ã€ŠI Raised A Black Dragonã€‹


 Chapter 1

    A witch, roaming around the market, eyed an egg dumped in the corner of a street.

    ¡°These would be good enough for at least five days,¡± she thought as she picked the unusuallyrge egg, tenfold of its original size, up.

    Enthused by such luck, the witch hurried home to treat herself with some fillet.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    Expecting only a big yellow yolk and its whites, the witch was greeted instead with a creature wrapped in a thin film of fluid.

    A creature with scaly skin, a tail, a jagged jaw with rows of teeth, and spinal nodes running down its back.

    The beast wriggled inside the egg, forcing the shell to copsepletely.

    Unable toprehend the situation, the witch simply stared nkly at it.

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Only then did it ur to her that the beast was none other than a dragon: a legendary creature that appeared briefly during the days of the Old Goblin Era and disappeared since then. Now, merely a decoration at the back of an encyclopedia.

    There are numerous stories about how yolks and egg whites of a chicken egg explode from within; it can also happen to quails. Such things aremon knowledge.

    But who would believe a story of a person who, upon cracking open an egg, encounters a baby dragon instead?

    *

    Park Noah. Isn¡¯t it the name of amoner? Ironically, her life was not at all ordinary.

    She had been sucked into a novel, caught in a romance fantasy of another world. When she died from overwork, she wandered into a different world. The knowledge of the world and of the body she upied instantly assimting into her own.

    She became the supporting character in the novel¡ªa viin born solely to indulge in evilness. The witch¡¯s name is Eleonora Asil. However, despite being powerful enough to surpass the world¡¯s strongest position, her sovereignty soon plummeted as the protagonists defeated her.

    Eleonora, who hid against her enemies, unfortunately, died without anyone knowing, which means that Park Noah, who reincarnated as the witch, will take responsibility for Eleonora¡¯s actions.

    However, wanting to live as she pleases, the new Eleonora had no intention, by all means, to be involved with the novel¡¯s plot, which she had managed to do for thest two years.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Why did this little dragon have to appear before me?¡± she muttered.

    The beast, unfit to be food, was washed clean and wrapped in a nket. Distraught, Noah could only look at the dragon desperately pping its wings.

    The witch let out a deep sigh.

    The dragon was supposed to be the pet of the heroine, and also Eleonora¡¯s death.

    ording to the plot, the heroine, Lenia, was to pick up the egg and imprint on the dragon that came out of it.

    Instead, the witch had broken the egg first.

    Park Noah clicked her tongue, in deep thought of what to do with the lost beast. ¡°Why did youe to the wrong person, child?¡± I¡¯d better return the dragon, right? How ironic. I didn¡¯t want any involvement from this.

    The next day, Noah sent the dragon, safely wrapped in a nket inside a cage, to the capital by special delivery. The recipient, the heroine, Countess Lenia Valtalere. The sender, of course, unknown.

    Soon, the witch was informed that the delivery wasplete.

    Noah attempted to calm her nerves, anxious for any mishap to ur. ¡°Everything will be fine, Noah. Things would be the way they were exactly before. My peaceful life will remain as it is!¡± the witch convinced herself.

    Or so she thought.

    *

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    Noah woke up to the sight of the baby dragon, which she supposedly returned, pping its wings in front of the firece. Bewildered, her mouth agape. Am I dreaming? She pulled her nightcap down and forcibly rubbed her eyes to test if the beast was merely an illusion.

    As she removed the nightcap from her eyes, the dragon was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Noah let out a sigh of relief.

    She fixed her nightcap, intending to sleep again. The room had be chilly, she thought, so she snapped her fingers, and the mes grew big.

    ¡°Okay¡­I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡±

    She muttered and returned to her bed.

    Suddenly, Noah felt a tug.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    There it is!

    The baby dragon was clutching the ends of her nightgown.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    Hesitant, she pretended not to see the dragon and shifted her step. Unfortunately, her gown stretched into a tear.

    My polka-dot nightgown. This set was a limited edition of the Frill Happy Night¡¯s Wardrobe, which I paid much for! This was my favorite¡­

    She nced at the creature again. This time, there was sympathy in her eyes.

    Hold on, a truce!

    The baby dragon¡¯s mouth rxed. Once she secured the condition of her gown, with a wave of her hand, the nket that had been ced in front of the firece flew like ddin¡¯s magic carpet. Then, she wrapped the dragon tightly with it.

    The baby dragon cooed.

    ¡°Whoops.¡±

    It¡¯s my victory.

    Noah smiled contentedly, shaking her hands off.

    If there is one thing I benefited from this body, it is her magical ability.

    Eleonora was a witch who possessed magical powers powerful enough to be branded as the most wicked viin. Also, an infamous inventor of magical items.

    Currently, Park Noah owns the body of Eleonora. Hence, she could not perform the deceased witch¡¯s magic perfectly. But, her talent in inventing magical items remained as it is.

    With merely a flick of a hand, she could control the mes or make her opponents fly and fall. A 100-year-old automatic bazooka that persistently harassed the heroines in a novel or a machete that pokes the opponent¡¯s vital parts as long as you set up a target would be easy.

    The great witch, Eleonora, kept a record of instructions for everything, which was very convenient for Park Noah, who couldn¡¯t memorize everything at one go.

    In short, she has control over everything in her house.

    It¡¯s a piece of cake to subdue a baby dragon!

    Meanwhile, the baby dragon wrapped securely in a nket, tottered away. He staggered and eventually fell to his side.

    The nket slid off, revealing a pair of big swollen eyes, brimming with tears.

    The dragon hupped. The fragile humanness underneath the witch¡¯s apathetic facade was moved, her conscience attacked.

    ¡°Eh¡­What am I going to do with this little boy¡­¡±

    Noah eventually gave in to its cuteness and found herself crouching in front of the dragon. She scooped the dragon into her arms and removed the nket that was almost suffocating it.

    Only then did she notice how big,pared to yesterday when it just came out of its egg, the dragon has already be. Just the day before, the dragon was all wrinkly and couldn¡¯t even open its eyes. Now, its skin is tight, and its eyes wide open.

    She tickled the dragon under its moist chin.

    ¡°Baby.¡±

    The dragon cooed.

    ¡°Were you shipped to the wrong address?¡±

 Chapter 2

    I must have written the wrong address. Was it returned, then? The distance from Sorrent, where I am, to the capital of Tezeba, however, takes about five days to get back and forth, even with the fastest delivery service.

    What happened? Surely, I put the dragon in a cage and secured its lock so it won¡¯t open. Even if it was unlocked¡­

    Noah looked down and observed the thin fluttering wings of the baby dragon.

    This thing can hardly walk properly, how much more fly? It seemed something had gone wrong, and the package was returned before it even arrived in the capital.

    Still, she wondered how the baby dragon entered her house. Maybe the door was open, she thought. Worn out, Park Noah tried to clear her mind with the mind-boggling questions and kindly patted the dragon¡¯s head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure you return to your rightful mother.¡±

    After rummaging her warehouse, Noah brought out an expensive, quality cage that isrger, softer, and stronger. She also grabbed a bottle, washed it clean, and filled it with warm milk to ease the baby dragon¡¯s hunger and quench its thirst on the way.

    ¡°Yes, is this the post office?¡±

    She turned the telephone on and connected to the post office and applied for a premium express delivery service with an especially doubled amount. The shipping map this time was confirmed correctly:

    <b>The capital, Tezeba, No. 35 in Ezet, the Countess Valtalere.</b>

    ¡°Keee!¡±

    The cage shook as the dragon twisted and turned inside. Noah was clueless.

    ¡°Baby! Just a little! Hang in there!¡±

    The dragon wailed.

    ¡°This time, we¡¯ll be in the capital in two days! Understand?¡±

    Tears welled up in the baby dragon¡¯s dark, red eyes. Her heart sank at the sight. Noah hesitated for a while but eventually opened the lid of the cage slightly.

    ¡°This is something I treasure, and I am giving it to you.¡±

    She ced her nightcap on the dragon¡¯s head, handed it the bottle, and closed the cage.

    Goodbye, my limited edition nightcap. Goodbye, sweet child who almost disrupted my peaceful life. Go to your mother and grow up full of love!

    *

    The next morning, Noah woke up in high spirits, satisfied. The dragon gone; peace and quiet remain. She hummed her way to the kitchen and prepared for herself a cup of tea. Today will be another day of peace, she thought, almost skipping in delight.

    Until a clonk was heard from the window. There she caught the little dragon, sneaking its way in.

    Again, the dragon was wrapped up and sent. It wasn¡¯t until the third time that she realized that the damn little dragon had no intention of leaving her.

    I don¡¯t think I will go to the hostess myself. I don¡¯t know what this dragon did, but he must have destroyed the cage and flown all the way to this ce!

    By that time, Noah, who was sweet at first, became more hostile toward the dragon. ¡°Hey, dragon.¡± She called the little dragon who had settled down in front of the firece.

    The smart creature pretended not to hear her call, now that he knew he¡¯d be tied up to the cage again.

    The dragon had grown immensely for just a couple of days. Only yesterday, it had already worn out its forearms; the wings also changed from vinyl-like film to steel-ss-like rigid wings.

    Do dragons grow this fast? she asked herself.

    The witch became more anxious.

    ording to the novel, when a dragon reaches the incubation period, it begins to develop an attachment to human beings. Among them, he finds his favorite human and does what he calls ¡®inscription¡¯. Imprinting is an essential process for dragons, beings of other worlds, to exist properly on earth.

    Obviously, from what she had read, the heroine, Lenia, makes a personal vow with the dragon within a month after hatching the dragon. And the dragon, imprinting on the host, humanizes itself as a boy.

    A month. Actually, it¡¯s enough time to send him back or whatever. But why am I so anxious?

    Today, there was one thing entirely different from thest five days.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    A child with ck curly hair and dark red eyes walked toward her. He was a little boy who, about two or three years old.

    What on earth?

 Chapter 3

    What does this mean? Did the dragon already imprint on me? Eleanora pped her hand on her forehead. The baby dragon has already humanized itself.

    ¡°¡­No!¡± The witch grabbed her nightcap and screamed at the child, holding onto her calf. ¡°No, you beast!¡±

    ¡°Buh!¡±

    Damn it. Eventually, Noah embraced the child in her arms and fed him with the bottle of milk. Desperate, she tried to rationalize the absurd situation.

    It doesn¡¯t make sense to leave a dragon egg at the corner of a street in the first ce. It would be more believable that someone intentionally left it on where I often go. Then who?

    No one knows me in this world, but I know quite a few who know Eleanora, the true master of this body. The problem is I don¡¯t know those people personally.

    Giving up, she tried to ask the child instead. ¡°Hey, do you remember who left you in the streets?¡±

    ¡°Aboo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know you were in the egg. But you¡¯re a dragon. Did you hear anything suspicious outside the shell or something?¡±

    The curly, dark-haired child could only blink his big, red eyes at her. Then, the child burst intoughter¡ªaugh so innocent Eleanora¡¯s heart ached. Frustration flooded her chest.

    ¡°You¡¯reughing now¡­¡±

    She could not possibly take over the child if she¡¯d like to keep her undisturbed living. The dragon is the pet of the heroine and ys a huge role in the novel.

    In Laurent Imperial, there is a legendary egg that is handed down from generation to generation. The dragon¡¯s egg is left as a sign of friendship by Wyrm Lizard, who helped the founding king of Laurent build an empire.

    The egg, which had not even shown signs of hatching for over a thousand years, is broken by the heroine who visited the Yellow Sea by identally dropping it. It is the first time in 500 years that a dragon was born.

    Naturally, the whole world¡¯s attention is focused on who the child will take as its owner. There were many candidates who qualified.

    However, it wasn¡¯t the royal family that the dragon imprinted as its owner, but the first heroine, Lenia. It was only natural, of course. The dragon first recognizes the human being who first came into contact with him when the incubation period nears.

    Then, Lenia takes the child into her household and receives the spotlight.

    With a huge amount of people supporting her from all over the continent, the heroine, who was the daughter of a powerless Countess, Lenia, bes on par with some of the continent¡¯s most powerful men.

    At the same time, they are attacked by Eleonora, the evil witch who is after the dragon, and they form alliances with the male protagonists.

    That was the original plot.

    Unfortunately, the current Eleonora had not the slightest intention of involving herself with the novel¡¯s course. She even shudders at the thought of being under such a bright spotlight.

    ¡°It¡¯s enough to die by a pile of work,¡± she muttered.

    I refuse to trade my peace with death by a dragon.

    Besides, the beloved egg that they had been waiting in the pce for its hatching has already disappeared, so the capital must be inplete chaos. What would the bottom line be?

    Noah stared at the child in her arms, who was drinking milk.

    The final process of imprinting is to give a name. Fortunately, she has not named this dragon yet, nor had she given him her name.

    If so, the imprint will not beplete yet. There was still a chance.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    The child took the bottle off his mouth to see if he had had enough milk. He even burped lightly after a tap on his back. The dark red eyes blinked slowly and gradually closed. The child began to doze off with his face buried in my arms.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Somehow, she felt guilt in her heart. She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not abandoning you, baby. I¡¯m trying to take you to your mom.¡±

    You would be much happier to go to your destined mother than to live with a helpless,zy witch like me.

    Then, Noah left the house quietly lest the child wakes up.

    *

    A Sorrent in the south, far from the capital Tezeba. It was just a few hours ago that a man arrived in a country vige with sheer coastal cliffs to the south, dense forests to the east, and fairykes to the west.

    ¡°I¡¯m an investigator from Tezeba.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    The chief of the security forces of Sorrent, who was dozing off, leaped to his feet. Tezeba. It¡¯s the capital of Laurent. ¡°Tezeba? Where do you belong?¡±

    ¡°Aijet.¡±

    The first district of Tezeba, the capital, was an area densely popted by high-ranking aristocratic mansions, including the great emperor of the Laurent Empire. There isn¡¯t any detective in those ces! The manager fumbled about the desk for his sses.

    The man, with his bright boots and ck hair, looked down deadpan at the flustered chief, his arms crossed. His figure was reminiscent of a sleek ck leopard. The chief nced briefly again at the man: his aura was not of a criminal.

    ¡°Gee, the position¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the head of the investigation security department.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± The chief thought he was joking, though. Finally, he found his sses. And as soon as he checked the man in front of him, he squealed. ¡°What! Sir Leonard?¡±

    Purple eyes, golden brooch on the left breast of a ck uniform, and leather holster in a belt, definitely containing a revolver. The description alone sufficed.

    Not a joke but a real boss!

 Chapter 4

    The tycoon in the sleek ck suit frowned at the officer for his indolence, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

    ¡°The discipline here is ck. It¡¯s still work time, and you¡¯re dozing off.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me!¡± Panicking, the chief hurriedly cleared the mess on the desk. Meanwhile, the man scanned the inside of the office, feeling faint from being ill.

    Sorrent was a quiet country vige. However, it was also where the royal family was paying the most attention at the moment. There was only one reason: Eleonora Asil. Laurent¡¯s witch has been stuck here for years.

    Eleonora Asil was one of the most likely suspects in the unprecedented event that urred in the Yellow Sea.

    The incident refers to the disappearance of the Dragon Egg, which had been kept securely in the castle for more than 500 years

    A member of the investigation security department at the Royal Household of Laurent, Kyle Leonard, a bureau chief at the capital Tezeba, and a former district chief, traveled their way down to Sorrent in search of the egg thief.

    There was a reason to cite Eleonora Asil as the prime suspect. She was the only strong individual in Laurent who could break through the tight security and steal the eggs without informing even the birds.

    ¡°For some reason, thest two years have been quiet.¡±

    Until the spring ofst year, she had to run through the dark streets of Laurent to collect magical items that were illegally distributed.

    Kyle Leonard was a man who, despite his status, shuddered at the thought of Eleonora Asil, the infamous witch.

    ¡°Has there been any notable event in Sorrent? I would like to look at the history of the Lady Eleonora Asil.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the Lady you mention has not caused any particr problems. You must not know since you barely evene downtown often. Sorrent has always been peaceful.¡±

    It seemed unrealistic, right? Leonard scrutinized the manager¡¯s face. There appeared to be no hidden agenda behind. Still, he found it unreliable.

    ¡°¡­Okay¡± Leonard hesitated.

    Restless, the man made a decision: he will confront the witch himself. Plus, a warrant had already been issued. When dealing with the witch of Laurent, he had to be prepared for what he might not expect.

    ¡°Please clean up. Don¡¯t doze off during work hours.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±

    ¡°Well, then.¡±

    Without dy, Leonard left the degenerate police quarters and went on his way: to visit the home of Eleonora Asil, on the mountainside just outside Sorrent.

    His n, however, was thwarted the moment he saw the witch strutting in the middle of the city, carrying a child in her arms.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    Her apricot hair, gleaming red as the sun shone upon it, danced along with the wind as if to seduce him. She had covered her face with a strange mask, attempting to conceal her identity. But, her ring red waves alone were enough for him to recognize the witch.

    Leonard¡¯s eyes shed like a wild beast preparing to devour his prey.

    Eleonora continued along, a hint of worry evident in her face. She carried a curly-haired baby in her arms. Immediately, Leonard began to follow her.

    *

    I was sent away again.

    Sullen, the child sat down, drawing random pictures on the dirt with a stick.

    Currently, the child was growing a little bit more than yesterday. Since the growth of the dragon is originally fast, it is not umon to grow by half a day like this. All this growth was thanks to the witch.

    But I guess she doesn¡¯t like me; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t send me away five times.

    For five days, the witch distracted the little dragon with a warm nket and warm milk. Then, she put him in a sturdy cage and kept sending him somewhere. Desperate, she even took him to a scary, narrow, dark ce on the previous day.

    She seemed to be talking to someone for a long time, and then she came back and hugged the child onest time.

    ¡°The capital, Tezeba, the Balteyer mansion in Aijet, District 1, okay? If you go there, there¡¯ll be someone to greet you.¡±

    Capital, Tezeba, Balteyer¡ªwords I can¡¯t understand.

    The child grabbed the hem of the witch¡¯s dress, clinging persistently. The witch merely gave the child to the butcher and left.

    The butcher, his built stout and his beard outstandingly thick, attempted to cheer up the boy.

    However, the child ran away.

 Chapter 5

    He morphed himself into a dragon and flew to his master¡¯s house, the witch. However, around the vi on the cliff side, there exists a thick barrier too powerful that a baby dragon cannot break with his own magic.

    ¡°I hate it¡­¡±

    The child eventually broke into tears. He resented his owner for having abandoned him, but if he could not return to her, he would have nowhere to go.

    As the incubation period nears, imprinting begins from the moment when the initial contact with the outside is made. It was the proof that growth was taking ce rapidly.

    The witch can¡¯t get away from him now.

    But if the child actually returns, without a doubt, the witch would be furious.

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±

    I guess I am really abandoned.

    The child was ovee with sorrow. He buried his face in his hands and began to sob.

    ¡°I¡¯m doomed to die less than a week aftering out of the shell¡­¡±

    After his eyes could no longer shed tears, he wiped his cheeks when he saw a figure walking toward him.

    The child looked up, struggling to see clearly with his swollen eyes. He assumed it was a human man.

    ¡°Who¡­who?¡±

    The little dragon asked timidly as the man bent down on his knees. He could see the stranger¡¯s face properly now. It was a man with ck hair and pretty violet eyes.

    ¡°Did you get lost?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    Instinctively, the child shrank back, cautious of the man. The man paused for a little while; soon, his mouth curled, and heughed.

    His cold and intimidating presence has changed into a calm, friendly one. The child rxed a little bit.

    The stranger asked affectionately.

    ¡°So, you lost your mother?¡±

    ¡°Mom¡­¡±

    The child hesitated for a moment and then nodded slightly. The man held out his hand as if he had waited.

    ¡°Shall we go find her?¡±

    *

    Knock.

    Few people know the country house of Eleonora, which is in the remotest ce on the southern side of Sorrent. Surely, no one wille at such an early hour.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    Did the dragone back?

    Noah quickly extinguished her assumptions. It was only yesterday that she personally left the child into the butcher¡¯s care, who was a regr client. Uncle Walter runs thergest butcherpany in Sorrent, often supplying supplies to the capital, Tezeba.

    Sometime in the morning, Walter leaves for the capital, and Noah had left the child on her way home.

    ¡°With a guardian and a watchman, he couldn¡¯t have escaped as easily as he used to. Plus, a barrier has been activated around the house in case.¡±, she thought and breathed a sigh of relief.

    A knock was heard the second time.

    Then, who is behind the door of my house on the crack of dawn?

    Knock.

    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±

    Knock. Knock. Knock.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going out now! Stop knocking!¡±

    Exasperated, the witch wrapped herself with a robe and made her way downstairs, almost slipping down the spiral staircase. Meanwhile, the uninvited guest kept thumping on the door.

    ¡°Clearly, the guest needs to be educated about what manners he should have when visiting someone else¡¯s house¡±, she fumed.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m still sleepy.¡±

    Finally, she reached the door and pressed her forehead against it, positioning her eye on a small hole.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    And then she saw it.

    The child she sent away¡ªblinking his round red eyes innocently behind the door.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    An audible gasp escaped from Noah¡¯s lips. She took a step back, her heart beating furiously. That was him! The little dragon I left to Uncle Walter yesterday! How?! Why are you interrupting my rest, you son of a b*tch!

    She was beyond livid at this point. She thought of taking him to his mother personally.

    ording to the original plot, it is the dragon who burns Eleonora, who is helpless against the heroine. Why are youing to me? I¡¯m going to die from hypertension!

    The witch rolled her sleeves up, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

    ¡°Hey! Why are you back again?¡±

    Ready to scream at the child, she was greeted with a man unfamiliar to her instead.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±

    The dragon boy did note alone today. Noah looked, baffled, at the tall stranger and the child in his arms. What?

    ¡°Hh¡­¡±

    A little older than yesterday, the boy stared at her. His mouth trembled, and his eyes welled up. Noah could see how devastated the child was, and she was guilty. Eventually, as if a balloon reaching its limit, the little dragon exploded into tears.

 Chapter 6

    ¡°Uhh¡­¡±

    ¡°No, hey, ah¡­ baby¡­?¡±

    The child continued to wail. Noah¡¯s mind turned nk; she had never seen him cry like that before.

    The child will not stop crying!

    ¡°Are you the one who abandoned the child?¡±

    At a loss, she could notprehend nor respond to the man¡¯s inquiry.

    ¡°Why are you crying? Did this man hurt you? Did you do something bad?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    Park Noah snapped back to reality as the stranger¡¯s stern voice echoed in her ears. Her eyes scanned the man before her whom, in an instant, she recognized.

    A tall man with ck hair, ring with those rare violet eyes, and wears a uniform with a gold brooch on the ck line worn by Laurent investigators.

    The witch couldn¡¯t care less for this man¡¯s appearance. What bothered her was his formidable character.

    ¡°Kyle Leonard?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be remembered, Lady.¡± The man put his hand inside the uniform, pulling out a small notebook and pen, and spoke professionally. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question yet.¡±

    ¡°What question?¡±

    ¡°I asked if you abandoned him.¡±

    ¡°I did not! In fact, I was trying to return him to his guardian.¡± The witch protested. However, Leonard seemed to doubt her. ¡°Is that so. But the child didn¡¯t say that. ¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    The child, sniffing with his face buried in Leonard¡¯s shoulder, raised his head. Then he shouted, his voice cracked from crying. ¡°Don¡¯t throw me away!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to drink milk. I¡¯m not going to put a nket on¡­I won¡¯t bother you. Don¡¯t send me to that scary man!¡±

    Not until yesterday, you¡¯ve only been babbling, and you¡¯re talking now? Although the pronunciation was slightly off, it was understandable.

    Noah was bing rmed at the dragon¡¯s growth, which was exceptionally fast, and the consequences she might have to endure in the future.

    ¡°What is the Lady¡¯ rtionship with this child if not a guardian?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I swear!¡±

    However, the man simply turned a deaf ear to the witch¡¯s plea. The little dragon ran to Noah, sping his arms around her neck.

    ¡°Master¡­¡±

    Silence.

    The man echoed the child, frowning at the witch. ¡°Master?¡±

    In an instant, tension grew palpably as misconceptions rose, worsening the situation. She was engulfed with hopelessness.

    ¡°What is he talking about now? No, Sir Leonard, this is not my child. I first saw him six days ago, and no matter how hard I tried to send him back to his guardian, he alwayses back¡­¡±

    ¡°Child abandonment.¡±

    ¡°What? Me?¡± In utter despair, the witch continued to spout excuses. Leonard was now looking at her as if she were a scumbag, his eyes filled with scorn. ¡°Also, I suspect child abuse. It wasn¡¯t enough for you to abandon your child; you evenmanded a three-year-old to call you master. It¡¯s beyond absurd.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make him do it!¡±

    The man didn¡¯t budge one bit.

    ¡°As soon as you left him in the butcher¡¯s house, the owner immediately left for the capital as if he had waited. Is that a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because his guardian is in the capital?¡±

    ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±

    She was speechless. Meanwhile, Leonard wrote something in his pocketbook,pletely ignoring the witch¡¯s excuses.

    ¡°You must write a statement, Lady.¡±

    At the moment, she was already filled with dread, fearing whatever he wrote down against her.

    ¡°In addition, the Lady is currently on the list of suspects in the famous Lorent case, the mysterious disappearance of the dragon egg. Please cooperate.¡±

    What? I wonder how worse this situation could get.

    One, the dragon child I tried so many times to dispose of has made his way back to me. Two, I have a Laurent investigator on my tail, using me of stealing the dragon¡¯s egg.

    I am going to be cornered into a thief!

    Kyle Leonard snapped his pocketbook close and then stated his verdict.

    ¡°I also want to inform you that the Lady has already had enough criminal record and that the warrant was issued beforehand with the permission of Emperor Laurent.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Not only did I be a thief, but this man seems to be already convinced that I was the culprit!

    ¡°I will have to ask you to apany me, Lady.¡±

    ¡°No, I will not!¡±

    ¡°Lady, I do not want to exert force upon handling this matter.¡±

    Leonard stretched out his arm to the witch.

    If I want to save myself, I have no choice but to rely on this magical power.

    ¡°nket!¡±

    In an instant, a nket flew out of the living room and wrapped itself around the investigator¡¯s body.

    What?!

    The witch banged her head on his chest, causing both of them to stumble. A groan escaped their lips.

    The nket had covered Noah too. Perplexed by the mishap, she froze. Then, she squirmed, trying to get herself out of the nket which tightly fastened itself around them.

    Before she knew, she felt her body decline. They were falling. Noah shut her eyes, expecting a sharp pain to pierce her.

    A concussion isn¡¯t clearly what I was expecting to have so early in the morning.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    Thud.

    There was no excruciating pain.

    Huh? She opened her eyes slightly to glimpse at her surroundings. Instead, she came across the chest of a man.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°¡­.Will you continue to do this?¡±

    Everything was aplete mess. The witch¡¯s eyes were twirling. She moved her fingers, which swayed like a dead bean sprout. The magic had already vanished from the nket, but Noah could still not move.

    Oh, I feel dizzy. Plus, if I raise my head now, I would be greeted with a pair of eyes shooting daggers at me.

    With her face buried in the ck uniform, she recollected the events which created chaos in her house.

    I was in the living room. Baby dragon. And the one who came to arrest me¡­.

    ¡°You can move now, Lady.¡±

    ¡­And the male protagonist who, currently, seems very displeased with me.

    Regaining her senses, Noah hastily lifted her body and Leonard followed suit.

    I ended up in a situation I never even imagined since I got sucked into this world.

    A pair of violet eyes, needless to say, red at the witch.

    On the sixth day after she had unknowingly picked up the protagonist¡¯s baby dragon, she tried to remove it from my life. She thought it was a sess. Little did she know she had put myself in an unfortunate situation.

    ¡°I forgot that I should be armed at all times when dealing with you. The Lady never surrenders without a fight¡­ Lady?

    Noah had lost enough strength to keep her wobbling knees firm and eventually slipped. Expecting another crash, she felt an arm grab her by the waist.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    The witch could only quiver like a paper doll.

    ¡°Hypertension.¡± And I¡¯m currently in a state of shock. In this situation where our faces are only inches apart. Mustering all the strength she has left, Noah pulled herself off of him slowly. ¡°As I get older, my body is not the same as before¡­ I don¡¯t have the energy to beat other people anymore. ¡±

    With narrowing eyes, Leonard watched her every action. Meanwhile, she took more than three steps away from him. At her back, the curtains hanging from the ceiling flew into the air and twisted themselves.

    ¡°I actually just want to sleep more now.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    There was a reason why Noah forced this man into her house. This house, where she knows all the magicalmands, is in itself a great weapon and a prison. At this moment, the nket had already creeped behind Leonard without a sound.

    ¡°I mean¡­.¡± The witch snapped her fingers. ¡± I don¡¯t allow such scary objects in my house, Sir Leonard.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°A gun, a gun, a gun, something like that.¡±

    The nket swooped the investigator in an instant.

 Chapter 7

    The nket, sneaking from behind his back, covered Leonard¡¯s face to block his vision. At the same time, another curtain twisted like a rope and tied itself around his body tightly.

    The unwanted visitor,pletely constrained, shouted furiously.

    ¡°What on earth are you doing?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have this dangerous and filthy item confiscated.¡±

    The witch approached him, felt his waist down, and pulled the revolver out of the holster. Leonard gnashed his teeth as he felt the gun was taken.

    ¡°Eleonora Asil!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to bed. Get some rest, Sir Leonard. See you in the afternoon!¡±

    Not long, the witch ran to her room in a hurry, with the confused baby dragon clutched in her arms.

    *

    Kyle Leonard. The male lead in this novel.

    As far as she can remember, he is the second son of the Duke of Leonard and a high-ranking civil servant in the investigation security department of Laurent. A man who heads the branch of Tezeba, the capital city, and serves as the general manager of Laurent district.

    Roughly speaking, it can be said that the position is directly below the minister and vice minister. Even if not a minister-level official, his influence was vast because he is actually the general manager of all branches that manage the site.

    Besides the power thates from the position, Kyle Leonard was inherently an exceptional man.

    A graduate of a military academy, he joined the Imperial Army at 15 and was scouted by the Bureau of Investigation and worked exclusively for the higher-ups for 10 years.

    With his beast-like senses and sharp brain, he has built his reputation by solving all of Laurent¡¯s unsettled cases, bing a genius investigator and the youngest person to earn the title of General Manager.

    But after all, his specialty was shooting. A devouring shot that never missed a target. He said he treats all kinds of firearms like his own body; he doesn¡¯t even cover his weapons.

    In particr, the revolver he carried with him was a weapon that was modified by the cksmith Yanak, the master of the magic weapon, who is a distant descendant of dwarves. Perhaps if she hadn¡¯t dragged him into her house, she would have been easily overpowered by him, as she couldn¡¯t use Eleonora¡¯s magic.

    Why does she remember so much about Kyle Leonard? There is only one reason.

    Eleonora, the viin who torments the female protagonist Lenia, fought not only the dragon, but also the famous Leonard.

    However, it was not merely because of the female protagonist; Leonard hated Eleonora with every fiber of his being. More than 80 percent of the incidents in Laurent were rted to Eleonora. She was a natural enemy for a detective.

    As soon as Park Noah discovered the history of the body she possessed, that of the witch, she fled to the countryside because of him. The first person she never wanted to meet!

    ¡°Master¡­¡±

    The child moved toward her and clung on her knees. Noah heaved a sigh and ced the child on herp. How do I get through this trouble?

    It was fortunate that this child humanized. If he ran into Leonard in the form of a dragon, he would have had a bullet hole in his head instantly.

    She leaned to the child and whispered in his ear softly. ¡°Honey, if you want to say, don¡¯t show up in front of that man¡¯s sight, okay?¡±

    A pair of red eyes drooped. The child blinked and nodded vigorously, apparently seeming to understand me for a moment.

    ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t call me master.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your master.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ master¡­¡±

    No. I haven¡¯t named this child yet.

    There is no denying that a partial imprint had been made, but it wasn¡¯t enough reason to ept the child. An investigator was already looking for this dragon in Laurent which she is currently falsely used of stealing¡­

    But above all, she doesn¡¯t have the mental capacity to raise a child. In fact, she was already dying to remain healthy. How could she possibly raise a child? Her goal in this life was to live as fit as possible without stress.

    And unfortunately for her, the ck dragon and the Laurent¡¯s investigator makes her 500 million light years away from her goal.

    The witch exhaled a deep sigh, patting the child¡¯s back gently who snuggled around her neck. ¡°What should I do with you?¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡± The child hesitated to open his mouth. ¡°I¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be here¡­?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Please raise me!¡± The child raised his arms and shouted courageously. His pronunciation was unclear because his tongue was still short. However, his determination was evident in his balled fists. ¡°I will protect my master!¡±

    Who¡¯s protecting who? Noah smiled down at the little three-year-old until she saw the mes burning up in his hands. She freaked out, barely managing to utter a word.

    ¡°What, that!¡±

 Chapter 8

    ¡°I can do it well.¡±

    It was a menacing me. When the child breathed on his two small palms, the me quickly grew in size.

    Yo¡­ Dragon breath¡­ The sight sent chills down on the witch¡¯s spine.

    The child, who carelessly spewed out fire, said proudly, ¡°I can¡¯t let you be disappointed!¡±

    ¡°Well, what are you gonna do¡­?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in trouble because of him, aren¡¯t you?

    Yeah. It¡¯s gonna be very difficult. But¡­ She felt a sense of uneasiness, but the reason remains a mystery to her. The dragon boy screamed brazenly, his red eyes wide open. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him!¡±

    Her mouth agape, Noah could not process what she just heard. What did he just say? ¡°You¡¯re gonna kill him? That guy?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be difficult.¡±

    She stared down at the little child who said, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to kill a single human,¡± and saw the intent to kill masked in the child¡¯s face, crystal clear.

    ¡°You¡­ didn¡¯t youe from that man¡¯s arms?¡±

    ¡°He offered to take me to my mother, no! Master¡¯s house!¡± The little dragon identally said mother and brushed it off quickly. She nced at him, sighing at his cuteness.

    Yeah, I forgot. No matter how cute he is and how human he looks, his body is a dragon. He thinks in apletely different way than human beings.

    The child seemed anxious when Noah didn¡¯t answer, his round, gentle eyes trembling. ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯re gonna throw me away again¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­No, I won¡¯t throw you away.¡±

    I can¡¯t send it anywhere right now. Why would I send away a child who said something dangerous? What if he creates a real ident?

    Suddenly, she was reminded of something.

    In the original storyline, the dragon had been killed only by his obsession with the heroine, Lenia. It appears at the end of the novel that its attachment to the heroine was not normal.

    At the ending of the novel, when he seeded in killing Eleonora, the viin, Lenia, was to finally give her heart to the male lead, Leonard.

    However, the dragon kidnaps Lenia and leaves for the world beyond. In short, he ran away with a hostess.

    What happened to Lenia after that? No one knows. The novel ended there. Maybe even the heroine herself doesn¡¯t know. Plus, nothing left of the life of the male protagonist appears in the novel.

    She thought there was only a sweet romance left over the five books, but the faithful pet dragon of the hostess was actually the final boss and the dark horse.

    The twist was rather surprising. For an ending of a romance novel to be a breakup, ridiculous! As a reader who has been looking forward to some romance between the main characters, it was a disappointment.

    And the whole story waspressed into such a short book. It is an ending that there is no way to exin anything other than that the artist did not want to write anymore.

    But it¡¯s none of her business what kind of ending the main characters get. This body will be roasted by a dragon before Lenia could even get her hands on her. That bastard Leonard can even bid his own self goodbye.

    The thought gave Noah goosebumps.

    Lost in her trance, the little dragon boy, with anxious eyes, stared at her grim expression and asked.

    ¡°Master, are you sick?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°The human man!¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    It¡¯s because of you, you bastard!

    Frightened at her sudden loud voice, the child ran to hide under her bed. The witch grabbed his little shoulders and warned him.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just kill people. That¡¯s not a joke. Okay? Especially, don¡¯t kill me.¡±

    ¡°Why do I kill my master?¡±

    ¡°Why kill me, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    The child looked at her as if he didn¡¯t understand. Noah held the child upright and stressed it over and over again. ¡°Listen! Don¡¯t kill living creatures recklessly. Even if it¡¯s a little wild flower on the side of the road.¡±

    ¡°Do not kill!¡±

    The child merely mimicked her, unable toprehend what the witch was saying intensely. Fortunately, she was a product of an infusion-based education, a human being with a pretty old-fashioned way of thinking.

    In other words, ¡®Memorize if you don¡¯t understand!¡¯

    ¡°You can¡¯t hurt others without a reason, you can¡¯t lie, you can¡¯t steal. You can only do such thing when¡­¡± Noah pondered for a moment.

    ¡°Only when I allow it. Okay?¡±

 Chapter 9

    A pair of round red eyes looked attentively as the witch lectured the baby dragon.

    ¡°And the fire that you made earlier, you don¡¯t take it out when there¡¯s someone else. You have to keep it in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°And no one will ever find out that you are a dragon, not a human being. Especially that man before, never get caught. That¡¯s the condition if you want to be with me. What do you say, do you want to do it?¡±

    ¡°Together?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Together.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    The child nodded instantly, his lips curling into a grin.

    ¡°My name is Noah. Call me Noah. Don¡¯t call me master.¡±

    ¡°Noah¡­¡±

    Hope filled the child, thinking he was about to be given a name. However, the witch immediately extinguished his optimism.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll give you a name now. I¡¯m not going to imprint with you.¡±

    The gleaming eyes lost its sparkle. Guilty, she held the child in her arms and tucked him into bed, muttering.

    ¡°But I¡¯ll be with you for the time being.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll let you stay with me until you feel like you are capable enough to fly to the ends of the world.¡±

    I¡¯m getting sleepy. I slept soundlyst night, but I think I¡¯ve been feeling a little weaktely.

    The witch hugged the child warm and pulled up the nket to cover him.

    ¡°And watch me while you¡¯re with me, and then make a decision. Am I really a human being worthy of being your master?¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t allow any more refusal. And, a kid like you shouldn¡¯t be awake at this crack of dawn. Close your eyes now. Let¡¯s go to sleep. Noah is very tired.¡±

    The witch chatted away, shutting her eyes close, trying to clear her mind from thoughts about the man she dumped somewhere in her living room.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to sleep¡­ don¡¯t disturb me..¡±

    And with that, she fell asleep.

    *

    It took Kyle Leonard just half an hour to get out of the fetters of the weird nkets and curtains which trapped him. Eleonora Asil¡¯s magic was very tenacious, resembling its master.

    ¡°Annoying¡­¡±

    Leonard was only able to free himself from their spell after he apprehensively cut the nkets and curtains into pieces.

    Only then did he catch sight of the witch¡¯s house.

    Eleonora Asil¡¯s cottage was a small, simple two-story house. Compared to Tezeba¡¯s magnificent mansions, it was shabby.

    Besides, it¡¯s messy.

    Kyle Leonard has visited Eleonora¡¯s mansion several times.

    The elegant word ¡°visit¡± may be true, but the number of people who have raided her to handcuff her amount past ten fingers. Anyway, the mansion he saw at that time was immensely clean and dust-free, preventing his conscience from stepping on the floor.

    On the other hand, this house has all sorts of furniture scattered along in the living room.

    The investigator merelyughed and scooped updles, scissors, kitchen knives, and so on in front of him. The far-flung kitchen knife bounced back into the air, aiming exactly at him, which shrilled in the air eerily.

    ¡°Thousands of illegal goods.¡±

    Leonard casually dodged the menacing kitchen tool¡¯s attack with a slight tilt. The kitchen knife hit the wall instead. From his point of view, Eleonora¡¯s cottage was subject to a thorough shutdown. Leonard kept his guard up and moved cautiously.

    Everything in the witch¡¯s house is enchanted with her magic. He didn¡¯t know what hideous magic lies creeping, waiting to entrap, in her seemingly ordinary house.

    The investigator still trembled as he recalled the time he had been wandering around Laurent for about two months to collect a rat trap that had almost cut off his ankle.

    The hairpin, which was said to curl hair, burned down the hair of dozens of noblemen. There are also several young people with fatal burns on their necks. Even then, she was a woman who had fallen out of favor; there was no time to rest assured.

    Except for the attack by the kitchen knife, however, the living room was as still as a mouse. Leonard nced around the small kitchen and some of the rooms inside the living room and realized that the house as a whole was a very unrulywless area.

    To his eyes, cleanliness was the first value of life and the master of neatness; this house was as good as a jungle. His face creased.

    Would the second floor be such a sight?

    The woman, Eleonora, tied him up with nkets and curtains and yawned and went up the stairs. The little boy he found in front of the butcher¡¯s ce must have gone up with her, he thought.

    Leonard stealthily climbed the stairs. Eleonora seemed to think that his only weapon was a revolver, but it was different. He was a man who lived with all sorts of weapons hidden in every corner of his body ¡ª especially when dealing with her.

    He stood in front of the door at the end of the stairs, gently pressing on the dagger hanging from the inside of his uniform so that he could take it at any time.

    The door hung open.

 Chapter 10

    Leonard could see a thin back lying on the bed. The sun was already high, but the room was as dim as the dawn. The witch¡¯s steady breaths echoed in the room. She must be sound asleep, he surmised.

    He began to look around the room right away. His intention was clear: to reim the revolver that she had taken. As he walked around the witch¡¯s room nonchntly, Eleonora didn¡¯t even toss around. For a moment, Leonard looked down at her, sleeping.

    Although it¡¯s a very hard fact to admit, he cannot deny her stunning beauty. He often finds it hard to believe she¡¯s an evil witch who hasmitted plenty of atrocious crimes.

    Her eyes glistened blue and lips plum. ¡°I wish her temper mirrored her appearance.¡± Leonard clicked his tongue and leaned over her. His eyes scanned rapidly and brushed the sleeping woman¡¯s disheveled apricot hair.

    He¡¯s this close, and there¡¯s no movement.

    What happened to the witch who notices even a speck of dust on her vase? Eleonora Asil was a woman who had nothing to do with low blood pressure or anemia, but was rather too energetic to be indisposed.

    Thinking so, he was about to stroke her hair.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    The investigator stopped in his tracks, his arms frozen in the air.

    Since when did a boy with ck curly hair and dark red eyes sit on the window frame. Leonard thought the baby looked a little older than this morning. It can¡¯t be.

    The child spoke again in a rather harsh tone. ¡°If you touch Noah, you¡¯ll pay.¡±

    Noah? Is it Eleonora¡¯s nickname?

    The sun shone upon the face of the young boy, baring his charm. He jumped into bed and stood in front of her as if to protect her. Leonard swallowed augh at his cuteness. He lowered his posture in front of the bed and sat down to be in eye contact with the child. ¡°What did you say your name was?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°Not yet?¡±

    ¡°Noa hasn¡¯t given me a name yet.¡± Leonard frowned a little. It was a strange remark. You look like a kid around three or four years old, and you still don¡¯t have a name. And you didn¡¯t give me your name?

    ¡®¡­Don¡¯t tell me.¡¯ His face suddenly hardened at a ridiculous idea. A nameless child whose growth is absurdly fast. The strange title, master. Isn¡¯t there something simr to the dragon¡¯s imprint?

    Leaning over, the investigator took a closer look at the child¡¯s appearance: ck curly hair and dark red eyes. Yeah, certainly a little bit of growthpared to yesterday, but both his voice and pronunciation have be clearer.

    Indeed, Kyle Leonard was an investigator to the bone. Even the smallest clues never go unnoticed.

    The missing dragon¡¯s egg. A witch who is a prime suspect. The non-human child the witch is raising.

    ¡°Who are you?

    The child blinked his dark red eyes. Soon after, he bowed his eyes into a half-moon andughed. It was a clear, innocent smile. The child shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I have to look good to Noah.¡±

    Kyle frowned. Is this the dragon? His eyes fleeted back to the peaceful sleeping woman.

    If Eleonora Asil imprinted the dragon, things would be a hundred and eighty degrees different. She had enough to keep Laurent up and running on her own, and now she got herself the power of the dragon?

    Then there is no point in detaining her. Rather than detaining them, he has to plead for her power to be used for the empire.

    While Leonard was deep in his thoughts, the child also pondered.

    The child liked Noah. It was not just because she was the first human being to see him for the first time.

    Every day, he¡¯s been a hassle, but she¡¯s been giving him milk with a nket to keep him out of the cold. And, if he clings to her, although with a frown, he receives a hug in return.

    Noah was basically kind to him, though his expression and behavior were a little different. She even hugged him and slept with him today.

    However, had Noah thrown him out as soon as she found him, he might have killed her.

 Chapter 11

    The wrath of the young dragon, whose instinct and reason are not yet distinct, is sometimes more destructive than the adult as he has nothing to hold back.

    How would you feel if you get dumped by someone you are starting to form an attachment to? The little child was still too young to bear the feeling of betrayal.

    Luckily, Noah was not too harsh on him. She did keep trying to send him somewhere, but she always says, ¡®Go to a better ce than here.¡¯ She even told the little one to live with him for the time being.

    ¡°For the time being¡­¡±

    However, the condition is only effective temporarily. It can be undone again at any time.

    If she dumps me again, I¡¯ll kill her. I don¡¯t want to. Noah told me not to. The child stared at the man who was searching for him.

    Leonard flinched at his prating gaze. It wasn¡¯t a look for a three-year-old; his eyes were bloody red, containing no emotion.

    ¡°Are you curious about who I am?¡±

    ¡°Will you tell me if I say I am?¡±

    ¡°No. Noah told me I shouldn¡¯t be caught by anyone. Noah told me to go unnoticed.¡±

    Suddenly, the child muttered to himself in a very serious face. ¡°But Noah said I shouldn¡¯t kill people without permission¡­¡±

    Leonard was sure to hear that. Mortified, he froze momentarily. What would you expect? It¡¯s a dragon for pete¡¯s sake! I must take him away from Eleonora Asil.

    The child grinned and spread his arms. ¡°Then, mister, why don¡¯t you make a deal with me?¡±

    Leonard reluctantly held the child in his arms. The child leaned onto him and whispered in his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t let Noah abandon me. Then I won¡¯t have any trouble and be quiet¡­¡±

    ¡°.¡­¡±

    ¡°Mister Uncle knows who I am, so it will be easy to help me. Right?¡±

    Of course, the baby dragon¡¯s personality appeared entirely different than when he is with Noah. The witch despised the man in front of him, and who she hates, he hates too.

    However, despite the urge to kill him, the little dragon could not, since he was told by Noah not toy a hand on anyone unless upon hermand.

    Feigning innocence, the child smiled at the investigator.

    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±

    Looking down at the child, Leonard curled his mouth into a smile in return. Unfortunately, he had no intention of letting Eleonora Asil imprint on the dragon as she pleases. Even now, Leonard is stressed out when he thinks of her, and he might bepletely worn out as he still has a dragon to take care of.

    If he agrees to the conditions of the child, then it would be a close mark¡ªa form of infiltration-investigation. He would be close to his target and prevent Eleonora Asil from imprinting on this dragon.

    After a while of contemtion, Leonard nodded. ¡°Yes. That deal, let¡¯s do it.¡±

    That day, under the witch¡¯s territory, a deal he never dreamed of was established. Both didn¡¯t know each other¡¯s cunning hearts, but, somehow, it seemed an alliance anyway.

    *

    It was almost evening when Park Noah woke up. Half a day was gone; she had been asleep for 12 hoursst night.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    She wriggled around, squinting her eyes at the dark room, and saw a curly ck-haired child sleeping beside her. Even though she had just woken up, her mind still disoriented, Noah burst outughing.

    He sleeps like an angel. I thought a child was merely a nuisance, but I think this kind and gentle child would be a good child to raise. Of course, if he was a human child.

    Come to think of it, I think he¡¯s a little older today than yesterday. If he continues to grow at this rate, he would be a kid soon.

    Noah got out of bed carefully so that the child wouldn¡¯t wake up. I feel strangely heavy. Is it because I slept too much? I wonder if a nice hot bath would make me feel better.

    After a while, she dived into the bathtub of hot water¡ªa remedy for tense nerves¡ªand hummed a tune with her eyes shut, slipping into pleasure. Suddenly, she jolts awake, remembering the man whom she had tied up the previous day.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Kyle Leonard!¡±

    She immediately rushed out of the bathroom in a shower gown, her hair still soaked and foamy. When she glided down the spiral staircase, a man, sitting in front of the kitchen table, greeted her without looking at her direction.

    ¡°You sleep a long time,dy.¡±

 Chapter 12

    ¡°The spell. How did you break it?¡±

    Eleonora¡¯s magic never unraveled in itself unless she unravelled it herself. Bewildered, she caught a glimpse on the dagger Leonard flipped with his other hand. The small magic inscription written on the end of his bag appeared to have been carrying other magical items besides the revolver.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time, and you must have underestimated me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡±

    While the witch pretended to be confused, Leonard nonchntly patted the table. ¡°What are you doing? If you¡¯re awake, I¡¯ll sit down and tell you a story.¡±

    The investigator stared at her, waiting, as she had made no response. ¡°Did you bathe?¡±

    ¡°What? Oh, yes.¡±

    His eyes unconsciously skimmed over Noah. Upon realizing, a cough escaped his lips to hide his embarrassment. Then, turning his eyes back to his notebook, Kyle Leonard said firmly. ¡°Oh, yes, please go up right now. I¡¯ll give you some time to get dressed.¡±

    Only then did she realize she had just gone out of the shower. Her long hair was dripping with foam and drenching the floor, and the gown was not properly tied.

    Huh. The witch shrugged off the investigator¡¯s reaction. Without a doubt, she was an attractive woman, and objectively, he would be attracted to her. However, he didn¡¯t even look at her as a woman.

    Well, he was a man who took no interest in women.

    Her rival didn¡¯t respond very much, so Noah¡¯s embarrassment quickly subsided, and anger took ce.

    Let¡¯s just take a long, long, long bath.

    ¡°Then wait. I¡¯m just going to take it.¡±

    Tuck. Kyle uttered no reply. A dark revolver banged on the table.

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll wash up as fast as I can!¡± Noah left without further words and hurried upstairs. He doesn¡¯t even see me as a human! Shouldn¡¯t he be the criminal? That cold-blooded bastard!

    After a good ten minutes, Noah finished and came downstairs, where Kyle Leonard stood in the middle of the living room, arms crossed and brows furrowed.

    ¡°What are you doing there?¡±

    ¡°You need to clean up.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She tilted her head at the unexpected remark. What is he talking about? But realization soon dawned into her. Ah, yes. Kyle Leonard despises disorder. But of course, I have never felt the need to cater to his tastes.

    Noah flopped down on the chair in front of the table. ¡°Yes. Someday I¡¯ll do it. Clean it up.¡±

    Displeased, Leonard shot the witch a stern look. However, Noah only thought of an escape from her current circumstance.

    Eleonora Asil was caught trying to dump ¡®her¡¯ child, which is not that big of a fuss. But, it is another story when she imprinted the little dragon and still tried to abandon it¡ªthat is a huge problem.

    Kyle Leonard sat across Noah, heaving a faint sigh. She nced at him. ¡°So, what am I supposed to do?¡±

    His answer came out almost instantly. ¡°You can write a statement. One about that child¡¯s abandonment issues, and a chapter on the disappearance of the dragon¡¯s egg. Two in total.¡±

    ¡°I am not involved, in any way, with the dragon¡¯s egg disappearance. I only picked it up because I mistook it for an ordinary egg.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what thedy always says.¡±

    Noah red at him and scribbled out on a piece of paper, only one statement. She wrote: I am merely the temporary guardian of that child, and I was only trying to send it to the capital, where her mother is, through an acquaintance, and it has nothing to do with child abandonment!

    She handed the paper to the investigator, and Kyle folded it in half and inserted it into his pocketbook without reading the statement.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°Yes, for now¡­Let¡¯s just say that¡¯s still the case.¡±

    What? That¡¯s it? Noah looked up at him with anxious eyes. All of a sudden, Kyle Leonard took off his uniform jacket. Why are you taking off your clothes?

    ¡°If you won¡¯t follow me, I¡¯ll have no choice but to stay with you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Noah double-checked what she had just heard. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard you corectly, sir Leonard. Could you say it again?¡±

    ¡°I havee all the way down here looking for you under Her Majesty¡¯smand, and the order I have received from Her Majesty is to investigate you, the prime suspect in the disappearance of the dragon¡¯s egg. Also, I was given a permit and a warrant.¡±

    ¡°What if I will not cooperate?¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡± Kyle grinned scornfully and handed Noah another piece of paper he had left on his desk.

    ¡°This is exactly two years and 354 days ago, thedy submitted her own letter containing an apology and her promised cooperation. Eleonora Asil herself should do her best to cooperate with the investigation if the Bureau of Investigation has written her name on the list of suspects.¡±

    ¡°What if I refuse?¡±

    ¡°You wrote it yourself, ¡®If I refuse to cooperate, I will return all of my assets to society, and I will remain loyal to the Emperor until my death as a civil servant at the end of the Ministry of Magic.¡¯¡±

    ¡°.¡­.¡±

    ¡°Lady Eleonora, do you have anything else to say?¡±

    Noah was rendered speechless. As she read Eleonora¡¯s self-written letter of apology, she could utter no excuse. Trudging toward Kyle Leonard, she could only say, ¡°Well, let¡¯s clean up first.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    What?

 Chapter 13

    A white-bearded doctor examined Noah with stern eyes. He drew some of her blood in a syringe and carefully dropped it in a strange twisted tube, and steam rose from it.

    ¡°It¡¯s a magic tool that measures the nutrients in the blood. It was invented by Laurent Magicst year!¡±

    The doctor exined excitedly, and pressed the switch on the machine with the tube plugged in. Then a red light immediately lit up on the square screen.

