TYHL 196

~Chapter 196~

Clip-clop, clip-clop!

The horse sped up beneath us.

“That mage’s a fake, right?”
I pulled a small vial from inside my coat. The liquid shimmered, shot through with specks of iridescent pearl.

“This potion at least looks real.”

“Yeah… But eyes on the road,” Khalid muttered, gaze fixed forward. In his eyes, I caught the faintest lingering flush in my own.

‘Had to use Wizeria’s power again just to make this, huh.’

A paternity potion.

Princess Sevelena had told me what it was supposed to look like, and how it worked. I’d whipped up a decent imitation—though honestly, fakes can be trickier than the real thing, especially without the core herb.

‘And in so little time, too. No time for a real magic circle. Had to call on Wizeria. Lucky she showed up for once.’

Lately, Wizeria’s been acting like a sulky teenager.
Maybe it’s because she’s started studying the tombstone formulas on her own.

‘Do I need to have a sit-down with her or something?’

Still, she helped today, so I should cut her some slack.

I tucked the vial away and felt suddenly awkward.
“Sorry for riding with you like this. Dad said to keep things low-key till we get to the cabin… Riding double draws less attention than bringing a crowd of horses.”

“I get it. And…”

“Hm?”

“I prefer this.”

A gust of wind snatched his words, leaving just the end hanging.

‘Was there something else he wanted to say?’

I swallowed, focusing on the reins in my hands. The gloves made them look even bigger, more solid. His back pressed against me, sturdy and secure; his arms, his legs holding up the both of us on this big black horse.

I bit my lip, thinking of Khalid’s face from a minute ago.

‘His neck was a little red, wasn’t it…’

Oh no.

Would he taste like apples this time?

I took a shaky breath. This urge—this weird, “want to bite my friend” thing—was getting worse by the day.

‘Pull it together, Rubian. Khalid’s your friend. A comrade, your childhood pal who’s been through everything with you! How could you feel that way about him? He’d be so weirded out if he ever found out!’

I shook my head furiously.

Behind me, a muffled groan.

“…You’re too… close…”

Exactly! Out here on a crisp, pine-scented trail!

“This is driving me crazy…”

Khalid’s grip on the reins tightened.

Lost in my thoughts, I had no idea why he sounded so tortured.

‘Ugh, what’s wrong with me? Even his hands look like something I want to bite! Am I a monster or what!’

On the outskirts of the capital,
an old, lonely cabin.

The mage trembled as he faced the man before him.

Dressed head to toe in black, the man lounged with his legs crossed, looking down at the mage—even with a table between them, the feeling was impossible to shake.

He was too casual, too sloppy to be your typical noble.

But he didn’t look like a continent-saving war hero, either.
His jaw was slightly cocked, fingers drumming on his thigh, his whole presence radiating boredom and nonchalance.

‘But why do I feel so tense?’

The mage gulped.

His darting gaze locked with those cold, amethyst eyes—and he froze. It was like he’d woken a predator that had been dozing in the forest.

“How’d you escape from the Magic Kingdom?”

The voice was flat and deep, a vibration in the air.

“B-by boat…”

Only then did the mage realize: he was completely outmatched by Leviathan Zebert’s presence.

He rallied himself and forced out a hoarse reply.

“I sailed out, avoiding patrols. There were more of us, but only a few made it this far. The kingdom’s barrier isn’t hard to slip past from the inside—once through the illusion fog, it’s just open sea…”

Leviathan narrowed his eyes.

Leon, standing like a shadow at the side of the room, placed a bundle on the table.

“You sent these and asked to meet me. Why?”

Leviathan’s words were icy.
The mage’s lips trembled as he finally managed to answer.

“T-the youngest princess…”

“…”

“I only want to see her, just once. Did you see the portrait? Is that… is that the girl Your Grace adopted as your youngest daughter?”

Tears welled up in his eyes.

“I lost my child a long time ago.”

Leviathan’s jaw tightened unconsciously. Somehow, every word the man said rang a bell inside him.

“And then I learned the Magic King took her. That she was his ‘seventh’…”

“So you’re saying the Magic King kidnapped her on purpose?”

“Yes. He collects any child with talent for magic and claims them as his own.”

“And you just stood by as your child was taken?”

“I did everything I could to get her back!”

The mage’s voice broke as he bowed low.
A tattoo—Magic Kingdom’s crest—was visible on the back of his neck.

“It’s impossible for a low mage like me to fight the king. I waited for a chance, but then the war broke out—and later I heard she’d vanished.”

He wiped his eyes and forced himself to continue.

“Then, a few years back, the Magic King returned badly injured. At the same time, the Arcadia Gate was closed. I couldn’t get much from the palace, but I bought news from continental mages who’d just come home.”

“And that’s when you heard my name.”

“Yes. They said a monster appeared in the Babylon capital, and Duke Zebert defeated it. I figured the Magic King was involved, and I heard about your youngest daughter.”

He chewed his lip.

“Your Grace… Please, let me ask.”

His blue eyes pleaded with Leviathan, tears falling.

“Is your youngest daughter a mage? Did the Magic King attack her because of that?”

“…”

“Is the ‘seventh’ from the Magic Kingdom really Lady Rubian Zebert? Please… I just need to know…”

The man suddenly threw himself to the cold floor, pounding his forehead in desperation.

“Please, please, let me see her—just once. I only want to know if my child is alive. Take my life if you must—I’ll give it gladly!”

His sobs echoed in the little cabin.

Leviathan gazed down, unmoving.

If I can just know my child’s alive…

He’d give his life for that?

Even knowing it was probably a lie, those words landed hard.

If this was all fake, the man was a world-class actor.

He’d never found himself empathizing with a stranger’s plea like this.

But for him… he knew all too well that some things can never come back, no matter how much you offer.

Getting sentimental, old man…

He sneered at himself, glancing out the window.

Rubian should be arriving soon.

But if he really is Ruby’s birth father…

Maybe some of that story was true.

Like—

The bit about the Magic King stealing Ruby as a child…

Damn it.

He could feel something twisting inside him, no matter how he tried to shove it away.

He bit down on a curse.

So quiet…

The mage, still sniffling, peeked up at Leviathan Zebert.
He looked like a man who wouldn’t bleed if stabbed.

If only I hadn’t been caught by that blue-haired knight in the south…

After glancing at Leon, he swallowed his frustration.

With an aura like that, there’s no way the duke will let me meet the princess so easily.

He’d expected as much.

Everyone knew how much Duke Zebert treasured his youngest.

But it didn’t matter.

There were plenty of ways to get close to Rubian.

The paternity potion.

The stuff that had been making waves across the continent.

He was counting on it.

He didn’t have it on him yet—but the King of Casalia, now in Babylon, was an ally.

If I can just get out of here and reach the king…

He’d get the potion, fake the results with the Magic King’s help, and pass as her father. Once that was “proven,” he’d have no trouble approaching the princess.

So I’ll just beg a little more, then back off for now. Judging by the duke’s face, I’m not getting anywhere today.

He bowed again.

“Please!”

“Fine.”

“Just once—uh, what?”

The mage jerked his head up.

“I said fine.”

The duke’s face was thunderous, making it obvious he wanted to refuse.

Leviathan let out a long sigh, rattling off his next words.

“No matter how I look at it, the girl in that portrait is Rubian. If you really are her fa—whatever.”

God, this is annoying.

He seemed to mumble something else, but just then, the window rattled and the rest was lost.

“It’s only right to let you meet her.”

“…Huh…”

Wait…

Did that actually work?

…Why did that actually work?