STM 23

She flinched, her eyes widening, and turned to look at me properly for the first time. Of course, it was only for a moment.

“Why, why are you doing this…”

“I’m really sorry. You didn’t even want to tell me your name, and I brought you here without even knowing that. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

As I apologized her with both hands, her confusion grew.

“P-p-please don’t do that. It’s not…”

“It is. You don’t even tell me your name. You must hate me so much to do that. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

I thought I had to apologize ten times to get the effect, but fortunately, I heard her name at this point.

“Uh, I’m O… Sillian…”

But I couldn’t hear her clearly, so I put my ear right up to her.

“I didn’t hear your last name properly. What was that ‘O’?”

“O… o… O…”

Strangely, her voice became quieter, as if saying her name was a crime. But I didn’t care, for fear I’d never hear the name again if I missed this opportunity.

“Huh? Owie?”

“Oh, no… Eh… O… w… i… k…”

“Oh, Owick? Owick Sillian?”

The moment I finally learned the name, I heard the sound of hasty steps behind me.

Tap, tap.

That wasn’t all. A series of gasps of surprise followed.

“Huh!”

“Ugh!”

I half-stood up, then turned to the healers. Their faces were pale with fear.

Why? As soon as I questioned it, Mo automatically brought up the information.

[Baron Owick Sillian: The sole heir to a family of spirit masters, now almost nonexistent on the continent.

Long ago, she could command many spirits, but now it’s said that only one spirit remains to protect the Owick family.

With the help of that spirit, she cultivates and sells poisonous plants. Because of this, Baron Owick can easily control powerful poisonous plants that can wipe out an entire village with just a single leaf.

The world calls her “walking poison,” and the name Owick is considered more terrifying than any demon.

Note: The spirit that protects the Owick family: The Spirit of Poison, known as the King of All Poisons]

My neck, stiff for a moment, creaked as I turned back toward the bed. More precisely, toward the small spirit floating in the air above it.

[Oh dear, our Petal needs to wake up soon! Only then will her faces become petals again! Because of those foolish humans, she can’t even eat the pink leaves! I’m so frustrated!]

Look, what’s the use of pretending to be cute when you’re scarier than a demon?

With a complicated heart, I asked Baron Owick.

“Do you need to ingest poison to get better?”

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

I’d only known her for five minutes, but I understood immediately. She needs poison.

I placed a hand on my forehead and stood up.

“Ha, remember that pink leaf I mentioned earlier? The one that changes color in the sunlight?”

“Yes, it’s highly toxic…”

“Pick one and give it to Baron Owick.”

“Yes? But… ah.”

The healer nodded, her face contemplative. I gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder as a gesture of thanks and quickly got out.

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Splash.

A massive body stepped out of the bathtub with the sound of overflowing water.

With each movement of his body, the remaining moisture turned into droplets and flowed down his dark skin.

Sun of the Kun.

His healthy complexion and firm body, praised by everyone, shone with a sensual glow, soaking up moisture.

However, people easily overlooked the fact that this beautiful body was built through tireless swordsmanship and monster hunting.

Just three or four years ago, many mocked the Grand Duke Kun like this:

“To meet Grand Duke Kun, you must first find a monster.”

However, the money earned from hunting monsters provided a breath of fresh air to the Kun family’s finances, and their status naturally rose.

However, there were still those who, like wolves, stalked the revived Kun.

Of course, they were ready to gnaw on that wolf’s head first.

That’s why Tairok was quite annoyed by the current situation. To think that seeing someone he considered an enemy could cause such emotions.

His hand, which had been wiping himself with a towel, stopped mid-thigh.

The bite marks were still clearly visible.

“Ha, Lu.”

An irritated laugh escaped Tyrok’s lips. When the thing that had left this mark clung to his leg and bit him, he was so shocked he couldn’t even think of pulling him away.

That was surprising. But even more surprising was the look in his eyes he’d been giving him ever since they’d met.

The rage that filled his eyes was so intense, it almost seemed like it shone like starlight.

Recalling that look, Tairok traced his fingertips over his wound. Even as he bit it, Lu never failed to glare at him.

His eyes were wide, like a cat’s.

For some reason, that image hadn’t left Tairok’s mind for the past few days. Under the bright moonlight, that hatred and rage clung to his leg, staring up at him.

Would he looked at him with the same eyes if they met again?

He became curious. He wanted to force him down and see what would happen. Hold his neck with his hands, preventing him from getting up, and press his body between his legs.

Would tears well up in his eyes from the injustice?

Or would he struggle to escape him, his cat-like eyes still sparkling?

Just the thought sent a tingling heat through his lower abdomen. Tairok frowned, glancing down at his now-hardened member.

“Damn it.” Why would he do that to someone like Adeye Lu? He cursed and returned to the bathroom. This time, he needed cold water.

“I confirmed that Bronscis fine. However, he doesn’t want this to be public. Baron Jarzayal said that Montaine Bilge has already been humiliated to the point where rumors spread across the continent, so he’ll let it slide. However.”

His aide, Rick, who had been waiting for Tairok to emerge from his bath, quickly continued.

“I guess Brons is stubborn about finding the person who saved him. He needs to meet the world’s kindest hero again and thank him…”

“A kind hero?”

Tairok interrupted Rick and laughed heartily. Rick, in return, sighed.

“If you listen to what Lord Brons says, he’s the bravest and coolest knight in the world. He says he knocked Bilge to the ground in one fell swoop and then beat him with his fists, but of course I don’t think that makes sense.”

Rick shook his head.

“Isn’t Bilge a mage? Besides, he’s wearing expensive defensive artifacts, so he wouldn’t be easily attacked.”

“Bilge was unconscious.”

“Yes, that’s what’s confusing. If he was actually attacked and knocked down…”

Rick trailed off, his eyes wide with seriousness.

“There’s no way it was Adeye Lu. Absolutely not.”

“Rick, there’s absolutely no way in the world.”

“So you’re saying it was Adeye Lu who saved Lord Brons?”

“The only one who escaped from that room was Adeye Lu.”

“But Lu wouldn’t do something like that, right? His mind is full of men, and all he does is look after his appearance. He wouldn’t get involved in a fight that would cause him serious injury. He’s not the kind of person to do that.”

He knew his master couldn’t be mistaken, but he couldn’t help but confirm.

“That’s not all. If it’s true that Lu came to the Penuang family party yesterday, why didn’t he show up at the party? Who is Adeye Lu? He’d swim across the vast ocean to any man. But he’s turning down a party to save someone? You’ve clearly misjudged him.”

Rick’s impassioned, unwavering gaze twitched as he spoke with conviction. Rick quickly reversed his words.

“Of course you saw correctly. You have amazing eyesight.”

Rick still couldn’t believe it, tilting his head.

“Can he really change that much?”

“He said he was back from the dead.”

“No, no matter what, it’s true.”

“I found out he was back from the dead and kicked him to the ground.”

“…Ah.”

Rick nodded this time, but Tairok was displeased.

“Ah?”

“If he had met a more formidable reaper right after coming back from the dead, he might have been quite shocked. Even back in his Academy days, didn’t he run away in fear at the mere mention of the Grand Duke’s name?”

Rick, a fellow academy graduate, nodded, recalling that time.

“Really?”

“Yes, Adeye Lu was famous for being fearful of the Grand Duke. Or, didn’t you know?”