Chapter 45. A Lunatic Enjoying Romance

The center of Sahar, where square buildings were clustered together, shone brightly even at night. However, not all streets were like that.

In a dark alley.

Amidst the eerie atmosphere, a man moved his steps. Quietly like a shadow.

The red-haired man, Cyril, who entered the building, went down to the basement with familiarity. The headquarters of the information guild, which had deeply penetrated the entire continent like a spider’s web, was usually underground.

“Master.”

When he entered the room, Jacques called him as if he had been waiting. He had something new to report.

“We’re looking into ways to go north in every possible way, but rather than that…”

Jacques held out something.

It was a small note.

It must have been sent by one of the informants planted here and there.

Cyril silently took it. His black pupils moved left and right, quickly scanning the letters.

“Damn it. What’s this now.”

Soon, a rough curse flowed through his teeth.

It was about Seraphina’s whereabouts. It contained information that a young female traveler with light brown hair had passed through a village near Sahar a few weeks ago.

If she passed, she passed, what does ‘it seems like’ mean?

It was unavoidable as they had to rely on witnesses’ memories by inquiring one by one, but knowing this, Cyril was still irritated.

Damn it.

How can it be this unhelpful?

“Are you kidding me?”

At his chilly voice, Jacques stood straight with a tense posture. Cyril’s eyes looked ominous.

“A few weeks ago? You brought such old information as if it’s useful?”

“I’m sorry, Master.”

“Re-educate the informant.”

“Yes, Master.”

Even though it wasn’t his fault, Jacques answered with a disciplined voice. Now this informant will receive harsh training. And they will probably be reborn as a more competent informant.

Thinking thoughts that would have made the unnamed informant tremble if they had heard, Jacques watched the Master’s mood.

The atmosphere was not good.

And he could soon understand why Cyril was in a bad mood.

“Seraphina is here.”

“What? How…”

Jacques’ gaze turned to the newspaper placed on one side of the table.

An article that Cyril had been reading for days as if to memorize every letter was spread out. It was about Seraphina’s activities in the Grodes Mountains.

“I saw her this afternoon.”

Cyril rubbed his face with one hand, seemingly tired.

When he encountered her on the street, he thought he was seeing things because he missed her so much. It didn’t make sense that Seraphina, who should have been in Hilton territory, was here.

But the moment their shoulders bumped, he realized.

It wasn’t an illusion.

It wasn’t a vision either.

It was a real person walking around.

<Ah, I’m sorry.>

Seeing her with Mihail, he stupidly panicked and left such a greeting before quickly hiding himself among the crowd. Then Cyril belatedly panicked once more at his own actions.

Why did he hide?

Was there a need for that?

Although he was living under the alias ‘Silvat’ in this city, he showed his real face.

It was unusual for him, who changed his artificial mask whenever he had the chance to hide his identity, but it was unavoidable to live as the ‘benefactor like the wind’ that would have remained in Seraphina’s mind. He hoped she would recognize him.

But to run away…

As he was clicking his tongue at his own patheticness, Cyril turned his body and went back the way he came, like a salmon swimming against the current.

However, whether she had risen to the sky or sunk into the ground, Seraphina was nowhere to be seen. Mihail, with his noticeable appearance, also cannot be seen.

After wandering the streets all day like that, he had finally returned.

Cyril buried himself deeply in the chair.

“She was with Sir Andantino. Cancel going to Denhague Duchy.”

Jacques, who was about to report that it didn’t seem feasible to go north anyway, inwardly sighed with relief. Of course, he was going to say he would keep looking for ways, but now there was no need for that at all.

“It seems she’ll keep going back and forth between Hilton and Sahar.”

Then there was no need to go to Hilton troublesomely.

The Hilton territory, located in the far north, was more difficult to enter while hiding one’s identity compared to other places. It was even more complicated than the imperial palace, which says it all.

From the beginning, it was ambiguous to disguise one’s identity as a merchant, an ambassador from any country, or a nameless nobleman in that place with little interaction with other regions. It was suspicious to deliberately visit that barren land which was famous for nothing except the undead.

“Then will you stay here, Master?”

“I have to.”

Cyril slowly opened his eyes, which he had been keeping closed, and got up.

Clink.

