CH 76

Alei’s memories of the tower and the mermaids became clearer.

With his emotions in somewhat of a disarray, he wrestled with these feelings for several days. In the end, he stepped out of the Ladeen Castle and went to the coast to clear his mind.

Was it because this was the first meeting place he had with Ophelia when they had just come to Ladeen?

Or was it because he wanted to recall his recent memory of Ophelia holding his hand?

Whatever the reason was, he went to the coast because his mind was in a state of chaos.

Perhaps all he needed was a place where he could let his magical powers loose and unleash it all.

As he soon faced the endless horizon of the blue ocean, he barely found stability while watching the water’s flow and while feeling the air’s breeze.

But as came closer to the shore, he encountered two people who had gone to the beach before him.

He placed an invisibility spell on himself and went closer. He recognized them in an instant.

Ophelia and the man she saved.

—You told me to meet the mermaid, Ophelia. That’s the only reason why I came here.

—And I need to talk to her as well, that’s why I’m here. But because of the family problems she’s facing right now, it might be difficult to meet Ariel for the time being.

—Did that bird you were so close to tell you that?

—…What bird?

—I mean the siren that you flew away with while being held so tightly in his embrace. I’m sure that other people might have just brushed the sight off as a mere illusion, but I’ve gone to sea many times so I know. It’s not enough that a half-witted human like the lord of the magic tower is in your collection, but even a siren has become yours. I don’t see any reason why you loathe to possess the Grand Duke of Ronen either.

—Don’t try to justify it like that. The reason why I don’t want to accept you is something else altogether.

—Really? Then even if they disappear from your side, I wonder if you’d still be able to say so.

Ian jumped down from the jagged boulder he had been sitting on.

As soon as he took a step closer to Ophelia, she faltered back. Alei could see the violent glint behind Ian’s silver eyes, which reminded him of a predatory bird’s eyes.

Rather than stopping there, Ian reached forward to take Ophelia’s hand. Then, he kissed the back of her hand.

Right away, Ophelia slapped him. But he looked to be unaffected.

He had a self-deprecating look on his face instead, or rather, a look that seemed to say he’d already thrown everything away.

After this, Ian said something else, but Alei wasn’t able to hear it.

He no longer felt confident enough to listen to their conversation. He ran away immediately.

Ophelia still looked at Ian in such a cold way, but clearly—evidently—there was a deep regret lingering within her for this man.

Seeing this, Alei realized all of a sudden.

No matter how close he’d become with Ophelia, Alei would never be able to stand in between Ian and Ophelia’s past together.

And so too did he realize that this was the gap that he’d constantly feel whenever he was with Ophelia.

There were many occasions when Ophelia would look into a faraway distance. It could be during a conversation, it could be in the middle of reading a book when she’d raise her head and look away or it could be right as she had woken up in the morning. She tended to stare blankly into nothingness.

After finding out that they both would spend sleepless nights alone, they often spent this time together. They would just do their own work until the dead of the night, and when either of them would start to grow drowsy, they would retire to bed separately.

Alei felt that Ophelia’s spacious room was more comfortable to be in, and so he would sometimes watch Ophelia sleep and wake up the next day.

As she would wake up, Ophelia always looked as though she was on the verge of tears.

She usually buried her face in her hands, then she would turn to the bright sky outside. Whether the sun had risen high or whether it was still low on the horizon, she would always watch the ocean from her room.

Though she stayed silent, she would rise from the bed after a long moment, then she’d look out the window, staring into the line that separates the sea from the sky. With the expression she would have, it might not be strange to see her bursting into tears at any given moment.

As if she had completely forgotten that he was also in the room with her.

In the grief that Ophelia carried with her, there was no place for Alei.

‘But this man—there’s a place for him there.’

Although Ophelia hated Ian, this hatred was still something that connected them to each other.

Alei knew that it was wrong to be jealous of even that. If anyone would point out how terrible this thought was, he had nothing to say to defend himself.

And this was the reason why Alei had been avoiding Ophelia as of late.

Because he knew that all these wrong desires would only harm her.

