Chapter 36
The Enemy Is Too Warm
In the blink of an eye, they were back in the familiar alley.
“Much quieter now.”
“Won’t Duke Sadinarr be upset?”
“He doesn’t hold grudges. It’s fine.”
Aheel’s nonchalant tone made Sharmin let out a small laugh.
“Hm?”
Waiting for her at the shop’s front door was a small, adorable visitor.
Peeking in front of the store and humming to herself, the little girl turned out to be Tini.
The moment their eyes met, Tini’s face lit up like sunlight.
“Oh? Sharmin! And the wizard oppa is here too! Where’d you go?”
Today she was carrying a heavy-looking pouch—no doubt some new treasure she’d brought—and greeted the two with a big smile.
Her hair was parted on both sides and tied up into two round buns, making her already cute features stand out even more. Each time she bounced, her round buns seemed to bob in the air.
She was the kind of child who just made you feel better simply by being there.
“We went to the palace.”
“Wow! You went somewhere amazing! Mom made a bunch of these and told me to give them to you, Sharmin! The wizard oppa can have some too! There’s a lot!”
Tini shoved the heavy pouch into Sharmin’s arms.
Judging from the round, weighty lumps inside, it was definitely filled with rofani—the same treat she’d brought before.
Sharmin had come back tense, expecting she might have to dive into a serious conversation, but the promise in that heavy pouch melted her tension away.
She asked in the warmest voice she could manage, “Tini, did you eat already?”
If she didn’t make the effort, that clipped, commanding tone she used to have sometimes slipped out—even with Jesper.
At first, it had only been to avoid revealing she wasn’t the real Pepe. But after seeing Jesper flinch whenever that commanding tone appeared, she’d realized it was worth working on.
Tini giggled. “Yeah! I ate! Should I bring you some milk too, Sharmin?”
Sharmin remembered the last time Tini had struggled to bring her milk.
“That’s okay. Alonso brought orange juice and milk this morning—there’s still some left. Let’s go in first.”
“Okay! You too, wizard oppa?”
Tini’s sparkling eyes turned to Aheel.
He gave a short laugh and reached out to ruffle her small head.
“Yeah, I’m coming in.”
Tini beamed and quickly snatched his fingers in one hand, grabbing Sharmin’s with the other.
“Then we can all go in together!”
The door was narrow enough for only one adult at a time, but her cheerful tone just made Sharmin smile.
Holding hands, Sharmin opened the door and let Tini in first.
“Sharmin, you’re back?”
Jesper’s voice called from inside.
She had already told him she might be late since she was going to the palace, so she’d expected him to be out playing. She’d even asked Mia to make sure he ate in case she wasn’t back.
Yet here he was, home already.
Luckily, Tini had brought plenty of rofani—enough for Jesper too. He’d like that.
Jesper came running out, but his brow furrowed.
“Why’d you bring so many people… Wait, who’s this kid?”
“I’m not a kid! I’m Tini!”
Tini giggled again, bouncing in place.
“What’s with her?”
“She’s from the neighborhood. Jesper, if you’re hungry, let’s share this. I thought you’d be at Mia’s.”
“I didn’t go yet—figured she’d make me move flowerpots again. Oh, Sharmin, I cleaned my room! Even wiped down that drawer!”
He stretched out his arms, pointing to all the places he’d cleaned, clearly wanting praise.
Sharmin patted his shoulder. “Good job. You didn’t overdo it, right?”
“Yup, I took it easy! Hey, Sharmin, who’s that guy?”
Unlike the warm look he gave her, Jesper turned to Aheel with a sullen expression, much like the way he eyed Mia Belkinson.
Aheel gave a small, incredulous laugh at the little boy’s hostility.
“I’m Sharmin’s friend, kid.”
“Friend? I’m not a kid!”
“You look like one.”
Sharmin could only stare in disbelief as the two suddenly began bickering.
Jesper argued back that he wasn’t a kid, but Aheel’s towering height made his protests seem less effective.
The height difference between Aheel and Jesper was even bigger than between Sharmin and Tini.
“I don’t know why you’re fighting all of a sudden, but shouldn’t we sit down and eat this before it gets cold?”
