The day to leave for the “Wizard’s Territory” had arrived.
Since my arm was still in poor condition, I was to ride with Kyle, while the Blake Knights had decided to escort us as far as they could.
The northern knights, having completed all preparations, wore resolute expressions. It was a stark contrast to Nox, who looked as if he were simply heading out for a pleasant outing.
In the meantime, I had spent my days half-buried in piles of books.
I dodged that damned wraith’s incessant attempts to summon me while poring over the documents and books Kyle had brought. Thankfully, my efforts hadn’t been in vain.
“Lukit, was it…?”
A hundred years ago, the name “Lukit” shook the very foundations of Meinhardt.
He was known as the greatest mage of his time, though his reputation stemmed more from his cruelty than from any noble scholarship.
Lukit had devoted himself to researching a massive explosion spell to exact revenge on those who had ruined his life. His goal was to shatter the souls of his enemies so thoroughly that they would never have the chance to reincarnate.
However, something inexplicable happened. The explosion spell didn’t erase Lukit’s enemies—it erased Lukit himself.
And so, Lukit vanished from the world. His soul was torn apart and cast away from his body.
People began calling him the “Exploded Soul.” A hundred years later, fear had faded, leaving only a faint sense of pity and contempt.
[Current Deviation Interference Rate: 5%]
Based on what I had uncovered, Lukit had once been Nox’s companion and was now lingering in the “Wizard’s Territory” as a fragmented soul.
As if to confirm my suspicions, the Deviation Interference Rate had risen significantly. I let out a sigh of relief as I stared at the system window.
If things continued at this pace, I might just be able to reach 100%. And if that happened… I might find a way to make Kyle even safer.
My train of thought, spiraling deeper and deeper, was abruptly cut off when I felt Kyle’s gaze on me.
I tilted my head slightly, looking up at him in confusion.
What? Why is he looking at me like that…?
“…Don’t even think about it, Your Highness!”
Memories of the past flickered through my mind, making me involuntarily mutter under my breath.
Kyle continued to gaze at me with concern before loosening his grip around my waist and murmuring softly,
“Just… don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Jz mmllzzmhmhm.”
Grinding my teeth, I muttered something unintelligible and pressed my elbow into his stomach. A low chuckle came from behind me. As I lifted my head, the vast, cloudless sky came into view.
The weather was incredibly clear. A perfect day to walk into a tiger’s den.
[(˘･_･˘)]
An emoji, looking distinctly displeased and unwilling, popped up. It had been doing that ever since we left the castle, appearing more frequently the farther north we traveled.
“I understand how you feel,” I muttered to myself and swiped the window away. Yeah, I don’t want to do this either.
‘By the way, how far have we come?’
I turned to look behind us, but the estate was no longer in sight.
I had confirmed with the system multiple times that I could return if I disabled “Reload,” but… the uneasiness in my gut wouldn’t go away.
More than anything, there was this damn horse. This horse was the real problem.
I had never once gotten motion sickness from riding a bus that swerved across lanes like it was performing circus tricks, but the moment I got on a horse, nausea hit me like it had just been waiting for the opportunity.
To make matters worse, the uneven, untouched terrain beneath us made the ride unbearable, and my frozen, unusable arm only added to my misery.
I knew this was no time to be thinking about such things, but honestly, if I could just pass out and wake up when we arrived, I’d take that option in a heartbeat.
Suppressing the nausea, I glared at Nox, who was leading the way on his horse.
Not that it did me any good—my gaze lacked any real force. In the end, I surrendered, resting my head against Kyle’s chest.
“Shu. It would be best not to overexert yourself.”
Kyle spoke in a serious tone. As he lightly tapped his pocket, it was clear what he meant—he wanted me to return to my hamster form.
I let out a deep sigh and nodded.
‘No need to be stubborn.’
Kyle pulled the reins to slow the horse and cupped one hand to receive me.
I would need a bit of misdirection. Once again, I ate a Mini Mini Brazil Nut Madeleine from the nut shop in preparation.
Thanks to scanning areas the knights had never explored before, my Miracle stat had risen slightly, giving me enough leeway to buy a few more.
Surrounded by bright light, my body safely landed in the palm of his hand.
Since I had already demonstrated my miniaturization magic before, the Blake Knights thankfully didn’t question it. They found it fascinating, but no one bothered to ask about it.
The problem was that Nox, who had been riding ahead, had slowed his horse to match our pace and was now right beside us.
I buried myself deeper into Kyle’s pocket, unwilling to even make eye contact. Just go away.
“You keep using such interesting powers,” he murmured in an amused tone, eyes narrowing into a smirk.
Kyle reflexively reached for the hilt of his sword before clenching his fist instead and muttering,
“Just focus on leading the way.”
“Do we really need a guide when there’s only one path, Your Highness?”
“Your manners as a host are abysmal.”
“Host? Please. I’d say prisoner is more accurate.”
