Yurina's Resolve
“Lady Yurina...”
Illein wore a troubled expression. He had instantly realized what she was demanding of him. Yurina was dead set on heading north.
“Don’t try to talk me out of it anymore. I’ve already made up my mind.”
“...”
Yurina’s voice was utterly resolute. She wasn’t about to listen to any dissuasion. She had always been like that—once she decided something, she never went back on it. No matter what anyone said, she clung to what she believed was right until the end.
“Is it truly necessary?”
“...”
Illein was asking if this was truly significant enough to defy the Pope’s will.
After a moment of silence, Yurina nodded with a hardened face.
“I’m sorry, Sir Illein.”
“Haa.”
Illein sensed he could no longer stop her. If he tried, she’d just sneak out of the temple at dawn like the stubborn woman she was. In that case, it was far better for him to stay by her side and keep watch.
“...This will be the last time.”
“Sir Illein!”
“Shh, I’ll come back later.”
“Got it. Thank you.”
Yurina beamed brightly as she saw Illein off from the room.
And the next day, the temple was thrown into chaos by the disappearance of their saintess.
* * *
My head was a tangled mess, so I climbed to the top of the wall out of habit. The section destroyed by the advanced monster was in the midst of repairs. Since it was night, work had halted. The predawn wall exuded an eerie chill.
“...Haa.”
I walked to the end of the wall, where a tent was pitched, and let out a sigh.
From what Xavier had told me, there were more than one or two things I needed to worry about.
A mastermind that didn’t even appear in the original story. Their unknown identity made them all the more troubling.
“Revenge.”
Revenge, huh. For someone to hate the Carpoems that much...
I sank deep into thought. But the more I pondered, the more lost I became. There were plenty of people who simply disliked the ducal house. The Carpoem Ducal House had many enemies. And the house was arrogant and powerful enough to crush them all.
Like how northerners revered and followed the Carpoem Ducal House with fear and respect, much like their worship of dragons. To southerners, that same house seemed like a terrifying monster, spawning all sorts of vicious rumors.
“A monster, huh...”
If the one behind the scenes had been using monsters all this time, they’d be even more monstrous than the ducal house—almost godlike.
“Ha.”
I chuckled wryly at my own ridiculous thoughts. It was absurd how quickly I’d jumped to such far-fetched ideas just because Xavier mentioned something about gods. Even in a fantasy world like this.
“Haha.”
After laughing it off and breathing in the night air, I was about to head down when—
“...Lady Abigail?”
“...?”
I turned at the small voice calling me. I hadn’t sensed anyone, so I was a bit startled. But once I saw who it was, it made sense.
“Ren?”
Ren stared at me with wide eyes. Under the pitch-black night sky, his silver hair gleamed brightly.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“You’re still awake?”
“...”
“...”
We both spoke at the same time and exchanged awkward glances.
“I’m fine now.”
“Uh, yeah. Good.”
I cleared my throat awkwardly and continued.
“Sorry for pushing you so hard.”
Ren had suffered a lot because of me, leaving me feeling guilty for a long while.
“No. There’s no need for you to apologize, Lady Abigail.”
Ren waved his hands in flustered denial. In moments like this, traces of his old self lingered.
“I just want to be of help to you.”
“Ren...”
No matter how much his appearance had changed, this man was still the same Ren from back then. The pure child who couldn’t ignore a sick duke and tried to help. I’d thought he’d forget those memories in an instant once he grew up.
Yet he hadn’t forgotten his impulsive promise from the Magic Festival and came back to me.
A smile tugged at my lips unbidden.
“Thank you.”
“...!”
“For not forgetting me. It’s been a long time.”
Ren had always been like this. That pure, kind boy had been a huge help to me when I first possessed this body and felt utterly lost. And this time was no different. When Xavier was chased by monsters, when the imperial edict came suddenly, when monsters invaded and things got dangerous—if not for Ren, it would’ve been a disaster.
“I haven’t forgotten you for even a single moment.”
“...Huh?”
His serious words made my eyes widen. Wait, wasn’t that a bit much?
As I floundered speechless, Ren gave me that same harmless smile as always.
“The wind’s cold. Shall we head down?”
“Uh, yeah. Sure.”
I nodded as if entranced and followed behind him. As we descended the stairs, his moonlit hair, sparkling moments ago, grew a shade darker. I glanced at it and asked,
“By the way, why’d your hair color change?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, it used to be brown.”
“Ah...”
In the original story, Ren appeared as he did now. But the Ren I first met after possessing this body had brown hair for some reason. I’d been curious but too busy to ask properly. And Ren had acted so naturally.
