Chapter 87

Gabbie had been just about to strike down the fanatic, but he threw the bomb away at the last second. Judging by the location, it landed near the magic circle from the eastern entrance.

— Damn it, tch!

Gabbie clicked his tongue and quickly changed direction. Thankfully, he managed to shield it with his body just before it fully exploded, but it had been close—so close, in fact, that cracks had formed in the black sphere he’d used to block it.

“Phew.”

He barely had time to exhale the breath he’d been holding in tense concentration—

BOOM!

The muffled sound of the explosion, blocked by Gabbie’s shield, still shook the area violently. Without thinking, I rushed toward him. The bomb had been no bigger than two adult fists, yet it packed such a punch that even with Gabbie shielding it, the ground trembled.

“Gabbie!”

As I sprinted over, a chill ran down my spine. Without thinking, I dropped to the ground—and it was a damn good thing I did. A curved dagger, crescent moon-shaped, sliced through the air right where my head had been.

“Urgh!”

The timing had been too perfect. The fanatic who’d attacked me from behind nearly lost his balance but rolled smoothly and sprang toward me like an arrow released from a taut bowstring.

“Impurity obstructing the Day of Purification! Become nourishment for the sands!”

Seriously, what the hell has Austin been telling these guys about me?

“AAAAH!”

Forget dignity—I let out a full-throated scream. I might be healthier now, but dodging blades like a trained knight? That was never in the cards for me.

Yet somehow, I wasn’t dead. At the last second, my hand shot up and caught the blade flying toward me.

“Ugh.”

A sharp sting followed by a searing pain ran through my palm, but hey—better a burn than a funeral.

“You… lunatic! You’ll never return to dust or fire!”

The fanatic, voice dripping with venom, poured overwhelming heat into the blade clutched in my hand, as if trying to scorch my very soul.

“AAAAARGH!”

But something was off. I should have been the one howling in pain from a simple burn, yet it was the fanatic who screamed, writhing like his entire body was on fire.

‘What the…? Was my output stronger than I thought?’

I didn’t linger on the thought. As the fanatic tumbled backward, I stomped the heel of my shoe straight into the back of his head.

‘Final move: Skull Cracker!’

“Ugh!”

He twitched once, then went still. Only then did I wipe the sweat from my brow and sigh.

“Aaah… there goes another pair of shoes.”

— Ah, my contractor is so brutal

Gabbie muttered with a groan, fluttering toward me unsteadily. But I couldn’t scold him. He had shielded me from the explosion and then used his power to neutralize the remnants. I felt firsthand how much energy he’d expended.

So I just patted his head and said, “You did great. Let’s absorb the leftover fire energy and spirit power, then go home.”

— I’m telling the hearth to load up on Yoshicho today. Lots of it. And tomorrow too!

“Yeah, yeah.”

The fanatic’s spirit energy wasn’t much—barely enough to brush my ankles. As I opened the sealed door, a tidal wave of chatter and stares crashed into me.

“I—I’m back!”

And the moment I saw their faces, I realized: ‘This is going to be exhausting.’

But thankfully, I had Theodore.

“Lady Minuelle!”

He pushed through the crowd and called my name. I glanced at him and immediately put on a fragile, delicate expression, like I’d collapse from a breeze, and pressed my hand to my forehead.

“Ah…!”

I staggered, dropping to one knee for dramatic effect.

“I’ve used too much energy… cough cough!”

“Lady Minuelle, what in the world…?”

Theodore looked stunned, but still rushed over to catch me. With my face buried against his shoulder, I whispered in a voice only he could hear: “What about Sir Olce and our knights?”

“I tried to send them ahead, but they insisted on waiting with the carriage.”

“Perfect. I’m going to pass out now, so handle the cleanup!”

“…What?”

Of course he wanted an explanation, but I did what I said—I went limp, pretending to faint.

“Lady Minuelle.”

“Sir Tregosnan, is the young mage alright?”

Ah, a familiar voice—the kind gentleman who’d tried to escort me out earlier.

I cracked open my eyes and tapped Theodore.

“Theo, what’s that man’s name? Tell him to come visit the duchy later.”

“…I know him. I’ll send a message.”

Ohh. Right, he had acquaintances here.