Invisible sparks crackled between them.
I peeked out of the pocket, letting out a long sigh as I stared at the two men, who somehow looked even larger than usual.
They were going to fight to the death later anyway. What was the point of fighting now? Let it go, let it go.
A familiar exhaustion crept up again. Honestly, watching them bicker like this made me prefer being in “Reload” mode.
I called the system and requested to disable “Reload.”
Or rather, I tried to.
[‘Re□lo∝’ is┌ being de¿¿act〈〈vated¿¿.]
The blue window flickered before my eyes, its text distorting and breaking apart.
Then, as if the characters were being ripped apart at the seams, a chilling message appeared.
[Wh¿¿at ⇔ is ┽thi¿s?]
A shiver ran down my spine.
No way… Did Nox interfere with the system?
Even for a mage, is something like that possible?
Shocked, I involuntarily flinched, and Kyle, noticing the change, immediately unsheathed his sword.
As if it were a signal for war, the Blake Knights simultaneously drew their swords, surrounding Nox in an instant.
“What did you do?”
Kyle’s voice rang cold and sharp.
Nox, unfazed, simply shrugged.
“Do? I did nothing at all. If anything… it seems like His Highness the Grand Duke’s little lover is the one who summoned something suspicious.”
“Shu doesn’t summon anything suspicious.”
“Such unwavering faith.”
“No, just a reasonable belief.”
A brief silence followed.
Then, the system, having stabilized, reappeared—furious.
[┗|｀O′|┛!!]
Well, that was understandable. Anyone would be pissed if they were in the middle of programming and suddenly got interrupted.
[An inappropriate influence has been detected! Interference allowance is increasing!]
…Why did it feel like it was taking out its frustration on me?
I wasn’t exactly sure what “increasing interference allowance” meant, but it probably meant another generous discount like during the war.
‘Let me know if anything good comes out of it. And if everything’s stable now, just go ahead and deactivate “Reload” already.’
Leaving the system to its repair work, I lightly tapped Kyle’s thigh.
I was letting him know that everything was fine now.
After all, I had already returned to hamster form, and while the situation had been a bit alarming, the only one who seemed busy now was the system.
I pulled out Enhanced Eyes of Insight to get a clearer view of the situation outside.
Through the sunglasses, I could faintly make out the world beyond Kyle’s pocket. Catching my signal, Kyle slowly lowered his sword. The knights followed suit, but the tension between them remained so thick it felt like it could explode at any moment.
“If you’re so worried about your lover, why don’t you take him out and check on him yourself?”
Nox’s piercing gaze locked onto Kyle’s pocket.
…Was it just my imagination, or did it feel like we had made direct eye contact?
No way. He wouldn’t have some kind of clairvoyance ability, would he? But judging by his lack of reaction, he probably didn’t.
Kyle took a step back, shielding me protectively.
“He says he’s fine.”
“Really? Funny, I didn’t hear anything.”
“There’s no need for you to hear it.”
Nox kept shooting glances, obviously curious, but after a moment, he just shrugged as if it didn’t really matter.
A chilling wind swept through the silence. Nox extended his hand into the air, catching a few strands of the breeze before speaking lightly.
“From here on, only Your Highness may proceed.”
We had reached the edge of the vast plains, beyond the forests and fields. Past this snowy mountain lay the frozen sea.
Beyond the northern border—a lawless zone no one had ever seen with their own eyes. A place only known through maps, home to those who thrived in secrecy and deception.
The farthest extreme of the North. The Wizard’s Territory.
“Without an invitation, entering will be difficult.”
Though we had agreed to follow Nox only as far as he permitted, the knights were visibly uneasy. They exchanged worried glances with Kyle, silently asking if this was really necessary.
Kyle, too, looked reluctant, but a promise was a promise. After a brief moment of hesitation, he nodded slowly.
“Very well. The knights will return to the estate.”
“…Your Highness.”
“If circumstances allow, I will send a letter.”
Nox, who had been watching them with mild amusement, suddenly added in a casual tone,
“Make sure you return the way you came. If you value your lives, that is.”
I ignored the faint malice in his words and quickly summoned the system. I knew it was busy, but just for a moment—I needed to check on James and Kyle.
[James Russell. Estimated time until death: ? days remaining.]
[Kyle Jane Meinhardt. Estimated time until death: Approximately 35 days remaining.]
“Stay safe, Your Highness.”
“I will. Don’t waste time worrying and just focus on carrying out my orders properly.”
“As the Grand Duke commands.”
James bowed respectfully before riding away. Kyle watched his retreating figure for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh.
“Let’s go.”
“Of course.”
Just as Kyle turned his horse, a string of system windows popped up in front of me.
[?. Estimated time until death: Approximately 35 days remaining.]
[Your choice has slightly increased the Miracle stat.]
[If you make an ‘Irreversible Decision,’ your Miracle stat will undergo a significant change!]
[Current Miracle stat: 81.2%]