    Yesterday, when Kyle Leonard suggested that he should stay in the witch¡¯s house until the end of the investigation to ensure her cooperation, Park Noah believed it to be a joke until the investigator actually picked up a broom and started cleaning. Immediately, Park Noah was forced into a cleaning spree, rendering her house dustless and almost sparkling, but after a few hours, she began to feel lightheaded and all of a sudden, she copsed.

    Beep!

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s expression hardened when he heard a sound close to an rm. Meanwhile, the doctor read the figures that came up on the screen.

    ¡°Well, the nutritional status is very disproportionate. Are you eating properly, madam? What kind of meals do you usually eat?¡± The doctor asked her.

    ¡°Bread or¡­ I eat cookies and sometimes fried eggs. ¡±

    It has been a while since Park Noah had some protein in her system, and now this unfortunate situation has happened. She stroked the child¡¯s curls, who was standing beside her, hisrge eyes evident with worry¡ª the child who almost became her fried egg.

    ¡°You don¡¯t eat any meat, seafood or vegetables?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Seafood can be easily spoiled and if left for a long time, the taste will be bad. And I don¡¯t buy vegetables in the first ce because they quickly wither.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you can eat it before it gets damaged or withered?¡±

    Noah paused, pursing her lips. ¡°That¡¯s correct, but everyone who lives alone can sympathize with how annoying it is to cook at home. To eat a proper meal, you have to prepare the ingredients, work on the recipe, cook¡­and, above all, you have to clean up! Wash dishes! Wipe the water out of the bowl and put it back in ce! Wipe the table and clean up the crumbs on the floor!¡± She eximed in exasperation.

    Oh, I can¡¯t. Living alone and eating a proper meal is too extravagant.

    The doctor grinned at his patient¡¯s outburst, brushing his white beard. ¡°So the most fundamental cause of your symptoms isziness.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Oh Doctor, don¡¯t look at me with that face.

    Noah stole a nce at Kyle Leonard, who shot a pathetic look at her direction. Noah, ready to defend herself, was interrupted as the doctor continued.

    ¡°And the mana of the body seems veryplicated. Excuse me for a moment.¡± The doctor put his hand near her stomach and closed his eyes. Strangely, Noah could feel something flow in her body slowly as he touched it.

    ¡°No matter how pure magic disappears into history, there are still people who are born with magic power in their bodies. Like you. Of course, most of them are very small, but that should not be ignored. It¡¯s a mysterious power that originated from nature, so if you lose even a little flow, it immediately damages your body.¡±

    The doctor removed his hand from her abdomen, shaking his head. ¡°The magic that needs to circte throughout your body keeps leaking out. Symptoms are more extreme because of your poor eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°So it will be your primary duty to make sure your wife gets the right amount of nutrition.¡±

    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Noah choked at the doctor¡¯s ridiculous remark. Meanwhile, Kyle Leonard¡¯s eyebrows almost looked like flying seagulls.

    ¡°With basic fitness improvements, we¡¯ll be able to prevent some of the mana from leaking out. But I don¡¯t know what¡¯s causing the mana to be seeped out like this, and I don¡¯t know what the root cause is. For now, I am going to prescribe a drug that will help in calming down¡­.¡±

    Leonard raised his hand, interrupting the doctor. ¡°I¡¯m not her husband.¡±

    ¡°Yes. He is not my husband, doctor. I¡¯m single.¡± Noah intervened also.

    The doctorughed brightly and pped his hands. ¡°Oh! I see. I understand. I hear that young people these days are not married, they¡¯re just dating. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. If you¡¯re responsible for your child, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t bother to hold the ceremony.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    I¡¯m afraid how far this misunderstanding would go.

    The doctor seemed to have no idea who his patient was. In a way, it was only natural since she had remained hidden in Sorrent to live a peaceful life. In addition, he was oblivious to the identity of the man who called for him, which is the most famous investigator in the whole capital.

    Kyle Leonard and the witch exchanged hateful res when the doctor suddenly eximed.

    ¡°Oh,e to think of it, he¡¯s sucked all the magic out of his mother.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The mana he has is very simr to your mana.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Your child must be born with extraordinary powers. Usually, children with magical qualities unconsciously absorb the mana from their mother¡¯s body.¡±

    All eyes simultaneously turned to the child who sat close to Noah.

    ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± The child¡¯s dark red eyes shook uneasily, his voice quivering. Only then did Noah understand what the doctor meant, her mouth agape.

    Somehow, I didn¡¯t even notice it, and I was wondering why I felt different every day. You¡¯re the one who stole my mana!

 Chapter 14

    After the doctor left with some medicine, Park Noah took the child and attempted to bolt into her room where there would be only two of them so they could talk without interruptions and figure out what happened.

    Park Noah suspected that the imprinting process was already progressing. Otherwise, the dragon¡¯s humanization can¡¯t be possible. But I never thought it would be a growth with me as coteral!

    ¡°Where are you going? Come here and sit down.¡±

    However, Noah¡¯s attempt miserably failed as she felt an arm grab her nightgown and pulled her back to her chair.

    Oh, Lord. Noah glimpsed at Kyle who ced the child back in his infant chair, his expression strange.

    Kyle Leonard is a brute-minded investigator. In his mind, he probably has a full profile titled ¡®Eleonora Asil.¡¯ Will there be an additional phrase in there that says, ¡°The culprit behind the disappearance of Sorrent¡¯s egg¡±?

    Leonard looked back at her as if he felt her eyes, and asked her unexpectedly. ¡°Did you have breakfast?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t usually eat breakfast.¡±

    ¡°You really are a spectacle.¡± Leonard clicked his tongue. ¡°Do not use magic for the time being. But I doubt if you¡¯ll ever listen to me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m listening with both ears.¡± Park Noah retorted, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°I know, as with most wizards, that you draw and process the mana of nature, not the mana of the body. But if you use magic like that, you should restrain yourself in any way.¡±

    Park Noah nodded slowly. I can¡¯t even use magic anyway. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±

    ¡°Then there¡¯s only one problem left.¡±

    Again, they nced at the ck curly-haired child at the same time. ¡°That kid, who is he?¡± Kyle asked in a stern voice.

    Noah let out a nervousugh, avoiding the investigator¡¯s piercing gaze. ¡°A three-year-old boy¡­ One day, suddenly, it fell from the sky¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you sure he fell from the sky?¡± He scoffed.

    Even she doesn¡¯t believe the lie she just made up. Park Noah rubbed her tired eyes. Somehow, her left cheek was hot. She looked to her left and saw the child, who sat quietly in his chair, was staring at Leonard.

    Uh¡­ I think I just felt the heating from this side. I can smell a faint smoke if I sniff.

    ¡°Would you like to open your hands?¡± she asked.

    The child who was staring intently at the investigator shifted his gaze toward Park Noah, his eyes sullen. He stretched his arms forward. Surprisingly, there was no me. Noah brushed it off. Maybe I¡¯m only feeling strange things because of my body. I am getting weak.

    A littleter, Kyle Leonard spoke hesitantly. ¡°¡­Yes. Then let¡¯s pretend he fell from the sky.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The thought of abandoning the child¡­ I don¡¯t think so. Yes, I see.¡± Leonard bbered, looking as if he was having an internal crisis. Afterwards, he looked at the child in the face intensely.

    Does that man have to make such a grim face in front of this child? Noah took the child and ced him on herp. The child mumbled gloomily in her arms. ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The child whispers, bowing his head.

    ¡°¡­I know. You didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Park Noah exhaled deeply, caressing the ck curls of the child.

    Is there anything wrong with the child? If you¡¯re looking for the wrong person, it¡¯s my fault for mistakenly picking up the dragon¡¯s eggs. What should I do now? If I say I¡¯m going to send him away again, he would cause trouble. I can¡¯t take him anywhere right now.

    Park Noah was left with only one choice: take the child to the capital and meet the heroine, Lenia, personally.

    ¡°Although it would be nice if he changed his mind and went to his rightful mother himself,¡± muttered Noah.

    Or maybe I should think of something else¡­

    Her thoughts were brought to an end when she felt Kyle Leonard¡¯s fierce gaze. Looking up, she asked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, sir?¡±

    ¡°¡­I know what you¡¯re thinking, but I can¡¯t do that. I might end up dying at this age.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    What is he talking about?

 Chapter 15

    Leaving Park Noah bewildered by his previous statement, Kyle Leonard forced himself to utter a word. ¡°There is only one way.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Improve your physical strength.¡±

    Still unable toprehend the investigator, Park Noah only stared at Kyle Leonard. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the doctor?¡± Kyle Leonard snapped, clenching his jaw. ¡°You will have to restore your mana back to its full potential. I will assist you, and you must not do anything carelessly lest you waste mana.¡±

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Stunned, Park Noah thought Kyle Leonard had gone crazy. But his violet eyes, which gleamed vibrantly, expressed profound sincerity. Clearing her throat, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s part of the investigation!¡±

    Indeed, the male lead, Kyle Leonard, was far from kidding. From the next day on, he began knocking on the witch¡¯s door every morning.

    *

    What am I doing here?

    Somewhere in the kitchen of the witch¡¯s house, Kyle Leonard stood in front of a huge pot with adle in his hand, stirring stew.

    He had been cooking for Park Noah and had served her breakfast in her bedroom ever since the doctor¡¯s visit. And during bedtime, the sly woman was embarrassed by her groveling, so Leonard forces her to lie down on the bed and covers her eyes with a blindfold, which makes her asleep almost immediately.

    Every time Kyle Leonard brings her food, Park Noah would refuse. As their bicker would go on endlessly, Noah would concede and empty her fill.

    Kyle¡¯s thoughts diverted to the baby dragon. He never showed little care toward the curly-haired boy. He thought, ¡°What¡¯s so nice about a baby dragon who steals mana?¡± Yet, underneath his cold fa?ade, Kyle Leonard seemed to bear affection for him.

    ¡°I guess he¡¯s worth all the work.¡± Kyle muttered as he rummaged through the cupboard for the pepper can, while his other hand gripped thedle and stirred the chicken stew. Unfortunately, the can was empty.

    I have to go grocery shopping tomorrow. He clicked his tongue in dismay.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    Suddenly, the investigator came to a halt; a deep sense of realization enveloped him. What am I doing here? Kyle¡¯s routine had been the same for the past two days: cooking for his nemesis, Eleonora Asil. He was stuck in the witch¡¯s territory unless the dragon would leave her, which seemed far from reality.

    Kyle turned around, revealing a curly-haired child with ring eyes, a tiny me emerging from his wriggling wrist. He seemed eager to fry the investigator who stood before him.

    Ugh.

    In actuality, Eleonora Asil would regain her strength once the imprinting process is finished. The imprint of a dragon is a resonance between two beings. If the child properly imprints on the witch, its power will permeate in Eleonora¡¯s body, thus restoring her mana.

    However, they had to stop it to avoid further consequences as the witch was not the rightful mother of the dragon. Eleonora had to recover quickly before the dragon sessfully imprints on her.

    Kyle Leonard red back at the sullen child who was forcibly taken away from her master. He was ying with his fingers when all of a sudden a massive spark erupted.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise you would cause no trouble, did you?¡±

    ¡°You told Noah to abandon me¡­¡± The child murmured softly, his dark red eyes glistening with tears. The mes grew bigger.

    Who¡¯s Noah?

    ¡°You were supposed to help me imprint. You¡¯re a liar!¡± The curly-haired boy pointed his finger at the man across him, furious and betrayed. ¡°¡­Noah only told me not to kill you¡­¡±

 Chapter 16

    Why is he calling the witch Noah?

    ¡°She said that? Wow, what a surprise.¡± Kyle Leonard said mockingly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t curse at Noah!¡± The child red at him, his eyes full of rage. The investigator sighed, and closed the lid of the stew.

    ¡°Listen carefully, child.¡± Kyle Leonard switched the stove off and poured some stew in a bowl. He then grabbed a bottle of milk and ced it in the child¡¯s hands. ¡°If you continue to stick with her like this, you might suck up all her magic and eventually kill her. Do you still want to stay with her?¡±

    The child was rendered speechless; his round eyes wide open in shock. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about that. But if I imprint¡­ she¡¯ll get well again¡­¡± He trailed off.

    Kyle suppressed his frustration over the past few days and spoke calmly. ¡°Eleonora doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention of imprinting herself with you when her life is at stake.¡±

    ¡°If you help me¡­.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a limit to what I can do. Isn¡¯t it obvious that even though you¡¯re a dragon, you don¡¯t have the right to imprint on someone without their permission?¡±

    The child¡¯s face turned pale. ¡®The uncle seemed to be right,¡¯ he thought. Tears welled up in his eyes. The child put down the bottle of milk and bowed his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want Noah to be sick but she¡¯s sick because of me. And she won¡¯t leave me because she¡¯s nice.¡± The child¡¯s ideas were getting extreme.

    While Kyle was preparing the soup, he nced at the child across the living room whose shoulders were drooped. With a sigh, he eventually approached the child. He hoisted the child and ced him on top of the table.

    Grabbing a chair, he positioned himself in front of the child. ¡°Do you like her that much? Why should it be her?¡±

    ¡°Because Noah took me out of the egg¡­¡±

    So she¡¯s the one who stole the eggs.

    Kyle contemted for a moment whether or not he should record the child¡¯s words, but then gave up on the idea. Although he looks human, it is rather ufortable to get the ¡°truth¡± from a baby dragon that looked like a three-year-old. He¡¯d rather have Eleonora Asil confess her crimes.

    But his prior investigations reveal that the witch had never actually left her shoddy cottage in Sorrent for nearly two years. In addition, how could Eleonora manage to infiltrate a fortress, bounded by a shield with her biometric information registered? Even though she is the infamous Laurent witch, she could not possibly break it alone.

    Unless¡­

    Kyle¡¯s mind buzzed with conspiracies. Is there an aplice? ¡°Did you ever see another human when you came out of the egg? Or heard a different voice?¡± Kyle asked in case.

    ¡°Another voice..?¡± The child shook his head, confused.

    ¡°Yes, another human voice.¡±

    ¡°I think I heard it while I was in the egg. Something like a human voice.¡±

    ¡°You heard that?¡±

    The child flinched at Kyle¡¯s sharp tone and shook his head again. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was half asleep at the time, so I can¡¯t remember¡­.¡±

    Was there an aplice? This case bes moreplicated in no time unless there is only one person who had made contact with the dragon¡¯s egg.

    Eleonora¡¯s profile unfolded in his head. He thought of each person who might be looking for ns to steal the dragon¡¯s egg. The minister of magic? That person is pretty suspicious too. It¡¯s quite possible for the man who helped ridiculously reduce Eleonora¡¯s sentence for being a wizard of rare genius.

    As soon as he recalled the fuzzy face of the boss, Kyle Leonard¡¯s forehead creased. The minister of magic was the second most frustrating human being to Kyle, after Eleonora Asil.

    If it wasn¡¯t him, there was another wizard who was famous for his admiration for Eleonora and was strong enough to break through the walls of the fortress.

    Kyle nced at the child as he tried to string together his thoughts. ¡°You don¡¯t intend to find another master?¡±

    ¡°Noah, Noah, Noah¡­ If you really say no¡­.¡± Tears fell endlessly from the baby dragon¡¯s eyes.

    In more than 500 years, there were few options for a child who had fallen into thend alone without another kin. And it was Kyle who couldn¡¯t find any other way. It was the first time in his life that he had seen a dragon, which he believed as a mere legend. There was no record in any ancient book that dragons shed tears like humans.

    At this rate, you look like a real child. Kyle sighed and wiped the soft, tear-stained cheeks with the back of his hand.

    ¡°What did the master say about the tough baby?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not crying¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s not cry and drink milk.¡± Kyle brushed his curls. The child stopped crying and drank milk. It was milk soaked with tears.

 Chapter 17

    If there was heaven, would it be like this way?

    Park Noah hummed, skipping with delight across her bedroom, savoring the sweet aroma of buttering from the kitchen.

    This is paradise on earth. Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me that such heaven exists on earth?

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s strategy to restore the witch¡¯s mana was operating as smoothly as nned. When she awakes in the morning, the investigator, who has now evolved into a butler, already stands at the threshold of her room with narrowed eyes and crossed arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s wake-up time,dy.¡± He would say, and drag Park Noah out of her bed amid her whines andints. Kyle Leonard would then usher her to the bathroom; the bathtub already filled with lukewarm water.

    Today was no different. After bathing, Park Noah clothed herself and went downstairs excitedly, a modestly prepared breakfast weing her.

    God, I¡¯ve never had such luxury.

    Breakfasts consist of a simple meal so as to not load the stomach too much. Today was a toast, topped with butter and egg, crisp bacon, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and a cup of warm milk. For the child¡¯s portion, the toast was cut into smaller pieces.

    While Park Noah savors her breakfast, Kyle Leonard would clean the house spotless, leaving no grain of dust.

    After observing him for a few days, Park Noah began to think his obsession to cleanliness was bing annoying. Fortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem like Kyle Leonard has to wash his hands as soon as he touches a person, but, his hands can¡¯t stay still unless the house is in the same condition as he remembers.

    ¡°Perfect cleanliness. It¡¯s one of the basic lifestyle rules. In that sense, thedy appears to me as unclean in itself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that dirty. I washed every day before you came.¡± Park Noah retorted, displeased at his remark.

    ¡°Just because you feel clean doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re actually clean. What¡¯s the point of being clean when you are surrounded with dust and dirt? Even swans are like crows in the mud, butdy¡­¡± Kyle Leonard scorned. On the other hand, Park Noah merely shook her head, and continued to delight in her breakfast as she took a bite from her toast.

    Whatever. I didn¡¯t grab that guy¡¯s leg and ask him to clean my house. He¡¯s the one who decided to stay, insisting that it¡¯s essential to the investigation.

    Park Noah continually reminds him that he need not do the chores, but Kyle Leonard merely turns a deaf ear. In fact, after experiencing luxury for a few days, Noah thought of making the investigator leave, who was a nuisance not only in his investigation but also in housework.

    Noah smiled as she daydreamed about the tiresome Kyle Leonard giving up his investigation and returning to her once again her peace.

    Wait. I have been having a luxurious lifestyle because of this weasel. How about I try to seduce him? The original plot of the novel is already ruined anyway.

    Well, handsome fellow, would you like to be my butler instead?

    Her daydream soon ended as Kyle Leonard¡¯s condescending voice rang in Noah¡¯s ears. ¡°We are going to clean up the second floor today. I can¡¯t wait to see how filthy the second floor is.¡±

    Infuriated, Park Noah shot him a death stare as he tore the curtains open, revealing the daylight.

    I wish I could do something with that vulgar mouth of his. Oh, how I wish to strangle him. To think that I even contemted seducing this cold-hearted bastard. How absurd! She shook her head, brushing off the idea she had a while ago.

    Meanwhile, the child had already woken up and was already seated beside the table, nibbling his toast. Park Noah smiled at the sight of him. ¡°My little boy, can you eat toast now?¡±

    ¡°I can eat it all.¡± The boy replied, his eyes fixated on the toast in his tiny hands.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s great!¡± Noah deliberatelyplimented the child upon recalling that whenever she praises him, his face would turn red. With the investigator around, the atmosphere was aggravating and the little child¡¯s smile was her onlyfort, her ray of sunshine.

 Chapter 18

    Today, the child was unusually strange. He held a ss of milk, his favorite, yet somehow he doesn¡¯t seem happy. Park Noah leaned closer and saw stains of tears across his cheeks. Surprised, she put down her toast and asked, ¡°Did you cry, baby?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t cry!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean no? Your eyes are red!¡± Park Noah stretched her arms to hold the curly-haired boy but the child only shook his head. ¡®That¡¯s odd,¡¯ she thought. He never shielded away from her until now.

    ¡°Baby,e here.¡± Noah attempted again, her hand gesturing a hug.

    The child remained silent, his head hung low, avoiding the witch¡¯s gaze. But this time, he slowly takes a step toward her.

    Come to think of it, until the day before yesterday, he had been glued to me all day, and yesterday he had less time with me.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t grown much. Is it because ofck of mana?¡±

    The child murmured a soft ¡®no¡¯, still refusing to look at her directly.

    ¡°What are you saying? It¡¯s easy to see. Don¡¯t pretend to me,e here and hug me.¡± The little boy ended up snuggled in the witch¡¯s arms. Park Noah ced the child on herp, and continued their breakfast. Suddenly, Kyle Leonard returned to the kitchen, who wore an apron and gripped a feather duster.

    ¡°Put that child down.¡±

    Park Noah ignored him and turned to the child, ¡°I¡¯ll hold you for ten minutes.¡±

    Her heart ached to see the poor child sulk every time he was forced away from her. For thest few days, Noah had been eating well and had rested plenty, thus regaining a little bit of her strength back; she believes she wouldn¡¯t faint like a stringy doll again despite her mana being sucked for a good ten minutes.

    However, Kyle Leonard was colder than ever. ¡°I took himst night and transferred him to my room to prevent all your mana getting sucked. And now you want your mana drawn out for ten minutes?¡±

    Who asked you to do that anyway?

    ¡°A cold-blooded man who sheds no tears.¡± Park Noah grumbled inaudibly to herself.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°There, there¡¯s a stain on the left window.¡±

    In a sh, Kyle whipped his head and scanned the window for any dirt. On the other hand, Park Noah grabbed the child and escaped into her room. But before she could lock her door, Kyle had already slipped his foot in.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for a walk.¡±

    During his stay, Kyle Leonard has set up a routine for Park Noah to quickly regain her mana. After breakfast, the next activity would be a morning stroll.

    Noah plopped into her bed, rolling to the child¡¯s side, and made ame excuse. ¡°I have a chronic disease which could make me copse under the sun, sir.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Follow me right now.¡± Kyle Leonard tried to grab her arm, but stopped. Noah looked at her with curious eyes, her eyebrow raised. Suddenly, he held her wrist, frowning.

    ¡°Is this a wrist or a branch of a dying tree?¡± He muttered, seemingly ufortable. ¡°¡­You must have lost about at least five kilograms from two years ago.¡±

    ¡°Do you know my weight?¡±

    ¡°There is nothing I don¡¯t know about you. I know your age, your birthday, your height, your weight, your blood type, your constetion, your fingerprints, your stride length.¡±

    Okay, that is creepy. Is he some stalker or something?

    When Park Noah stared at him in bewilderment, Kyle became confused. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re pretending to be surprised. If youbined all the time you have spent alone with me in a confined space, it would fill at least a month. Did you forget, Lady Eleonora Asil with 15 previous convictions?¡±

    One would think that a romance would blossom between two nemeses in their current situation hadn¡¯t Kyle Leonard uttered the words ¡®Lady Eleonora Asil with 15 previous convictions¡¯.

    ¡°Or was it more? No, right, it was 15.¡±

    Noah remained silent, which made Kyle even more puzzled. He stared at her strangely, and suddenly he was frowning.

    What else don¡¯t you like? My existence itself? Well, I¡¯ve lived a bit too much like a cockroach for the past two years. My goal is to live a long and peaceful life, but I don¡¯t think I could have it easily.

    After a period of silence, Noah finally nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go walk. But I¡¯m bringing with me the child instead.¡±

    ¡°The child¡­¡±

    ¡°Hold on, geez. Juste along with me.¡± Noah called the child whom peeked out from behind Kyle¡¯s leg. There was still a sullen look on his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine, but¡­.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just stay home¡­.¡±

    Why is he so depressed?

    The little boy¡¯s strange behavior didn¡¯t end that moment. In fact, it worsened during the night. When it was already past ten in the evening, Noah waited for Kyle to fall asleep and secretly transfer the child from the crib in the living room and into her room.

    ¡°No.¡± But the child refused. ¡°I can sleep alone without Noah.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Her eyes widened at the child¡¯s unexpected remark. He was looking up at her with a determined look, his eyes seemingly stern. Noah asked him again, unsure whether she had misheard. ¡°You¡¯re not going to sleep with me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a baby anymore. It¡¯s been 15 days since I came out of the egg. So I can sleep alone.¡± He seemed to mean it when he spoke with all his might. Noah, on the other hand, could only nod in surprise.

    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah¡­¡± The child turned to his side, avoiding her gaze.

    Unsessful, Noah trudged back toward her bedroom, her shoulders slumped. The door closed behind her back. The tidy room felt a little queasy tonight.

    It¡¯s like my beloved son suddenly dered his independence from his mother.

    Frustrated, she tried to dismiss her weird emotions. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s just get some sleep.¡± Maybe he doesn¡¯t want to sleep with me anymore. Noah dove under the covers, still feeling odd. For almost an hour she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Eventually, she got up.

    See, a child who¡¯s only been born 15 days, doesn¡¯t sleep well!

    Noah sneaked down to the first floor and carried the child back in. The child whined with sleepy eyes. ¡°I can sleep alone¡­.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep alone. Let¡¯s go to bed now. Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡±

    And three seconds after she lied with the child in her arms, she fell asleep immediately.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°Please tell me in detail what you were doing from around April 10 to April 17. Lady, you¡¯d better stop eating. You eat more of that piece of junk than you eat a proper meal.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by a piece of junk? It¡¯s a handmade butter cookie that¡¯s sold as a limited edition at the most famous Queen of Cookies bakery in the city.¡±

    ¡°Thedy should not eat only butter cookies, but a proper meal. Don¡¯t you think you won¡¯t have dinner again if you have a full stomach?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Noah muttered, ncing at the room while Kyle Leonard went on to reprimand her.

    Last night, Noah held the child in her arms as she fell asleep, but when she awoke early in the morning, she found that the child had disappeared. She immediately rushed down to the living room and was greeted with a sight that crushed her heart into pieces: the little kid was sleeping soundly on the couch. It was obvious that he couldn¡¯t climb into the crib.

    ¡°¡­Lady, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°What? Oh, nothing. Where were we?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything yet. I keep getting sidetracked, but it¡¯s time for an interrogation. Please be honest.¡± The man across her answered without a hint of sympathy. Noah nodded timidly.

    Kyle Leonard, the investigator-sh-butler, finally decided Park Noah had recovered enough to answer questions, so as soon as she finished devouring her breakfast, he sat her down and began his interrogation.

    ¡°So, you went downtown the week beforest Monday?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard the limited edition pajamas came out at a rather low price.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the name of the store?¡±

    ¡°Frill Happy Night¡¯s Wardrobe.¡±

    Kyle Leonard looked at her dumbfounded as she answered his question with such confidence. He muttered, with a slightly embarrassed face, ¡°Frill Happy Night¡­¡±

    And as if to rescue the embarrassed Kyle Leonard, the kettle seethed. Kyle immediately stood up and rushed to the kitchen, breathing a sigh of relief. He poured two cups of cocoa, one for the witch and the other for the baby dragon. The sweet aroma of chocte saturated the entire house.

    Kyle returned with two cups of cocoa in his hands, handing one cup to Noah. ¡°Drink this. Don¡¯t fill your stomach with unhealthy food.¡±

    He then turned to the child who was crouching on the couch, and gave him the other cup. The child had already woken up and was flipping through the pages of a photobook, which Kyle Leonard had bought yesterday.

    Dozens of questions upied the witch¡¯s mind. She kept asking the child what¡¯s wrong but he remains silent throughout. He must have felt sorry for seeping her mana out, but Noah isn¡¯t convinced that it is the reason.

    Kyle Leonard situated himself back across Park Noah to continue his interrogation. ¡°Let¡¯s start over. So where and what were you doing the week beforest Wednesday?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just weird¡­¡±

    ¡°Lady!¡± Eventually, Kyle Leonard flew into a rage at herck of cooperation. On the other hand, Park Noah remained deep in her thoughts.

    A dragon imprint.

    Marking with a dragon was an entirely different matter with keeping an abandoned childpany. Once imprinted, it is impossible to ignore. Both must be together for life. Therefore, the issue was not simply about letting the dragon go because he had a designated owner, but whether Park Noah could handle the future and its consequences.

    Lenia, the heroine, in contrast, is aware of the consequences that would transpire once she is imprinted by the dragon. Moreover, she is allied by the country¡¯s strongest men, including Kyle Leonard.

    Then, in the end, they are forced to say goodbye to their families and beloved. How the heroine has lived since then remains a mystery, but her character is designed to withstand any circumstances; she would have adapted well.

    Reflecting on Lenia¡¯s life as written in the original plot, life with the dragon will not be as peaceful as it is now, and the witch, Park Noah, questions herself whether she is prepared to take responsibility for the unexpected turn of events.

    Even adopting a pet requires extreme determination and causes distress, what more if she would adopt a dragon child?

    Yet, despite her desires for a life without chaos, Park Noah cannot bear to look at the child bing weak. Starting yesterday, it seems the child hadn¡¯t taken enough of her mana, and had stopped growing. Park Noah measured his height it by eye and discovered that it was the same height as it was three days ago.

    ¡°Have you had any recent contact with Adrian Rossinell?¡±

    Park Noah was so lost in thought that she could barely make sense of Kyle¡¯s questions. ¡°Uh, who?¡±

    ¡°Adrian Rossinell.¡± Kyle looked at her with a frown, his forehead creasing. He repeats himself.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°¡­No, you don¡¯t seem to know it.¡± His annoyance quickly subsided. Then, he snapped his pocketbook shut and massaged his forehead, seemingly exhausted. ¡°I think you are very distracted. That¡¯s it for today. Let¡¯s go grocery shopping. I have to leave early today because I have work at the Sorrent branch.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re out of food, so let¡¯s fill it up. I have listed everything I need to buy here.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Kyle Leonard appeared to have no doubts about the witch. In the end, he followed Park Noah to the market, and after they finished grocery shopping, he handed her everything they bought and said, ¡°It¡¯s time for my work.¡±

 Chapter 20

    When Park Noah returned home, clutching a handful of grocery bags, the house was strangely still. Usually, when she opens the door, there will be a kid running toward her with a big bright smile.

    Today, she was greeted with no one and it made her upset. No, it¡¯s only been ten days Noah, you can¡¯t have a change of heart like this in just ten days!

    But where did the child really go?

    Noah ced the groceries hurriedly on the table and began to search the house. Before they left, the little boy was taking a nap on his crib, but the crib was currently empty.

    ¡°Where are you, baby?¡±

    She called out as she looked around the living room and the storage room on the basement. It was only then she realized that he still had no name. Park Noah had been calling ¡°you,¡± ¡°baby,¡± and ¡°little boy¡± for fifteen days.

    ¡°I was so insensitive, I¡­¡± If I knew this would happen, I would have given you a real name along with a ton of nicknames.

    Park Noah breathed deeply and climbed up the spiral staircase toward her room, hoping that the child would miraculously jump out and surprise her. However, the child was not there either. Anxiety slowly enveloped her.

    Are you out?

    Soon, Park Noah began to rummage through every room, attempting to contain the increasing anxiety and nervousness. It took less than ten minutes for the investigator¡¯s room to turn upside down, as if a storm had just passed. Still, the child was nowhere to be found.

    Chills erupted within her body. The child had never left this house by himself. Also, Park Noah was certain she locked the door before leaving.

    ¡°Baby!¡± The witch cried out, making her way downstairs again. She checked under the sofa. She opened all the cupboards in the kitchen, but there was still no child anywhere. Her heartbeat throbbed faster every minute of the search.

    Was there a robbery? Did they kidnap him because they knew he was the dragon? He doesn¡¯t even have the strength to protect himself since he wasn¡¯t able to imprint!

    ¡°¡­No, let¡¯s stay calm, Noah.¡± She stopped her thoughts from getting out of control and tried to think rationally.

    Come to think of it, didn¡¯t the kid spurt out a me? If anyone other than her and Kyle Leonard had attempted to approach the child, he would certainly not have stayed still. It¡¯s a dragon that doesn¡¯t care about human death so he might attack the person.

    ¡°That¡¯s just another problem!¡± Park Noah was bing exasperated. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails were already digging into her skin. Exhaling deeply, she decided to take a look around the house as he might have walked outside for a while because he felt stuffy.

    If I couldn¡¯t find him, I have no choice but to ask Kyle Leonard for help. That¡¯s the least I can do!

    But after two or threeps around her cabin, still, she could not find the baby dragon.

    ¡°Ugh¡­Where did you go?¡± Her weak body, which had not run for an entire year, was on the verge of copsing. She returned to her house to rest for a little while when a thought crossed her mind. Did you leave because you thought I wouldn¡¯t imprint on you?

    All of a sudden, a memory shed between her eyes. ¡°And you observe me well while you¡¯re with me, and then you make a decision. Am I really a human being worth choosing as your master?¡±

    Park Noah remembered what she said to the child a few days ago, the words echoing in her mind. Regrets filled her heart. She bit my lips for a moment, and then cried out. ¡°But still!¡±

    You can leave but inform me! Still, we can¡¯t rule out the case of kidnapping, so we should report it.

    Park Noah was preparing to leave the house, dressed in baggy clothes, and stuffed some coins into her pocket.

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

 Chapter 21

    Bang.

    The door of the Sorrent security quarters burst open. As usual, the chief, who was sleeping on his desk during work hours, jolted from his seat in a panic.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t dozing off, Sir Leonard!¡± Nowadays, he has been having a difficult time because of Kyle Leonard, who visited every evening of the day.

    The head of the capital¡¯s security department. Indeed, Kyle Leonard was too superior and powerful that any officer could dare not make eye contact. In addition, he was more terrifying than the rumors paint him to be, and they call him the ¡®beast¡¯.

    The chief shut his eyes, awaiting Kyle Leonard¡¯s dreadfulmbasting.

    ¡°Get out of the way.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Unexpectedly, however, the chief officer did not receive any reprimand and scurried to the corner clearing the way for the head investigator. It seemed Kyle Leonard was upied with an urgent matter. He sat on the chief¡¯s seat, and hurriedly switched on the video port on the corner of the desk.

    ¡°The capital Tezeba Investigation Security Agency.¡±

    Immediately after he dialed, the mainspring began to turn and after a beep, a transparent screen emerged above the machine.

    ¡°Yes, this is Tezeba Investigation Security. What do you need?¡± The man who appeared on the screen responded dryly without ncing at Kyle Leonard¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Paul, transmit all the profiles ofdy Eleonora Asil. The transmission location is here, 10th District Sorrent.¡±

    ¡°Oh, boss?¡± The face of the man turned pale in an instant upon recognizing the voice.

    ¡°I want you to send me all the records ofdy Eleonora¡¯s past record, detailed profile, and the case log in thedy¡¯s name. Right now.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll send it right away!¡± The man named Paul knew Kyle Leonard was not a patient boss who repeated the same words three times, and immediately answered, his hand gesturing a salute.

    After issuing hismand, Kyle turned the video port off. And in less than a minute, the office¡¯s printing presses began to print out the documents Kyle had requested.

    He ced a nearly inch-thick of papers on the desk and began to flip through the pages quickly.

    Eleonora Asil.

    Kyle Leonard has been feeling strange ever since heid eyes on Sorrent¡¯s witch.

    Contrary to his hatred and contempt for Eleonora Asil, Kyle Leonard almost knew nothing about her except her body sizes which include personality, speech, eyes, and furthermore minor hand movements, gait, and stride size, even the thickness of hair and direction of the swirl of fingerprints. It was only natural that he had that information because he had been assigned as a special investigator for Eleonora Asil for five years.

    Yet, when he met the witch who had been hiding for two years, she was different from before. Something must have changed, Kyle Leonard thought, but they were trivial things.

    For instance, a woman whom he deemed as impably clean suddenly has had her house in shambles. The mischievous glint in her eyes has disappeared and her fearlessness no more. She had lost weight and resembled dry firewood. But when he held the witch¡¯s arms unnoticed, familiarity surged in him.

    Eleonora had escaped Kyle Leonard¡¯s chase for more than he can remember, and there wasn¡¯t a single time when he wasn¡¯t hit by the cunning witch. Consequently, Kyle Leonard found it strange when he showed up on the witch¡¯s front door at the crack of dawn and the first thing he didn¡¯t receive was a blow.

    It was only until he attempted to use force to bring her with him for investigation. ¡°So this damned woman finally came to her senses,¡± he thought.

    But again, it wasn¡¯t enough to silence his pestering questions. A few days ago, when he interrogated Eleonora Asil, he had mentioned ¡®Lady Eleonora Asil with 15 previous convictions¡¯, and it took her by surprise.

    Why would it shock her? Kyle mused. As many as fifteen times, she was dragged into jail by his hands. Did she forget?

    Kyle Leonard stopped flipping through the stack of documents, and red fiercely at the sheet of paper he held. It was the list of names of Eleonora Asil¡¯s aplices in her second, seventh, eighth and twelfth crimes.

    Adrian Rossinell.

    ¡°Have you had any recent contact with Adrian Rossinell?¡±

    ¡°Uh, who?¡±

    ¡°Adrian Rossinell.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s memory shed back to his interrogation.

    When he uttered the name of Adrian Rossinell to her, the witch was no more less than clueless. It was at that moment when strangeness peaked and doubts intensified. For him, it absolutely made no sense for such a response toe out because Adrian Rossinell, Laurent¡¯s youngest minister of magic, was the former lover of Eleonora Asil.

 Chapter 22

    Two years ago, Adrian and Eleonora had a massive fight in front of the entrance to Laurent¡¯s fortress, which was still remembered even today. As a result, no one doubted that the infamous witch actually stormed out of the capital; it was only natural after breaking up with a lover of four years. Hence, Eleonora cannot react as if she did not know the existence of Adrian Rossinell.

    Kyle Leonard began checking the transcripts he had sent from Tezeba.It was recorded when he interrogated Eleonora Asil himself.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a mousetrap. It¡¯s a trap for rats. This is so unfair, really.¡±

    ¡°There are dozens of victims who have had their ankles cut off by this mousetrap, and you are still so brazen toe up with such a lie. You¡¯d better be honest if you want to be released as soon as possible,dy. What kind of magic did you put on this thing for it to chop off ankles like crazy?¡±

    ¡°Head investigator, I really don¡¯t know anything. I¡¯ve made it right, and if you want to destroy it, I¡¯ll give you the honor. How many hours have this dull conversation been going? In this tiny ce!¡±

    Kyle Leonard remembered the daring woman in the recording room whose eyes zed as fiercely as a lion. The look on her face was different from the woman living in the messy cabin now. Kyle continued to study meticulously every transcript of the recordings, not missing one.

    The investigation has taken a sharp turn.Kyle Leonard snapped his pen down on the desk.With countless possibilities in mind, and afterpiling all the given facts, a conclusion was drawn.

    The investigation was misdirected in the first ce.

    ¡°Stupid¡­¡±

    Kyle Leonard rose from his seat, took the uniform coat which was sprawled on the desk, and threw it to the freezing man in the corner. ¡°If you doze off one more time during work hours, you¡¯ll have to be ready to take off your badge off, chief.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    And without further ado, he immediately left the office, his steps brisk with no hesitation. The destination was none other than the house of Eleonora Asil.

    *

    ¡°Baby, where are you?!¡±

    The strange sound that echoed inside the house disappeared, prompting Park Noah to search the entire house all over again. Fortunately, however, after a few minutes, a small rustle was heard again. Park Noah put a hand behind her ears to locate the origin of the sound.

    ¡°Where are you, baby?¡±

    The door to the warehouse, which she merely skimmed earlier, was half open.Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a thief.Park Noah stood in front of the door, pressing gently on the knob, and took a peek. Inside was junk piled up like a mountain.

    She entered the storage room cautiously and slowly approached the pile of junk which was almost the twice of her height. Suddenly, a noise erupted from beneath the junk.

    ¡°¡­.?¡±

    Park Noah examined closely the mountain of junk when a gasp escaped her lips.

    ¡°Little boy, you!¡±

    A little tail protruded from the pile of junk¡ªan arrow-shaped tail, covered with ck, smooth scales. Dragon.It was dragon.A small dragon, the size that would fit perfectly in her arms.Immediately, Park Noah recognized at once that the tail belonged to the child she was looking for.

    The dragon opened his mouth when he saw her.The long pupils shook, and the dragon hesitantly crept out of the clutter.

    ¡°If I call you, you have to answer!¡±

    He straightened his feet and stretched out his hands, pping its wings as it swung its sleek, scaled arms around Park Noah¡¯s neck and hugged it.

    ¡°I called! Why won¡¯t you answer?¡± Her heart still throbbed unstable.She was extremely distressed that she burst into a fit of rage. ¡°I was so worried! I thought someone took you away! I¡¯ve been worrying about you since you¡¯ve been sulkingtely, and you¡¯re making my heart drop like this!¡±

    With a dragon clutched tightly in her arms, Park Noah felt utmost relief that the baby was back to her again.

 Chapter 23

    ¡°You¡­even if you really want to go, say goodbye to me first before you leave! Of course I¡¯ve tried to send you, uh, five times, but¡­I¡¯ve had a lot of affection for you!¡±

    Park Noah gasped for breath as she talked; she couldn¡¯t tell whether her voice trembled because she exerted too much energy looking for him or because of the relief that the child was found okay.

    The dragon pped its wings harder and harder. Eventually, as the creature rxed in the witch¡¯s arms, the dragon transformed into a curly-haired boy.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer?¡± Park Noah asked, looking at the child who began to sob quietly, bowing his head low.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you¡­¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear me calling you?¡±

    ¡°I was sleeping¡­then there was a sound of someone walking around.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I thought it was Uncle Kyle¡­¡± The red-eyed child mumbled faintly, fumbling his tiny fingers.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Park Noah was surprised to hear what the child had just said.

    ¡°Noah¡­ I¡¯m scared he¡¯ll make me leave if he sees me in a dragon form¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± At loss for words, Park Noah held the boy tightly in her arms. ¡°Then you just have to stay this way, why did you change into a dragon?¡±

    The child didn¡¯t answer, looking away from Park Noah¡¯s gaze. Suddenly, as if to answer her question, Park Noah felt the mana being drawn out from her body, which stopped in an instant. At the same moment, the child changed back into the shape of a ck dragon.

    ¡°What¡­¡± Park Noah stuttered, realizing her stupid mistake.

    The baby dragon broke free from Park Noah¡¯s embrace and slowly backed away, and hid behind the mountain of junk. He stuck his head out and looked at Park Noah with his big round red eyes.

    ¡°Oh,e on.¡± She groaned softly.

    After all, it was only possible for the dragon to humanize by drawing out her mana. Therefore, as the child spent less time with Park Noah, it was harder for him to maintain the human form as he did not have enough mana. A young dragon, which was practically depending on the witch¡¯s mana because of an iplete imprint, to suddenly be malnourished is only natural.

    Yet, the child remains distanced from Park Noah despite the urgent pleas of his body to imprint.

    Is it because he doesn¡¯t want me to get sick?

    In an instant, tears brimmed Park Noah¡¯s eyes, her sight beginning to look blurry. She mutters in a weak voice, ¡°Hey, what do you like about me so much? You won¡¯t even imprint on me¡­¡±

    The continent was inhabited by humans who qualified to be owners of dragons, even if not necessarily the heroine Lenia. Even Kyle Leonard alone was capable of taking full responsibility for the dragon child.

    On the other hand, Park Noah was not the powerful witch every living man feared. She was merely an unfortunate soul who transmigrated into Eleonora¡¯s body. She does not wield the same power as the original witch. Park Noah is merely not strong enough to sustain him.

    The dragon pped its wings, having seen Park Noah¡¯s somber expression, and lowered his head.

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Park Noah stared at the dragon intensely for a long time when suddenly, the most absurd thought crossed her mind.

    I can¡¯t organize my thoughts. I know I shouldn¡¯t decide something crucial in this state. I¡¯m still not prepared for anything. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll die if I lose all my mana to him in the first ce¡­

    Yet the words flowed out of her mouth smoothly.

    ¡°Do you really want to live with me?¡±

    You¡¯re crazy, Park Noah.

 Chapter 24

    ¡°Are you sure you will live with me? I¡¯m asking you if you¡¯re confident you won¡¯t regret choosing me as your owner.¡±

    The baby dragon, whose head was drooped, immediately raised his head to confirm if he had understood the words correctly. The deep red eyes blinked repeatedly, not able to believe what Park Noah had just offered.

    ¡°I¡¯m not confident.¡± Park Noah mumbled, her voice faint. She bit her bottom lip hard.

    The dragon cooed.

    ¡°I¡¯m really not confident I can do it. It¡¯s more so that I know exactly what¡¯sing to me when I¡¯m with you. I might regret it. And I can¡¯t guarantee you won¡¯t regret it.¡±

    The baby dragon tilted his head, wriggling his front legs as if he understood. Previously, the child had always said he wanted to live with her, but when he was actually given the chance, he was torn.

    The same goes with Park Noah. But at this moment, there was only one thing she was certain. Taking a deep breath, she uttered, ¡°But I can still be responsible for my choice.¡±

    Desiring a peaceful life, Park Noah has never made such an impulsive decision ever. But, however reckless her words may seem, she said it with every ounce of sincerity.

    ¡°I won¡¯t me you for anything and I won¡¯t abandon you halfway. It¡¯s my choice. I¡¯m responsible for my choice. That is, if you want.¡± She continued.

    The deep red eyes widened a little, its long pupils shook. Park Noah held out one hand to the baby dragon, determined to repress the deafening doubts in her mind. Not long, she spoke into existence the bravest and most daring decision she could ever make.

    ¡°Imprint with me.¡±

    Across her, the dragon¡¯s mouth hung open like never before, revealing his tiny sharp teeth. Somehow, Park Noah rtes to the child¡¯s expression had she been in his ce, causing her lips to curl.

    What a crazy b*tch. You are going to die of overwork in this life. But the word ¡°responsible¡± is real. I, Park Noah, would never betray my own word that I would do it.

    The dragon looked at Park Noah¡¯s face and her outstretched hand alternately.

    ¡°The opportunity is only until now. If you don¡¯t hold my hand now, I don¡¯t know when my heart will turn upside down again.¡± She waves her hand.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Still, the baby dragon stood frozen, unable toprehend all that was happening at the moment.

    ¡°Are you going to take it or not?¡±

    Finally, the child took a step forward with his little feet despite doubting whether Park Noah was being serious or not. The distance between the most powerful creature to ever exist and the witch who is despised by men, whose destinies were supposedly poles apart, draws near.

    Upon reaching her, the dragon tapped Park Noah¡¯s hand with its mouth. She grabbed the dragon¡¯s ck foot with clumpy ws and waved it up and down twice. Park Noah smiled at the clueless dragon that didn¡¯t know the meaning of shaking hands.

    Soon, the dragon¡¯s deep red eyes glowed. Tears finally gushed like a river from Noah¡¯s eyes and embraced the baby dragon in her arms.

    Imprinting wasn¡¯t aplicated process. Park Noah had read in the original plot the scene wherein Lenia gave this child a name, and the child epted the name, and the two beings perfectly resonated.

    Hence, the most essential in the process is the name¡ªa name that binds the dragon to its master. The heroine named the ck dragon ¡°the darkest night¡±, depicting its color that resembles the dark night sky.

    However, Park Noah did not want to give the child the same name. Besides, it¡¯s awful to give such a gloomy name to someone who resonates with her, she muses.

    Isn¡¯t there a saying that people¡¯s lives follow their names?

    Park Noah believes that if she imprints with the dragon instead of the heroine, and gives it a name carrying a more hopeful meaning, her story might not end up as gruesome as it did originally. But, it was only wishful thinking.

    The dragon has already transformed back into its human form. The child sat on his knees in front of her, looking up at her master with beaming eyes. Park Noah mumbled a name that crossed her mind, brushing his curly hair.

    ¡°Mu.¡±

    After a few pronunciations of the name in her mind, she made a decision.

    ¡°Muell, that would be good.¡±

    It was abination of the few ancient words that she knew with the brightest meanings: ¡°eheleu,¡± which means blue, and ¡°myui,¡± which means clear water underneath.

    Park Noah pronounced the repeatedly a few times. The child¡¯s face brightened when she nodded.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Excitement erupted from the child¡¯s voice. ¡°Muell¡­¡±

    As soon as the child muttered his name, something rang in Park Noah¡¯s body.

    ¡°Muell.¡± The child uttered the name again. Suddenly, the air changed. There was a delusion as if the wind were blowing. Something began to twirl around Park Noah and the child. Muell grabbed her master¡¯s hand. At the next moment, a gust of windshed around the room.

    ¡°¡­.!¡±

    Red, blue, yellow, green, gold, ck. Countless streams of light began to sweep around along the violent storm. Park Noah managed to keep her eyes open, still seated at her spot, and looked down at the child who was holding her hand.

    ¡°Mu, what¡¯s happening¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s imprinted.¡±

    Only then did Park Noah realize that all the brilliant colors that shone in the room were the magic of this dragon. All of a sudden, her wrist began to tingle. She lowered her eyes to nce at her wrist and saw a geometric pattern being carved.

    ¡°¡­.!¡±

    Written in the novel was the process of imprinting. When Lenia imprinted with the dragon, a mark, simr to Park Noah¡¯s, was carved on her wrist, symbolizing ownership of the dragon.

    Park Noah felt a raging energy in her wrist. She looked up to her surroundings and beheld the spectacr sight of the fast, intensely rotating mana enveloping them.

    ¡°Noah is my real owner from now on.¡±

    The child dered, his pronunciation crystal clear.

 Chapter 25

    ¡°And I am now a dragon under Noah¡¯s authority.¡±

    On the child¡¯s wrist, the same mark that was carved on Park Noah radiated brightly. Park Noah vaguely repeated the child¡¯s words to herself. My authority.

    ¡°This mark binds the master and their pet and cannot be undone until one of the two dies.¡±

    The child¡¯s voice prated Park Noah horrifyingly, realizing that there was no turning back. Goodbye, my peaceful life.

    ¡°Thank you for imprinting with me¡­.¡± However anxious she was about her decision, seeing the child with his deep red tearful eyes who looked at her as if she were a god, Park Noah could only heave a deep sigh, thinking, ¡°What can I do?¡±.

    It has been exactly five minutes since the imprint had taken ce and Park Noah decided to dismiss all worry and bitterness she felt moments ago.

    ¡°You should have told me earlier that imprints are so good!¡± She beamed. Park Noah¡¯s body was full of energy, a result of what was called the ¡®resonance of existence¡¯. Imprinting allows the dragon¡¯s magic to be suffused to its master.

    Park Noah has never experienced too much energy circling within her body. Her heart beat fast, feeling as if she chugged three cups of caffeine in a row.

    She tried to calm herself down by pressing on the left portion of her chest, but it had no effect. Is it because too much energy filled my body at once? She muttered, her breathing different from before. ¡°Wow, this is really¡­I think I can run a marathon right now!¡±

    While staring intently at her palms, feeling the thumping pulse, a thud on the door was heard.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Park Noah broke free from her trance, her head swiftly turning to the door.

    Knock, knock, knock.

    Just by the sound of the restless thumping, she could already recognize the person behind the wooden door. Frantic, she looked around. Aside from the mess, the dragon¡¯s magic was still orbiting around the room.

    If Kyle Leonard were to discover about what transpired only a few minutes ago, the baby dragon would be taken away! And now that the imprint has been done, no matter how much he tries to evade, the child will not be able to hide more from the merciless investigator.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just be honest¡­¡± Running out of excuses to say, Park Noah rose from her seat, heaving a sigh. As she was about to open the door, the knob twisted and the door flung wide open.

    ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t lock the door¡­?¡±

    Opening the door and entering the house was, as expected, the mighty and the witch¡¯s temporary butler, Kyle Leonard. Immediately, his eyes swept through the house. Park Noah could tell that he was observing the dragon¡¯s magic which was still present in the atmosphere, and not on the clutter left all over.

    ¡°Lord Leonard?¡±

    The look on Kyle¡¯s was entirely foreign to Park Noah. It was neither a grimace nor contempt. Rather, it was a look ofplete nkness. She has never seen such impassiveness from the investigator, especially recently.

    Park Noah frowned. She has already oriented herself that her life would be not as easy anymore, but she didn¡¯t expect to be confronted immediately by life¡¯s very first obstacle.

    She bit her lips and cautiously opened her mouth to speak. ¡°Sir, I think we need to have a conversation. What do you think?¡±

    As if her nervousness had been sensed by the child, the child hugged her leg and clung to her, ring at the man across them.

    The man¡¯s gazended on the child briefly. The next moment, he was staring intently at Park Noah.

    Overwhelmed, Park Noah stood frozen. Still, there was no answer from the man. Suddenly, a deafening noise erupted in the room.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    A silver bullet shed between Park Noah eyes, missing her by an inch.

    ¡°Leonard¡­ Sir.¡± Stupefied, she could barely utter a word.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you.¡± With his ck revolver still aimed at her, Kyle Leonard opened his mouth to speak, his eyes devoid of emotion.

    ¡°Eleonora Asil, is that you?¡±

 Chapter 26

    ¡°Eleonora Asil, is that you?¡±

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s voice echoed in Park Noah¡¯s ears, his words seeping the life out of her being. At that moment, she thought her life had turned upside down. It was a question that she never thought she¡¯d hear while possessing the body of Eleonora Asil.

    Still, she forced herself out of stupor and thought of an escape. However, Kyle Leonard¡¯s hand, as swift as a cheetah, pulled back the trigger of his gun and said menacingly, ¡°Rebellion won¡¯t work. You remember what I did to your house.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Park Noah bit her lips. Yeah, he cleaned up.

    When Kyle Leonard became a temporary butler in the house, he seized and discarded all the magical items that were modified by the original witch, Eleonora, at the same time he was cleaning.

    Park Noah nced sideways around the living room, and none of the magical items she knew how to operate were nearby. She realized that Kyle Leonard was inherently capable and he had no need of the magical tools Eleonora possessed.

    Ever since the investigator had infiltrated the humble abode of Park Noah, little did she know that the house wasn¡¯t entirely in her hands anymore.

    Did he n everything beforehand? She balled her fists so hard that her nails pierced through her skin. What a scary man!

