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Chapter 78

"...What?"

Suddenly, I recalled the maidservant from the northern region who stabbed my foot with a knife. Her name was Miriam. Her brother had said that he died by suicide in prison.

"Could it be that the fan club president was from the northern region?"

"Ah, yes! You knew! The president didn't reflect until the end and faced that outcome. But I'm different! I am sincerely reflecting!"

It seemed so.

But the fan club president didn't reflect and chose suicide? The context was strange.
I scrutinized the son of the merchant standing upright in a military stance. He was constantly glancing around as if someone was watching him. The reflective statement seemed like it was heavily influenced by intense mental training. Miriam's brother, who seemed to have been murdered instead of committing suicide. I felt certain that there was a hidden reason behind all of this.

I clenched my fist and lifted my chin. Then deliberately, I spoke in a haughty tone.

"...Was it really a coincidence that we met? How should I interpret this meeting?"

"I-it really is a coincidence! I swear!"

"Would that person also think so?"

I didn't know who 'that person' was. It was a guess, pretending to know everything, having control over their secrets like the palm of my hand. I pretended to be a noble young master and it worked well. The man's complexion turned pale.

"Please...! It really was a coincidence! Since the day I was tortured, just seeing someone with blond hair, like Narcissus, makes my nerves go haywire!"

He was genuinely sweating and trembling. He even started banging his forehead on the ground again. Despite the blood flowing from the harsh impact, he didn't seem to care.

"How can I make you believe! Please! I swear to Cruel that it's true!"

...Cruel?

I momentarily held my breath. Was "that person" Andrea?

"Now's not the time for this! Hey! Everyone, listen up!"

The son of the noble stood up abruptly and shouted. Then, he bowed towards me.

"I'll leave right away, so please don't say anything. I really, sincerely have no personal feelings for Narcissus anymore!"

After that, as if the blockade that had been keeping me at bay until now disappeared like it was a lie, he quickly moved away.

I stood there blankly, staring at the narrow path covered in dust. My mind was in turmoil. Since when did Andrea have feelings for Del Narcissus? Despite the considerable time that had passed since Del cunningly got rid of those who bothered and annoyed him, the original Del Narcissus seemed oblivious to Andrea's existence.

A love that didn't even expect to be reciprocated.

Wasn't that something only seen in dramas or movies? Seems like you've been in love for a thousand years.

I sarcastically mocked Andrea in my mind, but somehow my mood calmed down. I stood there for a long time. If the horse hadn't approached and gently nudged my back, I might have spent even more time lost in thought on the road.

"Oh, right, we should go. Thanks."

I hastily climbed up the horse's back, as if ascending a mountain. Too much time had already been wasted. Returning now was the most important thing. Thoughts about Andrea could be dealt with after returning.

"Huh? Why should I even think about Andrea in the first place?"

I gritted my teeth and grabbed the reins.

"Hyah!"

***

Fortunately, no obstacles were blocking my path after that. I arrived at the magician's village a little past 11 PM. Despite being a rural village, it seemed surprisingly bright and bustling at the village square, perhaps due to magical street lamps.

"Let's go over there. I'll let you rest now."

I headed towards the square, soothing the tired horse. But as I got closer to what I thought was the square, something felt off. The lively noise I had expected for a rural village at night was mixed with screams and lights. The air started to carry a pungent smell, and a hazy gray smoke filled the atmosphere.

"Bring more water!"

"This person fainted!"

"Is there a doctor around?"

"We ran out of water!"

It wasn't magical street lamps; it was a house that had caught fire.

"Ugh!"

I quickly rushed towards the burning house. From a distance, I thought of the scene as a tragedy and I felt guilty for thinking the fire was a party in the square.

If only I could use water magic. However, in the past few weeks, all I've done was chopping, slicing, or trimming magic plants.

"That's why it's uneasy when a magician comes to our village!"

A middle-aged man near me shouted.

A magician?

The man was pointing at a man covered in ash lying on the floor. A middle-aged woman sat beside the man, raising her head abruptly.

"Why talk about that now? Put out the fire quickly!"

When the middle-aged woman scolded louder, the middle-aged stumbled and ran somewhere. It seemed like he was trying to fetch water from a well.

The woman who sent the man off slapped the man's cheek.

"Get up! Don't lose consciousness, you idiot!"

I approached the woman, cautiously and politely asking,

"Excuse me, is he the only magician living in this village?"

"Who?"

"I was supposed to meet the magician who lives in this village today."

"That's right. He's the only magician living in this small village. I don't know what kind of experiment he was conducting, but he accidentally burned down his house. We all panicked when we heard the loud bang..."

Damn it. I finally arrived, and now the magician who was supposed to draw the magic circle not only set his house on fire but also fainted.

I can still go back, right?