DBOFS 87

Chapter 87

Of course, Jade did not run away.

“What?”

Her previously muddled mind suddenly cleared. Too much information had rushed in all at once, and now her scattered thoughts came to a halt.

“Run away? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Jade was bewildered.

She could accept that she was a fairy… at least after cross-verifying with the talking tree, Danuren Cusette, and Adrian.

And the concept of “imprinting” wasn’t entirely impossible either.

‘I’ve always, strangely, been weak and lenient toward Adrian.’

Even after he threw her to the rampaging Harris, she hadn’t wished him dead. Even when she was captured by a magician in the crumbling castle and turned into a stone, she had cried.

‘Hmm, why is that? He kind of reminds me of my sister.’

Her eldest sister, K, had been strict and believed that she alone should bear the family’s responsibilities.

Perhaps because of that, she often ordered her younger sister around without compromise.

As a child, Jade had found it annoying and irritating, but after falling ill, she felt guilty and weak in front of her sister, who silently bore all responsibilities without complaint.

‘Maybe I really did imprint Adrian as my protector.’

It was strange, but Adrian didn’t feel like a stranger. He reminded her of her sister.

‘Come to think of it, in the beginning, I even mistook him for my sister.’

It made sense why she felt a strong desire to save Adrian, why she didn’t want him to die no matter what.

And it was probably true that he wasn’t a guide, since he had matched her “Absorption Technique” perfectly.

‘No matter how I look at it, that doesn’t seem like a guide skill…’

But losing her memory again, him smashing the Time Stone like trash, and suddenly telling her to run from Harris—none of it made any sense, no matter how she tried to understand.

‘What on earth is he talking about?’

So much information was pouring in that it was no longer shocking—it was ridiculous.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Adrian—”

“Brother.”

“…….”

That “brother” thing… Jade’s confused eyes hardened.

Thinking about it, her sister used to react the same way. If Jade shouted, “Hey, I’m not Jenna!” her sister would say, “Don’t call me sister?!” and wrap her in a blanket.

Memories of childhood sibling quarrels came flooding back, and Jade immediately bowed her head respectfully.

“Y-Yes, Brother? I don’t understand what you mean at all.”

“That figures. You probably don’t remember anything.”

“…….”

Adrian sighed and shook his head, his expression blatantly treating her like a fool. Jade felt a bit irritated.

“You don’t understand why you need to run?”

“Yes… why all of a sudden—”

“First, you’re not Harris’ guide. Rather, you’re a fraud using his magical power.”

“W-What?”

“Harris Godwin, suspicious and cruel toward betrayers, will never let you go.”

“……!”

Jade’s eyes widened.

“But…!”

Jade opened her mouth to immediately object.

All she had done for Harris. The time and trust they had shared, perhaps even the friendship that might have been love…

‘Jade.’

All of it echoed in her mind along with the voice calling her name and the kind, red eyes watching her.

“But all of that started with the basic assumption that you were his guide.”

“…….”

“Do you really think Harris Godwin would treat you the same way if he knew from the beginning that you had deceived him?”

She wanted to say no. At first, she had told Harris she wasn’t a guide.

‘But does that mean it wasn’t deception?’

She had guided him several times using Adrian’s aura. The first time had been a misunderstanding, but she had exploited that misunderstanding herself.

“You know better than anyone that he wouldn’t.”

“…….”

Jade couldn’t argue.

The memory of Harris saying he wouldn’t forgive betrayal—or rather, he would kill her—was too vivid.

‘Not just once, but like a constant greeting.’

The most recent time was a few weeks ago, during the night of the banquet.

And as Adrian said, she had ultimately betrayed Harris. Realizing reality, Jade’s face turned pale.

‘Would Harris forgive me if he knew the truth?’

Harris, suspicious and merciless. Even though she had acted for him, he had said he would kill her if she betrayed him.

Would such a Harris really understand and forgive her for not deliberately deceiving him?

Would he look at her with the same gentle gaze, the same voice full of trust?

‘…Scary.’

She was afraid because she couldn’t be certain.

The threats she had heard so many times, the cruel, indifferent face that had tried to kill her countless times in the underground prison, wouldn’t leave her mind.

It was natural—less than a year had passed since then.