    The man spat out in a harsh voice. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. Eleonora Asil, is that you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask three times.¡±

    Park Noah¡¯s heart was pounding erratically. What¡¯s his purpose for asking? Streams of thoughts clouded her mind in that moment.

    Kyle Leonard is an excellent investigator who earned the title of the youngest general manager. This man probably knows the truth already so it¡¯s more dangerous if I lie to him upfront. I don¡¯t want a bullet hole carved in my forehead¡­

    After a moment of silence, Park Noah replied, grabbing the child to her back.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What is your real name?¡±

    As soon as she answered, she received the second question right away. ¡®He already knew,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°Noah. Park Noah.¡± Carefully, she told Kyle Leonard her name.

    The third question immediately followed. ¡°Original age, gender and origin.¡±

    Park Noah took a short breath and exhaled deeply. ¡°I¡¯m twenty-seven years old here. Gender is originally a woman. And from¡­ Seoul. But you wouldn¡¯t know even if I told you. It¡¯s not in this world.¡±

    ¡°I will be the judge.¡± Kyle persisted.

    ¡°¡­Seoul, South Korea.¡±

    Facing the deadpan Kyle Leonard, Park Noah knew he had no intention of taking this matter lightly.

    ¡°What¡¯s your original job?¡± He continued his series of questions.

    ¡°Just a normal office worker. It was in a tradingpany.¡±

    Still, Park Noah was held at gunpoint. She shuddered at the thought of this man¡¯s impable skills that never missed his target.

    Now, the information I¡¯m spitting out is being stored in a new file in his head called ¡°Park Noah.¡± Is that good or bad for me?

    Despite discovering the shocking truth, Kyle Leonard remained inscrutable. Neither a frown nor twitch can be seen in his face. At that moment, Kyle Leonard was an investigator who interrogated who he perceived as a criminal.

    Meanwhile, Park Noah¡¯s head was spinning under extreme pressure.

    The man stared fixedly at her contorted face, and then opened his mouth again to speak after a moment¡¯s silence. ¡°Where is Eleonora Asil now?¡±

    ¡°She¡­ is dead.¡±

    ¡°Dead?¡±

    ¡°When I¡­ found this body, her soul was already gone. I don¡¯t know who killed her or how she died.¡± Park Noah chose her words cautiously. It was enough to be used of theft; she had to be careful lest she be used of murdering Eleonora Asil.

    ¡°Then where is your original body?¡± Every question Kyle Leonard asked, he emphasized.

    ¡°She¡¯s dead, too.¡± Noah responds with a sigh.

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°I died of overwork. Maybe it¡¯s because when you die, you wander in between different dimensions for a long time before finally ceasing.¡±

    ¡°Why does it have to be that body?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that.¡± Park Noah had been wandering as a soul when she was sucked into an empty shell, which belonged to the deceased witch, Eleonora Asil.

    ¡°Are you not after the magical powers of Eleonora Asil?¡± Kyle Leonard¡¯s queried Park Noah sharply.

    ¡°If I had, I would have used magic.¡±

    ¡°You mean you can¡¯t use magic?¡±

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t know how. All I can do is deal with magical items with manuals.¡± Truth to be told, there wasn¡¯t much she could get by bing Eleonora. There were only a few things including the trantion magic, the magic that was inherent in Eleonora¡¯s body, and a journal containing instructions on how to use her inventions.

    Park Noah only knew Eleonora through the novel. Anything beyond that, she was ignorant of. Perhaps she was the most unacquainted to the witch whose body she possessed.

    ¡°Noah¡­¡± Her agitation seemed to have reached the little dragon, Muell, as he was persisting to get out of her back. But, Park Noah desperately kept the child froming out in front of Kyle Leonard.

    If you defy this man, a high-ranking official of the royal family, you will end up as a fugitive.

 Chapter 27

    ¡°Dead¡­ Eleonora Asil is dead.¡± Kyle Leonard muttered to himself. He stared deeply into the eyes of the woman across him, searching for a lie.

    Both stood frozen in their ces, their heartbeats audible in the noiseless room. Soon, the man asked Park Noah monotonously. ¡°Will you cooperate?¡±

    With a gulp, Park Noah nodded. The man¡¯s eyes nced around the room, perhaps sensing the dragon¡¯s magic that was still evident in the atmosphere. Currently, Park Noah was no longer Eleonora Asil, the witch with 15 previous convictions. But, she remains a suspect for stealing the dragon egg.

    Park Noah mustered her courage and opened her quivering mouth to speak. ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate. I promise I won¡¯t rebel. You¡¯ve seen me the closest for almost a week now. You are aware of howzy I am. You already know that I¡¯m the kind of person who would rather get caught than rebel.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°So now¡­that gun¡­¡± Mister, could you drop the gun, please?

    There was a moment of silence. Kyle Leonard remained vignt, his violet eyes ring coldly, showing no signs of conceding. The woman¡¯s pleas seemed to have not eased his suspicions. Then, slowly, he lowered his revolver without uttering a word.

    Finally, Park Noah exhaled a deep breath she didn¡¯t realize she had been holding. Her nerves rxed a little, relieved that there was no revolver aimed at her head anymore. However, the calm onlysted for so long.

    Kyle Leonard began to walk toward her without batting an eysh.

    ¡°¡­.!¡±

    Reflexively, Park Noah took a step backward, almost hitting her head against the wall; the child sandwiched between her and the wall. Feet apart and his finger still on the trigger, Noah¡¯s breathed hitched in her throat. She mutters a curse inside her head. How long are you going to hold on to that¡­!

    Suddenly, Leonard raised her arm, revealing the mark on her wrist. ¡°Is this the dragon imprint?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Park Noah mumbled.

    ¡°You told me you had nothing to do with the dragon¡¯s egg disappearance. Was that a lie?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never lied.¡±

    Behind her, the child growled faintly but Park Noah couldn¡¯t look down to him. She was beginning to gasp for air and her heart, which had been pounding like a hammer since earlier, now roared like an engine.

    Her head began to spin and her legs began to lose its strength. Feeling a bad premonition, she tried to reason out to Kyle Leonard as quickly as she could. ¡°I possessed Eleonora¡¯s body two years ago, and immediately came down to this ce. I have never been in contact with anyone she¡¯s known before¡­uh¡­also¡­I didn¡¯t steal it¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± Kyle Leonard interrupted Park Noah¡¯s gabbling. He noticed that her breathing had be ragged. Frowning, he asks her, ¡°You¡­why are you breathing¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    A nk was heard from the floor. The ck revolver fell to the ground as Kyle Leonard hurriedly grabbed Park Noah¡¯s copsing body. She had cked out.

    After a minute or two, Park Noah regained her consciousness. She awoke to a pair of worried round red eyes and tiny hands clutching her shoulders.

    ¡°Master, are you alright?¡±

    This time, she could not evenin about being called ¡®master¡¯. Park Noah slowly leaned her head against the wall and shut her eyes. Wow, the stars do twinkle brightly.

    Kyle Leonard grazed the back of his palm over her forehead, cheek and behind her ears to check her temperature. Park Noah instantly opened her eyes, startled at the cold sensation. She was surprised to see an embarrassed Kyle Leonard crouching in front of her.

    ¡°My voice, can you hear it?¡± He asked.

    In return, Park Noah barely nodded. She felt as if she would vomit if she opened her mouth to speak.

    Kyle Leonard looked at her with dismay. ¡°You said you were imprinted. Why would you¡­¡±

    It¡¯s because you pointed a gun at me, you nut!

    Her agitation seemed to have flowed directly to the little dragon because he screamed at the man instead. ¡°It¡¯s because you bullied Noah!¡±

    Muell was gripping his master¡¯s hand, his eyes brimming with tears as he red at Kyle Leonard. Park Noah, too, followed suit and shot the investigator a resentful look.

    A heavy sigh escaped Kyle Leonard¡¯s lips and massaged the temples of his forehead. The brute persona of his has disappeared; he was back to being the Kyle Leonard Park Noah knew.

 Chapter 28

    ¡°Let¡¯s get you to your bedroom. We can¡¯t stay here forever.¡±

    You¡¯ll make me drink the medicine!

    Park Noah wanted to argue, but it was true that she needed her bed. Instead, she bargained. ¡°Then, uh, give me the gun.¡± She needed to be sure that the man who had just pointed a gun at her head won¡¯t attempt to do it again.

    Kyle Leonard immediately frowned and distanced the revolver from her. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for you to hold.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more dangerous if you hold it.¡± Noah shot back.

    Two pairs of eyes red at each other with tenacity to win the noiseless war. After a moment¡¯s silence, it was Kyle Leonard who surrendered. ¡°Let¡¯s put it on that table over there. I can¡¯t hand it to you because it was customized for me. What if a bullet suddenly goes out of it?¡±

    Without hesitation, Park Noah snatched the revolver from his grasp and grabbed the man¡¯s cor. Her grip was feeble but Kyle Leonard was unexpectedly carried along. They were face to face.

    ¡°Take everything out of your clothes.¡± Park Noah demanded, clenching her jaw.

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you either. Disarmament is a difficult¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in a state where I cannot attack you right now¡­ Can you not see?¡± Tears dripped down Park Noah¡¯s cheeks all of a sudden. Taken aback, Kyle Leonard flinched a little.

    ¡°And I¡¯m not Eleonora with 15 previous convictions! I didn¡¯t steal the dragon¡¯s eggs either, so instead of a suspect, let me be a witness!¡± Park Noah burst out, her cheeks flushed red and her eyes brimmed with tears.

    ¡°Please talk to me!¡± Muell followed through, welling up with tears also. Strangely enough, although the words he spoke were iprehensible, Park Noah understood and was even encouraged.

    As both of them red at Kyle Leonard with teary eyes, he heaved a sigh, ufortable with his current situation.

    ¡°¡­yes, I see. All right, stop talking. I¡¯m out of strength.¡± In the end, he surrendered all his weapons. He took out a silver dagger hidden behind his coat and another revolvertched on his belt.

    ¡°Are you ready now?¡± He asked, having dropped four or five weapons at a distance.

    ¡°Take it off, just take it off.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Take it off, that uniform!¡± Park Noah yelled, exasperated. Kyle Leonard eventually took off his uniform top and threw it aside.

    Then, he reached out to her. ¡°I have done everything you asked me to. Let¡¯s go up now.¡±

    ¡°¡­.!¡±

    A pair of arms scooped Park Noah in an instant, along with the little child, leaving no time for her whines andints. Reflexively, Park Noah put her arm around his neck, scared she might fall. When they reached her bedroom, Kyle Leonard entered with a frown upon seeing the clutter inside the room.

    If you nag me again, I¡¯ll kill you.

    Park Noah red at him. However, he did not seem to have any intention of giving her a lecture. Instead, he ced her and Muell down on the bed and turned to the counter beside the bed right away.

    ¡°Where did you put the medicine that was prescribedst time?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Uh¡­on the table.¡±

    However, everything on the table was jumbled because she was making a fuss earlier when she searched frantically for the child. Kyle Leonard sighed, picking up a medicine bottle that rolled over somewhere.

    Soon, a pill was handed to her along with a ss of water. As her dizziness was bing worse, Park Noah took her medicine without dy. The medicine gradually stopped her trembling.

    When she finally calmed down, Muell, who quivered with her, also seemed to calm down a little bit. Park Noah hugged Muell closer. ncing up, he noticed Kyle¡¯s expression which said ¡®What am I supposed to do in this situation?¡¯

    ¡°Sit down. Let¡¯s have a proper conversation.¡± She muttered.

    Soon after, there was a sound of a chair being dragged toward the bed. Kyle Leonard sat down, heaving yet another sigh. Park Noah lifted her body to face him.

    ¡°I made it clear to you to treat me as a witness.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°I also promised to cooperate with the investigation. Don¡¯t point your gun at me now. If you do that again, I¡¯ll never cooperate again. I¡¯m going to tell Muell to burn you down.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t really think that was a threat to me, do you?¡±

    ¡°What? I¡¯m dead serious.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I won¡¯t do it anymore, so just take a deep breath. In the meantime, allow me to organize my thoughts.¡± Kyle mumbled with a tired voice.

 Chapter 29

    ¡°I¡¯m not the egg thief.¡± Park Noah insisted, gritting her teeth.

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was just a normal egg. It was dumped around at the corner of the market, and I thought it was simply a big ostrich egg. I was even amazed. But when I woke up the dayter, about to cook my omelet, a tiny dragon came out. And it seemed like the imprint immediately began¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you know what responsibilities a dragon¡¯s master has? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s merely a matter of sharing mana.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡± Park Noah mumbled, feeling helpless. She was still upset at Kyle Leonard for suddenly barging in her house and aimed a pistol at her without any hint of hesitation or mercy. She had transmigrated out of the blue as Eleonora, and happened to stumble across the dragon egg Kyle Leonard had been searching for. Now, chaos was ensuing inside her once peaceful home.

    Kyle Leonard and Park Noah stared at each other with narrow eyes and spoke at the same instant.

    ¡°How do you know? You¡¯re not from this world.¡±

    ¡°Did you know? That Mu is a dragon?¡±

    Immediately after, they shifted their gazes away from each other.

    Damn it. Why does he never let one go easily? Should I tell you that this is the world from the book I read, the reason that I know almost everything about the original story? Or that I know all about you, even who your future spouse will be?

    No, it¡¯s not like I have to divulge everything to him in one go. After all, I¡¯m not a suspect anymore. Let¡¯s be optimistic, Noah.

    ¡°It¡¯s been about two years since I transmigrated¡­ I know everything since then, of course. But when did you know that Mu is a dragon? I think you knew that imprinting shares the magic between the master and its pet¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you knew since the beginning. And you didn¡¯t tell me that imprinting would make me feel better?¡±

    Kyle Leonard nced at Muell who sat beside Park Noah and rolled his eyes at the investigator.

    ¡°What, are you two¡­¡± Park Noah was surprised to see the both of them interact at such a manner. What is going on between them?

    ¡°He said he¡¯d help me imprint on Noah if I didn¡¯t make any trouble.¡± Mu mumbled back, pouting his lips.

    ¡°But you will try to kill me if I didn¡¯t.¡± Kyle Leonard shot back.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say with your own mouth, ¡®All I have to do is not kill?''¡±

    The three-year-old and adult exchanged fierce res. Meanwhile, Park Noah was dumbfounded. ¡°Oh, so nned to restore my stamina so he wouldn¡¯t imprint?¡± she faced Kyle Leonard, her eyebrows arched.

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s response came a beatte. ¡°¡­You didn¡¯tin anyway. In the meantime¡­¡±

    ¡°That means you knew.¡±

    ¡°You also knew.¡±

    His retort rendered Park Noah speechless. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know anything, but you knew my name, my face, the existence of the dragon, and everything about the imprint of the dragon.¡±

    It¡¯s because you¡¯re the male lead of the novel I read and Mu is the heroine¡¯s pet dragon!

    Ufortable with the confrontation, Park Noah attempted to change the subject. ¡°That¡¯s enough. So, what are you going to do now? Are you going to capture me?¡±

    ¡°For now¡­¡± Kyle trailed off. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to change the course of the investigation. But before that, I¡¯d like to check something out.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me.¡± Suddenly, the investigator hovered over her. Arge hand touched Park Noah¡¯s abdomen. Kyle Leonard closed his eyes as if he was feeling something.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    At the touch of his palm, Park Noah began to feel a sensation simr to when the old doctor examined her. She sensed the flow of mana within her body vividly, a swaying almost of a stormy sea.

    Kyle Leonard frowned, opening his eyes. ¡°The flow of mana is still unstable. Your heartbeat is too fast. I think you¡¯re getting a fever.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ yes.¡±

    ¡°Were you scared?¡±

    Huh? Park Noah stared at the man in front of her, dumbstruck at his sudden question. What, does he have some attitude disorder? But, she realized right away that it was not out of worry or regret that he pointed a gun at me. Rather, it was for the investigation, as he has always said.

    ¡°Are you still treating me like a suspect? Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said? I told you I was an ordinary office worker! Wow, ¡®were you scared?¡¯ huh, an innocent individual used of theft and threatened with a gun, scared. Does it still not make sense to you?¡±

    ¡°I mean, were you scared to the point of death?¡±

    Park Noah was speechless.

    Have you evere across such a shameless human being?

 Chapter 30

    At the current moment, Park Noah¡¯s mana was still unstable. She had defended herself against the usations of the investigator and insisted that it was primarily because of his misguided actions, which traumatized her, led to the erratic changes in her mana.

    However, deep within, she knew that her immense fear was not the only cause. In addition, the present symptoms were different from thest time she passed out. Back then, the mana in her was insufficient that the body copsed. Now, it felt too much, like a pounding drum in her body.

    ¡°When did you both do it?¡± Kyle Leonard asked Park Noah sharply.

    Unable to answer, the child answered in her ce, grabbing her master¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Just before you came.¡±

    ¡°Then it must be the cause. I¡¯ll check again.¡± Kyle grabbed Park Noah¡¯s wrist and examined it. The pattern tattooed on her wrist was smooth, as if ss was used to embed on it. However, it was distinctly different from the time when the dragon had just imprinted. The flesh around the pattern was flushed red.

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s fingers swept against the pattern lightly. A tingling sensation was felt by Park Noah as if she had been electrocuted.

    ¡°Oh¡­it hurts.¡± She gasped, her face contorted by the pain.

    Looking at Park Noah¡¯s tearful eyes, Kyle Leonard brushed his fingers along her mark more cautiously. He stared at her wrist quietly for a while, and then ced his palm on her abdomen again. This time, Park Noah noticed a faint feeling of something flowing into her ¡ª a cold sensation that of ice.

    But the feeling quickly subsided when Kyle Leonard removed his hands from her stomach. His violet eyes scrutinized Park Noah¡¯s reactions. At the same time, questions ensued.

    ¡°Did you give this dragon a name?¡±

    Park Noah nodded her head. He let go of her wrist and reached out to Muell, who clung to her. The child was rmed.

    ¡°Give me your hand. You seem to be the cause.¡± Kyle said sternly.

    ¡°Me?¡± The curly-haired boy replied timidly.

    ¡°If your master is not such a weak person who faints at that type of interrogation, isn¡¯t it obvious that you are the reason? Your hand,e on, give it to me.¡±

    Pouting, Mu fumbled toward him where he ced his palm at his abdomen, just like what he did previously to Park Noah. Feeling a strange sensation, a wrinkle formed on his forehead. He looked at Park Noah again and said, ¡°Move around.¡±

    ¡°Oh, where?¡±

    ¡°Your body and the mana that filled this house. Dragon mana.¡±

    ¡°You have to tell me how to do it.¡±

    ¡°Try attacking me now.¡± Kyle Leonard replied, straight-faced.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Park Noah blinked, unable toprehend the man.

    ¡°Any shape is fine, whether it¡¯s a pillow, a stab or a puncture.¡±

    Grabbing the golden opportunity given to her, Park Noah asks unhesitating, ¡°Can I p you in the face?¡±

    ¡°Miss Park Noah, I mean, use your mana to attack me.¡± Kyle Leonard spoke sternly, obviously displeased at her seemingly joke, which caused Park Noah to freeze momentarily.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± She stuttered, appalled. Park Noah. It was my real name that came out of someone else¡¯s mouth after for so long. It feels¡­very strange.

    Snapping out of her trance, she replied, indignant. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to use magic. How many times do I have to tell you, sir?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡± Kyle Leonard¡¯s eyes narrowed, staring at the woman across her, countless theories possibly swarming in his mind.

    Park Noah waited agog for a bomb to drop from his mouth. After what felt like eternity, Kyle Leonard said slowly. ¡°I guess each of you has a problem.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Park Noah¡¯s mouth hung agape for the nth time. The investigator crossed his arms and began to recite his conclusions with artiction.

    ¡°First, if the imprint had be sessful, you and this dragon¡¯s mana should resonate perfectly with each other. But, the mana flowing from this child to you is severed as if it were blocked by something. It¡¯s a violent force, but it¡¯s breaking off, and it¡¯s bound to cause a lot of abnormalities in your body.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°And second, if the imprint had been perfect, you could have easily controlled the power of the dragon, regardless if you don¡¯t know how.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Looking at your face, you must have really wanted to p me on the cheek, and with that intense urge, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem detaching my head from my body.¡± Kyle Leonard jested.

 Chapter 31

    After a deliberate contemtion, Kyle Leonard discussed with Park Noah the possibilities regarding the irregrities of the mana flowing within her body.

    ¡°There are two possibilities that are most usible that I can think as of now.¡± Kyle Leonard began. ¡°First, assuming that the im that you are not Eleonora Asil is indeed true¡­¡±

    ¡°I did not lie.¡± Park Noah interrupted, glowering at him.

    ¡°If you could show me any other evidence or perhaps bring to me a witness, I¡¯d believe it without reservation. Anyway, assuming your im is true, the cause of theplications in your mana would be you. Since you transmigrated into a body not originally yours, it may cause rejection of any external mana that will attempt to permeate into your body.¡±

    Oh, that can absolutely happen.

    Park Noah had assumed she had perfectly assimted with Eleonora Asil¡¯s body as she had experienced no issues until now. Besides, she imprinted with a dragon, the most powerful creature to ever exist, which might pose more risk.

    However, observing the investigator¡¯s expression, Park Noah noticed that he didn¡¯t seem to stress on that possibility. He turned to Park Noah again, his eyes darkening. ¡°The probability of it happening is low but, we cannot rule it outpletely.¡±

    Indeed, Kyle Leonard remained distinct from other investigators. His proficiency and exceptional skill stood out among the rest. On top of that, he sports domineering violet orbs in contrast to his impassive face, which dries the mouths of every person hees across with; Park Noah not an exception.

    ¡°Why?¡± She queried.

    His gaze shifted to her abdomen. ¡°I tried to put my magic into your body earlier. It¡¯s not like the magic of a dragon or a wizard, but simr to a magic weapon, the mana is more powerful than the average man, but it¡¯s not particrly repulsive.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Park Noah¡¯s eyes widened, shocked at his confession. So the cold sensation earlier was his magic!

    ¡°If there was a rejection, I would have possibly died?¡±

    ¡°The amount of magic I attempted to transfer into you was extremely small.¡± Kyle Leonard argued. However, it was evident that he himself was uncertain.

    Should I really p him in the face?

    ¡°I¡¯ll sue you for attempted murder. You know it¡¯s already the second time, right?¡± Park Noah threatened, her eyes aze.

    ¡°Once this investigation is finished, you can file a case against me at least a hundred times if you¡¯d like. Aren¡¯t you interested in the second possibility?¡± Seemingly guilty, Kyle Leonard changed the subject. Park Noah scoffed but prompted him to continue.

    ¡°Second, assuming that it¡¯s true that you didn¡¯t steal the egg¡­¡± His eyes slowly turned to the little child, with Park Noah¡¯s eyes following in suit. ¡°Then the problem lies with him,¡± he asserted.

    ¡°With Mu?¡± Park Noah rified, looking at the innocent little child who stared at them, clueless, his big round eyes blinking cutely.

    ¡°There must be a reason behind theplications ¡ª why his magic is notpletely resonating with you as it should. And there is only one thing I could think of. This dragon might have imprinted with another person other than you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± A palpable chill struck Park Noah causing her to forget all herints. What Kyle Leonard had said mored in her ears.

    A master other than me?

 Chapter 32

    ¡°Why¡­why do you think that?¡± Park Noah stuttered, at utter loss over the revtion.

    ¡°The records indicate that the imprint takes ce when the hatching period is near. At that time, the dragon begins to resonate with the humans who came into contact with the egg. And within in a month, the dragon chooses only one person to be its master and breaks off the connection it had with others.¡± Kyle Leonard exined clearly.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that. But what does it have to with my current situation? I was the only one who made contact with the egg.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Kyle Leonard immediately negated her statement. ¡°You weren¡¯t the first one toe into contact with the egg, miss Park Noah.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Where did you say you found the egg?¡±

    ¡°In the corner of the market¡­¡± Park Noah trailed off. It was only then that she realized, goosebumps forming all over her body.

    I missed that fact. Unless the egg rolled all the way to the capital, there must be people who have touched the egg!

    The investigator faced Muell, who was listening intently to their heated conversation. ¡°You said you heard a human voice before you came out of the egg, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Did you?¡± Park Noah iterated. Mu nodded anxiously, fumbling his fingers.

    With that, Kyle Leonard came to a conclusion. ¡°Then, the first contact must have been the thief who stole the egg from Laurent¡¯s fortress. It was probably during that time he began to be conscious.¡±

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s theory was actually rational. It would not be ridiculous to assume that there were many who possibly imprinted with the dragon.

    ¡°Mu, was the voice you heard from a woman or a man?¡± Park Noah asked Mew urgently.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Was it like my voice, or was it like this guy¡¯s?¡±

    Mew seemed to recall, and gave his answer. ¡°It was simr to Noah¡¯s voice.¡±

    A woman. Lenia?

    ¡°Oh¡­crazy.¡± Park Noah¡¯s mind began to spin as numerous thoughts began to overwhelm her. No. Noah. Think calmly. She shut her mouth and forced herself to think straight for a moment.

    Park Noah instantly thought of the heroine, Lenia, since she was the only female character in the novel whom she knew. However, the course of the story took a drastic turn the moment she found the dragon egg. Was the original plot relevant to their present situation still?

    Besides, why would the heroine steal the dragon egg that rightfully belonged to her and leave it on the corner of a market for somebody else to pick up? It made no sense. Lenia Valtalere was merely a na?ve countess until she had imprinted with the dragon. In addition, she belonged to a wealthy family. Hence, it is absurd to suspect her.

    Yet Park Noah¡¯s instincts screamed at her. Isn¡¯t it too eerie to be a coincidence? Lenia Valtalere was the rightful master of the dragon!

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I imprinted on Noah.¡± Mu¡¯s voice prated the swarming thoughts of Park Noah. Brought back to reality, she turned her head and looked at the little child.

    Hesitation was no more in the child¡¯s face. Mu looked at her with determination. ¡°I¡¯m the one who ces the carved seal among the humans who have touched the egg and started resonance with me. I chose Noah, and Noah gave me a name and epted me. So it wasn¡¯t a failure.¡±

    Convinced that the child was right, Park Noah rxed a little. The imprint was definitely a sess.

    There may have been someone who the dragon recognized unconsciously as its master, perhaps the cause behind theplications. But definitely, Park Noah was who Mu chose to be his master.

    ¡°Then what should I do?¡± Mu asked.

    ¡°With the exception of Park Noah, you must stop the resonance with the human being you¡¯vee into contact with.¡± Kyle Leonard answered.

    That means I¡¯ll be like this all the time unless we find the egg thief. Park Noah sighed and shut her eyes, already feeling the imminent fatigue.

    A myriad of questions loomed in their minds. Who was the first toe in contact with Mu? Was the voice he heard really belonged to the heroine, Lenia Valtalere?

 Chapter 33

    That night, after an exhausting discussion, Park Noah fell into a deep sleep. When she awoke in the middle of the night, Kyle Leonard had already left.

    Perhaps because of some rest, Park Noah felt better than before. Her dizziness has subsided and the urge to vomit has disappeared.

    ¡°Are you back¡­¡±

    She stared nkly at the ceiling, savoring the silence that enveloped her room. Suddenly, she noticed that the little child was not beside her. Panicking, her body immediately sprang from the bed.

    Where is he? Did he leave for real this time?

    Park Noah¡¯s heart throbbed loudly until she recognized a ck curly hair on the edge of the bed.

    ¡°Oh, thank the heavens. You scared me, Mu. What are you doing there?¡± She held her chest, relieved. The child was sitting on the floor, hugging his knees tightly. Somehow, something was different.

    Park Noah tilter her head as she stared at the little child. He shrank! Muell appeared to be three or four years old, but now he looks like a two-year-old at best.

    Maybe it¡¯s just a feeling. Park Noah tried to dismiss her weird assumption. Still, unable to move on, she raised the child, squinting.

    He definitely shrank!

    ¡°What happened? Why did you shrink all of a sudden?¡± She asked, startled at the child¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°I thought it would be hard for Noah if I kept growing up, so I made myself smaller.¡± Muell replied guiltily as if he hadmitted a crime.

    ¡°Wow, is that possible?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stop drawing your mana, but¡­now that I have imprinted, I can control my human form,¡± exined Mu.

    Indeed, it seemed that the little child is in a better condition than before. Mu looked at Park Noah with anxious eyes. ¡°Master, no¡­ Noah, are you okay now? Should I shrink myself more? Shall I go back to my original form?¡±

    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m fine now. You will have to crawl around if you shrink more.¡± Park Noah insisted. Then, she put her hand on her abdomen. After concentrating for a long time, she could feel the flow of mana, which has be more stable than before.

    She recalled the moment Kyle Leonard ced his hand on her abdomen and immediately felt the mana, and scoffed. Clearly, there was a difference in skill.

    Park Noah thought that if they can adjust ordingly to their situations, maybe a normal life wouldn¡¯t be so impossible.

    ¡°Anyway, why are you down there? I can¡¯t sleep.¡±

    ¡°Just¡­¡±

    Mu¡¯s tongue seemed to have shortened along with his body. Chuckling, Park Noah tickled the round rosy cheeks of the child. Mu¡¯sughter echoed in the quiet room. She put her hands under both arms of the child and ced him onto the bed beside her.

    Suddenly, Mu distanced himself from Park Noah. Surprised, Park Noah grabbed his shoulder to stop him from descending the bed. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m just making Noah sick¡­¡± He looked down, avoiding Park Noah¡¯s gaze.

    Frowning, Park Noah paused for a while and pondered over what the child had said.

    Technically, it was true. No matter how unhealthy her lifestyle was, Park Noah had livedfortably until she came across with the dragon egg. Bluntly speaking, Muell is the cause behind the ruckus in her life.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can help it even if Noah hates me.¡± The poor child was miserable; Mu didn¡¯t want to live cozily at the expense of her beloved master.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that,¡± argued Park Noah.

    ¡°So even if Noah leaves me, I will not kill Noah.¡±

    ¡°What? So you¡¯re saying that if I abandon you, you¡¯ll go to the man who touched you for the first time? And leave me with this mark on my wrist which willst forever?¡± Park Noah interjected.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Deep red orbs stared curiously at Park Noah, surprised at her sudden outburst.

    ¡°It¡¯s a betrayal! I¡¯m disappointed, Mu. And what, you¡¯re not going to kill me if I abandon you? What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Park Noah dramatized, flinger her hands in the air.

    Shock was disyed all over Mu¡¯s round face when he heard the words ¡®betray¡¯ and ¡®disappointed¡¯.

    Perhaps it was because of their history wherein Park Noah had tried to send him away several times that Muell had such sentiment. Hence, Park Noah felt the need to build a strong rtionship with him, anchored in trust.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear every word I said before we imprinted?¡± She asked.

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    ¡°We agreed to take responsibility for our own choices. We must not me each other.¡±

    Nothing was more a waste of time than regretting the irrevocable. Now that she has done it and has epted to live with the dragon, whether she be killed or eaten in the far future, Park Noah decided to direct her efforts into thinking of a way to get through this difficulty, instead of resenting the child.

    ¡°So, don¡¯t worry about useless things. I don¡¯t hate you and most of all, I won¡¯t throw you away.¡± She cupped Mu¡¯s cheek and stretched it, shing his tiny teeth.

    Oh, was my tone too strong? I should have said it with a little bit more affectionate.

    Upon realizing, Park Noah tried to make her voice as sweet as she could. Patting the scattered bangs on the child¡¯s forehead, she cooed, ¡°You¡¯ll live with me for a very long time, Mu. Remember, that¡¯s our promise. No matter what, we¡¯ll be together.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°So, let¡¯s catch the culprit who stole you from Laurent¡¯s fortress.¡±

    Muell stared at her in adoration with his big round eyes, which could not possibly get bigger.

    ¡°You have to go and break the resonance with him so I won¡¯t be sick anymore. After we catch him, let¡¯se back here. I¡¯d like to stay in this ce for life if I could. The air is good, the water is good. Peaceful.¡± Park Noah smiled awkwardly at the child.

    ¡°I think Noah is too nice. Are all humans like Noah?¡± Mu muttered.

    ¡°No way. If all human beings are good, there shouldn¡¯t be war or chaos. And, I¡¯m not nice either. If you say that one more time, I¡¯m going to spank your butt.¡±

    Suddenly, morose Muell was no more. His face beamed and once again,ughter reced the deafening silence around them. Park Noah pulled the child to her, her lips curling at the beautiful sound of the child¡¯sughter.

    Contrary to what she had said, infort of the child, she had an unpleasant premonition. The moment she takes a step out of Sorrent, a long journey with a handful of surprises awaits her.

    I think I¡¯ll have to pack up soon. I should sleep a lot while I still can.

    Embracing the child tightly, Park Noah immediately entered into a deep slumber.

 Chapter 34

    The next morning, Park Noah awoke from her peaceful slumber to a familiar sound of incessant knocking. After several times of hearing it, she has memorized the melody of the knocks. With merely one tap against the wooden door of her cabin, she could immediately recognize whose it belonged to¡ªKyle Leonard.

    Knock. Knock. And then four more times with the same beat.

    She arose and hurriedly descended to meet the impatient man, the quilt of her bed dragged along the staircase. Reaching the door, she peeked through the curtains and saw the sun already high up in the sky, its rays piercing through the windows.

    Park Noah was surprised. Usually, the investigator woulde in the middle of the night. She rubbed her tired eyes and unlocked the door, revealing a ck uniform.

    ¡°Weapons¡­remove¡­¡± She mumbled, still groggy from her sleep.

    ¡°Let me in. I have something to tell you.¡±

    Traumatized by the previous unpleasant experience, Park Noah refused to concede to the man, even in her dazed state. ¡°Revolver¡­give it to me¡­¡±

    However, neither protest nor excuse left the investigator¡¯s lips. He immediately responded to Park Noah¡¯smands and unfastened the holstertched on his belt, dropping his revolver somewhere along the floor.

    Park Noah nced at the revolver in fear, her drowsiness instantly evaporated into thin air. Straightening her posture, she asked firmly, ¡°Are you here as a butler or an investigator?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s thetter. What the hell do you think I am?¡±

    ¡°Good night, then.¡± She replied, closing the door in his face. As she turned around to return to her bedroom, she was halted by a series of knocks. ¡°I don¡¯t deal with investigators,¡± she spat.

    ¡°¡­Are you not having breakfast?¡± The man behind the door grumbled, his jaw clenched.

    Park Noah pondered for a moment. She waspletely starving because she had sleptst night, skipping dinner. Her stomach growled at the thought of a delicious breakfast, which Kyle Leonard mastered at.

    With hunger dominating her, Park Noah turned around again and opened the door. ¡°Will you heat up the milk, too?¡± She couldn¡¯t let the golden opportunity slip her grasp.

    ¡°¡­.¡± Kyle Leonard red at the shameless woman in pajamas across him. Suddenly, he grabbed the doorknob and pulled it hard. Park Noah, who held the knob from the inside, was dragged along.

    ¡°Uck!¡±

    Before her nose could m against his chest, a pair of arms grabbed Park Noah by the shoulders. Kyle Leonard clicked his tongue in dismay. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be awake by this time. If I hadn¡¯te, you¡¯d be asleep till nightfall.¡±

    ¡°People who are sick should get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± Park Noah retorted,posing herself.

    ¡°And make sure they eat their meals. Let¡¯s go in.¡± He added, thrusting the quilt she had wrapped around her head onto her face.

    Park Noah scoffed. He doesn¡¯t even want to look at me because I look terrible.

    He walked into her house, holding Park Noah as if she was a child, still wrapped in her quilt like a cocoon. Her arms crept around the man¡¯s neck. ¡°Since you¡¯re carrying me, please take me up to the bathroom.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so brazen.¡±

    ¡°Then get out.¡± Park Noah could almost hear the curses spewing in the investigator¡¯s mind. Still, despite resentful, Kyle Leonard took her to the bathroom.

    Almost an hourter, Park Noah emerged from her hot bath, her hair tangled and wet. She sniffed the air as the savory aroma of breakfast engulfed the room.

    Descending the staircase, she noticed Kyle Leonard¡¯s coat draped on a chair in the living room and hurriedly snatched it. She threw it into the corner of the room, causing a loud nk.

    Phew. He must be a human weapon. I must confiscate every weapon of his.

    Park Noah tiptoed toward the coat she threw, until a deep voice caught her off guard.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it.¡± A pair of violet orbs stared intently at her. Without a doubt, anyone would cower beneath his piercing gaze if it wasn¡¯t for the pink apron decorated with bears that he was wearing.

    ¡°You can¡¯t handle it. Don¡¯t touch that revolver.¡± Kyle Leonardmanded and returned to the kitchen. There was a sound of something boiling.

    ¡°What¡¯s the menu?¡± Park Noah asked, trailing behind him.

    ¡°It¡¯s potato soup.¡±

    Within minutes, a dish, steaming and savory, was served to Park Noah.

    It looks very dangerous in detective mode, but it can¡¯t be more desirable in butler mode. ¡°Sir, if you ever retire, live with me. I¡¯ll hire you.¡± She offered, basking in her meal.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to p me in the face yesterday?¡± Kyle Leonard raised his brow.

    ¡°Who was the one who pointed the gun at whom?¡± Park Noah shot back.

    ¡°There are inevitable instances that will happen during investigations, and there is nothing we can do about it.¡± He reasoned out, diverting his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t stare. Just eat.¡±

    Park Noah stirred her soup, still staring at the man across her. But no matter how different each persona is, does it make sense that a person who was so wary of me yesterday enough to point a gun at me suddenly changes like that?

    When in butler mode, other egos show up¡­?

    ¡°You look better than yesterday.¡±

    Upon hearing Kyle Leonard¡¯s words, Park Noah came up with an assumption: maybe, amidst his indifference, he actually felt guilty for pointing a gun at her yesterday.

 Chapter 35

    ¡°Why does this dragon look smaller?¡± Kyle Leonard pulled the child towards him, examining his appearance.

    ¡°Mu said I¡¯d be more tired if he got bigger, so he decided to keep his baby-like figure. Thanks to him, I¡¯m going to live today.¡± Park Noah exined while slurping her soup.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. You should live a regr life. Get up on time, eat on time, and sleep on time. These three things aren¡¯t that difficult¡­¡±

    ¡°Sir, do you know what the worst thing is for a patient?¡±

    Kyle Leonard frowned, waiting for her answer. Park Noah pointed a spoon at him and narrowed her eyes, ¡°Nagging.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Especially when they¡¯re eating.¡± She added.

    The investigator merely turned his back,pletely ignoring her as if she was not worth his attention. Park Noah watched him as he disappeared into the living room, muttering something under his breath.

    Kyle Leonard paused, ncing around the room. After a moment¡¯s silence, he started to clean the clutter sprawled about the floor.

    ¡°Put the curtains downpletely, sir. Oh, please close the windows, too. I can¡¯t afford a thief.¡± Park Noah yelled from the kitchen.

    ¡°I am not your butler. Don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡± However, despite his grumbling, Kyle Leonard snapped the windows shut and pulled the curtains down. There was a contradiction between his words and actions.

    Park Noah sneaked a peek at the investigator and thought, ¡®Maybe he¡¯s doing everything I say because I cried¡­ I should cry more.¡¯ Her lips curled into a mischievous smile.

    She emptied her bowl, savoring every sip. She beamed at the thought of more meals prepared by Kyle Leonard.

    However, it seemed that her luxury would see its end today.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back to the capital.¡±

    Park Noah raised her head from the tea she sipped ¡ª a tea which Kyle Leonard had brewed for her earlier. Across her was the investigator, cross-legged, his violet eyes fixed on the journal clutched on his one hand.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve been excluded from the list of suspects, we¡¯re going to go look into the next suspects. If we catch the criminal, we¡¯ll know who imprinted with the dragon first. I¡¯ll inform you once I find him. Meanwhile¡­¡± Kyle Leonard nced at her.

    ¡°Just stay here.¡±

    ¡°Just stay?¡±

    ¡°Do you know that? If you disappear, will that damn womane back?¡± Kyle Leonard asked, his gaze as cold as ice. He seemed to bear no regret at all for Eleonora¡¯s death. After all, five years of chasing a culprit would have made you hate her. Park Noah shrugged it off, thinking it was none of her business.

    She fell into a deep thought, resting her chin on her palm. Come to think of it, there was a very fundamental cause for all that had transpired. Chaos and confusion ensued when the story deviated from its original plot, and it all began with Eleonora Asil¡¯s mysterious death.

    Why and how did infamous witch, Eleonora, die?

    ¡°If Eleonora Asil¡¯s death is not suicide, it¡¯s murder. We will go back and investigate it separately. Who killed that woman for what reason?¡± Kyle Leonard said, closing his journal.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°It would be better not to use magic as much as possible. It¡¯s a rmendation.¡±

    Park Noah stared at the violet eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t I have to apany you?¡±

    ¡°Where are you going with that body?¡± Kyle Leonard asked back. In his head, Park Noah must have been a lost cause.

    ¡°So you¡¯re going up to the capital anyway.¡± She mumbled softly, nodding her head.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Park Noah sighed, stroking her fingers on the empty bowl sadly. Suddenly, an idea crossed her mind. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m going downtown today, so let¡¯s go together,¡± she grinned.

    ¡°Why should I?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s part of the investigation.¡± Park Noah snorted and guffawed like a madman as she outsmarted the investigator. But, amidst herughs, she didn¡¯t miss the twitch in Kyle Leonard¡¯s eyes in the slightest.

    Park Noah has learned a lot about the investigator under his care: the grim workaholic won¡¯t even budge despite countless persuasions unless given logical reasons. In other words, if a person simply says that it is rted to the investigation, Kyle Leonard will yield.

    Sure enough, Kyle Leonard acquiesced, but with a look of great displeasure. ¡°Prepare ande out, then.¡±

    ¡°Wow, what a kind investigator.¡±

    ¡°I will not apany you because I want to be kind. Go upstairs right now. Is it going to take another month to get ready?¡± Kyle Leonard waspletely aggravated.

    Park Noah rose from her seat, snickering. As she was about to head to her bedroom to change, holding a sleepy Mu, she said nonchntly, ¡°Call me Noah.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡± The investigator, who was straightening the wrinkled tablecloth, paused. Park Noah pretended to be indifferent.

    ¡°You called me by my name yesterday, but I was wondering why I haven¡¯t heard it from you today. Call me Noah. It¡¯s also a nickname for Eleonora¡­Nora, Noah, what? Well, anyway, it¡¯s Noah.¡± She rambled, losing herposure. Then, she coughed in attempt to cover her embarrassment.

    Suddenly, Kyle Leonard rose from his seat and embraced Mu.

    Man, that¡¯s weird.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get ready and finish in five minutes.¡± Park Noah hurried to her bedroom. Halfway upstairs, she nced behind and saw Kyle Leonard cleaning the cup she used. All of a sudden, she heard something which caused a faint smile to form in her lips.

    ¡°Don¡¯t disorganize the room, Miss Noah. If you make it a goblin den again, I won¡¯t clean it up.¡±

    Oh, my. Why didn¡¯t you answer me right away?

    ¡°You think I¡¯m just making a mess¡­¡± Park Noah mumbled. Still, it was quite pleasant to have two people call her with her true name. One may not be human, but what about it?

    Soon, she entered her room with great satisfaction.

 Chapter 36

    Truth to be told, Kyle Leonard, who appeared distant and indifferent, actually bore deep feelings of guilt for what he had done against Park Noah.

    But of course, if he were given a chance to return to the previous day, he would possibly aim the gun towards her in the same manner still.

    Kyle Leonard was an investigator who did not, for one moment, gave space for any jeopardy during his investigations. It has been almost 10 years since he worked at the most extreme crime scenes wherein his head would detach from his neck if he lowers his guard even for a second. It has be his habit to take out weapons in dangerous situations.

    Needless to say, he was proud of himself. He did notmit such a big crime, at least, in broad daylight.

    Kyle Leonard stared at the store in front of him with his tired eyes. ¡°¡­Is this where you shoulde with me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Park Noah replied, gleefully skipping into the store.

    Kyle Leonard forced his trembling feet to the threshold of the store, like a cow being taken to a ughterhouse. The name of the store was¡­

    Frill Happy Night¡¯s Wardrobe.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ . ¡±

    The most frills he had ever seen in his entire life flooded the store. At this point, Kyle Leonard¡¯s expression could no longer be deciphered. Frill Happy Night¡¯s Wardrobe was lightyears away from his taste.

    However, whenever he notices Park Noah massaging her temples every time her head ached, he stiffens. Kyle Leonard could not simply ignore her and turn his back on them. Even though it was not entirely his fault, he was guilty.

    And when he had discovered that she was, in fact, not the wicked witch, Eleonora Asil, his guilt had multiplied twofold. Kyle Leonard was the general manager of the security department in the entire district of Laurent, which means, he was responsible for the safety and welfare of the citizens, including Park Noah.

    As long as Park Noah remained clear from any charges, she was a subject Kyle Leonard had to protect. As a matter of fact, she needed special security; she was a meremoner, possessing no powers, who had transmigrated into the body of the wanted witch and imprinted with a dragon.

    And above all¡­

    ¡°She¡¯s dead, too.¡±

    ¡°I died of overwork. Maybe it¡¯s because when you die, you wander in between different dimensions for a long time before finally ceasing.¡±

    When Kyle Leonard heard of the bitter tragedy behind Park Noah¡¯s life, guilt rushed within him. Damn it. If I knew how things would turn out, I¡¯d think twice before pointing my gun at you.

    ¡°You said it was part of the investigation.¡± He hissed, grabbing Park Noah¡¯s elbow.

    ¡°Oh, it was a lie.¡± Park Noahughed at the sight of fuming Kyle Leonard who looked like a seething kettle. She was even thrilled at his appearance.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t call you in as an investigator today. I called you in as a butler.¡± She smirked without a trace of shame.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Park Noah turned around, pretending not to hear him, and busied herself rummaging through the clothes. ¡°I need baby clothes. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t have any pajamas. While I¡¯m living, I¡¯m going to buy a bunch of outdoor and indoor clothes.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you need to buy baby clothes.¡± Kyle Leonard interrupted.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you wait.¡±

    Park Noah pulled out a colorful polka-dot children¡¯s pajama and went straight to him. Then, she ced the pajamas on the child he was carrying to see whether or not it fit.

    The routine dragged on for an hour, leaving an exhausted Kyle Leonard. He had nned to leave early, and once the woman has been brought home, he has to collect all the evidence he can obtain from Sorrent even if he has to work all night.

    ¡°Mu, do you like polka-dots, or do you like star patterns?¡±

    Park Noah¡¯s face brightened as Muell scrambled toward the polka-dot pajamas. Meanwhile, Kyle Leonard couldn¡¯t distinguish the difference between the two pajamas.

    However, it also seemed distinct in the eyes of the child. Kyle Leonard watched the little dragon proudly wearing his new pajamas with flushed cheeks, and heaved a deep sigh.

 Chapter 37

    Stuck in an inescapable situation, Kyle Leonard immersed himself in his thoughts which centered on the mystery behind Eleonora Asil¡¯s death and the anonymous dragon egg thief.

    Which case should be given utmost priority upon the investigator¡¯s return to the capital ¡ª the witch¡¯s puzzling death or the dragon egg¡¯s sudden disappearance?

    Certainly, these urrences are not entirely separate, but possess a rtion somehow. The sequence of events, however, must differ.

    Numerous questions shrouded his mind. How and when did Eleonora Asil die? Who was it that stole the dragon egg from Laurent¡¯s fortress? Was he an aplice of the witch that he purposely sent it to her? Or was it intended for Park Noah? If so, how many are there who knew her true identity?

    ¡°We¡¯re done now, sir. Get out.¡±

    When Kyle Leonard returned to his senses, several shopping bags were hanging on his arm. Dumfounded, he forced augh. I was called to do this. An assistant.

    Park Noah wandered around the streets for some time, hand in hand with the curly-haired child, after they have left Frill Happy Night¡¯s Wardrobe. Kyle Leonard scoured the shopping bags, frowning as they weren¡¯t much: two white robes, a handkerchief, a wide brim hat, and some snacks for Muell.

    The winds blew in their faces as they meandered, their hairs disheveled. Suddenly, Park Noah stopped; they have reached the marketce.

    ¡°Sir Leonard, here it is.¡± She pointed somewhere in the market.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Where I found Mu¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡± Kyle Leonard hesitated to answer. Park Noah beckoned to him, and he quickened his pace to the ce where she pointed at. ¡°I thought I was a butler today.¡± He turned to her, confused.

    ¡°If you leave tomorrow, you¡¯ll have to take all the information you can get from Sorrento, and thank you for everything.¡±

    Kyle Leonard was surprised, having taken seriously what Park Noah told him earlier. That¡¯s right. The butler was only a joke then.

    He examined the vicinity where Park Noah found the egg for any trace of mana collision or probable witnesses of the egg¡¯s presence.

    Kyle Leonard approached a merchant and asked, ¡°Excuse me, have you seen an egg about this size around here?¡±

    ¡°No, sir.¡± The merchant returned to his work.

    As expected, no one had seen an egg as big as a child¡¯s head.

    ¡°Then, have there been any outsiders in Sorrent recently?¡± Kyle Leonard persisted for a clue.

    The merchant paused, as if recalling something. ¡°Hm¡­ There might have been.¡±

    The list of foreigners entering Sorrent has already been reviewed by Kyle Leonard upon his first arrival in the countryside. Fortunately, he was able to obtain essential information from the merchant.

    ¡°Have youe across foreign women?¡± He added.

    ¡°Foreign women? Well, I¡¯ve seen women, um, a mother of a child and an old woman with gray hair¡­and a youngdy?¡±

    A youngdy. Kyle Leonard immediately took his journal out and jotted everything the man said on it. A few more questions followed.

    ¡°Do you remember the woman¡¯s appearance?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to see her clearly because she was wearing a coat that almost covered her entire face.¡±

    ¡°Did you talk?¡±

    ¡°¡±Yes. I was just about to set up my stall, and she asked me what time the train was going to Tezeba.¡±

    Kyle Leonard paused to write down the important notes. A woman from the capital.

    ¡°Well, when was it?¡± He continued, frowning.

    The merchant scratched his head, trying hard to remember their encounter. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know the date. I remember running in a hurry that time but I said the train to Tezeba was in an hour. There¡¯s a train from this countryside to and from the capital once every four days, so¡­about a week ago.¡±

    A week ago¡­ Wasn¡¯t that the time when I arrived in Sorrent? No way, did the criminal get on the same train to the capital?

    Kyle Leonard clenched his jaw in agitation. If what the merchant said was true, then, hepletely let the real culprit escape easily on his watch. The suspect had already ascended to the capital while he was dealing with Park Noah.

    After a round of asking strangers around the marketce, Kyle Leonard discovered that there were quite a few people who saw the woman from Tezeba: the owner the only inn in Sorrent, the chef on the first floor of the inn, and the owner of a teahouse across the alley where dragon egg was found.

    ¡°Wow, what¡­ That¡¯s really creepy.¡± Park Noah mumbled as she trailed behind him. ¡°You mean, she might have been watching me pick up eggs¡­?¡± She asked in disbelief, the strands of hair on her skin erecting.

    Kyle Leonard nced down at the woman who barely reached his shoulders, a crease forming in his forehead upon hearing herment; his violet eyes narrowed in suspicion.

 Chapter 38

    The investigation continued until sunset. Park Noah shadowed Kyle Leonard as he asked numerous bystanders around the marketce, her breathing ragged.

    ¡°You¡¯d better go now unless you want to fall down again.¡±

    ¡°Huck, huck¡­. No, I can walk a little longer. It¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very good, though.¡± Kyle Leonard grabbed Park Noah¡¯s shoulder and forced her to turn around.

    To the investigator, Park Noah appeared to be in a constant state of nkness. She was impractical and frivolous. She excelled on nothing except for the time she ate, slept, and messed up her house. In fact, Kyle Leonard suspected that there was still information she withheld from him.

    There were many moments when Kyle Leonard noticed a lie escape her lips. There was no need to pay deep attention to it because she wasn¡¯t very good at it ¡ª she stutters and refuses eye contact.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°Careful.¡± Kyle Leonard pulled the woman¡¯s shoulders up insincerely and dragged her to the sidewalk, grabbing her wrist.

    The body part which mana is most prominent is the left portion of the chest where the heart is slightly tilted to. Next is the abdomen, andstly, just below the wrist or behind the ear where the pulse can be felt immediately.

    ¡°But Miss Noah, why did you leave this dragon to the butcher at once?¡± Kyle Leonard asked suddenly, feeling the flow of mana in Park Noah¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°I told you, Uncle Walter went to the capital¡­huck, he said he was going to the capital.¡±

    ¡°Why was it the capital?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    This time, Park Noah was quick to react. Immediately, she sped her wrist around his hands for support, feeling lightheaded. The mana Kyle Leonard felt in his fingers earlier has disappeared.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh, my. My head. I think I¡¯m in a bad condition, sir. My legs are shaking.¡± She whined, struggling to avoid the investigator¡¯s prating gaze.

    ¡°You just said confidently that you were fine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m sweating?¡±

    Park Noah wished she was faking it too, but unfortunately, she didn¡¯t look very well. Kyle Leonard eventually gave in, sighing. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Noah enthusiastically agreed.

    Her answer came in a heartbeat. Park Noah instantly let go of his hand and took the investigator by the forearm. His stoic countenance, the way he twisted his head robotically and his impassive gestures reminded her too much of a stiff cane that hade to life.

    Meanwhile, thetter was engrossed in his own thoughts. The witch said she didn¡¯t know how the dragon came to her, but his investigator senses couldn¡¯t make him believe without a doubt that she was clueless.

    Moreover, she also insinuated that there must be a mastermind for the missing dragon back in the capital¡­

    ¡°What do you mean throw it away? I was just going to send it back to its original guardian!¡±

    That¡¯s what Park Noah had said the first day they met.