Then, in the middle of the stairs, Ren suddenly stopped dead.
“...?”
Puzzled, I looked down. Just then, he turned, and our eyes met.
“Is my hair weird?”
“...!”
Was this the power of a handsome man? Ren’s teary expression hit me right in the heart. I’d always thought he was strikingly good-looking as a kid, but this was on another level. I swallowed hard and hurried to reassure his wounded look.
“N-No. It’s pretty. Really pretty.”
“Really?”
“Really. It sparkles like starlight.”
His hair truly was beautiful, so I praised it with all my heart.
Ren’s face gradually brightened.
“That’s a relief. I was worried.”
“Mm, so why did it change color?”
“Ah...”
Ren lightly touched the bangs covering his eyes. Had I asked something awkward? He seemed flustered, so I added,
“You don’t have to answer if it’s difficult.”
“No, it’s not that.”
Ren withdrew his hand from his hair and gave a wry smile.
“Sometimes even I feel like the color’s off.”
“Mm...”
That made sense. I was glad Abigail’s hair was black. Her red eyes had been intimidating at first, but if it suddenly turned silver like Ren’s, I’d be shocked. I nodded, and Ren spoke up.
“It happens occasionally in the Magicus clan. They say hair color changes upon reaching adulthood.”
“Adulthood?”
I was startled by his words.
“You’re an adult now?”
“Yes.”
Ren blinked innocently.
“No, but...”
“Ah, our clan counts age differently from continentals.”
“Oh?”
That explained it. Yurina had just turned twenty, so if Ren was the same age, it fit. In the original, he was the younger guy type. Wait, so he was only a year or two younger to fill that role? The author was cutting corners. No wonder age rarely came up in the novel. I clicked my tongue inwardly.
“I didn’t even congratulate you properly.”
“It’s fine.”
Ren grinned like he did as a kid, and my hand moved on reflex. Then I froze. What was I doing? My eyes must’ve gone funny down here on the stairs. He was a grown man now; this wouldn’t do. As I tried to pull back casually, Ren spoke first.
“You can touch it.”
“Uh, huh?”
“My hair. It’s okay to touch.”
“...! For real?”
“Yes.”
I hesitated briefly between reason and instinct. But the temptation of that shimmering hair was too strong. In the end, I reached out and touched it. A ticklish sensation met my fingertips, followed by a soft wave spreading across my palm. What did this guy put in his hair to make it so silky? Amazed, I stroked it gently. Then I met those warm green eyes.
“Ahem.”
Embarrassed, I cleared my throat and pulled away. Stroking a grown man’s hair felt too awkward, after all.
“Shall we head down?”
“...Yes.”
Ren, who’d been gazing at me intently as if he had more to say, turned first and descended with soft footsteps. I let out a quiet sigh, unnoticed, and followed. For some reason, my heart kept racing.
* * *
Once he confirmed Abigail had entered her room, Ren turned. At the same moment, the presence he’d sensed earlier grew more blatant.
As he headed to his own room, Ren sighed and spoke.
“Do you have business with me?”
“...”
Moments later, someone emerged from the shadows and approached Ren slowly. As expected, it was Ian Servbo. The guardian who always shadowed Abigail like a ghost. A man skilled enough to hide even from Abigail, who had reached a considerable level.
Of course, Ren had seen through him from the start.
“...”
“...”
They stared at each other in silence for a moment. Ian was naturally taciturn, and Ren tended to stay quiet unless around Abigail or Benjamin. Perhaps that was why silence felt more comfortable between Ren and Ian than words. They’d never bothered exchanging unnecessary talk.
But ever since Ren first came here, Ian had seemed to be questioning something with his eyes.
“...Why did you return?”
“...”
Why return to Abigail’s side. Ren realized his hunch from deep in his heart was correct. Ian had harbored that doubt all along. Not mere wariness, but a strangely pure curiosity.
The why of his return to her.
Ren felt as if he were facing his mentor, whom he’d confronted for the past six years straight. He’d always felt stymied before that unyielding presence.
“Because it’s where I belong.”
“...”
“That’s all. Just like you.”
And in the end, Ren had earned his mentor’s permission. He’d never whined or tried cheap persuasion. He’d simply, persistently stated that he had to go to her. That it was where he belonged. He’d pushed through with quiet, stubborn resolve.
No one understood Ren, but somehow, the man before him seemed to.
Ian passed Ren silently, murmuring,
“Betray her, and I’ll cut you down.”
“...”
Just like her shadow. Ren watched his retreating figure vanish without a sound.