"There’s not a single thing we have in common, so what are you misunderstanding?"
Of course, Idette and I were different!
And that wasn’t even what I meant just now.
My lips parted in disbelief. Then Peril frowned, as if he was offended by me.
"More importantly, you're doubting me again."
"That's not it, I said that because I thought Idette might be in danger."
I barely managed to say what I wanted.
"That child is fine. She has plenty of protectors."
So she avoided being kidnapped.
As I let out a sigh of relief, Peril’s eyes, fixed on me, were filled with suspicion.
"……Did you perhaps already know that Idette was in danger?"
I flinched.
"His Highness gave me a heads-up before the ball."
I lied smoothly, but Peril’s gaze remained unchanged.
It wasn’t an obvious lie though.
There’s no way there’s a magic that reads your inner thoughts… right?
"Let’s go. The night is shorter than you think."
Afraid he’d ask more questions, I urged him and got up from my seat.
Peril, who had been silently watching me, let out a small sigh.
"Fine."
"……And thank you for keeping your promise."
At my words, Peril looked puzzled.
Saying thank you never came naturally. I awkwardly continued.
"Well... it’s not like I’m used to being alone in situations like this."
"You’re thankful to me?"
Peril chuckled.
"You heard me just now, so why are you asking again?"
"Then how about calling me by name from now on?"
Because of his casual tone, I almost missed what he said.
As soon as I realized what he meant, I shook my head firmly.
"That would be too rude."
"……."
"You’re older than my grandfather."
"……Tsk."
Peril clicked his tongue and stood up.
Was he upset? But I just didn’t have the courage to call him by name.
He didn’t seem to be in a great mood, and without even a signal, he began walking off alone.
No matter how I looked at it, Peril really was a petty person.
I quickly followed behind him.
"Then what about grandfather? I don’t give that title to just anyone."
"……."
"Then what about grandmother? I saw last time—you looked good in women’s clothing."
At my words, Peril glared at me without a word.
…Yeah, even I had to admit that the grandmother one was too much.
* * *
The Drimokan walls we faced once again were towering.
Could I really get over this place…?
Just as that doubt crept in, Peril silently began wrapping my arm with a piece of cloth.
"Why are you doing this?"
"It’ll protect you. Since you’re entering by force, Drimokan’s barrier magic will try to push you out."
Then, over the cloth, he tied the vine I had brought.
"I’ll use the root you brought to teleport you."
"…I’m going alone, right?"
"If I enter too, the boundary will get even stronger. You wouldn’t want that, would you?"
Peril said playfully.
"Then how do I come back?"
"You have to recite the spell."
Alone…
I hoped nothing would happen.
But now that I was about to enter Drimokan, nervousness crept in.
"Um, you’ll wait for me, right?"
Peril didn’t respond to my question.
This man, seriously!
In desperation, I grabbed the hem of his robe.
"P-Please wait for me. I’ll be right back."
"Hmm. Should I…?"
"I’ll listen to you well from now on! I’ll also bring back the item you requested, quickly!"
Peril tilted his head.
"I don’t expect that much."
"Then…"
"That’s enough, just go. I’ll be waiting."
He’s seriously the worst!
Why is he playing with people’s feelings even at a time like this!
Still, I felt relieved.
"What’s the activation phrase for the spell?"
As if he had been waiting, Peril answered immediately.
"Peril."
"……."
"You don’t like it?"
I quickly shook my head.
"I like it. I really like it."
Only then did Peril smile brightly and place his hand on my forehead.
"Off you go."
A warmth began to spread from my forehead throughout my body.
As my body felt lighter, Peril’s voice began to fade.
“What did you just say……?”
The moment I questioned him, my vision completely shifted.
Startled, I looked around, and before I knew it, Peril was gone, leaving only a familiar landscape around me.
“……!”
No, was it right to call it familiar?
The last time I was here, it had definitely been a place like a ruin. A forest so densely packed it was almost grotesque…….
