It was a race against time.
I quickly rushed forward, dropped to my knees in front of the magic circle, and placed the compass I had bought from the lucky corner at its center.
‘I’m changing the destination—to Blake Castle. Send us now!’
Kyle had hurriedly piled up a table, chair, and shelves in front of the drawing room door, creating a makeshift barricade, before swiftly moving to my side.
“This is it?”
“Yes. This compass will alter the magic circle’s trajectory. Once we’re transported, it will be destroyed. Stand here.”
Kyle stepped firmly into the magic circle.
And yet, we remained in the drawing room. Even as the blue light from the magic circle enveloped us completely, nothing else happened.
While I was still puzzled, the system popped up, practically sweating bullets.
[(ㅠ﹏ㅠ)/;;;;;;]
[The route has been changed.]
[This teleportation magic circle is more intricate than standard ones and requires interference for safe activation.]
[Current Deviation Interference rate: 85%]
It seemed I needed to increase the interference rate even further.
‘……No choice, then.’
Without hesitation, I thrust my hand into Kyle’s chest—searching inside his coat. Startled by my sudden action, he stiffened, too surprised to even stop me.
Thud.
Outside, the servants had gathered, knocking over the barricade Kyle had set up. His voice, edged with confusion, reached me.
“Shu, what are you doing?”
“It’s nothing, just stay still for a moment… Ah, here it is.”
My fingertips finally grasped a small, solid vial. It contained Nox’s magic, something I had stolen from the lab last time and kept in reserve precisely for moments like this—when the interference rate was insufficient.
Taking a deep breath, I swallowed it in one gulp.
Kyle’s brows furrowed slightly.
“No chance to stop you, I see.”
“You weren’t planning to stop me anyway.”
I smirked at him and extended my hand.
“We don’t have time to waste. I’m not about to gamble with our lives.”
“……”
“Are you not going to take my hand?”
At that moment, the makeshift barricade at the door came crashing down.
Beyond the expressionless servants, Nox stood with a sinister smile. His normally loose, white hair was disheveled, and his sharp blue eyes burned with fury.
He was panting amidst a sea of walking corpses, his face twisted in frustration.
Honestly, it was satisfying to see.
‘Serves you right.’
I gripped Kyle’s hand tightly and downed the remaining blue potion in one gulp.
Kyle raised his sword, deflecting a dagger that flew straight at us.
His voice was laced with concern.
“I can’t beat you at this.”
“Now’s not the time to try. I’ve already staked my life to save yours, haven’t I?”
[Warning! The Deviation Interference rate is increasing too rapidly!]
[Your ‘Reloaded’ body may sustain damage!]
It didn’t matter.
I had to survive, no matter what it took.
I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the interference rate to reach its peak.
[Current Deviation Interference rate: 100%]
[The magic circle is activating.]
At that moment, Kyle murmured in a low voice.
“A shared fate, it seems.”
Clang. The sound of a sword being knocked away rang through the air.
Even in the chaos, Kyle continued to defend me.
Nox had drawn close enough to hear our exchange. His face, twisted with sheer malice, flickered with surprise, hesitation, rage, frustration, and utter defeat.
But just as his outstretched hand reached for us—
Crackle.
A burst of blue light erupted, splitting the space between us.
[The destination is within a magically protected area. Adjusting to the nearest safe location.]
[Searching for an alternate route…]
[Teleporting now.]
The light swallowed us whole just before Nox could grasp us.
[Good luck! (ෆ`꒳´ෆ)]
***
I never thought there would come a day when I found the wind here warm.
Kyle stood dazed before the dazzlingly white landscape. It was so blindingly pure that even his eyes ached from the brightness.
A vast field. A land of winter where pure white snow and ice intertwined.
Kyle stood tall at the path leading from Blake’s territory to the northern plains.
“…My god.”
A sigh of disbelief escaped him as he took in the sight before him—the ashen walls of the fortress.
He had really returned.
They had crossed an impossible distance in the blink of an eye, arriving back at the domain as if it were nothing.
Kyle quickly reached out, searching for the one who had brought him here safely. He had to make sure he was alright.
“Shu.”
He was there—dressed in nothing but a thin shirt, soaked in blood. His body, cold to the touch, was so utterly drained that he couldn’t even tremble.
Kyle cupped Shu’s face with both hands. His blue eyes flickered without focus. Though he struggled to fix his gaze on Kyle, his vision kept slipping, his consciousness fading in and out.
Shu’s lips parted weakly, but he lacked the strength to speak. His lower lip trembled before he bit down lightly, as if trying to regain control.
