STM 42

I looked at his face, but we weren’t close enough for me to ask him anything. But what he said about a ‘domain’ brought one thing to mind, the Forest of Crimson Waves.

“What reason would I have to go to a non-human’s domain?”

“You never know. You might get lured away by a voice.”

There’s nothing even remotely tempting about that voice. I was about to protest but decided to change the subject.

“So, is that why you took my side? To check if I was lured?”

“I didn’t take your side. I just didn’t like that gem. And you?”

“I don’t like it either.”

[Why?!!!!!!!!!!! Why don’t you like me?!!!!!!!!!!!]

I flinched when a storm of exclamation marks appeared across my vision. What the hell? It had been quiet in my pocket, and now it decided to scream?

I glanced at Tairok. He was staring down at me with an expressionless face. He didn’t say anything, but somehow I felt the need to explain myself.

“I just get headaches sometimes.”

[I like the eunuch!!!!!!!!!!! How can the eunuch not like me?!!!!!!!!!!!]

“How often?”

“Sorry? What?”

The flood of exclamation marks made it hard to think, so I repeated myself, then immediately corrected.

“I mean, all the time… constantly.”

[Impossible!!!!!!!! No human in the world could hate me!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. I really was starting to get a headache.

“I lied. I like this gem. I like it a lot.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m obsessed with gems.”

“I meant why it hurts.”

I thought I misheard, so I looked up at him and shrugged.

“People get sick sometimes.”

“I thought you’d blame me.”

Of course part of it is your fault. A big part. But since it’s not real pain, I could be generous for once. The exclamation marks had finally disappeared too.

Does this diamond has a prince complex?

“I blamed you before because I’d lost my memory and didn’t know why you were trying to kill me. Now I understand.”

“You understand?”

“Yes. You still want to kill me, don’t you?”

He didn’t answer. When I looked up, our eyes met. There was no hostility in his golden eyes. But there wasn’t the same irritation or disdain as before either.

Just like when he’d taken my side earlier. But why?

That was even stranger. While I watched him warily, his reply came late.

“Yes.”

“See?”

I nodded calmly, finally feeling relaxed.

“I didn’t realize you were so eager for to die by my hand.”

“I’m not eager, and I’m not hoping for it, so don’t fool yourself.”

I quickly interrupted him before he could actually pull out a blade, and he smiled.

Was he teasing me?

I frowned without meaning to, and his smile grew larger. That mocking smile again. What do people even like about that?

Even now, the ones following at a respectful distance kept glancing at him like they were starstruck fans.

Then I noticed a different gaze. Blue eyes, clearer than the rest. Ariona’s. If the others were curious onlookers, he looked like a devoted fan. The way he stared at Tairok made him seem like a naive child.

He didn’t look like someone who’d steal anything. Did the High Priest really make him do it?

“Is that your type? What are you staring at?”

The sudden question made me flinch and look back at Tairok.

“I wasn’t staring. And just because I looked doesn’t make it my type. By that logic, am I your type?”

“Do you want to be?”

“Absolutely not.”

I immediately answered. I was almost proud of how fast it did, like I’d spent my whole life preparing for that exact question.

“I told you. People who talk like that only hover around because they want more attention.”

“If I ever start hovering around you, say it then. I’m already tired of hearing your voice.”

I retorted before I could stop myself, then watched him carefully.

I couldn’t believe it, but he actually laughed. It wasn’t not a mocking laugh, but he genuinely laughed.

Did he really find that funny?

The arrogant diamond was a hundred times better than this. I shook my head and quickened my pace to get away from him, but he matched my steps.

“Can you back off a little?”

“We’re almost there.”

“Oh, already?”

Sure enough, a small pond lay ahead, and the priests had arrived first to take their positions around it. They stepped aside to make way for me, but a few of them gave me cold looks.

They were from High Priest Cheki’s group. But thanks to the large donation I had given, the priests who didn’t know about the earlier commotion reached out both hands to guide me forward.

“Here, this is the pond.”

After all the chaos to get here, seeing the destination right in front of me made me feel a little nervous.

What if I dropped the diamond, but it couldn’t return to its home, and it just sank to the bottom?

What made the nervousness worse was how quiet the diamond had been since earlier. I wanted to speak to it, but there were too many people around.

“What are you doing? Go on, drop it.”

One of the priests jeered when I hesitated. He was from Cheki’s side. Every one of them was watching me with cold eyes.

What’s their problem? It’s not like they plan to check the bottom afterward.

Wait, they do plan to. They’ll try to find it later.

I inwardly laughed and changed my plan. So, they’re ready to dive in? Then I should make it more entertaining for them.

I stepped up to the pond’s edge, took off my shoes and socks, and rolled my pants up to my knees. Behind me came a startled “Huh?” that quickly turned into a louder “Huh?!”

Splash. Splash.

Without hesitation, I walked straight into the water. The stinging gazes hitting the back of my head were encouraging to me. The water rose quickly to my knees.

The pond was murky with leaves and green scum, so I couldn’t tell how deep it was, but I continued going forward.

It wasn’t large, so even at the center, I thought the water would barely reach my thighs. Then I heard a sigh behind me.

“Ha…”

It must have been one of Cheki’s people, realizing the diamond was about to become harder to retrieve.

Oh, that’s the perfect reaction. Then I’ll make sure it sinks in the deepest spot.

But first, I needed to check with Dia. I raised the hand holding it to my chest and whispered.

“This really is your home, right?”

No reply. I asked Mo instead.

“Mo, is the diamond saying nothing?”

[Yes.]

That was a problem. With the High Priest’s people behind me, my pride wouldn’t let me stop and go back.

So I moved farther in. The water rose to mid-thigh, just as I expected. I lowered my hand into the water.

“Please tell me this is your home.”

I whispered earnestly and opened my hand. I felt Dia slip from my palm, but there was still no sound.

Could it have been swapped without me knowing? I started to suspect something when the ground beneath my feet suddenly vanished.

“Huh!”

Before I could even scream, I was pulled straight down into the water, quickly sinking into a depth that seemed endless. My surroundings filled completely with water like the sea itself.

The problem was that something strong was holding me, dragging me farther and farther down.

My body flailed as I kicked and swung my arms in a desperate attempt to survive.

It had been a shallow pond, so what the hell was this?

Panicked, I struggled, then suddenly stopped.

Wait. I can breathe?

Even underwater, I wasn’t suffocating. And below me, something appeared. At first, it was a dim light, then it grew so bright it hurt to look at.

[It opened!!!! The door that fits me finally opened!!!! I can go home!!! Eunuch, you did it!!!]

It was the voice I’d wanted to hear. Ah, so this pond really was the right place. I was glad I’d taken my shoes off and gone in.

But what exactly was this place? Why had a massive space appeared beneath the pond? And that light…

If I kept descending, I could enter it. No, I felt like I had to.

I didn’t know why, but I wanted to go inside. I bent forward and turned my body toward it.

Like I was bewitched, I swam toward the light and reached out my hand. At that moment, Dia’s voice echoed again.

[No!!! You can’t go in without me!!!! I’m already inside and I can’t get out!! Eunuch, go back!!!]