Chapter 69

“Among humans, isn’t there a saying?”

“What saying, exactly?”

“It’s better to get the beating over with early.”

“……”

Why, of all things, did he have to know that one?

With a small sigh, Esadien replied, “I know… I know that someday, I’ll have to tell her.”

But he still hoped that day would never come. He hadn’t yet found an answer to the “what if” Ramande had once thrown at him. Just thinking about it made his stomach churn.

Even so… even so, the thought of Minuelle looking at him with disgust again was something he never wanted to face.

“Spirit, I ask you… please don’t tell Minuelle.”

“Hmm… I wonder which outcome would be more fun.”

“Please.”

“Hmm?”

“Spirit—”

Bang!

Just then, while Esadien was trailing after the teasing spirit and pleading with him, the door burst open. Both beast and spirit froze at once.

Minuelle stomped into the room, practically kicking the door in, fuming.

“Ugh! That damn prince—when is he finally leaving? He’s unbearable… huh?”

Were they playing together?

That’s what Minuelle first thought. But when Esadien, his paws tingling with guilt, tried to slink away, her sky-blue eyes narrowed.

Why was El avoiding her?

Surely a centuries-old spirit wouldn’t bully a little kitten… right?

Still, she cast a suspicious glance at Gabbie, just in case. But the spirit was just spinning innocently in midair, looking as harmless as ever.

She’d ask later.

Minuelle would later regret letting it go, thinking Gabbie would simply answer if pressed. After all, they had a contract.

But that was for another time.

“El, come here.”

For now, she just scooped up El from behind and hugged him tightly.

“Mya, myaaong.”

Esadien squirmed briefly, but soon melted under her barrage of kisses—on his paws, nose, forehead, even the nape of his neck.

“Your big sister’s had a rough day.”

Minuelle’s confession sent a pang of guilt down Esadien’s spine, especially with Gabbie’s gaze burning into him. But at least the spirit didn’t seem ready to expose him just yet.

– What happened? Tell me why it was hard.

Even though all that came out was a series of “mya mya” sounds, Minuelle whispered into his ear as if she understood every word.

“That blasted spirit gave me some ridiculous task, then sat there doing nothing while I scrambled to get it done.”

– Oh dear.

Moved by her frustration, Esadien rubbed his forehead gently against the inside of her wrist.

Lately, Minuelle had been trying hard—hoping to find a way to use Gabbie’s power before that prince caused another disaster.

But the spirit’s power had always responded to will from the beginning. Trying to explain how to “use” it now felt impossible.

Minuelle, too, had her own issues. Though she’d overcome much in the cave, she still hadn’t fully conquered her fear of fire.

With both of them slightly off balance, it was no wonder things weren’t going well.

“And that Gabbie… he never even shows up! Just camps out in the fireplace all day…”

– I can hear you, you know, human!

“What, so what if you do!”

Naturally, they didn’t get along.

– Minuelle, please calm down for a moment.

Ever since she’d met Gabbie, Minuelle had become more hot-tempered. Esadien tried to intervene, but both she and the spirit turned sharp looks on him.

“El, just for a bit. Let me talk, okay?”

– You butt out for a while.

“……”

Even Esadien almost sulked at that. His tail, however, did the sulking for him, swishing with displeasure as Minuelle and Gabbie’s shouting match escalated.

– With all the fire I lit around here, you still don’t feel anything? I just stretch out my hand and—bam!

As Gabbie thrust his hand forward, flames burst from the fireplace and shot across the room.

“You can’t do that indoors! Ugh, ash everywhere!”

– Tch.

“And if I could do that, I’d already be a spirit user! I wouldn’t have needed to make a contract with you!“

– How dare you! You don’t even have talent! None!

“Oh yeah? Then why did you pick me, huh? Go find someone talented and steal their body!”

Roar here, snarl there—both sides were on the brink when Esadien finally had enough and shouted:

“Myang-mya!” (Stop it!)

His voice echoed so loudly through the room that both Minuelle and Gabbie flinched mid-fight.

– Spirit, you are a being of immense power, revered even as a god. I understand your frustration, but could you show a little grace?

– And what would you know about how I feel?

Though Gabbie grumbled, the fire had already died down. Minuelle, watching Esadien “myang-mya”-ing, stared in awe before nudging him and asking: “Well? What did El say?”

– Not telling.

“Ugh! So unfair!”

