Chapter 49. The Light of Purification

Mihail stared at me motionlessly for a moment. And I did the same.

“Where is His Majesty?”

I was the one who broke the silence that seemed like it would continue.

“Didn’t you go out together?”

At my question, Mihail silently lowered his gaze to the floor and then met my eyes again. Straightening up from leaning against the wall, he slightly curled up the corners of his mouth and said,

“We returned together.”

“Then where is he?”

“Well…”

Mihail answered as he slowly approached where I was sitting.

“I don’t know every move His Majesty makes.”

Hmm. Come to think of it, that’s true.

It’s not like they’ve assigned someone to follow the emperor around.

I nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Mihail neatly placed his shoes next to mine that I had taken off, and sat down beside me.

“It’s refreshing.”

Splash.

The sound of feet sinking into the water resonated clearly in the air.

I looked at his legs next to mine. The sight of his pants rolled up to above his knees felt very unfamiliar.

Did Mihail have this side to him?

Well.

He must have been a boy once too. Back then, he probably lived like this every day? With a slightly mischievous and innocent smile.

How did he end up with such a twisted personality?

It wasn’t hard to guess the reason, but I deliberately opened my mouth to speak.

“I think your personality must be very different from when you were young. I mean you, Sir Andantino.”

Maybe I wanted to get a little closer to him.

Because I didn’t want to be alone.

Mihail turned his head.

I could feel his emotions wavering through our locked gazes. It was so subtle it might have been an illusion, but I chose to believe it.

“…When I was young.”

He moved his lips with a barely audible voice.

I waited for him to say more.

“When I was very young, I think I used to play some mischievous pranks.”

Oh?

The corners of Mihail’s mouth rose slightly, filled with playfulness.

As my eyes widened at this unfamiliar sight.

“Eek!”

Splash!

I screamed at the sudden splash of water. But that scream was soon swallowed by the water.

“Puha!”

I gasped for breath as I raised my head above the surface.

That’s right.

I had just fallen into the river.

Because that damn crazy holy knight pushed me from behind!

“What are you doing!”

When I yelled with my eyes wide open, Mihail smiled mischievously as if he found it amusing.

“I thought it would be better to show you directly rather than just telling you.”

“I don’t need that!”

“Let’s see. I think I was even worse when I was younger.”

“Eek.”

Annoyed, I grabbed one of his calves with both hands.

I can’t be the only one to suffer!

You become a fish in the Nilda River too!

Nngh.

But no matter how hard I pulled with all my strength, Mihail didn’t budge an inch. His calf was like a piece of iron. His body was so heavy that there was no sign of movement at all.

I heard a chuckling laugh from above my head.

“I’ll applaud your courage for trying.”

And then he really clapped.

Clap clap clap.

“Ah, seriously! Sir Andantino!”

I was frustrated and angry, but all I could do was shout.

As I was about to go crazy with indignation, Mihail jumped into the water as if he was going to give me a break. But that was a bad move for me.

Splash…!

“Ah! What are you doing?”

He splashed water at me.

I glared at him as a warning not to do it, but it seemed my intention wasn’t well conveyed.

Mihail raised his palm to splash water once more. Splash!

“Eek!”

I covered my face with both hands to defend myself, but then I thought this wouldn’t do. Someone once said that the best defense is offense.

Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash…!

“I won’t just sit still either! Did you think I’d just take it?”

I flailed my arms like windmills. I did my best as much as I could. The water was so fierce that even I couldn’t open my eyes, so that says it all.

But…

Splash…!

In the moment I paused because my arms hurt, Mihail lightly splashed water with his palm once more. I took the water directly to my face.

“……”

I could imagine my expression without looking.

It must be the face of a perfect loser.

It would be exactly that, since my mood right now was very gloomy.

I thought I would hear a chuckle as if it was funny, but the other party was quiet.

After wiping the water off my face once with my hand, I looked up at him with a resentful heart. Annoyingly, it seemed my all-out windmill attack hadn’t reached him. Seeing his perfectly dry appearance without a single hair wet, frustration welled up inside me.

I splashed with the intention of getting wet together, but only I got wet.

How funny must it have looked from his perspective?

That’s why he should clearly be laughing, but…

Why is he making that expression…

Only then did I realize something strange. Mihail was looking down at me with eyes devoid of laughter.

Was it my imagination that his teal eyes seemed to be churning with turbulence?

I could see Mihail’s Adam’s apple bobbing greatly. Soon, as if avoiding something, he turned his head and directed his gaze downward.

