Chapter 26

The moment I finished answering, he raised one eyebrow again.

I immediately puffed out my lips.

Then what exactly is a kid my age supposed to make?

You’re not even going to let me go near an open flame.

“Harzen could already create entirely new spells on his own when he was your age.”

Meanwhile, Bertolt continued speaking.

There was a strange note of pride in his voice, as if he were boasting about his own achievements.

“He even applied his own magic to objects and created magical tools.”

“…”

“I thought you resembled Harzen quite a lot—”

Just as he was muttering while looking me up and down from head to toe.

“…?”

He suddenly stopped speaking and stared blankly at the ground.

“Huh?”

Excuse me?

What’s with you all of a sudden?

Did you find a bug on the ground or something?

Feeling something strange, I craned my neck up and looked at Bertolt.

‘His eyes aren’t focused.’

I ended up waving my hand back and forth right in front of his face.

And yet there was no reaction whatsoever.

Did he completely freeze?

No one even cast a spell on him.

Can that happen?

‘Or maybe Dad used magic.’

Wait.

Did something happen to Mom?

I immediately turned my head and looked back toward the empress palace.

Come to think of it.

‘It’s way too quiet.’

Just a moment ago, it had been busy enough that I could hear sounds coming from inside.

Now it was completely silent.

As though everyone had fallen asleep at the same instant.

As though the entire world had stopped…

“Waaaaah!”

I screamed at the top of my lungs loud enough to shake the imperial palace.

Yet no one came outside.

My lost shout simply drifted through the air and vanished.

‘Did Mom and Dad end up like this too?’

But why?

Filled with confusion, I turned and looked at the scroll.

Nothing had changed at all.

Did someone in the imperial palace accidentally cast a spell that stopped time?

I don’t even know if such a spell exists, but let’s assume it does.

‘Then why am I fine?’

If even Dad, a great mage, got caught by it, shouldn’t I be frozen too?

Why am I the only one still moving?

‘Calm down first.’

I’m seriously freaking out right now, but still!

People always say that if you keep your wits about you, you can survive even in a tiger’s den.

I took a long deep breath and tried to settle my chaotic thoughts.

Okay.

Let’s organize things.

The world suddenly stopped.

I’m somehow fine.

At least it doesn’t seem related to the side story.

Then…

“Now?”

I should use this chance to go back to the empress palace and inspect the maids one by one.

Then I’d be able to figure out who exactly has killing intent toward Mom.

I don’t know when this phenomenon will end.

‘What if it never ends?’

That would be a huge problem.

The anxiety started rising again, and I hesitated halfway toward the empress palace.

“…?”

Then I suddenly noticed something and turned my gaze.

Garden shrubs about shoulder height, roughly ten steps away.

And between them…

‘Is that thing distorted?’

Something is weird over there.

The trees aren’t standing straight.

They’re warped!

Am I the only one seeing that?

‘Of course I am.’

I’m the only one awake right now.

I fell into even deeper thought.

Should I go closer?

What if it’s dangerous?

Maybe I should just ignore it.

‘But what if it’s something that could threaten Mom?’

What if even the scroll has stopped?

What if it just hasn’t updated?

“Eeeek…!”

If I keep thinking like this, I’ll never reach an answer!

In the end, I grabbed my head and started walking toward the bushes.

I don’t know how long this situation will last.

It’s better to see it with my own eyes.

I’m not scared.

I’m a brave kid.

A fearless little pup…

And so, like the brave child I was, I slowly crept closer.

“…Ugh.”

A faint sound came from beyond the bushes.

My eyes widened instantly.

Was there someone else awake besides me?

No, more importantly.

‘Did someone collapse?’

If I can’t see them from here, then either they’ve fallen down or they’re smaller than I am.

Clutching my pounding heart, I pushed through the bushes.

Not long afterward, someone’s figure came into view.

Lying on the grass…

‘A boy?’

In the imperial palace?

And in the palace gardens?

A random boy all of a sudden?

‘Did he come with his father?’

No, that doesn’t make sense!

Why would a child be lying unconscious in the empress palace garden at night?

‘No, no.’

That’s not what’s important right now.

Someone collapsed!

“U-um, excuse me?”

Surely he didn’t die while I was standing here?

Just as I cautiously reached out to poke him.

“Wah!”

The boy suddenly grabbed my wrist.

Startled, I jumped.

He’s alive!

Well, obviously that’s a good thing.

But why is a collapsed kid this strong?

I tried to pull my wrist free, but the harder I struggled, the tighter his grip became.

As though he absolutely refused to let go.

“Ow—”

Unable to endure the pain, I finally grimaced.

“…”

At the same time, the boy’s hand trembled.

Then the strength gradually left it.

‘But he still won’t let go.’

Is he afraid I’ll run away?

“Um, are you okay?”

At my question, the boy lifted his head and met my gaze.

The moment our eyes met, I swallowed hard.

‘Wow, he’s pretty.’

I’ve never seen eyes that red before.

The longer you look at them, the more they seem to draw you in…

“Finally—”

At that moment, the boy’s tightly shut lips moved.

“I’m okay.”

“Huh?”

I stared at him with wide eyes.

‘Why does that voice sound so familiar?’

No, more importantly.

Why does “finally” lead into “I’m okay”?

Did he suddenly become okay the moment I asked?

So that’s it?

Situation resolved?

“Everything’s okay.”

The boy spoke again.

“There’s no need to worry.”

His voice was strangely gentle.

Almost as though he was trying to reassure me.

“As long as that is watching over things, you and your family will be safe.”

“…”

“You’ll be able to do it.”

As he spoke, his gaze wasn’t directed at me.

It was fixed elsewhere.

On the scroll.

“Y-you.”

I pointed at the scroll, utterly bewildered.

“You can see this?”

And what does he mean by saying my family will be safe as long as it’s watching over us?

Does he actually know something?

“And…”

As if he’d completely ignored my question.

The boy tightened his grip on my wrist and pulled me closer.

My balance instantly gave out, and I dropped to my knees in front of him.

“You know something?”

The distance between us suddenly vanished.

Hair darker than the night sky swayed softly in the breeze.

Once again, I found myself captivated by those brilliantly glowing red eyes.

‘They’re like flames.’

Burning endlessly.

As though they could devour everything without leaving anything behind.

Which somehow made them even more beautiful.

“You and I will one day—”

In a world where everything except us had come to a halt.

“We’re destined to fall in love with each other.”

He just said, “We’re destined to fall in love with each other”… huh?

“Huh?”

Huh????????

“W-what did you just—”

Before I could even question him, the boy collapsed straight into my arms.

Reflexively, I caught him and wrapped my arms around his back.

Then I muttered.

“…What?”

What the heck just happened?