Her voice was serious—almost threatening.
Tini’s mother’s rofani was as divine as Alessandro’s roasted sweet potatoes, and it had to be eaten while warm. The thought of it cooling made her anxious.
Jesper, who’d been about to say something else, clamped his mouth shut and nodded furiously.
He dashed over and quickly pulled a chair out.
“Sharmin, sit he—”
But his hopes were dashed.
“Thanks, oppa!” Tini chirped, running over and hopping into the seat.
Jesper exploded. “Hey! Why are you sitting there?”
“Hmm?”
Pretending not to hear, Tini just smiled sweetly, her big eyes rolling playfully.
And so began their tug-of-war over a chair—Jesper angry and Tini cheerfully unbothered—voices rising with each exchange.
Sharmin had her hands full calming the two down.
“Both of you, stop. Keep it up and I’ll have you running laps in the training grounds—no, the back garden.”
At that, both kids went “Yessir!” and slapped their hands over their mouths.
After filling everyone’s stomachs with warm rofani, an excited Tini dragged a reluctant Jesper out into the small backyard.
That gave Sharmin a chance to pick up her earlier conversation with Aheel.
“Hey, Aheel.”
He looked up from tidying the area.
“About what we were saying earlier—the Rintvel delegation…”
Aheel paused. “Yeah. That’s why your expression wasn’t great earlier. The king asked for something unpleasant?”
“No, not exactly. They’re sending offerings for ‘the ritual,’ and I agreed to take charge of them.”
“You?”
Sharmin hurried to explain.
“It’s nothing else—I’m already responsible for ‘Je,’ so it made sense I’d handle the ones related to him. That’s all.”
“But you’re—”
“Hm?”
“…Never mind. Go on.”
“You’d find out anyway, but I wanted you to know beforehand. Oh, and of course they’ll be locked up in prison the moment they set foot in Elium. There’s no guarantee they’re safe for us.”
“You sure you’re okay with that?”
“What do you mean?”
“You hate troublesome things. Just hand it to someone else. Sadinarr’s in the palace guard—give it to him. Or later—”
“No.”
Her voice was firm.
Aheel raised a brow.
She pressed her hand to her forehead to avoid his gaze.
“I… just want to do it myself. Sometimes you suddenly want to do something bothersome, right? Yeah. I’m just… bored. That’s all.”
She glanced at him again.
His expression was oddly twisted.
I don’t even know what I’m saying.
It probably sounded like nonsense, but she absolutely could not hand this to someone else.
“If that’s how you feel, I can’t stop you.”
“It won’t be that dangerous.”
“‘Not that dangerous’? These are people who served Sharmin Noël Kenders. You can’t guarantee they’re less dangerous.”
She wanted to argue, but bit her tongue.
“I’ll bind their powers with sealing magic and add safety measures to the prison. Then they’ll have no choice, right?”
Aheel rubbed the back of his neck and finally said, “…Fine. Just don’t go inside to face them—unexpected things happen. I’ll set up a few safety wards too.”
“You don’t have to… but thanks.”
Getting his agreement brightened her mood.
The rest I can prepare later. No telling who might come.
“Anything else you need help with? You haven’t been feeling off lately, have you?”
“…My health?”
How would he know that?
“What do you mean, feeling off?”
He hesitated, then shrugged.
“…If nothing’s wrong, forget it.”
When he tried to turn away, Sharmin caught his sleeve.
“So what would be wrong?”
“…Just heard there’s a nasty flu going around lately.”
“Flu?”
That wasn’t it.
She felt this wasn’t really what he’d meant.
“So, where would I feel off?” she pressed again.
“Just asking. Don’t read into it.”
He claimed it was nothing, but Sharmin—already suspicious of him—couldn’t shake the feeling he was dodging the truth.
If not for the sudden call from the Tower, she’d have pressed further.
The gem on his robe flashed red, and the summons demanded he return immediately.
That was a good chance.
Aheel left looking very much like someone rescued at just the right time.
“Well, nothing to do about it.”
Pushing aside her disappointment, Sharmin began making preparations to bring her disciples.