Kyle quickly supported him, shifting his body slightly forward while pressing a hand against his chest and bringing the other close to his lips.
“It’s alright.”
“—Hhk… kuh…!”
A mouthful of blood spilled out. Shu coughed violently, choking as he expelled even more.
Something was wrong.
His blue-glowing eyes were proof. The potion he had taken just before teleporting—it had to be the cause.
Kyle immediately channeled his own magic, suppressing the wild energy surging through Shu. He pressed his lips to Shu’s forehead, rubbing his back gently while wrapping his cloak tightly around him.
“Just hold on a little longer. I’ll take care of it.”
But Shu shook his head.
“…No… stop.”
He weakly pushed against Kyle’s shoulder, forcing out words between ragged breaths.
“If you… suppress it now… I won’t be able to… use it later.”
“……”
“Nox… that bastard… he’s coming. And he’ll bring… the Variants. When that happens…”
Kyle understood. Shu was preparing for the moment when the Northern Mage Corps moved and the horde of magic-infused beasts with cores attacked.
Just as he had interfered with the magic circle, perhaps he could manipulate the artificial hearts Nox had created.
‘If he can pull that off, we could prevent hundreds of soldiers from bleeding out on the battlefield.’
But… Kyle couldn’t just let him suffer for that.
He refused to accept Shu’s pain as an unavoidable price for saving others.
“It’s okay.”
“No.”
Kyle gritted his teeth. His face twisted as he watched Shu cough, unable to even expel the blood properly.
“This is not okay. You’re in serious danger right now. If this keeps up, you could—!”
“…Your Highness.”
“Just listen to me for once.”
Kyle cut him off, his voice firm, as he lifted Shu into his arms.
Shu let out a few more coughs before finally nodding, resting his head against Kyle’s chest.
Kyle slowly infused his magic into Shu, controlling it carefully. He wanted to crush the rampaging force of Nox’s magic inside him completely, but he held back—because that wasn’t what Shu wanted.
He walked steadily toward the fortress.
On the northern walls of the domain, black silhouettes began to appear one by one.
The guards, rubbing their eyes in disbelief, murmured among themselves.
“…Your Highness? Is that really him?”
“He just appeared out of nowhere… Am I seeing things?”
“No, he’s looking right at us.”
As the soldiers whispered in shock, James arrived and peered down from the wall.
Kyle was striding toward the castle gates, Shu cradled securely in his arms.
“Your Highness!”
Kyle skillfully adjusted his hold on Shu, freeing one arm. Then, in swift motions, he signaled:
[Return.]
[Prepare for war.]
[Maintain highest alert.]
James immediately understood. He turned sharply, barking orders for the resting soldiers to be summoned before leaping down from the wall.
“…What the hell happened?”
Up close, their condition was disastrous.
Kyle bore several wounds on his arms and shoulders from his battle with Nox. Shu, still unconscious, hadn’t even been able to wipe away the blood he had vomited.
His limp hand, so pale it was nearly translucent, made James hesitate. He had to watch closely just to confirm that Shu was still breathing.
“What happened?”
James fell into step beside Kyle, who was moving at a near run.
“We escaped. Has Sen Langde requested protection?”
“Yes. She arrived four days ago, along with His Highness Belial. Only the knights have been informed of their true identities.”
“The capital will send Lorenz leading an army soon. The Mage Corps will also descend from the north. They’ll encircle us from both sides and—”
James’s expression hardened.
They had known this day would come eventually. But it was happening far sooner than expected.
His heart pounded with an uneasy thud.
Kyle’s face remained unreadable.
“We have a few days, at most. But we don’t know exactly when they’ll arrive, so start evacuating the citizens now. Where’s Sen?”
At that moment, a familiar voice called out.
“Right here!”
Sen swiftly joined them.
Her short brown hair barely reached her ears, and her determined eyes gleamed sharply.
“What happened to Shu?”
At her question, Kyle’s face twisted as if he had swallowed poison.
“There was… a complication. We teleported here using a magic circle. I can handle it, but—”
Sen reached out, resting a hand on Shu’s forehead. After a moment, she spoke.
“Recovery comes first. I’ll have warm bathwater, clean clothes, and some light food prepared.”
“Don’t summon the estate’s mages. I can handle it myself. And until tomorrow morning—”
“Unless it’s an emergency, we won’t disturb you, Your Highness.”
“…Good.”
Kyle stepped into the bedroom, adjusting his grip on Shu before glancing back at Sen.
For the first time since arriving, his expression softened ever so slightly.
“…It’s been a while, Sen.”
She let out a small, wry smile.
“It has been, Your Grace.”