She wanted to trust him. Just like he had said, “I will try to trust you.”

But her heart instinctively feared, and the uncertain future made Jade see “running away” as a convincing option.

“Even so…”

Jade looked at Adrian with trembling eyes.

Even if the idea of running seemed plausible, her emotions were separate.

“I don’t want to run.”

Foolish as it was, she didn’t want to leave Harris. She wanted to stay by his side.

She enjoyed the days spent together. She loved his slightly softened, low voice, and the rare moments when his red eyes curved.

‘I want to stay like this forever.’

Like a childish dream, Jade wished so.

Adrian’s eyes flickered with sadness and pity as he noticed her.

‘You, again….’

But Jade could not read his expression.

“What happens if I don’t leave?”

She was desperately clinging to hope.

“I still… have been by Harris’ side…”

“Helping him, pretending to be a fake guide successfully?”

Adrian sighed and stroked her cheek.

“Jade, that was only possible because you were using my power.”

“…….”

The gentle touch contrasted with his merciless words, leaving Jade breathless.

Clicking his tongue sympathetically, Adrian spoke.

“Yes, perhaps you could continue living beside Harris Godwin as a fake calming agent.”

What he said was hope.

“One fundamental reason Harris goes berserk is that his magical energy is excessive—dangerously so.”

“…….”

“So your Absorption Technique isn’t entirely useless.”

That reminded her of the deep kiss with Harris in the Unknown Dungeon, and her hand blackened from the contact.

‘So that’s why Harris calmed down.’

She had absorbed the excessive magical power, preventing his ability from running wild.

It could help. But even at this hopeful revelation, Jade’s eyes trembled with anxiety, not relief.

Because Adrian had told her a hopeful truth, she could no longer deny his words.

“But that’s only possible if he awakened normally as an Ability User.”

“…What does that mean?”

“You know.”

Adrian tilted his head to her.

“Harris Godwin didn’t awaken normally.”

Yes, she knew. She had seen it with <Shichen Gui>.

The young Harris, newly awakened, had been trapped in the Godwin Duke’s underground chambers with no care or protection.

“Surviving the first awakening as a child was pure luck… or rather, a world-class misfortune. Eventually, he became linked with the Ancient Beast, the Void.”

Indeed, inheriting the Void’s abilities was no luck.

That overwhelming power was excessively dangerous.

“Since he didn’t awaken normally the first time, the danger of the second awakening is even greater.”

Don’t say it. Jade silently pleaded.

“And at that time, a fake calming agent like you won’t work.”

Don’t say it—!

Even hearing Jade’s silent scream, Adrian did not stop.

“The reason Harris Godwin hasn’t awakened now is the same. The second awakening approaches, so proper guiding is needed—”

“—Stop!”

Jade shoved Adrian away.

“I understand already, please stop….”

Her face was a mess, soaked with tears.

Pitiful.

Adrian reached out, as if to wipe her wet face, but Jade turned away.

“So.”

Her voice sank, resigned to reality.

“What exactly am I supposed to do?”

“…….”

“No matter what you say, I can’t leave right now.”

Her clear azure eyes were red from crying but still shone with purpose.

“Harris needs guiding, Adrian.”

“-Brother.”

“…….”

She wavered briefly.

“Jade, are you going to argue again? You always do this.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Jade’s sudden apology made her eyes sparkle for a moment.

“…Right. If what you say is true, I can’t leave Harris as he is.”

If Harris’ current inability to awaken is indeed a sign of his second awakening, she especially couldn’t leave.

“Promise me, Brother.”

Jade had initially planned to negotiate.

She wanted to ask Adrian to guide Harris and intended to give him the Time Stone.

But both options had been destroyed.

‘Instead,’

Jade tightly held Adrian’s hand hovering in the air.

“…!”

Adrian’s violet eyes widened at her voluntary touch.

“You’ll guide Harris now?”

Betting everything on the possibility that she truly was Adrian’s sister, Jade pleaded.

“I’ll be there for his second awakening, and whenever he needs guidance in the future…”

Adrian had wanted to ask why, but he fell silent as he met Jade’s desperate blue eyes.

“Please, promise me.”

A plea…

After a while, Adrian grimaced but replied, “Alright.”

“On one condition.”

Harris opened his eyes two days later.