Time Healer Ceres
Chapter 24
“What sin did I commit in a past life?”
Lina finally understood why her seniors always cast sound-blocking spells on their ears before entering the Magic Tower Master’s office.
She felt like doing the same every time he came looking for her.
Now, just hearing Cheion’s voice from a distance was enough to give her convulsions.
“Cheer up. That’s why I brought you here. The stew here is excellent for restoring your energy. I often make a trip here specifically for it.”
The man offered words of comfort and quickly ordered the stew.
Not long after the friendly-looking server took the order and disappeared, they saw someone approaching their table with the food.
“Hey, wake up. The food’s here.”
“Foooood….”
Lina, who had been held captive by the Magic Tower Master until just before arriving here, hadn’t even been able to eat breakfast properly.
At the sound of food arriving, she slowly lifted her head with a groan.
Thud.
Watching the hand set two bowls of stew down on their table without a word, she offered a habitual thank you.
“Thank you so—?”
As she looked up at the person, Lina’s jaw dropped.
She rubbed her eyes vigorously.
Excuse me? Why are you here…?
Have I been tormented by the Tower Master so much that I’m seeing things now?
Have I actually gone insane?
“E-Excuse me!”
Lina hurriedly reached out toward the woman who was turning away after setting down the food.
At that, the woman slowly turned back!
“The—the owner of Blue Stone!”
Ceres’s brow furrowed at the exclamation.
“…Blue Stone?”
What is she talking about? I’m the owner of a thing like that?
“Don’t you remember me?”
“…….”
“The magic shop!”
Magic shop?
“Ah.”
Only then did Ceres recall where she had seen Lina.
The magic shop she had visited to sell the magic stone Kainel had given her.
It was the woman who had helped her there.
“Blue St—no, no! The magic stone! Did you sell the magic stone?”
Lina’s voice was full of excitement, as if she had never been tired at all, causing Ceres’s eyes to narrow.
Why was she suddenly searching for the magic stone so desperately?
“Why do you ask?”
“If you still have it, please sell it to the Magic Tower!”
“…….”
“Our Tower Master wants that magic stone very! Extremely! badly! I’m sure he’ll buy it at a great price!”
The Tower Master?
‘She took a recording back then; did she show it to the Tower Master?’
Having roughly grasped the situation, Ceres gave a light click of her tongue.
“I don’t have it.”
“…Pardon?”
“I don’t have it with me right now.”
“D-Did you sell it? To whom? Which shop did you sell it to?”
“I lost it.”
“Gasp!”
Lost it? That thing?
The color drained from Lina’s face again just as quickly as it had returned.
“W-Where?”
“Why should I tell you that?”
“Really? Did you really lose it?”
No. The magic stone was still safely stored in her subspace.
She simply had no intention of taking it out at this point.
‘Kai is in the Capital right now.’
If Kainel were to see it by any chance, he might flip out and come hunting for her immediately to find its source.
‘I’d rather avoid that.’
Furthermore, if he found out that the magic stone had ended up in the hands of the Magic Tower Master of all people, he would go even more berserk.
‘The mere thought is annoying.’
He might go straight to the Magic Tower and pick a fight. Her neck felt stiff just thinking about it.
“Tell that man you call the Tower Master. It’s going to be hard to find now. I don’t even remember where I lost it.”
“Waaaaah!”
At Ceres’s firm words, which clearly signaled she would allow no further questions, Lina finally burst into tears.
Thinking of the Tower Master, Cheion, who would undoubtedly whine even more after hearing this news, Lina slumped back onto the table.
“Should I just… go into hiding?”
Ugh… I don’t want to go to the Magic Tower.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
At Kainel’s permission, his aide, Dell, cautiously opened the door and entered.
He held a small cup in his hand.
“Kainel-nim, is there anything you find uncomfortable?”
They were currently staying at a mansion used by members of the Grand Duchy of Persia when they visited the Capital.
Of course, since Kainel had gone into seclusion, it had been a long time since anyone had lived in the mansion.
