THJDM 38

chapter 38

Rubiana immediately started disciplining her own thoughts.

This is just acting. It’s all fake. So why do I feel so emotionally involved?

She had often heard stories where actors playing lovers in dramas gradually grew closer and ended up actually becoming a couple after the show ended.

“Am I kind of like that too?”

Because they had saved each other’s lives, because they saw each other every day, because they had conspired in lies together, she must have mistaken the closeness for something real.

“It’s all lies. All of it is fake. So pull yourself together.”

Rubiana clenched her teeth tightly as she admonished herself.

“Think of him as a stone. Elion isn’t a human, he’s a stone. Just a grateful stone that shares his magic.”

No matter how grateful she was, she didn’t have the luxury to care about a mere stone.

Any sane person wouldn’t care at all about where a stone is or which stone they’re with.

“Yes. Elion is a stone. Stone! Elion is a stone! Stone is Elion!”

Climbing the stairs to her bedroom, Rubiana repeated this sentence to herself like a magical incantation.

Swish—swish—

“Wow… that’s pouring down!”

After finishing her bath, Rubiana blankly stared at the heavy rain.

For some reason, it felt like bad news was coming with this rain.

It felt ominous.

Shivering, Rubiana quickly drew the curtains closed.

But the thunderous sound of rain pierced even the thick curtains.

“Oh, I’m tired! I’ll just sleep. Go away, rain! Go away now! Come back another day!”

She deliberately muttered to herself in a cheerful voice and crawled into bed.

Just as she closed her eyes to sleep, a commotion came from the hallway.

Unable to resist her curiosity, she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

She caught one of the passing servants and asked:

“What’s happening at this late hour?”

“There’s been a large-scale landslide in the eastern region, and the entire Royal Knights are on alert. Miss Stephanie has just gone out as well.”

“Big sister went out?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Okay. Understood.”

“Then please rest.”

The servant bowed respectfully to Rubiana and left immediately.

Back in bed, Rubiana lay down again, but sleep would not come.

“If the entire Royal Knights are on alert… then Elion must have gone too. I hope nothing bad happens…”

Muttering unconsciously, Rubiana suddenly realized something and pressed her lips together.

What am I doing right now?

She laughed awkwardly at herself for worrying about Elion before anyone else.

Elion is a stone, yet here she was, worrying about a stone. Ridiculous.

“Actually, Elion is the strongest among the Royal Knights.”

So there was no real reason to worry.

Elion, the Swordmaster, was said to be powerful enough to cleave even a massive boulder with a single strike.

Her energy and care should be directed toward others, like her beloved sister Stephanie or her destined partner, Chad.

“Then why am I worrying first about the Black Curtain Duke? Why am I so concerned about a stone…?”

She scolded herself, but it changed nothing.

The incessant rain kept stirring ominous feelings in her.

Rubiana slowly took a deep breath and placed her hand over her chest.

She needed to sort through the tangled thoughts and chaotic emotions.

Suddenly, Elion’s words came to mind.

He had said it was something Hailey had heard from Omar.

“Even though you’re receiving magic, your body is still incomplete until it becomes fully whole. In that state, sudden extreme pain and fainting, like last time… is actually natural.”

Though he tried not to show it, Elion’s voice carried a subtle irritation toward Omar.

“Since the body remains incomplete until fully whole… it’s not strange if sudden problems occur. Then isn’t it the same for Elion?”

Even though he had somewhat stabilized his magic while sharing it with Rubiana, he was still not completely whole.

Just like Rubiana had felt sudden pain at the marketplace, Elion could suddenly have a fever, headache, or magical surge.

The incompleteness of the body was the same for both Rubiana and Elion.

“So… worrying about Elion first, as someone sharing magic with me, isn’t completely unreasonable.”

Rubiana nodded vigorously at her own rational conclusion.

“…But what happened in the original story?”

She slowly tried to recall.

