CH 65

Still looking down without taking notice of Sante’s turmoil, Meruzia read the letter again.

“So that’s it. Yennit Luhen is suspicious of that ordinary woman’s purpose, so she asked around about her. And it’ll be easy to get involved in any dispute if they’re amidst other normal people. She said she’ll uncover the truth and get in touch again.”

When Meruzia said this, Sante’s eyes widened in surprise and the arm he was leaning on grew slack.

“What, she’s suspecting Ophelia?”

“So her name’s Ophelia. If you go there again, it would be better if you keep your guard up around her. Yennit’s intuition is quite astute.”

Meruzia asked this of Sante, but the siren burst into laughter without realizing it.

Then what came to mind was a conversation he had with Ophelia before he headed here to the tower.

While Sate was grumbling about having to deliver the letter, Ophelia tried to explain to him why it was her who received the letter.

—It’s because I have to lower their guard by doing them as many favors as possible. Some people don’t see me in a good light.

Soit looked like that human was Yennit, or whatever her name was. Huh.

—I don’t think I can appease them. I can only leave it all to time.

—Why, isn’t it possible that this will fail?

—When it comes to buying someone’s favor when I want to, I never fail.

She said so in neither a prideful nor boastful tone, rather, it was as though she was uncomfortable saying it because this was something that came to her naturally.

And if he really had to say it, Sante could bet that she was telling the truth.

He was one of the individuals who she had successfully won over after all.

Recalling Ophelia’s words, Sante got up and walked towards the window.

“I’ll surely look forward to what it’ll be like.”

“Are you leaving?”

“Ah, yeah. There’s a place I need to return to.”

While saying this, Sante’s tantalizing eyes curved up as he smiled.

Back in the turquoise forest, Sante had accepted Ophelia’s proposition. Whether or not he was truly fascinated by her, he didn’t know.

A siren by nature did not stay anywhere, yet now he had a place to return to.

Sante thought that this wasn’t too bad.

Even if what was waiting for him in the end was a shipwreck.

Nevertheless, there was one thing that he got hung up on.

Before going to the turquoise forest and before she asked to go to the cliff.

As Ophelia was talking, he had her in his arms back then.

When he draped his cloak over Ophelia’s shoulders, it wasn’t only because of the chilly air.

Sante noticed that there was a hidden presence in the corner before he even landed in the garden.

Black hair. Silver eyes.

A male human was staring at Sante as he came closer to Ophelia. The man’s scowl was severe, as though he had been deprived of his prey.

It looked as though he wanted to step forward, but he didn’t have the courage to do so.

Sante disliked the greedy gaze that was directed towards Ophelia.

So, he embraced Ophelia tightly and took her away.

‘If I’m next to Ophelia, maybe I’ll see that bastard again.’

He wondered if he’d be able to endure not tearing that man’s limbs off next time.

That was his only concern.

* * *

“…So, uh. What brings you here, head of the sirens?”

“You have eyes. Can’t you tell?”

“I stopped relying on just my eyes when I was about ten years old.”

At that, Yennit took off her glasses and wiped them for a moment.

Then, she wore them again—and yet, she could still see clearly the seductive features unique to a siren.

The problem lay not in the fact that sirens had alluring faces and usually wore loose shirts only for the sake of courtesy. The problem was this: that the siren before her was wearing a proper attire that was covering even his chest.

And if that wasn’t enough, here he was, organizing some desk. In a very orderly manner.

Then, he asked the owner of said desk—

“Is this alright, Ophelia?”

“The desk’s fine. Can you put the book back there?”

“As you wish.”

Upon seeing this scene, Yennit covered her mouth without realizing it.

“A siren… being treated as an attendant…”

“I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

While sitting behind the desk, Ophelia casually rested her chin on one hand as she answered.

“He got bored just staying still and he asked to do some work. It seems like he’s suited for the role, too.”

Used to being assisted by an attendant, Ophelia looked as if she had already gotten accustomed to this strange sight.

