Even though he hugged her tightly without even having room to breathe and expand her chest, it was rather comfortable and comfortable.
Selina groaned in satisfaction at the proud sense of restraint.
“Um…”
When Kalcion answered, he tightened his arms once again. As the tension released from her body after not getting enough sleep the past few days, her drowsiness returned in an instant.
“Is your research going well?”
“Yes… pretty much…”
Selina replied, mumbling in her sleep, answering Kalcion's question and asking for a conversation that had been overdue.
“I heard that you tried your best to seduce me… is this the best?”
She complained even more.
Seeing that, Kalcion laughed. His breath lightly brushed the hair on her forehead.
“You can’t think of me as a robber who will get you with a few little things. I'm preparing a huge blow that even you can't refuse.”
“Huh…? I'm not surprised by most things.”
“Hmm…. it's not by my standards. I don't know what it would be like if it were you.”
“Hehe… Do your best.”
“I’m trying my best, so give me a hint. What was the most important thing you've ever experienced?"
It must have been really hard, so he made an uncharacteristically weak sound.
Was it difficult because of the busy schedule, or was it difficult to think of something that would convince Selina? She didn’t know which one, but she couldn't be mean to him because he said weak things.
“Hmm… I received a box of paper cranes…”
“Paper crane? Did you fold the crane out of paper? Do you like that?”
“…I was surprised that there are people who actually do this—”
There was no way not to be surprised by how good it was.
“I was a bit surprised when I received a picture of me.”
“I haven’t painted for a long time, so I guess it’s a bit late to learn to draw again.”
Kalcion was sorry.
“It didn't have to be so good. I was just amazed at how great it was.”
When she tried to say it, she couldn't remember it. Surprisingly, there weren't many things that touched her emotions.
It was a learned thing.
People's affection was an indicator of consumer satisfaction. So, no matter how much praise and affection she received, it was only felt as a favorable review of her work. Occasionally, she was surprised and grateful when she received a thoughtful gift or event, but it did not lead to emotion.
Selina had no faith in the fact that the love was directed towards her.
Kalcion was different from the public. She could feel her eyes looking at her, and she knew the temperature in those eyes was hot.
Maybe that was why, even when she received a single flower, her heart trembled.
That was touching.
‘I think I'll be impressed no matter what he does.'
After receiving it, how would she feel?
Will the world over there be forgotten as if it never existed in the first place? Can she just turn around with a grateful heart?
“According to what I’ve heard, you seem difficult with small touches.”
“Um, that’s right. I’m definitely not the kind of person who would cry because I was moved by a single flower ring.”
“Should I give the whole flower garden at all?”
“Oh. It's a bit touching.”
Even though it was a silly joke for both of them, her heart was definitely beating faster than when she imagined receiving a flower. It seemed that she couldn't even hide her expression. She could feel Kalcion staring at her strangely.
“…You don't really have to give it to me. It will be touching when I receive it though I want to get it and use it.”
“Hmm, yes. Then, I’ll consider practicality.”
“Think hard…”
The conversation continued, and then she fell asleep. When she woke up the next morning, Selina was alone in the bed.
‘Of course, he went to the meeting.'
Because last night, she deliberately grabbed him, trying to leave right away and laid him down. In her head, she thought of it as ‘of course,’ but seeing the empty bed, her heart was helpless. The cold that she had barely chased away last night had returned.
Selina pulled the blanket over again. She hoped that there would be some warmth Kalcion left behind.
* * *
“…Finished.”
Day after day, she finally solved the calculations that she had been wrestling with. On the map, she was able to pinpoint exactly where she could return to.
Selina put down the pen, overcome with a strangely overflowing satisfaction. Regardless of whether or not she returned, it was surprisingly fun to be engrossed in these calculations. If she had a chance to stick to her studies, she would have worked hard in her own way.
Kalcion, who was sitting across from the desk and reading a pile of papers, raised his head.
He barely made eye contact, thanks to the piles of papers on either side.
“Did you find it?”
“Yes. As expected, it is on the other side of the beast mountains.”
“As expected, we have to cross the mountain range.”
“Is it possible?”
Kalcion thought for a moment and then nodded his head.
“Not impossible. We'll have to be prepared, though."
Crossing the snow-capped Beast Mountains would not be an ordinary thing. Crossing the mountain range was also a problem, and the beasts that could appear in the meantime were also a problem.