    She went in and out of the post office four times after picking up the dragon for the first time. Although the package was sessfully shipped to the capital, the dragon returned to Park Noah again. As a result, she had no choice but to entrust the dragon to the butcher who was nning to go to the capital.

    The recipient¡¯s address remained the same every time: The capital, Tezeba, No. 35 in Ezet, the Countess Valtalere.

    Clearly, it was whom Park Noah believed to be the owner of the dragon.

    Perhaps, a week ago, the culprit came down to the countryside with the egg and ced it along Park Noah¡¯s path, and after seeing her pick it up, the culprit must have took the train to return to the capital.

    The dragon egg¡¯s thief. The first imprint. Countess Lenia Valtalere.

    Kyle Leonard was determined to find the answers to the seemingly endless mysteries.

    *

    Pink and purple streaks painted the sky. Soon, the sun was below the horizon; it was already twilight. As soon as they returned home, Park Noah threw herself on the sofa with Muell running nervously after her. Kyle Leonard, on the other hand, went straight to the kitchen and prepared a ss of water.

    ¡°Don¡¯t skip your medicine. If the mana starts to be out of control again, it may shock you¡­¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that.¡±

    Kyle Leonard stood across her with his arms crossed as she red at the medicine. Park Noah exhaled deeply, then closed her eyes and gulped down the medicine. Breathing a sigh of relief, she positioned herselffortably on the couch.

    ¡°Goodbye then, sir.¡± Park Noah waved her hand at him, recalling today¡¯s events ¡ª they visited her favorite shop despite his frustration, she trailed behind him until her legs hurt, and she almost copsed.

    Meanwhile, Kyle Leonard pondered until the end. Should he question Park Noah with her rtionship to Lenia Valtalere? Or should he free Park Noah from suspicion and let her be?

    Noticing that Kyle hadn¡¯t budged a bit, Park Noah looked at him with a slight re. ¡°Do you have anything left to say?¡±

 Chapter 39

    ¡°I know there¡¯s something Miss Noah hasn¡¯t told me.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Park Noah leaned her back on the couch, her armsid on the armrests. For a moment, Kyle Leonard caught a glimpse of glittering curiosity in her ocean eyes.

    The most evident distinction between Park Noah and Eleonora Asil was their eyes. Although they exhibit the same appearance, the blue orbs shone differently. Park Noah¡¯s looked innocent and feeble while the witch¡¯s eyes red and scorned.

    At that moment, Kyle Leonard felt he was facing the real Eleonora Asil. He noticed the familiar conceit, albeit faint, that twinkled in her eyes. The woman across him did not appearnguid anymore; instead, her face looked bleak. A feeling of resentment quietly crept in him.

    Kyle Leonard snapped from his trance and spoke with a sigh. ¡°I would be grateful if you would consider the questions I didn¡¯t ask as the utmost apology I can express for my rudeness.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Park Noah hummed, tapping her fingers yfully on the chair¡¯s armrest.

    ¡°But of course, keep in mind that this does not mean that Miss Noah¡¯s charges have beenpletely lifted. This will be thest time my personal feelings will be involved in the investigation. You promised to cooperate, so please keep no information about Muell from me until I give you the news, and stop interacting with Lenia Valtalere¡­¡±

    ¡°Wow, you knew that already? Even about Lenia?¡±

    At her feet, the young dragon approached. Park Noah lifted the dragon and ced him on herp, tilting her head in amusement, ¡°You really don¡¯t miss anything, even the most trivial. It¡¯s scarier than what I read in letters.¡±

    Letters? Noticing the frown on his face, Park Noah rose from her seat, the corners of her mouth curling into a mischievous smirk. Then, she poked Kyle Leonard with her thin arms.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate with the investigation with all my remaining passion, so don¡¯t worry. Is today¡¯s interrogation over now?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± He replied, his eyes fixed on her apricot waves he was so sick of. But, with another take, he realized that her outrageously red hair which radiated with the sunset did not look too bad. At least, it didn¡¯t seem that pests crawled under, he thought.

    Soon, Kyle Leonard faced the wooden door, gripping the knob with the strength of his unsteady hand.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s goodbye, sir. It was nice to meet you.¡± Park Noah waved her hand at the back of the investigator through the door that fell ajar. The baby ck dragon gently wagged its tail at herp, mimicking her.

    ¡°Please call me when you retire. I¡¯ll hire you as a butler.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°You can change your mind anytime.¡±

    The door closed without his reply. On the other side, Kyle Leonard stared at the thick wood for a moment, and with a long breath, he turned around.

    Still, he was relieved that the person he met wasn¡¯t the real Eleonora Asil. If the evil witch had a dragon imprinted on her, it would never have been an exaggeration to say that she would be the most powerful.

    She was an obvious liar, anyway. Besides, it was a hassle, but¡­ it¡¯s like a sloth that¡¯s fun to raise¡­

    Kyle Leonard forced his train of thoughts about Park Noah to stop. There was no time to dy. The investigator cannot afford to be distracted at such a critical moment. Awaiting him at the capital was strenuous work.

    The next day, however, Kyle Leonard felt the need to correct the assumption that he had a pretty good grasp on the woman named Park Noah.

 Chapter 40

    The clock¡¯s hour-hand pointed at eight. It was still early in the morning but numerous people already crowded the tform. Sorrent was a rural town, and the train seldom travels; it was always hectic at the time of the train¡¯s departure scheduled only a couple of times a week.

    At eight o¡¯clock in the morning, the people wait for the train bound to the capital, Tezeba. However, the train¡¯s route was not directly headed to the capital. Instead, it passes through the southern metropolis of Lunazel, and then proceeds to Tezeba in the northwest by Central Edman or Battuanu, the coastal region to the west.

    It takes half a day from Sorrent to Lunazel, and at least four days to arrive in Tezeba from Lunazel through Central Edman. Even that could have taken more than six days if he failed to catch the night train, as he had to get off in the middle and stay in an inn.

    ¡°It¡¯s taking a long time.¡±

    It was natural that it would take long since Sorrent is located in the southernmost part of Laurent¡¯s east and Tezeba is leaning towards the northwest. In this case, the teleport scroll branded as one of Laurent¡¯s national treasures was desperately needed.

    More than 500 years ago, in the early days when dragons defended Laurent, such powerful magic dominated the private sector. But now it remains a legend. The time when magic rained down and split thend in a snap was now long gone.

    Now was an era at the crossroad of magic and science ¨C an era where the omnipotent power gradually disappeared and human intelligence began to govern. In the present times, magic is no longer evaluated by its mere power. Humans have begun to incorporate magic into their daily lives. And now that the legend has reappeared, Kyle Leonard knows not what changes will be brought into the future.

    However, apart from being a subtle prodigy who was vaguely known in the continent, Kyle Leonard took no interest in the world¡¯s y. He was simply a civil servant working for the Laurent imperial family along with the people of Laurent. It was more important to resolve the current urrences than those still in the fullness of time.

    He took out his usual journal and checked his schedule again, which was perfectly organized by date. The disappearance of the dragon egg Tezeba, the Rendia District Police Department¡¯s embezzlement case. The ve Mass Murder in the mine of Noviscosha

    At the end of the list was a new incident he recently added. Eleonora Asil murder

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    A familiar face shed in the investigator¡¯s eyes ¨C a woman who possesses the witch¡¯s body but is not Eleonora Asil, a woman who will be swept away by the waves of turmoil that the dragon will bring to the future.

    Considering that Kyle Leonard has decided to exclude Park Noah from his future investigations, she was now unrted to him. He had no intentions on returning to the far countryside to clean a terribly cluttered two-story house and force azy woman her meals.

    But if the world really changes, Park Noah will not be able to live satiated and peacefully in the countryside as she has done so far. If it happens, their paths maye across again¡­

    Augh escaped his lips. ¡°Why are you thinking of this?¡±

    He severed the chain of thoughts and checked the silver watch on his wrist. It was 10 minutes before departure. He fixed his eyes on the train, focusing his mind on the investigation. He lifted the luggage he had put down and moved to the first-ss tform.

    The crowd gradually decreased as he approached the tform. Suddenly, his pace, which fell neither slowly nor fast, stopped at one point. From a short distance, he saw a familiar vibrant hair.

    ¡°¡­Miss Noah?¡±

    A woman who was sitting cross-legged on a chair that had been roughly carved out of a tree turned her head. Then she smiled. ¡°You¡¯rete, sir.¡±

    Kyle Leonard answered half a beatte. ¡°How did you get here?¡±

    ¡°I walked on both feet.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess around. It would have fallen off. Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°It could be a farewell, why?¡±

    ¡°Say something that makes sense. Did Miss Noah wake up at this hour and went out to see me off? No¡­ Before that, how did you know I was leaving now?¡±

    Park Noah raised her head triumphantly, as if she had heard the most stupid question. ¡°The regr train from Sorrent to Tezeba is only once every five days, sir.¡±

    The investigator stood frozen, at a loss for words. Park Noah shrugged, ¡°I told you yesterday. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll even add a small amount of enthusiasm.¡±

    ¡°¡­Was that what you meant?¡±

    ¡°What else would it be? Well, that¡¯s not a good reaction. Shouldn¡¯t we say ¡®thank you¡¯ first to the witness who said she¡¯ll actively cooperate with the investigation in spite of the inconvenience?¡±

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s mind dallied; he had a difficult timeprehending his situation.

    Cooperation? What cooperation? Wasn¡¯t it over yesterday?

    Park Noah rose from her seat, pressing the wide brim hat she recently bought to her loosened apricot hair. She was wearing a white dress decorated with pearls and an ivory cape loosely tied around her neck.

    Kyle Leonard found a travel bag at her feet muchrger than his; on top of the suitcase was a small child in a white shirt and red suspenders. In any way, both of them were dressed as travelers.

    ¡°Oh, herees the train.¡±

    The train rumbled as it approached the tform and the attendant¡¯s voice echoed loudly in the microphones attached on the walls of the station.

    ¡°Train to Tezeba, capital city! To Tezeba, the capital, via Lunazel and Central Edman! Passengers, please take a step back!¡±

    The brakes screeched and a light wind blew on their faces when the train came to a stop. Park Noah quickly grabbed her hat which almost flew off, tying the straps tightly to the side, and carried Muell. She nced at Kyle Leonard who was still rooted to his spot. ¡°It¡¯s first ss, isn¡¯t it? We can ride it together.¡±

    He was puzzled to see the station attendant loading her luggage onto the train. So, now¡­ You¡¯re going to the capital with me?

    Park Noah, who ascended the train, poked her head out of the door and asked him, ¡°Are you not going to ride?¡±

    ¡°¡­. I¡¯m getting on.¡±

    After a short moment, the investigator followed her inside. As soon as he set foot on the train, the questions which shrouded his mind were buried under the sound of the chugging train. With thest horn, the doors closed.

    The long series of connected trucks moved steadily as the passengers climbed up, the station attendant announcing the train¡¯s departure.

    The railroad rattled beneath the train; the chimney exhausted a long tail of grey smoke, gradually dispersing into the atmosphere. The warm sunshine of the midday spring struck the old train station. Sorrent, without the investigator and the witch along its pet, regained its calm as usual.

 Chapter 41

    The Laurent Empire is divided into nine provinces which are categorized into several districts, each numbered ording to its political, economic and social importance.

    Low numbers indicate close proximity to the city. High numbers, on the other hand, indicate close proximity to the countryside. For instance, the first district of Tezeba, the capital, is Aijet, where the homes of the high nobility are concentrated. Meanwhile, the second district, Rendia, is where low and middle ss reside. Lastly, the twelfth district is Hizen, a slum.

    Sorrent was tenth among the districts in the province of Lunazel, which was the farthest away from the capital and has not been modernized, thus, every corner of Lunazel was quiet.

    However, somewhere in the province of Lunazel was also a bustling city ¡ª the first district, with the same name, Lunazel. Also, the destination of the three travelers. In order to go to the capital, Tezeba, they must switch trains in Lunazel.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re just deluding me into staying in your messy cabin in Sorrent, Miss Noah. I know you¡¯ve been contented for the past few days as you have been during thest two years, but I have an investigation to finish.¡±

    Kyle Leonard trailed behind her, rambling profusely. Unfortunately, Park Noah only had a rough idea on his narrative. Aren¡¯t thements he made, although incoherent, implying that he doesn¡¯t want to cause trouble for her? Even if not, Park Noah clung to her assumption. She was in control of her thoughts, anyway.

    ¡°I understand your concern for me.¡± Park Noah answered, flipping through the pages of the newspaper.

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to remain in Sorrent, but I think I need to witness the events in person. To spend at least 60 to 80 years happily in the future, I have to sacrifice at least a few months of rest.¡±

    Kyle Leonard muttered under his breath, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so passionate. Why is that passion absent when cleaning the house?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t judge my passions, sir. I didn¡¯t know you were such an upright man. As an investigator, I thought you¡¯d wee a passionate witness like me anytime.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s annoying. If you keep on trembling and copsing, it will interfere with the investigation. The way I conduct the investigation is quite exhaustive.¡±

    Park Noah smiled at the investigator¡¯s retort, ¡°How sweet of you. I know you¡¯re worried about me even if you say that.¡±

    ¡°¡­Where on earth did thate from?¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m still the master of the dragon.¡± Park Noah has prepared herself for any troublesome circumstances that may ur while in the capital. Her goal was to meet the heroine, Lenia Valtalere, toplete the imprint, without revealing her true identity.

    ¡°Are you going to help me, Mu?¡± She patted the child who was sitting on herp, nodding his head repeatedly.

    A crease deepened in Kyle Leonard¡¯s forehead. Giving in, he warned Park Noah, ¡°No indiscriminate killing. As you¡¯ve already been on the train, I cannot send you back. But, I would never allow you to teach that dragon inhumane crimes.¡±

    ¡°No indiscriminate killing. What I¡¯m asking Mu to do is always within the bounds of self-defense. I promise.¡± Park Noah assured and returned to reading the newspaper, ignoring the investigator¡¯s deep sigh.

    <b>Who is behind the disappearance of the dragon egg?</b>

    <b>A dragon born in today¡¯s era. What effect does its presence have on the continent?</b>

    <b>Minister of Magic, are you still on a long vacation despite the current situation?</b>

    Dragons upied the front page of the newspaper. Park Noah read everything in case some article mentioned the name Eleonora Asil, along with hers, too.

    Ten suspects, including Eleonora Asil, 24, Kedrick Babeliona, 34, and James Carnell, 44, were included in the list, and each suspect was assigned a dedicated investigator to begin the investigation, the agency stated in the article.

    Advertised in the whole empire was ¡®Eleonora Asil is the number one suspect!¡¯ Park Noah clicked her tongue and turned to Kyle Leonard, ¡°If you go to the capital, please report that I have been very diligent in the investigation, sir.¡±

    ¡°¡­When you are summoned, please respond without dy. Even if you¡¯re treated as a suspect for a while, you are better off under the protection of an investigative agency. There will be a lot who will be after you.¡±

    ¡°Because I am the owner of the dragon?¡±

    ¡°Besides, you are in Eleonora¡¯s body. Don¡¯t let pressure overwhelm you. But of course, I don¡¯t expect you would be able to do that, so just stay with me. You have to tell me everything you hear and see.¡±

    Park Noah nodded. No matter howforting it was that she has a dragon with her, the best way to ensure their safety was to obey the investigator¡¯s orders.

    ¡°I promise to tell you everything, even the smallest details.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation. Well then, should we start with your rtionship with Lenia Valtalere?¡±

    ¡°Oh, dear. Have you read the newspaper? The minister of magic is taking a vacation in the middle of a crisis!¡± Park Noah hurriedly buried her face on the newspaper as soon as Kyle Leonard took out his journal.

    Kyle Leonard lowered the newspaper with his fingers and said, ¡°You are reading it upside down, Miss Noah.¡±

 Chapter 42

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°How many minutes left until we arrive at Lunazel?¡± Park Noah coughed, attempting to change the subject.

    ¡°We¡¯re not even halfway there. Now, are you doing this just three seconds after you swore to tell me everything? Answer me, two years ago, when you transmigrated into the body of Eleonora Asil, you said you immediately went down to Sorrent. How did you know about the existence of Lenia Valtalere, then? And why do you think she¡¯s the mastermind behind the disappearance of the egg?¡± Kyle Leonard peered at her, bombarding her with questions. Park Noah squirmed under the investigator¡¯s piercing gaze.

    ¡°I saw it in my dreams! In my dreams!¡± Park Noah blurted out.

    ¡°You dreamt of Lenia Valtalere imprinting with the dragon? You really think I¡¯d believe something-¡±

    The train shook tremendously, a rattle vibrating throughout everypartment. Park Noah jolted from her seat and quickly grabbed Muell who almost fell from herp. The wind blew and the newspaper cascaded to the floor.

    ¡°This train¡­ What a terrible ride. Lunazel¡¯s railways are too outdated.¡± Park Noah grumbled, cing Muell back on herp and held him tightly. Looking up, she noticed Kyle Leonard¡¯s strange expression.

    ¡°Sir, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Miss Noah, wear your hood. Cover your face.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Park Noah frowned, but nheless followed the investigator¡¯s order, quickly covering her face with her robe.

    Knock.

    Their heads turned to the door in a snap. Someone was smiling behind the window of their cabin ¡ª a woman wearing a bright blue handkerchief wrapped around her head and an apron of the same color. Her hands held arge tray filled with different things. The woman knocked again on their door.

    ¡°She must be an employee, distributing newspapers and food.¡± Kyle Leonard muttered, ncing at the woman.

    ¡®Oh, really?¡± Park Noah ced Muell beside her and rose from her seat. Good timing. I was beginning to get hungry. We still have about an hour or so to get there, so I¡¯d like something to drink¡­

    She grabbed the handle of the small window in theirpartment, and lowered it. Suddenly, a hand stopped Park Noah. Kyle Leonard ced his foot behind the door, shaking his head at the vendor. The woman smiled in return and walked away from their room.

    It wasn¡¯t until she waspletely out of sight that Park Noah sighed, turning to the investigator who was still looking intently outside the window, gripping a silver revolver in his hand.

    ¡°Why did you block me?¡± Park Noah asked.

    Kyle Leonard removed his foot from the door and spoke calmly, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be seen. Haven¡¯t I told you to be cautious? You stood up without warning.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡± Park Noah peeked through the window and muttered softly, ¡°She didn¡¯t stop. She kept going.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Our room is right in the middle of this train, and there¡¯s an old couple in the next cabin.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kyle Leonard confirmed.

    The woman disappeared into the frontmostpartment of the train, passing several rooms without knocking on their doors. Park Noah gulped, ¡°How long have you known?¡±

    ¡°Since I heard her approaching. Meals aren¡¯t served in trains during short travels.¡±

    ¡°You said she was an employee.¡±

    ¡°I meant she was disguised as an employee.¡±

    Park Noah nced at Kyle Leonard. He was still looking outside the window, twirling the revolver in his fingers. His expressionless face made it difficult for Park Noah to guess what was on his mind.

    ¡°I told you, Miss Noah. There will be a lot after you. Not because you are the master of the dragon, but because you are in the body of Eleonora Asil.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Eleonora¡¯s killer, who managed to assassinate the strongest witch in Laurent without leaving any scratch in her body¡­ It¡¯s that person you should be most wary of, or best, never meet.¡±

    Park Noah remained silent.

    ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s right to say ¡®person¡¯. We don¡¯t know how many are behind her death.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been fine so far, but¡­ Well, nothing has happened in thest two years.¡± Park Noah sighed,forting herself.

    ¡°Until now, you¡¯ve been dead in Sorrent. You were safe back then, but now, when you suddenly emerge to the world, the story changes.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I believe you already know that. Now, where were we?¡± His violet eyes shed, peering at her blue orbs intently.

    ¡°So, how did you know about Lenia Valtalere?¡±

 Chapter 43

    Kyle Leonard pulled Park Noah abruptly, cing her on the farthest seat away from the door. ¡°I¡¯ll give you half an hour to think. I need answers by three o¡¯clock,¡± he said, checking the watch on his wrist, and approached the door.

    ¡°Uh, where are you going?¡± Park Noah asked.

    ¡°I have something to take care of. While I¡¯m gone, cover your face with your cloak and don¡¯t show your face to anyone.¡±

    Kyle Leonard left, shutting the door tightly behind his back. He stood before the door for a moment, ncing at his right. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth curled into a mischievous smirk.

    Slowly, he walked toward the right direction, and Park Noah hastily arose from her seat, lowering the window. Then, she said to the child in red suspenders, ¡°Mu, take the lock out of the bag.¡±

    Muell slithered down from his seat and poked his head under the couch, pulling the suitcase. With his short fingers he unfastened the lock swiftly and opened it wide.

    The suitcase wasrge enough for two children of Muell¡¯s size to fit insidefortably. Packed inside were magical items left in the witch¡¯s home. Muell, who stood beside her master as she packed, immediately found the lock.

    ¡°Lock!¡± He handed it to Park Noah, sporting a look of triumph.

    ¡®¡°Thanks,¡± She patted his head.

    The lock was a magical item that was designed to contort into any size or length, and there was only one way to unlock it: by the fingerprint of its creator, Eleonnora Asil.

    Park Noah stretched the lock, tying the handle of the door to the iron pole next to it. As soon as the lock clunked, a faint scream was heard and a vibration was felt. It seemed that the cry belonged to the woman who visited their cabin earlier.

    ¡°He was right¡­ It was real.¡± Park Noah listened intently, cautious for a sound of gunshot. But only eerie silence came after the woman¡¯s scream. She became lost in thought, clutching Muell on herp.

    The only secret she kept from Kyle Leonard was about the novel she read; she felt it was absurd and insignificant, and refused to tell him. However, the fact that someone was already on her tail in less than three hours she departed Sorrent tells her otherwise.

    Well, I really have to tell him everything.

    Ten minutester, Park Noah heard muffled voices approaching the room. She crept toward the door and pressed her ear against the metal surface.

    ¡°Let go, let go! Ugh ¡­!¡±

    ¡°If you won¡¯t rebel, I¡¯ll treat you nicely. But if you make a noise, I¡¯ll stuff your mouth. ¡°

    Suddenly, the door jolted. Suspicious, Park Noah asked the person outside, ¡°What¡¯s my name?¡±

    ¡°Park Noah.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Well, pass.¡± She unsped the lock and it shrunk to its original length. Muell, who was clinging to her waist, threw the lock back into the suitcase, which immediately snapped close.

    ¡°It¡¯s only been 10 minutes. You told me you were giving me half an hour to think.¡± Park Noah muttered, taking a few steps backward.

    ¡°Indeed. You have 30 minutes to gather your thoughts. I¡¯ll spend the remaining 20 minutes interrogating her.¡± Kyle Leonard clutched the woman with the bright blue handkerchief tied on her head. His cold eyes red at the struggling woman and forced her to kneel on the floor. Her arms were bent towards her back, handcuffed.

    Watching the investigator manhandle the woman, Park Noah felt a little bit apologetic, until Kyle Leonard dropped something in front of her. What fell before the woman was a knife. Its handle was carved with an intricate pattern and its de was especially narrow, perfect to cut even the thickest steak precisely.

    Kyle Leonard took a small device from the pocket of his uniform and ced it on the seat. ¡°Whose order did you receive?¡±

    The reels of the tape recorder began to turn. Park Noah pursed her lips, watching Kyle Leonard interrogate the woman. As the woman was adamant to remain silent, Kyle Leonard crouched in front of her, lifting her chin when she refused to look at him directly.

    ¡°Do you belong to Yulem?¡±

    Park Noah pondered; she knew about Yulem. It is an organization belonging in the underworld that was employed by one of the viins in the novel who pursued after dragons. Transmigrating into the body of a criminal, Park Noah understood their nature ¡ª a group of criminals who possess no moral and obey now. Their only master is money. Her heart pounded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything!¡± The woman cried desperately.

 Chapter 44

    Kyle Leonard smiled, pressing his finger against her lips, ¡°Shh. There is an old couple in the next room, so we¡¯d better be quiet. And I should have told you in advance that your sentence will be judged ording to your statements.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yulem kills captured members to stop them from talking. You look like you¡¯re at the bottom of thedder, given that you¡¯re not good at camouging and handling your knife. Are you going to be captured and killed by Yulem, or are you going to be under the protection of the Laurent Investigative Security Agency, even if you will be stuck in prison for the rest of your life?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh. If I tell you anything I¡¯ll be dead in a second.¡±

    ¡°So, you admit. It¡¯s up to you. Death or prison.¡± A silver revolver was pinned on the woman¡¯s temple, and her face instantly turned pale. Park Noah pitied the woman again.

    Despite her quivering voice, the woman managed a pretense. ¡°Hey, do you think this would scare me? I know you can¡¯t kill me here. Investigators do not have the right to adjudicate. Ha!¡±

    However, Kyle Leonard wasn¡¯t ensnared by her facade. With menace in his voice, he asked the woman, ¡°Didn¡¯t your boss give you any information about the man next to the woman believed to be Eleonora Asil?¡±

    ¡°What are¡­¡±

    ¡°There are only four people who possess the right to take immediate action: Her Majesty, Minister of Investigation and Security, Deputy Secretary,andstly, the General Manager, which means, I can dispose of criminals in any situation at my discretion.¡±

    Pulps of sweat trickled down the woman¡¯s forehead; her face had turned extremely pale. Augh of scorn escaped the investigator¡¯s lips, ¡°Bad luck, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Park Noah sunk in her seat, reminding herself not to annoy him from now on. She recalled the moment Kyle Leonard pointed a gun at her, and shivered.

    ¡°Uh, uh, themand was only to look at the face! It¡¯s the watcher¡¯s duty!¡± The woman stuttered, her lips visibly trembling.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you were holding a knife? You were going to stab me as soon as I opened the door.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I had no intention to kill. I was just trying to make sure she was the real Eleonora. If she was the real one, I would have withdrawn!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your intention. Do you know anything about your boss?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°Is there anyone else who has been given the same order?¡±

    The woman shut her mouth, ring at him. Kyle Leonard stood up, his eyes devoid of pity, and smacked the woman¡¯s neck with his hand. The woman fainted and copsed to the cold ground.

    Confused, Park Noah asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask her more?¡±

    ¡°Yulem imnts a self-destructing device near the head or heart of all non-executive members. If you say anything about your employer, contract, or organization, the chip explodes immediately, and your head or heart is blown away. She¡¯s not talking, so I guess she¡¯s been transnted.¡±

    The gruesome information sent chills down her spine. It was brutal, but the words Kyle Leonard uttered next made Park Noah more afraid of something else than Yulem.

    ¡°It was the early invention of Eleonora Asil. A detonation chip small enough to be imnted into a living body.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°She was sentenced to death for handing over the design of the chip to Yulem in exchange for arge sum of money.¡±

    Eleonora Asil. To what extent was she evil? Park Noah now understood why Kyle Leonard bore deep, raging hatred towards the witch.

    ¡°Then, you can¡¯t get any more information from her.¡± She muttered, holding her throbbing head.

    ¡°There is a way. Send her to the headquarters of the Investigative Security Agency to undergo surgery to remove the chips nted in her body.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°If the chip had nted in her wrist, I would have shot it, but this woman seems to have it nted above her ear. It¡¯ll be a little tricky to remove. If I identally touch her head, I¡¯ll be making a fool of myself before I can get any information out of her.¡±

    Brought to the real world, Park Noah realized her journey was more difficult than she had expected. Her body stood frozen in the cabin and her mouth could utter no words.

    Kyle Leonard, who dragged the woman¡¯s body into the corner of the room, nced at her. Then, he grinned, ¡°I certainly warned you. The process of solving cases of this importance is quite extreme.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°But seeing this woman had followed you all the way from Sorrent, there¡¯s no guarantee that Miss Noah will be safe even if she stays there. As a result, you made the right choice.¡±

    Confounded, Park Noah debated whether or not she should be happy that she made the right choice.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to stop by the Lunazel security forces to round her up and send her to the headquarters. It¡¯ll take at least 15 days to get the chip removed and find out who¡¯s behind it.¡± Kyle Leonard said, interrupting her internal crisis.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it going to take too long? What if there¡¯s another attempt like this?¡±

    ¡°As soon as we get to Tezeba, we¡¯ll have an escort right away. But, the problem is whether we can get to Tezeba safely. Once they know she¡¯s been captured, they¡¯ll send more skilled assassins.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    Oh, mom. I¡¯m scared.

 Chapter 45

    Park Noah¡¯s fear, however, subdued when Muell sped her trembling fingers while his other hand kindled a tiny me, his red round eyes looking at her with reassurance. With a deep breath, sheposed herself. Park Noah gazed at the child on herp, a smile creeping in her lips.

    Yeah, I¡¯m holding the world¡¯s number one munchkin, what the hell am I afraid of? Also, beside me is an unpitying investigator who is capable of crushing his opponent¡¯s head like a potato¡­

    At that moment, though Park Noah was frightened by her opponents, she was more intimidated by her currentpanions.

    ¡°Put out the me, Mu. So, Miss Noah, will you tell me your secrets or not?¡± Kyle Leonard said, pulling out his journal out of his uniform.

    Park Noah sighed. I guess it¡¯s already time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. Instead, promise me you won¡¯t dismiss everything I say as crazy crap.¡±

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    It was an immediate answer. Park Noah gathered her thoughts briefly and prepared herself to speak. ¡°I¡¯ve only been here for two years, and you asked me how I knew Lenia Valtalere¡­ I read it in a book.¡±

    ¡°A book. What kind of book is it?¡± There was an expected frown on the investigator¡¯s face.

    ¡°The book that tells the story of this world. Everything here was written there. Lenia Valtalere, Eleonora Asil, the dragon, and you, Kyle Leonard. In that book, Lenia is the original master of the dragon. Eleonora got lost in the pce, and identally touched the dragon¡¯s egg. That¡¯s when the dragon hatched.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that this world was born from someone else¡¯s hand?¡±

    ¡°At least as far as I know.¡± When the truth spilled from Park Noah¡¯s lips, even she felt it was a myth.

    ¡°When did you know that?¡±

    ¡°A week after I transmigrated into the body of Eleonora? At first, I was dubious, and then I realized everything was identical to the book ¡ª Lenia, you, and this country.¡± She exined slowly, ensuring Kyle Leonard understood every word she spoke.

    ¡°I see. If it were a story, it would be a long one. If the intended master of the dragon was Lenia Valtalere, what are the other highlights in the book?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a story about Lenia, who became the heroine, and after some time, you became involved.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Well, you are the male lead in the book. Oh, don¡¯t make that face. I already sound like a madman, but if you react like that, I will seem like a real psychopath!¡±

    Kyle Leonard grimaced at every word that came out from Park Noah¡¯s mouth. Attempting to digest the absurd truth, he joked, ¡°I¡¯ve heard all sorts of wonderful stories in my life. Anyway, what happened then?¡±

    ¡°Until the end, it¡¯s a ssic story of moral decency. Just and honorable main characters defeat the viins who enable evil. They even seeded in defeating Eleonora Asil, who tormented them the most. After their triumph, the protagonists ask for each other¡¯s hearts¡­.yeah, well, that¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°Until the end? What¡¯s the ending, then?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Mu, no, the dragon kidnapped Lenia and left without a trace. That¡¯s the ending.¡±

    ¡°What kind of novel is that?¡±

    ¡°Right? But don¡¯t ask me, I¡¯m not a writer.¡±

    It was no wonder that Kyle Leonard was caught in bewilderment upon discovering that his life sprung from the ink of a pen; even more so when their destinies were twisted. He gazed into space for a brief moment, collecting his thoughts. Then, with a deep sigh, he nodded.

    ¡°I never expected that and it¡¯spletely baffling, but I understand. The people in Miss Noah¡¯s world are odd, writing a flimsy novel about someone else¡¯s life.¡±

    At the investigator¡¯s remark, Park Noah had a strange realization. She stared at him, in deep thought. Kyle Leonard frowned at her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I don¡¯t know what else you¡¯re going to say.¡±

    ¡°No, I just thought you are worth the title of a genius investigator.¡±

    ¡°Did you read it in the book, too?¡± His voice was sharp. It seemed the truth was unpleasant to his ears.

    Park Noah pondered ¡ª what Kyle Leonard said was usible. Maybe, the author of the novel wrote the story ording to actual events. The world appeared too precise and realistic to be a person¡¯s mere imagination that one might assume that someone had lived in this world, traveled to South Korea in the 21st century, and wrote a novel based on the world¡¯s reality. However, it was a world not written in history.

 Chapter 46

    After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Park Noah collected her thoughts. With hesitation, she said, ¡°I said what I only know, but there may be other possibilities as well. Perhaps someone who lived here wrote a novel out of admiration to you and Lenia¡­ I¡¯m not evenpletely sure whether or not Lenia is the egg thief. She was the supposed master of the dragon as written in the novel, so I tried to send Muell to her.¡±

    ¡°As of now, she is the primary suspect. Has there ever been an event that has progressed exactly like the content of the book?

    ¡°So far, no. But the recent urrences are certainly far from the original storyline.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ Anyway, I¡¯ll keep a record for reference.¡± Kyle Leonard muttered, writing in his journal.

    Park Noah inched closer to the investigator, narrowing her eyes. ¡°But, sir, this is just really out of curiosity, have you ever felt differently about Lenia?¡±

    ¡°Miss Noah, I¡¯ve never even seen Lenia Valtalere.¡± The investigator¡¯s voice was as cold as midwinter frost, crushing Park Noah¡¯s fantasies. In her previous life, she had scoured the book until thest page, eager for romance. Yet, it seemed too intangible even in their world.

    ¡°Is there anything else I don¡¯t know about Miss Noah?¡± Kyle Leonard¡¯s voice interrupted her mncholy. Pursing her lips, Park Noah shrugged her shoulders.

    ¡°You know everything that is to know about me.¡± Indeed, the investigator did; it was not an exaggeration. Kyle Leonard finally rxed, his face sporting a look of satisfaction.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. Continue to tell me everything without hiding anything.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Park Noah singsonged, earning a disapproving look from him.

    ¡°I wish I had listened to you sooner¡­¡±

    The train slowed down as conversations in the cabin continued. Only the meadows were stretched out in the middle of the night, and the sparse buildings blended, gradually beginning to take the shape of a vige.

    The attendant¡¯s voice echoed inside the train through the microphones attached on the ceiling of every room.

    ¡°This station is the first district of Lunazel. It¡¯s Lunazel Station. Passengers going to the capital city of Tezeba, please transfer here!¡±

    Kyle Leonard nced outside the window and arose from his seat. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare to get off first. Never take off your robe. We don¡¯t know how many of those will follow if they find out about Eleonora.¡±

    ¡°I know. But, aren¡¯t you quite a celebrity too?¡± The witch¡¯s appearance had already spread throughout the entire Laurent; she was a favorite in the newspaper¡¯s headlines. The investigator, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t as recognized. However, Yulem must have already done their research.

    Park Noah bit her nail, in deep thought. Her blue orbs narrowed at Kyle Leonard.

    ¡°I cannot help it. I have no choice but to use that method.¡±

    ¡°What method?¡± Kyle Leonard looked at her, doubtful. Suddenly, her mouth stretched into a mischievous grin. The investigator immediately frowned, ¡°I have a very ominous feeling when you smile like that, Miss Noah.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. For now.¡± Park Noah snickered, and leaned towards him. Then, she unfastened one of the buttons of his uniform.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take this off first?¡±

    *

    ¡°Sir, can¡¯t you do a little better?¡±

    ¡°How do you do better than this?¡±

    ¡°Rx your face. Rx your arms. You are giving away the disguise!¡±

    Kyle Leonard removed his uniform at the instructions of Park Noah and was left with a in white shirt. She seized his uniform, discovering quantities of gears, including handcuffs, daggers, and bullets. In her mind, shemended Kyle Leonard for his ability to hide such things unnoticeably.

    He pushed his sunsses up andined, ¡°I don¡¯t feelfortable.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It looks good on you.¡± Park Noah assured, disheveling his well kept hair. Although it was merely a cheap trick, she thought it was better than not to do it.

    After polishing off his disguise, her worries turned to herself. Eleonora Asil¡¯s vibrant apricot hair and piercing blue orbs were too difficult to conceal. Fortunately, Park Noah wore a robe which she can use to cover hair.

    Unable to change the color of her eyes, she took out something from her suitcase ¡ª an essory which she originally believed was useless.

    Kyle Leoanard nced down at her, shaking his head. ¡°¡­It makes me dizzy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief, because if you are, then everybody else will be.¡± Feeling triumphant, Park Noah fixed her funky sses properly on the bridge of her nose. It was one of Eleonora Asil¡¯s inventions left in her house which caused dizziness to anyone who stared.

    ¡°Why did you pack these things?¡± The investigator asked, incredulous.

    ¡°Well, in the worst case, Muell can assist, but I wouldn¡¯t want you dying in shock. So, I brought some things that might be of help. Sir, don¡¯t move away, and stick a little closer to me. Now, does this make us seem like a couple?¡±

    To intensify their disguise, Park Noah came up with an idea: pretend to be lovers. To their advantage, Muell was there to y the role of their child. Furthermore, she intended to use the investigator¡¯s hatred against Eleonora Asil or Eleonoraphobia, as she likes to call it, as a tactic.

    Since Elenora Asil was a natural enemy of an investigator, it would create confusion among their opponents if their disguise fails, leaving them enough time for diversion.

    Of course, Kyle Leonard tly refused at first. However, he eventually admitted that the method was quite useful, albeit reluctant.

 Chapter 47

    ¡°Wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Kyle Leonard handed over the woman he captured to the magistrate in secret and bought train tickets at the ticket booth along the way.

    Meanwhile, Park Noah sat on a chair in front of the station, enjoying vani ice cream along with Muell, who sat on herp.

    ¡°What do you see, Mu?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything now.¡± The child replied, licking his ice cream in delight.

    Although Muell appeared like a three-year-old child, he was a dragon. And as long as he was present, Park Noah wasforted; the odds of dying in her enemies¡¯ hands became low. Unless Muell sucks all her mana and she dies.

    ¡°Noah, Noah.¡±

    However, it was no time for carelessness. By the time she was almost finished with her ice cream, Muell had turned around and wrapped his arms around her neck. Then, he whispered in her ear, ¡°I see suspicious humans.¡±

    ¡°¡­How many?¡±

    ¡°One at 2 o¡¯clock, two at 7 o¡¯clock, two at 10 o¡¯clock. They aren¡¯t looking at us, but they have their arms crossed, and they have been standing in the same ce since we arrived.¡±

    Five men guarded the doors of the train, perhaps on the lookout for a red-haired woman. Park Noah nced at their direction, and saw two bearded men, looking surprisingly ugly, conversing seriously. One man shook his head, and the other immediately turned his back and marched towards them.

    Thump. Park Noah¡¯s heart throbbed at the sight of the approaching man. She gripped Muell tightly as the man drew nearer.

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    The man passed by them. Breathing a sigh of relief, Park Noah asked Muell a question. ¡°You seem to be trying to monitor both tforms, aren¡¯t you?

    ¡°Uhuh. I¡¯m looking at B right now.¡±

    There was only a single train bound to the capital, Tezeba, but there were two lotives ¡ª one preceding eight trucks, and the second one situated in the middle of the entire series of sixteen trucks. Consequently, the destination of the first eight trucks differed from thest eight.

    The first lotive rests on tform A, heading towards Tezeba through Central Edman ¡ª the route the three travelers originally intended to take. On the other hand, the second lotive on tform B, proceeds to the capital through Battuanu, the coastal region to the west.

    The train travels along the border between Lunazel and Cezanne, and diverges into two paths, Central Edman and Battuanu.

    Currently, two men guarded on tform A and three on tform B.

    ¡°Whether we go to Edman or Battuanu, I think one or more will go on the same train,¡± Park Noah muttered to herself.

    Lunazel was thergest city in the province; it was inevitable that the train station would always be packed with travelers. It would cause a hugemotion if something unfortunate happened.

    Oh, I feel like I¡¯m ying a chase game¡­ Should we just stay in Lunazel for a night?

    While Park Noah was upied in her thoughts, she saw Kyle Leonard returning. She quickly beckoned to him and asked, ¡°Sir. Maybe we should stay here overnight-¡±

    Kyle Leonard leaned forward, interrupting Park Noah, his face inches away from hers.

    ¡°Sir¡­ Sir?¡± A gasp escaped her lips when she felt his lips brush against her cheek, his breath tickling her ear. From afar, it would look like a man kissing his beloved on the cheek.

    ¡°One night¡¯s sleep won¡¯t make any difference.¡±

    At the investigator¡¯s whisper, Park Noah came to her senses. Then, he continued urgently, ¡°I was briefed by the security guard that just yesterday, a woman with red hair was attacked.¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do, then?¡±

    ¡°We must lure them.¡±

    ¡°Lure them¡­ How?¡±

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s fingers stroked her apricot hair that was hidden underneath the robe, staring at her intensely. Park Noah instantly understood the meaning of his gaze and held his hand. In his hand were two tickets ¡ª one to Edman, and the other to Battuanu.

    The train was scheduled to depart ten minutester. Looking at the tickets, Park Noah realized what they were for. Then, Kyle Leonard whispered to the child on herp, ¡°Mu, the magic of invisibility, how long can you do it without taking too much mana from Noah?¡±

    Muell stayed silent for a moment as if counting in his mind. Then, he murmured, ¡°About thirty minutes. I can¡¯t do more than that with this body. I could make it longer if I went back to my original size, but that would make things difficult for Noah.¡±

    ¡°Thirty minutes?¡± Nervousness started to invade Park Noah as she thought of numerous possibilities that could happen.

    Kyle Leonard twisted his head a little, his chin touching against her skin.

    ¡°It starts as soon as you get on the train. Soon after you take off your robe and sses, and mix into the crowd and board the train to Central Edman, Mu will immediately cast the invisibility spell on you. When they see you, they¡¯ll send a signal. That¡¯s when you go on the train to Battuanu. Are you going to be alright?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It will be fine. It should be okay!¡± Park Noah eximed despite her trembling legs.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, then.¡±

    The investigator straightened his posture and stretched his hand towards her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Miss Noah.¡±

 Chapter 48

    For thirty minutes, the train will journey along the border between Lunazel and Cezanne. Then, the two lotors will part, diverging into the north and west.

    Park Noah stood among the travelers, her frail hands gripping the hem of her robe tightly. She held her breath as she waited for her turn to ascend in the train. Muell, who held her hands, muttered.

    ¡°I think human life is tooplicated.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°We could just burn everything that threatens Noah. This train and the train station and everything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right- huh?¡±

    Without his master¡¯s guidance, Muell would undoubtedly sumb to the urges of his ferocious nature. Park Noah sighed, brushing his soft curls. ¡°My Mu, if you keep saying such a scary thing, I¡¯ll spank you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that¡­¡± The red-eyed child pouted.

    Soon, it was almost their turn to board the train. Kyle Leonard, on the other hand, queued on thest batch of passengers to ensure all the guards who followed them had already stepped aboard.

    Park Noah took a deep breath as the woman before her disappeared into the train. Once she set foot inside, she pulled off her hood; her apricot waves gleamed under the sunlight and danced along the whistle of the wind.

    ¡°I see them,¡± Muell muttered, tightening his grip on Park Noah.

    The men who guarded the train previously fixed their eyes on the red-haired woman. Park Noah nced back at Kyle Leonard who signaled a ¡®yes¡¯. Then, she turned around, determined, and hurriedly mingled into the crowd inside.

    Immediately, her feet began to disappear. Muell¡¯s magic was working. In less than a second, her entire body was concealed from sight.

    ¡°Wow, this feels weird¡­¡± Park Noah felt the child embrace her, but there was nothing she, too, could see. She clutched Muell closer, observing the swarm of passengers who were hasty on finding their designated seats. I¡¯m better off invisible in front of a crowd¡­ Even if I kick someone while I¡¯m walking by¡­

    ¡°Argh! F*ck. Who is it? Someone kicked my shin! It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡­No one would think that there¡¯s some sort of invisible person here.

    Park Noah decided to stop being cautious and quickened her pace.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push me, please!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t push you, olddy!¡±

    I¡¯m sorry, passengers!

    She easily slithered through the narrow corridor lined with the first-ss rooms, repeatedly murmuring several apologies. She stood at the junction between the first and second-sspartments and took a deep breath.

    Muell pulled her hand and said, ¡°Herees the old man.¡±

    Kyle Leonard emerged from the frontpartment. She swiftly grabbed his arms as he almost passed by them.

    ¡°Sir, here you are!¡±

    His eyes widened in surprise at her cold touch. Then, he caught a glimpse of Muell and muttered under his breath, ¡°It ¡¯s perfect. I really can¡¯t see you.¡±

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s perfect except I can¡¯t see myself, too. So, did all of them get on board?¡±

    ¡°Yes, three are in Battuanu and the other two are here. They¡¯ll be over here soon. we¡¯d better move before that.¡±

    Kyle Leonard carried Muell in his arms and ushered Park Noah in the middle as passengers thronged in the hallway. She tried to push past the passengers¡­

    ¡°Wait!¡± Muell¡¯s voice was small, but his tone was sharp.

    Simultaneously, Kyle Leonard¡¯s face hardened together with the child. Muell¡¯s red eyes elongated in an instant. The investigator snatched her hand, pulling her towards him. Her body was flung forward by a formidable grip among the restless crowd.

    ¡°¡­.!¡±

    At that moment, different sounds ovepped inside the train ¡ª the wind hissed and metal banged against metal. And the very next second, something ripped apart.

 Chapter 49

    Park Noah¡¯s body plunged sideways, evading by an inch the sharp dagger that shed past her neck. The de pierced through her robe, tearing it apart and cutting along a few strands of her hair.

    The passengersposed themselves, grumbling at the sudden disturbance. Soon, confused murmurs erupted in the train as apricot threads drifted into the air and fell on them.

    ¡°What were you just saying? What is this thing?¡±

    Thump. Park Noah came to her senses by the pounding throb of her heart, immediately feeling her nape with her trembling hands. She knew instinctively that whoever threw the dagger was certainly aiming for her neck. Had Kyle Leonard pulled her a secondter, the de would have grazed her neck and her blood would have soaked the floor.

    Horror enveloped Park Noah when she realized she was still under Muell¡¯s invisibility spell. How could someone have targeted precisely at a person hidden from sight! She forced through the restless crowd, confident as she remained unseen.

    Crouched in the corner where they hid, Kyle Leonard whispered to her in a hurry. ¡°Are you okay? Keep your head down.¡±

    His violet orbs stared at her exactly, even though Park Noah couldn¡¯t see herself. Without waiting for her response, Kyle Leonard pressed her head down and swept away the strands of hair on the back of her neck.

    Paralyzed by terror, Park Noah could barely manage to speak in her quivering voice. ¡°Ka, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be able to do it¡­ It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°That person¡¯s insane, aiming at your neck in a crowded train,¡± Kyle Leonard hissed, his jaw clenched.

    The next instance, they felt a sudden gust of heat from their side. ck mes engulfed Muell¡¯s body, his long eyes ring with rage. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±

    ¡°Wait, Mu! Put out that fire and be invisible, too.¡± The investigator attempted to pacify the furious dragon. Meanwhile, Park Noah drew in deep breaths to hush her racing heart. Just moments ago, her life was hanging by a thread, unbeknownst to her.

    However, what lingered in her mind was the rming fact that someone saw through the invisibility spell. Why¡­? How?

    ¡°It was likely not an ordinary assassin.¡± Kyle Leonard muttered, showing her the dagger, its handle carved with an inscription that glowed blue.

    ¡°This dagger is a magical item that disables any magic,¡± he continued.

    ¡°Is there a wizard in Yulem?¡±

    ¡°Those who possess magical abilities in Laurent must unconditionally register with the Ministry of Magic. All wizards are thoroughly managed by the Ministry of Magic, how-¡±

    Kyle Leonard was interrupted by a vibration. The invisibility spell has started to lose its effect. There was no time for discussion. With his small hands, Muell quickly strengthened the spell. But as more mana was used, Park Noah grew weaker.

    Aware of the spell¡¯s toll on Park Noah, he muttered, ¡°You can¡¯t go any further in this state. It¡¯s also risky to move together.¡±

    ¡°What? Then how-¡°

    Before she could finish, the train rattled and her body propelled forward. With more than two hundred passengers on board, the train chugged, the busy tform slowly disappearing behind the windows.

    Sh*t. The train¡¯s leaving.

    It meant that they were stuck in the train with magic-wielding assassins until they reached their destination, the capital. Park Noah shuddered at the thought, her head beginning to spin. Her opponents were skilled magicians who specialized in assassination. Meanwhile, herpanions were¡­

    An investigator who heads the branch of Tezeba, serving as the general manager of the entire Laurent district, and a dragon. Oh, right.

    She nced at the man before her whose handsome face was slightly distorted, perhaps because of the generous amount of calctions in his mind, and felt reassured; his expression was not of a frightened coward.

    So, I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s ipetent in this trio¡­ No, with a suitcase full of Elonora¡¯s inventions, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not a very useless human being.

    ¡°If we don¡¯t make it as nned, we¡¯ll have to go up.¡±

    Park Noah stared at Kyle Leonard in disbelief. Noticing he was dead serious, she asked, ¡°On a running train?¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t picked up speed yet and it¡¯s going to maintain this speed all the way until the railroad divides into north and west. Besides, it¡¯s not impossible to move on a moving train.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡± Slowly, she shifted her gaze outside the window where the scenery shed across her eyes.

    That is definitely not slow. If I go up there, I¡¯m going to fly back and forth like a paper doll.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t feel well, Mu will have to stop using magic. In that case, two hundred people will recognize that you are Eleonora Asil, but-¡±

    ¡°You know I¡¯m not going to do that, right? I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll do my best!¡±

    What am I going to do? I¡¯m just Park Noah with a suitcase!

    Park Noah bit her lip, suppressing the urge to roll down and cry. Contrary to the despondent woman, Kyle Leonard gave her a wink, which was aical proof that he did not see her.

 Chapter 50

    At the investigator¡¯s cue, Muell hastily cast the spell upon himself after Park Noah sped her fingers around his arm and turned invisible. To get above the train, they must climb through the vent or at the junction of the train and the lotive. After weighing both choices, Kyle Leonard decided on the former.

    He led Park Noah and the child into a private room situated furthest among the first-sspartments. Then, he locked the door from the inside. ¡°Please give me the magical key that you brought.¡±

    Park Noah rummaged through her suitcase and handed him the key that adapted any form. As soon as it left her palm, the key materialized as if the spell was a paint that washed away. Kyle Leonard hurried to the vent and utched it.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the vent to open. At the edge was a propeller, rotating rapidly, and beyond the tunnel of ducts, the sky painted blue was visible.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it blocked? I think I¡¯m going to get stuck.¡± Park Noah muttered, grimacing at the spinning des of the propeller.

    Click.

    The three of them turned their heads towards the door at the same instant time. Someone was twisting the knob, attempting to open it. Soon, a suspicious silence ensued, the trio frozen in suspense.

    Then, Kyle Leonard immediately hoisted Muell into the vent, followed by Park Noah.

    ¡°Miss Noah.¡±

    Park Noah guided his arms around her waist. With ease, Kyle Leonard lifted her towards the vent as if she was a paper doll. She thrust her body into the narrow ducts, and immediately after she inhaled, dust irrupted into her nostrils. But, she had no spare time to cough.

    She strengthened her arms and climbed through the vent, which was barely wide for her body to fit. If it were narrower by a little, she would have been crushed.

    Attached to the ducts were cables that ran electricity. Hence, they crawled through the ducts with extreme caution lest they are electrocuted.

    ¡°Stop the propeller.¡± Kyle Leonard slipped the dagger inside, which Park Noah barely caught. She stared at the propeller across her. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t rotating terribly fast. Then, after murmuring a prayer, she carefully inserted the dagger in between the des, and the propeller came to a halt with a squeaking sound.

    She yanked the propeller with her remaining strength, but to no avail. After several failed attempts, she muttered, ¡°Mu, just rip it off.¡±

    A tiny ck me emerged from thin air and advanced towards the propeller, the seams beginning to crack. Soon, the steel sheets started to shatter. Simultaneously, the rattling door intensified with each second. Behind her, Park Noah could hear Kyle Leonard loading a revolver.

    ¡°Proper exercise helps you improve your physical strength. You just have to go up and climb five more steps.¡± The investigator¡¯s voice echoed inside the vent.

    ¡°If you keep talking cr*p, I am really going to file a civilint against you!¡±

    Suddenly, a roar erupted outside the room. The entirepartment shook. Passengers in the vicinity began to buzz as if they felt something strange. Kyle Leonard pointed the revolver at the door.

    Bang.

    The first gunshot rang in their ears, and at the same instant, the roof of the vent utched. Blue skies draped over Park Noah as the iron bars swished outwards, her apricot waves instantly tousled by the strong winds. Oveing fear, she pulled herself out of the vent, Muell trailing behind her.

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    Park Noah struggled against the powerful blow of wind, constantly stumbling. If Muell hadn¡¯t clung to her, he would have flown away.

    The wind shrieked in their ears, continuously overwhelming them. Because of the invisibility spell, Park Noah still had to locate where Muell exactly was. She was worried over the child, but upon feeling a heavy weight, Park Noah thought he must have clung to her securely.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Or perhaps not¡­

    Muell, who held onto Park Noah for his dear life, got carried away by the harsh wind.

 Chapter 51

    ¡°Woah!¡± Park Noah managed to hold onto the dangling iron bars and steadied herself. Whether Muell¡¯s concentration was thrown into disarray, the invisibility spell that clothed her body has disappeared.

    Park Noah struggled to recover her bnce, muttering profanities. ¡°Kyle Leonard¡­ I won¡¯t let this go. The train¡¯s not speeding yet? Moderate exercise helps you improve your physical strength? Damn you¡­¡±

    As she groped for the child, a series of gunshots continually resonated from below. What is going on down there?

