7 - Marquis Maron
Episode 7
2. Late Spring, “Why Did You Come to My House?”
Our journey toward civilization had a small problem.
“Of course, it’s not like I hadn’t considered this situation. I just happened to think of it before going to bed last night, so I was pondering a solution.”
“Pondering?”
“I fell asleep.”
Reikart sighed at my brazen answer. I, who had succeeded in eliciting a deep sigh from my companion on the very first day of our journey, grumbled, feeling a little wronged.
“I’m fine, though?”
“Yeah.”
Reikart strode towards the outside of the Maron Keep. It was a place I hadn’t yet Purified. Black earth and gray trees, black Magical Energy flowed like mist.
“Hey!”
Seriously, how can he be so reckless when it was only a day ago that I worked hard to Purify him and save his life? If he gets contaminated again and collapses, who’s going to deal with the aftermath!
“If there’s no other way, we have to break through in the shortest amount of time. Hurry.”
Reikart answered so perfectly, as if he had heard what I was saying in my head. Startled, I ran to where he was gesturing. He slowed down as I ran, saying,
“Don’t run.”
“You told me to hurry?”
“What if your weak legs give out before you even get there?”
“I’m fine, though!”
I’m not weak.
I won’t be affected by Magical Energy or anything.
“Hayley, if the amount of Magical Energy you can Purify in a day is limited, it’s impossible to make a path from the beginning. It would be wiser to go out this time, buy what’s urgent, and then slowly make a path while consuming it inside.”
“Then what about you?”
Reikart’s opinion was valid, but his safety wasn’t guaranteed in it. I’m fine even if I walk around in the contamination, but he’ll be on the verge of death like when we first met after only a few days.
He glanced at me and said,
“As long as it’s not the worst condition.”
What is that supposed to mean. So, just keep him barely alive, and then barely alive again?
“Wow, do you think I’m a psychopath?”
“What’s that again.”
“Never mind.”
I don’t have a hobby of holding hands with men who aren’t my boyfriend, but it can’t be helped in this special situation. I abruptly held out one hand towards him.
Reikart stared at my hand.
“What’s this.”
“Take my hand.”
“Why.”
“Do I have to explain? So you don’t get contaminated while we’re going.”
“It’s okay, I thought you were going to.”
He chuckled.
His clean face, watery blue eyes, and radiant blonde hair were beautiful. I knew he was handsome because it had been mentioned so many times in the novel, but he was really pretty when he smiled. Is this what they call a sculpted beauty? Have all the blonde handsome men in the novels I’ve read been like this?
Besides, his physique is amazing. Height, frame, muscles, everything is perfect.
“You really won’t take it?”
“I said it’s okay.”
Reikart even pushed my hand away, saying it was really okay.
Ah, I was lacking in consideration. It might be him, not me, who doesn’t want to hold hands.
Doraji always confidently demanded to hold hands whenever she came outside, but he’s different from her.
“Let’s go.”
He took the lead.
We didn’t talk much while walking. When I closed my mouth, the surroundings became quiet. It was a time to reflect on myself, who believed I wasn’t a very talkative person.
Walking through the contamination wasn’t a very romantic journey. We crunched on dead trees, and after reaching the Dark Lake, we consciously avoided looking at the water.
“Look at the sky and walk.”
Magical Energy is heavier than air, so it sinks and flows downwards, so it was a little better to look up at the sky. The sky was still blue, and the clouds were white.
However, after passing the lake and entering a dense forest, that wasn’t very helpful either. The Magical Energy blocked the light, making the surroundings dark and gloomy.
I wish I could Purify that Dark Lake.
That’s what I thought.
It was good that my ability was amazing. But isn’t it human nature to want more than what you already have when you get something in your hands?
I wished my ability was talent-based and progressive. Then, without much effort, I could Purify this much today, and twice as much tomorrow.
Then, wouldn’t it be possible to turn this Dark Lake blue someday?
Wow, if that were to happen.
I could live seeing a blue sky and a blue lake, with white clouds floating above it. I’d learn to ride a horse and ride a pure white horse along the lake. I’d launch a boat and go boating. Every morning, birds would sing in the forest, and deer might visit like Snow White?
Isn’t this what they call simple contentment? Or is it? Was that too extravagant? It makes me happy just thinking about it.
Reikart asked.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Huh?”
“You look gloomy.”
“Thinking about how awesome I am.”
He had a blank look for a moment, then sighed. He seemed to have inferred the meaning of “awesome” and understood it, but just you try laughing at me. I won’t Purify you.
Reikart said.
“It’s definitely an amazing ability. I’ve never heard of absorbing and Purifying Magical Energy.”
“Right?”
“But it’s better not to go around talking about it outside. You never know what kind of misunderstanding you might get.”
“That’s not….”
Did he misunderstand that I meant I wanted to brag about it outside? I quickly clarified before he thought I was an idiot too.
“If I Purify that lake someday, it’ll be a similar color to your eyes, right? I was imagining that.”
“What?”
“If you go to the top of Maron Keep, you can see the whole lake at a glance. Maybe it’s because it’s surrounded by mountains, but it freezes solid in the winter. If I Purify the lake by then, it’ll be a pretty water color like your eyes, I just thought it would be nice.”
“…What.”
Reikart was very flustered and turned his gaze away. He had been walking ahead but kept glancing at me, but suddenly he walked far ahead, only showing his back.
What’s wrong with him?
Did I say something that made no sense? To be ignored this much?
“Hey, are you ignoring me? It’s possible in about ten years, okay?”
“Okay.”
“You’re looking down on me, thinking I can’t do it, right? Just because you’re the protagonist? Why are you treating your savior like this?”
“I said okay.”
He walked even faster.
Walking all day made me feel bored. I even felt a sense of depression that I hadn’t felt much in Maron Keep because there was so much to do.
I didn’t know if it was because the nagging Doraji, who constantly kept me moving, wasn’t by my side, or because I was walking through a space that was all monochrome.
The strange thing was that Reikart would speak to me at just the right moments whenever I felt down.
“Hayley.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you know who you are?”
“What? I’m me, who else would I be.”
“What you did in the past, and why you ended up living alone in Maron Keep.”
“Ah….”
Why is he suddenly asking about that.
I suddenly felt uneasy. Am I going to die if I don’t answer this right? What if he suddenly pulls out a sword and says I deserve to die and attacks me?
“I don’t know well.”
Yeah, this seemed like the right answer.
I read the villain’s perspective side story diligently, but I can’t really know the details of what happened in the past as well as the real Hayley.
“When I came to my senses, I was in a cage. I was immediately thrown into the gorge, and I desperately tried to survive and went to Maron Keep.”
“Is that so?”
“But I know I’m Hayley Maron.”
Reikart nodded again. He, who had been so far away, was walking in front of me again.
I asked him the same question.
“What about you?”
“Well, I was the heir to the Winter Dukedom, and now everyone’s dead, so there’s no family left, and I’m alone. Bandision probably has me on their wanted list.”
“Huh?”
What, this guy. You remember everything, don’t you?
