Chapter 60
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Chapter 60
* * *
The next morning, I rose early and went out to purify water.
Apparently, while I was away from the Cabin, Asdal had searched for me like a madman.
No doubt he wanted to ask me for something again, or perhaps drag me out hunting.
"Where else could one witness such a rare sight—a noble Young Lady spearing fish with a harpoon? I'd like to visit the stream again tomorrow. What say you, Young Lady?"
I recalled Asdal's absurd words from the previous night.
If I went hunting with him again, I'd cease to be human. Mines exist to be avoided.
I grimaced and set the coconut vessel filled with purified water on the kitchen table. Then I turned to Rujeep, who sat before the fireplace, and asked him.
"So where is His Highness Asdal, the one who searched for me so frantically?"
"Well, that is...."
Rujeep, who had been brushing his teeth while seated, rolled his eyes with a bewildered expression.
Enoch, descending the Second Floor stairs after finishing the cleanup of Monster remains, spoke to me.
"He went for a walk."
"A walk...?"
The very man who had fussed so much about how dangerous this Forest was had gone for a solitary walk?
"He won't be back for a while."
"I beg your pardon...?"
Enoch spoke with such indifference that I could only close my mouth and say nothing more. Something felt off.
Just then, Kaiden burst into the Cabin, roaring with laughter.
"Hahahaha! Hey, lackey! Did you see outside? Why is the Crown Prince stuck up in a tree? He couldn't get down!"
Upon hearing his words, I turned back to Enoch.
"You said he went for a walk?"
"...."
"Why is His Highness up in a tree?"
If I recalled correctly, Asdal suffered from acrophobia. That's why his chambers in the Royal Palace were situated only on the first or second floor, never higher.
"You were searching for you so persistently... I merely indicated your location."
Enoch answered while avoiding my gaze.
"Why would I be in a tree?"
"...."
"And His Highness Asdal believed that? That pompous prince actually climbed the tree based solely on your word? That makes no sense."
"It doesn't, does it."
Kaiden, who had been listening to our exchange, approached me and draped an arm across my shoulder, grinning at Enoch as though he found the situation hilarious.
"Given Asdal's nature, would he have climbed up there of his own volition? Unless someone knocked him unconscious and placed him there."
"...He was being noisy."
Enoch finally admitted his transgression calmly, and I stared at him in utter astonishment.
He had knocked Asdal unconscious and left him in a tree? What on earth for?
"Until it's time for a meal, he won't bother searching for you. Rest for a while."
Enoch answered matter-of-factly, then gently stroked my head.
After that, he grabbed his sword, saying he was going hunting, and left with a flourish.
* * *
It wasn't until late afternoon that Asdal finally descended to solid ground.
I'd expected him to cause a fuss, but he seemed to have exhausted all his strength overcoming his fear of heights—the moment his feet touched earth, he collapsed into sleep as though his body had simply given out.
Curled up and sleeping before the fireplace, he looked almost pitiable.
Tomorrow was the day I'd finally investigate the location where Yuanna had awakened. Since this was where that crucial clue—the exit key—had been discovered, I needed to search with meticulous care.
I checked my bag several times over, completing all my preparations in advance.
"Margaret."
Kaiden, standing at the cabin entrance, called out to me.
"There's something I'd like you to take a look at."
I slung my crossbody bag over my shoulder and rose from my seat, tilting my head at him with curiosity.
"Something you'd like me to see?"
"Remember that round egg we saw before? The silvery one that looked like a bird's egg?"
He was clearly referring to that small egg we'd discovered while gathering mushrooms with Enoch and Kaiden.
"Why? Didn't we leave that deep in the Forest? Don't tell me it was actually a Monster egg?"
At my startled question, Kaiden shrugged and gestured toward the open doorway with a tilt of his head.
"It's not that serious. Just come see for yourself."
As it happened, neither Enoch nor Rujeep were in the cabin. It would have been better to go together.
With no choice, Kaiden and I ventured out alone.
As I watched Kaiden's broad back leading the way, an ominous premonition suddenly washed over me.
I ran my fingers across the surface of my crossbody bag, verifying that the flares and grenades were securely in place.
"How far do we need to go?"
