CH 85

Maybe these young people didn’t know just how transparent their thoughts and feelings were.

‘He even looks like he’s a bit sick to his stomach…’

Sante narrowed his eyes, but he soon relaxed again.

“Anyway, I came here to see if you heard what she said, and you really did, but I hope you’re not crying all because Ophelia postponed your meeting.

“Just what do you see me as…”

“Obvious. A dunce.”

Sante chuckled as he circled in the air.

It couldn’t be counted how many times he did it, but they were quite the somersaults.

But when Sante came back down to the watchtower after that, he wasn’t as playful anymore.

“I came to see if you eavesdropped, but there’s also another reason, Dian.”

“What?”

“I didn’t know how much you could recall before so I didn’t say much… but I don’t think it’s so easy to keep quiet anymore.”

After this, Sante seemed to be choosing his words carefully, then he spoke again.

“A while ago, I saw a siren going to the mountainside.”

“The mountainside?”

Alei’s eyes narrowed. Only the temporary temple was there at the mountainside.

However, since the temple actively rejected non-human races along with mages, it was a place that wouldn’t be good for a siren to get close to.

Unease shot up Alei’s spine.

“Why on earth would that siren go there?”

“He transformed. He went there to deliver a letter—something was tied to his foot.”

“A letter? Whose?”

“I don’t know that much, but it might be better to be careful. If a siren delivered a letter, where do you think it came from?”

“…The magic tower.”

“Right. And why do you think the tower would send a letter to the temple?”

Unless they’re trying to slander you.

Before Sante could add these words, Alei’s expression hardened.

“But how did the tower know that a temple had been built here?”

“Those chick mages you have. One of them is reporting the situation here to the tower.”

“……!”

“So it wouldn’t be impossible to receive even a short note.”

Among the possible correspondents who’d receive Cornelli’s letters, there was one likely person.

The letters he sent at a later date must have been delivered through other sirens, so it couldn’t be certain, but Sante recalled the time he personally delivered one.

The second-in-command of the tower, Meruzia, who was staying in the room that was for the exclusive use of the lord of the magic tower.

‘He didn’t look all too happy to hear that the lord of the tower might be able to return safely.’

But that didn’t mean that he was exceptionally uncomfortable, or that he was burning with hostility towards Alei.

It was quite suspicious all around, but Sante couldn’t just jump to conclusions.

‘It’s not for sure that the mages of the tower are all in favor of the exiled lord…’

In fact, mages like Yennit and Cornelli were the outliers. It would be more natural for the mages to not like Alei very much.

Above all, since Meruzia was the second-in-command of the tower, he would have to be careful until he could be absolutely certain of the entire situation.

After mulling over his suspicions several times, Sante eventually chose not to voice his opinions.

“If you’ve gained a few more of your memories back, try to think about it. Who’s the likeliest person?”

Alei didn’t rush to open his lips either.

“I wish I could come up with a name, but I couldn’t think of any.”

“Is there any way for you to regain some more of your memories?”

“As long as I can’t don’t go to the tower, I think this is the best that I could do.”

As Alei said this, he tried to trace back his memories once again. It was a futile act.

Eventually, as Sante watched Alei shaking his head, the siren shrugged.

He wasn’t all too worried because he was well aware just how powerful Alei was.

“Well, if you don’t know, then just be careful for the meantime.”

“Yes. Thanks for letting me know.”

“I might have just worried you for nothing. If you set your mind to it, I don’t think there’s anyone who can win against you.”

Of course, it might be a different story if all the sirens were to come at him all at once, or if the mermaids were to do it. That, or if there were conditions to restrain his strength.

At the very least, Sante knew for sure that no other human being would be able to beat him.

In fact, this was something that could be determined without having to measure his strength.

Who out there would ever be able to square off against a mage who could calm the raging sea at once?

But Alei thought differently.

‘And it’s not like he’d be in a state where he can’t control his power either.’

As Sante thought to himself, there was no need to worry about this if Alei went all out.

