TYHL 188

~Chapter 188~

“Huh?”

“Your magic!”
Rubian snapped, rubbing her hand with a frown.
“Why is it so heavy now? That really startled me! Ugh, my hand is still tingling…”

“Sorry. Are you okay?”
He hurried to her side, concern written all over his face.

“Put your bracelet back on! Where’s the other one?”
“I… can’t. Sorry. But I promise I’ll be gentle this time. Give me your hand again.”

Khalid took a steadying breath, focusing on reining in the storm of power inside him. He filtered out everything but the softest, purest magic and sent it to Rubian—just enough, just gentle enough for someone as small and delicate as her.

Soon, Rubian’s wary expression gave way to surprise.
“Oh.”
“Better?”
“Yeah. Wow, it’s been ages!”

See? I knew it would be fine.

Khalid let himself smile faintly as he let his magic flow into Rubian, enjoying the way she squinted one eye, like she’d just tasted something sour. He realized, maybe for the first time, that he’d always liked that about her.

“But Khalid, weren’t you just with the Cassalia princess?”

Rubian suddenly remembered.

“Ah.”
Khalid tilted his head, only now recalling how he’d rushed out as soon as he sensed what he thought was Rubian’s magic.

“About the princess, Rubian—”

He was just about to shift the topic and let go of her hand when—

“Well, well. I vanish for a moment and you’re already on a secret date?”

A familiar voice sounded from behind.

“Ah!”
Rubian’s eyes fluttered in surprise.

Khalid straightened, stepping protectively in front of Rubian. There stood Sevelena, arms crossed, radiating her usual ease. Beside her, her knight was busy pacifying the staff—clearly, they’d been combing the shops to find them.

“Hello? Sorry, but—”
Sevelena narrowed her eyes, peeking past Khalid to spot Rubian.
“Miss… Bean…”

Ahem. Cough.

“Lady Rubian. My name is Sevelena.”

“Did you hear that? She almost called me Lady Bean…”

Khalid pretended not to hear Rubian’s muttered complaint.

Sevelena was every bit as elegant and captivating as a foreign princess should be. She was beautiful, poised—just as I’d expected.

But what I hadn’t expected was—

“I wanted to meet you, Lady Rubian. I asked Sir Khalid to introduce us.”

Me? Why me?

Trying not to look suspicious, I met her deep green gaze. Suddenly, Licht’s words replayed in my mind, mentioning her homeland.

‘Western Iosia Forest.’

I’d never thought much of it before, but now it hit me—that’s the very place “Second” crossed into after leaving Bamilon.

‘Wait… could the princess be connected to Second? Is that why Khalid is helping her?’

I glanced at Khalid. He simply tipped his chin, confirming my silent question.

So that’s it.
Uncle Allen had been worrying for nothing. There was never any romance—just tangled circumstances.

I felt a strange sense of relief, and waited for Sevelena’s next words.

“Let me be straightforward. The Magic Kingdom is going to target you. Their movements lately have been very suspicious.”

“What proof do you have?”
I kept my tone steady. Sevelena’s eyes met mine, unwavering.

“You know Senia, right?”

Senia—the new name for “Second.”

“I’m here because Senia asked me to come. She said, if anything happened to her, I should help you.”

“‘Second’… Has she died?”

Sevelena slowly shook her head.
“Not yet. But her health started failing a few years ago, and she hasn’t woken up since.”

“So that’s why… I couldn’t reach her.”

It was the fate of a mage who lost their magic core. Still, she’d survived more than seven years—an impressive feat in itself.

“But why risk so much for her? Isn’t it dangerous?”

Sevelena’s answer was calm and steady.

“Have you ever heard of the parentage potion? That’s what allowed me to be recognized by the king—my father.”

I nodded. Licht had explained it before.

“Senia found the base herb for the potion. Of course, the villagers in the Iosia forest helped to make the final product, but Senia was the one who discovered it.”

Mages have a knack for identifying rare herbs. Even after losing her core, “Second” had that knowledge.
She’d once managed the Magic Kingdom’s secrets, so it made sense she’d know of rare, hidden herbs.

Sevelena continued.

“Senia took care of me when I was little. We lived like sisters in the Iosia forest village.”

“So you’re helping me to repay her?”

“Yes. Senia’s last wish was to keep you from being taken by the Magic King. I agree with her. And honestly—”

She paused for a moment.

“I’ve heard the Magic Kingdom is trying to revive black magic. Another terrible war… Someone has to stop it, don’t you think?”

A heavy silence filled the table.
Khalid quietly rested his hand on his sword. I finally broke the silence.

“But, Princess,”
“Yes?”
“You seem to know an awful lot about the Magic Kingdom’s plans. How is that?”

Sevelena’s gaze dropped to the table. She was quiet for a long moment, then sighed.

“The King of Cassalia—my father—has been secretly meeting with mages from the Magic Kingdom.”

“So the king is a collaborator,” Khalid murmured, his voice cold and low.

Sevelena’s face grew somber.

“For now, he’s just a bystander. He turns a blind eye and lets them use the gate, that’s all.”

“Isn’t that still being complicit?” I asked.

“You’re right,” Sevelena admitted quietly.

So that was the real story.

She’d finally been recognized as a princess and entered the palace, only to discover her father blinded by short-term gain, willing to side with the Magic Kingdom.
With “Second” comatose, Sevelena had no one left to turn to except me.

“In the forest village where I grew up,” Sevelena said softly, “we say that a benefactor’s name is carved on the soul.”

She reached across the table and took my hand—warmth spreading from her touch.

“Use me. Senia was like family to me, and I heard you were her benefactor. That makes you my benefactor, too.”

I gently pulled my hand back.

“How exactly do you plan to help?”

Sevelena took a moment to consider, then answered carefully.

“The Magic Kingdom will approach my father again. Why not use that as an opportunity?”

Dad and the emperor had been chasing after the Magic Kingdom for a long time but hadn’t found a real lead. If Cassalia was the only thread, I had no reason to refuse.

But—

“Princess, that means exposing your own father’s crimes to the world. He could be branded a traitor.”

“Are you really okay with that?”

Sevelena gave me a deep, searching look, then leaned back in her chair and sipped her tea—every move perfectly poised.

“You were adopted, right?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“If your birth parents suddenly showed up one day, what would you do?”

My brow creased.

“Would you go with them?”

I said nothing. Sevelena’s smile was brittle, like a branch snapping in the cold.

“I spent almost all my life in Iosia—since I was eleven, with Senia. I’ve only been in the Cassalia palace for a year.”

“I thought finding my real family would make me happy…”

Her final words were little more than a whisper.

“What’s the right choice? Blood family… or the one that sheltered my soul?”

Her eyes, as green as the forest, looked right into mine.

“Lady Rubian, what would you choose?”