TYHL 121

~Chapter 121~

Magic cast with evil intentions leaves traces for a long time.

Just like Allen said, the reason this place felt so creepy was because evil energy was stuck to the space like a stain.

“Magic that has soaked up this much evil…”

Khalid let out a short breath.

“This power isn’t mine.”

At last, all the strength left his body. He dropped down to the ground with a thud.

“Thank goodness…”

“What? What’s going on with you?”

He remembered the hot spring in Ipsen, where he thought he had lost Ruby again.

In that memory, Khalid clearly heard the urgent sound of carriage wheels.

He also saw Rosetta Zebbert’s shocked face through the carriage window.

The official report was that the culprit behind the carriage accident was a runaway mage acting alone.

But something about that story never made sense.

The duchess’s bodyguards had been in perfect formation, but when the accident happened, every knight except her suddenly collapsed.

So the duke suspected there was an accomplice, but there was no evidence to prove it.

To be honest, Khalid was afraid.

What if, somewhere in his forgotten past, he had been Zebbert’s enemy?

“What if I was the mage who attacked the duchess?”

That was why… he was afraid he couldn’t stay with Rubian.

“I’m really glad.”

Khalid wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

Finally, he felt like he could breathe again.

“Hey, are you… are you crying?”

“It’s just sweat.”

“Is it really that hard in the North? Geez, those jerks! Even if you’re unlucky, isn’t bullying a kid too much? I should send some people to teach them a lesson…”

“Let’s go back.”

Khalid suddenly stood up.

Allen, who had been rambling, shut his mouth.

“Weren’t you crying?”

Instead of answering, Khalid just dusted off his cloak.

Now he could proudly wear the Zebbert knight uniform again.

Just thinking of that made his heart feel warm. He felt relieved.

“Why would I cry?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re not the type to cry like a baby or whine.”

Khalid summoned two wolf-dogs and climbed on one.

“Keep an eye on the kingdom. If anything happens, tell me right away.”

“Hey! Are you really just leaving? What about the treasure? The hidden gold? My adventure—”

“What are you talking about?”

A magic spell for speed glowed.

The boy quickly left the valley.

“Hey! You’re not really getting bullied in the North, right?”

I don’t want my dog at home to be ignored out there, either!

Allen’s frantic voice echoed behind him.

‘Why does he always misunderstand things like that?’

Khalid sped up, shaking his head.

It was time to go back.

There were still a lot of things he didn’t know, but it was time to return.

Of course, he did gain something from this trip.

“The Academy professor… Yuliope.”

He remembered the note in his pocket. Now he had a reason to go to the Academy camp with Rubian.

“I’m going back…”

He pressed his lips together as he thought.

He had never once thought about going back somewhere before.

“A place to return to. Where Ruby is.”

It wasn’t a bad feeling.

Khalid smiled to himself.

“R-R-Rosie… What if Ruby’s finger gets cut off?”

Grandpa nervously walked around the training ground.

Today’s training!

Today’s instructor was Rosetta, Mom!

Mom thought I was too bored lately, so she set up a special lesson, but Grandpa hated the idea.

It was almost the end of spring.

I wiped the sweat from my hands and carefully pulled back the bowstring.

“Father, just pulling a bowstring isn’t enough to cut off a finger. And this is a child’s bow.”

“But… isn’t archery a bit much for such a little kid?”

“Liam and Boyd started even younger than Ruby.”

“Hmmmm…”

“Hiyap!”

I shouted loudly and let go of the bowstring.

The toy arrow had a round suction cup on the end.

I wanted the arrow to fly straight to the center of the target!

…but sadly, the arrow fell weakly to the ground, not even touching the target.

“Huh. It’s not working…”

“Look, Ruby. Relax your shoulders and aim right at the target.”

“Okay. I’ll try again.”

I narrowed my eyes and focused.

“Hii-yap!”

But again, the arrow just flew in a sad arc and landed on the ground.

Mom tried not to laugh and put her hand on my shoulder.

“Your yelling is great, but you have to shoot the arrow quietly. If your breathing is shaky, it won’t work.”

“Oh, really?”

I held my breath until my face turned red.

But by the time I was ready to shoot, I was out of air, so I quickly breathed in—and the arrow went flying off in the wrong direction again.

I guess I’m just not good at archery…

“It’s not working…”

When I turned around, Mom was wiping tears from her eyes, laughing, and Grandpa was shaking his shoulders, his face bright red as he tried not to laugh.

“You weren’t laughing just now, right?”

“Ahem. Of course not. Here, let me teach you. Try to breathe and think about someone you really want to… defeat. Or someone you really don’t like.”

My eyes narrowed.

‘Someone I want to rip apart?’

Of course, I have one.

I imagined the face of the Magic King and shot the arrow.

Thunk!

It worked perfectly.

The arrow hit the target!

“Wow! It’s stuck!”

“Great job, my daughter! How cute!”

Mom grabbed my arm and spun me around. Grandpa clapped with a proud look.

“Now, just shoot all the bugs who try to get close to you, okay?”

“Good job, my daughter-in-law.”

I shot another arrow with confidence.

“Yes! Like this—huh!”

But a gust of wind blew, and the arrow missed and hit somewhere else.

It landed right in the middle of someone’s smooth forehead.

“…”

The man plucked the arrow from his head.

I quickly turned and whispered to Mom,

“Mom, what do I do? I just caught a really big bug.”

“What should we do… But since he’s kind of handsome, maybe we should keep him?”

“Agreed!”

A big shadow walked quickly toward us.

“How long are you two going to whisper like that?”

I grinned and jumped up.

When I ran to him, he bent down like he always did.

A purple magic stone and the pendant around his neck jingled.

“Dad! You’re back!”

Summer had begun!

After enjoying my reunion with Dad, I went to my room to change clothes.

As I entered the hallway where my room was, I stopped walking.

Because I saw a familiar figure far away.

“Did archery practice go well?”

He came over and asked, wearing comfortable clothes. His hair was a little damp, maybe because he just washed up.

“Do I know you?”

I pouted my lips as much as I could.

Khalid paused, then followed me.

“Why? Are you upset, Ruby? Are you mad?”

“You just left a note and went away. Now you care about how I feel?”

“That’s because… it was so early in the morning.”

I was a very grudge-holding person.

I thought I would welcome him when he came back, but…

For some reason, when I saw his face, I just wanted to be mean.

“Is that why you didn’t answer the communicator? Because you’re mad? At me?”

Khalid looked really flustered.

Before grabbing the doorknob, I reached into my pocket. I pulled out a knot decoration I always carried.

“Hey, nameless little knight. Take this and go away, okay? I have to write a letter. I’m busy.”

“This is…”

Khalid’s eyes grew a little wider.

The sword decoration with the purple stone looked different from Dad’s or the knights’.

I had practiced a new way of tying the knot, so it looked different.

I finished it the night before Khalid was supposed to leave, but it was too late at night to give it to him then. I planned to give it to him when I saw him off the next day…

But now, what’s the point?

“Are you giving this to me? Did you wait to give it to me before I left?”

“No. It’s just trash. Useless.”

My chin stuck out. Now, I couldn’t talk without being sarcastic.

Khalid fiddled with the decoration and bowed his head.

“Sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Hmph!”

I turned away and grabbed the doorknob.

“Wait, Ruby.”

Khalid twitched for a second, but I ignored him and opened the door wide.

“What—”

I was shocked.