    Fortunately, Muell wasn¡¯t carried away very far by the strong winds. As Park Noah crawled four steps, a pair of arms grabbed her leg.

    ¡°Mu, we have to go to the ninthpartment, the ninth!¡± Park Noah shouted over the nging railroad, breathless; the bellows of her heart had gone silent in her ears. As they may say, adrenaline rises rapidly in crises.

    I think it would be better if I bend my body¡­ Lower your body and crawl, Noah!

    It was quite a smart idea. Her squirming body began to move with more stability, and she could sense Muell in the same position beside her.

    Little did they know, danger awaited them ahead.

    Bang! Bang!

    Park Noah whipped her head in the direction of the shrill sound and saw three bullet holes on where she was about to crawl over. The bullet prated the train¡¯s roof at a terrific speed and soared into the air.

    Bang!

    Her body instantly froze as another bullet shed past her leg. ¡°Jesus Christ! You maniac! I¡¯m up here! What the hell are you doing down there?¡±

    Perhaps aware of the disturbance in the room, the attendant¡¯s voice echoed in the entire train on a loudspeaker. ¡°Passenger, please take your seats. I¡¯d like to remind you once again. All passengers¡­¡±

    Strangely, the attendant¡¯s voice was calm. Park Noah felt a momentary wonder, but shrugged it off, and moved again without further thought. They had to hasten her pace and reach their destination before a bullet hole pierced their bodies.

    Park Noah sported a look of triumph as they drew nearer, only three blocks of the train¡¯s roof left. However, fear instantly reced euphoria as a fat man with a braided beard poked out his head from the vent.

    ¡°I found you, Eleonora Asil!¡± He roared.

    She stared at the man, blinking nkly, and breathed a sigh of relief. The man kept screaming profusely, unable to chase after them. It seemed his round stomach had him stuck in the narrow vent, which Park Noah barely pulled herself out.

    That¡¯s right. Keep screaming like that.

    However, herposure soon enough shattered. The fat man disappeared, and instead, a slender man climbed out of the vent.

    ¡°Stay there!¡± He swiftly bnced himself against the strong winds and began to sprint towards them.

    Considering we are on a speeding train, his sense of bnce ismendable. Is he an acrobat?

    ¡°¡­.!¡±

    The man spread out his arm and recited a phrase quickly. Then, inscriptions glowed blue in his palms. It was magic. At the same instant, another man appeared from the venttion shaft, clutching a shotgun.

    As Kyle Leonard pointed the gun towards the slender man, about to pull the trigger, Park Noah snatched Muell¡¯s body and urgentlymanded. ¡°Mu, fly!¡±

    Bang!

    Another gunshot rang. The slender man fell forward, blood spurting from his shoulder.

    Up in the sky, Muell¡¯s wings pped along with the wind. The train continued to speed before them as they hung suspended in the air. Threepartments passed, and finally, just before the ninthpartment, the lotor of the train to Battuanu, appeared in sight.

    Please, there,nd on that railing, please!

    Park Noah loosened her grip on Muell as he started to descend and shut her eyes. Then, a tremendous sense of fall enveloped her whole body.

    Boom!

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Luckily, she plummeted behind the very railing she had targeted. Enduring the searing pain on her shoulders, she heaved her body up, and as she nced at thepartment before her, a pair of violet orbs met with hers.

    ¡°Ky-¡±

    The moment she opened her mouth to call him, she felt a heavy weight copse on her. For a brief moment, Park Noah thought it was a dead body until she saw a curly-haired boy.

    As she steadied herself and helped Muell, she heard an admiring voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite athletic, Miss Noah.¡±

    ¡°I¡­fileints¡­I¡­must¡­¡±

    The man who squatted so stably on the speeding trainughed. Then, he pulled out a revolver.

    ¡°Do you know I almost departed from this world when you shot earlier?¡± Park Noah yelled in between her deep breaths.

    ¡°Well, I still see you,¡± Kyle Leonard retorted with a smirk.

    Then, he pointed the gun at the railing where Park Noah stood and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Miss Noah. See you at Battuanu Station at noon in three days.¡±

    Bang! Bang! Two gunshots rang in a row. The chains binding the two trains broke into pieces and bounced into the sky.

 Chapter 52

    As the chains broke, the train rattled. Park Noah dreaded it might be overturned but, fortunately, the train did not derail. Across her, Kyle Leonard raised himself and said, ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to arrest all those assassins and hand them over to the detention center.¡±

    The train bound to Battuanu, which Park Noah and Muell currently reside, slowly came to a halt. On the other hand, the train bound to Central Edman began to speed along the railway at a rapid pace.

    Park Noah watched Kyle Leonard turn his back and kick the man who was about to hit him. As the train moved along the tracks, their figures gradually grew smaller.

    ¡°¡­At noon in three days.¡± She echoed the investigator¡¯s words under her breath, turning around. Confused murmurs from the passengers followed the sudden disturbance.

    Despite the looming fear in her mind for things yet to transpire, Park Noah held her chin high, hand in hand with Muell. Then, she flung open the doors to the train, clutching with her other hand the suitcase which she had diligently packed.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Two attendants faced her at the entrance, staring with suspicious eyes. Park Noah shoved her hand into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a crumpled ticket.

    ¡°This is a passenger bound for Battuanu!¡± She squeaked, thrusting the ticket to the attendants.

    *

    With his keen eyes, Kyle Leonard checked the bullets he had used so far. Seven regr bullets, five specially treated bullets. Ordinary bullets were not worth counting because they were used to prevent passengers from leaving their rooms or getting out of their seats.

    All five of the specially treated bullets were lodged on the bodies of Yulem¡¯s assassins, who wereid out on the train¡¯s floor. Indeed, Kyle Leonard barely misses his targets.

    ¡°Uck¡­¡±

    He kicked the body of the man who rolled to his feet, pushing it away. Then, he pulled out his suitcase from the luggagepartment and opened it.

    If bizarre inventions filled Park Noah¡¯s suitcase, Kyle Leonard¡¯s bag was loaded with every variety of weapons, including handcuffs and bullets, daggers and dismantled rifles.

    He took out the handcuffs and cuffed the men¡¯s wrists. As he yanked their hair to look behind their necks, there were traces of a chip being transnted. Sighing, he piled the bodies in an empty room.

    He had nned to retrieve the bullets embedded in the thighs, arms, and shoulders of the assassins, but did not continue lest the train¡¯s atmosphere, which had already turned unpleasant from themotion, worsened from the smell of flesh. Kyle Leonard would have to simply request the inspection team to hand his bullets.

    ¡°The next station is Lestes, arriving in an hour. Lestes Station. From Lestes to Central Edman, we¡¯ll be traveling expressways, so please check your destination.¡± A calm announcement boomed through the microphones.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    The investigator mused. For more than forty minutes, gunfire reverberated throughout the entire train, and yet, the attendant¡¯s voice remainedposed, without a trace of panic.

    At this point, the train has to separate and diverge into north and west. Thus, it must slow down and gradually stop. However, the train¡¯s fast pace persisted.

    Kyle Leonard mmed the door of the room where the bodies of Yulem¡¯s men were stacked and walked towards the engine room. The lotives, or the power unit of a train, and the railcars are joined by thick chains. He made a light leap towards the lotive,nding with ease.

    The ck smoke from the train¡¯s chimney stretched like a tail in the wind. Kyle Leonard stood on the roof of the driver cab, passing through the train¡¯s boiler with nonchnt steps, in contrast to the puny Park Noah.

    ng!

    ¡°Oh, who is it?¡±

    Suddenly, the window of the driver cab broke, and the operator jerked in his seat. Then, a revolver was pinned against his temple.

 Chapter 53

    ¡°Employee ID, take it out.¡± Kyle Leonardmanded the operator, pressing the revolver against his head.

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re with the Laurent Railway.¡± The operator¡¯s face immediately turned pale upon the investigator¡¯s remark, pulps of sweat forming in his forehead.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get a bullet in your arms and legs like your colleagues, step aside and talk.¡± Kyle Leonard threatened. He pulled a handcuff out of his uniform and swiftly fastened it around the man¡¯s arms.

    When the operator refused to cooperate, shaking his head, Kyle Leonard hit the back of his neck with the revolver. In an instant, the man lost consciousness. Then, Kyle Leonard pushed his body to the corner and began to examine the controls in the driver cab ¡ª automatic train stop, speedometer, handle, electricity supply, boiler control valve, brake valve.

    His peering eyes stopped at one ce: the odometer, which indicated the train¡¯s route. The odometer blinked red light, signaling that the train was in motion. However, the route on the map and the direction indicated by the train¡¯s odometer were different. The route was north, but the train was running east.

    That can¡¯t be true.

    ording to the map, the route from Lunazel to Central Edman was a in area that stretches on a straight path; its route had no wide turns. Hence, the odometer should not be pointing east.

    Should the train continue to run east, it would arrive at apletely different location, not Central Edman. Feeling a sense of foreboding, Kyle Leonard hastily pulled the brake valve. But¡­

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not working.¡±

    He tried to pull the valves one by one, but all were jammed. Suddenly, the operator shuffled, starting to wake up. Kyle Leonard¡¯s eyes shifted towards the man¡¯s neck and cuffed arms. Wrist.

    Without hesitation, he pointed the revolver at him and fired.

    Bang!

    ¡°¡­.!¡± An abrupt scream resounded in the driver cab. The man gripped his bloody wrist, writhing in extreme pain.

    ¡°If you just faint, you won¡¯t see blood. Anyway, I happened to aim just right. Where is this train headed?¡± Kyle Leonard clicked his tongue in subtle satisfaction.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°Even though the engine broke down, it¡¯s still running well. It means someone¡¯s ying on the tracks. Are you a wizard?¡±

    Contrary to what most would think, the Laurent railway, that stretches out like a spider¡¯s web throughout the city, is not driven by magic. The tracks automatically switch directions through the pull of a lever powered by electricity.

    The operator shook his head frantically. ¡°I- I can¡¯t say¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve nted it on your wrist, not your head, the self-destructing chip of Yulem. Now that it¡¯s just broken, there¡¯s no reason you can¡¯t tell me now. I don¡¯t have any reason to withhold my hand either. In case it slips.¡±

    The man looked down on his trembling wrist. It was true. The bullet prated the exact spot where the chip had been nted, just next to the artery. A shattered chip in the size of a fingernail was sticking out of his skin.

    ¡°Although your wrist is reduced to pulp, you don¡¯t have the risk of dying from excessive bleeding. Let¡¯s talk now, shall we? Who¡¯s behind it? Who in Yulem ordered to kill Eleonora Asil?¡± Kyle Leonard asked calmly, his fingers ying with the revolver.

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ say¡­ I can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me even when you¡¯re at the end of the line? There¡¯s no easy way out anymore.¡±

    Kyle Leonard wasn¡¯t in the mood for an investigation. He was a man who could be cruel enough and had worked for fifteen years in such an environment. What¡¯s more, he possessed enough nerve and power to carry out any impractical and unrealistic n into action.

    Then, he saw the rails beginning to switch. He slipped his revolver through a crack in the window and measured a specific angle while he positioned the gun. The man, who realized what he was attempting to do, yelled in both disbelief and astonishment.

    ¡°Crazy! If you blow up the railroad, this train will be overturned!¡±

    ¡°Then the two hundred people on this train will all be good friends in the afterlife. What can I do if you won¡¯t talk? I have no other choice.¡± Kyle Leonard responded dryly, finely adjusting the angle of the gun. The directional guidance screen that floated on top of the pistol began to turn with a mechanical sound ¡ª the target was right in the middle of the railroad.

    ¡°Stop! Stop, you crazy bastard!¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just say it!¡±

    As Kyle Leonard pressed his finger onto the trigger, the struggling operator screamed.

    ¡°Magic Division! Laurent Magic Division!¡±

    The Ministry of Magic?

 Chapter 54

    Kyle Leonard shifted the revolver towards the operator andmanded, ¡°Continue.¡±

    With his cold gaze, the man instinctively knew Kyle Leonard would not hesitate to shoot. ¡°Uh, it was a wizard registered in the Ministry of Magic! I saw with my own eyes a badge from the Magic Department hanging underneath the robe!¡±

    ¡°Magic department¡­¡±

    ¡°The order I received was to catch Eleonora Asil. Not murder! It doesn¡¯t make sense for Yulem to assassinate her!¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense for Yulem to assassinate her? Have you never approached her until you received the order?¡±

    ¡°That woman, she¡¯s crazy! We wouldn¡¯t dare touch her!¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kyle Leonard fell in deep thought as questions flooded his mind. Is the culprit behind the witch¡¯s death in the Ministry of Magic?

    Combining the information he had so far, Kyle Leonard deduced: upon discovering that Eleonora Asil had survived the attack, the culprit hired Yulem to capture her. But what was the need for Yulem when he had done it himself before? Kyle Leonard could think of only one reason: to capture something else, too.

    The murder who assassinated Eleonora Asil knew that the current witch is not the same person as she used to be. And it wasn¡¯t in his n. Hence, he wants Yulem to capture Park Noah, who is wearing the body of Eleonora Asil.

    ¡°¡­This is fun.¡± Strangely, a faint smirk crept on the investigator¡¯s lips.

    At the same moment, the train was nearing the railroad switch; the rattle bing louder and faster. Kyle Leonard took his gaze off the man and turned to the railroad, narrowing his eyes.

    Target the goal by urately calcting the angle, which will vary slightly from time to time depending on the direction of travel of the train, the distance the train moves in a second, and the distance traveled.

    The operator, who noticed the investigator¡¯s n again, shook his uninjured arm wildly. ¡°Stop it, you crazy bastard!¡±

    But the ruckus became pointless as Kyle Leonard pulled the trigger.

    Bang! The bullet went off, missing the metal device that had been erected at the edge of the railroad by a narrow distance. However, what Kyle Leonard intended to aim was the small lever that allowed operators to manually change the direction of the railway, in case of an emergency.

    The metal device tilted and crushed the lever on the edge of the railroad. As the lever was pressed down, the railroad began to move slowly. Soon, it will separate from the connected railways and interlock with the other rail.

    The direction of the tracks, which had been steered to the left, changed to a straight line, and in a ghostly timing, the train sped at a terrifying speed as it turnedpletely.

    Magic lost its control on the railroad. The operator¡¯s eyes widened in shock and astonishment. The train, which had been malfunctioning since it departed from Lunazel, began to stop slowly.

    ¡°What, what, what¡¯s this¡­¡± The operator stammered as he witnessed the investigator¡¯s impulsive idea materialize into a sess.

    Despite the metal device being more than seventy meters, the investigator was still able to shoot it, consequently knocking the lever underneath. There was only one person in Laurent with unparalleled shooting skills that was capable of such tricks.

    Shortly, the train came to a halt. Kyle Leonard returned his revolver into the holster in one swift motion and approached the operator. ¡°You¡¯d better not wake up this time.¡±

    This time, he hit the man¡¯s neck properly and with more force. Bam! The man fainted without any time to resist.

    Kyle Leonard stuffed the operator¡¯s mouth with foam before escaping through the smashed window. The funky sses he wore hung askew on the bridge of his nose; its lens cracked due to his sh with the five assassins, interfering with his sight.

    ¡°I can¡¯t use this anymore.¡± He took the sses off and tried to throw it into the engine room. Come to think of it, these sses were given by Noah.

    ¡°Tsk¡­¡± He folded the sses and thrust it into the pocket of his uniform, clicking his tongue. I think I should change it in the city.

    He approached the motionless train, left with one more task.

    As soon as the train for Central Edman leaves the fabricated railway, the Yulem headquarters and employers will also report that the operation to capture Eleanora Asil failed.

    On the other hand, the train bound to Battuanu has been confirmed safe, thus it would be alright for Park Noah to remain on board. The problem lies when she arrives at Battuanu.

    Will she be fine alone?

    Worry ured to the investigator, but soon he recalled that by her side was a dedicated dragon, and surrendered his troubles with a sigh. If the culprit¡¯s purpose was to capture, not assassinate, then her body would not be found dead from a stranglehold.

    Still, it was not enough for his concerns topletely disappear. Park Noah never appeared to be reliable to his eyes.

    Your athletic skills are below average, your motivation is below average, your brain function and your sense of perception seem to be above average, but¡­

    Suddenly, a vision of a pretty sloth that hadn¡¯t moved more than a two-kilometer radius from her house in two years emerged in Kyle Leonard¡¯s mind, causing him to be extremely confused. He shook his head and walked towards the train. It was only then that he felt exhaustion.

    There was amotion in all eight carriages. Perhaps the fear of the passengers that was silenced by a series of shots finally erupted.

    ¡°Sir! Is there a terrorist attack?¡±

    ¡°Why were there gunshots earlier?¡±

    ¡°Are we safe now? Will the train explode?¡±

    The train¡¯s radio and emergency contact to the National Railroad were all dead, so they had to wait for the seeding train to follow three or four hourster.

    Kyle Leonard calcted the time by changing the shing green light from the railroad to red. I think the interval is four hours¡­

    Fortunately, he did not have to wait for four hours and be responsible for more than 200 passengers as in a distance, the lights of a police car shed. The magistrate sitting in the passenger seat shouted through the microphone.

    ¡°I received an emergency call from the train to Battuanu!¡±

 Chapter 55

    ¡°Battuanu?¡±

    On the train bound to Battuanu, there was only one possible person to contact the Lunazel security forces. Kyle Leonard, whose face appeared perplexed earlier at the timely arrival of the police, realized, his mouth opening slightly.

    That lethargic woman has done something quitemendable.

    A familiar man climbed out of the nearby vehicle. He was one of the nine representatives of the Investigative Security Agency in Laurent and the head of the Lunazel branch.

    ¡°Captain, are you okay? I received a report that a terrorist attack had urred in the train for Central Edman. What happened?¡±

    ¡°It is the work of Yulem. After being quiet for a while, it seems to have received a new request. I¡¯ve immobilized all of them, so send them to Tezeba headquarters for chip removal surgery.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Yes, I understand.¡± Disappointment shed across the face of the branch magistrate. On the other hand, Kyle Leonard didn¡¯t even bat an eysh and disclosed further news.

    ¡°And now, put up a request for the right to investigate the affiliation between Yulem and Laurent¡¯s Ministry of Magic.¡±

    ¡°Pardon? The magic department and the Yulem?¡±

    As Kyle Leonard continued to exin the situation, the branch magistrate¡¯s face turned pale. He handed the magistrate a voice recorder, which he had turned on the moment he boarded the train.

    ¡°The investigation should be conducted in secret. As long as the rtion between Yulem and the Ministry of Magic remains a mystery, this case will be kept confidential. In other words, never let information regarding this case leak to the magic department. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Kyle Leonard stretched out his arm and the magistrate immediately handed him the keys to the vehicle. Then, he nced at Kyle Leonard, a grimace stered on his face.

    ¡°By the way, sir¡­ About the report from the train to Battuanu, your wife¡­ She left a message telling you to drop the investigation and follow her right away.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kyle Leonard frowned at the magistrate, confused once again. Then, he realized it was Park Noah¡¯s message.

    The branch magistrate delivered Park Noah¡¯s words hesitantly, and with a look of deep regret. ¡°She said, ¡°I think I did a good job.¡± and then she hung up¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe she is a crazy woman¡­ Or she mistook you for another person.¡±

    Upon seeing the tense magistrate, Kyle Leonard chuckled. The former, startled at the investigator¡¯s unusual reaction, instantly gestured a salute with his quivering fingers. ¡°Forgive me, sir! This message should have been filtered!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. You must be very anxious.¡±

    Then, Kyle Leonard handed him the incident log, which he had roughly recorded. The magistrate¡¯s curious eyes followed the pocketbook but uttered noment and received it nheless.

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll hand this over to the Lunazel District temporarily. When you return to Lunazel, send the records to Tezeba so you can get a quick look at the progress of the case.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t worry!¡±

    Then, after the necessary discussion, Kyle Leonard dismissed the magistrate. However, it was not possible for him to board the train bound to Battuanu as the magic that was enchanted on the railways caused a greatmotion, which prompted the suspension of all railway services centered around Lunazel and Central Edman.

    *

    Along the rooms in the first-ss section rested two exhausted passengers. Whether or not the investigator was correct, the train bound to Battuanu was indeed peaceful.

    ¡°Ah, finally¡­¡±

    When the rushing adrenaline dispelled from her veins, immense fatigue took ce. It was only then that she felt a sharp pain on her shoulder, which collided against a metal railing when she fell from the air earlier; it would be unsurprising if a bruise had formed.

    Park Noah had never dreamt to be on top of a running train. For a while, she pondered on the events that had transpiredtely, which brought chaos into her life.

    How did I end up on a rough path? It¡¯s better to live like a grasshopper in Sorrent and run around, even if itprises a series of hardships than to have my neck chopped off. I¡¯m already doing nothing, but I don¡¯t want to do anything more intensely.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of thinking about it? Let¡¯s not think about anything. Let¡¯s find the light amid all these¡­¡± Park Noah wanted to sleep, but she couldn¡¯t despite running out of energy. She was so tired that she could die, but she was still awake. Her mana seemed to exhaust rapidly but recover at a slow speed. What a taxing body.

    She nced at the child beside her and spoke softly, ¡°Mu, are you sleeping?¡±

    Then, a light snore escaped from the child¡¯s parted mouth, answering her question. He was just as overwhelmed as Park Noah. Muelly sprawled on the seat, sleeping peacefully.

    However, as Park Noah inched closer to observe the snoring dragon, worried over his state, he didn¡¯t seem to be exhausted. His breathing sounded even as if nothing had happened a little while ago.

    You must be a very healthy dragon to see that even if you have a master whose health converges to null, you can do this much. We have to get to the capital soon and cut off resonance with Lenia. That is if we can safely arrive in Tezeba¡­

    Park Noah¡¯s thoughts gradually drifted to Kyle Leonard¡¯sst words.

    ¡°See you at Battuanu Station at noon in three days.¡±

    She knew her worries were futile, but she could not evade the creeping anxiety. Although he was extremely skillful, he was still human. Hence, she threatened their train¡¯s operator for an emergency call to the Lunazel security forces to ease her distress.

    So, follow me right away, Kyle Leonard. Even though I¡¯m with Mu, I¡¯m nervous because I¡¯m just a novice! I need a veteran¡­!

    ¡°¡­Well, you¡¯ll catch up soon.¡±

    Park Noah then emptied her busy mind, deciding to rest, since it takes more than half a day to arrive in Battuanu by train. After a while of counting the number of times the train rattled, she finally fell into a slumber. Soon, she awoke, and the scenery had changed.

 Chapter 56

    The sun had already set and darkness quietly veiled the heavens. Park Noah fluttered her groggy eyes open, her back still glued on the couch, and saw Muell pressed on the window.

    He leaned onto the narrow window frame with his short, chubby legs, gazing intently through the ss, his red orbs as bright as the moonlight glow.

    ¡°Mu, what are you looking at?¡±

    The ck curly-haired child turned to Park Noah with curious eyes. Then, he pointed to the skies above, ¡°Noah, what¡¯s that?¡±

    Park Noah approached Muell¡¯s side, peeking through the window, and beheld constetions of stars that twinkled in the dim horizon. Oh, are you talking about stars?

    ¡°You mean that shiny thing?¡±

    The child nodded, his eyes as radiant as ever; it seemed he had his own stars, too. Park Noah paused, recalling the memory of her Earth Science ss, which she had learned in high school. Then, she exined slowly to Muell.

    ¡°That¡¯s a star. A star is a veryrge hot ball, and there are about 100 billion stars in our gxy¡­ Oh, this isn¡¯t our gxy, anyway. But there are so many stars.¡±

    She looked up at the night sky again in better spirit. It was cliche, but it was a wide blue yonder wherein stars seemed to pour out. Park Noah tried to reminisce the days she spent gazing at the heavens but to no avail. She sighed bitterly.

    Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever looked up at the sky since I fell into this world. No, actually even before I came here.

    It was not that she had little to no time to lift her head in between her busy shifts. Perhaps it was a mere ignorance of heaven¡¯s beauty.

    She shifted her gaze towards the right and saw the train¡¯s tail stretched out long into the darkness. Dozens of rooms were lit, making them look likeets. At that moment, Park Noah felt as though she was floating in the middle of the universe.

    ¡°It¡¯s simr to what I saw in the egg. There is something like that in the human world,¡± Muell muttered with excitement.

    ¡°Really? Then your world must be among those stars. My world must be there, too.¡±

    Park Noah fell into deep introspection. Her ignorance had prevailed even after her reincarnation. She had experienced a rebirth and yet, she remained unable to enjoy the things she hadn¡¯t appreciated in her past life.

    During her life as an office worker, Park Noah, there was never a day that she was not paralyzed by fatigue. She never went on amon trip, and only went back and forth between work and home.

    In fact, the only improvement she had in this world was that she had slept more than she had done in her previous life. Still, her goal of a long and peaceful life persists, but at this rate, she believes she will have a lot of regrets even if she dies as Eleonora Asil. At the end of her reflection, she realized she was not happy at all.

    ¡°Mu, do you want to go on a trip when you¡¯re done imprinting with me? It¡¯s a luxurious offer,¡± she twisted Muell gently.

    ¡°Travel? Noah hates it. Eating, moving, tired.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Uh, yes, it is.¡±

    ¡°Noah is happiest when she¡¯s rolling around at home.¡±

    However, the child knew his master to the core. Park Noah faltered but continued to persuade Muell and herself.

    ¡°¡­Hey, so it¡¯s a super luxury. I will hire Kyle Leonard as a butler, and Muell as a friend. Isn¡¯t that great? Oh, I love it!¡±

    She was beginning to be immersed in her sweet fantasies when a knock banged against the door.

    Knock. Knock.

    ¡°¡­.?¡±

    Their eyes, which admired the twinkling dusk, turned to the door at the same instant.

    ¡°Who¡­¡± Park Noah trailed off, reminded of Kyle Leonard¡¯s words that warned her to be wary of everything. Then, she hastily wore her robes, concealing her vivid apricot hair, the child cing the funky sses on the bridge of her nose.

    She tiptoed toward the door with Muell behind her, mimicking her steps. With a nervous voice, she asked.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 57

    ¡°Who are you?¡± The stranger behind the door echoed Park Noah¡¯s question.

    Frowning in confusion, Park Noah peeked through the small window. Then, she caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a tall man, cloaked in a deep blue robe.

    ¡°I¡¯m a passenger in room six, but¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Surprised at the man¡¯s words, she hurriedly took the ticket out of her pocket to confirm it.<b> First-ss room 6. </b>The wrinkles on her forehead deepened. She was right where she was supposed to be.

    Wasn¡¯t it my own room? But usually, first ssrooms are rented entirely¡­

    ¡°This is the room that my grandmother and I booked.¡±

    In the end, Park Noah was left with no choice but to open the door. Outside were two passengers ¡ª one was the tall man she had talked to a while ago and the other was an old woman, whom he introduced as his grandmother.

    The olddy apologized, wearing a warm smile on her wrinkled face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, youngdy. I am also confused, but if we had a seat, we wouldn¡¯t be there.¡±

    ¡°Forgive us, there is no empty space except this room. It¡¯s because this train runs even at dawn, so it¡¯s hard to call the operator,¡± reasoned the other stranger, the words smoothly pouring from his lips.

    Despite her inner protests, Park Noah couldn¡¯t refuse. Besides, even the first-ss seats have seat numbers printed on them, and she was uncertain whether Kyle Leonard had reserved the entire room or only a single seat.

    Also, the unwee guests must have already seen the unupied seats in theirpartment. It would be tant insolence for a young, able woman to reject a grandmother her seat.

    ¡°Well,e on in. But it might be a little loud. My kid¡¯s a little¡­ He cries a lot.¡± Park Noah ced a hand behind her back, making a little gesture. Immediately, Muell understood the signal and quickly began to brim his eyes with tears.

    She was ufortable with her intention to force the two strangers out. However, it was only an expected response as she ought to be wary after fleeing from a train full of assassins barely hours ago. She had to make use of Muell¡¯s talent to bawl in an instant.

    ¡°Thank you. You have a child.¡± The man entered the room without a slight hesitation and took his robe off.

    As soon as Park Noah saw his face, her vignce disappeared and admiration numbed her senses.

    What¡¯s that look? Handsome.

    It was all she could think the moment their eyes met. His green orbs harmonized perfectly with his blond locks and a lovely smile appeared on his lips. Park Noah, who wasn¡¯t fazed one bit by Kyle Leonard¡¯s dashing appearance, almost gawked at the stranger across her.

    ¡°The child is very cute.¡± The man beamed, crouching down to be face to face with Muell. ¡°Hi, baby. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    The child¡¯s cries soared. The strangerughed and hugged Muell. At the sudden interaction, Muell¡¯s mouth opened in surprise. His cries have stopped but drops of tears continued to trickle down his face.

    ¡°Uh¡­?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a good boy if you don¡¯t cry. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± The man cooed, attempting to appease the little boy; a smile never leaving his face.

    But Park Noah wasn¡¯t staring at the stranger anymore. Her attention was focused on Muell whose face was strangely contorted. Then, she noticed his nce, which was a signal.

    ¡°Hah¡­¡±

    When Muell began to cry sadly, Park Noah hastily took him from the man¡¯s grasp. ¡°Oh, dear.¡±

    ¡°I guess thedy¡¯s child doesn¡¯t like me very much.¡± The man shrugged, chuckling.

    Park Noah stared at him while she stroked Muell¡¯s back, suspicion beginning to arise. Muell was not an ordinary child; he would not simply burst into tears when he is hugged by a stranger.

    Then, noticing an unusual silence, she nced at the door where the olddy had stood before, and saw an empty space. She had disappeared without a trace. Suddenly, the door snapped shut by itself.

    ¡°Shall we sit down,dy? No¡­¡± The man had taken a seat, his legs crossed. Park Noah noticed the train ticket he had presented earlier in his hand and witnessed the letters on the paper starting to vanish. The ticket then became a nk piece of paper.

    Goosebumps erupted over her body as the paper flew from the man¡¯s fingers. A forgery? Or, bewildering spell¡­?

    ¡°Eleonora.¡± He spoke, a smirk creeping on his face.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take off those funny sses?¡±

 Chapter 58

    Eleonora.

    Upon hearing the witch¡¯s name, Park Noah was able to grasp the situation. The blond stranger across her was rted to Eleonora Asil. She scanned the man from head to toe, lifting her ¡®funny¡¯ sses.

    To think that a man as handsome as he was involved in Eleonora¡¯s life¡­

    The man tilted his head and patted the empty seat beside him, ¡°What are you looking at, Ellie? Come and sit down.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing? Come on.¡±

    Park Noah tried to recall the witch¡¯s memories for the man¡¯s identity but it was almost impossible. All she was certain about was the witch was close enough with this man to be called by a nickname.

    Whether it was because of immense anxiety filling her nerves or simply because she did not belong to the body she possessed, Park Noah could not find any memory of him no matter how desperately she rummaged through her mind.

    Was he an ally or an enemy?

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to break up with me? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m a little upset, too. I¡¯ve kept your neck safe a few times, haven¡¯t I?¡±

    There seemed to be no malice in his words, but his gentle eyes did not seem pleased either. Park Noah¡¯s intuition warned her. Meanwhile, the stranger had fixed his eyes on her.

    What measure should she take at the moment?

    One, pretend to be Eleonora Asil and agree to whatever he says. But I don¡¯t know his personality or his job, including his name, so he¡¯ll figure it out. Reject.

    Second, not Eleanora, but Park Noah. Simply confess like what she did to Kyle Leonard.

    ¡°You have to answer back, Ellie.¡±

    While she was immersed in her thoughts, the man¡¯s patience seemed to have thinned. Then, he extended his arm towards her. Naturally, Park Noah frowned. She thought, ¡°Am I a dog that ces my paw on someone¡¯s palm?¡±

    ¡°¡­.!¡±

    But before she could express her displease, her body was suddenly pulled forward. In a blink of an eye, she had lost her bnce and copsed on top of the man.

    He removed the sses, which had been covering her eyes, while his hands were wrapped around her waist.

    ¡°What, what¡­¡±

    ¡°How long are you going to ignore me, Eleonora. You know best that I don¡¯t have a lot of patience, right?¡±

    Park Noah barely supported herself as her arms pressed against the back of the seat. The man¡¯s grip on her waist tightened, pulling her closer. What appeared like an angel a while ago transformed into a sly beast from the underground.

    ¡°Long time no see, Ellie.¡±

    He¡¯s crazy. He¡¯s crazy.

    Park Noah quickly rejected the second idea and resorted to thest one: pretend to be Eleonora Asil who is suffering from amnesia.

    She took a deep breath and faked a smile, ¡°Sorry, who are you?¡±

    The man stiffened. Park Noah continued her act, gritting her teeth. ¡°Who¡¯s the one who broke into another¡¯s room?¡±

    The best part of her amnesia pretense was she could act however and still likely remain unsuspected. The crude in her leaped in joy.

    ¡°I¡¯m already tired, and you¡¯re getting on my nerves.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Let go of me, will you?¡±

    The man¡¯s gaze deepened. He cupped Park Noah¡¯s face, muttering under his breath. ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it polite in any country to speak informally upon first encounters? Even more so when you are an intruder. Who are you? How old even are you?¡±

    The answer came after a short pause.

    ¡°Your friend, your lover, your life¡¯s savior, and the man who knows you best in the world. Probably more than Kyle Leonard.¡±

    The man smiled softly but he flinched at the investigator¡¯s name he unconsciously muttered. ¡°We were good partners, weren¡¯t we?¡±

    His hand trailed above her waist, staring intently at Park Noah. She could only nce below and see their bodies close together as an arm dangerously wrapped itself around her back.

    ¡°¡­How?¡±

    Is it okay for Eleonora to sleep with one or ten people? It¡¯s not even in my wildest dreams.

    ¡°So what¡­ Ugh.¡± As soon as Park Noah responded dryly, a strong hand gently pressed the middle of her waist. A chill erupted in her spine. Unfortunately, Eleonora Asil¡¯s body seemed to be quite sensitive. Or was the body merely reacting because of a familiar touch?

    Or just because he¡¯s a yer?

    Either way, it wasn¡¯t very pleasant for Park Noah to be trapped in the current situation. As she felt his hand inching down, she immediately pped his arm away.

    ¡°There¡¯s quite a lot I¡¯ve forgotten, but I can¡¯t even remember it, so it must have been pretty bad, you.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to say that once you experience it.¡±

    ¡°Why should I do something unpleasant with you in this small room?¡±

    ¡°If you say you don¡¯t know me, wouldn¡¯t that be the most efficient way to refresh your memory? Human instincts tell you more than your mind does.¡±

    The man smirked, unbothered by Park Noah¡¯s protest. At that moment, Park Noah knew what kind he was ¡ª a typical ¡°pretty trash.¡±

 Chapter 59

    ¡°If you want to be taken to the security forces for sexual molestation, do it, but I think you¡¯re going to get a blow before that.¡±

    Park Noah hissed and unhesitantly rammed her knee onto the man¡¯s stomach. <b>Puck. </b>She grinned inwardly, satisfied at the sound. On the other hand, the man¡¯s face contorted in pain.

    ¡°Ugh, what are you doing?¡±

    His grip on her waist loosened and Park Noah immediately pushed his arms off her, taking a few steps away from him. As she beckoned Muell behind her, ck mes which were about to engulf the air instantly dissipated.

    ¡°It hurts.¡± The man mumbled, a wrinkle appearing on his forehead.

    ¡°I kicked you because you¡¯re sick, stupid.¡±

    ¡°What the hell happened in thest two years that your brain turned white and your mouth got rough?¡±

    It was the same bewilderment that baffled Kyle Leonard. However, Park Noah was too worn out to spare an exnation. She embraced Muell and sat on the seat across the man.

    Park Noah observed her surroundings. They were confined in a small cabin along with a wizard strong enough to intimidate Muell. She nced outside the window and saw only shadows of tall trees. It was midnight. However, Park Noah tookfort in the fact that he was close to Eleonora Asil. Perhaps he was not too wicked of a man.

    She thought of escaping the room; however, the man¡¯s magic already took control of the door. Sighing, she realized it was a better choice to remain seated and rested after the exhaustion from climbing through a vent.

    ¡°Who are you really? Talk about your personal information such as name, age, upation, everything.¡± Park Noah snapped despite fatigue numbing her body.

    ¡°Why me? Do you even know who you are?¡± He replied, staring at her with his doubtful eyes.

    ¡°Are you trying to make fun of me, or is the resentment from that day still lingering, or are you really turning your back and forgetting everything about me?¡± Or¡­¡±

    ¡°Or?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a different person in Eleonora¡¯s body¡­¡±

    Park Noah could only stare at him in silence. His previous words iming he knew Eleonora Asil more than anyone else, including Kyle Leonard, was not a lie after all. It took Kyle Leonard five days before suspicions began to irrupt, but the stranger across her took only less than five minutes.

    ¡°I am cautious about you. I¡¯ll have to dig you first.¡±

    As if the painful expression he wore was merely a facade, his contorted face rxed. Motionless, he appeared like a gentle, rich young man. Yet when a smile lingers on his lips, he turns into a sweet seductive fellow. After scanning his appearance, Park Noah couldn¡¯t estimate his age still.

    ¡°You are Eleonora Asil, right?¡± He asked, the tip of his fingers tapping his knee.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°You are Eleonora, but you lost your memory. May I check?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a way of not touching me, you can try.¡± Park Noah replied nonchntly, stroking Muell¡¯s soft curls.

    As soon as permission fell from her lips, something without shape swung into the air. <b>Whoosh!</b>

    ck mes rose from Muell¡¯s hand and grew in an instant, devouring the man¡¯s attack. Shadowed by ck mes, the cabin was as dim as a ckhole. The mes destroyed every de in a blink of an eye. Witnessing the sight, the man¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    At the same time, the provocation was more than half a gamble for Park Noah, too. There was only one reason why she could pretend to be Eleonora Asil and grant him permission to attack her.

    As far as she knew, thete witch was deemed as the strongest witch in their world. In other words, no matter how powerful the man was, he couldn¡¯t be at par with Eleonora Asil. Hence, if he was weaker than her, he was naturally no match against a dragon.

    ¡°Not enough? Then, I¡¯m willing to attack you this time.¡± Park Noah smiled faintly, presuming her spection was correct. She appeared calm, but frankly, she was nervous.

    Muell¡¯s magic rushed into her body, and her heart immediately started to thump vigorously. Pulps of sweat began to damp her skin, but fortunately, the man¡¯s attention had shifted to Muell, who was seated on herp.

    ¡°You said you don¡¯t remember, but you picked up a strange toy from somewhere. No, did you make it yourself?¡± He asked in an interested tone.

    ¡°You¡¯d better watch what you say. As I said before, my kid cries a lot.¡± She nced at Muell, who red at the man with his fiery eyes.

    ¡°Yes, I surrender. I apologize.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your apology.¡±

    ¡°No intention to attack. What about you?¡±

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t pick a fight, I¡¯ll stay still. The moment you do something stupid, you¡¯ll be thrown out of this train.¡± Park Noah threatened.

    She then leaned over and rummaged through the suitcase, which she had ced under her feet. And with a snap of a finger, a long rope flew out of the suitcase, wriggling as if a living creature. She pped her hands and mumbled tiredly.

    ¡°But can¡¯t the man who once aimed at me go after me twice?¡±

    ¡°¡­.!¡±

 Chapter 60

    The rope swiftly hurled towards the man, but he dodged the robe¡¯s attack without breaking a sweat. However, what Park Noah had intended to do was merely bind his wrists. His hands crossed into an ¡®x¡¯ as the robe tightened itself. Then, Park Noah exhaled a long sigh.

    ¡°A mana cutoff rope? When did you invent this again?¡± He asked, raising his eyebrow.

    Park Noah pointed at the door as she stared at the man who was curiously inspecting the rope.

    ¡°When you ¡¯re done, can you go out now?

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Get out. Before you get reported of free ride.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    ¡°Mu, kick him out.¡±

    The child responded to her order without dy. ck smoke began to appear on his hands and soon surrounded the man. The man¡¯s eyes shed in embarrassment.

    ¡°Hey, wait a minute. Eleonora. You said you wanted to know who I was?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not curious anymore. I¡¯m going to sleep, so get out. I¡¯ll get up ande backter to you formally and politely. But it¡¯s better if you don¡¯te at all. Bye, then.¡±

    ck smokepletely shrouded the man¡¯s figure. The next moment, his presence was erased from the cabin. As the smoke dispersed into the air, the man had disappeared without a trace.

    ¡°Be careful not to let that man in, Mu. Okay?¡±

    Muell nodded his head obediently. Park Noah then fixed her disheveled hair and rested her back on the seat. She muttered under her breath, ¡°Park Noah¡¯s life, howe it¡¯s a series of mines the moment you leave Sorrent¡­¡±

    It was only the second day and she was already tailed by assassins and chased by thete witch¡¯s lover. She had only nned to go to the capital discreetly, meet the heroine,plete the imprint, and return home. But what naivety it was. Perhaps her peaceful life had met its end not when she imprinted with a dragon, but when she transmigrated into this world.

    Muell locked the door securely with Eleonora Asil¡¯s customized lock, his face still flushed from the previous confrontation. Then, he positioned himselffortably on the seat, covering his body with a nketrger than him. ¡°Good night, Noah!¡±

    ¡°Uhuh¡­¡± She closed her eyes and felt herself slipping into a slumber.

    *

    Park Noah awoke and noticed the train had stopped. She had spent a day and a half on the train bound to Battuanu and found the travel very boring. Then, she realized.

    Currently, the trains are a type of steam lotive powered by coal, so they were slower than modern high-speed trains. In addition, although it was an express train, it had to stop in between and refuel during long-distance trips.

    The station was not in a big city, but there were inns and restaurants for thefort of the travelers.

    ¡°Our train stops at this station for a while. The departure time is 6 p.m., so passengers should be on time.¡±

    As they had to get to Tezeba quickly, Park Noah didn¡¯t have to get off the train. Still, she had to wash her clothes out of conscience, the nagging voice of Kyle Leonard echoing in the back of her mind.

    She was toozy to visit an inn, so she asked Muell to wash her with magic. But her whole body was drenched with cold water instead.

    ¡°Ah, cold!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, master!¡± Muell screamed in panic and hastily grabbed Park Noah¡¯s cheeks with his hands, casting a spell again. This time, there was a hot, dry gale swirling inside the small cabin.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    Park Noah felt like she was suddenly thrown into the middle of a desert after being immersed in a coldke for a brief moment. The water dried up in an instant. Unfortunately, however, her body was too fragile to be exposed to harsh conditions less than a week after recovering from anemia and from a decline in physical strength due to malnutrition.

    ¡°Eh¡­ Achoo!¡±

    I got a nasty cold virus.

 Chapter 61

    In the end, Park Noah¡¯s insistent refusal to leave the train was in vain. Anyway, it will take about half a day to refill the coal and inspect the lotive. She began to organize her things and left their room.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    She spotted a blond-haired man crouched in front of the door but ignored it, shrugging her shoulders. She continued walking in the corridor, pretending to be oblivious of the man¡¯s presence.

    However, the blond, untiring, followed her like a lost dog.

    ¡°Hello, Eleanor. Hey, hey, hey? I slept in the hallway all night because you kicked me out.¡±

    Park Noah would have told him to go his way, but she knew it would only pass through his other ear. He trailed behind her, rambling.

    ¡°Did you catch a cold? Gee, this is a remote town, so there won¡¯t be a proper hospital.¡± He suddenly asked, his voice sounded of concern.

    Eventually, Park Noah turned around, pushing her palm onto the man¡¯s face. ¡°If you shut up, I¡¯ll be all right even if I don¡¯t go to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Ellie lost her memory and Ellie¡¯s gotten more cold-hearted.¡± The man reacted quickly and stepped back, blocking her hand.

    Park Noah breathed deeply, suppressing the urge to smack the man. However, he merely fluttered his eyes shut, augh resounding from his mouth.

    ¡°Get out of my way, you¡­ you son of a b*tch.¡±

    His behavior and the way he spoke irked Park Noah, yet every time she looked at the man¡¯s face, her irritation would subside a little. It was a face that boasted a terrible destructive power.

    The man smiled, leaning forward. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like me, Eleanor. But it¡¯s not that way.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to the inn to wash up, right? It¡¯s not that way, but this way.¡± He grabbed her shoulders and turned her body to the right. Then, a red-roofed inn appeared from a distance.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Thank you.¡± She mumbled, inwardly astonished.

    ¡°Thanks, right? So, now I¡¯m-¡±

    ¡°Yes. So, say goodbye here, shall we? Mu, lock him up in the train.¡±

    Without a moment of protest, ck mist enveloped his entire body again. Park Noah took a step forward to the inn, sparing no second to look back at the man.

    *

    Park Noah savored thefortable bed in the room she rented for half a day, and soon it was only before the sun disappears into the horizon.

    Indeed, there were no hospitals in the remote vige, as said by the blond man. She had only taken pills provided by the innkeeper and at least, they had slight usefulness. It was fortunate that Muell¡¯s mana circting in her blood vessels had a simr effect that of caffeine. Put simply, she was in a state of forced awakening.

    Preparing to leave the inn, Park Noah noticed a telephone booth on the first floor of the inn.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just call him.¡± She stepped into the booth without investing much thought on her spontaneous decision. She inserted a coin in the telephone machine and pondered for a moment, then turned the dial ording to the Investigative Security Agency¡¯s contact.

    The phone rang even before a single beep.

    ¨C Yes, Cezanne branch of the Bureau of Investigation Security. How may I help you?

    ¡°Hello, may I speak to Sir Leonard, the head of the Bureau of Investigation Security?¡±

    ¨C Pardon? Could you say that again?

    Upon detecting suspicion in the responder¡¯s voice, Park Noah realized her mistake. Isn¡¯t it the same as calling the presidential Blue House to ask for Mr. President?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Could you connect me to the Bureau of Investigation Security in Lunazel province?¡±

    ¨C Yes, please wait for a moment.

    Fortunately, it worked this time. Park Noah waited calmly, clutching the handset closer to her ear. After a short beep, someone answered the phone.

    ¨C The Lunazel branch of the Bureau of Investigation Security. How may I help you?

    ¡°Hello, this is the person who reported a terrorist attack on the train to Central Edman yesterday in the afternoon. Is Sir Kyle Leonard still there?¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, a flurry of noise was heard from the other side. Has he left already?

    She thought it would be nice to wait another day in this inn and ride the train together with Kyle Leonard. Apparently, she was in a dire need of a private butler as she felt very weak in both mind and body.

    Then, a familiar voice spoke over the handset. It seemed the magistrate had turned over the phone.

    ¨C Miss Noah?

 Chapter 62

    ¨C Miss Noah?

    ¡°Oh, I got it.¡±

    ¨C ¡®Oh, I got it¡¯? Is this a prank call to the Bureau of Investigation Security? This better be an emergency.

    As soon as the call connected, Park Noah was deafened by Kyle Leonard¡¯s nagging. She interrupted his speech and spoke with a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯m sick.¡±

    ¨C Yeah?

    Augh resounded from the handset. Dumbfounded, Park Noah scoffed, the image of Kyle Leonard looking at her with pity shing across her mind.

    ¡°I think I caught a cold. My muscles are sore and my shoulder is bruised. It¡¯s just, you know, it¡¯s not like, it¡¯s not a pain that can be alleviated with physical exercises.

    ¨C It¡¯s not a bad idea to be slightly ill to develop your immune system. Muscle pain is a natural result because you haven¡¯t moved your body for so long.

    Kyle Leonard replied firmly, unfazed by her sluggish grumbling. And after about three seconds of silence, he added.

    ¨C Do you have a headache? Or does your throat hurt? What do you mean your shoulder is bruised?

    ¡°Since you¡¯re worried, could you please leave out the nagging?¡±

    ¨C Don¡¯t be rude. So, where are you now? Is the train refueling? Then, is it Central Cezanne?

    ¡°Yes, I got off for a minute to wash up. I¡¯m going to get on the train again soon, but there was a phone booth, so I called just in case. Sir, when are youing?¡±

    ¨C I can¡¯t go right now. Don¡¯t forget to eat three meals regrly and always lock the room door. Go to the hospital as soon as you get off at Battuanu after sleeping like a dead man.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t youe right now? The next train will be in four hours.¡±

    ¨C Lunazel and Edman railworks are on high alert. They say all trains will be temporarily suspended until the railways are cleared from magic.

    ¡°What? Uh¡­ When will it be resolved?¡±

    All of a sudden, she saw a blond snooping around the window of the phone booth, his eyes narrowed.

    Are you saying I have to endure this man¡¯spany until Kyle arrives?

    ¨C I don¡¯t know. Yesterday¡¯s attack revealed that Laurent was involved, and we¡¯re not making any hasty requests to the Magic Department for their cooperation.

    Before responding, Park Noah opened the door of the booth and grouched at the restless man wandering around.

    ¡°I¡¯m on an important phone call, could you get out of here?¡±

    ¡°You said you don¡¯t remember, what¡¯s the point?¡±

    ¡°So what? By the way, how did you get here when Muell locked you up in the train?¡±

    ¨C ¡­the Minister of Magic just left. Miss Noah? Can you hear me?

    Kyle Leonard asked sharply over the receiver. She then hastily returned the handset to her ear and answered, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¨C Who are you talking to now? Is everything all right?

    ¡°It¡¯s just a passerby. So, you can¡¯te right now?¡±

    ¨C Yes. So as soon as you get to Battuanu, you should go to the hospital first. What kind of unusual cold did you catch on this warm spring day? I¡¯ll have to get some nutritional supplements.

    Park Noah grimaced upon recalling the unfortunate incident, which led to her cold, and decided it was better to hide it from Kyle Leonard lest she be branded as an irrevocably pathetic woman.

    ¨C If nothing happens after you arrive in Battuanu, please go up to the capital first. Don¡¯t worry, Lenia Valtalere is being watched by the security department.

    ¡°Okay, sir. I¡¯d love to see you, soe here soon.¡±

    ¨C Yes¡­ What?

    ¡°Uh, the phone time is up. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±

    The phone beeped exactly after she finished speaking. She ced the handset back in ce and left the phone booth. The blond, who had been dawdling in front of the booth a little while ago, had disappeared.

    Then, a loud shout from the operator resounded from a distance, announcing the train¡¯s departure. Park Noah hastened her steps and boarded the train. When she arrived in their room, she was greeted by a blond manfortably sitting on the couch.<b>*</b>

    ¡°Honestly. You were my stalker, weren¡¯t you? I¡¯ve told you twenty times to get out of here. There¡¯s no reason to keep hanging around with you.¡±

    The scuffle between the two ended with Park Noah giving up. More precisely, it was more urate that she was barely in the right condition to prevent whatever scheme he was nning.

    Hence, she confronted the man head on. Yet the man easily refuted her usations while wearing a soft smile on his lips.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m stalking, I¡¯m only following my lover because I¡¯m worried. Just because you don¡¯t remember doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re not together.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m dating someone who has only a face to boast.¡±

    In contrast, she thought in her mind that Eleonora Asil had been incredibly brilliant.

    ¡°Adrian.¡± The man spoke all of a sudden, transfixed by his lover¡¯s face.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Adrian. That¡¯s my name. You kept calling me ¡®you¡¯.¡±

    Adrian. It was a name that perfectlyplemented his bright, gentle look. Park Noah uttered the name once.

    ¡°Adrian.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Adrian. Your name is uselessly pretty.¡±

    Park Noah expected a smug retort, along with a smirk, from the man, but she was surprised to hear no response.

 Chapter 63

    Park Noah began to slice the pie she brought at the inn, enjoying the momentary silence in their room. ¡°This is very delicious. Right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but the uncle told me not to let Noah eat unhealthy food. Or else, I won¡¯t have dinner.¡±

    ¡°No. You¡¯re going to have dinner, too. If I don¡¯t eat three meals, I get sick quickly, and I think I¡¯m just like that now.¡±

    Adrian Rossinell listened to their conversation, his chin rested on the palm of his hand. Across him, Muell finished his portion, licking the tip of his fingers in delight.

    Park Noah embraced the child and leaned her head against the window. I think I¡¯m getting better from the sugar, or maybe not¡­

    Then, Muell, who had been gazing outside the window, tugged Park Noah. ¡°Noah.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes. She then opened her mouth to speak to the man who was staring intently at her.

    ¡°Adrien, you. You said you broke up with me. Two years ago.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we had a big fight in the capital.¡±

    ¡°Do you still have any lingering feelings for me?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if I can call this lingering.¡± Adrian Rossinell replied without a hint of humor in his words.

    Park Noah fluttered her eyes half open and looked back at him. ¡°If there¡¯s something left, whether it¡¯s love or regret or not having a partner, I can¡¯t give you what you want.¡±

    ¡°And if I don¡¯t care?¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to chase after me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m interested in you now as I was back then. And I think I¡¯m more interested in you now¡­¡± He continued, his voice bing husky as thest words trailed off from his lips. He leaned his arms against the window frame, mimicking Park Noah.

    ¡°You seem different from before, so I¡¯ve be more attracted. I want to dig into every detail of what¡¯s in your head.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t intend to kill me, right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not weak enough to die in my hands, are you? Why do you keep asking me meaningless things?¡±

    Contrary to the man¡¯s earnest gaze, reflected on his eyes was a weary Park Noah with her lips chapped.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you my special permission. To follow me.¡±

    ¡°Ho.¡± Adrian Rossinell perked his eyebrow, surprised at her remark.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not for free. I¡¯m not feeling well right now, so let me ask you a favor.¡± She shifted her gaze to the window, staring into the looming shadows of the dusk.

