FIDA 13

Chapter 13

‘There’s only one chance.’

I can’t fail.

Jaina opened her eyes slightly and checked her body once more. Slowly, ever so slowly… so that Movan wouldn’t notice.

“Huff… huff… huff…”

And just as the exhausted Movan staggered and lost his balance, Jaina swung her tail and struck his ankle.

Smack!

As he toppled forward, losing his balance completely, she struck his face with all her strength, adjusting for her height.

BANG!

His face collided with the wall, sending a loud vibration through the room. Movan was unconscious.

Exhausted from using her tail while tied up, Jaina too lost her balance and fell to the side.

BANG!

Reversing part of her body to human form while keeping her tail was incredibly difficult—but the tail was an exception.

It was fortunate that Movan hadn’t cared about her tailbone when tying her up.

‘It’s over.’

Jaina checked the fallen Movan repeatedly. In this state, he wouldn’t regain consciousness for quite some time.

I need to run.

I have to run… but…

‘It hurts so much…’

With Movan unconscious, her tension dissolved, and she could no longer keep her eyes open. The reason she had been able to endure until now was sheer mental strength that prevented her from mimicking anyone else.

Her vision blurred, and darkness overtook her. Jaina lost consciousness once more.

By lunchtime, Jaina still hadn’t appeared in the dining hall.

Mikael muttered a curse in a harsh voice that didn’t match his elegant and refined features.

“Ugh, I have no appetite.”

He jabbed at the plain vegetables with his fork, legs bouncing nervously.

Those in the dining hall tried to pretend not to notice, casting sidelong glances, but Mikael’s gaze remained fixed on the entrance.

“Did the old hag eat her?”
“She’s too thin to eat.”

Hilbenza’s delicate lips formed a graceful smile. She responded to Mikael calmly, appearing unbothered—but internally, she was just as irritated as he was. Even though Mikael treated the meal she had prepared with such disregard, she hadn’t said a word.

Unknowingly, a chill began to spread around them.

At that moment, a mage from the tower swallowed nervously and approached them with hesitant steps.

“Um… Mikael, Hilbenza…”

Mikael didn’t even turn his head, resting his chin on the table as if she were invisible.

Seeing the mage flustered, Hilbenza smiled and spoke.

“Oh my, don’t be scared. What’s the matter?”

Though she responded politely, Hilbenza was not someone to be taken lightly. She smiled, yet her demeanor suggested she could take the mage away for study at any moment.

“Um, my companion was found collapsed along the second passage to the library…”

The mage spoke timidly. Mikael remained indifferent.

“I-I’m sorry. I’ll step back…”

The mage retreated, thinking he had overstepped, but his words—excuses though they were—hit sharply in their ears.

“Because my companion was found with someone who seemed like a child you cared for…”

Snap!

As soon as Jaina was mentioned, Mikael magically blocked the mage’s path.

“Ehh?”

The mage recoiled in shock at the invisible barrier. Mikael, unnervingly smiling, asked sharply, a deadly aura emanating from his handsome face.

“You’d better finish your words. What about the child?”

“She—she was unconscious, tightly bound in restraining magic…”

Before the mage could finish, Mikael and Hilbenza had already risen.

Restraining magic?

Could it be that this was why she hadn’t shown up at the dining hall…?

They instantly appeared at the location the mage had mentioned. They didn’t even need to ask which part of the second passage—it was immediately obvious.

“What happened in the tower? Why wasn’t the restraining magic lifted until now?”
“The level was too high. Even Gezes, a master at dispelling, couldn’t break it and collapsed.”
“But why was such a young child alone here, unconscious?”
“Originally, another was with her, but they immediately got up and disappeared.”

The mages surrounding Jaina murmured, excited at the sight, but Mikael lowered his voice with a terrifying expression no one had seen before.

“What’s going on here?”

His voice was low and calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. Everyone froze, unable to move.

Pushing through the crowd, Mikael reached the circle around Jaina and stopped.

…

Jaina’s body was covered in bruises, as if struck with a whip—likely marks from magic. Her wrists and ankles were tightly bound with chains.

‘Who could have done this in the tower…?’

Even though she had no guardian, who would cause trouble in the presence of the tower master? Still, precautionary warnings had been given to the little one…

• Dragons are rare, but adult dragons are strong, so usually only unawakened young dragons are targeted. Adult dragons protect young ones until awakening. But you have no guardian now.

• It can’t be helped. I’ll endure. Thank you for worrying.

• …True, no one would dare cause trouble without the tower master’s permission.

Because they knew Jaina’s location precisely.

• You aren’t an official member of the tower. Even if you disappear suddenly, officially no one can search for you. The tower master dislikes disturbances, so everyone restrains themselves…

Though these were warnings, Mikael had been powerless to prevent Jaina from ending up in this state. He ground his teeth, his eyes flashing, as magic began to swirl around him.

The mages nearby paled. At that moment, only one person could stop Mikael.

“Calm down. Treating Jaina is more urgent.”

It was Hilbenza.

“First, dispel the restraining magic. That’s not my specialty.”

Focused on Jaina, they hadn’t noticed that Hilbenza—a prideful person—had for the first time admitted she couldn’t do something in front of Mikael.

“Who could do this… to her…”

Mikael knelt beside Jaina and extended his hand, channeling his magic.

Vroooom!

The tightly bound magic responded to its new master. The magic forming the restraining spell began to dissipate into the air, bit by bit.

“Whoa…”

White magic crystallized in the air, sparkling. Such a strong manifestation was rare, and the mages whispered in awe. Normally, Mikael would have taken pride in his power, but now even that admiration annoyed him.

A child lay unconscious before him—how could he care about magic now?

He would never have acted this way before, but living with Jaina had gradually changed him.

“She really prepared well… What kind of brat are you…?”

Mikael looked at her carefully. The child, covered in wounds, likely having received no help from anyone. His eyes, calm, slowly closed.

Having spoken those words, he had to take responsibility. And there was someone even more responsible.

Rising from his kneeling position, Mikael said:

“Take care of the little one’s treatment.”
“Where are you going?”

Mikael’s mouth twisted.

“To her father.”

He knew that Diarmid was not bound by blood. He knew that Diarmid and his father were close, and that the elder treated Diarmid kindly, without malice.

Yet Diarmid hadn’t even attended his brother’s funeral. A being without blood or tears. That was the current tower master, Diarmid.

Mikael, too, regarded him not as an uncle but as the tower master. Blood ties meant nothing—he had no reason to.

He stayed at the tower because it could develop his abilities. And he had earned that right through skill, not blood.

Mikael channeled his magic and instantly sped to Diarmid’s study.

“Tower Master.”
“What is it?”
“Your daughter was found collapsed. Another mage, knowing she is a dragon, seems to have planned this.”

Yet… even so, a niece and a daughter aren’t the same. Jaina’s eyes resembled Diarmid’s. Perhaps, harboring resentment toward the Bezlice dragons, he ignored the pull of blood.

‘Even the tower master would change his attitude if he heard a child had been hurt.’

Whether this was good or bad, perhaps this incident would lead him to recognize Jaina as his daughter…

“So?”
“Pardon?”
“What do I care if that dragon lives or dies?”

Once again, Diarmid’s response was not what Mikael expected.

“Dragons are an arrogant species that don’t consider humans equal. If such a species is hurt… fine, let it die.”

His hand tightened. Cold words pierced Mikael, as if reading through him.

“I told you, Mikael Bellafanian. Don’t let your emotions control you.”

So he truly didn’t care whether the child was hurt? How could his expression remain unchanged?

‘Even after being told it’s his daughter…’

Cold words struck Mikael, who lowered his head.