As I resumed my fainting act, Theodore turned to the mage.

“She’s… alright. Please inform my grandfather that I’ll handle the rest.”

“Huh?”

This all felt strangely familiar.

Then, from not far away, came a thunderous roar.

“Theodore Tregosnan!! You rascal!!”

“I-I leave this to you!”

And with that, Theodore bolted.

Cries of surprise, people trying to restrain someone, and finally Clidane’s voice followed. The carriage shook violently as someone jumped in.

As the door slammed shut, I opened my eyes with a sparkle.

“You have a mage in your family?”

“That’s your first question?”

Despite his exasperation, Theodore sighed deeply and answered.

“My maternal grandfather.”

“I see. I’ll have to send him a gift later.”

Wiggling my shoeless feet, I added, “You were really worried, huh?”

“Isn’t that obvious…?”

“Sorry. I think I have a lot to tell you tonight.”

We’d left just after lunch, and somehow the sun was already nearly gone—just a thread of crimson remained.

I stared blankly at it, spellbound, until the carriage stopped and jolted me back to the present.

“Sorry. I zoned out.”

“You seem exhausted. Maybe I should come back later.”

“No, I’m tired, but it’s more like… a weird feeling. Like something’s wrong.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to shake it off, and hopped out of the carriage.

“Let’s talk over dinner, Theo.”

“You’re sure you’re okay?”

Noticing I wasn’t wearing shoes, a maid rushed over with slippers. I slipped them on and pulled Theodore along.

“Oh, did you know I have a pet now? He came home just before returning to his original form.”

“Really? What kind?”

“Hmm…”

Good question. What was El?

Even after we’d climbed all the stairs, I couldn’t answer. Theodore looked worried.

“It’s not something outrageous like another spirit, right?”

“Of course not! He’s super cute! …And dignified.”

“Dignified?”

“You’ll see. Better to witness it once than hear it a hundred times.”

I flung open the door.

“El! I’m home! Sorry I’m late!”

The room was dim, lit only by the fading twilight. El stood and turned to me.

“Minuelle, you’re safe—”

El smiled and stepped forward. I bent to hug him. Theodore, watching with mild curiosity, paled.

We all froze.

Esadien.

That voice.

I didn’t even need to turn around. From Theodore’s sharp intake of breath, I knew he recognized it too—more than me, in fact.

A suffocating silence fell. The last sliver of light vanished.

El—no, the being I had named El—let out a strangled cry.

“Kh… ngh…”

His body bent unnaturally, as if invisible hands had pulled his neck and hips in opposite directions. The sound of bones breaking filled the room. I instinctively covered my mouth and stepped back.

Theodore moved to shield me.

“What… what is this? What did you bring home?”

“I… I don’t know…”

My vision blurred and ears rang. My knees buckled, but I managed to stay standing.

“I don’t know…”

I’d held him. Healed him. Fed him. Bathed him. Slept beside him. He even saved me.

But cold logic cut through the panic like a knife:

‘Did you really not know?’

When Ramande recoiled in disgust, when Gabbie fell silent after speaking to El, when I thought I heard Esadien’s voice in the snowy garden, smelled his scent—

I dismissed it all as nonsense. But now those moments came crashing down like an avalanche.

Just as I thought I’d suffocate under the weight of it, Theodore grabbed my shoulders firmly.

“Snap out of it, Minuelle!”

“…Theo.”

He’d never spoken to me so bluntly before. Never looked so pale and serious.

He drew his sword, speaking calmly despite the tension.

“Go call the knights and the priests. If that thing is a mockery of the prince, we must eliminate it quietly.”

Mockery? No—that much I knew wasn’t true. But the words wouldn’t come.

Instead, Gabbie finally spoke.

— That’s not a mockery.

His flame flickered alone in the dark, and even Theodore couldn’t refute it.

Gabbie sighed and snapped his fingers. Instantly, every candle and the fireplace flared to life, banishing the shadows.

And with the darkness gone, the fear lifted too.

The grotesque sounds had stopped. In El’s place, Esadien lay collapsed on the floor, unconscious and writhing in pain.

— That man is Esadien Roquate. The one you know.

No longer able to deny it, I met Gabbie’s steady gaze.

— Will you cast him out?