Arahan's Precious Locks
Arahan, Rowen, and Lucius returned carrying Cain on their backs when the sun hung high in the midday sky. A flame that had not lost its light for a thousand years crackled softly, emanating a gentle warmth. From outside Abel's unique barrier, it looked like an ordinary snow-covered forest. But peering a little closer revealed its true nature.
Cain fell asleep in an instant. Rowen found him pathetic, but in a way, it was unavoidable. He didn't even know why he'd gone out or when. What could anyone do about that? It only made Rowen's head ache more.
No matter how much he searched, there were no traces of magic use. That meant he'd been caught in a ritual long ago...
"I'm gonna lose my mind. For real."
"Truly, no remnants of runes can be felt."
"That's what makes it so fucking infuriating."
From the start.
"We didn't run into anyone either. It's weirder that a person would be in a forest like this."
"It could be a savage."
"Forgot? The savages are all at the northern edge with Kael. Every shaman capable of mental magic is out on the frozen plains."
It had been a long-overdue rest. Karin and Miyabi were bathing together, mother and daughter. For now, only Miyabi and Arahan were talking—no, just Arahan and Rowen. Lucius had gone off to forage for food. They couldn't survive forever on meager wolf meat.
Above all, a new source of anxiety had emerged. His head was a mess. Their situation was a tangle of crises.
Arkanthia had delved into magitech. Others might not think much of it, but Rowen knew from his past life. This was a grave matter.
On top of that, Arkanthia had succeeded in creating golems with magitech. Even Kadan, called the continent's strongest, couldn't defeat them. Unless you killed the one controlling them or reduced them to dust, the moving stone statues wouldn't die.
It had been quite some time since Kael's Seri Knights had headed to the northern edge. Snowfall, short on forces, was obviously unable to withstand their fierce assault. That's why they'd left Snowfall at Biden's signal.
Them too. The result was, naturally, Snowfall's fall.
Just as they'd thought they'd escaped Arkanthia's eyes, Cain's condition turned strange. Who could stay sane in such circumstances?
Rowen felt like he was going insane. He grabbed his hair and thrashed it about. His already wild mane became an even bigger mess.
"Aaaargh!"
"Please stop."
"Argh!"
"Young master's hair will be ruined."
"I can't help it. If I don't do this, I'll be stuck with this shitty feeling for days."
"That doesn't mean you should ruin my one joy in life."
Joy in life? Rowen couldn't understand Arahan's cryptic words. She sometimes looked at him with an oddly—no, fanatically—passionate gaze. Lately, her touches had grown bolder. He'd never seen someone claim ownership of his hair like this. Why had his hair become her life's pleasure?
Of course, back in Snowfall, Arahan always tended his hair under the pretext that even a bastard son needed to show noble demeanor. Though he always ended up messing it up and wandering freely.
"This is yours? It's my hair."
"Does young master even know what your hair looks like?"
"I know it too damn well. That's the problem."
Rowen stylishly swept his hair back. He was pretty confident he was quite handsome. If Cain had that half-slicked thug look, Rowen had a boyish charm overflowing with youthful appeal.
"Given your age, young master, I understand. But excessive pride will bring backlash someday. Do you know that?"
"I'm pretty good-looking, right?"
"You are handsome. I admit it. Young master is handsome."
"...No soul in that?"
"Just your imagination. Surprisingly, I've never thought you were ugly."
Arahan shook her head. No matter how lovable and cute her young master was, excessive vanity would bring misfortune someday. Of course, Rowen wasn't ugly—far from it. He was on the handsome side. But compared to the continent's top beauties she'd seen, he fell short. Still just a sixteen-year-old boy... though most faces were set by that age.
Knowing that, she teased him naturally.
"I truly love that brazenness of yours, young master. How can you be so shameless?"
"Bullshit."
"Oh my... Young master's mouth must have kissed a rag. If you keep mixing in curses every day, the girls who like you will run away."
Of course.
"That would be even better. I could monopolize my cute young master—what a blessing."
"Enough. Talking with you never ends."
"Do you dislike talking with me?"
"That's not it."
"If it's not that, then keep talking with me. I like talking with young master."
Rowen shook his head. Arahan, finding him adorable, moved to sit lightly on the bedding behind him. She took out a comb and began tidying his hair. The strands parted smoothly, making a soothing rustle.
"You don't have to."
"I want to. As I said, this is my joy in life."
"It's my hair."
"Then young master is mine. No problem, right?"
"What the hell."
"Besides, it's been over a week without proper care. It's my hobby, so bear with it a little."
"...Fine."
Rowen didn't like the feeling of his hair being tamed. It wasn't a sensation he enjoyed. True to his free-spirited nature, he wanted his hair wild too. A stiff noble image didn't matter. But now, it felt different. Was Arahan's touch always this skilled? It felt oddly good. Like a mother's hand, or a sister's. Whatever it was, the pleasure was real.
"Like a cat."
"...What suddenly?"
"Not quite purring, but you seem more relaxed. I'm glad."
Short exchange. Their usual banter, but without the usual leisure. Rowen was grateful to Arahan. It eased his tangled thoughts a bit. Pointless talk, but it gave him a sliver of calm.
"So, what do you think?"
"About Cain young master?"
