At first glance, the cynical look seemed to be sad as his eyes sank.

“Even between the closest family members, there’s no favor without reward. How can you do that, Reina?”

The long, trailing end of his sentence fell lonely.

I impulsively grabbed Hiss’s hand that was still hovering near my cheek. Just like holding the hand of a lost child.

“What’s wrong with helping a good person?”

Hiss held my hand tightly. His eyes seemed to look into mine, yet they only wandered.

“If you say so.”

Hiss chuckled, a crooked smile I’ve never seen before formed on his lips.

“Don’t say that, Reina.”

Hiss’s voice wavered with an unknown emotion.

“If you treat me so kindly.”

Though nothing more than a soft whisper, it rang more clearly in my ears than the thunder outside.

“I’ll keep expecting.”

(This is a time divider.)

Eventually, Kirian gave up. He threw the captured Elding corpse to Jerald and roughly ran his fingers through his hair.

“Do whatever you want with it, attend the state council meeting or not. If the substitutes ask you to show them, beat around the bush.”

Kirian shoved Jerald’s chest with one hand.

Hot energy spread throughout Jerald’s body, and his legs wobbled, causing Jerald to collapse to the side again.

“I’ve implanted my energy, so you should be able to avoid most monsters. There shouldn’t be any problems coming down the mountain alone.”

Leaving those words behind, Kirian disappeared in an instant.

There was no time to descend the mountain at Jerald’s pace.

His sister must surely be sitting by the library window, nodding off because she stayed up all night.

The anxiety gnawing at his gut would also be an illusion.

Once he sees his sister with his own eyes, the anxiety will go away. He needed to hurry.

Kirian increased his speed.

(This is a time divider.)

But when he arrived at the academy, his sister was nowhere to be found.

Not in the library, not in the classrooms, not in the dormitory room.

Eventually, after questioning Eliza, he found out where his sister was.

“Prince Hiss and she left for the Ksia border.”

“Just the two of them?”

Sharpened more than a sword, Kirian’s question made even Eliza flinch.

“Of course. The Duchess ordered that if the two were to date, do not interfere and leave them be.”

Kirian grumbled a curse and roughly ran his fingers through his hair again.
“Where is that?”

Eliza tilted her head with a dumbfounded expression.

“I cannot betray the Duchess.”

Eliza crossed her arms.

“So, Your Highness, don’t think of interfering and behave[—].”

But before Eliza could finish speaking, Kirian was gone.

Kirian thought as he ran towards the Cruxia border.

If he didn’t know the place, he could search for it one by one.

(This is a time separator.)

“I keep getting my hopes up.”

His’s whisper brushed my ear.

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared blankly at him.

“His[—].”

Then thunder roared loudly. The thunder and lightning filled the boathouse with a strange light.

It wasn’t even the proper rainy season, but the sky outside had suddenly turned black with clouds.

Once again, a blue light flashed.

Squeeeeeak.

A strange wailing sound accompanied by the scraping noise of the old wooden walls of the boathouse pierced through the sound of the rain.

His immediately stood up and picked up a spear from the corner.

Squeak, squeak, the scraping sound climbed down the roof, and something seemed to be searching every nook and cranny of the boathouse’s weak points.

Every time that happened, the wooden walls creaked dangerously. It was only a matter of time before they were torn away.

“Don’t get near the fire.”

His said briefly, and then headed straight toward the sound. There was no trace of fear on his rigid face, but his hand holding the spear was white with tension.

“His[—].”

I called to him, but before I knew it.

Thump. Thump.

One wall had been torn away. Through the gap, a monstrous Elding stuck out its head, showing its yellow teeth and leering.

His did not hesitate and thrust the spear. It was rusty and blunt, but it pierced Elding’s eye precisely.

Elding thrashed around in the air with a chilling scream. When His’s shoulder was scratched, I had to swallow my scream.

But His, instead of dropping the spear, thrust it deeper.

Elding finally retreated, splattering blue blood.

His exhaled the breath he had been holding and shook off the spear.

But there was no time to relax.

Thump. Thump.

As soon as the first Elding disappeared, the sound of persistent scraping rang out from the roof, walls, and windows.

I instinctively followed the sound.

Three creatures. Three Eldings were surrounding the boathouse.

As soon as I had that thought, a window shattered. With a snakelike wail, an Elding rushed at His.

His calmly took a step back, dodging Elding’s sharp claws, and mercilessly thrust the spear when he saw an opening.

Though dripping blue blood, this Elding, unlike the first hungry one, did not retreat but rolled its enormous eyes.

His adjusted his grip on the spear. In that moment, aiming for Elding’s breath.

Thump, thump.

The wall behind His was torn away.

“His!”

But it was already too late for His to turn around.

I was already holding a fishing rod without finishing the thought.