Chapter 22
“Ah, really?”
“Give it here.”
Yes! For whatever reason, he had changed his mind.
Karin obediently handed him a strand of her hair. He took it, inhaled deeply, then closed his eyes and muttered a spell.
Around him, a white and pale-blue circle formed, and along its edges dazzling bursts of light exploded outward.
“Wow…”
Magic. She had only heard about it before—this was her first time seeing it in person. Karin widened her eyes and watched Arken cast his spell.
The light moved in front of Arken and transformed into a rectangular prism.
Arken lightly blew on the strand of hair he had been holding between his thumb and index finger. The hair fluttered and entered the glowing prism, burning away with a bright light.
“Huh?”
The moment the hair vanished, a blinding flash erupted—and a bewildered-looking little kid appeared.
He was holding money in one hand and licking his index finger on the other, as if he had been counting cash when he was suddenly pulled away. He looked extremely confused at the sudden change in surroundings.
Karin seized the opportunity and grabbed him by the back of his neck.
“Got you!”
“W-what is this? Who are you guys?”
“What do you mean who—we’re tracking you with magic!”
Karin declared proudly. Now that she had caught him, all that was left was to search his bag and retrieve the basket.
She removed the bag from his shoulder and held the back of his neck tightly with both hands.
“Thanks for using magic! Now I can go buy desserts.”
“Let me go!”
“Arken?”
But he, for some reason, had gone pale and said nothing, only frowning. His usual slightly pale complexion was gone.
His face was ashen, as if he had seen the underworld itself.
Why had he suddenly turned so pale? Shouldn’t he be happy that they caught the thief?
“Are you okay?”
“…I’m fine. Let’s go.”
His voice sounded normal, so Karin relaxed and handed the struggling kid over to him again.
“Hey! Can’t you hear me?”
Instead of taking the kid, Arken muttered something incomprehensible. Then chains made of light appeared and wrapped tightly around the boy.
“If you don’t let go right now… ngh, ngh!”
A mass of light also appeared and sealed the boy’s mouth shut.
Arken grabbed the end of the chains and pulled. The boy, unable to speak, was dragged along as Arken pulled him forward.
“Wow, that’s magic too? Amazing!”
“Let’s go.”
His breathing had become noticeably rough.
Was he just happy they caught the thief? Well, he had almost lost a month’s salary and now got it back, so that made sense.
Karin reached her own conclusion and headed toward the dessert shop with brisk steps.
Fortunately, they arrived just before the owner closed the shop and were able to buy all the remaining desserts.
After filling the basket and paying, Karin lifted the cloth covering it and inhaled the sweet scent. She felt triumphant at having secured teatime.
“Alright, let’s go hand this guy over now!”
As they left the shop, Karin tapped the struggling kid on the shoulder.
He squirmed with a flushed face, unable to stay still even for a moment.
“You’ll come with me, right?”
When she called out again, and he still didn’t respond, Karin looked up.
But Arken’s face had gone even paler than before. His expression showed a faint fear and unease, as white as a sheet.
“Arken?”
He suddenly collapsed.
Dropping the chain, he grabbed his chest and clenched his teeth as if enduring something painful.
Karin was so shocked she forgot to pick up the chain.
“Are you sick?”
“…My stomach… feels unwell.”
He muttered weakly.
He hadn’t eaten anything—so suddenly?
The “weak constitution” setting wasn’t there for nothing.
“Let’s sit here for a bit.”
There was a bench nearby, so Karin helped him over and seated him.
He collapsed onto it, still hunched forward.
“Should I go get some medicine?”
“No… I’ll be fine soon. More importantly…”
Arken pointed somewhere. The boy was hopping around, still bound by chains.
Right. They had almost lost the thief again.
Karin hurried over, picked up the chain, and tied it to a nearby tree.
She was so focused on making the knot that she didn’t notice Arken taking something from his coat and swallowing it.
When she returned after securing the boy, Arken was holding his chest and breathing heavily.
What could she do? After thinking hard, Karin placed her hand over his.
He flinched slightly but did not pull away.
Gradually, color returned to his pale face, and his breathing steadied.
After a moment of hesitation, he withdrew his hand and wiped it with his other hand as if brushing something off.
“Are you okay now? What did you even eat…”
“You should be on your way. It’s getting late.”