"That too, and what comes next. We can't stay here forever."
"This place is safe."
Arahan wasn't wrong. In this vast unique barrier, six people could hold out easily. They might even meet Abel someday. But that wouldn't fulfill his wishes. Revenge for Kadan. Eradicating magitech. Reclaiming his past prowess. He had to move for that.
Arahan knew his heart. She always watched and yearned. How could she not? Anyone could read it on his face.
"Wherever young master goes, I'll follow."
"Even if it's dangerous?"
"Big misunderstanding. I'm strong. I don't know what those moving statues are, but I was stronger than the master."
"Stronger than Father?"
"Yes. My teacher was such an eccentric..."
"...Figures."
It made sense. Whoever her teacher was, if her skill surpassed Kadan's, he must be unusual. Extreme training to forge such strength. Her effort too, but a teacher's ability must exceed the disciple's. A millennium without him had birthed new powerhouses.
Rowen admired inwardly.
"So I'll follow young master. Thinking of my cute young master hurt makes my blood boil!"
"Drop the 'cute'."
"Is my cute young master shy?"
"No."
"Hehe, so cute. Keep that up, and I might pounce."
"I'm a noble, you know..."
"Then make it a done deal."
"Joking, right?"
"Am I? Does young master think it's a joke? For reference, for you, I'd give everything."
"...Stop teasing."
Arahan's gaze was hard to read. Like an inescapable spiderweb. Like a snake. Her sticky eyes exerted subtle pressure. Rowen turned forward again. Arahan stopped combing and touched his hair.
Rowen's hair was special. Valenos blood meant all family members were born with white hair. But Rowen's was different. Pure white inherited, mixed with gray streaks from his presumed mother. He hated it. Being called a bastard was annoying enough. This hair screamed it compared to his siblings. Like advertising "I'm the bastard."
"Bad thoughts again?"
"...Nothing."
"I always say it, but young master's hair is charming."
"It's like advertising I'm a bastard. A mongrel."
"...Young master needs rest. Stop useless thoughts and leave your hair to me. You've been moving for us for nearly a week."
Despite his youth. Taking responsibility for everyone, leaving home. Arahan knew his efforts to keep no one hurt or freezing. So she tidied his hair to urge rest. But this stubborn young master still worried.
"Or, as I said last time, use my mouth?"
"...W-what?"
"A kiss with the opposite sex eases the mind a bit."
"...You're aggressive today."
Rowen stiffened in surprise. His subtly reddening ears were perfect for Arahan's eyes. He found such advances uncomfortable. It was new, unknown even in his past life. Heightening his embarrassment. He really felt like a sixteen-year-old boy. He was sixteen, but not feeling it made it awkward. Complicating his heart.
"Arahan, you need to be more serious sometimes."
"About what?"
"Even if we're close, someone might take your jokes seriously."
"...Did young master take it seriously?"
"What?"
"I always say, I'm serious around young master."
Arahan withdrew her hand from stroking his hair. She gently caressed his ear. Caught off guard, Rowen froze.
"Shall we test it?"
"...Joking, right?"
"I'm serious."
The sound of Arahan stepping off the bed. Facing forward, he only heard it. The soft rustle of her maid outfit. She stepped around, meeting his eyes. Rowen panicked at the suddenness.
She was the family maid. Friends or not, she was noble young master and maid.
"What do you think, young master?"
"...About what?"
"Shall we really test it? I don't lie. At least not to young master..."
Arahan drew closer. Rowen squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't know what he expected, but it felt necessary. No dating experience, no immunity to the opposite sex. In his past life, Lea and Mio's fights drove him mad, always dragging him in between. But now was different. His closest companion approached, sweeping back her long hair. His heart fluttered a bit. Tension built.
Rowen squeezed his eyes shut tight.
Snap!
"...What?"
A flicking sound and a stinging forehead. Arahan smiled playfully.
"What were you expecting?"
"...Nothing. I expected nothing."
"Such a cute young master. I love that about you."
"Drop the 'cute' already."
Arahan stood, opening the door. She smoothed her skirt, brushing off dust.
"...Madam and miss have finished bathing, so I'll go now."
"Huh?"
"Warm yourself too, young master. Catching a cold would be trouble."
"Uh... yeah... okay."
Rowen stammered awkwardly. Arahan smiled, pleased by his reaction.
Rowen sat frozen for minutes. Unable to move, something churned wildly inside.
"I really don't get it."
Arahan smiled. She'd glimpsed a new side of her long-observed young master. She prided herself that no time was more precious. At first, it wasn't a joke. Up until he squeezed his eyes shut. That's when she fiercely suppressed the urge to pounce, losing reason. Not yet. She couldn't cross that line. Not yet.
Arahan covered her unknowingly flushed cheek.
"Me too... so impatient."
Miyabi and Karin, refreshed from their bath, dried their hair with towels. Karin eyed Arahan's odd aura.
"Arahan, your face is super red."
"...Is it?"
"Yeah! Hot?"
"Hehe, maybe a little."
Arahan thought inwardly. Perhaps a bit hasty. She decided to savor this pounding. As long as she could be with her young master forever, everything else was fine. Nothing else mattered. Only Rowen by her side. No—only her by Rowen's side.