Or, perhaps the fact that she didn’t know what kind of beings sirens were—and for that matter, this was even the head of the sirens.

‘But what could she have possibly said to make an ever-fickle siren become so meek…’

Still, Yennit couldn’t take it.

She couldn’t adapt to the scene before her, nor did she know what it took to handle a siren.

Really, it wasn’t only Yennit who didn’t know.

Everyone knew about a siren’s ferocious and capricious spirit.

Although sirens had attractive voices and faces, they were a dangerous race who could tear anyone’s face off the moment someone approached.

And even if you somehow win their favor, you can’t relax just yet.

They changed their minds so easily as they were a free, strong species.

In other words, a human who had befriended a siren yesterday could, the very next day, be fed to the seagulls.

‘Low-ranked mages aren’t even allowed to contact sirens.’

The only mages at the tower who could contact sirens were those who were mid-ranked or higher.

Low-ranked mages weren’t yet adept at defending themselves yet, so they were prohibited from contacting them—a siren could easily crush someone’s head on a whim.

However, this didn’t mean that mid-ranked mages were also completely safe from the threats that a siren brought.

In reality, it was the high mages who usually sent letters or tasks through the sirens.

‘That’s why Lord Alejandro’s amazing.’

If someone was close to the head of the sirens, who was notorious for his ferociousness, that was proof enough that they were someone extraordinary.

And that’s exactly what Alejandro Diarmuid, Yennit’s master, did.

Because Sante was the head, she had to ask herself if a siren could be gentle, but…

—Sante? Be on your guard. At the very least, he promised not to kill any mages of the tower.

…was what Alei said before, so it didn’t seem like it could be possible.

Thanks to this, Yennit was thrown into a state of confusion.

Just what the hell kind of monster did this place have that a phenomenon going against nature was taking place.

What on earth had this woman schemed that the lord of the magic tower and the head of the sirens were at her beck and call!

‘No matter how much I twist it around in my head, it’s just so suspicious.’

Yennit’s sharp gaze headed towards Ophelia.

It’s been about a week since they’d been staying at Ladeen Castle. Yennit still couldn’t let go of her doubts.

Of course, Ladeen Castle had welcomed her and Cornelli as Ophelia’s guests.

Thanks to the instructions given by Ophelia, Cornelli became the mage in charge of the road reconstruction, and Yennit became in charge of Grand Duke Ronen’s treatment.

Nevertheless, Ladeen welcomed them even more because this area was lacking in high-level workers such as mages and temple priests.

‘Did I really hear it wrong back then?’

But Yennit still held on to this suspicion for days.

After a few days of observation, it really did look like Ophelia was a good person.

No, unfortunately, it would be right to say that she is a good person.

She had a good reputation around the castle, too.

“Her Highness saved Grand Duke Ronen from the shore as well. I don’t think she’s bad.”

“I thought she’d be really picky and snobbish because she’s a princess, but… that’s not the case either.”

Whenever she asked the servants about Ophelia, they even said this.

‘She’s definitely a person with good manners then.’

At the magic tower, Yennit was considered to be on the ‘sociable’ side.

She was still the same, but since she had lived in Ronen, she had gotten used to how things were outside the tower.

So in Yennit’s eyes, Ophelia was a truly exemplary person.

‘Cornelli, that fellow. He completely dropped his guard around her just because she treated him well a few times.’

Cornelli had forgotten to bring a siren feather with him, and while he was running here and there in confusion, Ophelia readily offered him a helping hand.

Because of this, Yennit could understand why Cornelli was now defenseless around Ophelia. But still, Yennit couldn’t let down her walls.

Everyone was saying that Ophelia was a benevolent person—however, there was one person who thought negatively of her.

“The Princess is only acting like a good person.”

This was what Lilith Meiley, the princess’ direct subordinate, said.

A typical Milescet noblewoman with wheat-colored hair.

It took a while before Yennit found out that she existed. This was because Lilith had been confined in a guarded room when Yennit arrived here.

As soon as Lilith was released, she heard that Ophelia had guests and immediately went to meet Yennit.