Chapter 58

Translator: Yonnee

—

It was only after Alei said this that he realized he was livid.

He didn’t usually get this angry, but he realized belatedly that the sense of disconnect that he was feeling since earlier was anger.

The moment his rationality snapped, his mana, which he always suppressed, moved as though it was running rampant. He didn’t even need to set up a formula or utter an incantation.

Mages who were at Alei’s level were often able to wield something called unspoken magic. In other words, it was such a level that a mage of his caliber could immediately conjure his thoughts into reality.

He normally used just a little less than a tenth of his strength while suppressing it, but right now, that control was nowhere to be seen.

No. In fact, this much still showed his patience.

If Alei really wanted to kill Ian, up his arsenal were more than twenty kinds of fatal spells he could use off the top of his head.

The reason he was holding back was simple—because it wasn’t up to him to do this.

Even so, his formidable force was apparent.

‘I knew that Alei’s power was great, but this…’

Seeing it like this, it felt like she had realized it anew.

Ophelia took a few steps away from Ian and took in a deep breath as she thought this.

The shock she was feeling now was similar to when she saw him calming down the turbulent waves of the sea at once.

Of course, she had seen Alei use magic often before. Usually, it was at the scale as light as a firecracker, but this felt like watching a raging fire engulf an entire house.

After just a few words, with a gentle nod of the head, she could feel just what kind of person he was.

As far as she knew, there were only a few people who could beat Ian by force.

Even so, she couldn’t believe that Ian couldn’t move right now.

‘But this is dangerous.’

Such violent strength like this would obscure right from wrong.

Ophelia took Alei’s hand, and his golden eyes headed towards her. She wondered if it was an exaggeration to say that he didn’t seem human.

Innate fear took hold of Ophelia, like goosebumps that would rise the moment you face a beast with nothing to defend yourself with.

It was something she never felt even as she faced Sante or any other threat. Perhaps this was proof enough of how dangerous Alei really was.

And if this couldn’t be controlled, it seemed like this strength would be a danger to Alei himself. Ophelia couldn’t put it into words, but it felt like that for her.

So Ophelia could barely stop herself from letting go. She made an effort to hold onto him, then she spoke.

“Alei. Stop now.”

“…I don’t understand. He was the one who treated you recklessly.”

“So you’re thinking of really killing him? This is becoming too dangerous, so stop now.”

“Ophelia. Are you trying to be considerate towards that man?”

At his question, Ophelia glanced at Ian, then looked back at Alei.

Shining like that of a predatory bird’s gaze, Alei’s bright golden eyes remained on Ophelia all the while.

Meeting that steadfast gaze, Ophelia spoke.

“It’s not sympathy for him. I’m worried about you.”

“…Me? This is nothing, so—”

“Alei. This is nothing like calming the waves.”

Something like this wasn’t beyond his capabilities to begin with, and it wasn’t something that he needed to exert some effort into either. It didn’t even matter whether it was something easy or something difficult.

What’s important here was that Alei might cross a line.

“If you get swept away by your emotions here and accidentally kill Ian, what guarantee do you have that it won’t happen again? Will you attack me next?”

“Ophelia, what are you saying…”

“If you won’t do that, then release it now.”

Right now.

Alei was horrified by her words. His expression immediately crumpled, and the man who looked like a beast just now turned into a puppy getting soaked in the rain. Ian, who was being pressed flat on the floor, was then released from the spell as though his back had bounced up.

“Cough, cough!”

However, as he was still unable to shake off the shock on his body from being crushed, Ian couldn’t pull himself together and continued crouching into himself on the floor, looking as though he was about to die.

With a frown, Ophelia turned away.

Although he looked more relaxed, Alei still couldn’t hide his hostility.

‘There are also other things to solve, but.’

This needed to be dealt with first.

After sighing inwardly, Ophelia slightly pulled on Alei’s arm.

“Let’s go see the ocean for a bit, Alei.”

“…If you want to.”

So, they left that place.

Only Ian was left behind, still knocked down on the floor.

* * *

“Cough, cough!”

Ian was coughing so much that his face became red, and it wasn’t until he caught his breath that he barely got up from the ground.

It was fortunate that his ribs didn’t break. Perhaps if it was someone else, his organs would have already burst. However, being that Ian’s body had been crushed down, there’s no way that he wouldn’t stumble.

When he spat out, blood came out as well. He had chewed on the inside of his cheek while trying to endure. As he wiped his mouth, he gritted his molars.

‘That damn bastard.’

Ian had heard a lot about Alejandro’s abilities, but it was his first time experiencing it firsthand. Even while Ian was struggling like an insect, Alejandro looked as though he never moved.

That’s how strong his power was.

‘I can’t leave such a scoundrel next to Ophelia.’

Above all, it was that demeanor.

When Alejandro was looking at Ian, he looked as horrendous as a beast. But the moment Ophelia reached out to him, he softened at just a few words.

Even if those two could not feel it, this change was clearly evident in the eyes of someone watching.

Ophelia said that her relationship with Alei was just platonic, but was it the same for Alei? Ian didn’t think so, and what he already expected had become reality.

Leaning on the table, Ian gripped it with force.

‘I’ll have to get rid of him first.’

After that, Ophelia might change her mind about abandoning Ian.

No. It’s only a matter of course.

As he continued to make these pledges, Ian breathed in, his expression tinged with deep regret.

* * *

Shwaaa, the waves crashed onto the shore.

Ophelia walked over the white sand, looking back at Alei.

“Now, have you calmed down?”

“…Yes, I have.”

Alei still didn’t look better, but he answered still.

Ever since Alei teleported here to the beach with Ophelia a while ago, his expression had been that way.

His face was saying exactly this, that he was still as dissatisfied as before, but he wouldn’t speak about it and would just keep it to himself.

He was torn between wanting to ask Ophelia why she was in Ian’s room or telling her about what he talked to the other mages about. Even as he wanted to say he found a clue regarding the recovery of his memories, Alei’s expression showed no signs of improvement.

“Is it because I was too harsh on you?”

“No, it’s not like that. I’m not mad at you.”

Alei paused for a moment. Perhaps he needed to take in a deep breath. After barely catching his breath, he opened his lips to speak.

“I… The fact that there are many people who just treat you however they want, to be honest, I hate it.”

He hated it so much to the point that he was shaking.

To him, Ophelia seemed to be like a shining person far out of reach. What was the reason for his agitation over why everyone shouldn’t be treating her like that?

A memory overlapped the sight before him—along with the fluttering rain of flowers around him, he saw Ophelia plummeting from a terrace.

The terrace had been quite far high up from the ground, and the garden was even surrounded by a sharp fence. If he hadn’t caught her, what would have happened to Ophelia?

Just thinking about it made him shudder.

But whenever something like this happened, it felt like Alei could see the hands shoving against her.

Everyone kept pushing Ophelia to the brink. With such a reality, Alei couldn’t blame Ophelia for attempting to take her own life.

He hated it.

“It doesn’t seem like anyone respects you. Why is everyone so hell-bent on not leaving you alone? That aide of yours, that younger half-sister of yours, that fief lord, too. And even that man…”

No one else but you looks so brilliant in my eyes. There’s no one else who’s as noble as you are to me.

“I— Even calling your name is always so heavy to me right here, but…”

In the end, after going around in circles, he was here once again.

In a deep, hollow fissure between his low position and his high pride.

A lowly, crude position. That’s where he was.