“Mya!”

She looked ready to blow up again, but at Esadien’s serious gaze, she backed down.

– Minuelle, I’m not saying you need to obey blindly. But aren’t we all supposed to work together now? If you push too hard, things will only fall apart.

Minuelle still only heard him as a series of cute cat noises, but from the tone, she could tell—he was scolding her.

“El.”

Minuelle knelt down and hugged her beloved beast tightly.

“Thank you, for worrying about me.”

Then, rising, she turned to face Gabbie directly.

– Wh-what now?

“They say cats can live more than ten years. El may not be exactly a cat, but I think he’ll live that long, at least.”

– So?

“They say I have three years left.”

What?

Esadien looked at Gabbie in shock. Minuelle had never shown any sign of this—she hadn’t even told Ramande.

Gabbie glanced at Esadien but gave no further explanation. Meanwhile, Minuelle’s voice grew quieter. Steadier.

“At the very least… I want to die after El crosses the rainbow bridge. I don’t want to leave him behind, all alone.”

– You’ve made a contract, so you’ll live longer than three years. But whether you’ll be there for his end… that, I can’t say.

“Which is why—I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen.”

Spirit and human locked eyes in a long, silent exchange.

A spirit is a being born of nature itself. It cannot help but treasure life.

– Very well.

Gabbie’s voice softened, recognizing the sincerity in Minuelle’s words.

– There’s a plant called Yoshicho.

– …!

Esadien knew it. Once, Lapheche had sought it, even bought a whole field of it from the late Baron Celeste.

Gabbie continued, as if unaware of how closely Esadien was listening.

– Humans use it to revive depleted soil. But if it’s dried and ground, then consumed, it causes a massive surge in natural energy.

“What? Why didn’t you say that from the start—”

– In the days of spirit users, that knowledge was common. But rely on it too much, and you’ll lose your sense of self. Are you prepared for that?

“…Of course not.”

Gabbie didn’t elaborate, but Minuelle instinctively trembled.

To lose your sense of self meant being ripped from your roots in this world. No sane person would want that—especially Minuelle, who had fought hard to resist being possessed by Gabbie.

– But using it once or twice in emergencies should be fine. Training is training, but it’s wise to be prepared.

“Got it.”

For the first time, the atmosphere between them softened. But Esadien was too busy thinking about the plant to savor the peace.

The one Baron Celeste called “his lord”…

The one who appeared beside the prince disguised as an assassin, wielding a flame Minuelle absorbed—

She had taken in the power of a spirit.

And now, that same spirit had been weakened by the sudden rise of the Cult of Fire.

Could it be that the prince… and the Cult of Fire are connected?

It all fit too well.

Baron Celeste had served the prince. If he had supplied the Yoshicho, then it might’ve strengthened the Cult of Fire.

No way.

Esadien didn’t want to believe Austin would harm his own country.

But seeing Austin casually propose treason to Minuelle shattered what little hope Esadien had left.

I need to warn His Majesty and my sister.

If he told Priest Ramande now, he’d be taken back to Roquate. Even if it was hard to prove he was Esadien, he could still give a warning.

But if he did that, he’d never be allowed near Minuelle again.

Not as a human. Not even as a beast.

Because he didn’t want her to remember her first love and feel sick.

That truth mattered more to Esadien than to anyone else.

He wanted Minuelle to smile at him. To hug him without hesitation. To stay by his side.

And now that he had all of that—he couldn’t let it go.

He hated how selfish that made him. But Austin, with his relentless manipulation, didn’t allow him a moment to wallow.

Even when Minuelle visibly recoiled from him, Austin just pressed on with his flirting.

Esadien had even hurt her—lashed out because of his hatred toward Austin.

“As an apology for barking nonsense, go on a date with me.”

A date. Just the word reminded him of walking the streets of Caduren with Minuelle, and it felt like his heart sank through the floor.

But he endured it. He had a plan.

“The carriage should be ready by now. Let’s go.”

After Austin practically dragged Minuelle outside, Esadien, trembling with anger and jealousy, turned straight to Ramande.

– They just left.

Ramande gave a subtle nod as if to say, I saw it too, and signaled the knights.

“Let’s move.”

“Yes, sir!”

The knights split into teams. Two teams followed the carriage with Austin and Minuelle, while the others rode ahead to ambush the likely route.

There was no way the Grand Duchess had truly given permission for a mere “date.”