The memory didn’t come immediately, so it probably wasn’t a major episode.

“Hmm…”

Tracing the timeline slowly, she suddenly remembered.

“Ah!”

She jumped up in her bed.

Elion, who had gone to support the landslide site, had been injured on his head and shoulders.

Already unstable, Elion’s magic became even more unsteady because of the injury.

Eventually, Saint Florencia healed his wounds and administered a large amount of magic stabilizer.

“This… was the episode where Elion rapidly became addicted to the magic stabilizer!”

Rubiana’s face twisted in dismay.

An overwhelming sense of anxiety rose, and she almost felt tears welling up.

A burning lump blocked her throat.

She shook her head violently, trying desperately to banish the ominous feeling.

“Maybe he’s fine now? His magic has stabilized since meeting me.”

But there was no certainty.

Although his magic had stabilized, as Omar had said, he was still not completely whole.

It wouldn’t be surprising if his condition suddenly worsened.

Rubiana covered her face with both hands.

Haah… a heavy, sighing exhale escaped her.

“I must go to Elion before Saint Florencia gives him the stabilizer. I must not let him take it. Never!”

Listening to the heavy rain, Rubiana methodically thought through what she could do.

She noticed her communication bracelet on her wrist.

“What if I warn him of the danger immediately via the communicator? Could he be safe then?”

Thinking it would be useless, she shook her head.

He wouldn’t believe her.

Even if he did, the commander of the Royal Knights would not abandon the dangerous site.

“Right. I just have to wait for now.”

The most natural way to help him was to arrive at his side before the saint did.

Elion had not rejected her help.

This time, it was her turn to save Elion, Rubiana thought.

She could not let the saint take him.

She could not allow him to become the Black Curtain while addicted to magic stabilizer.

She could not allow him to become an enemy of the empire.

“This is… not for some stone. It’s for me. I need to receive his magic… so I have to help him, that’s all.”

Darrow, in the eastern part of the empire, was more than a week’s ride from the capital.

But in emergencies, military teleport tunnels in strategic areas could be used.

At 5 a.m., the Royal Knights led by Elion arrived in Darrow in three hours.

The young lord of Darrow, Count Stohl, personally came out to greet the Royal Knights.

The unexpected natural disaster had left the count pale.

They stood before Mount Zenbaum in the heavy rain.

“We increased logging in the past year. Over the last ten years, rainfall was scarce, so we never imagined a landslide could occur from heavy rain.”

The count’s voice trembled.

“Let’s leave that story for later. Which areas were affected?”

“Mount Zenbaum is the largest in our region. There are twelve villages adjoining it, and five suffered landslides.”

“Oh no…”

Elion frowned at the higher-than-expected number.

“We have dispatched our soldiers to handle the five affected villages. The Royal Knights should help evacuate residents from the remaining areas.”

“Understood. Divide into seven teams and depart immediately.”

At Elion’s command, the captains moved quickly.

Fred, observing Elion’s complexion carefully, spoke cautiously.

“Your Highness, you look unwell. Are you feeling any discomfort?”

“Ah… I felt a slight fever and now a headache. It had been fine for a while.”

“Shall I prepare medicine?”

“No, it’s not serious enough for medicine.”

Although Elion waved off the concern, Fred’s brow remained furrowed with worry.

“Understood. If your condition worsens, command me immediately.”

“Good.”

Listening to the relentless rain, Elion recalled Omar’s words.

Because the body is incomplete, it could suddenly worsen without warning.

Just like Rubiana experienced in the marketplace.

“Once this is done, I must return to the capital and meet with her first.”

Thinking of Rubiana, the slight fever and headache seemed to subside.

Perhaps he had grown accustomed to exchanging magic with her.

What had once felt like a weakness, a shackle, was now no longer so.

“So… this has become my normal, has it?”

A faint smile gently appeared on Elion’s lips as he thought of Rubiana.