He cut her off and stood up.
“I’ll hand the thief over to the guards.”
“Ah, wait.”
Why was he in such a hurry? Karin stopped him.
“Then…”
They had finished everything, but she didn’t want to part ways just yet.
If she was going to become his future partner in life, she needed some progress—like increasing his affection slightly.
What could she say to make him stay? To get a little more time with him?
Ah, that was it.
“Let’s watch the stars together!”
It was a bit sudden, but it was the best option.
What could be more romantic than stargazing?
In Esmeril, the stars were especially beautiful.
A world without factories or cars—no pollution to block the sky. The stars were dazzling beyond words, and Karin often found herself staring at them in awe.
The sky was already darkening, wide and open. This was the perfect chance to build closeness.
Karin looked at Arken with pleading eyes.
“Let’s watch the stars for a bit. Please?”
“……”
“Watching the stars appear in a dark sky is so beautiful. It’d be a waste to see it alone… and a little lonely too.”
He looked annoyed for a moment, but when Karin pouted like a wet puppy, he finally gave in and sat back down.
“Just for a moment.”
“Yes!”
Karin exclaimed in joy. Arken sighed and rubbed his forehead.
Ignoring him, she leaned back on the bench and tilted her head upward.
“Wow, they’re coming out! Look over there!”
As the sun set, stars began to appear one by one.
Large and small stars, white and blue. A river of light stretched across the sky, surrounded by softly glowing clouds.
Karin stared upward, forgetting everything else.
Arken did the same. He gazed at the sky with an expression of quiet awe.
“How is it? I told you it was worth it, right? Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“…Yes.”
He answered after a long pause.
“Doesn’t it feel like we’re inside a book? Something romantic…”
Karin stopped herself.
‘We’re not that kind of relationship yet.’
It really did feel like she had entered a romance fantasy novel, but saying that out loud might scare him off.
She corrected herself at the last second.
“…like a fairy tale.”
Yes, that was safer.
She looked back at the sky and began counting stars in her head.
One star, two stars, three…
Then a low voice came from beside her.
“Do you believe fairy tales can exist in reality, Lady?”
What a sudden question.
“Which kind of fairy tales?”
“Ordinary ones. Where the protagonist overcomes hardship and lives happily ever after…”
Fairy tales becoming real, huh.
A few months ago, she would have firmly said no.
But now she had possessed a villainess in a romance fantasy novel and was watching the stars with her favorite character.
If this wasn’t a fairy tale, then what was?
“Of course. I think it’s possible!”
Karin was the living proof.
“My goal is exactly that!”
To survive as a villainess and live happily ever after with her favorite character.
If she had already started in a fairy-tale-like world, why not aim for a fairy-tale ending too?
‘I’m already inside a book—what can’t I do?’
Filled with confidence, she nodded.
“My goal is to live happily ever after.”
“…I see.”
His expression was deeply skeptical.
As if he had already made up his mind.
“Do you think it’s not possible? That fairy tales are just fairy tales?”
“Fairy tales are not reality.”
He answered without hesitation.
That was true. Karin thought for a moment before speaking again.
“But I want to believe it. It’s my goal, and it would be sad if my goal was impossible.”
“……”
“If you live sincerely and kindly, you can eventually reach a happy ending. That’s what I think. You might go through difficulties along the way, but everything hard has an end.”
Under the starlit sky pouring like light, Karin smiled brighter than the stars.
“……”
Arken’s blue eyes wavered slightly, then settled.
He made a strange expression—neither admiration nor sadness.
After silently watching her, he turned his gaze away.
A few seconds of silence passed. His profile looked faintly lonely, so Karin spoke brightly on purpose.
“I just know it.”
“……”
“You’ll live the life you want. A happy one, without envy or lack. Me too.”
Karin winked playfully at him.
‘Even if it doesn’t happen, I’ll make it happen.’
“……Is that so.”
He gave a faint, crooked smile. That same unreadable smile.
The conversation ended there.
By the time they finished stargazing, it had grown too late. Most guards had already gone off duty, leaving only a few night patrols.
The little kid had stopped resisting. Karin handed him and his bag over to the guards.
She waved goodbye to Arken. His eyes looked softer than when they had first met.
It was all perfect.
But then—
The incident happened the next day.