But Ophelia was here. She needed to stay in this place, and whenever something happened to Alei, it was also Ophelia who’d come to ground him back down.

Besides that, Alei also knew that if he didn’t control his power, then he’d kill everyone in this area, including Ophelia.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

Just imagining it made his mind blank and his blood cool. Alei clasped his hands together.

“I need to go to the temporary temple.”

“Why bother? Can’t you just ignore it? Rather than that, going to meet Ophelia doesn’t seem like a bad idea. I heard you’re supposed to meet anyway.”

“That’s true, but…”

Even though he was a little upset about their meeting being canceled, what Ophelia said was right.

To her, meeting Ariel right now was more important than meeting him.

And if he were to meet Alei right now in his current state, he wouldn’t be able to control his emotions.

He might just go ahead and beg Ophelia not to throw him away.

‘I can’t show her something so ugly.’

Even now, he felt so anxious every time he saw her because of the wavering trust between them. It was a feeling that he couldn’t stop all by himself, even with his own hands.

But of course, that wasn’t the only reason.

“I think I’ll feel less uneasy when I check for myself what the magic tower had sent.”

“If that’s what you want to do, then I won’t stop you. But don’t snoop around there too long.”

Unless he wanted Ophelia to keep looking for him.

Sante said so and flew away.

It was around the time that the sky was turning a darker shade of blue as it prepared for sunset.

* * *

The glow of the setting sun painted the ocean red.

The whistles of the wind that’s unique to the seaside was reminiscent of a wheatfield where a wolf might be running through.

But when she opened her eyes, all she could see was red water everywhere.

‘It’s so fascinating no matter how many times I’m faced with this sight,’ Ophelia thought.

The place she was standing on right now was called ‘Ladeen’s Sunset’.

This name was given to this spot because everything became red from the sunset glow except for the shadow behind one’s back.

In other words, it was also the spot where one could see the moment in which the sunset was in its most beautiful form.

Ophelia could guarantee that one of the most beautiful sceneries you could ever find in Ladeen, among the other candidates, was certainly this sunset.

But it probably wouldn’t be able to win against that.

‘When Alei lit up the ocean.’

How could she ever put into words the sheer rapture that she felt at that time?

It was a poignant view that anyone would just have no choice but to admire.

It was enough that the beating of her heart could be felt all over her body, enough that she was overwhelmed with the sense that she was alive.

A moment that was enough to make her dream of tomorrow.

Ophelia felt such instances many times.

No matter how difficult it became, these were the kind of moments that made her dream of a future ahead.

‘Now that I think about it, they’re all from this life.’

And most of them were moments with Alei.

The first time was when she jumped off the balcony and was caught by Alei, and the next time was when all the laffel appeared in a brilliant glow.

As she was reminded of him, Ophelia felt a little nauseous and uncomfortable. It was because of their delayed meeting.

‘The note. You saw it, right?’

Eventually, Ophelia would only be able to see Alei later this evening.

Still, he was not in the medical relief center, not in his room, not in the library.

In the end, Ophelia grew exhausted from walking around all over Ladeen Castle in search of him, and so she resorted to leaving a note in Alei’s room.

It was a note telling him that she wouldn’t be back until just before lights out in the castle because there was something she must do.

Despite this, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy because there was already one time that she had closed the door and shut Alei out.

‘I just need to finish this quickly and come back right away.’

Ophelia tried to comfort herself, saying that it would all be fine as long as she hurried back after meeting Ariel.

It didn’t take much time. Soon enough, the individuals who promised to meet her began to appear at the rendezvous point.

“Ophelia, you came earlier than I thought.”

With a wide grin on his lips, Sante landed in front of Ophelia.

“I went to pick you up in your room, but I went there for nothing.”

“Thank you for your concern. I had somewhere to be outside the castle earlier, so I just came here straight from that place.”

To be exact, she left a note in Alei’s room and then checked the medical relief center once again just in case he was there.

“Come to think of it, Sante, have you seen Alei this afternoon?”