Then, like a fish, he completely submerged his body under the flowing river water.

“……?”

Where is he going?

Does he want to swim together?

As I stood still with a bewildered face, not understanding what was happening, Mihail rose from the water and was making his way back to me. Since the water depth reached his waist, he was leisurely walking back.

The water ripples with his movements.

Mihail, who had approached within arm’s reach, opened his mouth while gazing at me intently.

“Miss Sera, you really are careless.”

“……”

I felt his firm arm wrapping around my waist under the water surface. Only then did I realize that my belt had come undone while we were playing with the water.

I could feel in detail his hands retying the knot.

After finishing his task, he grabbed my sides with both hands and lifted me up. Then he sat me back down in the place where I had originally been sitting.

“Ah… Thank you.”

The posture was awkward.

Mihail was still in the water.

As a result, I was looking down at him, and he was looking up at me. At a very close distance.

His chest and stomach were in contact with a long area of my legs. This intimate contact felt embarrassingly hot, and I curled my legs. Even so, there was nowhere to escape, so we were still touching.

Unable to overcome the awkwardness, I moved my lips. I wanted to say something, but it was also awkward to say thank you again. After all, Mihail was the one who pushed me into the river in the first place.

But no other words came to mind.

Mihail’s teal eyes were calm and deep. And hot.

I wanted to avoid his eyes, but at the same time, his gaze was like a chain that captured my gaze, and I couldn’t escape at all.

My skin felt prickly under his intense stare.

“Miss Sera, you are strange.”

“How so?”

“Is it because we are both representatives of God?”

What is he trying to say?

Mihail slowly stretched out his arm and grabbed my hand. Then he closed his eyes gently and kissed my palm.

A tingling and unfamiliar sensation that started from my palm spreads throughout my body. With my mind going blank, I shook my gaze slightly.

After suddenly making my heart flutter, Mihail raised his head with a calm face. Then, with a gentle smile, he made his request.

“Would you do it again?”

“Do what?”

“That light. The light of purification.”

“Ah…”

Before he came, I was creating the light of purification in my palm. And Mihail was strangely enraptured by my ability.

So this too, this act that made my heart flutter, was all worship towards the light coming from my palm.

Somehow, my gently vibrating heart seemed to return to reality.

I see.

You also just want my ability.

“With pure light.”

Completely out of my dazed state, I obediently spread my purification ability as he wished. The light that slowly rose spreads around like morning mist.

Seeing Mihail’s expression become enraptured by it, I secretly swallowed a sigh.

How much more are you planning to use me?

Thinking that this guy would probably just stand by and watch during the next expedition too, a feeling of resentment rose up my throat.

* * *

Sahar, which he came to somewhat unexpectedly, was better than anticipated.

Johann, who had been touring the city with Mihail for the past few days, made such an assessment. Although he personally didn’t like him, Mihail was indeed someone who could be trusted with important tasks.

It was the same reason why he wanted to dispatch Seraphina here in the first place.

The best teacher who could refine her purification ability was undoubtedly Mihail Andantino. Johann was certain of this fact. Although he was not a purifier, the holy magic and enchantments that Mihail used were very similar in nature to the ability of purification.

So it was a dispatch with many benefits.

With Mihail by her side, there would be no problem with her protection, and the frequency of undead appearances was clearly lower than in the Grodes Mountains, so it was safe, and Seraphina’s purification ability could be developed as well.

When he came here in person, he was very satisfied to see that she seemed to be doing well too.

Now that he had almost fully grasped the overall state of Sahar’s administration, military, and city maintenance, it was about time to return.

Before that, he wanted to spend a bit more time with Seraphina.

Johann asked a passing maid about her whereabouts and headed towards the backyard. The sound of the Nilda River flowing pleasantly echoed in his ears.

But…

“……”

Johann, upon discovering Seraphina, froze in place as if rooted to the spot.

Water droplets shattered like crystals, captivating his gaze. Mihail was holding her waist and lifting her out of the water.

Soon, seeing the two unable to take their eyes off each other, it felt as if a large dagger had flown and pierced his heart.

Throb.

It hurts as if it’s being torn apart.

Johann’s eyelids blinked rapidly a few times. The blue eyes visible through them were like those of a wounded beast.

When did those two become like that…

Seeing the scene of Mihail kissing Seraphina’s palm, Johann turned his head away. He couldn’t watch anymore.

Wrapped in a stinging shock, he left the place.