Ch. 261
Undine’s body, which had been boiling combatively like water over a fire, calmed and returned to its usual transparent form.
Even so, its shape kept distorting and melting at the edges—probably a side effect of pushing itself too hard.
Undine fluttered over to my side, and only after peering closely to confirm that Rovenin and I really were linking arms did it flash a relieved smile.
[I must have been mistaken!]
“I told you!”
[You’ve been so tense lately, Master, I think I got confused.]
“……”
[Master, I’ll come to your side anytime. I’ll be sure to protect you.]
Even if an angel descended from the heavens, I doubted it would try to protect me with as much unconditional love as Undine.
With a gentle kiss near my eye as a final gesture, Undine returned to the Spirit realm. The moment it vanished, all the tension drained out of me so fast I felt like I might collapse on the spot.
“Haa… It finally went back.”
I’d dodged the immediate crisis, but now I couldn’t even harbor murderous intent in peace. If I wasn’t careful, Undine would sense it and come rushing out again.
Only then did I realize I was still clinging to Rovenin’s hand.
“Spirits seem to have low intelligence.”
That condescending voice from above my head snapped me back to my senses.
“…That’s not it! It’s just because they’re so pure! Lower-level Spirits, especially, are like children… I’m warning you—mess with anything else if you want, but you’d better not cut down my Undine.”
“So other Spirits are fair game?”
“No.”
“Then what do you want me to do.”
“I just don’t like you.”
Why was I even wasting my breath on this insufferable bastard?
As I scowled, it hit me.
I was linking arms with Rovenin—accidentally, sure, but still! This was the perfect chance to grab his hand and read his inscrutable inner thoughts.
His defenseless, ungloved hand was right there.
If I could just grab it…
“Let go.”
The instant my eyes lit up, he casually shoved me away like he was shooing off a stray dog.
‘This damn bastard.’
He shoved my face like it was bread dough. Damn it. All I had to do was touch that hand before he pushed me off.
The hand. If grabbing it was impossible, then even just a brush—
“…What, exactly, is this situation?”
Of all times, Ash appeared at the end of the alley just as I was desperately clinging to Rovenin’s arm.
He was uncharacteristically panting, like he’d rushed after us, and his face was twisted with confusion—completely unable to process what he was seeing.
“It’s a misunderstanding! I have nothing to do with Rovenin…”
“Of course not. I wouldn’t make such a ridiculous misunderstanding. Rather… is this some new kind of curse?”
“I’d rather you misunderstood.”
Just because we were a little close, he was looking at me like he’d seen something he shouldn’t have. I gave up on Rovenin’s hand and scurried over to Ash.
And I immediately tattled about what Rovenin had said to me.
If I can’t win with strength, I’ll win with power! Not my power, but still! Ash is mine!
“Listen, Ash! Can you believe it? That bastard called me a spy after I risked my life for you!”
“Surely not. You, a spy.”
“That ‘surely’ sounds a little unpleasant.”
“To be a spy, you’re far too temperamental. Incidents and accidents erupt wherever you go. Above all, you stand out too much.”
“Your Highness, it could be a flamboyant mask to avoid suspicion.”
Rovenin stepped to my side to argue, and when I didn’t move, he shoved me away with his long arm, looking down at me like I was nothing.
‘This son of a bitch.’
“Miss Crowell is not one to use her head like that.”
“Is she stupid?”
“…It means she is an honest person.”
“That son of a—”
“I’m trying to say she’s not a spy, but it seems I’m only listing her flaws.”
Ash chose the easiest, surest way to stop the fight: he glued me to his side.
He reached out and half-wrapped an arm around my waist. When I still squirmed, trying to lunge forward, he took my hand too.
Standing to my left, he held my right hand and tugged me closer.
He ignored Rovenin glaring daggers at us and focused only on restraining me—which only made that bastard even more displeased.
And I liked it when he was displeased. Ho-hong. I laughed and very deliberately groped Ash’s body.
[No… Master? What are you doing, making Rovenin jealous? And with Ash in the middle!]
“Are you aware that a mage from Dmitri has been in contact with this woman?”
“If you mean that mage, she is someone I know as well. They are close friends—senior and junior from the academy.”
Mages, because they possessed Magic—the fastest communication technology on the continent—also had an inseparable relationship with espionage forces.
“Are you also aware that she has visited the Information Guild several times?”
“…The Information Guild? Why would you go to such a dangerous place?”
The situation that had been turning in my favor flipped in an instant.
Ash’s gaze sharpened with worry and reproach.
It wasn’t suspicion so much as a question, but I couldn’t stop the surge of anger. Rovenin had exposed me for no reason at all.
‘That cheap bastard. Snitching on me like that.’
[Master, you tattled on him to Ash right away too.]
[When I do it, it’s justice! When Rovenin does it, it’s a crime!]
“Geenie?”
Ash called my name again, like he was demanding an answer.
I knew it then.
He wasn’t going to let this slide.
“You see. Her inability to answer is suspicious.”
“As you know, I do not doubt you in the slightest. But if the young master does not retract his suspicions, you will be the one to suffer. Please tell me. What were you doing at the Information Guild?”
They dug up and sold other people’s secrets. The Information Guild was the kind of nasty crowd you shouldn’t associate with.
Though no matter how dangerous they were, they weren’t as dangerous as me.
