“I can’t touch it with my hands. Instead, I did my best within the confines of the contract. The client’s request was this: to restore the mark to its original state. So, I completed a spell that I could do. The client also agreed to make the mark genuine.”
“…”
To make the mark genuine.
It seemed similar to saying that they were restoring the mark, but it was different.
If Cartahena was fake, and the mark was disappearing, there was nothing a sorcerer who couldn’t meddle with the Companion’s magic could do.
But making the mark genuine.
That meant bringing a genuine mark to a body without a mark.
“Did I… come here for that reason?”
Lysilia murmured softly.
Slightly!
Chewing on cookies again, the sorcerer nodded his head.
“That’s right. Since the spell I wrote is complete. You should know that if a spell fails, some kind of sign appears, right? I’ll either get a recoil, or it will go to the blood mage.”
“I have one question.”
Lysilia put down the teacup with a clink and looked at the sorcerer.
The sorcerer hastily sucked on the jam he had smeared around his mouth and straightened his posture.
“Please speak.”
“Why was I born with the fate of the Companion, and can I know that?”
“Are you curious? Since you know about being a Companion, isn’t it irrelevant?”
“I want to know. I heard that Companions are born from the five families involved in magic. But I had little to no connection with the empire. So, there’s a lingering doubt. Why me, of all people?”
“I understand what you mean. While I, like a sorcerer, might think so, it may not be the case for Your Majesty.”
“So, what’s the answer?”
“I don’t know either, Your Majesty. I am a body with almost no connection to the empire.”
“Ah…”
As Lysilia sighed softly, the sorcerer hastily added.
“But I can cast a spell for you. I know the magic of the answer.”
“Magic of the answer?”
“Yes. It will guide you to the desired answer. However,”
The sorcerer chuckled.
Strangely, his light laughter didn’t seem vulgar at all. It seemed like a device revealing that he had a lot on his mind.
“You should pay the price. A suitable price, a little generous would be fine.”
“What do you want?”
“First, please stop the Emperor from looking for me. It’s difficult to take on a request if a tail is attached.”
“The reason for finding you has been resolved, so it’s possible. And?”
“Oh, money.”
The sorcerer formed a circle by putting his thumb and forefinger together.
“The reason why sorcerers take on requests is all about money. Even if I travel around until this body breaks, my life will always be in the red… The more you give, the better.”
Chomp, chomp.
As if time was running out, the sorcerer stuffed the remaining cookies into his mouth.
Looking at him, Lysilia nodded her head.
“It’s true that, despite being named the Empress, I don’t have much. What I can give you is…”
“Would this hairpin do?”
The sorcerer pointed to Lysilia’s hair ornament.
It had been sent by the Emperor a while ago. The gem jewelry sent by the Emperor was so numerous that she couldn’t remember their shapes, and one or two of them seemed acceptable for discretionary use.
“If this works as payment.”
Lysilia took out the hairpin and handed it to the sorcerer.
The sorcerer’s eyes sparkled, and he politely took the hairpin with both hands.
“Whether it works or not. May your holiness be prosperous, Your Majesty.”
After eating the last cookie, he stood up.
Kneeling down at Lysilia’s feet, who was sitting cross-legged, he reached out his hand.
“It works better this way.”
When Lysilia placed her hand on his palm, the spell began. There was a mysterious movement of an unknown force, just like when she restored those who had their consciousness taken away.
“…It’s done now.”
Before the sorcerer released Lysilia’s hand after finishing the spell, he pressed his lips to the back of her hand.
“Is this also part of the spell?”
Lysilia asked, and he nodded.
“No, this is my respect for the Companion. Although not now, the original Companion was the greatest sorcerer.”
With a smile on his face, he touched the gem pin as he continued to talk. Tucking the pin into his sleeve, he said,
“Oh, since you were generous with the payment, I’ll give you a little extra.”
“If it’s something good, that’s fine.”
“Yes. Something that came to mind while casting the spell. Surely, it must be one of the things the Companion was looking for. Let me see… Ah, it seems to be this one.”
The sorcerer lifted his finger, covered in patterns, up to the table, indicating a book.
“This book. There must be an answer you were looking for in this book, too.”
It was the book that Ivet had brought, recording the Companion’s actions.
“Thank you for letting me know.”
“You’re very welcome. Oh, and there’s one more thing. Why do I keep talking so much… well… do you, by any chance, know how the Companion’s spell works?”
“No, I don’t.”
“I thought so.”
After nodding once, the sorcerer erased his smile, and with a serious expression, he opened his mouth again. His words sounded like advice that couldn’t be ignored.
“Don’t let anything pass by. Rely on your heart rather than your ears. The answer may come at any time, in any form. The important thing is that you consider it as the answer. Don’t forget that the answer can come in any form when your heart is moved.”
After finishing his words, the sorcerer politely bid farewell.
Having completed his business, the sorcerer disappeared as if being sucked into the shadows beneath his feet.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