After putting a few ice cubes in a glass with tongs, he poured brown liquor. The strong alcohol scent vibrated in the air.

He lifted the glass to wet his lips and was silent for a moment, as if lost in thought.

He tilted the glass once more.

And once more.

Ah.

Seraphina.

How can I bring you back? Of all things, you became a purifier. If you had just remained ordinary, I wouldn’t have had to worry about extracting you from the three heroes.

Cyril was genuinely troubled.

Being the master of the information guild was a great position, but it still couldn’t compare to the three heroes.

“Haha. Damn it. I can’t see a way.”

Do I have to keep following behind you like this?

But if I keep following, won’t a path appear?

If only I could turn back time, I would have prevented her from taking that damn purifier test…

Although it was thanks to that test that Seraphina’s name appeared in the newspaper and he could find her, Cyril decided not to think about that.

Because the three heroes entangled with her were very annoying.

It would have been easier to search for the unknown her by painstakingly sifting through countless grains of sand, even if it took 10 more years, than to divert Seraphina from those guys.

* * *

Several days had passed since I started training to control my purification ability.

Every day, going outside the castle walls was troublesome, and spending time with the undead was terrifying, but I didn’t really dislike this training.

Perhaps it might save me from the danger of death… and the scenery given as a reward at the end of the harsh training was too beautiful.

The red sunset.

When the whole world was dyed in mysterious colors, Mihail invariably stopped the training.

And the two of us would go to the same spot where we sat on the first day and quietly gaze at the sky until the sun completely set.

“A lunatic enjoying romance, huh.”

I giggled while soaking in the warm bath water.

Although he sometimes did unexpected things, he didn’t seem like a bad person.

“I wonder if he was like this with Aveline too.”

Maybe he was?

Mihail was a bit strange.

He was polite yet rude, seemed indifferent yet caring. Should I say he was like an angel and a demon at the same time?

He was a person hard to figure out.

“The female lead must have been quite confused too.”

Maybe he’s just this much with me because he has no feelings for me, but I wonder if he was more active with Aveline.

Ah.

Thinking like this makes me sad again.

As if it’s not enough that I’m destined to be compared to Aveline in every little thing in the newspapers when I die, now I’m comparing Mihail’s attitude towards me with Aveline alone in my room.

“Haah. Let’s stop this.”

What useless thoughts am I having?

Feeling gloomy for no reason, I got up from the bathtub. Water droplets splashed around with a splashing sound.

After wringing out my hair, I wrapped myself in a large towel.

Coming out of the bathroom, I looked at the full-length mirror placed on one side of the wall. Even a mirror here is not ordinary. Exotic craftsmanship from the eastern countries decorated the frame, inlaid with colorful jewels.

“Why such a gloomy face after a good bath?”

I muttered to myself, staring blankly at my reflection in the mirror.

I feel inexplicably troubled.

There are days like this.

Days when you become emotional for no reason.

Ah.

It’s not for no reason.

I went and compared myself with Aveline…

A fate where nothing about me is superior to her.

Even with all this effort.

With Mihail’s help, I was now becoming proficient in controlling my purification ability using spells. How to purify only a narrow range, how to adjust the intensity of the ability over a wide area.

But I will always be inferior to Aveline.

Haa…

It seems I’ll go to sleep feeling depressed today.

Once my mood sank into this swamp, there would be no sign of improvement.

I thought I was doing well and staying positive…

It felt like my heart was about to crumble.

<Use this when you need help.>

Suddenly, someone’s voice popped into my head.

The small scroll that Johann had handed me in the lush imperial garden…

“Did I put it here?”

I rummaged through the backpack I carry around whenever I move. It was at the very bottom.

Should I try using it?

I crouched down and pondered for a moment. But I decided not to think too deeply.

Because I’m depressed right now.

When I unrolled the scroll, unidentifiable characters were written elegantly. I stopped wondering what this might be.

Rip.

Immersed in my gloomy mood, I tore it.

How will this help?

Half expectant, half curious, I waited without knowing what I was waiting for.

Suddenly, a man appeared out of thin air.

A silver-haired man wearing only a robe.

Uh…?

Come to think of it, I’m only barely wrapped in a towel too…

The next moment.

“Kyaaaaaah!”

My tearing scream shook the night air.