The other side beyond the mountain range was the land of full-fledged beasts. It wasn't until after hearing Kalcion's words that Selina realized that it was a place she couldn't easily cross, unlike just drawing a line on a map.
“Can I go?”
“You can go if you want. I'll let you go.”
“At a time like this, I think you can be a little tough on me by saying I can’t go.”
As Kalcion just laughed silently, Selina asked.
“When are you going to use the big shot you’ve prepared?”
“When the time comes?”
From what she said, it didn’t seem like he was procrastinating because he was not confident, and it seemed like he was really looking at the timing. Kalcion went all the way to the door for her to return anyway and wanted Selina to choose.
He seemed to believe that only then would she make a real choice.
Since she already knew that she had a way back, she was almost halfway returned, and there was only one chance to turn her mind around. What was it? She was curious, but even if she asked, he wouldn't tell.
Kalcion circled the desk and came to her side. Sitting astride the desk, he looked over the paper she had made the calculations, then checked the place she had marked on the map.
“I didn't know you were good at calculation.”
“I just did a simple calculation as instructed.”
Even though she shuddered in humility, it was also true that she was proud inside. It was not that she spat fire out of her hands, but what was great was great.
The formula created by the wizard was a breakdown of the magical process into the smallest units. No matter how much he did, it wasn't easy, as the result was a single magic. The pile of papers on Selina's desk proved it.
“If you stay here and study the records left by Songtullek, you will become a hero who changed the era.”
“Is this a recruitment offer?”
“I’ll pay as much as you want.”
Even though he was saving the big shot, he did not forget the small temptation. He was the kind of person who would give the entire Renbird, so Selina changed the subject instead of continuing.
“Has anyone other than Songtullek ever crossed over the mountains?”
“The Ducal family and the guards crossed over.”
“We don’t have Songtullek, will it be okay?”
“There is no record of Songtullek spitting fire from his hand to exterminate the beasts.”
She had guessed that, so she got stumped.
Kalcion laughed as if he could clearly see her insides. The first thing that came to mind when one heard the word wizard was breathing fire from the hand. Her childlike innocence was so cute that he couldn’t stand it.
He pressed his lips to the crown of Selina's head, as he would with a child, and ferociously pounced on her forehead, the bridge of her nose, her cheeks, her lips.
“Oh, ah! stop it!"
In the end, Selina pushed him away in disgust.
“Why, you’re so cute and lovable. You kiss when you can’t stand it.”
“I didn’t even say that!”
He made up words that she had never said before.
The northern Duke that was like glaciers melted.
If there was a warming phenomenon in the world, it was not half her fault, and Selina sighed as she felt the responsibility for what she had done.
“Now that we know the location, we must prepare for departure. If there are things you want to bring, bring them too. Just enough to carry. We will have to go on foot.”
Even when they first met, they moved on foot. It would be difficult to lead the horse to a place that is so steep and riddled with beasts.
“I will prepare food and equipment necessary for hiking… is there anything else I need to prepare?”
“Treasure?”
Selina answered right away, without thinking for a second. She had to take care of what she had to take care of.
Love was important, but a contract was a contract.
“Yes, I’ll take care. Pick out only the things you want to bring. If there's anything you'd like to ask for, let me know. Then?”
“Hmm… ah. clothes. I can't go out wearing this.”
“Ah, that will have to be produced separately. Call the tailor.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Kalcion stared at Selina's face.
“What’s wrong?”
“You look excited.”
She couldn't say no when Kalcion said that, so she was shocked.
In fact, it was difficult to imagine that Kalcion was not by her side, so she was only vaguely excited about going home. While it was a house without anyone, it was a house she built herself. She wondered if there was anyone waiting but where everyone who knew her was.
“If you don’t like it, why don’t you try blowing that one shot?”
Kalcion glanced lightly at Selina, who was talking even more meanly, with reproachful eyes, then smiled and turned his head.
“You should know. That I am a more tenacious person than you thought.”
“Oh, I’m scared.”
“Yes, that would be scary.”
She slapped Kalcion lightly on his thigh at the not-too-frightening bravado, bursting out with laughter. However, the hand hurt more, and soon her laughter died down.
This chapter is updat𝙚d by f(r)eewebn(o)vel.com