Episode 13

I tried to sneakily figure out As’s wish while he was off guard, but feeling guilty, I quickly averted my gaze.

“What did you write, Ainra?”

As asked, noticing my sudden distraction as I awkwardly cleared my throat and pretended to be interested in something else.

Turning back to face him, I winked with a playful smile.

“That’s a secret, too.”

“…That’s boring.”

As stared blankly at me for a moment before abruptly turning his head away.

Between the curls of his hair, I could see that his ears had turned a bit red.

I was tempted to tease him a little, but I decided against it, considering my earlier attempt to sneak around.

‘What if As ends up disliking me?’

As I thought that, my mind wandered back to Akes.

The one person I didn’t want to be hated by.

I wasn’t scared of the emperor hating me, but for some reason, I couldn’t bear the idea of being hated by Akes.

‘Actually, I’d rather the emperor just keep his distance.’

I mused, imagining myself politely asking him to ignore me.

While I stared absentmindedly at the sky, a thought struck me—did As know Akes?

“As.”

“Yes?”

“Do you happen to know Archduke Akes de Serenia?”

At my question, As closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again, his red irises locking onto mine.

Slowly, his lips parted.

“Akes de Serenia?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you asking about him?”

“Just curious if you knew him.”

I looked at As expectantly, hoping for a connection between him and Akes. If As did know him, perhaps he could put in a good word for me in the future.

But As’s answer was vague.

“I know he’s the Archduke of Serenia.”

“…Ah, I see…”

I let out a forced laugh, awkwardly shifting my gaze elsewhere.

It didn’t seem right to press further.

‘Why do I feel so unsettled?’

It was as though I was missing something, but I couldn’t figure out what it was, leaving me with a nagging feeling of frustration.

* * *

‘Do you like me?’

It was just a teasing question.

I didn’t expect a serious answer.

I was only waiting for something like, ‘Stop joking around,’ or ‘That’s not funny.’

I never considered any other response.

‘…I like you. A lot.’

So when that answer came, I froze.

‘No, Ainra!’

I shouted at myself internally.

Even though I knew this was a dream, and I knew I couldn’t change the past, I still yelled.

‘Whatever you do, don’t run away!’

Even if it felt like silver bracelets were shackling my wrists, and even if every part of me wanted to disappear from that moment—

I knew I couldn’t.

‘I… I’m sorry!’

Flinging out an irresponsible apology and running away—that was something I absolutely couldn’t do!

“No!”

I cried out as I shot upright from the bed.

Sunlight poured gently into the room through the window.

Panting heavily, I touched my forehead, feeling the cold sweat there.

With a soft sigh, I climbed out of bed.

“Dreaming about such embarrassing memories… I’ve got a bad feeling, like something from the emperor might be coming my way.”

And as it turned out, my premonition was spot on.

After summoning Quiel for a quick wash, I noticed a small pigeon perched gracefully on the windowsill.

Around the white pigeon’s neck was a pendant bearing the emblem of the Elberc Imperial Family.

‘A crossed quill and sword, huh? A declaration of the union of scholarship and military power… or something.’

Honestly, it felt more like a rejection of science, but whatever.

Grumbling to myself, I opened the window.

The pigeon, enchanted and controlled by magic, waddled in as soon as I did.

I took out a little birdseed that I’d kept stored in a drawer and scattered it by the windowsill.

“Thanks for making the long journey, pigeon.”

While the pigeon pecked at the food, I gently untied the note wrapped around its leg.

‘Of course.’

The note, no bigger than two of my fingers put together, was crammed with writing.

The lines of text were impossibly tight, the spacing between words practically non-existent.

I instinctively massaged my forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

“Seriously, Emperor, if you write like this, I won’t even be able to find the main point…”

Elegant handwriting is all well and good, but what’s the point if it’s barely legible?

After a grueling ten minutes of wrestling with the emperor’s lengthy whining about when I’d return, I finally managed to uncover the main point hidden within the wall of text.

At the very bottom, written hastily:

**[Forest fire in Verbena Forest, Jaxen County.]**

“…A forest fire? After all the effort I’ve put in to keep the area from drying out…”

What mischievous little imp decided to start a fire?

“I’d really like to give that imp a terrible experience.”

I muttered to myself, suddenly aware of the words coming out of my mouth, and promptly clamped my lips shut.

It seemed my favorite character’s personality was starting to rub off on me.

“My character is really falling apart…”

Sighing, I rummaged through my wardrobe and pulled out a neat, white uniform dress.

“Even if it’s just work, I can’t show up looking sloppy.”

Dressed and ready, I headed straight to As’s room.

“Ainra, are you going somewhere?”

As was writing something at his desk, and he looked up in surprise at the sight of me in my formal attire.

“Yeah, I’ve got some business to take care of.”

His face turned oddly crestfallen.

It was the kind of expression that made me think if he had puppy ears, they’d be drooping.

I was taken aback—was As really showing a normal expression for his age?

“…Will it take long?”

And that dejected tone of voice! How cute!

But I didn’t have time to explain, so instead of answering, I grabbed As’s hand.

As soon as I did, a gentle breeze swirled around us, enveloping us protectively.

It was a barrier of wind spirits, scattering the air to keep others from seeing us.

I couldn’t let the villagers witness us soaring away with the spirits—they didn’t know my true identity.

“Ainra?”

“I’ll explain while we’re on the way.”

There was no way I was leaving a kid behind at home without supervision, so I brought As with me and stepped outside.

Calling on the high-ranking wind spirit, I summoned its form.

“Hisha!”

A massive bird-shaped spirit, Hisha, appeared before us.

Lifting the startled As into the air, I seated him on the bird’s back before climbing on myself.

“Hisha, take us to the Verbena Forest in Jaxen County.”

With a slight nod of acknowledgment, Hisha soared into the sky.

Thanks to the wind barrier already in place, As and I didn’t struggle against the air as we flew.

“Phew, at least one problem’s out of the way…”

Now all that was left was to douse the fire.

Letting out a long sigh, I glanced at As, who had been blinking in surprise this whole time. He finally asked me a question.

“…What’s going on?”

“Oh, right. Let me explain now.”

As we flew toward the Verbena Forest, I explained to As that I was a spiritist and why we were heading there.

Since As had already seen me use healing magic twice before, he wasn’t overly shocked or excited by my explanation.

He had probably already assumed I was either a shaman or a spiritist.

After finishing my explanation, I teasingly added a request.

“As, you have to keep my secret, okay?”

After a moment of silence, As asked in a slightly hushed voice, “…Do you trust me?”

Without much thought, I answered, “Yes.”

“Why?”

As seemed confused as he asked again.

I tapped my chin, pretending to think, then smiled softly.

“I just feel like I can trust you.”

“…”

“Somehow, it just feels that way.”

Maybe because he reminds me of Akes.

Tilting my head slightly, I added playfully, “You’ll keep the secret, right? You will, won’t you?”

“…Of course I will.”

After a brief pause, As mumbled his reply.

I smiled again.

Not long after, Hisha reached the Verbena Forest.

‘It only took about ten minutes?’

Considering that Jaxen County was located in the northwestern border region, and Count Haila’s territory was in the southern part of the empire, the speed was remarkable.

The forest bordered two villages, and the flames were already raging near the village on the left, thick smoke billowing into the air.

The fire had already consumed about a third of the forest.