Ahem, ahem! Sir Oberon, who’d been clearing his throat for no reason, clapped his hands with a stern face.
“Alright! That’s it for today’s training!”
A fine deputy who knew how to cover for his superior’s faults.
I watched Oberon’s retreating back and headed toward the shade of a tree at the edge of the training yard.
“Uncle. Why are you sleeping here?”
Snore, snore. A dazzlingly handso man, asleep.
“Wake up!”
When I shook him, he half-opened his eyes. Nearby, scattered docunts lay unfinished.
“Oh, I was working.”
“Liar. You were sleeping.”
No matter what I said, Uncle stretched lazily before sitting upright.
“All done playing?”
“I wasn’t playing!”
The training had been hard.
“Why are you doing work here instead of in your office?”
“Can’t see well there.”
“...?”
“Co on, let’s go get snacks.”
Uncle lifted up with ease.
Thanks to eating well and training, I was heavier than before. My height had probably gone up too (though Boyd seed unsure), but Uncle could still carry without effort.
‘Guess the northern air suits ?’
I felt stronger every day.
“Oh, I’m going to see the castle wall tomorrow!”
“That’s so exciting to you?”
“Of course! I’ve always wanted to go!”
Uncle’s steady steps suddenly stopped. His violet eyes locked onto mine.
“If you wanted to go, why didn’t you say so?”
“Huh?”
“When did you start wanting to? If you’d told , I would’ve taken you.”
I blinked.
“Really?”
“Ruby, I told you.”
He sighed, brushing back my ssy hair.
“If there’s sothing you want, don’t hesitate to tell .”
“But I didn’t want to bother you...”
And I’d already thought of a way to do it myself.
“Why would your request bother ...”
He trailed off. His gaze lowered, fixed on .
“Why are you looking at like that?”
“Back in Eosia...”
“....”
“Were you like that in Eosia too?”
I stayed silent. After a pause, he added:
“With your... parents, I an.”
“Uh, no.”
I looked away awkwardly.
It was half true. I had never once asked the king—or my parents—for anything.
‘But back there, I didn’t want to do anything.’
And they’d never cared what I wanted, even when I was very small...
‘Wait.’
I frowned slightly. My body stiffened. When I was very small?
“Ruby?”
My mories didn’t feel smooth. I could recall monts, but the connections felt off, like soone had stitched them together.
“Ruby-an!”
“Ah?!”
I looked up to see Uncle’s worried face filling my vision.
“Don’t think about it. I’m sorry.”
He hugged tightly. I blinked over his shoulder.
“Huh?”
What had I been thinking about just now?
“I made you rember sothing bad. It’s my fault. I’m sorry.”
It wasn’t his fault... but I didn’t have the energy to say more. I just buried my head in his shoulder. His warm, big hand rubbed my back.
It felt oddly familiar... and comforting.
The next day, I went to see the castle wall as planned.
“Wow! Amazing.”
An endless gray stone wall—so thick that even a beast’s claws couldn’t scratch it.
“Don’t run around too much. It’s dangerous.”
A gust of wind blew my hood off, and Oberon pulled it back on for .
‘Huh?’
As I looked up at him, a tower ca into view. Several towers were built along the wall at even intervals.
“What’s that bell at the top of the tower for?”
“That? In the watchtower? If beasts attack or there’s trouble, they ring it.”
“Oh, like an ergency alarm!”
“Alarm? Well, yeah—only in ergencies.”
“Are they all along the wall?”
“Yes. You never know where sothing will happen.”
‘Found it.’
The perfect place to embed the barrier stone—and the perfect tool.
If I placed a magic stone in the watchtower’s bell, the barrier could spread along the wall.
‘And if soone triggered it, the bell would ring automatically!’
And if it ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ was linked to my magic, I’d know first.
Just then, a hand suddenly grabbed behind my knee.
“Ha! You’re interested in all sorts of things!”
I was suddenly lifted into the air by the old duke—Grandpa. He’d been following around all morning, and now he’d joined the tour.
“Wah!”
The sky felt closer from up high, and the wind was fresher.
“Grandpa, why did you co?”
“Hmph! I ca to straighten out the wall’s discipline!”
“Oh, okay.”
“Tsk. Thought you’d gained so weight, but overnight you’ve turned back into a little bean.”
He glanced at with dissatisfaction.
‘Uncle said that this morning too.’
Last night, Uncle and Boyd had both stayed in my room.
At this point, I couldn’t deny it—
‘I must have sleepwalked.’
Otherwise, why would they guard all night?
Still, nothing had happened, so they hadn’t touched .
‘Wait—what if I talk nonsense in my sleep?!’
A shiver ran down my back.
Then—
Ding ding ding! The watchtower bell rang wildly.
Its piercing sound made cover my ears.
“Sir Oberon! It’s an attack! A horde of beasts!”
“Tsk. I thought it would be quiet for a while after we wiped them out a few days ago.”
A subordinate ca running. Oberon’s expression sharpened.
“How many?”
“Thirty—no, forty grizzlies!”
“Tsk. Balok.”
“I know.”
Grandpa’s eyes flashed dangerously.
The air grew taut, making shrink a little.
“Don’t be afraid. They’re just small fry.”
He tightened my cloak.
“I’m not afraid.” I knew Grandpa and the knights were strong.
The beasts’ presence was getting closer. I felt their magic, but kept it hidden.
“Send the defense knights. Has the main castle been inford?”
“A ssenger is already on the way.”
“Good.”
Everyone moved quickly and without panic—it seed routine here.
“This would be a good ti to test the new arrowheads, Your Grace.”
Oberon suggested.
Grandpa, heading for the stairs down the wall, nodded.
“Test them and report back.”
“Yes, sir! Now, take Ruby-an sowhere safe.”
“Let’s go.”
“Prepare the archers. Make sure they don’t scatter...”
Oberon’s voice faded as Grandpa carried down the stairs.
Then—
KWAANG!
A deafening boom shook the earth.
“No way!”
I jerked my head up. The beasts’ presence... was gone?
“Child! Don’t look up!”
Grandpa’s rough hand pushed my head down. I only caught a glimpse of gray smoke rising outside the wall.
Grandpa’s shout thundered.
“What happened?! An explosion—do they not know who’s here?!”
“Your Grace! Vice-captain!”
Soone ran up in a panic.
“What is going on?”
“T-the beasts... they’ve all been wiped out!”
“What?”
Just as I thought.
“Soone appeared suddenly and destroyed them all...”
“Who?”
“That... well...”
Grandpa’s aura turned ice-cold, the killing intent of a swordsman leaking out.
“An enemy? Was it... a mage?”
The hostility in his voice gave chills.
“I don’t know. But...” The aide added hastily.
“It looked like... a boy!”
This ti, I couldn’t stop myself from looking up.
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