TYHL 32

~Chapter 32~

The clouds moved aside, and the moon appeared. Under its light, gray-blue eyes shimmered with a mysterious glow.

“Khalid…”

He grinned when his name was called.

“Yeah.”

“You…”

As if bewitched, I moved again.

“I didn’t expect you to welcome me like this.”

Khalid stood up naturally, opening his arms wide.

“I…”

Da-da-da! Without realizing, my steps turned into a run.

And then—

“Didn’t I tell you not to block me?!”

Whack!

My light headbutt made his body sway.
Animals scattered in fright.

“Wow, headbutt is a new one.”

“It’s because I’m a water fist! Why!”

I shook my fists, fuming. Khalid just rubbed his stomach and laughed softly.

“Sniff.”

To my shame, I was the one with tears in my eyes.
My head hurt more than his body. How could a boy’s body be so solid?!

“Next time, can you at least give me a warning before charging? I used my strength without realizing. You’re not hurt, are you?”

That stung my pride even more.

“And besides, you’re still on about that? It was ages ago when I blocked you.”

“So you admit you blocked me!”

“I told you—it broke. I just said it was broken.”

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

I growled again. Khalid, a head taller than me, stared calmly.

“So, master. What are you doing here?”

His eyes curved gently, lips lifting into a smile.

“You abandoned me. Pretended to be dead.”

Uh… now he looked angry.

I stepped back without realizing it. He suddenly closed the distance and grabbed my shoulders.

“No. I won’t let you run anymore.”

“Wait, hold on—”

“I finally caught you.”

“Huh?”

“I finally found you.”

What did he mean by that? Did I mishear? Tilting my head, I saw him smile awkwardly.

“So what are you doing here? Of course, you’re hiding that you’re a magician. But those clothes… don’t tell me.”

His gray-blue eyes swept over my short hair and my outfit.

“…No, right?”

I scratched my cheek awkwardly. I was wearing the boy’s clothes I’d bought from the boutique a few days ago—well-fitted, elegant, neat.

Boy’s clothes.

“The Duke of Jebert wouldn’t have given up that badly. Right?”

“Uh… this is just a result of some misunderstandings piling up.”

“….”

Khalid closed his mouth tightly, looking so dumbfounded he forgot to speak.

I quickly changed the subject.

“What about you? You just show up and cause an explosion without warning. What if you got caught?!”

“So I should’ve stood by and watched a monster charge at you?”

“The knights would’ve handled it—”

“But I didn’t get caught, so it’s fine.”

His unyielding tone left me speechless. As I glared at him, he muttered softly.

“…My body moved on its own.”

I sighed.

He was always like this. Ever since I freed him from that prison cave, he’d followed me like a puppy.

Though… no puppy ever looked this dangerous.

That’s why he’d given me the Oath of Vows.
His magic was bound to mine, and I held full control. Unless I cut it, he had no choice but to remain my servant.

‘Would he really die if I told him to? Why would he ruin his own fate like this?’

Well, if he ever regretted it even a little, I’d have no choice but to release him…

“….”

As I stared at him, I accidentally met the squirrel’s eyes—perched on his head, chewing an acorn.

“…You really have no fear. You lured me with this squirrel from the wall all the way here.”

“Why call it ‘luring’? That sounds embarrassing.”

“What are you even saying…”

“I told you.”

Khalid moved his magic slightly. At that moment, the squirrel’s glowing yellow eyes dimmed, returning to normal.

“I’m the one protecting you.”

The squirrel twitched its nose in the air, then scampered away.

“Don’t forget my oath.”

His lips curled into a wider smile.

‘From the first time I met him…’

No amount of dirt or scruff could hide his looks. His dark navy hair with a bluish tint, those stormy gray-blue eyes, and the two moles under his left eye.

‘Just keep growing like this.’

The perfect poster boy.

“Fine, I get it. Put your magic away now.”

“You’re the only one here who can even sense it.”

Khalid tilted his head, almost sulking.

He had the power to bind and command souls temporarily—only animals.
He could control monsters too, but he hated the taint of their mana. As for humans…

‘It’s forbidden.’
Breaking that rule came with a terrible price.

“Anyway, since you keep dodging, you clearly don’t want to tell me why you’re here.”

His words pierced straight into me, and my shoulders flinched.

‘How can I say it?! That this is a novel’s world, and I came here to stop the massacre ending by finding a hero?!’

I bit my lip. He gave a short sigh, then picked up his bag and sword.

“Fine. Tell me slowly on the way. For now, let’s get moving.”

I blinked slowly.

“Moving where?”

“To escape, of course. The Demon King knows you’re in Vamillon now.”

“What? No way, I’m not leaving.”

My protest burst out immediately. I stepped back, and his brows shot up.

“You’re not leaving? Then what are you even planning to do here?”

“Sorry. I can’t explain everything yet. But I’m not leaving for now.”

I met his gaze firmly. His grip on the sword tightened.

“And what if I force you to run with me?”

“You’ve never beaten me once…”

“That’s only because we were in mana-rich lands, master.”

“Ugh, look at that smug face.”

“All I have is mana. Did you forget?”

He raised his wrist slightly. A golden bracelet jingled—an artifact that suppressed his overflowing mana.
Even with that, he couldn’t fully control it.

He was my opposite.
I lacked mana but had knowledge.
He overflowed with mana but had little theory.

“Boo, no mana flexing allowed!”

I booed, jealous.

“There you go again, dodging with half-answers.”

He shook his head, muttering. I laughed a little and stepped back.

“Later. I’ll tell you later. So don’t push me, and no more mana flexing. Just say okay, alright?”

“…Ha.”

He stayed silent a while, then bit his lip and lowered his head.

“You’ll just dodge me again. And then abandon me again…”

Huh?

I froze. His fists were clenched white, trembling. His shoulders shook faintly.

Huh??

“K-Khalid? You’re not… crying, right?”

“I can’t feel your mana. They said the magicians headed to Kanalan Canyon all died. Back then, what was I supposed to—”

“They didn’t die!”

The words burst out of me in panic.

“What?”

Khalid’s head shot up. His dry cheeks twitched. I hurried on.

“I freed them!”

His eyes widened slightly.

“…What do you mean?”

“I destroyed their mana cores. They can’t use magic anymore, and their lifespans will be shorter. But they chose that themselves. Anyway—they’re alive!”

I waved my arms, desperate to explain.

It was my last mission.
The magicians in Kanalan Canyon had been ambushed by black monsters. It was a disaster, but also a chance.
I had planned to abandon them and run to meet Uncle Leviathan.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about those young faces.

So I made it look like they were annihilated—faking all their deaths.

“Then those corpses—what were they?”

“Clay. Fake bodies.”

“You made all that alone?”

“I didn’t need to make everything. Just a few limbs were enough.”

Khalid bit his lip until it bled, then burst out:

“Then why didn’t you make a fake body for yourself too?! Why let yourself be found out?!”

I stayed silent, smiling awkwardly. Of course, if I said why, he’d get mad…

But he quickly caught on. His lips curled coldly.

“You did it on purpose. So they wouldn’t be suspected. You made them look at you instead.”