Chapter 77

The puppeteer’s trembling hand reached into the hat. When his fingers touched the large gleaming gold coin, his eyes widened in disbelief. He bit it between his teeth to test it and let out a strangled cry.

“Ahh! Agh!”

It was real. The bite marks were proof. His cries were a mix of pain and sheer joy, but none of that reached Demius’s ears.

“Are you alright?”

“Sniff… o-of course.”

Melissa sniffled, her eyes still wet but her lips curved into a bright smile.

“I’m so glad the knight and the prince got to live happily ever after.”

“Here, blow your nose.”

Demius handed her a handkerchief. She blew into it with a loud, clear sound.

Feeling much better, Melissa folded it carefully and said,

“I’ll wash this and return it to you later.”

“By the way…”

Demius tilted his head slightly, pretending to think before asking,

“Do you recognize this handkerchief?”

“Ah!”

Melissa looked closely, her eyes widening. The little marigold embroidered at the corner brought back a memory.

“I gave this to you back then, didn’t I?”

So she remembered.

A faint smile tugged at Demius’s lips.

That day, back in the Village at the Edge.

* * *

“Did you just say you want to open a flower shop?”

“Yes.”

Demius answered curtly.

Melissa frowned slightly, troubled.

That would be difficult.

Their village only had six people in total, including herself. Selling flowers for a living here would be impossible. Most of the villagers weren’t even interested in plants except for Father Millon, the farmer and botanist.

Everyone else would probably just ask, ‘Can you eat it?’

Still, Melissa smiled brightly.

“That’s a wonderful idea.”

Then perhaps they could specialize in edible flowers.

Of course, most of the plants that grew around the village were poisonous or covered in thorns, but they could find something useful among them.

There were plenty of strange plants in these mountains after all.

“Should we go find some edible flowers together?”

“Don’t bother.”

Demius had been thoroughly unpleasant back then.

He hadn’t cared about flowers in the slightest. The only reason he’d said that was to have an excuse to explore the area.

‘Something’s off.’

Even while speaking with the red-haired woman, Demius had kept his senses sharp.

The air around the mountain village was thick with killing intent. It was absurd. What kind of village had this many dangerous people living in it?

A swordsman whose precise, disciplined movements were unlike any he’d ever seen. A wizard who caused colorful smoke explosions every other day. A thief who lazed about in the trees only to vanish and pick your pockets without a sound. A farmer who had beaten him with a shovel on his first day and often shouted nonsense spells at the sky while plowing. And lastly, a silent, gloomy spirit master who was the only one that seemed even remotely sane.

A tiny village full of monsters.

The strangest of them all, however, was the girl standing right in front of him, smiling sweetly.

He glanced at her, then turned away coldly.

He was already irritated enough. He needed to find his brother, yet here he was, stuck in some suspicious mountain village recovering from an injury.

And this strange girl claimed she had carried him up the cliff herself.

What a ridiculous lie.

She was barely half his size.

‘Even a dog wouldn’t believe that.’

He had no idea what she wanted from him, but she was definitely a fool.

Past Demius, whom the present Demius now wanted to slap a thousand times, had sneered at Melissa and started walking toward the forested cliffs.

Melissa watched his retreating back, pressing a finger to her lips in worry.

‘Is he planning to leave the village?’

That would be dangerous.

To leave, he would have to climb cliffs, break through magic traps, and dodge hidden snares.

After a moment’s hesitation, Melissa hurried after him.

Demius noticed and asked sharply,

“Why are you following me?”

“I was worried about you.”

“Worried?”

He scoffed coldly.

“Go away.”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t need your help.”

The present Demius could practically feel his past self’s collar in his grip.

The younger Demius had placed a hand on one of the rocks surrounding the village when Melissa raised her hand suddenly.

“Ah, wait— there!”

Boom!

Before she could even finish, the rock exploded.

“What… is this?”

He instinctively jumped back, but a shard grazed his cheek, leaving a long cut.

As pain stung his skin, he leaned against another cliff wall.

“Ah, not there either.”

Boom!

The wall behind him exploded this time.

He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast, though his back burned slightly from the impact.

“Oh my.”

Melissa’s eyes widened.

“You’re very talented at finding traps, Sir Demius.”

“Enough sarcasm.”

Grinding his teeth, Demius stood up and brushed off the dirt.

What kind of cursed village was this?

It was full of strange people and completely surrounded by traps.

‘Could it be…’

A village of criminals.

His brows furrowed deeply.

It made sense.

What kind of crimes must they have committed to hide in such an isolated, treacherous place and to protect it with so many traps?

It was like a hideout at the edge of the world.

‘Damn it.’

He cursed inwardly.

Of all the places to fall, he had landed in this one.

He needed to find his brother, not waste time here.

“Would you like me to treat your wound?”

“I’m fine.”

He replied coldly and looked at her again.

If the others were suspicious, then what was she?

Everyone else in the village was older, mostly in their fifties or sixties, save for one wizard whose ageless face didn’t match his elderly voice.

But she was clearly his age.

Suspicious.

A village of monsters and one young girl treated like a precious daughter.

Demius narrowed his eyes.

Yes.

She was the strangest of them all.

After glaring at her briefly, he turned back to the cliff.

He needed to escape this place.

Then he could find his brother and report this village to the guards.

Carefully, Demius began climbing again.

* * *

“Do you remember?”

Melissa’s voice brought him back to the present.

“You grabbed those poisonous vines with your bare hands and your fingers swelled up, remember? So I used this handkerchief to wrap your hand.”

…Right. That had happened.

Demius sighed inwardly.

Apparently his memory had polished that event into something much nobler than it really was.

He lowered his head, feeling secondhand embarrassment from his past self.

“I’m sorry. I was terrible back then. There’s no excuse. I’ll do better from now on.”

“Huh? What do you mean? It was all such a fun memory to me.”

Melissa tilted her head in confusion.

“If you think so, I’m relieved.”

Exhaling deeply, Demius realized he should never bring up that village again.

And one more thing.

‘I have to make up for the past.’

If he could go back, he’d beat himself senseless for at least three days and nights.

No, that wouldn’t be enough.

There were far too many cruel things he had said before realizing he had fallen for her.

No, not just cruel. Unforgivable.

‘Damn it.’