"We saw it near the Cliff."
The moment Kaiden finished speaking, the towering trees vanished entirely and my vision opened up dramatically. We'd reached the Cliff. Through the gaps in the trees, a broad River sprawled before us.
Kaiden soon came to a halt before the Cliff's edge. He pointed to a round egg positioned directly in front of the precipice.
"Look at this."
The egg was different from what I'd seen before. It had certainly been no larger than a finger last time, but now it appeared to have grown to roughly the size of Kaiden's fist.
I tilted my head, studying the egg precariously perched at the Cliff's edge.
"What I wanted you to see wasn't just the egg—look at the area beneath it too."
Kaiden pointed to the flowers arranged like a nest beneath the egg.
Strangely, every flower had its stem snapped and was withering. It was as though toxic gas were being emitted from the egg itself.
"It must be a Monster egg."
"It seems to be the same egg we saw back then, but it's grown. And what's strange is that its location keeps changing. This isn't where you left it."
At Kaiden's words, I rested my chin in my hand and nodded.
"You're right, it wasn't here."
I remembered placing it deep within the Forest, nestled between trees. We never came out to the Cliff like this. Or wait—was it even the same egg to begin with?
"And the strangest part is something else. You touched this egg back then, remember?"
"Ah... yes, I did."
"I can't touch it."
As Kaiden spoke, he brought his hand toward the egg.
Suddenly, black smoke began billowing from the egg. The dark vapor coiled around it, contorting into a rather aggressive form.
When Kaiden's hand touched the smoke, sparks scattered. He hastily withdrew it.
"Are you alright?"
I gasped and grabbed his hand. Kaiden laughed as if nothing had happened.
"I'm fine. See? The egg is rejecting me."
"But that might not be the same egg we saw back then."
"No, the energy feels similar to what we saw then. Even without magical power, I can still faintly sense the flow and aura."
Kaiden spoke to me with conviction, then made a suggestion.
"Would you like to try touching it?"
"What?"
"It's fine. Trust me."
Kaiden looked at me with an unusually serious expression and nodded. I met his gaze for a moment before slowly lowering my head.
The black smoke emanating from the egg had already subsided. Since it was a Grand Mage speaking, it should be safe, right?
After hesitating, I carefully placed my hand over the silvery egg.
"Huh?"
Just as Kaiden said, I was able to touch the egg. The aggressive black smoke from moments before did not appear.
"Why does it only accept you?"
I lifted my head after touching the smooth egg. Kaiden was staring at me intently.
"I don't know either."
Genuinely perplexed, I pondered this seriously.
As I remained lost in thought, an odd sensation washed over me, and I looked up.
My eyes met Kaiden's, who was staring at me with an expressionless face.
"Kaiden?"
"Something is indeed strange. Why are you the exception?"
A chill ran down my spine, and I stepped back a few paces. But Kaiden closed the distance I had created, staring at me intently.
He rested his chin on his hand and spoke to me in a grave tone.
"Why can you do it while I cannot touch it? Is it because my earring is broken, causing my magical power to stagnate? Is it because the wavelength flowing through me is distorted? But that began to flow smoothly only after you commanded my body to move as you wished."
At Kaiden's words, I fell into thought. In truth, I didn't know the exact method for unblocking the flow of magical power.
Even the Grand Mage called the Sage, Kaiden, didn't know—how could I?
"That's right. I only know that when energy circulates through physical labor, magical power naturally circulates as well. But I don't know the exact reason why."
I rested my chin on my hand, lost in serious contemplation. The original work only mentioned that 'physical strength' had to be consumed, with no further explanation.
And discovering that the flow of magical power could be controlled through labor, not through physical intimacy, was purely by accident.
But could this really be connected to touching this egg? No matter how much I thought about it, there seemed to be no connection. Unusually for Kaiden, he had grasped the wrong point.
Why had he suddenly brought this up?
Then I suddenly realized something.
'Had I ever told Kaiden that I was making him work in order to circulate his magical power smoothly?'
No. I had never directly told him such a thing.
Goosebumps erupted across my skin, and I froze.
"Did you realize why I said this, why I brought you here?"
Seeing my expression, Kaiden smiled.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org