Chapter 517

Chapter 517

"As I thought." Thesaya’s lips curled up slightly as she met Ian’s gaze for a moment. "I had a feeling you’d say that if I brought it up, Ian. You were planning to go see Kitty anyway, weren’t you?"

"Yes. To check on her and to talk to her." Ian nodded readily.

Pushing herself up, Thesaya murmured, "That’s why I didn’t want to talk about it today. You seemed to have gone through a lot, Ian, so I wanted to let you rest for a few days."

A faint, bitter smile touched Ian’s lips as he picked up the bottle. "So much for bathing as soon as I entered the Empire."

"Your face was clean, of course, Ian. As always. But bathing doesn’t make all those scratches on your armor disappear, does it?"

"Your power of observation has improved a lot while I was gone," said Ian, his smile widening as he poured the wine.

Thesaya shrugged. "How could I not notice? Diana even had a hole in her armor. You both looked like you’d just come back from some kind of hell."

Well, I was the one who made that hole.

He placed the wine bottle on the table and picked up his goblet. "So, how long does it take to get to Maro Tel from here?"

"Not bad. If I hurry, I can be back within a fortnight."

Lucia's group would take at least a week to return. Even if something delayed them for a few days, it wouldn't be surprising. He could afford to wait and rest in the meantime.

Ian took a sip of wine and said, "Just give me one pointy-ear who knows the way. I’ll send them back once we reach the border, so don’t worry."

"Why do you need another guide?" asked Thesaya.

Ian’s eyes twitched.

Thesaya, a smile on her lips, looked at him and added, "When you have me?"

"Don’t be ridiculous. The Black Wall collapsed only a short while ago. The head of the house must protect her position." Ian snorted and set down his goblet.

Thesaya’s brow furrowed. "But, Ian—"

"Besides, no matter how much of a tyrant you are, the pointy-ears will be in an uproar if you say you’re going to Maro Tel. You haven't told anyone about your ties to Charlotte, have you?" Ian cut her off firmly and turned to meet her eyes.

"Of course not. Phoebe. Only Phoebe knows," murmured Thesaya, faltering, still holding his gaze.

"I understand your concern, Thesa," said Ian. Before she could speak again, Ian slid his hand into his pocket dimension.

"But she’s still safe," Ian added, pulling out his right hand.

In his grasp was a long, black tail covered in metal armor. It was Charlotte’s tail.

Holding the limp tail toward Thesaya, he tilted his head. "The fur is still glossy, see?"

Of course, it was a lie he had just made up. What Ian was sure of was that the tail’s stat options remained the same. From his experience so far, if Charlotte had died, it would have been deactivated. It wouldn’t have been unusual if the information itself had become inaccessible.

Thesaya, who couldn’t have known such a fact, simply tilted her head, staring at Charlotte’s tail as if to pierce it.

Ian, not waiting any longer, placed the tail back into his pocket dimension and said, "I’ll come back with news of her, so you wait here. When the rest of the group arrives, just tell them the situation."

"Thank you, Ian. I feel a little more at ease," Thesaya finally murmured, bowing her head slightly.

It didn’t seem like an empty gesture, as she wiped her face with her palm and let out a sigh of relief.

"But still, I can’t just send you alone," said Thesaya, just as Ian, who had nodded, picked up his goblet again.

As Ian turned to her with a frown, Thesaya sat up straight and continued, "It’s not just anyone, it’s Kitty’s business. She’s my savior. Just like you are, Ian."

"She would fully understand your position."

"I’m saying I can’t stand it. It was the same when I found out you were missing. Every day was a series of anxiety, worry, and conflict. If the Redhead had been just a few weeks late, I might not have been able to stand it and gone to cross the Black Wall."

Thesaya clenched her lips tightly for a moment, as if reliving the emotions of that time.

"And it’s the same now. Fairy society and Erenos mean nothing to me. It’s been that way since I found out the former head of the house sold me. The only reason I protected this place was because I believed you would come back, Ian. It was to help you at any time, just as the Platinum Dragon’s message said."

She let out a long sigh as if to catch her breath, then looked at Ian with determination in her eyes.

"Now that I’ve met you again, I don’t care what the pointy-ears chatter about. It’s the same even if the beastfolks try to kill me. I need to see for myself that Charlotte is safe. Just like you, Ian. I want to do that."

Thesaya’s face finally crumpled as if it were about to break.

"Please let me, Ian…"

Instead of answering, Ian brought the goblet to his lips.

Thesaya, on the verge of tears, watched him slowly tilt the goblet and mumbled, "I won’t be a burden. I was never weak to begin with. And now I’m even a pretty decent spellcaster—"

"I’m trying to think of an excuse," said Ian.

"What?" Thesaya paused and blinked.

Ian, having drained his goblet, set it down and looked at her. "Lucy’s group is coming here. I’ll be coming back eventually, so I can’t just say I’m going to Maro Tel with you. We need a reason to leave together."

