TYHL 33

~Chapter 33~

“Heh.”

“Don’t laugh. I’m really angry.”

Though I said that, my eyes looked more red than mad…

“Haa.”

Khalid rubbed his face tiredly like an adult. His picture-perfect features looked very worn out.

“…So you’re saying you have a reason you must stay in Jebert’s land.”

“Mm…”

Khalid pressed his lips tightly, then let out a sigh of resignation.

“Alright. Then I can’t help it.”

He finally surrendered to my stubbornness. I gave a small, guilty smile.

“Then I’ll have to think of a method too.”

“What method?”

A faint smile crossed his pale face. In the moonlight, he looked even more mysterious and beautiful.

“It’s a secret.”

“Tch.”

Since I had secrets too, I couldn’t press him further—frustrating!

We sat side by side at the base of a tree, talking about what had happened.

Khalid said that once he lost contact with me, he expanded his number of contracted beasts to the limit and searched the whole continent.

‘That’s an insane amount of mana…’

Normally, beasts can only move within the summoner’s range.

Why was someone like him trapped in a cave?

“I told you, I don’t remember.”

Khalid rummaged through his old bag and handed me red mountain berries. Oh, I used to eat these often when wandering the eastern forests.

“Whoever it was, they must have used a nasty magic tool.”

“It didn’t feel like an artifact’s formula… still, that’s too cruel to do to a kid.”

“What do you expect from back-alley mercenaries.”

The berries tumbled into my hand.

Maybe because he had lived a hard life since he was young…

‘Sometimes he speaks more like an adult than me.’

He said he had no parents, no hometown—just a wandering mercenary from long ago.

‘He only remembers his name. He added the surname “Riork” later, just to do missions.’

So, Khalid never liked me using his family name. Said it never felt right.

I guessed he was trapped in that cave because of a mercenary job gone wrong.

“No matter the reason. Whoever locked me up—I’ll find them and get revenge.”

I stared blankly at his profile.

‘Yep. As expected.’

The male lead of Part 2 is different.

Yes.

In Sword Planted on the Ruins, Part 2 starts with this boy by my side as the protagonist.

In Part 1, I had been so betrayed I didn’t even want to look at Part 2. But when I forced myself to read the first chapter—

‘Hooked immediately.’

Ah… I should’ve picked a healing story.

Part 2 begins with the young man escaping from the cave where he was trapped.

He investigates the reason he was imprisoned, swears revenge on the one who trapped him, and plants his sword into the ruined land.

‘That was just chapter one.’

So I don’t know why Khalid was imprisoned or whether his revenge succeeded.

But if the author had any sense, surely he’d give the Part 2 protagonist a solid happy ending.

“…You’re staring again.”

His sudden voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Ah, sorry. I was praying for your revenge to succeed! I’ll stop staring!”

“…I didn’t say I hated it.”

Khalid rubbed his nose, mumbling. I laughed awkwardly and split the berry in half.

‘Sorry, Khalid.’

You probably won’t get to shine like the original story…

Because the male lead of Part 1 isn’t going to die. That scene of you dramatically planting your sword into the ruined earth—probably won’t happen.

‘But I’ll make sure you get your happy ending!’

Once I finish my mission, I’ll help with your revenge.

In the original, Khalid didn’t escape until almost adulthood. By freeing him early, I had twisted the story.

‘But it’s better this way. Good job, past me.’

Of course, outside the cave wasn’t any easier…

‘Still, forcing a child to rot in a dark cave for years? That’s horrible!’

In the novel, Khalid grew into a twisted adult after years of darkness.

“You brought this for me, so why are you giving it back? You eat them…”

A shy boy, blushing as he offered me food—yeah, that version didn’t exist in the novel.

“I had to threaten mercenaries to get these, so hurry up and eat.”

So his personality hasn’t broken yet, right?

“Phew. You’ve lived a rough life too.”

I sighed deeply, stretching my short legs. Khalid raised his eyebrows but I didn’t explain further.

“But how did you get in here?”

“Dog hole. Took me some effort to find.”

So he must’ve found a small tunnel animals used to come and go.

“Be careful not to get caught. Oh, and also…”

I pulled out the items I had prepared.

“What’s this?”

“My shop key and a map. Honestly, I’d like to take you to the main house, but I’m just freeloading here, so…”

“…”

“For now, stay there. There’s a heating stone, you’ll sleep warm.”

“You bought a shop? You came here to rob Jebert’s estate?”

“What are you talking about.”

I brushed off my hands and stood. Time to sneak back to my room before anyone noticed.

“Just stay there for now, then move to the nearest city. Anyway, we still have this…”

I tapped my earlobe and smiled.

“Even if we’re apart, it’s fine. Lucky, right?”

Khalid smiled faintly.

“You don’t know what ‘lucky’ means.”

“…Was that an insult?”

“Maybe.”

Ugh, that brat.

I smacked his arm, but of course, I was the one who ended up hurting.

“Anyway, stay safe! And don’t block me again!”

“Stop with the nonsense.”

He brushed off his clothes and stood, reaching out to me.

“But something’s been bugging me…”

“Hm?”

“Come here.”

He unlatched the bracelet from his wrist.

“Let me see your mana. Haven’t you struggled without it?”

“Whoa…”

I couldn’t hide the rush of emotion.

“What’s with that cute expression?”

“I’m just touched someone finally understands how hard it is for a magician… wait, what was the question again?”

“…I asked what’s with that pitiful look.”

“Oh. I struggled so much, you know? It’s a bit better here, but in the capital? It was reeeally awful!”

I waved my arms as I explained. Khalid’s eyes softened into a smile.

At last, I saw the familiar boy again—the mercenary who had always guarded me on battlefields.

“Yeah. The capital of Vamillon was rough even for me. Here.”

Khalid held out his hand. I lightly touched his fingertips.

“Waaah!”

Like it was waiting, pure mana flowed into me.

The magic circle on my earlobe heated up. Only Khalid, who shared the same vow mark, could give me mana.

Our intertwined vow allowed us to freely exchange power.

Of course, Khalid never had use for my tiny bit of mana—I was always the one receiving.

“Finally… I feel alive.”

“Then why did you abandon me?”

He grumbled lightly.

“I’m your, uh, what was it again?”

“What?”

“Your spare… battery? Yeah!”

“You remembered that?”

I burst out laughing, and his ears reddened faintly.

“I remember everything you say.”

Mana surged through me like waves, filling my body with vitality. It had been so long.

“Are you satisfied?”

“So much!”

Khalid tilted his head.

“So when are you going to welcome me properly?”

I quickly let go of his hand, brushing it off.

“Now!”

I jumped up and hugged his neck. He staggered slightly, and cool mana surged into me like a tide.

“Nice to see you again, Khalid!”

The next day.

It was a bright, sunny morning.

Birds chirped, warm sunlight streamed into the bedroom.

“…That damn…”

But my face was anything but peaceful.

‘Khalid? Khal! You !#^%!!’

Because once again—Khalid Riork had blocked me!