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chapter 60
Another trip… There was no way that would happen.
After all, the act of pretending to be lovers between the two of them would eventually come to an end.
She knew very well that this trip was made possible only thanks to Elion’s great consideration.
There would be no chance to expect such generosity again.
A brief, awkward silence passed between the two.
“That sounds like a good idea. If we ever go on another trip, a seaside village would be nice.”
Elion’s lips twitched awkwardly.
Words have a strange power.
Both of them had spoken without any real conviction.
Rubiana’s words were thrown out thoughtlessly, and Elion’s words were just polite remarks.
Yet in that moment, Rubiana imagined a trip to a seaside village with Elion.
Even though the probability of it happening was close to zero, her heart kept racing at the thought. Like a child anticipating a picnic the next day.
Once again, Rubiana’s heart became tangled and complicated.
Like a skein of thread hopelessly knotted.
Behind the villa stretched a dense forest, and Rubiana and Elion only took a walk along the forest path together the day before returning to the capital.
Tall, straight trees lined the path tightly.
The sound of their footsteps echoed softly as they walked slowly between the trees.
Sunlight pierced through the leaves in thin beams, illuminating the dense greenery.
Perhaps it was the refreshing atmosphere of the forest—or maybe the immense amount of mana she had absorbed over the past few days—Rubiana felt incredibly light.
She felt as though she could run a hundred meters without losing her breath.
But she didn’t run.
Because she cherished this slow, unhurried walk with Elion.
After today, she wouldn’t have the chance to enjoy this kind of leisure with him.
If I get any closer here, it could really be dangerous. So today is the limit. Let myself enjoy this just for today. And tomorrow, when I return to the capital, I’ll forget everything. Just keep this as a contractual relationship, like in the beginning.
It wouldn’t be easy to shut her heart down, but Rubiana vowed she would try with everything she had.
So for today, it was fine to like Elion as much as she wanted.
At that moment, a pleasant mid-low voice spoke softly.
“When I was a child, the Latimo region where I lived had forests just like this. That was my playground.”
Rubiana was a little surprised.
She hadn’t expected to hear stories of Elion’s childhood from his own lips.
Even in the original story, very little was ever described about the Black Curtain’s childhood.
“Before I learned swordsmanship, exploring the forest was my only hobby and my only duty. I walked the same forest every day, but each day felt different.”
“……”
“Even the trees in the same spots looked different every day, and the types of animals passing through changed daily as well.”
Elion seemed a little excited as he recalled his childhood memories.
His young eyes shone with faint nostalgia, and his lips curved lightly.
“Maybe if you hadn’t learned swordsmanship, you could have been a forest explorer instead of a knight?”
“Right. Maybe I could have. Observing plants, animals, and insects, I would lose track of time.”
“So in gaining an excellent Swordmaster, we lost an amazing forest explorer.”
“Well… I suppose that’s how it turned out.”
A small laugh escaped both of their lips.
Sunlight filtering through the leaves made Rubiana’s translucent face glow.
Seeing her radiant smile made Elion’s chest pound furiously.
She was lovely and precious, more valuable than anything in the world.
And precisely because of that, she was someone he shouldn’t get close to.
He decided to allow himself these affectionate feelings only for today.
Anything more would be too much.
Today is the last day.
Of course, he still had to transmit mana to her to restore her health, through hand-holding or a kiss.
But nothing beyond that.
To protect this beloved person, he had to keep his distance.
Elion firmly believed this was the right thing to do.
A leaf, fluttering in the wind, landed on her lustrous silver hair.
Reaching out, Elion stepped closer to her.
Startled by the sudden closeness, Rubiana’s shoulders twitched.
Then, slowly, she closed her eyes.
Her little misunderstanding was cute and somehow comforting.
Already adorable, she became even more so.
Elion’s hand, which had reached for the leaf, cupped her face.
He gently pressed his lips against hers.
The kiss brought an overwhelming bliss.
Not because of the mana flowing naturally from him to her.
It was because of Rubiana—because of her very existence.
Their lips parted reluctantly.
“……”
“……”
Their gazes settled, calm and quiet.
This moment—the lingering feeling of a brief kiss, the intense gaze of someone cherished, the crisp scent of the forest—suddenly felt like a memory that might stay with him for a lifetime.
Regardless of the passage of time, this moment would remain etched in his mind forever.
In a life that had been lonely, exhausting, and meaningless, this scene would shine like a single ray of light.
A quiet smile appeared on their lips.
Then, suddenly, the wind rose violently.
Branches shook harshly, Elion’s black hair fluttered, and dust swirled around. Leaves torn from trees danced chaotically.
The stronger the wind grew, the harder it was for Elion to even open his eyes.
But something was strange.
Rubiana’s hair and clothes didn’t move at all. They stayed perfectly still.
As if the spot she stood on was the eye of a storm, everything around her was calm, while the outside world raged.
“This…!”
Elion was pushed by the wind and separated from her.
Then, the fierce wind wrapped around Rubiana’s entire body.
“E-Elion… W-what is this…?”
“Calm down, Rubiana! It’s a spirit! A spirit is about to appear!”
“Ah…!”
Thump, thump—Rubiana’s heart raced as if it might explode.
Finally!
As Rubiana searched for the spirit, something floated toward them in the sky with a dazzling cluster of light.
Her eyes widened as she saw a being swimming through the air, its tail and fins swaying.
A massive black body, with white on its belly and face—it was an orca.
An orca spirit? But… the spirit that the original Rubiana contracted with wasn’t an orca spirit…
How could this be? Did it come to contract with me?
It had to be. Surely it hadn’t come here by accident.
Overwhelmed by the imposing orca spirit, Rubiana couldn’t even open her mouth.
“I’ve been waiting. My contractor, Rubiana Payson.”
“Ah…!”
Now she was certain that the loudly appearing orca spirit was the one she would contract with.
At the moment everything became certain, thick tears fell from her red eyes.
These weren’t tears of joy or excitement.
It was the moment of finally forming a contract with a spirit and becoming a spirit mage.
Her lifelong spirit was now before her eyes.
From now on, she would no longer be a mere young lady—she would become a spirit mage of the Royal Knights.
Yet the tears filling her eyes carried a bittersweet sadness.
So from now on, I won’t need to receive mana from Elion anymore. This… with Elion… it’s truly over.
Rubiana’s heart, racing rapidly, seemed to plummet to her feet.