Color instantly returned to Thesaya’s face. "Don’t worry about that, Ian. I’ll… I’ll figure something out."

"And how exactly?"

"Well, I’ll have to think about that now."

"So you have no plan."

"I can’t help it. Actually, at first, I was planning to leave the family under the pretext of taking Diana to the Council of Elders. All the elders would be curious about what’s beyond the Back Wall. I was planning to throw her to them as bait, and then head to Maro Tel with you," Thesaya whispered, her lips curling up as if she had never been on the verge of tears.

"And on the way back, you’d pick up the tattered girl and send her straight to the capital?" Ian asked with a dry smile on his lips.

Thesaya nodded readily and said, "But now that the situation has changed, I can’t do that. I’ll just have to use her differently. That alone is a little insufficient, though. I’ll have to force it, I suppose."

"Then use the misunderstanding about our relationship, too," Ian added, and Thesaya’s eyes instantly sparkled. She must have immediately caught the hidden meaning in his words.

"Really? Is that okay?"

"If you’re going to force it, use everything you can. Of course, the cleanup is your responsibility."

"I don’t care. I wasn’t planning on saying it outright with my mouth, anyway. That would be an actual lie. I’ll just create a situation where they’ll misunderstand. Like now."

Thesaya, a dark, fairy-like smile on her lips, winked playfully.

"I’ve already called a family meeting for tomorrow anyway, so I’ll take care of it. You just stand next to me looking important, Ian. Menacingly. You’re good at that, right?"

"In the end, you’re just going to force your way through."

"Let’s call it radical. It’s a word the direct-lineage pointy-ears often use for me," said Thesaya.

I bet they do.

Ian let out a soft laugh and shook his head gently. Thesaya, unconcerned, shrugged and finally let out another long sigh, flopping onto her back.

"Finally, I can breathe. Haven't had a peaceful night in ages. Maybe tonight's the one."

She then rolled over halfway to face Ian and propped her head on her hand.

"Besides, we’re sleeping together today, right? Like old times."

A smile played on her lips. It was a necessary step if she was to use the fairy’s misunderstanding.

"In that case, I think you should be the one to get on the floor," said Ian, setting down his goblet.

"Huh?" Thesaya paused.

She moved only her eyes, looking up at Ian, who was nonchalantly getting up and turning around.

As he approached the bed, Ian tilted his head. "Or just move to the corner on your own."

Before his words were even finished, Thesaya rolled over to the side.

Curled up as if she would fall off the edge of the bed, she said, "Is this enough, Ian? Or should I move closer?"

"It’s enough."

Why on earth go to such lengths?

Ian chuckled inwardly, but kept a straight face and lay down on the bed. It was a perfectly firm and soft, excellent bed. The fairies certainly knew where to splurge.

"This is the last time I’m accepting your stubbornness. Don’t abandon your family. And it’s fine to help me, but never officially reveal your stance. Especially to the royal family and the Order," said Ian, resting his head on the plump pillow.

"So keep the family intact, huh. What a burden," Thesaya murmured with a sigh. She had turned to face Ian.

Ian just shrugged. "I’m just saying there’s no need to take a risk that will be left in the records. Even if the Order or the royal family puts a bounty on my head, it won’t last that long, anyway."

He turned only his head to face Thesaya and added, "The former Crown Prince is alive over there. His forces, too."

Thesaya’s eyes widened slightly. Before she could add anything, the view outside the window flashed brightly.

Rumble—

As the thunder rolled through the room a beat later, Thesaya finally asked, "What about that? If the former Crown Prince is alive, isn’t that a good thing?"

It was enough to make Ian’s eyebrows rise slightly. He looked at Thesaya’s bewildered face for a moment, then let out a soft laugh.

"Guess you never studied Imperial history."

It was clear she hadn't paid any attention to what Duke Kralen had been rambling on about back in Racliffe.

"Nope. I didn't care. But judging by your reaction, it seems it’s not a good thing at all. What, is he going to start a war with the Empire or something?" Thesaya asked and rested her hands under her cheek like a pillow.

"Probably. I don’t know which side will start it, but that might be when I really need your help," Ian replied, turning his head forward again.

He closed his eyes and added, "Hear the details from Diana or Lucia later. They’ll both explain it kindly and in detail."

Thesaya, who had been watching Ian’s profile with narrowed eyes, whispered, "Can’t you just tell me, Ian? No, just tell me everything from the beginning, Ian. What you went through after you crossed the Wall."

"It’s too long to tell here," Ian said without opening his eyes.

After a moment of silence, he glanced to the side and added, "For now, you should focus on exactly what kind of excuse you’re going to make—"

He trailed off. It was because Thesaya, who had lain down next to him at some point, was lying motionless with her eyes closed.

To fall asleep in that short time…

He watched Thesaya, who had fallen into a dead sleep, and chuckled dryly for a moment. Then, gently, he draped a thin blanket over her curled-up form. It was, in more ways than one, a night that brought back old memories.