses—so why did a spy get in?]”
“[We should check the state of the Guardian Trees again.]”
“[Are we sure that Altareon is not a spy?]”
The meeting kept circling without resolution. Ashur wanted to leave, but he couldn’t abandon it with Sierra under suspicion as well.
They decided to resume after checking all the Guardian Trees.
But there were no abnormalities in any of the trees, not even the World Tree.
The resumed meeting ended with no results, leaving only heightened vigilance.
‘I want to see her.’
Ashur stood blankly among the dispersing people, then finally left the meeting hall.
“[Ashur, can you help me for a moment?]”
Just when he thought he could return to Ashkal, Nahia called him.
Opening his mouth would only let out a sigh, so he silently followed her.