    ¡°Go outside and take care of those assassins for me.¡±

    A while ago, Muell had signaled a warning. But Park Noah wasn¡¯t certain whether Yulem¡¯s assassins boarded the train after discovering they had missed their target on the train bound to Central Edman or if another organization was also after her neck.

    Behind the room¡¯s door, she could sense another¡¯s presence attempting to sneak in. Certainly, Adrian Rossinell must have noticed it too and saw Park Noah react without panic.

    She stared at him in silence. A strong man who is interested in me, who has no intention of attacking me, and who will follow me for a while.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Park Noah decided to assign the man a role. ¡°If you¡¯re going to follow me, you should deal with the other guys who keep sticking around.¡±

    Adrian Rossinell looked as if he had heard aplete surprise. On the other hand, Park Noah fixed her eyes outside and muttered, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, go out now. Make your decision quickly. Hurry up. I won¡¯tst a second if I face those guys. I¡¯m exhausted.

    ¡°If you would, go quickly. Don¡¯t hurt other passengers and handle it quietly.¡±

    She closed her eyes, awaiting the man¡¯s reply. After a brief silence, he spoke slowly.

    ¡°Then call my name, one more time.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Quick. Then I¡¯ll get rid of everything out there right now.¡±

    I have only one word to say.

    ¡°The payment will follow thepleted task.¡±

    Park Noah could hear Adrian Rossinell standing up quietly. Then, the sound of the door opening and closing followed. Peaceful silence took ce in the small cabin. The sound of raindrops gently tapping on the window slowly caused her to feel drowsy.

    Park Noah hoped that when she awoke, her cold would be no more. Not long after, she fell into a blissful sleep.

 Chapter 64

    Park Noah¡¯s decision to tolerate Adrian¡¯s apaniment was a double-edged sword; sometimes an excellent choice, other times, the worst. On the brighter side, he had taken care of the assassins in much cleaner and quieter than Kyle Leonard had.

    Since his return, Muell never signaled a warning again. Using Adrian was the perfect way to deal with the persistent assassins, Park Noah thought. In that way, she eliminates her enemies without spending an ounce of energy.

    Unfortunately, however, it has also caused considerable mental fatigue.

    ¡°If I¡¯ve done a good job, shouldn¡¯t you give me the promised pay?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I called you by your name. Adrian. Adrian. Adrian. Adrian.¡±

    ¡°Not sincere. Is that really what you meant when I could follow you?¡±

    ¡°What more do you want?¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be as sweet as you used to be. For example, I¡¯m allowed this close¡­¡±

    Park Noah didn¡¯t budge at the inching Adrian. Instead, it was Muell who pushed his chin away. ¡°Go away. Noah hates it.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean no? She didn¡¯tin.¡±

    ¡°Noah gets tired of everything when she¡¯s over the limit. You are a nuisance to Noah right now.¡±

    As the days went by, the curly-haired child had be more talkative. And Park Noah found it scary that he had grasped her too well.

    She descended from the train, leaving it up to the little boy to drive the blond man away. I managed to get to Battuanu.

    It was her first time visiting the ce. Two years ago, when she traveled to Sorrent, she had taken the train bound Central Edman.

    Battuanu is the western part of Laurent and is also the westernmost coastal city on the whole continent. The moment she got off the train, she breathed in the salty smell of the sea. In the distance, shrieks of seagulls could be heard.

    Immediately, she checked the train¡¯s timetable for Tezeba at the train station. The express train to Tezeba departed twice a day: at noon and at six o¡¯clock in the evening. Park Noah decided to go to the hospital first, stop by the Battuanu security forces and contact Kyle Leonard, and then leave tomorrow morning.

    ¡°There¡¯s also a ferry from Battuanu to Tezeba,¡± Adrian interrupted.

    ¡°A ferry?¡±

    Adrian seemed to have noticed that imparting useful information was a better tactic at earning a response from Park Noah than pestering her with endless stares.

    ¡°It takes a long time depending on the weather, but the facilities are no match for trains. The most expensive first-ss rooms are more luxurious than most hotels. The amodation is very good and they serve plenty of food.¡± He said, pointing at a map stered on the wall.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    The advantage of trains is their speed. Trains are the fastest of all the transportation modes in the world and can easily cross any rugged mountain range as long as there is a railway.

    The downside, however, is the inconvenience, especially on long travels. Passengers could utilize their seats, but it would only be enough for a short nap. Furthermore, the meals served could barely fill an empty stomach. As a result, plenty of passengers would get off the train when it stops at a station, and return only on its departure.

    Inparison, ships are definitely a more attractive choice in terms of facilities for their superb amodations. Although the speed is slower than that of a train, the difference is only a day or two.

    After a long thought of weighing the two options, Park Noah made a decision. ¡°No, but it¡¯s better to take another day off here and then travel by train.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°There would be no escaping if there¡¯s an attack on the ship. If something happens in the middle of the sea, the post-processing bes moreplicated than onnd. And most of all¡­¡±

    ¡°Most of all?¡±

    ¡°I get seasick.¡±

    ¡°¡­A perfect irrefutable excuse.¡±

    Truthfully, it was all Park Noah was thinking about. Then, they headed into the city in search of an inn. Adrian followed her all the way to the port, where nearly hundreds of passenger ships, small boats, and fishing boats were anchored in a row.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been quiet but it¡¯s been annoying me for a while now¡­ Can you do something about that ringing sound? It¡¯s very annoying.¡± She vented irritably at the loud rm resounding from Adrian¡¯s pocket.

    ¡°It¡¯s because a lot of people are looking for me. They keep calling me and I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°You must be very popr. Why don¡¯t you go to the people who are anxiously looking for you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go when I¡¯m told toe. If I tell you to go, you would want to stay.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I think I¡¯m past the age of puberty.¡± What the hell does this man do? I was a fool to have allowed him to follow me. Well, he seemed to be good at handling the assassins of Yulem, but he¡¯s not a master of all sorts after all.

    Park Noah looked back and the man who was smiling brightly at her. Since they met, he had never done any harm to her except the first moment of their encounter where she gave him permission to attack her.

    Yet, strangely, I don¡¯t trust him.

 Chapter 65

    Park Noah stopped walking and turned around to face the trailing Adrian, who also stopped in his tracks; the distance between them about five steps. Slowly, she approached him, her arms folded.

    ¡°¡­..?¡±

    Adrian seemed surprised at the nearing Park Noah, who had been ignoring her all day, his green orbs showing a glint of interest and curiosity. Park Noah only stopped when the distance between them was so close that a fist could barely fit in between their faces. Then, she looked up and stared at his face.

    In contrast to his behavior on the first day they met where he had suddenly grabbed her waist, Adrian didn¡¯t move an inch, his hands tucked in the pocket of his pants. After a moment¡¯s silence of staring at each other, he suddenly muttered.

    ¡°It makes me feel weird when you look at me like that, Eleonora.¡±

    At thest word, his voice sounded unsteady. Park Noah remained silent, observing the waves of emotions in Adrian¡¯s eyes. Simultaneously, the sea breeze swept his bright blonde hair up into the air. She then extended her arm, brushing softly his disheveled hair, and asked.

    ¡°Why did we break up, Adrian?¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking me that now? I know you¡¯re not really curious at all.¡±

    ¡°How are you so sure?¡±

    ¡°The look you make now is just the same. Everything else is different. It¡¯s quite different from the past, so it¡¯s safe for me to say you¡¯re someone else. But at times, the Eleonora I know suddenly shows up. ¡±

    Adrian usually used to look at her in deep interest, but now his eyes showed conflicted emotions. A deep resentment flickered for a moment and soon turned into longing. But then he clenched his jaw as if he was holding back something.

    ¡°I asked you why we broke up. Were you too harsh for me? Did you cheat? Did you have many other partners besides me?¡± Park Noah asked at once.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what happened. You liked my face a lot.¡±

    She assessed Adrian for a moment, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. She had thought it over and over again, but his feelings for Eleanora Asil wasn¡¯t something he could forget so easily. Behind his

    jokes were lingering emotions that were hard to let go.

    Although Park Noah still doubted his intentions, that was as far as she could go. Adrian had professed his love for Eleonora Asil but unfortunately broke up with her two years ago for some reason. What followed then was the witch¡¯s death. Still, it is reckless to rule out the possibility that this man had murdered his lover.

    ¡°If I had hurt you in any way, I would have hated myself. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to say? You think I have a grudge against you and try to kill you? You confirmed with your eyesst time that I¡¯m not stronger than you.¡±

    So he knew my intentions. Park Noah sighed, thinking she simply didn¡¯t possess the talent to investigate like Kyle Leonard.

    ¡°I barely survived the risk of dying two years ago, but I lost my memory. So I don¡¯t want to let anything slip past my hands. I¡¯m asking because you noticed. Have you ever tried to kill me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Adrian¡¯s answer came out almost immediately.

    ¡°Do you have evidence for that?¡±

    ¡°When you get to the capital, ask the investigative security office for my alibi for the past two years. I¡¯d rather you see it with your own eyes than say it a hundred times.¡±

    Adrian shrugged his shoulders when he noticed Park Noah still wore the same face of doubt, despite his exining.

    ¡°If I had to face your murder charges just because I fought with you, there would be about fifty suspects in Laurent alone. There are more people who have a grudge against you than you think, Ellie. One, the general manager of the Bureau of Investigation Security.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not. I¡¯ve already checked myself.¡±

    As if her answer was too absurd, Adrian chuckled.

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Since when did you trust him more than me? No matter how much you lose your memory, he and you can¡¯t get close. You are enemies by nature.¡±

    ¡°I told you I confirmed it myself, why are you picking on me? Try and act innocent so I will believe you.¡± Park Noah shot back. A momentter, she thought to herself. Kyle and Eleonora, you really hated each other.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t intend to attack anymore. More than anything, I actually like you more now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you like who I am now¡­ What?¡± Park Noah looked at him in bewilderment. In return, Adrian smiled softly.

    ¡°So don¡¯t push me away too hard, Eleanor. Is there any other man in the world who¡¯s clinging to your favor?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Give me another chance. You never know, our ending may be aedy this time.¡±

 Chapter 66

    Is there a woman capable of not falling for a man so good, who seduces her? Well, there is a Park Noah. She merely sighed, fixing Adrian¡¯s hair, and shoved her palm onto his face as he attempted to kiss her.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say a word of an implication that I wanted to start over with you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been less than three seconds since I asked you not to push me away too hard. Does it make you want to do so because I just told you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re most handsome when you keep your mouth shut.¡± Park Noah turned her back on Adrian and distanced herself from him. When the space between them grew five steps again, Adrian dragged his feet. He was slow to take the first step, but he quickly hastened, shaking his head with a smile on his lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s handsome anyway, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Keep the distance at least two steps. I won¡¯t believe you until I go to Tezeba and confirm all your alibi.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on me. You know, why don¡¯t we take a break in Battuanu? We¡¯re at the beach, so the seafood is really delicious. Ellie,e with me!¡±

    But Park Noah was too exhausted for any leisure activity. All she wanted was to go to a hotel and sleep right after she arrives in their room.

    And that was what they did, the blond man still trailing behind like a lost pup.

    *

    Muell stared intently at the man who began to follow them three days ago. He sported golden hair, which was so lovely that even the little dragon couldn¡¯t help but admire.

    In the beginning, Park Noah was extremely wary and suspicious of the man. However, after a few days, she surrendered her restless doubts and roamed everywhere in the city with him behind her.

    She went to the hospital to take medicine, ate dinner, stopped by the security forces, came back to the hotel and slept like a dead person for a night.

    The next day, they returned to the train station. Park Noah was eager to go to the capital immediately, but sadly, things didn¡¯t go her way.

    ¡°Why? I already booked the ticket yesterday!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,dy. The train attack in Central Edman has caused paralysis in the national railwork of Laurent, forcing the temporary suspension of train operations.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Park Noah had a long scuffle with the station worker at the ticket window of the central train station in Battuanu, while Muell sat on the ticket counter, mumbling about the candy Park Noah had given him, and listened to their conversation.

    ¡°The ident happened in Edman, why is Battuanu affected?¡±

    ¡°Although the attack happened on the train bound to Central Edman, there is a possibility that the culprit had also infiltrated the train to Battuanu¡­ We are forced to re-examine the entire railway line. We can¡¯t help it, Lady.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­ Then when will the operations resume?¡±

    ¡°That is¡­ There is a temporary suspension¡­¡± The station worker was sweating profusely and blurred his words. It was evident that he was fed up with the passengers¡¯ protests that had been pouring since morning.

    ¡°I get it. Can I use the ticketter? Oh, a refund. Yes, then please give me a refund¡­¡± Park Noah said, sighing deeply.

    While she had her ticket refunded, a few grumbles escaping her lips, at a distance, Adrian was looking at a watch with his back against a pir. When the clock rings the bell, it clicks and closes the lid. The rm stopped ringing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mu. I think we should stay here for a few more days.¡± Park Noah heaved a long, long sigh and left the station, dragging her suitcase.

    The curly-haired waded after her, his shoes making a soft squeak every time he walked. Park Noah muttered to herself, walking slowly enough to match the pace of a three-year-old boy¡¯s walk.

    ¡°Should I really take a boat¡­ Oh, I don¡¯t want to get seasick. Let¡¯s just wait for the butler. Let¡¯s just wait one more day¡­¡±

    At the end of her words was, once again, a sigh. She shook her head and bought an apple at a street vendor. Muell clutched an applerger than his two fistsbined. Park Noah took one and threw it behind her without a nce.

    ¡°Hey, stalker. You eat, too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Muell held the apple tightly and looked over Park Noah¡¯s shoulder. The blond man held a golden pocket watch in one hand while the other yed with an apple, flinging it into the air.

    When the child and his eyes met, the man smiled softly and lowered his eyes slightly. It was an unmistakable greeting

 Chapter 67

    Muell blinked his round red eyes once, and immediately, the apple Adrian had tossed in the air was engulfed in ck mes.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh, no.¡± The ashes of the apple pitifully trickled on Adrian¡¯s palm. The child chomped on his apple as he watched the man shake the dust off his hand in dismay. Soon, the red fruit disappeared into the boy¡¯s mouth.

    Adrian was surprisingly nervous as he looked at the little devil who had burned his apple. The ashes that fell on his palm still felt hot. He had only blinked once, but when his eyes fluttered open, the apple had already be dust. Had the child¡¯s aim been slightly off, it might have been his head that would be ashes.

    The child¡¯s dark red eyes, which glistened like a star whenever he sees Park Noah, was surprisingly dull. It was a look that seemed uninterested ¡ª an expression that didn¡¯t fit the young age of curiosity. He also resembled Park Noah to the extent that any stranger would assume he was indeed her child.

    The young dragon sucks in all the knowledge around it like a sponge. In particr, it most often resembles the disposition of the imprinted master. Muell was in the midst of growing into the most rxed, optimistic, otherwise,zy dragon to ever set foot in their world. Still, his defenses were as fast as a hedgehog¡¯s spines, but only when Park Noah was involved.

    ¡°The apple is delicious. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll want to make it a little more expensive-¡°

    A bicycle carrying bottles of milk almost identally crashed into Park Noah. The boy who rode it stopped his bicycle in a hurry and ran to her.

    ¡°Sorry, madam! Forgive me!¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ No, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°Sorry!¡±

    Park Noah was surprised but shook her hands nheless, and the biker proceeded with his errands. Adrian, however, saw Muell¡¯s hardened expression. At a distance, bottles of milk floated midair.

    ¡°Oh, should I buy milk?¡± Park Noah pondered, pausing in her steps. The bottles of milk, which were on the verge of colliding against each other, froze in the air.

    She tilted her head and muttered, ¡°Yes¡­ By the way, I should warm Mu¡¯s milk and add sugar¡­ Excuse me!¡±

    As soon as she turned around, the bottles of milk quickly fell into ce. At the same moment, Adrian caught a glimpse of Muell, who wore a frown on his face, which said, ¡®If I get caught, I¡¯ll be dead.¡¯

    A hint of curiosity sparked in the man¡¯s green orbs while simultaneously sensing a premonition of trouble from the young child. The golden watch in his pocket rang again, but the call for Adrian Rossinell was ignored this time as well.

    *

    They spent two more days in Battuanu. At first, she nned to go to the capital as quickly as possible, but she dyed her schedule for half a day, stuck in a seemingly endless dilemma between getting up or staying in bed.

    ¡°I heard the ship departs at noon. Let¡¯s sleep for two more hours before we pack.¡±

    Six hourster¡­

    ¡°We¡¯rete anyway, so maybe we can take another day off¡­¡±

    Another six hourster¡­

    ¡°No, we should go to Tezeba. We need to find Lenia¡­¡±

    And about a dayter¡­

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to take a rest and replenish our energies instead of rushing around looking for Lenia? Also, I took care of the trash. What do you think, Mu?¡±

    At this point, the ferry seemed not to be the threat, but her unwillingness to move. Park Noah shot Muell a look, hoping that the child would agree to her suggestions, and as expected, he nodded his head enthusiastically. To him, Park Noah was the light, the truth, and the center of the universe.

    However, after another day, they still couldn¡¯t go. Unfortunately, Park Noah¡¯s cold worsened, resulting in a flu.

    ¨C Hurt? She did say she had a cold a few days ago. She didn¡¯t get better?

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¨C Don¡¯t cry.

    A sigh resounded from the handset. Tears brimmed in Muell¡¯s eyes as he clutched the telephone handset tightly with both his hands. Upon seeing Park Noah, who struggled to walk upright, he hastily went outside to find a telephone booth.

    Just like what she didst time, Muell dialed the same number and the call was unexpectedly connected. As soon as he heard a familiar voice, the child burst into tears.

    ¡°When are youing? When Noah dies, I will kill you too.¡±

    ¨C Why am I involved? It is you, not me, who makes Noah sick.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Unable to deny the fact, the poor boy could only sob. Kyle Leonard immediately changed his words.

    ¨C No, it¡¯s not your fault, so don¡¯t cry. Didn¡¯t Noah tell you that a good kid doesn¡¯t cry?

    ¡°She did¡­¡±

    ¨C Yeah, that¡¯s right. Don¡¯t cry, just let Noah sleep tight. I¡¯ll arrive sometime tomorrow. Do you understand, Mu?

    Muell mumbled a soft ¡®yes¡¯, rubbing his swollen eyes with his other hand. On the other side, Kyle Leonard muttered to himself, wondering why he had to worry over a crying dragon. Then, he told Muell to be on Park Noah¡¯s side, and soon after, the call ended.

    The child ced the handset back to its ce and left the booth in low spirits. He trudged towards the hotel with his sunken shoulders.

 Chapter 68

    Park Noah and Muell stayed in a luxurious hotel in Battuanu, which was fairlyrge for the two of them.

    Ting. A small piece of iron bounced into the air and back to the man¡¯s palm. Adrian confirmed the room number on the door. <b>Room 701.</b>

    He had seen the red-eyed child leave the hotel on his own and thought it was a great opportunity to meet Park Noah without the boy¡¯s interruption.

    Adrian thrust the piece of iron into the keyhole and immediately, it changed its shape, molding into the pattern of the keyhole. He turned the key around and the door unlocked with a click.

    He was greeted by a sight of a woman, sleeping deeply on her side.

    You¡¯ve been locked up in your room all day, so I was wondering what you were doing. You must have been sleeping until now.

    Adrian approached the bedside and stayed, gazing at her face. She had a round forehead and drooped but long eyshes, a raised nose and parted lips. Her porcin neck and delicate shoulders were covered with her apricot waves. No matter which angle he looked, the woman looked exactly the same as his lover.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be, Eleonora.¡± He smiled and sat across her, her face bingpletely apparent to his peering eyes.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be the woman I remember¡­¡± Adrian caressed her cheek but flinched at the touch. It felt hot. I¡¯ve been wondering why you haven¡¯t been around all day. Did it hurt?

    Since on the train to Battunanu, Park Noah didn¡¯t look too well, but she seemed to be worse today. Adrian brushed his fingers against her cheeks softly.

    Surprised by the sudden cold sensation on her skin, Park Noah¡¯s brows furrowed. Adrian stopped his hand, also startled.

    Slowly, Park Noah opened her eyes. It was as if a finely made wax figure came to life. Adrian stood frozen and breathless, his eyes full of admiration.

    Upon seeing the man in front of her, Park Noah closed her eyes halfway and mumbled faintly, ¡°What¡­ When did you get here?¡±

    Her low, hoarse voice left a mark in the man¡¯s heart. Adrian had never heard his past lover call a man in such way.

    ¡°You came sote, butler¡­¡±

    She fumbled for his hands with her eyes closed and ced it on her forehead, which was as hot as a ball of fire. Adrian removed his hand and tried to get up from his seat, a sigh escaping his lips.

    ¡°Oh, what the¡­ Don¡¯t rebel.¡± Park Noahined, pulling his hand back.

    ¡°You are sweating. I¡¯ll only get a towel-¡±

    All of a sudden, Park Noah pulled his waist, forcing him beside her.

    Where on earth does this sick woman get this strength? Yet the same feeling when she had called another man¡¯s name drew a ripple in his heart again.

    You seem to be mistaking me for another man, and I¡¯m sure it¡¯s him. He recalled a bit of information he had acquired: an investigator in charge of the unprecedented disappearance of dragon¡¯s egg in the Laurent Imperial City. The face of the man with fierce eyes shed across Adrian¡¯s mind.

    Apparently, Kyle Leonard was left with the responsibility of Eleonora Asil and had visited her current address. In addition, on the train from Lunazel to Central Edman, they were confronted by the assassins of Yulem. They had been together for at least ten days, Adrian thought bitterly.

    ¡°Hand.¡± Park Noah grabbed his arm and brushed it along the ces where she felt hot ¡ª her forehead, then to the cheek, to the back of her ear, andstly, her neck. Adrian found it a rather intimate touch. You became this close in just those ten days?

    A glint of mischief twinkled in his green orbs for a brief moment.

    Then, let¡¯s see how close you are.

    Was Kyle Leonard merely apanion, or was he a lover?

 Chapter 69

    Adrian pushed her shoulders gently to the bed without hearing any protest from Park Noah. He bent towards her, tugging the nket down.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take the nket away¡­ I¡¯m going to disqualify the butler.¡± Park Noah groaned. She seemed a tad grumpy, but she didn¡¯t object to his actions. Trapped in a defenseless state wherein rationality has disappeared, only instinct engraved in the unconscious remained.

    The space between them became barely inches apart ¡ª their breaths brushed against each other¡¯s skin and his locks tickled her pale forehead.

    Adrian shifted closer, their lips almost touching, and yet, there was no response from Park Noah still.

    ¡°¡­..¡± He frowned. We¡¯re this close but you¡¯re not reacting?

    He stared at her peaceful face; she looked much morefortable than before. Perhaps she felt relieved.

    ¡°I want to bathe.¡± Park Noah mumbled suddenly and pulled Adrian, their lips almost colliding against each other. But because of her grip, barely supporting Adrian¡¯s weight, their lips never met.

    Adrian steadied himself and held Park Noah in her arms, muttering. ¡°Do you want to wash up?¡± She doesn¡¯t refuse to kiss me.

    With the undeniable truth, Adrian was forced to ept the likelihood of the ruthless investigator being her lover.

    ¡°¡­Funny.¡± A bitter smile crept on his lips. Adrian had always been honest with his feelings, and the emotion that dominated his heart now was displeasure.

    ¡°You¡¯ve made such an ugly look when I came at you.¡±

    But Adrian Rossinell was the only man who knew best the body of his past lover; Eleonora Asil used to make that point clear all the time.

    ¡°All you can get from me will be the body, Adrian. But, my body alone means you can have it all.¡±

    He had always wanted Eleonora Asil to be submissive, even only once. She was a woman born with a queen¡¯s temperament arrogant but beautiful ¡ª arrogant but beautiful ¡ª and acted as if everything in the world was beneath her feet.

    Adrian fell in love at her facets and unrivaled power, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t win her love back. She was a woman who had nothing but sympathy for those weaker than herself.

    However, as she asserted herself, the ¡®body¡¯ was his. Forever.

    Adrian didn¡¯t have the slightest intention to share the body of his beloved Eleonora Asil with anyone else.

    ¡°What shall I do to you¡­¡± He murmured, peeling off the strands of her apricot hair clinging to her cheeks.

    ¡°¡­Up here.¡±

    Adrian froze at the sudden sound. He could tell whose it belonged to without glimpsing behind. I thought you weren¡¯t in this room¡­ you were?

    A couch across the room squeaked. Slowly, Adrian straightened his back and opened his mouth to speak.

    ¡°There you are.¡±

    Sitting on the cushion twice asrge as his figure was a three-year-old child with his arms stretched on the armrest arrogantly. However, the boy looked more cute than menacing, but Adrian couldn¡¯t let augh easily slip his mouth.

    Muell smiled connivingly, his deep red orbs gleaming in the dark. ¡°Hi, stalker.¡±

    At the tip of his fingers were strings of ck smoke. The smoke then descended to the floor, inching toward the man, and wrapped his ankles. Muell moved his finger and Adrian¡¯s feet were pulled along.

    He attempted to defy the magic, but also knew it was pointless because¡­

    ¡°I see a dragon.¡± It¡¯s a dragon. It¡¯s the source of all mana, and it¡¯s like a teacher of all wizards.

    Adrian Rossinell was one of the fastest to hear the news that the dragon egg had been stolen, and when everyone pointed their fingers at Eleonora Asil, he didn¡¯t even consider the possibility that she was a suspect.

    However, it was not long before he came to realize that things were bing strange, which prompted him to take action. As soon as he saw her on the train, along with a ck-haired boy, he knew she had the dragon.

    ¡°I guess human beings are quick-witted.¡±

    The dragon¡¯s sharp eyes possessed both innocence and cruelty. No matter how the beast concealed itself with a human body, it was expected of a person with a keen sense to notice its true form when it easily creates fire from its palm. All the more that there had been a case of a missing dragon egg.

    ¡°Hmm¡­.¡±

    But of course, the young dragon, who was barely a month old, wouldn¡¯t know to that extent.

 Chapter 70

    Muell had believed that humans were inherently weak and frail. However, Park Noah was excluded from the proposition. She was Park Noah, after all.

    ¡°Noah told you not to be discovered¡­ but now you¡¯ve already been caught by two.¡± The child mumbled to himself, worry expressed on his face. You¡¯re Noah¡¯s favorite, so how do you deal with that stalker?

    Meanwhile, Adrian felt an unusual threat to his life. The ck threads of mana, wrapped around his ankles, gradually began to ascend to his legs. He nced at the bed and found Park Noah still asleep. She would never dream that her pet was nning on killing a man without even realizing it, he thought.

    ¡°Well, you know.¡±

    Fortunately for the blond man, the curious young dragon decided to address the lingering mysteries in his mind first before contemting on the necessary measures to take on him.

    ¡°Can I ask you what you were doing now?¡± Muell asked, tilting his head.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it all, but you pretend you don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I mean, I¡¯m asking because I¡¯ve seen everything but don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing.¡± The boy faintly scoffed, folding his arms.

    Adrian then realized that the child was indeed clueless. Huh. You still don¡¯t know what sexual contact means between a woman and a man.

    ¡°It¡¯s a way of expressing intimacy among humans. Kissing, embracing.¡±

    ¡°Kissing? Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I like it. It¡¯s one of the ways to love the opposite s*x.¡±

    ¡°What if the other person doesn¡¯t like it?¡±

    ¡°Then, a p on the cheek.¡±

    The innocent Muell, of course, did not understand the words. ¡°You¡¯re gonna get hit anyway. Why would you kiss her?¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­¡±

    It was a different voice that answered the child¡¯s query. Adrian looked back in surprise and saw Park Noah awake, staring at him. She moistened her chapped lips and answered, ¡°I mean, that¡¯s¡­ You bastard. You taught the child something really good.¡±

    ¡°¡­How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve made it worse. I was in the middle of a happy dream¡­¡±

    Adrian¡¯s face crumpled in displeasure. Do you call Kyle Leonard a happy dream? He thought bitterly. But of course, Adrian was oblivious that she had dreamed of a fantasy that Kyle Leonard was a dedicated butler who would take care of everything.

    Park Noah struggled to raise her body and asked sharply, ¡°Since when did you know? That Mu is a dragon.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were sleeping, but you must have been listening.¡±

    ¡°How could I, uh, not? My heart is now on the verge of exploding because of you!¡± It was an exaggeration, but she was sweating profusely. Muell jumped off the chair and ran to the bed. He grabbed a pill, a potion, and a cup of water on a small table beside and handed them to her.

    Park Noah managed to swallow the medicine. At first nce, Adrian perceived the pill was for colds and the potion was a sedative.

    Adrian furrowed his brows and murmured, ¡°Silver¡­ Mana tranquilizer.¡±

    ¡°Reply. Since when did you know?¡±

    ¡°Why should you take a sedative? If you¡¯ve imprinted with a dragon, you should be able to fill your body with mana and bring your condition up to the top.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    Park Noah merely red at him and stopped asking questions, and after a few seconds of assessing, Adrian then came to a conclusion. ¡°The imprint isn¡¯tplete, is it?¡±

    As soon as the words fell out of his mouth, Park Noah heaved a deep sigh and muttered indistinctly. To Adrian, it sounded like: ¡°God, why do all the humans here seem to be ghosts.¡±

    He grinned and sat on the edge of the bed. ¡°So, you can¡¯t even use magic properly. You can¡¯t handle the mana and you¡¯re soaked in sweat.¡±

    The woman took a deep breath and snapped back, ¡°So, what are you going to do with me?¡±

    ¡°What, what?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been following me around all the time. Whether I really lost my memory or if Mu is really a dragon, you must want something.¡±

    ¡°Will you listen if I tell you?¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± She spat, staring at him in utter disbelief. Then, she nudged Muell¡¯s shoulders and ordered.

    ¡°Mu, get him out of here. And keep him out of this room again!¡±

 Chapter 71

    The dragon¡¯s dark red eyes gleamed at his master¡¯smand. Her word was enough. In one swift moment, Adrian¡¯s body was swept away to the hall by an invisible force.

    ¡°..¡­!¡±

    Bang! The room door mmed shut in his face. ck smoke crept from the door, emanating a faint threat, but it onlysted for a moment.

    ¡°¡­Hmm, this is another unexpected discovery.¡± Adrian stood in the deserted corridor and arranged his thoughts. There must be a reason why the imprint was not yetplete, he pondered. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s dig deeper a little more.¡±

    Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. It was better to take away the imprint before it wasplete.

    Beep. Beep. The clock rang again, but was ignored once again.

    *

    It has already been six days since they arrived in Battuanu and the train was still out of service. ording to the morning paper, the railroad had been casted with a powerful mystifying spell, which caused the train to be stuck circling the same railroad track.

    Such powerful magic had been practiced over the entire continent. However, there were only very few wizards who could undo the spell.

    A couple of veteran wizards resided in Laurent, one of whom was Eleonora Asil and the other, the current minister of magic. But it was already presumed that the most infamous witch would be not of help.

    ¡°Where the hell is the minister?¡± The cafeteria staff, who had been asked the same question every day for six days, shrugged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He says he¡¯s on a long vacation. I¡¯ve heard they¡¯ve lost contact. And in fact¡­ I heard there¡¯s another reason why this worksts so long.¡±

    Park Noah sipped her cocoa drink and raised her head, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I heard it from the security guard. They said they only wanted to solve it inside the investigation security office. But it was more serious than I thought. That¡¯s why he asked the magic department for cooperation three days ago. It¡¯s already been five days since the railwork was paralyzed.¡±

    Park Noah then remembered her phone call with Kyle Leonard. She had heard some people speaking in the background that someone in the magic department had been found in contact with Yulem. Oh, my God, how far does it get?

    ¡°As a matter of fact, I¡¯d like it to be suspended a few more days. The business is going well because of the crowded customers.¡±

    The staff was right. By the time Park Noah arrived on her first day, there were fewer than ten diners here, but now there seemed to be more than thirty. The sudden suspension of railway services forced all travelers to rush to the ferry, making it difficult to acquire tickets now.

    She tried to contact Kyle Leonard again to check whether or not he was on his way, but she repeatedly failed to make a call. In the end, she was stuck in a situation where she couldn¡¯t do anything.

    To make matters worse, her condition had be worse every passing day. But she couldn¡¯t put the me on the train solely. It was obvious that her body weakened whenever Muell used a little magic trick.

    However, Park Noah was left with no choice yesterday. While a deep sigh escaped her lips, the staff spoke to the curly-haired boy affectionately.

    ¡°Do you want some chocte, too, baby?¡±

    ¡°You should ept it, Mu. Say thank you.¡±

    The childughed like an angel and echoed her words. ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Well done.¡±

    Park Noah pressed her hat on her head. The next moment, a bright voice resounded from behind in a fantastic timing.

    ¡°Hi, Ellie. Good morning.¡±

    ¡°¡­Good morning, f*cking stalker.¡±

    ¡°Are you still mad?¡± Adrian smiled so cheerfully that no ordinary person could ever get angry at such sight. But of course, the feigned innocence would never work for the cunning woman.

    She folded the newspaper in half and rose from her seat. Then, she faced the man in front of her, stering a smile on her face.

    ¡°You know what? Why don¡¯t you pick one of the most likely reasons why you snuck into a room where a girl and a kid slept? Number one, to take over a woman. Number two, to kidnap a child. Number three, to steal.¡±

    ¡°Number four, I¡¯m worried about a woman who hadn¡¯t eaten all day and was stuck in her room. Don¡¯t you have that option?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no such thing.¡±

    Park Noah¡¯s impression that Adrian Rossinell was somehow still useful had already disappeared without a trace. He looked like an angel sent from above, but when she caught a glimpse of the core, he was a depraved one. She stretched her arm to the lewd stalker.

    ¡°Give me your hand, Adrian.¡±

    ¡°Hand?¡±

    Without dy, Adrian put his hand on her hand, still wearing a bright smile. He was like an innocent dog at the gesture. Park Noah smiled equally affectionately at the blond man. Then, suddenly, she took out a rope, which blocked the flow of mana, she had hidden under her coat, and tied his arms at once.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Uh, what uh? Follow me. You have to taste the tingling taste of Imperial Law. Mu, you don¡¯t kill someone, you catch him like this, and you hand him over to an investigator or a security guard like Uncle Kyle. Okay?¡±

    It was only natural that stalkers should be viciously punished. If you thought I¡¯d let you go afterst night, that was a big miscalction!

 Chapter 72

    ¡°Oh really. No? Just give me one more chance. I¡¯ll never get into your room again. I swear it. If not, you can cut my wrist.¡± Adrian begged on their way to the security forces, feigning tears, while Muell rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the office and write it down on the affidavit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you say. Huh? Oh, not the security!¡±

    There¡¯s nothing he could do. The security officers at the entrance were astonished as Park Noah dragged the man¡¯s wrist with a tether.

    ¡°Lady, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to report a stalker. I¡¯ve got him, so please put him in the detention center for a while.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shit¡­¡± Adrian groaned under his breath, which made Park Noah to be even more suspicious. He might wound up in a detention center, but rather than feeling a sense of crisis, Adrian only looked annoyed. He stole a nce at the officers and hid behind her.

    ¡°Where are you hiding? Come out here.¡±

    ¡°Ellie, if I really get caught here¡­¡±

    While they were in the midst of a fuss, a dark shadow suddenly fell over their heads. They raised their heads at the same time and their eyes met with a man of enormous height, terrifying build and fierce face.

    ¡°Oh, who¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the head of the security force in Battuanu District 1.¡±

    ¡°Aha. That¡¯s great. Sir, take him away!¡±

    An officer hurried to their side and handcuffed Adrian¡¯s hands, who bowed slightly with a troubled look. Satisfied, Park Noah turned away with a p. I should have done this earlier.

    ¡°Thew is always right. Laurent is such a nice-¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute,dy.¡±

    Unfortunately, things couldn¡¯t easily go as she nned. The chief grabbed Park Noah¡¯s shoulder and turned her around.

    ¡°Please give me your ID.¡±

    Huh? She stared at the clunky hand that was extended towards her. ¡°Me¡­ me? Why me?¡±

    ¡°To report, we need to be sure of the identity of the caller. And you have to cooperate with the investigation. First of all, an ID card is required to prove that you are a Laurent resident.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡± I have an ID¡­ I have one. With the name of the witch.

    The chief immediately raised his eyebrows upon seeing her strange reaction. ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡±

    ¡°In my long experience, there was no conflict whenever one¡¯s identity was asked. For those uninvolved in any crime, that is.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Park Noah¡¯s anxiety reached its peak. The officer who took Adrian approached the chief¡¯s ear with a serious face and whispered something in his ear. The chief then took the rope, which tied Adrian¡¯s wrists, and began to examine it. A momentter, he shifted his attention to Park Noah again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is something that is authorized by the Laurent Magic Department. There is no mark on it.¡±

    Oh¡­ this isn¡¯t what I was expecting.

    After a moment¡¯s silence, the chief shouted to his colleagues. ¡°Catch that woman, too. She possesses illegal magical items and is an unidentified person!¡±

    No matter how much she wanted to plead, it was no use crying out for innocence. The usation was all true, after all!

    Soon, Park Noah was standing side by side with Adrian Rossinell as they walked toward the interrogation room. Muell red at the arms of the officer who was dragging the two suspects.

    Park Noah was staring at the little boy when the realization dawned on her. She had found herself trapped in a grave situation! She was able to travel all the way to Battuanu hiding her identity, and now her effort seemed to go down the drain as her face was about to be revealed.

    Adrian clenched his teeth and whispered to her, interrupting her thoughts. ¡°I told you not toe here, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    In response, she kicked his shin, despite the constraint of the handcuffs on her arm. ¡°This is all because of you. You sc*mbag. You broke into my room, but why should I be arrested?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just talk? ¡®I¡¯m Eleonora Asil. I¡¯m the Dragon Egg Thief!¡¯¡±

    ¡°Will you shut up? And I¡¯m not the egg thief.¡± She snapped.

    While Park Noah and Adrian Rossinell were growling at each other, they were dragged right to the desk of the magistrate in charge.

    ¡°Two, can¡¯t you be quiet? Please cooperate well before I report you to the branch manager immediately. Stalker, you raise your head, the unidentified next to you, take off your sses right away.¡± He warned.

    Arge ck machine came into sight. Park Noah hade all this way, hence she couldn¡¯t back out. She was forced to take off her sses with her left hand that wasn¡¯t cuffed.

    Click. As soon as the sses left her eyes, the sh went off. Her face immediately emerged on the translucent screen next to the desk, and the face recognition device automatically searched for her identity.

    Hundreds of faces shed on the screen. Soon, the speed gradually slowed down, and stopped on someone¡¯s picture. It was none other than the ID picture of Eleonora Asil. Then, the recognition result appeared under her photo.

    <b>99.8% concordance</b>

    Below it was the identity information registered in the Empire.

    <b>Name: Eleonora Asil</b>

    <b>Birth Date: 556 Imperial Year, July 2nd</b>

    <b>Criminal record: Present (see details)</b>

    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Park Noah sighed helplessly on her seat. Damn it, I got caught.

 Chapter 73

    ¡°¡­Eleonora?¡±

    The officer read the name, his brows furrowed in curiosity. The next moment, however, his eyes grew in horror and his face turned pale.

    ¡°Eleonora Asil!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    The officer, who had realized her identity, jumped in astonishment. The charges against Eleonora Asil were too heavy for Battuanu¡¯s chief of security.

    ¡°Gee, Ji, report to the branch manager¡­!¡±

    The chief scurried the desk to find the phone, but he was already a step behind the little dragon, who had sneaked on his back while he was inquiring about Park Noah¡¯s identity and snatched the phone.

    ¡°Oh, oh? Kid!¡±

    Park Noah was already dialing when the chief realized the phone was missing, and as soon as she heard the direct voice-messaging rm for the entire Laurent Bureau of Investigation and Security, a stream of words poured from her lips.

    ¡°Sir Leonard, Sir. Honey, Darling? Are you listening? Your subordinate is trying to get me into custody. If you¡¯re listening, please call Battuanu 1st District Public Security and ask them to clear me from charges. I¡¯m going to be a suspect again!¡±

    ¡°Oh, dear.¡± Next to her, Adrian groaned quietly upon hearing her desperate words.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get rid of my cold, I was stalked, and now I¡¯m going to eat bean rice!¡± She eximed, throwing her hand in the air.

    ¡°Have you still got a cold?¡±

    ¡°This blond stalker made mepletely out of shape because I couldn¡¯t sleep a wink all night. The train operations were suspended, leaving me stranded. Why the hell are you sote? What?¡±

    Park Noah pressed the handset closer to her ear and covered the other with her hand. Then, she spoke slowly again.

    ¡°Excuse me, butler?¡±

    ¡°Who is the butler?¡±

    Steps were heard behind her. Suddenly, the handset was snatched from Park Noah¡¯s hand. The voice message she had recorded was deleted with a beeping sound.

    ¡°You¡¯re contacting the Bureau of Investigation and Security. Do you want me to lose face?¡±

    I¡¯m sure this voice is¡­ Park Noah whipped her head around. She looked up, her eyes blinking nkly. Violet orbs were right above her face, staring straight at her. Despite the fear of nagging, he was the one Park Noah had missed the most.

    ¡°Ge¡­ General Manager!¡± The chief immediately bowed ny-degrees as if he was frightened at Kyle Leonard, who looked rather tired. The investigator nced at the screen that the chief had put up, and then pressed the switch to turn it off.

    ¡°What are you doing with the security forces? I was hoping you¡¯d stay unnoticed, but you¡¯re doing not such a great job at it. If Muell had been questioned, it would have been discovered that he was an unregistered.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t think that far, but when did you get here?¡± She asked, still perplexed at his sudden appearance. Kyle Leonard answered, clicking his tongue. ¡°I just got here. Someone somewhere pinched into the phone in pairs.¡±

    He flung the key he was holding, and one of the officers, who was scurrying after him, caught the key by a hair¡¯s breadth.

    ¡°So how are you feeling? What do you mean by stalking? And¡­¡± He ced his hand on her forehead and nced sideways.

    ¡°Why are you here? Minister.¡±

    Park Noah followed the direction where his eyes turned. Then, she caught Adrian¡¯s back trying to sneak back behind the pir. She mumbled, frowning. ¡°¡±The Minister¡±?¡±

    ¡°Minister.¡± Kyle Leonard repeated, as if confirming Park Noah¡¯s hesitant words. ¡°I asked you why you¡¯re here now. Someone who had not, not once, responded to an emergency call in thest few days.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering where you went on a long business trip, and you were in Battuanu?¡±

    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t want to step into the Bureau of Investigation and Security because I was afraid it would happen,¡± Adrian grumbled, straightening his back.

    The eyes of the two men met fiercely. Meanwhile, Park Noah and Muell stared alternately at both sides with a nk face.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°So Ellie, you and the General Manager?¡±

    ¡°Miss Noah, do you know the Minister of Magic?¡±

 Chapter 74

    As soon as Park Noah opened her mouth, both spoke at the same time. It took her a little time to understand the situation, but first, she pointed at Adrian with her finger.

    ¡°Minister of magic?¡±

    ¡°Did you go with me without knowing it? I am the current head of the Ministry of Magic.¡±

    The conversation she had with the staff earlier in the morning crossed her mind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. They says he¡¯s on a long vacation. I¡¯ve heard they¡¯ve lost contact.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    So, the sound of the clock that kept poking on my nerves, was that an emergency call to the minister over the railroad attack? Park Noah was dumbfounded and stared at him. His gaze guiltily shifted to the floor.

    ¡°Wow¡­ What a neglect of duty¡­¡± She muttered in astonishment.

    ¡°I was on vacation. I wasn¡¯t on duty.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the stalker is the minister of the empire¡­¡±

    Park Noah knew he would be an extraordinary figure, but she never dreamed that he would be a civil servant of the highest rank in the Empire. Laurent, are you okay?

    She then immediately grabbed Kyle Leonard by the arm and began to tell all the blond¡¯s misdeeds.

    ¡°Sir, he stalked me. He followed me from the train to Battuanu, barged in mypartment, attempted to strike me, followed me when we arrived, andst night he even unlocked the door while I was asleep!¡±

    ¡°You took my milk, too!¡±

    Beside her, Muell gave a sharp yelp. When they looked up at each other with our eyes full of resentment, Kyle Leonard nodded tiredly.

    ¡°Yes, yes. I see. He¡¯s a little¡­ Wait. Where did he open the doorst night?¡±

    Alert quickly appeared in the investigator¡¯s face. He grabbed one of her shoulders and turned her around. Park Noah circled in ce once and then stopped again,pletely dizzy. Only then did she realize he was searching her and said quickly.

    ¡°Nothing happened.¡±

    His stiff expression rxed a little. Kyle Leonard tilted her robe a little and asked in a low voice.

    ¡°What did you tell the officers about your identity? I¡¯m sure Park Noah isn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°I said I had an amnesia. They seemed to believe it.¡±

    Kyle Leonard sighed, taking his arm off her.

    ¡°I was going to catch that leech and hand it over to the security forces and call you, but suddenly that security chief caught me. I didn¡¯t crawl in on my own feet, blowing my identity.¡±

    ¡°You seem to have a lot of things piled up.¡± Kyle Leonard muttered and somehow, seemed to be satisfied. Finding it a little strange, Park Noah stared at his face, and Adrian interrupted in agitation.

    ¡°Since when have you two been so close? As far as I remember, you were off at each other¡¯s necks.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not close.¡±

    Kyle Leonard replied immediately while Park Noah nodded her head profusely. Soon, she realized her mistake. While recording a voice message earlier, she had called the investigator ¡®darling¡¯. Adrian shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°A new lover was born, was he that guy? Yesterday¡¯s enemies be today¡¯s lovers? That¡¯s amazing.¡± It was pure sarcasm.

    When Park Noah nced at Adrian, she felt quite offended as she saw his bitter eyes. Is this¡­ the old boyfriend¡¯s nasty lingering feelings of seeing his new girlfriend?

    However, it was none of her business. Park Noah smiled innocently at Adrian. ¡°Mr. Stalker, who is best at neglect of duty. If I tell you, would you go to work now?¡±

    ¡°What am I supposed to do here, Ellie?¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡±

    Adrian¡¯s green eyes turned to the curly-haired boy. Oh, that¡¯s right. Park Noah recalled a fact she had forgotten for a moment: one of the reasons Adrian stalked her. He knows Mu is a dragon. If he goes to the imperial city and tell the emperor about it¡­

    Park Noah quickly handed the child onto Kyle Leonard and walked towards Adrian. She grabbed him by the cor, pulling him close to her.

    ¡°Mr. Stalker. You blow it and I¡¯ll tell Mu to burn you to the ground.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cute to threaten. But you can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that sincest time, why are you so sure?¡±

    ¡°Our Eleonora, you¡¯ve be so gentle since you lost your memory. You would have killed me the moment I got on youst night.¡±

    Park Noah¡¯s gangster temper reached its peak. She was fuming. Whether or not Adrian noticed her expression had be grim, Adrian hurriedly spoke in a gentle tone.

    ¡°Just promise me one thing and I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut. I mean it.¡±

    ¡°¡­What promise?¡±

    ¡°When youe to Tezeba, keep meeting with me.¡±

 Chapter 75

    ¡°Tell it, then. All of it.¡± Park Noah dared, gritting her teeth, and then let go of the cor of Adrian¡¯s shirt.

    Adrian caught her arm and whined, ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been cleaning up all for you these past few days, and you¡¯re repaying my generosity by being so mean? I don¡¯t even want much. Just once a week. You don¡¯t like that either?¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s meet and do something fun. Let¡¯s just apany each other in the name of bringing back memories.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Why do you look at me as such a filthy fellow? I¡¯m trying to offer a win-win negotiation. I see that dragon up close, and you learn from me how to control its mana.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s babble was the most amusing to Park Noah. Unable to quench her interest, albeit suspicious, she asked. ¡°Do you really need to? Why do you like Mu so much?¡±

    ¡°All wizards fear dragons. It¡¯s a dragon that came back to the world after five hundred years of disappearance. How could I not be interested in such creature as the Minister of the Magic Department in Laurent?¡± He grinned, cing a soft pat on Park Noah¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°What do you say, a second deal?¡± He stretched his arm outward.

    At the corner, Kyle Leonard stood with his arms folded, observing their ¡®secret¡¯ exchange. Park Noah nced over her shoulder briefly and then muttered.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it. So keep your mouth shut for now.¡±

    ¡°Well, ording to your orders.¡±

    Although there was no explicit confirmation, Adrian¡¯s eyes gleamed in triumph while the corners of his mouth curled into a slight smirk as if he had won what he wanted.

    ¡°If my face and name appear on the front page of the newspaper tomorrow, it will be all your fault. You¡¯ll never see a dragon¡¯s tail, let alone a dragon. Do you understand?¡± Park Noah threatened, narrowing her eyes at him.

    ¡°My Ellie has a pretty threatening face, too. All right, I promise.¡± Adrian raised Park Noah¡¯s right hand and pressed his lips softly against the back of her palm. Then, he let go of her before she could snatch her arm back, and bid his farewell.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you at Tezeba, then, Eleonora. Oh, don¡¯t stare so fiercely. Sir Leonard, I can return to Lunazel now.¡±

    ¡°Please return as fast as you can. There¡¯ll be a car waiting outside.¡± Kyle Leonard replied formally.

    Park Noah breathed a sigh of relief. However, it could onlyst so long.

    ¡°¡­Then, Miss Noah. Let me see.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±

    Shortly after Adrian left, the cold-hearted investigator changed his attitude and began to pour an earful of lecture.

    ¡°No matter how disconnected she has been from the world, Miss Noah hadn¡¯t even looked at the newspaper in thest two years? The faces of the ministers of each department appear on the front page of the newspaper every day. Haven¡¯t you seen his face? Are you uncivilized?¡±

    ¡°¡­Do you know I feel like a piece of crap when I talk to you?¡±

    ¡°What if anything happened to you? I just wanted you to get to Battuanu without a fuss, but¡­ Usually, you don¡¯t like to lift a finger, but why do you have so many events going on?¡±

    If I stay still, I will get this nagging for a month, Park Noah thought. She quickly frowned and touched her forehead. ¡°Oh, my head¡­¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t work anymore.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling chilly since morning. I just want the butler to take care of me.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°I was really sick. Don¡¯t you feel a fever?¡± She grabbed his hand and pressed it against her cheek and the back of her ear. It was the investigator¡¯s usual way to check her temperature.

    Kyle Leonard paused for a moment and not long after, exhaled a sigh. He then held the back of her neck firmly with one hand, feeling the heat. ¡°Have you been to the hospital?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got the medicine, but it¡¯s not working.¡±

    ¡°Hand.¡±

    ¡°Hand!¡± Park Noah repeated, stretching her arm.

    Kyle Leonard grabbed her wrist and checked the flow of mana. Park Noah, too, could feel her irregr pulse.

    ¡°You used Mu¡¯s magic. What happened to the Minister¡­¡± Kyle Leonard narrowed his eyes, looking directly at Park Noah.

    ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t help it! If I didn¡¯t borrow Mu¡¯s power, I was going to be assassinated. Then I was trapped in the bedroom, so I was forced to get help from Mu because I tried to subdue him. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t know it was the Minister, who the hell did you think it was?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he was my sleeping partner.¡±

 Chapter 76

    Kyle Leonard¡¯s face hardened in displease at Park Noah¡¯s thoughtless remark, and upon seeing his reaction, she cringed in embarrassment. What¡¯s wrong with you?

    After a few seconds of awkward silence, Kyle Leonard opened his mouth to speak.

    ¡°¡­Please pay attention to your choice of words, Miss Noah. And it¡¯s not you, it¡¯s Eleonora.¡±

    ¡°What? You already know that-¡±

    ¡°Careful.¡±

    ¡°Of? Which one? Sleeping partner? This is what Adrian told me in person¡­¡±

    ¡°Should I teach you how to speak pretty?¡± Kyle Leonard grumbled, clenching his jaw, and covered Park Noah¡¯s mouth with his hand.

    Park Noah¡¯s eyes fluttered repeatedly, taken aback, and saw his eyes wandering aimlessly. Huh? Is this real?

    ¡°I doubt it, but am I really his ex-girlfriend? Eleonora was dating the Minister? Well, that must be the reason why I didn¡¯t go to jail after all that.¡± She mumbled in his hand.

    ¡°For one thing, it is true that Eleonora Asil had a rtionship with the Minister of Magic two years ago.¡±

    ¡°Heh¡­ So, I¡¯m used to touching, huh.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kyle Leonard snapped.

    Park Noah forcibly tore his hand from her mouth and replied, ¡°The first day I met Adrian, he was about to attack me.¡±

    ¡°.¡­.¡±

    ¡°He said we¡¯d try it in the trainpartment.¡±

    Now, Kyle Leonard looked like a seething kettle. On the other hand, Park Noah took enjoyment at the rare sight. Then, she continued her amusement.

    ¡°I told him I had amnesia, and he said, let¡¯s do everything we¡¯ve done from the beginning. Looking at him, I could see his desire for Eleonora. I couldn¡¯t believe we were doing it in the room. But no matter how different my tastes are, on the train-¡±

    ¡°Should I even give you s*x education? Do you want me to brief you on the cleanliness rules you should follow in your rtionship?¡± Kyle Leonard interrupted, almost snarling.

    ¡°Why are you overreacting, sir, I didn¡¯t really do it.¡±

    As Park Noah answered with a huge grin, he pulled her hood down with a look of utter difort. Then, he grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, pushing her toward the entrance.

    ¡°I came here as soon as I could because you said so, and you can¡¯t even speak properly. Are you immature, are you not in a sense of crisis, or are you just trying to pick on me?¡±

    Truthfully, it was close to the third. Park Noah swallowed augh and moved her legs as Kyle Leonard pushed her.

    Oh, my butler.