However, Dell and the others who had served Kainel for generations had maintained the mansion so it could be used at any time.
They had hoped that when Kainel eventually resumed his public activities, he would be able to come here and rest comfortably whenever he wished.
“…Nothing has changed.”
Kainel scanned the room with a look of renewed recognition.
Despite it being a long time since his last visit, nothing had particularly changed. It was almost strange how not even a single ornament was different.
“We made every effort to preserve it.”
They had put in an immense amount of work to keep the mansion exactly as it was when he last saw it, so it wouldn’t feel foreign and he could feel even a modicum of comfort upon his return.
“…….”
Perhaps that was why?
‘Kai! Alti is crying!’
‘Waaaaah!’
‘…I didn’t hit him that hard.’
‘Liar! It hurt so much! Grace, punish him!’
Everywhere he turned his head, various memories surfaced.
It felt as though ten-year-old kids might come running through that door at any moment.
“Here is some herbal tea.”
Dell set the cup down in front of him, unable to hide his worried expression.
“I brewed it a bit stronger than last time.”
“I believe I told you it’s useless.”
“But…….”
A long sigh escaped Dell’s lips involuntarily.
What he had brought was water brewed from various herbs with sedative effects.
It was a medicine he had sought out and prescribed for Kainel, who had been unable to sleep for a long time.
Dell had stayed by Kainel’s side for over twenty years, but he had never once seen him sleep deeply.
Chronic insomnia.
They had tried all sorts of medicines, but while they seemed to show a very brief effect at first, he would soon develop a tolerance, rendering them useless.
“How about seeking treatment at Elercia County?”
It was the place where the most talented healers in the Empire gathered.
Since they were already in the Capital, Dell wanted him to receive a proper examination.
One never knew. Perhaps the Elercia family possessed a medicine that could finally let his lord rest in peace.
“That’s enough, you may leave.”
“…Yes. Please get some rest.”
Seeing Kainel wave his hand dismissively as if it were a chore, Dell couldn’t say anything more and quietly left the room.
“…….”
Left alone, Kainel scanned the room slowly once more before closing his eyes tightly.
‘Kai.’
This was why he hadn’t come here even once during that long time.
Because she was everywhere.
Because the memories of her would become more vivid, and in the end, he would miss her even more.
‘Kai.’
But in the end, that was exactly why he had to come.
Because he wanted to picture her… just a little more clearly.
—Skreeeeeeeeeeeek!
“…….”
“What do you think? There’s a second one too.”
—Kieeeeeeeeeeeeek!
“For the record, I think I like the second sound better.”
“…Cheion.”
“Huh? Why? Do you prefer the first one, Hyung?”
“I don’t think that’s the problem.”
Crown Prince Aseraian pressed his temples, nursing a headache.
He had rushed to see Cheion upon hearing the news that the Black Forest alarm system was complete, and yet….
“There’s a third one too!”
—Blergh-aaaaaaack!
“…….”
…This was what he was doing.
“I mean, why are the alarm sounds all monster screams?”
“That way, people will get scared and run away quickly.”
Looking at Cheion, who was sending him a sparkling gaze as if asking what the problem was, Aseraian let out another long sigh.
“They’ll have a fit, you brat. Will they even be able to run away properly?”
“It’ll definitely wake them up, won’t it?”
…Certainly, if someone heard that while sleeping at night, they would be terrified.
“Why didn’t you attend the meeting last time?”
Cheion, who had been fiddling with the palm-sized red alarm device, suddenly got teary-eyed.
“Sniff, I’m waiting for something, so I can’t leave this place.”
“Are you still on about that magic stone?”
“Blue Stone will definitely return to my arms!”
It wasn’t yours to begin with, seriously….
Aseraian barely swallowed the words rising to the back of his throat.
“Fine, fine. That’s all well and good, but make sure you attend tomorrow’s meeting.”
“…….”
Roll.
He could hear the sound of eyes rolling.
Cheion, who was searching for excuses here and there, slyly held out the alarm item in his hand.
“I’ll allow you to take this and think of it as me.”
“Why, you crazy bastard.”