Maybe it was the faint moonlight filtering through the dark woods. It felt mysterious. I brushed past the leaves growing below and walked toward the World Tree.
“……My goodness.”
The sprout that had been no more than a tiny life had grown before I knew it. The sprout, now as tall as me, no longer looked like something that could be called dead.
‘There’s no way he wouldn’t have noticed this.’
It was the moment I fully understood why Brandon had come to find me.
While I was momentarily distracted by the World Tree, I quickly searched for Eileens.
I was sure I had seen her around here…….
Retracing my memory, I went to the spot where she had been sitting, but it was empty.
Only traces remained where someone had sat for a long time.
‘So it really wasn’t a statue.’
More importantly, the empty seat meant she was wandering this forest.
A chill suddenly ran down my spine.
That was when it happened.
Someone grabbed my wrist.
“……!”
At the sudden cold touch, I reflexively slapped the hand away.
“S-sorry!”
It was a young girl. She looked even more startled than I was and raised her hands in a gesture of surrender.
……Who was she?
The girl seemed to have been in the forest for a long time—her hair was so long it trailed along the ground.
I was sure it was a face I had never seen before, yet it felt familiar somehow.
Come to think of it, her voice hadn’t felt unfamiliar either.
A name suddenly came to mind, and I called it out.
“……Eileens?”
Then she smiled brightly and grabbed my hand.
“You remembered me!”
Even though I was the one who said her name, I felt confused.
Wasn’t she older than this the last time I saw her……?
“You remembered our promise, didn’t you? That’s why you came to save me, right?”
The flood of questions only added to my confusion.
“W-wait a second.”
I pulled my hand away from hers to organize my thoughts.
Wasn’t it already incomprehensible that someone I had written off as a statue was speaking?
This much was nothing……!
“Sorry. I came back to find you because I couldn’t remember the promise you mentioned.”
The moment I finished speaking, Eileens’s expression turned cold. Her expression changed so fast, I got scared.
“M-maybe if I get your help, I’ll remember something? Then I can keep the promise!”
“I can’t do anything about your memories.”
Eileens muttered in a gloomy voice. Then she glanced at the chains binding her ankle.
“I’m someone trapped in Drimokan.”
“Then tell me the promise we made. That should be possible, right?”
Eileens seemed to think for a moment.
“……Do you think you can understand me?”
Her voice sounded strangely self-deprecating.
She let out a deep sigh and began walking. The chains clinking harshly with every step looked incredibly uncomfortable.
I hurried to follow her.
“……Isn’t there a way to break those chains?”
“Let’s talk about that later. For now, can you tell me about the world outside?”
Eileens changed the subject.
“What kind of person am I out there?”
At that moment, I was speechless.
The current Eileens was someone forgotten by the world. In the original story, she had been an archmage more brilliant than anyone.
When I couldn’t answer easily, Eileens responded with an expression that said she already knew.
“It’s okay. I already know.”
“…….”
“Did you know? For a mage, leaving behind their name is the most important thing?”
I quietly shook my head.
“The reason Peril became an archmage is the same. People recognize him as the Tower Master. That’s why he has such strong power.”
Eileens let out a soft laugh.
“That’s also why Idette can’t use my power yet. People don’t know she’s a mage.”
“…….”
“The more people remember you, the stronger a mage becomes.”
So that was the reason Idette couldn’t use her powers yet.
“But there are also mages with great magic regardless of their name. What do you think happens if such a mage’s name gets erased?”
“……Their power weakens?”
“No. They become controlled by magic.”
Eileens pointed at the chains.
“Magic was born from the desire to benefit people. If you lose your name, the mage ends up controlled by the origin of magic. Regardless of their own will.”
I swallowed dryly.
This was clearly Eileens’s own story.
‘……Then what was the original story I read?’
As doubt crept in, Eileens turned toward me.
“More importantly, what would you like me to call you?”
“……What?”
“Is Bianca okay too?”