    *

    ns for the return of the pretend Eleonora Asil were re-established in a sh.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go straight up to Tezeba through the ferry. It¡¯ll take at least five more days for Secretary Rossinell to arrive in Lunazel and repair the tracks.¡±

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m seasick¡­¡± Park Noah whined.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop by the doctor for a prescription for motion sickness.¡±

    ¡°What if anything happens at sea?¡±

    ¡°If Miss Noah stays calm, the chances of something happening will drop to a single digit. Let¡¯s be honest. Aren¡¯t you just toozy to move?¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ming.¡±

    Kyle Leonard, who saw Park Noah tossing the clothes into the suitcase, put her on the sofa, and began to prepare instead.

    Park Noah embraced Muell as she watched the investigator neatly pack up. After lecturing her earlier in the morning, he ordered a cup of warm cocoa and milk from a restaurant on the first floor.

    While she was enjoying her toast with Muell, Kyle Leonard had finished packing all the necessities in the suitcase. He nced at the watch on his wrist and gestured at her. ¡°When you¡¯re done, let¡¯s go. We have thirty minutes until the ship departs.¡±

    ¡°Well, sir, are you ready with that?¡± Park Noah pointed a finger at his clothes.

    Kyle Leonard wasn¡¯t wearing his usual detective uniform. Instead, he wore a light suit and a proxy coat.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not good to stand out.¡± He replied, pressing down a fedora to his head. Then, he took a pair of sses from his pocket.

    Park Noah¡¯s lips parted as she recognized the item. It was the sses she forced on him when they were still at Lunazel. He hated it at first, but he¡¯s using it well¡­

    The investigator was dashing in his attire; he exuded a smart character instead of his previous strict and cold image.

    Park Noah took a moment to appreciate the perfect man, appearance-wise. ¡°You look good in anything you wear.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, just put on your coat, and wear a hat. Hide your hair under your hat.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The admiration was forced to end in less than three seconds. Park Noah then asked, wearing her coat as he ordered. ¡°How about tickets?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the ship without a ticket. I will manage it, so you just need to keep your feet steady.¡±

    That meant he¡¯d take care of the rest as long as she moved her legs. Sure enough, Kyle Leonard looked back at her with a knowing look, and then hugged the little child.

    ¡°I reflected on myself a lot, sir.¡± Park Noah boasted, following behind him with a big smile.

    ¡°What, from the tomboy you¡¯ve been?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Or everything you¡¯re talking about are your habits? Getting a cold while not eating at the right time and just eating snacks?¡±

    Park Noah knew so well that she had nothing to refute. However, since she had felt howfortable it was to have the butler beside her, she decided to be a little quiet instead of snapping back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you now. Eat well and healthy.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    But, after saying such, Kyle Leonard began to look at her with suspicious eyes. Perhaps for him, the human credibility of Park Noah seemed to be already bottoming out. He signed and held out his hand.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even want that, so look carefully at the stairs ande down. It might be slippery, I guess.¡±

    As expected, Kyle Leonard would take care of everything despite speaking in a cold manner. Afraid that she would poke fun at him again, Park Noah swallowed a smile and left the inn with him.

 Chapter 77

    Battuanu Port was boisterous. On the day of the departure of the ferry bound for the capital, the port was crowded with nobles andmoners alike. ording to Kyle Leonard, the ship they would board was a luxury liner, which customers were mainly aristocrats. The ship was equipped with several games, various sports entertainment, and even swimming pools.

    ¡°The ships used by the noblemen are more tightly guarded than other ferries. If you hurt a nobleman, you¡¯ll suffer a lot, so there isn¡¯t much you can do. This is the best option we have right now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯m not so proud of my identity.¡± Park Noah interjected.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Mine is clear.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s obvious, but¡­¡±

    How are you going to cover up my identity with yours? Park Noah continued to walk with him in wonder. The passageway to the ship¡¯s first-sspartment was on the second floor.

    As they climbed the wooden stairs, there was a long queue ofdies and gentlemen dressed significantly different from the passengers on the previous floor. Park Noah watched in awe as they took turns being identified by the magistrate in-charge and then crossed the bridge that was connected to the ship.

    ¡°So, the witch is still missing?¡± Two passengers conversed.

    The word ¡®witch¡¯ rang unpleasantly in Park Noah¡¯s ears. She snuck behind Kyle Leonard and overheard the couple talking in front of him.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve appointed the general manager as a full-time investigator, but there¡¯s no way to know since the news has not been officially announced. I heard Tezeba¡¯s Bureau of Investigation is in a state of emergency. They sent summons to everyone who came in and out of the Imperial City that day.¡±

    ¡°I think we¡¯re wasting our manpower when we have a potential suspect. In fact, if Eleonora Asil imprinted the dragon, he should consider a coup in the worst case scenario.¡±

    No, I have no intention of doing that¡­

    ¡°I hope we get that vicious woman right now and put her in a dungeon this time¡­ It¡¯s been more than fifteen days since the incident, and we haven¡¯t made any progress. You don¡¯t think the Bureau of Investigation is covering up something, do you?¡± The woman grumbled.

    A few years ago, Eleonora Asil had sprayed one of her inventions on the woman¡¯s hair, which burnt it into crisp, making her hostility therefore considerable.

    My hair won¡¯t be safe if I get caught. Park Noah pressed her hat to her head hard and hid herselfpletely behind Kyle Leonard, which made himugh.

    ¡°It¡¯s more noticeable if you hide like that. Don¡¯t listen to what Mr. and Mrs. Twinken say. It¡¯s just a conspiracy theory circting in the salons of thedies.¡±

    ¡°Women¡¯s anger is usually scarier. And it¡¯s true. I¡¯m hiding the dragon.¡±

    She inched closer to him and pointed to Muell, who was dozing off. Kyle Leonard was startled to see the little boy drooling on his shoulder and hastily wiped the child¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief.

    Park Noah looked up at him, anxious. ¡°If they find out that I imprinted with the dragon and that you are with me, you¡¯ll be charged instead.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be caught.¡±

    ¡°¡­Not the right word for Laurent¡¯s top investigator whose duty is to protect the people.¡±

    ¡°You need to be flexible depending on the situation. Before that, who would think of this kid as a dragon? Howe you¡¯re bing more and more like Miss Noah than the first time I saw you again.¡±

    ¡°You mean I drool in my sleep?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s think about the first thing I did when I woke you up in Sorrent.¡±

    ¡°You sent me straight to the bathroom¡­¡± Park Noah trailed off and shut her mouth in realization. Right, Kyle Leonard already saw all my ugly faces.

    Now, she was a little distressed to see Muell sleeping with a drool in the corners of his mouth. Oh, I¡¯m a little embarrassed to think I might have been like that¡­

    While she was internally shaking in embarrassment, it was already their turn to be identified.

    ¡°Good day! I will check your ID. Let¡¯s start with the gentleman. Uh. Captain?¡±

    The magistrate, who had been talking in a businesslike manner, stuttered at the sight before him. As he was about to salute at the investigator, Kyle Leonard immediately signaled a ¡®no¡¯. Then, he took his ID out of his right pocket and held it out to him.

    The magistrate received his identification card with stiff movements and patted the back of his hand twice. The magistrate¡¯s eyes opened wide and nodded his head timidly. It seemed to be some sort of agreement.

    Without further dy, the magistrate regained hisposure and spoke again in a formal voice. ¡°Mr. Derek Leonard, then thisdy must be Mrs. Leonard.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Confirmed. You can go in.¡±

    Park Noah nced back and forth. No one seemed to have doubted their identities. Well, on the surface, they appeared like a perfect family. She hurried behind Kyle Leonard, who first crossed the bridge leading to the ship.

 Chapter 78

    ¡°Can an investigator forge his identity?¡± Park Noah asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never forged my identity.¡±

    ¡°What? But you just gave a different name.¡±

    Kyle Leonard snorted as if he had heard a funny question. ¡°I thought you knew everything about me, but I guess you didn¡¯t. Which family do you think I am the son of?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Only then came the realization. Kyle Leonard. He was the second son of the Duke of Leonard.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter which name you use as long as you give Leonard as thest name. My family¡¯s name guarantees my identity. If you need to identify yourself somewhere, don¡¯t answer immediately, but give the name Noah Leonard. The same goes for Muell. They won¡¯t be able to identify you, but they will send a confirmation request to Leonard immediately, so it will eventually be under my jurisdiction.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Park Noah stared at him admiringly. Now that she saw him again, she realized he was a reassuring man¡ªa rare sight. He headed the Investigation and Security Bureau, and was even the direct descendant of Laurent¡¯s oldest noble family.

    Noticing her stare, Kyle Leonard narrowed his eyes at her, assessing whether or not she doubted his words.

    ¡°But of course, only if you won¡¯t defame Leonard. I¡¯m telling you to use it when you really need it, not when you want to buy ice cream. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Aye, of course. Do you think of me as the same age as Mu?¡±

    ¡°When you make that face, I have an ominous feeling.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being too much.¡±

    While they bickered at each other, they had almost crossed the bridge. Soon, they entered the ship and beheld the interior that was as splendid as a hotel.

    ¡°You said it was a luxury liner, and it¡¯s incredible.¡± Park Noah turned her head at every side, admiring every corner. Unfortunately, she was dragged away by Kyle Leonard.

    ¡°The fifth floor is all reserved for first-ss passengers. Convenience facilities such as restaurants, cricket stadiums, swimming pools, smoking rooms, and others are located on the fifth floor, and the rooms are located one floor down this corridor. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able toe up to the fifth floor, just in case you get caught.¡±

    Seeing Park Noah with regretful eyes as she looked back, Kyle Leonard offered a slightfort. ¡°The size and splendor of the ferry is far below that of the cruise. Let¡¯s have the cruise experience someday, when the investigation is over. All you have to do is rot in Sorrent anyway.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great. I was thinking of going on a trip with Mu and the butler when this is all over.¡±

    ¡°¡­Butler is not the word for me.¡±

    Park Noah quickly boarded the open elevator without replying. As the assistant smiled and gestured at them toe inside, Kyle Leonard entered the elevator with a displeased look.

    The iron door, decorated with patterns of rose vines, then closed shut. The mana-driven automatic flotation lift began to move smoothly downwards without a rattle.

    Park Noah looked at the floor n stered the elevator wall nkly. The ship wasposedrgely of fiveyers. The threepartments on the fifth, fourth and third floors were covered with gold, but the second and first floors were silver. She looked at the buttons in front interestingly. Is that all gold?

    However, Kyle Leonard had already nagged at her not to touch anything.

    ¡°From below the deck of the boat, first-ss passenger amenities are avable on the fifth floor, first-ss rooms on the fourth and second-ss rooms on the third floor. On the second and first floors, there¡¯s probably a sailor¡¯s cabin and a mana operating room.¡±

    Park Noah queried to the assistant, feigning curiosity on the ship¡¯s structure. But, all she thought about was how many pieces of gold woulde out if she were to gather all the gold on this ship. She tried to make her questions sound intellectual, feeling a little embarrassed.

    ¡°Yes, but this central elevator is for passengers and is not connected below the third floor. For safety reasons, we only run from the third to fifth floors.¡± The assistant exined with a smile.

    As he said, there were only three buttons on the elevator. Park Noah glimpsed at the buttons shing gold, and became lost in the thought of whether it was pure gold.

    The elevator stopped shortly with a soft rumbling sound. The assistant opened the door and bowed deeply.

    ¡°Oh, we just arrived. Shall we get off, madame.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Kyle Leonard pulled her shoulder gently. At the same time, Park Noah pressed her hat to her hair a little more, whichpletely blocked her sight.

    The first-ss corridor was crowded with people visiting their own rooms. Kyle Leonard¡¯s hand on her shoulder moved to the other, his arm now draped over her entire shoulders.

    The hem of Park Noah¡¯s dress, which came down to her ankle, was so close to him that it was almost wrapped around his leg.

    Kyle Leonard tilted his head slightly toward her and whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t raise your head. Can¡¯t you show your eyes?¡±

    His low voice tickled her ear. Park Noah felt a little tired. As she nced up at him, Kyle Leonard, who had been keeping a sharp eye around him, immediately met with her eyes. His violet orbs behind the sses were radiant.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to listen to me?¡±

    Even the words seemed to tickle Park Noah¡¯s ears, and she felt strange. Am I in trouble, or is Kyle? She lowered her eyes again.

    ¡°¡­I did.¡±

    Why does Eleonora have such unusual eye and hair color? Park Noah med the appearance of the witch while she held Muell tightly, moving as Kyle Leonard led the way.

    But as soon as they arrived in front of their room, about to open the door, a loud voice boomed in the hallway, stopping their steps.

    ¡°Mr. Valtalere, it¡¯s been a long time!¡±

 Chapter 79

    Valtalere?

    Their bodies froze at the same time at the mention of the name. Park Noah quickly skimmed the vicinity, pretending to fix her hat. On the other side of the corridor, which was a little quiet, someone was running with a delighted face ¡ª a middle-aged gentleman in a fedora. Soon, an answer came from right behind their backs.

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Calton. I see you there.¡±

    Kyle Leonard hastily blocked Park Noah¡¯s head as she was about to turn around. ¡°I¡¯ll look. Please stay inside.¡±

    He took the key from his pocket and opened the door of the room. However, Park Noah grabbed his arm, which tried to push her inside, and hauled him straight towards her. Then, she thrust her hand on her robe¡¯s pocket, pulled out a bead, and dropped it on the floor. As soon as it touched the ground with a faint sound, she mmed the door shut.

    ¡°Miss Noah?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in danger of being caught even if you go. The magistrate recognized me at a nce earlier.¡±

    Park Noah removed her hat and took another one of the beads out of her cape. It was exactly the same shape as the one she dropped outside.

    She rolled the beads with her fingers a couple of times and then ced them down on the table in the middle of the room. Soon, a blurry blue ray of light shone out of the bead and arge screen came in sight.

    Likewise, Kyle Leonard, who had put down his hat and sses, rushed to the table. ¡°Is it the invention of Eleonora?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Largo¡¯s eyeball.¡±

    ¡°What is it? Kyle Leonard asked back, sporting a look of astonishment.

    Park Noah patted on the beads nervously and answered, ¡°The manual says Largo¡¯s eyeball. I¡¯ve never used it before, so I¡¯m not sure it¡¯ll work. Oh, there we go.¡±

    The view from another bead outside their room emerged on the screen. Perhaps because the beads fell on the floor, the screen showed a worm¡¯s eye-view. The shoes and trousers of the two men upied almost both sides of the screen. Unfortunately, their faces couldn¡¯t be seen.

    Frowning, Kyle Leonard took a recorder out and began recording the screen.

    ¡°I thought you were in Cezanne, but how are you here? Are you going up to the capital?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what happened.¡±

    The man on the left was Mr. Calton, and the man on the right seemed to be Mr. Valtalere. Lenia, the heroine, was the only daughter of a Count, hence the title ¡°Mr. Valtalere¡± didn¡¯t seem to mean a brother or so.

    It was highly likely that the person addressed was Earl Valtalere, Lenia¡¯s father. And the assumption became true as the next words left his lips.

    ¡°My daughter is suddenly begging me to go to the capital¡­¡±

    Park Noah held her breath. His daughter, Lenia, had asked him to go to the capital, which meant the person they were looking for was on the same ship as theirs.

    However, Kyle Leonard said he had already sent a summon to investigate Lenia Valtalere in the capital. When she looked back at him in shock, Kyle Leonard had his finger on his lips. The recorder was still recording everything that shed on the screen. He then mouthed, ¡°The evidence must not contain a voice.¡±

    Park Noah eventually turned her eyes back to the screen, her forehead creasing. The men¡¯s conversation continued.

    ¡°I heard that there was a lot of difficulty in managing the farnd because it didn¡¯t rain this year. Last year, he never stopped by the mansion in the capital city.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s raining, it¡¯s heaven¡¯s will, so what can it be? Fortunately, my daughter managed to avoid the deficit thanks to the good distributionwork she went to and from the Imperial City. Well, I¡¯m ashamed to tell Mr. Thayer, the owner of the big farm.¡±

    ¡°What can I say? Lenia said she had the skills of a businessman. I can¡¯t help but admire the fact that she alone made connections to the Imperial City.¡±

    On the screen, where there were only two men¡¯s shoes visible, someone¡¯s dress suddenly appeared. Park Noah watched the screen intently, holding her breath still.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here just in time. It¡¯s been a long time.¡±

    For a moment, the purple dress covered the screen. Park Noah wondered if she would see a pointed sandal on the screen, but the screen shook violently. It flipped and turned with a thud.

    Park Noah¡¯s lips parted at the sudden situation. There was no more sound of conversation between the two men and the woman who appearedte. The screen only stopped after a long wave. The scene which the Largo¡¯s eyeball shed was merely a wall in a dim corner.

    ¡°¡­Sir, this.¡± Park Noah immediately realized what had happened, bing speechless.

 Chapter 80

    ¡°She must have noticed someone¡¯s watching her.¡± Kyle Leonard switched the recorder off, his expression iparably fierce.

    Park Noah asked, loosening the strings of her cape that was tightly knotted around her neck. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the capital was monitoring Lenia? Lenia obviously got on the train to Tezeba the day you came down to Sorrent. Of course, she should be in the capital by now, but how is she in Battuanu?¡±

    ¡°Lenia Valtalere is in the capital.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? But we just¡­¡±

    ¡°I confirmed yesterday morning that the magistrate of the first district of Tezeba secretly identified and reported Lenia Valtalere. She says she¡¯s been staying at least five days at the Valtalere mansion.¡± Kyle Leonard insisted.

    Yet it did not make sense to Park Noah. She frowned and asked again. ¡°How can that be? So who is the woman in the hallway now? Lenia is the only daughter of Count Valtalere. As far as I know, there are no other daughters.¡±

    ¡°¡­It is true that Count Valtalere has only one child, Lenia Valtalere, who he would call her ¡®daughter¡¯.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ this situation doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±

    One person cannot exist in two ces more than five hundred kilometers away at the same time. If so, it meant one was a fake.

    ¡°Was it Lenia in Tezeba?¡± Park Noah confirmed.

    ¡°That¡¯s ording to my reports. I heard they infiltrated the Valtalere mansion and even checked Lenia Valtalere¡¯s face. I didn¡¯t see it myself, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be less reliable. So far, what you and my own eyes have confirmed is that a woman believed to be Lenia Valtalere has been to Sorrent. And that she¡¯s on this ship with us now.¡±

    ¡°And she knew we were looking at him.¡± She added.

    Was it simply a mistake that the bead rolled away? But the woman¡¯s shoe hit the bead so precisely. Park Noah sighed and dabbed the beads first. The blue screen flickered out. Meanwhile, Kyle Leonard ced his pocketbook on the side table and beckoned her. Park Noah roughly threw her cape on the floor.

    ¡°Please put it back on the right hook.¡±

    Of course, cleanliness remained the first priority in every situation! However, Park Noah thought it would be less tiresome to listen to him than to rebel, so she hung her cape on the hanger withoutint and sat beside him.

    Kyle Leonard was already writing something in his journal. When she looked closely, it was a timeline.

    <b>580.04.17: The disappearance of the egg.</b>

    <b>L to Sorrent with eggs. (Estimated)</b>

    <b>580.04.20: N, found the dragon egg. (L, possibly have been looking)</b>

    <b>K, dispatched to Sorrent.</b>

    ¡°What is K?¡± Park Noah interrupted.

    ¡°It¡¯s me. Kyle. L is Lennia, N is Miss Noah. A is Minister Adrian Rossinell.¡±

    <b>580.04.24: K, Sorrent arrival. L, to Tezeba. (Estimated)</b>

    <b>580.05.02: N, K to Tezeba.</b>

    <b>A train terrorist attack on Edman¡¯s train by Yulem.</b>

    <b>Lunazel, Edman railroadwork paralysis.</b>

    <b>N, to Battuanu with A.</b>

    <b>580.05.03: N, A arrives in Batuannu.</b>

    <b>Cezanne and Tauren regional railroadwork paralysis.</b>

    <b>580.05.04: Paralysis of the entire local railroadwork.</b>

    <b>580.05.08: N, K ferryboarding to Tezeba.</b>

    <b>L, ferryboarding to Tezeba.</b>

    Kyle Leonard exined slowly, pointing to his well-organized list of events for the past three weeks. ¡°Based on the assumption that the dragon¡¯s egg thief was Lenia Valtalere, there are about fifteen days from the 24th ofst month to the 8th of today, when she left Sorrent. The railway has been paralyzed since the 2nd, so she had plenty of time to go up to the capital.¡±

    ¡°What if she wasn¡¯t actually going straight to the capital.¡±

    ¡°Then there¡¯s only one possibility. Count Valtalere has a farm in Cezanne. Based on the conversation just now, Count Valtalere had been in Cezanne sincest year, so it¡¯s no doubt that Lenia Valtalere might have stayed in Cezanne, where her father was.¡±

    ¡°But if I were her, I would have gone up to the capital, so why didn¡¯t she¡­¡±

    If one dared to infiltrate the Laurent Fortress to steal the dragon¡¯s egg, it was only natural to return to the capital immediately. But if they didn¡¯t, it was either they had a situation where it wasn¡¯t possible to return, or¡­

    While Park Noah racked her brain, thinking over and over, Kyle Leonard wrote another detail in the space between the 4th and 8th of May.

    <b>580.05.06: Reported L is staying in her home in Tezeba.</b>

    ¡°¡­Ah.¡± When she saw the new information, the puzzle pieces seemed to take form. They wouldn¡¯t have to return to the capital immediately, given that they already have a perfect alibi in their sleeves.

 Chapter 81

    ¡°So¡­ it wasn¡¯t her in Tezeba?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s highly likely.¡±

    The room fell silent for a while. At a distance, Noah could hear a faint horn, followed by a dull tremor thatsted for a second. The ferry seemed to have departed the port.

    Kyle put his pen down and swept his fingers through; he seemed nervous. Meanwhile, Noah stood still, ncing at the timeline which he had arranged.

    Everything began with the assumption that Lenia Valtalere was indeed the culprit who stole the dragon egg. As a matter of fact, referencing to the original book was no use at this point. However, Lenia being the original master couldn¡¯t be ignored. Furthermore, there was no evidence pertaining to her as the suspect.

    Even at the time when Noah had discovered the egg, it had been confirmed that she remained in the capital, proving her alibi perfect. There was no single evidence to even call her as a witness.

    Nevertheless, Noah was convinced of her suspicion. She had presumed Lenia had intentionally left the egg on her path. If she were indeed innocent, there was no reason to be so vignt of her surroundings nor would she have to use a fake double in Tezeba.

    Noah approached the window. The port was getting farther and farther. ¡°What should I do? The ship has already departed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± Kyle mumbled.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Miss Noah say so? There¡¯s no way to escape in the middle of the sea.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s right.¡±

    Somehow, Noah began to be a little frightened. Lenia Valtalere was a much more capable woman than she had assumed. Even if she herself expected to be a hidden suspect, Noah never really thought of having a fake double in her ce.

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll have to go to the captain¡¯s office and send a radio message to the Battuanu security forces, so that we can seek a special warrant for Lenia Valtalere from the Bureau of Investigation of Tezeba and arrest her as soon as the ship arrives at the port.¡± Kyle borated, heaving a deep sigh.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen before that, right?¡±

    Why are you so nervous? Noah thought to herself. She lifted Muell, who had been sitting idly on the bed, and wrapped him in a tight embrace. The little child tilted his head, as if he felt her racing heartbeat.

    ¡°Noah? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°What is bothering Noah?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ my medicine. I should have it with me¡­¡± She ced Muell back on the bed and hurried to her suitcase. She put the bottle of medicine in her pocket and rummaged through the suitcase for objects deemed necessary in case of an emergency.

    While Noah was tense, Kyle remained silent, lost in his thoughts. There must be a ton moreplicated theories in his head than Noah thought, and a dozen of evidence that will support his im.

    All of a sudden, he blurted out as Noah took her shapeshifting key from her pile of clothes.

    ¡°Miss Noah.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If Miss Noah is caught in the worst situation, unleash the power of Mu without hesitation. Do not think about the consequences. It doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s around you or who you hurt.¡±

    For a moment, Noah doubted her ears. It doesn¡¯t matter who I hurt?

    ¡°I¡¯m responsible for everything that follows. You only have one thing to think about. Your own safety.¡±

    ¡°My¡­ safety?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve warned you many times, but the most fundamental reason not to use dragon mana is because you are in danger. I told you that if you do something wrong, you could die of shock.¡±

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t keep saying scary things!¡±

    The investigator¡¯s words gave Noah goosebumps all over her arms. I might be shocked by something hard to believe? Is he really, really trying to scare me or is cheering me on?

    Kyle rose from his seat and approached her. Then, he crouched in front of her and grabbed her by the shoulder, lifting her up.

    ¡°It might be scary. On the contrary, if you¡¯re only monitoring your fitness, you have nothing to be afraid of.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Noah asked in confusion. However, it soon dawned to her what Kyle had meant, her face slowly contorting into a frown.

    Kyleughed. ¡°You have imprinted a dragon, Miss Noah. Do you think dragons will let their masters be at risk? It would die if it lost its master.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll protect Noah,¡± Muell mumbled with a smile, even though he certainly didn¡¯t understand the situation at all.

    ¡°It¡¯s no good to fear ahead. All you have to do is get your head straight on and make the best judgment for the situation. Don¡¯t worry about the future.¡±

    ¡°¡­If they find out I¡¯m with the dragon, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±

 Chapter 82

    There was only one person who knew the real Eleonora Asil was dead, and that Noah had taken over her body. In other people¡¯s eyes, she was a criminal, and Kyle would be an investigator conspiring with the viin.

    There would be no greater dishonor if it was revealed to the public that a general manager, the top investigator, had attempted to conceal a suspect¡¯s crimes. Besides, ¡®it doesn¡¯t matter who you hurt¡¯. It was unbelievable that it came from the mouth of a man who lived for the Crown and the people.

    ¡°I already said that¡¯s not something Miss Noah should be worried about. I¡¯ve already said it three times. Shall I repeat it one more time?¡± Kyle said, his voice was rather tired.

    ¡°What if I take Mu and use him? If I take advantage of the power of dragons like the real Eleonora¡­¡±

    ¡°I know you won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°Because evil is done by a diligent, meticulous person. A man who¡¯s been lying in Battuanu for five days under the pretext of seasickness can¡¯t n such a grand thing.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ sounded like an insult.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an illusion.¡± Kyle replied; his tone incredibly gentle.

    Noah was prepared to be enraged, insulted as it was nothing more than a slip of a tongue. But strangely, she kept feeling nauseous. Thinking she was about to snap on him, Kyle ced his hand on her forehead and said, ¡°You still have a slight fever. Don¡¯t whine about being sick again and take a nap.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be in Tezeba without a hitch when you wake up.¡±

    His tone softened even more as Noah remained silent,forting her as if he was dealing with a sensitive child.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen after we get there. I¡¯ll take care of it on my own, so what are you worried about? I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°Miss Noah?¡±

    ¡°¡­Sir, I¡¯ll hire you if the Bureau of Investigation fires you.¡±

    ¡°As a butler? No, thank you.¡± Kyle tly rejected her offer and immediately grabbed her as she was about to flop into the bed.

    ¡°Miss Noah, change your clothes before you lie down on the bed! Wash your face!¡± He reprimanded.

    ¡°What? I washed up in the morning¡­¡±

    As usual, her excuse would amount to nothing. Kyle then handed her an armful of clothes and pushed her into the bathroom.

    *

    Noah stayed in the bathroom for a long time, saying she was toozy to change her clothes. Soon, she lied on the bed and kept staring at the investigator, insisting she couldn¡¯t sleep. Kyle, who was supposed to head straight into the captain¡¯s office, was forced to wait until she fell asleep.

    In Sorrent, whenever her head touched the bed, she immediately fell asleep, but this time, she endured for nearly an hour, her head dropping almost every minute.

    Her fever is almost gone¡­

    Noah, who was lying on her side with Muell tightly hugged like a doll, began to doze off after another half an hour. Still, Kyle remained in ce for a few minutes after shepletely fell asleep. It was because he remembered the child¡¯s words that Noah suddenly had a fever while she was sleeping.

    She takes a lot of effort, he thought. He rubbed his eyes, somewhat tired. It had been long since he had had a decent sleep. Perhaps he had slept less than half a day since the day Muell called, wailing.

    Kyle stayed up almost all night giving instructions in the Tezeba headquarters regarding the suspension of the railroadwork, but after Muell¡¯s call, he rushed to Battuanu, driving by himself, which resulted in another night of no sleep.

    Upon arrival, he witnessed a wonderful sight of the Minister of Magic with Noah. It upset him recalling what Adrian Rossinell had said when he passed by him.

    ¡°My Eleonora, please take good care of her, Sir Leonard.¡±

    Observing the amount of conversation between the two, it seemed they had be quite familiar in a short span of time. Enough to have the man in the bedroom.

    When Kyle pondered about it, however, Noah was a woman who didn¡¯t care when he stayed in her home. He had rummaged through her house, lifted and carried her to the bathroom, prepared meals for her, and even took her to bed ¡ª and she showed no hint of rm.

    She remained indifferent, even now, when a man was right by the bedside she was sleeping on. The same thing happened with Adrian Rossinell, and the thought of it made Kyle feel sour.

    He was worried whether or not he should say something. However, he also deemed it ironic to nag a grown-up woman to watch out for men. Moreover, it was Kyle himself who was the biggest problem in that regard.

    Noah was so blunt that he forgot about it, but it was manners and unwritten rule that even a fiance could not enter ady¡¯s bedroom without permission. He realized it only after he had spent the night at the inn where Noah was staying and had booked a single room on the ferry.

    It¡¯s apletely different issue to pretend to be a couple and to use one room like a couple.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m crazy. I¡¯m not really her butler.¡± Kyle covered his face, massaging his tired eyes.

    In fact,st night, Noah said that her head hurt at dawn, so he forced himself awake to watch over her.

    ¡­Damn it.

 Chapter 83

    Kyle woke up at dawn and checked Noah¡¯s temperature, although he sworeints in his mind. Fortunately, the medicine she tookst night worked; her forehead only felt slightly warm.

    He turned around, clicking his tongue. He took his revolver out of the holster, checked the bullets and the silencer, and ced it back again. It was a habit he always did before starting an operation.

    Suddenly, a soft voice came from behind.

    ¡°Mr. Uncle, where are you going?¡± Muell asked groggily, rubbing his eyes.

    ¡°To the captain¡¯s office. Tell Noah when she wakes up. Take care of yourself.¡±

    First, he was going to send a radio message to the Battuanu branch, and then investigate regarding Lenia Valtalere. He doubted if it was merely a coincidence that they bumped into her on the ship. Kyle shut the door quietly behind his back.

    The captain¡¯s room, fourth floor¡­

    Soon, his footsteps, as light as a feather, disappeared from the hallway. And about ten minutes after he left, new footsteps resounded from the other end of the corridor. The stranger stepped on the long carpet in the hall of the first-ss rooms.

    Until a couple of hours ago, the corridor remained eerily still, teetering with the waves. The slow, faint footsteps stopped at one ce. Then, the stranger poked their shoe to the floor, and something slipped out of the carpet. It was a dark, shiny ck bead.

    ¡°¡­Found it.¡±

    With a little murmur, the stranger crouched and picked up the bead, the Largo¡¯s eyeball slipping into their pocket.

    Before long, the footsteps disappeared and the corridor sat still again, as if nothing had happened.

    *

    Noah awoke to the darkness and fumbled for themp. As she turned the switch on, the room glowed a soft yellow light. Muell was sound asleep next to her. Apparently, she couldn¡¯t remember when she fell asleep.

    ¡°Sir Leonard?¡± She called out to the investigator with a hoarse voice, still half-asleep.

    The room fell quiet. There was no answer from him.

    Where did he go? She struggled to lift herself from the bed and trudged towards the bathroom, but Kyle was nowhere to be seen. Only then when she returned to the bed did she remember what he had said.

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll have to go to the captain¡¯s office and send a radio message to the Battuanu security forces, so that we can seek a special warrant for Lenia Valtalere from the Bureau of Investigation of Tezeba and arrest her as soon as the ship arrives at the port.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. It seemed like he went to the captain¡¯s office¡­¡± She mumbled. She nced at the clock on the wall and realized she had slept for nearly ten hours. Noah was feeling better, perhaps because she had slept well. Then, she decided to return to her peaceful slumber until the butler returned.

    The first-ss rooms were at par with most hotels, as what Adrian had imed. On the table on one side of the room, there were wine and sses, even a menu to order room service. What only differed was the view: the current scenery outside the window of their room was not acres of greennd and houses, but a vast blue sea.

    Noah approached the round window. There was nothing outside that could be seen. It was dreadfully dark and still, other than the asional shallow waves in the ck sea.

    However, as she tilted her head upward, she beheld the dark sky twinkling with millions of stars. It was a simr view when they were on the train to Battuanu. The stars appeared to be the only indicator that separated the heavens from the sea.

    She waited for Kyle, admiring the skies while she softly patted Muell¡¯ head.

    But even after a few hours, when the darkness that enveloped the heavens slowly faded away and the sun¡¯s golden glow began to light the skies, Kyle did not return.

    Soon, Noah fell asleep again, and woke up to the sun¡¯s blinding rays.

 Chapter 84

    ¡°He went out in the morning yesterday, right? Hasn¡¯t hee back since?¡±

    ¡°No, he said he¡¯d be right back¡­¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t take a whole day just to send a radio. What the hell is he doing?¡±

    Noah was beginning to get anxious. She bit her lips and drank a cup of tea to ease her nervousness. ording to Muell, Kyle had left around half an hour after she fell asleep at dawn, and he still hadn¡¯t returned.

    Considering that one of the two of their room keys was missing, it was evident that he took one with him, and no matter how deep asleep she was, she could have heard him if he had opened the door and walked in.

    Noah fixed her wide-brimmed hat and quickly looked inside the dining area. After their breakfast, she and Muell ascended to the fifth floor to look for Kyle. The room was quiet and only a few passengers upied the tables, as it was already past breakfast.

    She handed a scone filled with blueberry jam amon mother and her child, and peered through the deck beyond the window. Kyle¡¯s height and physique would stand out from a distance, but there was no sight of him anywhere.

    Is he on an undercover investigation?

    If he was trying to conceal his identity, it wasn¡¯t a problem, but if he actually did, he would have told her in advance. Somehow, things didn¡¯t feel very good.

    Muell, who had less restrictions on his actions than she did, was sent to the third floor to search for the butler.

    Pretending to take a walk around the deck, Noah nced at the passengers¡¯ faces, but she only saw groups of men loitering about. She had intentionally wore a veil to cover her face, some men still attempted to approach her.

    She turned her back from the fourth man who blocked her. However, she could not take further steps. Across her was a in ivory dress.

    Noah never thought she would be a person with a good intuition, but this time, she could urately guess the woman¡¯s identity without a nce on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to be out alone.¡±

    The woman was shorter than her, so Noah could see her face clearly under the veil draped around her. It was her first time seeing her, but she was a woman with all the features she knew well.

    Blonde hair, but dark enough to appear brown, and blue eyes.

    It was none other than Lenia Valtalere.

    Noah offered a tight smile, her heart beating fast. Lenia Valtalere had an outstanding appearance, befitting to be their world¡¯s main character. She wore a bo that tied a ribbon under the tip of her chin and even raised a wine ss in one hand. She looked as if she had merelye out for a walk as the otherdies, but her tone was strangely awkward.

    ¡°You stand out pretty well even when you cover your face. Many middle-ss men in the second-ss cabin are headless men who aim for the title of nobility, targeting widows of noble status,dy.¡±

    Lenia need not ask Noah her name. She recognized her at first nce ¡ª the same reason Noah didn¡¯t ask, too.

    ¡°¡­Lenia Valtalere.¡± Noah nced around, making sure no one was paying attention to their conversation, and firmly pressed her hat to her head.

    Strands of her apricot waves fell on her cheek, and as expected, the woman was not surprised. Noah skipped the introduction and asked bluntly.

    ¡°Did you steal the dragon¡¯s egg from the Imperial City?¡±

    Lenia¡¯s face was a little stiff. Noah asked again, barely waiting for her answer.

    ¡°The first contact with an egg that had shown no sign of hatching for five hundred years. The first person to know that the egg was nearing hatching. It was you, right?¡± She confronted her and hastily looked around.

    Mu, Mu! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m meeting Lenia at this time of all days when Mu is away! It¡¯s a great chance to break the resonance between Mu and Lenia!

    ¡°There¡¯s only one way,dy.¡± Lenia suddenly uttered.

    Noah stared at her face more closely. Then, she noticed Lenia¡¯s face was turning pale and her eyes were shaking uneasily.

    ¡°Remember. There is a way down, but you cannote back up that way. There is only one way up, only the emergency exit used by the crew. I came to say this.¡± She spoke, her voice trembling.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The man on this ship with you, hasn¡¯t hee back yet?¡±

    Her words creeped Noah.

    Lenia bit her lips and spoke quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t know why we¡¯re all in the same boat. I thought it would be safe because it was a passenger ship used by aristocrats, but I guess it wasn¡¯t. Still, I can¡¯t deal with it, but you can. Because you, you brought the dragon.¡±

    Noah couldn¡¯t absorb every word she had said at once, but there was one thing she was certain of. Their assumption had been proven true. The egg thief was the heroine, Lenia Valtalere.

    ¡°I saw him drop a bead in the hallway yesterday that appeared to be for wiretapping. I never dreamed we¡¯d be on the same boat, but if I get caught, I¡¯ll die. I¡¯m going to die this time.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait a minute. The bead¡­¡± Noah wanted to understand, but there was no time to spare. Someone had called her name.

    ¡°Lenia, what are you doing there? Come on in.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ming, Father. Lady, I don¡¯t have time to talk right now. I¡¯ve climbed up to the deck, but I can¡¯t stay here for long, and I don¡¯t want to be buried in this vast ocean.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow at three a.m. to five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Room 409. I¡¯ll leave the door open.¡± Lenia hurriedly whispered. Although Noah wanted to ask more, she didn¡¯t. Even the woman¡¯s eyes seemed desperate.

    ¡°Come to me after the man you were with returns. If I¡¯m sure it¡¯s safe on this ship, I¡¯ll let you know everything you¡¯re curious about.¡±

    ¡°No, you have to tell me where he is¡­ Hey!¡±

    Lenia turned her back and returned inside the ship quickly, leaving Noah more anxious than before. Noah bit her lips, conscious of the gaze around her.

    Is that all you have to say?

 Chapter 85

    ¡°Lady, are you alright?¡±

    Noah straightened her back and pushed away the arm of the man who tried to help her. She couldn¡¯t say anything out of frustration lest she is discovered. She walked toward Muell, who had been trapped in the midst of an old couple.

    ¡°Oh, mom¡¯s here. Goodbye, red-eyed angel!¡± The old woman bid farewell, patting the child¡¯s head gently.

    If their situation wasn¡¯t serious, Noah wouldugh at the bizarre nickname. She asked Muell, turning her back against the old couple who were waving their hands at them. ¡°Did you look for him? Was he really nowhere?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been everywhere to the second floor.¡± Muell pouted, shaking his head.

    ¡°Crazy¡­ Where the hell did this man go?¡± Noah hissed. If Kyle¡¯s disappearance was not Lenia¡¯s doing, the suspects narrow down. The culprit behind Eleonora¡¯s death, who had been following us from Sorrent. Did he take Kyle, and not me?

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    It was absurd if the murderer was after Kyle, and even if he was, the man could not have been taken away without amotion. It was more likely that Kyle had noticed him first and went after him.

    Furthermore, Lenia knew he was missing. When Noah caught a glimpse of her eyes, they were anxious and afraid. It was evident that someone after her was on the same ship. Was it the same person who Kyle chased?

    Noah rammed her brain to link the pieces together, and soon reached a conclusion: Eleonora Asil¡¯s murderer is preying on Lenia Valtalere, too.

    But she couldn¡¯t figure out why. Have Kyle figured it out? Noah carried Muell on her arms and hastened her pace. They returned inside and stood in front of the elevator. She nned to wait in their room until nightfall, and start to act when every passenger was already in their rooms.

    Ting. The bell rang to announce the arrival of the elevator. She quickly opened the iron door and entered the elevator. And when her fingers reached out to push a button, she froze.

    There were four buttons.

    Noah¡¯s eyes widened in shock; she was too surprised to even breathe. Chills crawled on her spine and goosebumps covered her skin.

    When Noah had wondered the first time she set foot in the elevator whether the buttons were pure gold, there were only three at that time ¡ª for the fifth, fourth, and third floors. Now, there was a silver button under the gold ones.

    That¡¯s for the first floor¡­ it leads to the mana operating room.

    Then, she remembered what the elevator assistant had said.

    ¡°This central elevator is not connected to the mana operating room. For safety reasons, we only run from the third to fifth floors.¡±

    Her mind went nk, but a few secondster, Lenia¡¯s trembling voice echoed in her mind.

    ¡°Remember. There is a way down, but you cannote back up that way.¡±

    ¡°This is crazy¡­¡± Noah cursed under her breath. Soon, she realized there was no assistant inside. She clenched her trembling hand into a fist and then pressed the button for the fourth floor. The gold button was thrust inwards.

    She hesitated for a few seconds, as if having an internal crisis, but eventually pressed the silver button. The silver button was also thrust inwards.

    It¡¯s working.

    The elevator began to move with a soft rumbling sound. Noah could taste blood on her lips, but she couldn¡¯t calm down. As soon as the elevator stopped on the fourth floor, she opened the door and ran out.

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    Until yesterday, it was definitely an elevator that would not descend all the way down to the mana operating room. Howe it suddenly changed? Noah visualized the possible scenario which had urred when she was asleep.

    Kyle would have stopped by the captain¡¯s office first to send a signal to the Battuanu branch. Afterwards, he saw a strange man, who was probably the same person after Lenia Valtalere.

    Then, having the same feeling as in the train to Central Edman, he arrived at the same conclusion as Noah: the same terrorists on the train, the murderer of Eleonora Asil, or his men, were also targeting Lenia Valtalere.

    He then may have begun to be suspicious of the ship. He could have possibly noticed that someone had casted a spell on the elevator, and checked it on his own, or he may have chased someone, or followed them to the operating room.

    And he hadn¡¯t found his way up yet.

    ¡°There is only one way up, only the emergency exit used by the crew.¡±

    Perhaps he had found it, but couldn¡¯t climb his way up.

    Noah groped for the small pocket hanging on her waist. It was a small bag containing the things she deemed useful in case of an emergency. She took the shapeshifting key out of the pouch, gripping it tightly

    Finally, she concluded. There was only one most likely reason why Kyle couldn¡¯t return upstairs. It was blocked.

    If someone who could break through the blocked passage would not go down to him, Kyle would not be able to return.

 Chapter 86

    The sun set quickly. Noah watched helplessly as the glowing sun sankpletely under the sea, and the whole world became buried in darkness. It was a simr sight she had woken up to yesterday. The night came sooner than the sun rose to the heavens.

    Noah had nned to wait until just midnight. If she were to descend to the operating room, there would be no turning back. Frightened to death, she prayed earnestly for Kyle to return without her having to go down.

    However, she ran out of time as the hands of the clock pointed at exactly eleven o¡¯clock. It was still an hour before midnight, but intuitively, she knew it was time to move.

    The scenery beyond the round window was almost pitch ck, and something felt strange. She exhaled a deep breath and rose from her seat.

    ¡°Mu, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The child, who looked out through the window with her, hopped off the chair. Noah was already finished preparing. She wore light pajamas with a shawl wrapped around her so that if anyone saw her, she could excuse herself, saying she hade out for a drink. She also bought the pouch containing helpful items.

    She slowly opened the door and crept into the hallway. The hallway was brightly lit even though the night was deep. Noah lightened her steps, walking swiftly over the long corridor towards the elevator.

    Suddenly, there was a sound of dragging. It wasing to her side. Noah stiffened until she saw an approaching waiter, pushing a serving cart.

    ¡°Madame? What is the matter? May I help you?¡± He asked.

    ¡°¡­No, I just want to get some fresh air.¡±

    ¡°The door to the walking deck is on this side, madame.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Noah opened the door he was pointing at and arrived at the deck. The sea breeze blew against them, sweeping her shawl away.

    ¡°The ship stopped,¡± muttered Muell.

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    It exined the strangeness she had felt earlier in their room. The ship had stopped moving. Noah leaned over the railing. She could see the waves crashing into the ship, but the ship remained steady.

    Muell, who was dangerously walking on the railing, suddenly spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t feel the flow of mana under the boat.¡±

    Like trains, the ferry was driven by a steam engine that utilized mana to function excellently. If the supply of mana was cut off, it would naturally stop operating.

    Noah ced her head over the railing and looked up. If the mana machine had broken down, it would have been the first report to the captain¡¯s office, but there was no response still. Her worst assumptions were bing reality.

    So the ship itself, even before it even started, might have already been taken over by a group of people who were after us..¡¯

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go, Mu.¡±

    There was no time for further dy. They had to go down and get Kyle out, and figure out who was after her and Lenia. She hugged Muell tightly, desperate forfort, and returned inside. Soon, they were standing in front of the elevator.

    Just in time, the elevator stopped on the fourth floor, where they were. The elevator guide was still out of sight. She opened the door with trembling hands and entered the square wooden box, feelingpletely trapped.

    ¡°God, Buddha, Jesus. Please don¡¯t let anything bad happen¡­¡± Noah pressed the button, praying to the gods she had never believed in in her entire life.

    First floor, the button that leads to the mana operating room.

    The elevator rattled as soon as her finger touched the button. She then flung her arms around Muell, on the verge of breaking down.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Noah.¡± The little boy said, rubbing Noah¡¯s back. Without him, Noah might have had a heart attack already.

    The elevator began to descend slowly. Outside the door, they passed the lobby on the third floor, but the elevator went down further. A few seconds passed, which felt like an eternity to Noah, and the elevator hit the floor with a dull sound.

    Let¡¯s calm down, Noah. Stay calm, Noah. Can someone hypnotize me?

    She pushed open the door of the elevator, and a panoramic view of the mana operating room was revealed in front of her eyes.

 Chapter 87

    The mana operating room was incredibly huge, upying the entire space at the bottom of the ship.

    Noah looked at the distant ceiling above her. Hundreds of pipes intersected horizontally and vertically, covering the ceiling and walls alike. Ten of the particrly thick brass pipes descended the wall and were connected to a cylindrical mana vessel.

    Next to the vessel, there was a huge brass turbine over five times her height. A total of ten turbines had stopped moving. Thenterns hung all over the ceiling gave the room a mix of red and orange glow.

    Noah¡¯s skin tingled at the wave of mana that swept through the entire room. Then, she heard a rattle from behind and turned around swiftly. The elevator started to move again.

    She watched the lift ascend in a daze. There was no button next to the elevator, and since it was powered by mana, there were no cables or ropes to pull it upwards.

    ¡°Oh, god¡­¡±

    Lenia was right when she said one couldn¡¯t go back up the same way he went down. Realizing it was already meaningless to keep staring at the empty space which the elevator had left, Noah turned her back and began to move her weak legs.

    ¡°Mu, tell me as soon as you feel anything. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Only sinister silence lingered in the area. They slowly traversed the warm-lit room. There were no sudden gunshots, or whispers, and even scuffles. Only traces of a sh were evident.

    The handle of a mana-operated device lied on the floor, shattered to pieces. A pipe was bentpletely in half, dripping with ck, sticky liquid. In the third section, a long tail of ck smoke rose from one of the vessels.

    As they drew nearer, Noah noticed that there were two holes on the vessel. It was likely prated by bullets.

    Truly, as she turned around, she saw a bullet on the floor, shiny ck with a special coat ¡ª it was the customized bullet Kyle used. However, she couldn¡¯t pick it up to inspect it. The bullet had fallen in the middle of a small pool of blood.

    ¡°¡­God.¡± This must be why people look for God.

    The moment her eyesid on the bloody puddle, she immediately froze. A rotten smell suffocated her nostrils. The time had psed since the fight took ce as the edges were already drying up into a brownish color.

    Bloodstains were strangely painted on the floor, appearing as if a broom was swept on the pool of blood. Noah couldn¡¯t stare at the thick puddle, but she observed the stains for a while.

    Ah, that¡¯s it. The injured person has been struggling here and probably rolled around the floor several times.

    ¡°Please drop me, Noah.¡± Muell jumped off from her arms and hurried to the puddle. Contrary to her, who avoided the unpleasant view, he crouched in front of it and sniffed. And as if it wasn¡¯t enough to smell it, he stirred the pool of blood with his finger.

    ¡°Is it from Kyle?¡± Noah hesitantly asked.

    ¡°¡­No. I can¡¯t smell him.¡± Muell replied, shaking his head.

    Noah breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god, you¡¯re not hurt.

    The curious child spent a long time observing the blood and then sprang to his feet. He held the butler¡¯s bullet in his hand. ¡°Look, Noah.¡±

    Muell came to her, extending his arm outward. On his palm was the bullet. There was no fear in the little child¡¯s red orbs; his eyes only gleamed in interest. Noah slowly reached out and ced her hand on top of his, feeling ufortable at the bloodstains on the bullet.

    ¡°Touch it, Noah. Noah will be able to see it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The course of the weapon used by Mr. Uncle.¡±

    At the touch, Noah could instantly feel Muell¡¯s mana sucked into her. Thud, thud, thud. Her heart began to race as if she just chugged a liter of coffee. The beat gradually intensified and sounded like drums inside her body. It was a consequence of an iplete imprint.

    Noah closed her eyes tightly to the heavy weight on her chest and then opened her eyes. What greeted her was an incredible sight.

 Chapter 88

    Inside the mana operating room, where only orangenterns were glimmering, there were faint traces of bullets that weren¡¯t seen before.

    She saw the trajectory of a bullet that was fired in a straight line and pierced through the vessel, exining the bullet holes she had seen earlier. Another trace of a bullet that was shot from the other side also appeared, the courses entangled. All traces of every bullet that shed through the air were crystal clear.

    Only then did Noah realize. The revolvers and bullets Kyle mostly used, were magical items modified by the cksmith Yanak, a distant descendant of Dwarves.

    ¡°Then, Kyle shot at the entrance once, once in the middle, and over there, once in front of the sixth section?¡± Noah rified, looking at the panorama of the spacious mana operating room.

    ¡°Yes.¡± The little boy nodded her head.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The starting point of the bullet¡¯s trajectory was where Kyle had stepped. She took her shawl away and wiped it on the bloodstained fingers of Muell. Then, she began to walk along the scattered bloodstains.

    ¡°It looks like he ran out, doesn¡¯t it? The bloodstains are this far apart¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, I think so.¡±

    As they neared the beginning of the trajectory of the third bullet, Noah found one more detail that she couldn¡¯t notice from afar. There appeared a new blue trajectory that was soplex it was indistinguishable. However, it only meant one thing.

    From here on out, it was a shooting spree.

    The trajectory began just above Kyle¡¯s height and was directed toward the brass pipe above the left wall, inside the turbine below it, the right ceiling, and so on.

    ¡°¡­Not one.¡±

    At least three shots were fired from the same spot, and one person could not move from the left side to the right in such a wide space at the same time. Thus, there were at least three opponents against Kyle.

    No, that¡¯s at least four if we add up the injured that he chased.

    ¡°There¡¯s something over there, Noah.¡± Muell slipped down her leg and ran toward the brass pipe. Then, he grabbed something, lifted it up, and came back to her.

    He heldrge scraps of metal in his arms. Then, he dropped every piece at her feet, gasping for breath. Noah crouched down and scrutinized the pile of junk. Thergest piece was the width of an adult man¡¯s torso. There was a ck bullet studded on the left side.

    Kyle¡¯s.

    Noah felt puzzled and muttered, ¡°That¡¯s weird. If it¡¯s debris from somewhere, it should have its main body somewhere.¡±

    She lifted her head and looked at the wall on the left, but there were dozens of pipes intersecting, and there was no silver metal anywhere. She picked up a piece that was thicker and longer than her forearm, looking around the room. The broken section was full of thin iron cables, and no matter how much she peered into it, there was nothing she could make out of it.

    Noah eventually put the long scrap of metal down the long scrape and beckoned Muell. ¡°Let¡¯s go for now, Mu. Where¡¯s the next trajectory? Mu?¡±

    The child¡¯s expression was all stiff. Muell, who was staring somewhere with horrified eyes, tugged on her pajamas.

    There was a faint rattling sound somewhere. Instinctively, Noah felt ominous and quickly pulled Muell into her arms. Then, she ran straight ahead.

    Rattle¡­ It¡¯s the sound of the lift!

    Noah tried to lighten her steps, but it was almost impossible in such a quiet ce. Even the sound of crawling ants would be heard. She approached the other end of the operating room and hurriedly snapped her head left and right.

    There was no longer a trajectory drawn by Kyle¡¯s bullet. All that was in front of her was a huge double door leading to the space beyond the mana operating room. It was impossible for her to open it with her bare hands as it was a humongous door half the height of the ceiling.

    She turned around and squeezed herself, along with Muell, into the small door next to the main one.

    ¡°Oh, my¡­ Oh, my¡­¡±

    Noah couldn¡¯t figure out where she had entered. She couldn¡¯t see anything; the only source of light was the orange glow from thenterns, which leaked through the half-opened door.

    ¡°Uh, Ugh.¡± She covered her mouth with her hands. Her heart was beating abnormally fast, and she was worried that a whimper might escape her lips.

    Beyond the door, there was a sound of footstepsing from the mana operating room. However, it didn¡¯t sound like it was being chased, or it was chasing someone. Instead, it was slow-paced.

    Noah¡¯s entire body began to tremble in fear.

    What? Who¡­?

    Who is it?

    There was a rustling sound.