He couldn’t bring himself to say this to Sante.

In that sense, of course Alei didn’t want to get along with Ian as much as possible.

But Ophelia’s request directly opposed this.

Before coming to the temporary temple, Ophelia told him to be careful around Ian.

But she wasn’t saying that he should be careful and avoid Ian completely.

“You have to provoke Ian.”

What she meant to say was that Alei should watch Ian carefully while trying to provoke him.

It was exactly the opposite of what one would expect when hearing the phrase, ‘Be careful,’ and Alei could only ask back at Ophelia, incredulous.

“How could I possibly be careful of him while provoking him at the same time?”

“I told you to be careful, not to avoid him completely, right?”

Ophelia replied casually as she shrugged. Then, she explained further.

“Ian is doubting what kind of relationship we have. But we both know the truth, don’t we? There’s nothing like that between us. We’re really just friends.”

There was no malice in her words, but at the same time, this declaration made him so miserable. But still, he had nothing to refute because it was all true. Instead of answering, he just stared back at Ophelia.

Regardless, she continued speaking without waiting for him to answer, perhaps taking his silence as his confirmation.

“If Ian is continuing to misunderstand, then it would be better to take advantage of this situation. Wouldn’t provoking him be more effective?”

“I’ll keep that in mind, but is there anything to gain from riling him like that?”

“Why wouldn’t there be?”

Those who’d been provoked tended to reveal their true feelings.

“If Ian ever starts something with you, aggravate him further and retaliate. Don’t let him look down on you.”

These were Ophelia’s final words regarding her request to Alei.

As usual, she didn’t explain much. However, Alei soon found out why Ophelia had made such a request.

Because of what he witnessed at the coast that midnight.

—Really? Then even if they disappear from your side, I wonder if you’d still be able to say so.

Just before Alei fled from that spot, this was what Ian had said to Ophelia.

It was impossible to deny that this was a threat.

A siren and the lord of the magic tower were two powerful individuals, but while living among humans, they were vulnerable to many dangers. Ian would use this fact just to put shackles on Ophelia’s wrists.

Though in the end, this kind of threat wouldn’t really work well.

‘Does that man really think so little of me?’

The request that Ophelia had asked of Alei was proof enough that Ian’s threats did not work.

Ian was treated like a venerable grand duke while he’s in the midst of human society, yet outside this bubble, he was nothing but a pathetic scoundrel.

Sighing, Alei asked back.

“Why are you wandering about when you won’t be of any help here? We’re not even close enough to have a conversation between us.”

“I came here to talk to the priests about their future course of action, but surprisingly, you’re here as well. I couldn’t possibly ignore you.”

“Now that I know that this is how you think, then the problem must lie with me. I let you off too gently back then. I’ll be sure to treat you better next time.”

“You’ve always been so cheeky, but you ought to be grateful that I—”

“You’re the one,”

Alei sharply cut him off.

“Who doesn’t seem to know that you should be grateful. Don’t you know that it’s all thanks to the mercy I’ve shown you that you’re still able to walk around without hobbling about?”

With an even more intense look, his golden eyes looked straight into those silver eyes.

At Alei’s words, Ian’s clenched fist shook. But he couldn’t let it show.

It wasn’t that he was truly afraid of Alei. Alei had only been able to incapacitate him that time because of his magic.

Knowing this, Ian made a grim expression.

“Now look here—”

“Magic is very convenient, you know. No one could even tell whenever I use it.”

“Alejandro!”

Ian shouted suddenly, but Alei only looked back at the other man with an indifferent stare. In the meantime, he raised a soundproof barrier around them so that no one would be able to hear what he’d say.

There was no one passing by the corridor where they were standing, so no one would be able to interfere.

“Take this barrier down right now!”

“You can’t even do it on your own, so what kind of gratitude did you say I should have for you?”

“You insolent basta—”

“Should I be afraid of a man who has nothing but his status in society?”

Not being able to suppress his agitation, Ian started breathing roughly.

Did he not even realize that he’s instinctively acting like the prey here?