Chapter 35. Another Helper

‘He sensed something off about Ailexia.’

Iella Shua’s life wasn’t threatened when her identity was exposed. And it didn’t seem likely that she would have acted pretending to be herself while following Ailexia’s nature.

In fact, hadn’t she visited the illegal auction house in her own body? Whether it was to return to her original body or not, it was certain that she was acting on her own.

And her parents sensed something off from that behavior. Just as Vanessa had gradually detected oddities in the different Ailexia. Those who watched her most closely couldn’t have missed it.

‘Moreover, when I returned to my original body, I woke up in an inn. That means I had left home, which would naturally make them sense something was wrong. Why didn’t I think of this until now?’

It was unavoidable, considering how focused she had been on returning to her original body immediately.

While Iella was lost in thought, Vanessa, who had quietly moved to her side, asked. Iella finally came to her senses.

“Who sent it? What does it say?”

“It’s a letter from Father.”

“From Father? How did he know?”

“It seems he sensed something off about Ailexia who was in my body.”

Iella explained her deduction to Vanessa. However, even after hearing the full explanation, Vanessa’s expression remained full of doubt.

“Iella, I understand what you’re saying about your explanation. It all fits together perfectly. But what I don’t understand is… the connection between him sensing something off about Ailexia in your body and him deciding that you’re in Ailexia’s body and sending a letter.”

“I can explain that.”

It was Nix who answered Vanessa’s sharp question. Having already moved back to the sofa, he raised his right hand as if making a presentation, then lowered it.

“Before that, how much does Miss Shua know about her own family?”

“About my family?”

“Yes.”

Iella tilted her head as if she had heard something incomprehensible. That reaction seemed to be answer enough, as Nix immediately nodded.

“It’s natural that you don’t know anything. They would have hidden it. Then, let me explain one by one from now on.”

With those words, he turned his hand palm up. Soon, as if by magic, several strands of light appeared shimmering above it. He briefly explained it as his little trick and began his story.

“Have you heard of fairies?”

“I know they’re mysterious beings. I’ve seen them most often in fairy tales.”

“They are a common subject indeed. Then, have you ever thought about this? Could fairies have been a race that actually existed? In fact, opinions are still divided on that.”

The light strands playing above Nix’s palm slowly formed a silhouette. It was a silhouette of a winged figure that looked like a fairy and a silhouette of a man.

“The story goes back to before the empire was founded. A man who was walking through the forest looking for a quiet place as usual, accidentally encountered a fairy. It was a fairy on the verge of death, caught in a trap for beasts. The man saved the fairy and treated its wounds.”

Following his words, the illusion on his palm changed shape moment by moment. It was like watching a fairy tale with your eyes.

“The recovered fairy, as a reward, shared with him the energy of aether that they possessed. While it’s not exactly clear what this is, according to some ancient texts, it’s said to be an energy that gets closer to all things, especially human souls. It meant the same as comprehending the world, so the man became a sage overnight.”

Iella had rarely seen mentions of aether in ancient texts too. But she had thought it was a non-existent power, like the fairies seen only in fairy tales.

“Soon after, the First Emperor who was about to found the empire came to the man. He reached out his hand, saying let’s create a better world. The man thought that the power given to him by the fairy was for this moment and took that hand. After the empire was successfully founded, he rose to a position of helping with state affairs by the Emperor’s side and was even granted a family name.”

A familiar pattern to Iella formed on his palm.

“That is Miss’s family, the Shua family.”

Iella was surprised by this story she was hearing for the first time, but only for a moment. The brilliantly shining illusion on his palm suddenly turned dark.

“But he was human, not a fairy. As generations passed, the energy of aether gradually weakened, and the man’s descendants sensed that the time to step down would come someday. There was nothing to regret. The man, and his descendants, were of good nature with little greed for power or wealth. However, as there were still many who needed the sage of aether, they began to look for alternatives. That alternative was the information guild, the Founding of Aether.”

The next thing the illusion created was a silver wing pattern.

“With the Founding, they officially stepped down from the position of the Emperor’s advisor and sat in the position of Aether’s leader, moving unofficially. But gradually, they began to move separately from the imperial family. After all, human relationships can’t always be in agreement, right? Then, entering the previous generation, they began preparing to completely relinquish the authority of the leader. They thought this was enough, and they wanted to put everything down and enjoy a peaceful life.”

“……”

“Now, here’s the question. How much of the energy of aether remains in them now?”

He smiled as he clenched his fist, extinguishing the illusion.

“That answer is the answer to your question. The current Viscount Shua still has the energy of aether remaining. Now he can only distinguish the presence and absence of souls, but that’s about it.”

“Ah……”

At that moment, Iella realized the true meaning of the words her father always said.

The words that he would always find his way to her side, wherever and however she was, were not just comforting words born from affection, but pure sincerity. Her father had proven it with the letter he sent to her.

“It was enough ability to find you, Miss. The Viscount suspected a soul exchange. Soul exchange is only possible between eyes of the same color. They say eyes are the window to the soul, right?”

“I didn’t know that. Ailexia’s eyes are darker than mine…”

“That’s why it’s not complete. You said you’ve returned to your original body before. That’s evidence that the sorcery is unstable.”

As if proving that it wasn’t wrong to call him an ‘informant’, he seemed to know even the information that Iella didn’t know inside out. Iella slowly chewed over the story he had told again and quietly asked,

“Why didn’t Father tell me about our family?”

“Well. I’m an informant, not a mind reader. But one thing is certain, he wanted you to live an ordinary and peaceful life.”

“……”

“Still, considering the various lessons you’ve received as a child, it seems the Viscount tried to prepare in his own way.”

“…You even know about that?”

“The tutor who taught you was one of the secretaries belonging to Aether at the time.”

“He’s now the head of Aether.”

Vanessa, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, added to Nix’s matter-of-fact reply. When Iella sent a questioning look, Vanessa tilted her head in turn and turned to Nix.

“I thought you had properly introduced yourself since she knew your name, but that’s not the case?”

“I only told her my name. A man with many secrets is attractive after all, ow! Okay, I’ll do it properly!”

Iella witnessed Nix, who had been gently narrowing his eyes, hastily raising a white flag to Vanessa’s fierce palm. He rubbed his stinging forearm with his palm.

Then, belatedly feeling Iella’s gaze, he slowly lowered his hand and unnecessarily cleared his throat once. He seemed a bit embarrassed himself.

“Let me introduce myself again as the current head of Aether, Miss. By the way, to avoid any misunderstanding, let me say in advance that the current guild is a bit different in nature from the Aether that the Shua family first established. After I took over the guild, I expanded its influence to include the underworld.”

“So you just maintained the name?”

“Well, if we’re being precise, yes. We kept the two wings in the emblem and added two crossing swords between them and changed the color to dark purple. But there’s still one thing that remains unchanged.”

His ash-gray eyes turned to Iella. He showed the most harmless smile he could muster and placed his hand on his left chest with exaggerated movement, as if he was performing.

“Remember when I said it was an order, not a request? I followed Viscount Shua before, and I still do now, Miss.”

His elegant eyes gently closed. He blinked one eye mischievously, winking.

“It means the Viscount chose me as the one to help you, Miss.”

It was the moment another helper appeared.

* * *

“Nix.”

Nix, who was walking down the corridor, turned around at the sound of his name being called. It was after they had concluded their late-night meeting in the bedroom, ending with Iella saying they should have a detailed conversation after confirming once more with her father, Viscount Shua.

Seeing Vanessa who had followed him out, he playfully jested.

“Oh, are you seeing me off? Or do you have something to say?”

“You’re still annoyingly perceptive.”