“There was a place I really wanted to go. So I had them look into it a little, that’s all.”
“For a reason like that?”
“I couldn’t find out on my own. So I paid for the information I needed. Of course, I knew they were dangerous, so I hid my identity well. Unless the Information Guild hires Rovenin or you, they can’t track me.”
“What place do you want to go so badly you’d use the Information Guild?”
“The Black Market.”
When I told him, Ash’s eyes widened even more than they had when he didn’t know.
If he found out I’d even bought a membership, he might foam at the mouth and collapse.
“It’s opening in this city, and the scale is supposed to be huge. Most importantly, an item I’ve wanted for ages is going to be there.”
“Geenie! Why do you insist on doing only dangerous things!”
“It’s not like I’m picking them out…”
“Have you forgotten you were kidnapped last time you went to a place like that?”
Of course I remembered.
The first place I met Ash was inside a slave trader’s prison. I’d been kidnapped on my way to see the Monster Market, which only opened during the festival, and Ash had been dragged there after trying to run away from home.
I still took pride in it being a rather special first meeting. I fluttered my eyelashes dramatically.
“Oh my, what a trip down memory lane.”
“This is no time for jokes! You absolutely must not go to a place like that. Not only is it illegal, but the people there are wicked. If you’re not careful, some nasty people might—”
“It’s fine. This Black Market is a high-end one for nobles!”
“It’s not fine at all!”
When Ash got serious and raised his voice—even a little—I raised mine too.
“Don’t tell me what to do! I know it’s dangerous! But it’s different from back then! I can take care of myself. I could kill them all and walk out! And I learned how to use the Black Market safely. Why do you think I went to the Information Guild? I went to learn that!”
My shout rang through the narrow alley.
I was sick of everything I tried to do going wrong.
I’d prepared thoroughly. This time, I was going to get what I wanted—perfectly.
There was more to gain in the future than to be scared by a past failure.
I wasn’t a ten-year-old child anymore, and I wasn’t weak.
Above all, I was Geenie Crowell.
[Ah, is this confidence or shamelessness! As expected, Undine’s knack for doing foolish things comes from Master… Did I say foolish? I’ll change it to brave. It’ll be chilly if you get mad.]
My killing intent flared, but I forced it down, worried Undine might act out again.
Ash seemed to realize quickly that this wasn’t something he could talk me out of.
“Fine. If telling you not to go won’t work, then we’ll go together.”
“What? No.”
“You’re doing as you please, so I will do the same.”
He wasn’t like this before… I was momentarily flustered, but his intention was obvious. He was trying to protect various things.
“Who takes a guardian to a place like that!”
“It is only natural for a noble to be accompanied by an escort in a crowded place. For an illegal market like that, it is all the more essential.”
“…I don’t need an escort.”
“Let me ask you one thing. Endairon… can you summon him?”
Meeting his serious eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to answer.
“Geenie, you explained it before. If you can’t even summon Undine, your body is no better than trash. If you can summon Undine, you’re barely managing. If you can summon Undaine, you’re sluggish but almost recovered…”
“……”
“Not being able to summon Endairon means your body is in bad condition. That you’re not normal.”
That clever boy. Remembering everything I’d rambled about just because I was happy he’d shown interest in Spirit Magic.
“Let’s each take a step back.”
“Tch. I was planning to go without you knowing.”
“That’s because you knew I’d do this if I found out, wasn’t it?”
Even if it was a fake face, when Ash smiled faintly and looked straight at me, I wanted to give in on most things.
I knew how his real face smiled beneath it. Even if his face was different, his eyes hadn’t changed.
“Fine… If you promise not to stop me from buying anything, I’ll take you.”
“Very well.”
“You can’t interfere no matter how much I spend.”
When I added that, dead serious, Ash nodded with complete resignation.
It was the kind of attitude that said he knew I was already compromising a lot.
“Have you known each other for a long time?”
Rovenin looked slow when he wasn’t fighting, but he was sharp.
I’d only recently realized he was the type to split the world cleanly into what interested him and what didn’t.
“You’ve completely forgotten, haven’t you? What my wish was when you and I fought at the tournament”
“Is there any need to remember something like that?”
“A goldfish has a longer memory than you.”
“Now, you two. How about you fix that habit of speaking to each other like you’re always picking a fight?”
Ash, who had naturally wedged himself between me and Rovenin, seemed to have gotten used to stopping us.
“Young master, as you can see, she is someone who courts danger for the sake of her own interests. She is far from cautious. She is not cut out to be a spy.”
“What danger? Have you ever seen a tiger being careful of a rabbit? Are you saying I go around threatening things?”
“…This is exactly what I mean.”
Ash worried too much. Rovenin was still glaring at me like he could eat me alive.
“How long have you known each other?”
“Let’s see… if we count from when we first met, nine years? It’ll be ten soon.”
“That’s a long time.”
“Of course, we haven’t been in contact the whole time, but… if you doubt her, I’ll have no one left to trust.”
The look and touch Ash gave Rovenin now—the hand that patted his shoulder without hesitation—was as gentle as what he gave me, yet full of respect.
“I trust her just as I trust you. Please trust me.”
“I wonder. Your Highness has a lax side.”
“Hmph…”
Rovenin, on the other hand, was like a wild beast that followed Ash—with a rebellious streak.
At least he didn’t seem to mind Ash touching him.
“I will go as well.”