Ch. 161

We stood side by side, gazing toward the edge of the rampart. Before we knew it, the blue tint of the sky had faded into a pale violet. Morning was quickly breaking.

“Ah! The sun’s already rising!”

I quickly grabbed Ash’s hand. I could feel him flinch in surprise as I called Undaine and sharply scanned the surroundings.

No one’s watching, right?

There better not be.

Not the Information Guild bastards, or Lox. The biggest nuisance, Lox, was stuck in bed for a while, so that was a relief.

“Ash, have you ever flown in the sky?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Ever ridden a spirit?”

“No.”

Unlike usual, Undaine had taken on a broad shape like a stingray, flattening itself beneath my feet and waiting for me to climb on.

I stepped up and pulled Ash’s hand.

“Then you owe me a thanks.”

I gave a look—let’s go—and Ash, though unfamiliar with it, followed me onto Undaine’s back.

He carefully set both feet on it and, seemingly amazed at floating, looked down at me with sparkling eyes.

[Master! What about me!]

“You stay there.”

[What? How could you just leave me behind!]

“W-A-I-T.”

With both of us on board, Undaine’s body slowly began to rise.

Since Ash and I were standing, the ascent over the wall was steady, but perhaps due to the unnatural sensation of rising into the air, Ash couldn’t let go of my hand.

Whether he realized it or not, I couldn’t tell.

But like a child, his lips were parted, eyes glued to the shrinking scenery below.

I gave a little wave to Rai, who was growing smaller beneath us.

I could hear his grumbling all the way up here.

[Master only adores Ash, and Undaine, and Undine. Hmph.]

[Rai, is there anyone’ you’re ‘not’ jealous of?]

[Master’s a flirt. Hmph.]

Says the one who was here just yesterday.

I ignored Rai and turned to see that we had reached the very top of the rampart.

At the uppermost part of the wall was a narrow strip, just about wide enough for one person to sit.

I had the idea to stand here thanks to the sunrise I once saw in Daniz. It had captivated me.

And now, Ash too.

“…My goodness.”

“Beautiful, right? First time seeing something like this? Aren’t you glad you came with me!”

“Yes. It’s incredible.”

The sun was rising beyond the fields, and the borderline between night and morning seen from this towering rampart could only be described as a masterpiece.

Ash, finally understanding what I had wanted to show him, smiled as he gazed at the blended sky.

And then smiled even more brightly as he looked at me.

“It’s too beautiful to see alone, right?”

Being up around fourteen stories high, the wind was strong, but I leaned on Undaine, and Ash stood upright like the wind was nothing to him.

His unshaken body in this fierce wind made it clear just how well-trained he was—I couldn’t help but be impressed.

The moment of sunrise wasn’t very long. It was fleeting—something you couldn’t look away from.

“I never knew a place like this existed. I see the wall every day, but…”

“Most people never think to climb up here.”

The place was far from any outpost and perfectly peaceful.

It felt like we were the only ones in the world, and as the wind swirled around us, I felt, just for a moment, like I had become a wind spirit myself. Light, unburdened.

When I closed my eyes, all thoughts disappeared.

The clearing below, encircled by a shallow forest, looked small enough to cover with my palm from up here. Even though it was probably vast.

I sat on the rampart with my knees tucked in, trying to soak in the serenity.

Ash came and sat beside me.

We wordlessly gazed over the lands where the wind flowed. Until Ash finally spoke.

Just as I was holding down my wind-tossed hair—

“This place is truly beautiful… which makes it strange.”

“What is?”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“I told you. Too beautiful to see alone.”

“Is that all?”

Ash had eyes that couldn’t lie.

No, not just eyes—he had an honest gaze. But the face those eyes belonged to was fake, and that always stirred a certain impulse in me.

A burning desire for something.

And I was not a patient person.

The real reason I brought Ash here stemmed from my selfishness and cunning.

“Hey, Epiros.”

What slipped from my lips was Ash’s other name.

More precisely, it was his real name, while Ash was the childhood nickname he now used as an alias.

When I suddenly said that name, Ash looked at me in shock.

But before long, his eyes turned calm, as if accepting the truth—that everything we both suspected was true.

“Won’t you show me your real face?”

“…”

“I want to see the real you. I want to see your face.”

“…Geenie.”

“Call me Geenie.”

I shifted closer to him.

When Lox ended up bedridden, I knew this was my chance.

If not now, I might never get the chance to see Ash’s real face.

To get what I wanted, we had to be alone. And we needed a place where no one else would be.

To take off that necklace!

Perfect crime was my specialty.

Crime included.

“Geenie.”

“That’s me.”

“This… isn’t right.”

I was already holding Ash’s necklace. But since he was blocking me, I didn’t have the strength to remove it.

I moved even closer.

With his lips barely a hand away, I whispered.

“We’ll keep it a secret.”

The wind blew, and I whispered again.

“Just between us…”

The whispers of the devil only shine when they’re sweet.

And I whispered as sweetly as if I’d give him my heart and soul.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

“…Please.”

“See? It’s just us here.”

Ash squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out my coaxing.

But even that reaction gave me hope.

I leaned in so close that I was practically on top of him—close enough that if Ash pushed me away, I might fall right off the wall.

There was so much contact between our bodies that we could clearly feel each other’s wildly beating hearts.

Why was Ash so tense, so breathless?

“Ash, Epiros.”

I took his large hand in mine.

I pretended to be gentle. I didn’t use it often, but I could make my voice sound sweet.

“Don’t tell me you don’t trust me?”

“…That’s not it. This is against the rules. You know that. You’re doing this knowing everything…”

“Of course I know. And I also know it’s not a problem if we don’t get caught.”

“…Geenie.”

“Yes! It’s me, Geenie Crowell. Let’s be honest with each other. Okay?”

Who cares about rules?

Let’s make it a secret.

Just between you and me.

I whispered as softly and gently as a lullaby in a baby’s ear.

I stared into Ash’s eyes—I knew it made him weak. The closer I got, the more his face looked like he was committing some awful crime.

Even though I was just trying to take off his necklace, he was holding his breath and biting his lip.

I placed my fingertips on his tense jaw.

He was right in front of me—it was easy. Watching him flustered, I stroked his cheek.

Was his cheek trembling, or was it just the necklace’s magic reacting?

“Y-Your hand… no, other parts too…”

The longer I clung to him, the more his breathing turned strange.

Like he was panting, like he couldn’t breathe.

“You’ll fall. Just let me take the necklace off.”

“Ugh…”

“Trust me.”

“…I’m older, you know.”

“Don’t mind that. Just trust me. I’ll keep your secret! I won’t tell anyone. I just… want to see your face. That’s all it is, Epiros.”

There was no space to run on the narrow wall. Just enough for one person to sit.

I’d really picked the perfect spot.

“I just want to see you. For real.”

How long had I coaxed and wheedled and sweet-talked him?

At last, Ash let out a sigh and released his scarred hand.

The same hand that had been firmly blocking me from removing the necklace.

“…Haa. Who could possibly win against you.”

“Dragons?”

“…That might do it. But this… this is really a secret.”

“Of course!”

“No one else can know. This… this is just ours…”

“I swear! Want a kiss to seal it?”

Excited that I’d finally get to see his face, I teased. But Ash firmly pushed me back and took off the necklace himself.

That easy… you could’ve just done that earlier…

“Are you satisfied now?”

I almost gasped out loud.