    ¡°¡­..!¡±

    Something moved in the dim space they entered. Noah almost screamed, forgetting the need to remain hidden. However, only a noiseless scream echoed from her mouth.

    A big, warm hand pressed against her lips.

 Chapter 89

    Noah struggled to break from the man¡¯s grip, but to no avail. His arms were too strong; it was evident that the man had arge physique. She squinted her eyes, hoping to get a glimpse of her surroundings, but it was pointless in the pitch ck room. She grappled with all her strength and yet she couldn¡¯t overpower him still. It was not long before she was consumed with fear.

    ¡°Shh.¡±

    Just as she was about to explode in tears, a deep voice whispered in her ears. Noah twisted her body, her eyes opening wide. The tears that brimmed her eyes, finally trickled down her cheeks. At the same time, her body, which almost copsed to the ground, was hoisted up.

    Her hands fumbled across the man¡¯s face, feeling his features ¡ª a sharp jawline, dry cheeks, slightly chapped lips and a pointed nose. As she groped his nose, a sigh escaped his lips.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll poke you in the eye. Miss Noah.¡±

    As soon as she heard his voice, she felt surprisingly angry. I¡¯vee all the way down here to get you out of here, but you are this rxed?

    Noah clenched her hand into a fist and tried to punch Kyle in the shoulder, but shended on his hand instead.

    ¡°Shh, I¡¯ll get itter.¡±

    Kyle ced his hand on the back of her head and pulled it towards his arms. Just in time, footsteps resounded outside the door. Noah buried her face in his shoulders, holding her breath.

    The sound of footsteps suddenly stopped. Her heart was still beating fast, but it was gradually regaining its stability with Kyle softly patting her back. She felt somehow relieved, fear no longer swallowing her, and rationality returned to her senses.

    Suddenly, there was a faint noise of a metal hitting something. It must have been the scrap Muell brought with him. The sound of footsteps were heard again, which stopped shortly after a few minutes right next to the room they hid.

    There was a patter, and a slight tremor vibrated on the floor. It seemed the huge iron door in the mana operating room opened. Someone entered through the door, followed by the sound of the iron door closing again.

    The room was dead silent once more.

    ¡°How much time has passed?¡± Kyle broke the silence, exhaling deeply. ¡°I was a little worried if I coulde back up, but fortunately you came.¡± A big hand rested on Noah¡¯s head. Then, he stroked it a couple of times.

    ¡°Since when have you been here?¡± Noah asked with a hoarse voice.

    ¡°From the evening. How long has it been? I couldn¡¯t confirm because my watch was broken.¡±

    ¡°¡­Half a day has passed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been longer than I thought. Has the ship stopped yet? I broke a mana vessel along its handle out of fear of an explosion.¡±

    ¡°¡­It stopped. That¡¯s why I came down right away.¡±

    ¡°Good. It would have been pretty difficult if Miss Noah hadn¡¯te down.¡±

    The way he spoke was as if he hadn¡¯t been trapped under the ship for a long time. Kyle shifted his torso, and then, after a moment¡¯s rustling, themp turned on. The pitch ck space glowed in an orange color. Only then Noah could see his face properly.

    It was not much different from thest time she saw him. Only that his hair was a little disheveled and there was a small scratch on the bottom of his left eye.

    ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re asking me if I had dinner in this situation?¡± Noah gritted her teeth, and sessfullynded a punch on his shoulder this time.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Kyle gave a dull groan as if for courtesy. It was aggravating, so Noah pulled her knee up and hit him hard somewhere on his stomach. Kyle frowned as if it had worked a little this time. ¡°It hurts. Why do you take it out on me?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so calm?¡± She hissed, grabbing him by the chin, and flipped his head from side to side. There were no other wounds except the cut under his eyes.

    ¡°Are you hurt? I was worried!¡±

    ¡°Worried¡­¡±

    Kyle, whose chin still rested on her fingers, wore a strange look on his face. Either way, Noah breathed a sigh of relief after she confirmed that all his arms were still intact.

 Chapter 90

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you find your way out? Or is it blocked?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve found an emergency exit that appears to be used by the crew, but it¡¯s locked. I couldn¡¯t even ess it to see if it was broken. It is a very finely woven framework that couldn¡¯t be pierced by a bullet that neutralizes magic. So, I was looking for another way.¡± Kyle exined.

    ¡°There¡¯s no other way. Let¡¯s go over there first. With Mu, it¡¯ll be easy to make a decision. Right, Mu?¡±

    Muell, who was sitting on a dust pit, nodded his head fervently.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ve relieved yourself of the worry that you can¡¯t go up. So first, Miss Noah goes, disengages the exit, and opens the door¡­¡± Kyle paused, frowning slightly.

    ¡°You want me to go and open the door? You¡¯re not going with me? Why?¡± Noah looked at him incredulously.

    ¡°¡­Wait.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Come close.¡±

    ¡°¡­..?¡±

    As she wriggled her body, Kyle wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body to his.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Noah blinked nkly, her face rested on his shoulder. She could feel the loud and erratic beat of her heart. On the contrary, his was calm and constant. The contrast was so great that she realized she was not in a very good condition.

    Perhaps Kyle had sensed the same thing. His grip loosened, and he pulled her back slightly from him.

    ¡°Did you bring your medicine?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I brought it with me.¡±

    ¡°Take one now.¡±

    Noah untied the pouch she strung to her pajamas and took out the medicine bottle and poured one tablet into her mouth. Soon, Kylepletely let her go only after he had made sure she finished her medicine.

    She grabbed his sleeve and opened her mouth to speak. The medicine left a bitter taste in her tongue. ¡°Why do you want me to go open the door by myself? Is there still one more guy left to catch? The guy who just stepped out of the door.¡±

    Kyle straightened himself and loaded his revolver. ¡°All you have to do is keep the passage open. The other one will be pushed up. Until the sun rises.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯ll be dangerous. If you go up now and ask Mu to seal the passage again, won¡¯t this space be sealed again anyway? Then we can get to Tezeba and search right away.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. There are concerns of destruction of evidence.¡±

    Instead of heading towards the door, Kyle shifted his steps to the other side. Noah turned her head to where he was headed and realized that the ce they entered was not a room, but a corridor. It was a narrow corridor about half of the first-ss.

    ¡°This is a corridor used by sailors who manage the mana operating room. If you go straight this way, you¡¯ll find a staircase in the middle. If you go up half a floor, you can see the iron door right away. You can leave it open.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    She stared at the man¡¯s back; Kyle was fixing the buttons of his uniform. ¡°By any chance, is there something you didn¡¯t tell me?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He nced at her. Then, heughed. ¡°Well, can I tell you all the evidence I¡¯ve collected over the course of a day here, dozens of assumptions based on it, and even the most promising ones? We can do that up there.¡±

    Noah remained silent.

    ¡°Miss Noah did a great job justing down here. I just hugged you and your heart was beating so fast. Go up, lock the room door, and get some more sleep. Do you understand?¡±

    Still, there was no response.

    ¡°You have to answer.¡±

    Noah finally nodded at his stern voice that was urging her to answer. However, it did not quench her doubts. There was no reason to stay here when there was a way to go up. Moreover, there was an opponent he couldn¡¯t handle even though he had already spent a whole day and a half.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± But if Kyle had something he didn¡¯t tell her, she had one too. Lenia¡¯s voice crossed her mind.

    ¡°Tomorrow at three a.m. to five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Room 409. I¡¯ll leave the door open.¡±

    It was around eleven o¡¯clock in the evening when she left the cabin. No matter how long I spent here. it wouldn¡¯t be dawn yet. Noah raised herself, along with Muell, and asked Kyle. ¡°Sir, you said you¡¯d drive the other one up before sunrise.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I have to get the job done before the people on the ship wake up and feel strange.¡±

    You said your clock was broken earlier, but how do you know it¡¯s dawn?

    However, instead of prying, Noah took a small watch out of her pocket and handed it over to him. ¡°Take this.¡±

    Kyle looked at the watch and smiled lightly.

    ¡°Come up before six o¡¯clock. Do you understand?¡± Noah demanded.

 Chapter 91

    ¡°¡­Okay. I promise¡± Kyle Leonard responded a beatte and then pushed Park Noah down the hall. Not long after, she began to trudge across the corridor after narrowing her eyes at the butler.

    You better keep your promise.

    When she was quite far away, Kyle Leonard faced the other side of the corridor.

    ¡°I have to hurry. It must be between three or five in the morning.¡± Park Noah muttered, biting her bottom lip, and hastened her steps across the hall. She had spent too much time down below.

    As she walked, she thought of Kyle Leonard. He was a type of investigator that wouldn¡¯t disregard the tiniest details. Once he had a suspicion, he was certain to confirm it, even if it meant he would have to go to extreme lengths just to do so. However, he never neglected the public¡¯s safety in doing an operation.

    He didn¡¯t borate his situation to Park Noah, assuring her there was no problem, but she wasn¡¯t a fool either. There was one reason why Kyle Leonard couldn¡¯t climb up after her even though there was a way to trap his opponent in an enclosed space.

    Two of the ten mana vessels had already been broken. Kyle Leonard urgently needed to stop the ship, but what if the remaining culprits underneath could still overload its power? The result was obvious: a major explosion.

    It was clear what would happen if the ship¡¯s engine were to explode in the middle of a vast sea.

    Park Noah could vividly recall Lenia¡¯s words, saying she wouldn¡¯t want to be buried here. It was evident that she already knew as soon as she got on board that someone had already put a spell on the ship and that someone who was in control had been hiding in the mana operating room.

    Still, Park Noah had faith in Kyle Leonard¡¯s skills. Her head said he wouldn¡¯t fail to subdue the criminal. Strangely, however, her instinct shed a red light.

    No, Noah. There¡¯s something more. There¡¯s something I can¡¯t miss¡­

    Even as she was rushing across the hall, her head was spinning. Kyle Leonard was an excellent marksman. He didn¡¯t miss his targets.

    But of course, in the present case, it is presumed that his uracy would drop considering he was against plenty of enemies. The bullet holes that Park Noah had discovered on one of the mana vessels were likely missed shots.

    What about the bullet in the scrap metal that Mu dragged along?

    There was no ce in the mana operating room for scraps of metal to fall off. Hence, it was safe to assume that Kyle Leonard had not missed a target, but had intended to shoot to the metal in the first ce.

    ¡°Mu, were there a lot of other pieces of scrap that you found earlier?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t seen it all, but a lot. Some were long, some were short, some were just a finger. Even some werepletely shattered.¡±

    ¡°Kyle must have shot it, right?¡±

    The child nodded. Meanwhile, Park Noah was still deep in her thoughts. So, what did Kyle find and try to destroy? What was he threatened with?¡±

    ¡°There were traces of mana.¡± Muell added after hesitating for a while.

    ¡°Oh, magic¡­ Maybe it was a mechanical device that went back to the mana.¡±

    They turned to a corner, with Park Noah organizing in her head the questions she would ask Kyle Leonard when they met again.

    At a distance, there was a staircase just as Kyle Leonard had said. Park Noah headed to the stairs in a hurry. However, they were stopped by an invisible barrier.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    Muell immediately extended his hand to the wall but was blocked as well. He then jumped off Park Noah¡¯s arms and began to fiddle around the invisible wall, circting around the stairs.

    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Park Noah¡¯s chest throbbed and ached. Although it was calmer than before, she still felt like her heart was about to burst, and the medicine would still take long to take effect. In the first ce, the medicine was only a stopgap measure.

    She watched as Muell fumbled on the barrier, inwardly swearing at Lenia. The more Muell touched, the barrier turned ck. It seemed to cover the entire entrance to the staircase.

    ¡°Can you do it?¡±

    ¡°I can do it¡­¡± Muell trailed off, looking up at her with anxious eyes. Then, he whispered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if Noah will be okay.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± She answered firmly. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not okay, it¡¯ll be fine as soon as we get up there. Release it, Mu.¡±

 Chapter 92

    Muell turned with a nod, seeing the determination in Noah¡¯s eyes, and his small feet instantly lit up in ck mes. It was the same mes Noah had seen during their train ride to Battuanu.

    The dark mes, which was a concentration of mana with a density that differed from that of a human, rose like a wave and swallowed the invisible wall.

    The sight of ck mes devouring the barrier appeared like a calm, light storm. Slowly, the barrier disentangled, producing a faint howl amidst the smoke.

    Noah nced on her hands; her fingers were trembling. She blinked hard, feeling nauseous. A thought urred to her.

    If I hadn¡¯t taken the medicine, I¡¯d be dead. Well, I should apud Kyle¡¯s foresight.

    Unable to muster any more strength, Noah crouched on the ground. Soon, the burnt railing creaked dangerously and copsed. Muell looked back at her and softly spoke.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t practice aiming¡­ I¡¯ll do it properly next time¡­¡±

    The little boy seemed somehow apologetic for destroying the railing along and was muttering apologies. Even in the midst of fainting, Noah managed tough.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be sorry, it¡¯s not a big deal. But if I want to live with you for a long time, I¡¯ll have to go to the capital and start exercising.¡±

    She managed to heave herself up but had no more strength to carry Muell, so Noah only waved at him, and he followed suit. Muell then parted his lips into an ¡®o¡¯ and blew on remaining mes that lingered around the stairs.

    Noah chuckled as she inserted the shapeshifting key into the lock of the iron door. ¡°You¡¯re ridiculously cute and frantic. Oh, it¡¯s unlocked.¡±

    Click. The lock was undone. Noah opened the door wide and after a moment¡¯s contemtion, she turned to Muell.

    ¡°Mu, why don¡¯t we tear down this iron gate and throw it underneath?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    It didn¡¯t take five seconds for the huge, solid iron gate to fold in half like a sheet of paper and roll down the stairs.

    *

    Kyle pressed the shutter of the recorder with a nk face. On the floor, scraps of metal were gathered in one ce.

    He captured all the scraps found under pipe No. 6 on the left wall and the scraps that fell under pipe No. 4 on the right wall, on the recorder without leaving any out. He wanted to collect all the valuable evidence, but it was too much work under the circumstances he was in.

    Beep. The recorder signaled a warning. Thepact machine, which had been running nonstop for about twelve hours, was finally reaching its limit.

    Kyle checked whether the tape recorder contained all the evidence and removed a nail-sized internal chip from the bottom. The recorder, already exhausted of its purpose, was tossed among the pile of junk.

    ¡°¡­Give me.¡±

    A hoarse growl resounded from behind Kyle¡¯s shoulder. He turned his head, sparing a nce. A man with short, ragged hair, puffed like grass, was panting and ring at him. His shoulders were covered with blood. Early this morning, Kyle¡¯s bullet had mercilessly torn the man¡¯s skin and pierced his bone.

    The man opened his lips. ¡°You shot everything, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, from the moment I first saw you yesterday afternoon.¡±

    Kyle had found the man in the afternoon of the previous day while he was leaving the captain¡¯s office, heading back to his room.

    From that moment on, a chase began in the crowd, but the man disappeared to nowhere after boarding the elevator. It was only after searching all the way from the third floor to the top deck of the boat that Kyle discovered he had gone down to the bottom of the ship.

    Then, he found an elevator descending to the mana operating room and came down below right away.

    It was not easy to deal with five skilled assassins at the same time when the entire ship was at risk of exploding lest anything wrong happened.

    It would not have been difficult if only their lives weren¡¯t essential in the investigation. It was more strenuous to capture the assassins alive than to kill them at once.

    However, the General Manager of the Bureau of Investigation and Security was permitted to exercise immediate disposition if the suspect was deemed a threat to the imperial family and the public, with a clear manifestation of the crime and sufficient evidence was gathered.

    Kyle blew one of the assassin¡¯s heads without hesitation the moment he broke the mana vessel in the first section.

    Three assassins had already been taken care of and one suffered wounded shoulders. In the process, all the bizarre events Kyle witnessed with his eyes were captured on the tape recorder.

    Now that he had acquired all the evidence, all he had needed was a witness.

    The man with the spiked hair spouted profanities. ¡°You¡¯re a foxy little b*tch.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could say I was an example of a good investigator.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­. Don¡¯t pretend to be fine. You¡¯re not in such a good situation, are you?¡±

    The man¡¯s cunning retort made the corners of Kyle¡¯s lips twitch. His hand, which was discreetly loading the bullets, stopped.

 Chapter 93

    The moment the bullet was loaded, Kyle turned back to the assassin. The man then pointed to his right nk. ¡°I just tore off your waist just as much as you broke my shoulder. Even if you say that, you can¡¯t be fine. Am I right?

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to move my limbs, unlike you with your right arm blown away.¡± Kyle remained passive. Minor injuries were frequent at least five to six times during an investigation and most of his investigations were rted to violent crimes.

    He lifted the chip from the recorder. ¡°Everything you want to hide is in here. If Tezeba¡¯s headquarters do a little more research, you know it¡¯s not a big deal to unearth every secret of yours.¡±

    The man only red at Kyle, throwing insults at him.

    ¡°Whomissioned the murder of Eleonora Asil and the surveince of Lenia Valtalere. How far is Yulem involved in this matter, and what kind of experiments is Yulem doing with his people? What the hell are those scraps of metal I shot?¡±

    Kyle had found two scars on the back of his ear. One was a trace of the imntation of Yulem¡¯s self-destructive chip, and the other was a scar of the shape he had never seen before ¡ª a precise cut of the letter ¡®R¡¯.

    The man clenched his teeth, sping a dagger in his left hand, which shone against the dark.

    Kyle slowly stepped back into the corridor used by the sailors. His wound had already stained his uniform with blood.

    Ah, I¡¯ll be in trouble if she sees me in this condition.

    He continued to withdraw towards the sailor¡¯s corridor, which Noah had been a few moments ago, remembering the woman, who scolded him in extreme worry and yet managed to hit his wound precisely.

    It was amazing how her words and actions could be the exact opposite, but it was more strange to see her in tears while checking his condition. Fortunately, the tiresome woman looked relieved and did not even think of taking his uniform off.

    Kyle pressed his hand against his injury; he was quite irritated. He wondered whether or not Noah was really worried if he was hurt, and if she did, she could have at least looked fine herself.

    ¡­Mu seemed to have noticed.

    While Kyle was lost in thoughts, which didn¡¯t exactly fit his present situation, he arrived at a door. Then, he felt the presence of someone else approaching quietly across the hallway.

    The man holding the dagger muttered grimly. ¡°¡­Take it. Take that chip away and throw it into the sea.¡±

    Two shadows rushed back and forth toward him.

    *

    The ce where the barrier was destroyed was the deck where the sailor had resided. Perhaps it was situated on the second floor of the ferry. Since there was no lift from the deck of the sailor¡¯s residence to the deck used by passengers, Noah and Muell continued to climb the stairs. Somehow, the ceiling of the mana operating room seemed so high, but the way up was indeed very high from the bottom.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Just as Noah was about to climb on thest step, wailing loudly, she could hear a faint sound of something falling and crashing from down below. She eased her ragged breaths and listened intently to the noise.

    The next moment, a gunfire boomed downstairs. It seemed there was another fight.

    She took a deep breath and then climbed onto thest step. Simr to the previous entrance, there also stood an iron gate before them, which seemed to be used by second-ss passengers.

    Bang! Another gunshot rang and soon, silence followed.

    All Noah could hear amidst the quiet was the sound of her erratic heartbeat. She inserted the key to the lock and it unfastened with a click. The door opened. The hall appeared less morous than the first-ss room, but it was much more luxurious than the floor the workers used. Suddenly, Noah was forced to a halt.

    All the people in the hall were gathered in twos and threes, chattering.

    ¡°What the hell is going on? Why did the ship stop?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been stuck for hours¡­ Isn¡¯t there something wrong with the engine?¡±

    By dawn, it was presumed that the passengers wouldn¡¯t notice; however, many had already begun to be suspicious.

    Ady grabbed a waiter and pried, ¡°What happened? Then, we won¡¯t be able to get to Tezeba by the morning after tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Madame, give me a moment to figure things out. We haven¡¯t received anything from Captain yet.¡±

    Noah and Muell sneaked past the employee, who answered in a flustered manner. Ifmotion within the passengers were to escte, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for Kyle to subdue their opponents.

    But, before Kyle, Noah posed even more difficulty. The shawl that had been concealing her apricot hair had already fallen from her head somewhere in the mana operating room a long while ago.

 Chapter 94

    Noah lowered her face and hurried through the crowd. Immediately, she squeezed herself, along with Muell, into the elevator heading upstairs. The elevator guide was still nowhere to be seen, so she had to close the door by herself.

    She nced at the buttons beside the door and the silver button with the number ¡®one¡¯ engraved on it was still there.

    ¡°First floor? Isn¡¯t the first floor where the engine is?¡±

    A middle-aged man on board grumbled irritably and reached out to the buttons. ¡°You can go down there yourself, tsk.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait!¡± Noah grabbed the man¡¯s wrist without thinking. The man, who was about to press the button, looked back at her, frowning. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I, I¡­ My kid¡¯s sick. I can¡¯t wait to go back to my room. Can we go to the fifth floor first?¡±

    ¡°Lady looks sicker than the kid.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I am.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s sick, so let¡¯s go upstairs! Noah mmed the button for the fourth floor and then winked at Muell, who was carried in her arms. The child, who was faking his tears, understood her signal, and blinked. Then, he didn¡¯t cry anymore.

    Noah stared at the silver button, curious whether it was functional. Squinting at it, she pushed the button, and gray smoke rose from it. The elevator then chimed, indicating they had reached the floor. Noah opened the door wide as fast as she could.

    ¡°Wait a minute,dy. I think I¡¯ve seen your face somewhere.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, sir!¡±

    The man tilted his head as he called her, but then shrugged it off. Fortunately, first-ss rooms had fewer agitated people than the second-ss.

    Room 409. Lenia¡¯s room was in the left corridor. Noah was running at full speed without slowing down, almost shing past Lenia¡¯s room. Muell, who ran after her, caught up almost immediately, and pulled the hem of her pajamas.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°Noah, here!¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes!¡±

    She managed to stop, and then hugged Muell. She nced around, her hand rested on the doorknob. I¡¯m sure she said she¡¯d leave the room door open at dawn¡­

    However, as she twisted the knob, it didn¡¯t turn. I¡¯m sure she said she¡¯d keep it open.

    ¡°This damn Lenia¡­¡± She took the shapeshifting key from her pocket once again and thrust it into the keyhole. The door flung open at the desperation of Park Noah.

    ¡°Who, who, who is it?¡±

    As soon as the door opened, something shed past Noah narrowly. Realizing it was a sharp knife that nearly cut her nose, something snapped within her. Perhaps it was thest string of rationality.

    ¡°Hey.¡± She mmed the door shut and approached Lenia, who was white as a ghost, profanities rushing out of her lips. ¡°You damn thing. If you promised to keep the door open, isn¡¯t it the right thing to do?¡±

    ¡°I,dy¡­ Well, the ship suddenly stopped, so I thought you failed¡­¡±

    ¡°Who said you can treat people dead as you please?¡± Noah wasn¡¯t remotely apologetic to Lenia. She was already in a terrible situation, and she exploded in irritation. She drew her face close to Lenia, who was trembling at her aggressiveness.

    ¡°If you want to bring the egg, don¡¯t touch it and deliver it properly. I don¡¯t know what you were thinking about that you brought it to me, but I¡¯ve already imprinted with Mu, so I don¡¯t need a reason anymore! I¡¯m on the verge of losing my breath right now, so I¡¯m going to break the resonance!¡±

    ¡°Yes, what?¡± Lenia asked, bewildered. However, Noah did not have any strength to spare. Muell, who was in my arms, stretched out his small arm.

    The same magic that Noah witnessed when she imprinted with Muell began to spin around her wrist, shing different colors. Lennia eximed in astonishment. ¡°No way, is the child a dragon?¡±

    ¡°What did you expect, a lizard? Just give me your hand.¡±

    She flipped Lenia¡¯s wrist and saw a blurry pattern. It was less intricate than the mark on her wrist, but it was about the same shape. Lenia Valtalere was indeed the first person to imprint with the dragon.

    A string of different colors connected Muell and Lenia. Then, it was broken. Lenia, who was clueless to what transpired, only blinked nkly. On the other hand, Mu wore a joyful look on his face.

    Noah stopped breathing for a moment under the enormous pressure flowing within her body. The resonance between Lenia and Muell waspletely broken, and the imprint between Noah and Muell was finallypleted.

 Chapter 95

    Breathing felt different than before. Noah put Muell down, straightening her back. It was strange. Just a few seconds ago, her heart thumped as if it would leap out of her throat, but in a moment it returned to its normal beat.

    The sensation she had felt when she briefly resonated with Muell in the mana operating room spread throughout her body, permeating every inch within.

    The glitters of light from Muell¡¯s fingertips were equally wrapped in hers. Noah flopped down on a chair, staring at her hands. She could feel the force that extended throughout her body, dancing along the rhythm of her heart. Noah could sense so vividly the surge of mana that she had never experienced before and instinctively knew, it was an absolute power.

    A transcendent force that no longer existed in the present age ¡ª the power of an omnipotent ruler who can summon rain, provoke typhoons, divide and, and dry an entire ocean.

    Muell was reacting simrly to Noah. He blinked, looking into his hands. Then, he eximed, the corners of his lips curling into a bright smile. ¡°I finally found it.¡±

    Noah wondered, what did he finally find? Yet couldn¡¯t ask hastily. She knew that the dragon she named was nothing like a human child, but the fact never came as strange as it was now. The tension of the mana naturally strained Noah¡¯s fingertips. Then, she tried scratching the floor of the room.

    That was all Noah did, but the results were terrifying.

    Cracks began to form rapidly at the graze of her nails, but when she noticed, damage was already made. The room shook as if there had been an earthquake and the floor divided into two.

    ¡°¡­Oh my god, mom,¡± was all Noah could utter to express her confounded emotions. She was overflowing with mana she couldn¡¯t yet control, and it leaked around her, unable to be concealed.

    A hazy murmur escaped her lips. ¡°I¡­¡±

    I¡¯m screwed now. Farewell, my calm and peaceful life¡­ Goodbye, forever.

    *

    The ss door of the promenade deck shattered as the bullets red through it, and it wasn¡¯t only the door that broke. A dark shadow, which had fallen down the hall, split in half along the trajectory of the bullet. It was a bewildering spell that belonged to a quite advanced magic.

    Kyle clicked his tongue as he checked the bullets in his revolver. When he ascended to the floor that was reserved for the passengers only, he had tried not to use his gun. However, as the entire corridor was enchanted with spells like a mine, he had no choice but to counter with the same magic.

    By that time, Kyle¡¯s suspicions reached its zenith. He had already spected that an extraordinary wizard had been involved in the incident since the train attack on Central Edman, but to sum up what he had been through sincest night, the wizard wasn¡¯t just extraordinary.

    All his senses from the five years he chased Eleonora Asil awakened, warning him. His opponent was second only to the evil woman, or perhaps, he surpassed her.

    Bang! Kyle fired thest bullet and returned the revolver into the holster. He sprinted out of the hall. Bloodstains were sttered all over the shattered ss.

    Then, he grabbed the man¡¯s back. The man, who had a bullet pierced in his left thigh and right shoulder, twisted his body and gasped for breath. ¡°Master, master, master!¡±

    At his cry, Kyle grabbed him by the cor and mmed him into the railing on the deck. It was the first word the man had uttered. The man scratched Kyle¡¯s arm, grabbing him with his unwounded left hand. Kyle then gripped his arm and twisted it. The man let out a painful scream. Kyle was astounded at the man¡¯s tenacity to get rid of the evidence even in his grim situation.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to headquarters and do the rest. I¡¯ll have the statement there.¡± Kyle took the handcuff, which had been tied to his waist, and sped them on the man.

    Suddenly, a chilly wind blew behind him, and as he nced over his shoulder, his violet eyes widened.

 Chapter 96

    It wasn¡¯t until about half an hourter that Noah left Lenia¡¯s room with Muell. Lenia had insisted that she would not die anymore despite the overwhelming pressure of the dragon¡¯s power, but Noah panicked nheless as she did not know what to do with the power she suddenly acquired.

    Then, when she had finallye to her senses, and came out into the hallway, she saw the first-ss passengers confused, and the whole ship echoed with cries. Somewhere, a gunshot was heard, and people imed there were bloodstains on the walls.

    Noah nced at the grandfather clock in the middle of the stairwell. It was already past four o¡¯clock in the morning. She began to walk through the corridor filled with passengers, and unlike before, she did not need to push her way in. The pressure around her alone prompted the people to shudder away.

    Well, isn¡¯t this a Moses¡¯ manifestation¡­?

    At the same time, some passengers recognized her appearance. A man called out, ¡°Eleonora Asil?¡±

    Upon hearing the name of the infamous witch, murmes erupted throughout the hall.

    ¡°Who? Eleonora?¡±

    ¡°The witch who retired and went down to the countryside?¡±

    ¡°The witch who was convicted with fifteen crimes?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you know, the¡­. suspect in the disappearance of the dragon egg.¡±

    But the voices gradually died down as she passed by them, and soon weren¡¯t heard anymore. Their gazes were divided in two: at Noah and at the curly-haired boy, who walked after her.

    ¡°¡­I might go crazy.¡± Noah mumbled and stood in front of the elevator with Muell. I have to open the elevator door¡­

    Click.

    ¡°¡­..¡± The elevator door opened without a touch; it responded to Noah¡¯s thoughts. Noah then entered the lift, thinking she had be scarier than Muell. The silver button, which was broken earlier, lit up as she stared at it. After a short while, she pressed her finger on the button headed to the fifth floor, which was the deck of the boat.

    ¡°Mu, it¡¯s no use hiding your identity anyway, right?¡±

    While the elevator ascended, Noah lowered her head and made eye contact with Muell. His deep red eyes were gleaming more than ever, and his clenched fists seemed eager to explore a lot of things, and at the same time, they seemed to hold back on what they wanted to do.

    Perhaps because the imprint waspleted, Noah could easily understand what Muell wanted right now.

    It wasn¡¯t only Noah who had been distressed with the iplete imprint; the little child also bore his own frustrations. Besides, Noah was now at the peak of a mental fatigue. The dragon¡¯s power relieved her physical fatigue at once, but her mental condition remained the same: worn out.

    Noah wanted to drink a cup of warm cocoa and sleep to her heart¡¯s content, and when she awoke, there would be a butler named Kyle, who would carry her to the bathroom. When she would finish showering, there would be a delicious meal prepared before her.

    Ting. The elevator stopped. Again, the door opened wide by itself. The rumors seemed to have reached the passengers on the top floor.

    When Noah appeared on the deck, there was a dreadful silence as pairs of eyes stared at her. She frowned, ncing around the deck. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should be here¡­ I can¡¯t help it. Let¡¯s go up.¡±

    At a distance, there was a mast so high that she felt sick just by looking at it. It was also the most suitable ce. She walked towards the mast¡¯s foot, and although there was a passage leading to it, Noah couldn¡¯t climb on her own.

    Dismayed, Noah frowned. ¡°I want to go up.¡±

    Just by a mere statement, a shiny translucent step emerged underneath her feet. Then, another step materialized after. Soon, the crystalline steps stretched into a stairway, leading to the top of the mast.

    As Noah and Muell reached the top, the wind blew just in time. Noah¡¯s hair gleamed a rich red, which swayed with the cool breeze.

    She shifted her gaze to the side and beheld the light of dawn, far away from the horizon. The sun was sticking out its head, tainting the calm, deep blue sea with an intense red shade. The sun¡¯s glow painted on their faces, too.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s dawn.¡± Noah hugged Muell and sat him down on the railing of the mast, and once again, established an agreement.

    ¡°As I always say, you shouldn¡¯t hurt or kill anyone. Oh, as a bonus, not without Kyle¡¯s permission.¡±

    The child nodded innocently and his eyes shone with great anticipation. Finally, Noah uttered a word of permission, brushing Muell¡¯s soft curls, which also danced with the wind. ¡°Go down and help him, Mu.¡±

    She stared at Muell¡¯s dark red orbs, but after a blink of an eye, the little child, who sat on the railing, disappeared without a trace.

    Something long and wide swept over the skies. There was a huge shadow on the mast where Noah stood.

    She lifted her head, sweeping her disheveled waves. At the top of the mast, it stood on a pir with a few cables intertwined ¡ª the one she named and epted as her own with conscious volition.

    A ck dragon spread out its enormous wings and glided across the pink heavens. The day marked the first appearance of a dragon in five hundred years.

 Chapter 97

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Kyle asked unrelentingly, gripping the man with short, ragged hair by the cor. The stranger who sneaked behind him was hiding himself in the shadow of the broken ss door.

    All he could see was the hem of a gray robe that had protruded from the shadow. Kyle asked calmly while he cuffed the man¡¯s hands. ¡°Are you the master of this man? Or¡­¡±

    The stranger uttered no reply.

    ¡°¡­Are you just a lump of machinery, too?¡±

    The gray robes moved. He appeared out of the shadows, but Kyle couldn¡¯t recognize his face still. The stranger wore a grotesque white mask, engulfed by a hood with no significant pattern. He threw something in the air and caught it. Kyle also recognized the object. It was Largo¡¯s eyeball.

    Noah dropped it in the hallway¡­

    While Kyle recalled, a deepvender scent enveloped the corridor. His face distorted the moment once he identified the smell. It was a dangerous aromaprising hallucinogens in its magic.

    It was not long before a terrible headache urred to Kyle. The information he had grasped at the brief moment, including the height, physique, and gait of the man he faced, became muddled in his head.

    But that was only for a short time.

    The strong scent ofvender was swept away by strong gusts of wind. Kyle returned to his senses, and the man in the white mask stopped walking as he approached.

    The atmosphere had changed. Kyle had only felt this sense once: when he came to Noah¡¯s house, after she had imprinted with the dragon.

    He leaned over the railing of the deck in haste, neglecting one of the most important things during a battle, which was to never show his back to the enemy. But it was meaningless at the moment.

    Nightfall was beginning to fade in the horizon. Vivid apricot waves breathtakingly swayed on top of the mast, and hovering above it, with its vast wings was¡­

    A ck dragon.

    Kyle¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. How big is it actually if it cannot be covered with my palm, even from this distance. Did that little child be so big?

    No, his mere presence was enough to eliminate all traces of magic in the ship.

    ¡°Crazy¡­ Park Noah, what did you-¡± But even before Kyle could finish his words, the dragon, which circled across the skies, began to descend rapidly. A pair of dark red eyes closed in at a terrifying pace.

    Slowly, the masked man retreated and began to run towards the stern. Kyle thought no more; he yanked his revolver from the holster in a lightning motion and aimed at his back. Bang! A gunshot set off. The man¡¯s body, which had just climbed over the railing, stumbled.

    Then, at the same moment, a giant ck dragon smashed into the railing of the deck.

    aaang!

    The deafening roar and tremendous impact shook the ferry. The dragon, which halved the deck where Kyle was standing, opened its mouth wide, revealing its sharp fangs, and snatched the man in the white mask who fell into the sea.

    The man with ragged hair screamed at the sight and even Kyle was dazed for a moment.

    The beast, covered in smooth, sleek ck scales, hovered above the waters and flew back to the skies.

    ¡°¡­Muell.¡± Kyle uttered the dragon¡¯s name, forcing himself out of stupor. His voice was faint, but the ck beast turned to him. Deep red and violet orbs met, peering into each other.

    Kyle found in the eyes of the ck dragon a mixture of the child¡¯s peculiar innocence and cruelty. The dragon flew straight back to the ship.

    ¡°Come here.¡± When he beckoned, the dragon gently shook its tail from side to side and mmed its head on the crumbling deck. However, as its head wasrger than the height of the deck, Muell could not hold him in his arms.

    Kyle asked slowly, looking at the dark red eyes that thinned vertically. ¡°You¡­ what about your master?¡±

    [¡­¡­]

    Eyes greater than Kyle¡¯s head blinked excitedly. There was only one thing for a little boy to be so enthusiastic about. Kyle didn¡¯t know when it had happened, but he knew then that Noah hadpletely broken off the resonance between Muell and Lenia.

    ¡°¡­The imprint isplete.¡±

 Chapter 98

    Waspleting the imprint really a good thing? Kyle pondered. Currently, the situation seemed favorable to Muell. Whenever the dragon nodded eagerly, something trembled in its snout.

    ¡°Open your mouth. You didn¡¯t swallow it already, did you? Spit it out,e on.¡± Kyle said to Muell, feeling his head pounding.

    The dragon opened its mouth wide. Between its dozens of spine-chilling fangs, there were lumps of metal crushed like potatoes.

    Kyle¡¯s eyes narrowed. It was the same situation he had encountered in the mana operating room. He shot a moving person, but when he drew nearer, only the fragments of metal remained.

    Is it a bewildering spell?

    Psychological magic, which used mana in the air to disrupt the human brain, was one of the most intractable spells.

    Even Eleonora Asil, branded as the greatest genius, struggled with it. Hence, the opponent couldn¡¯t possibly be from Yulem. There was no exining Kyle¡¯s bizarre situation if it was not caused by such magic.

    No matter how sophisticated a machine is, it couldn¡¯t appear like a human being. The enemies Kyle had been chasing throughout the dawn were all living and breathing people, but all but one of them transformed into scraps of metal.

    While Kyle dwelled on the mystery, the ck dragon, which spat out everything in its mouth on the deck, ascended into the air again. It seemed to return to its master.

    Eventually, Kyle heaved a deep sigh. There was nothing he could be certain of now. First, he must return and review the recording. Once Park Noah¡¯s safety was guaranteed, the government seemed to have no choice but toprehensively assess the results of the terrorists¡¯ arrest.

    ¡°I must go¡­¡± The dragon was so excited, but what kind of expression does that woman have now? Kyle tied the man, who was crouching beside his feet, to the pirs of the staircase inside the ship, and then walked hastily toward the deck on the fifth floor.

    *

    Park Noah was confronted with an unexpected difficulty. She couldn¡¯t go down from the mast.

    ¡°Oh, Mu, why aren¡¯t youing¡­¡±

    For the first time, she knew she had extreme fear of heights. It wasn¡¯t a problem when she ascended on top, she only fixed her gaze upward, but as soon as she stepped on the stairs toe down, she felt tremendously nauseous.

    In addition, she was afraid that she would cause another ident if she touched something wrong. In the end, Noah had no choice but to sit still on the mast and wait for Muell to return.

    As she nced at her surroundings, a sharp beep suddenly rang from her feet.

    Ring!

    ¡°Oh my god!¡± Noah jerked at her feet and found a radio. It was a two-way radio that was used by the workers who managed the mast. Noah swiped and pressed the round button in the center of the machine. Then, a voice erupted with a static sound.

    ¨C Status.

    Even though it was only one word, Noah was relieved of tension. She responded, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    ¨C But why is your voice like that?

    ¡°Because my mind is so exhausted. Are you okay with that?¡±

    ¨C It¡¯s perfect.

    ¡°Are you injured?¡±

    ¨C ¡­Yes.

    Kyle¡¯s answer was muffled. Confused, Noah was about to ask again, but Kyle spoke first.

    ¨C I need to clean up below, so stay a little longer. You¡¯ll be in a lot of trouble if youe down now.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Hundreds of passengers on the ship gathered on the deck, raising their heads at her side. Noah then quickly hid within the mast and whispered into the radio. ¡°Hey, sir. Why don¡¯t you arrest me?¡±

    ¨C I didn¡¯t know you wanted to be in jail.

    ¡°I don¡¯t. You weren¡¯t seen with me and Mu¡­ Won¡¯t you really get fired?¡±

    ¨C You used to say that you¡¯d hire me if I was.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Still, it¡¯s a little bit too much to be dismissed from a job that offers a bright future because of me.¡±

    ¨C You¡¯ve got all sorts of unnecessary worries.

    Kyle brushed it off as insignificant, but Noah knew it was a big deal.

    A dragon appeared on the sea, and the dragon¡¯s master was Eleonora Asil. Noah stared into the space, wondering what would be of her now. She gazed at Muell pping his wings in a distance, worn out. Kyle seemed to be watching the same scene.

    ¨C But Miss Noah, why is Mu so excited that he¡¯s sweeping the ocean?

    ¡°¡­It must have been very frustrating even if he didn¡¯t say anything. Can¡¯t we just leave him a little like that?¡±

    Muell danced on the seas, bringing chaos to the still waters. He dipped his body to the ocean, rose, and then circled the sky, and glided across the waters once again. Noah could feel the sense of freedom the child was enjoying ¡ª he now savoured the liberty he couldn¡¯t have for weeks.

    Over the radio, Kyle sighed andughed.

    ¨C The dragon is excited, and humans are going to die. Anyways, Miss Noah. Thank you for your hard work. A sloth like you must have gone through more than you can endure.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯d like you to quit if you¡¯re picking a fight.¡±

    ¨C I was going to hang up anyway. When you get down, I¡¯ll give you a cup of cocoa, so stay a little longer even if you¡¯re scared.

    The radio cut off at the end of his words. Kyle must have sensed that she was curled into a ball, afraid to look down.

    Then, Noah looked out to the horizon again.

 Chapter 99

    Far away, the woman on the mast climbed onto the ck dragon¡¯s back, and they descended. The ck bead held by a man, the Largo¡¯s eyeball, reflected the scene of the other bead.

    The man¡¯s lips thinned into a smile. The woman was almost stumbling on the dragon¡¯s back. The screen shook several times and soon stopped. A man in an investigator¡¯s uniform embraced her familiarly.

    ¡°I thought you were scared of heights, but you managed so well.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ arrest¡­¡± The woman muttered a few nonsense and soon copsed into the man¡¯s arms, her face buried deep in his chest.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s good.¡±

    Adrian stared at the sight before him before tapping the Largo¡¯s eyeball twice. The screen then disappeared.

    That woman had finally gotten her hands on the dragon. The imprint was threatening even in its iplete state, and with the imprintpleted, there would be no limit to its magic. It was an unparalleled power one couldn¡¯t easily handle, and it wouldn¡¯t be a good possession to have.

    Adrian muttered dryly, ¡°I should have stopped it.¡±

    He was unaware that Lenia was the main reason for the imperfect imprint. He admitted that he was hasty. Lenia Valtalere, who was undertaking suspicious acts; an anonymous woman, who walked in the body of Eleonora Asil; and Kyle Leonard, the chief of the Bureau of Protection.

    The opportunity to drive the three into one corner would note again as long as there was a way out.

    Then, they ought to be taken care of one by one.

    A muffled sob sounded from Adrian¡¯s feet, yet his green orbs spared no nce below. He only spoke in a light tone, as if sending a tune to the wind, and uttered words that were tantamount to a death sentence to the listener.

    ¡°No one will notice if you die here, you know?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°Why are you crying, it breaks my heart. With you tripping over your feet.¡± Adrian caressed the golden hair that was tangled among his fingers, keeping his gaze fixed at the ck dragon, which soared high into the sky. His lips wore a captivating smile.

    ¡°Why did you do such a stupid thing, Lenia?¡±

    ¡°Someday, you¡¯ll get caught¡­¡± The woman muttered, but Adrian had paid no attention to her.

    After a short while, Adrian climbed up on the deck, the hems of his uniform fluttering along with the wind. He squeezed the hat he was holding in one hand. His alluring features have been transformed into a different appearance ¡ª a changepletely concealing his identity.

    A sailor popped his head out of the stairs of the deck and shouted. ¡°Hey, what are you doing here! Get down here! It¡¯s a mess down there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ming.¡±

    The elevator guide, who was in charge of the only lift on the ferry, smiled faintly after not showing up all day. His figure soon disappeared below deck.

    *

    ¡°Open your mouth, Mu. What the hell did you eat, and you¡¯re getting metal scraps out of your mouth.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh.¡±

    Noah forced open Muell¡¯s mouth, scanning every corner inside. Sharp bits of metal were lodged in between his teeth, which were smaller than an infant¡¯s nail.

    She ced a cup before Muell¡¯s mouth. ¡°You can¡¯t pick up anything and eat it. Now, water.¡±

    The child filled his cheeks with water, blinking his eyes innocently, and swallowed. Of course, Noah freaked out. ¡°Hey! You shouldn¡¯t have swallowed it! Spit it back! Yuck!¡±

    ¡°Wag?¡± The little boy mumbled iprehensibly.

    Noah sighed and ended up having to show a demonstration of gargling water. ¡°See? Like this.¡±

    ¡°Arrr¡­¡±

    In the midst of a gargling episode, the door burst open. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± Kyle asked, who had just witnessed Noah and Muell on the bed with their mouths brimming with water.

    Naturally, both were surprised and had identally swallowed the water at the same time. Noah coughed, her face contorting in disgust. ¡°Ew¡­ Don¡¯t you know how to knock, sir?¡±

    ¡°I did. You didn¡¯t hear me.¡± Kyle looked as if he had never seen anything more pathetic. He approached toward the bed, and patted Noah¡¯s back, who was still coughing. ¡°You¡¯ve been dozing off in the mast, and now you¡¯re full of energy,¡± he said.

    ¡°You! Yes¡­¡± Noah was agitated at his tone, but there wasn¡¯t much she could retort. Even though she was running all night, fatigue didn¡¯t take over her body. But, she was feeling exhausted, still.

    Complete resonance with Meull no longer had Noah¡¯s mana drawn from her, nor her body was forced under pressure that made her feel nauseous.

    Her current condition was at its peak for the twenty-five years of Park Noah¡¯s unbelievably dull life, and the additional three years of possessing the body of Eleonora.

    However, it was only her body that was at its best. Her mental state couldn¡¯t be any more battered. Noah pulled another fragment of metal from Muell¡¯s tiny front teeth and sent the child back to the sea. ¡°Go and rx, Mu. Okay?¡±

    He should be exhausted by the time they arrive at the port. It was a cunning idea to do as the guardian of the child, but Noah couldn¡¯t help it. She couldn¡¯t control the dragon¡¯s mana, and hence she would just have to wait until Muell was tired.

 Chapter 100

    When Noah thought in her head about what she wanted, it was almost at the same time that the mana responded to her will. For instance, if she wanted to close the window¡­

    Bang! The window banged shut with a terrifying force. Noah, along with Kyle, was at loss for words as she stared at the window.

    A momentary silence ensued, and soon Kyle muttered, ¡°¡­Be careful not to think about what you want to do with something or someone.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think my mentality is strong enough to block my thoughts¡­¡±

    What was Noah supposed to do if her thoughts were spiraling on their own? Suddenly, thoughts were soaring in her mind. It¡¯s too much. It¡¯s too much!

    ¡°First, eat a lot of things that you like and think only about the things that might not actually happen. As abstract as possible.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ abstract.¡±

    Ironically, Kyle¡¯s advice was rather realistic. She tried to execute his instruction, and suddenly, Kyle appeared, holding a cup of hot chocte. Noah blinked in anticipation,pletely ignoring her thoughts.

    ¡°¡­..?¡±

    Somewhere, there was a scent of medicine. Confused, Noah took a sniff, and Kyle took a couple of steps away from her.

    ¡°Lenia Valtalere, along with his father, Count Valtalere, was temporarily locked in the cabin. As soon as we arrive at the port of Tezeba, we¡¯re going to be taken to the Bureau of Investigation and Security, and this ship will be immediately searched.¡±

    The smell of the pungent disinfectant was quickly buried in the sweet aroma of chocte that rose from the warm cup. Noah frowned and called, ¡°Sir,e here for a moment.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s luck or misfortune, but since Miss Noah¡¯s present condition is an extremely unstable time bomb, the Emperor¡¯s Majesty or the Ministers won¡¯t be able to order you to be put in a dungeon.¡± Kyle spoke rather hastily instead of approaching Noah.

    Are you doing that on purpose or are you ignoring me?

    ¡°But when you get there, you¡¯d better pretend to be Eleonora Asil, as you did to Minister Adrian Rossinell. You don¡¯t have to act, you just have to make azy face like you usually do.¡± He continued without a break.

    ¡°Okay, I promise you, soe over here.¡± Noah interrupted, bing impatient.

    Kyle paused. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to go close and die suddenly.¡±

    Noah folded her arms and threatened, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Come here quickly because I might bury you in the middle of the ocean. If you don¡¯te, I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go check the deck.¡±

    As usual, her threats had no effect. Kyle turned around and headed toward the door.

    Noah stood up, clutching her untouched cup of chocte milk, and at the same moment, the door mmed shut and the lock snapped tight.

    ¡°¡­Whatever.¡±

    Kyle stood still and turned his head. He frowned as he saw her approaching. ¡°You never listen to me,¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°Why should I listen when I¡¯m the master and Sir Kyle is the butler? You should listen to me.¡± Noah winked at him, swallowing augh.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you before, butler is not the word for me.¡±

    Eventually, augh slipped out of Noah¡¯s lips. Kyle seemed to have not realized his position yet. Noah grabbed his arm, but Kyle immediately blocked her hand.

    He stared at her for a moment and said, ¡°Let me know what you¡¯ve got to do.¡± But hisposure shattered as soon Noah stretched out her arms.

    ¡°Miss Park Noah, what are you¡­¡±

    Noah¡¯s fingers fumbled on his uniform, unsping the button on the cor of his uniform.

    ¡°¡­doing?¡±

    She ignored his words and continued to undo the buttons. She reached out to his tie to loosen it, but failed as Kyle stopped her at once.

    ¡°Why, what else do you need? Disarmament is difficult.¡± Kyle asked, fixing the detached buttons.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t need anything.¡± Then, Noah thrust her face at him and sniffed.

    Kyle definitely smelled like disinfectant.

 Chapter 101

    ¡°Now what¡­¡± Kyle repeated for the third time, peering at her with doubtful eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, keep talking.¡±

    The smell of disinfectant was faint, perhaps because his uniform was tight around his body. Noah stopped sniffing and stared somewhere in his chest.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. You can keep staring at me like that, but nothing wille out.¡± Whether her gaze was burdensome or anything, Kyle pushed her away and took a step backwards.

    Still, Noah persistently examined the movements of his arms, shoulders, waist, and legs. There was not a single peculiarity.

    I don¡¯t think he¡¯s hurt¡­

    Noah then recalled that some of the passengers were injured at themotion in the corridor. Perhaps the smell had originated from their side.

    Noah narrowed her eyes and searched Kyle¡¯s face one more time. There was a thin cut under his left eye.

    When she had seen it in the mana operating room, she merely thought it was a graze, but under a brighter light, the wound stretched quite long and was deep.

    Kyle¡¯s skin was so wless that he didn¡¯t look like a person who was just in a crime scene, making his wound even more prominent.

    ¡°Could I apply some medicine?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    But Noah had already decided the same moment she asked. She ought to treat his wound, she thought, and there wasn¡¯t a need for a doctor.

    She dragged him towards the corner of the room and rummaged through the drawers of the counter beside. Then, she took out the necessities. She also did not forget to issue a stern warning lest he might attempt to escape again.

    ¡°Stay where you are. It won¡¯t be fun if you move.¡±

    ¡°How intimidating¡­¡± Kyle grumbled. As Noah thrust her face close to him again, he paused and finally zipped his mouth.

    When she opened the lid of the disinfectant, its strong scent spread throughout the entire room.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did Kyle realize what Noah was going to do. As she began to dab a small amount of the medicine on his cut, his violet eyes showed a hint of embarrassment.

    ¡°¡­Miss Noah, you don¡¯t have to treat this little wound.¡±

    Without listening, Noah returned the disinfectant on the desk and then took the ointment next. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be leaving a scar on your pretty face. But, if I applied this a little wrongly, I could hurt your eyes.¡±

    Every time Noah¡¯s finger brushed against his wound, Kyle¡¯s eyes seemed to quiver. A few times his violet orbs wandered from side to side, unable to look at her directly, and soon fell on the floor.

    With his eyes almost closed, Noah could see his features more clearly. Ooh, he¡¯s handsome and really cool. She ced a gauze over his wound and stuck a tape on top of it.

    ¡°So, Lenia will be arrested as soon as we reach thend¡­ Then, there¡¯s one left. What happened in the mana operating room until this morning?¡± She asked once she had finished.

    ¡°I¡¯ve recorded everything.¡±

    ¡°What? Did you record in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°Video is the most important evidence, especially when there¡¯s not much proof left like this case.¡±

    Noah couldn¡¯tmend any more this man¡¯s preparedness. Had he ever taken a moment to rx, even for one second?

    ¡°We¡¯re going to go back and collect all the evidence we¡¯ve collected so far and review it. Of course, I¡¯ll show it to you.¡± Kyle continued.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Speaking of evidence, what were the pieces of metal that were in the mana operating room?¡±

    Kyle, who had been avoiding her gaze, lifted his head and looked at her in surprise. ¡°You saw that. I was going to let you know when the review resultse out.¡±

    ¡°Why? Was it something weird? What did you shoot?¡±

    ¡°A living human.¡±

    Noah¡¯s eyes grew at the unexpected remark. ¡°Not a magic device?¡± She asked.

    ¡°They looked really human until I shot them. The most valid assumption I can think of right now is that I¡¯ve been confused. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll see what I missed once I rey it.¡±

    Noah was lost in thought, her fingers still fiddling across Kyle¡¯s smooth cheeks. If the opponent had used bewildering magic, they should be a wizard, and if they belonged to the magic division simr to the guy who casted a spell on the train to Central Edman¡­

    Noah¡¯s thoughts then drifted to the charismatic blond man, Adrian Rossinell, the Minister of Magic, who was greatly suspicious. When we get to Tezeba, we need to dig into him a little more¡­

 Chapter 102

    ¡°I can hear your head talking.¡± Kyle¡¯s voice disrupted Noah¡¯s train of thoughts. As she snapped back into reality, she was met with a pair of purple eyes that immediately evaded her gaze.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but¡­ you can take your hands off now, Miss Noah.¡± Kyle muttered.

    It wasn¡¯t until she heard his words that she realized her hands were still on his face. Startled, Noah lifted her hands off his cheeks hastily. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Why were we doing this?¡±

    Kyle frowned at her question, a crease forming on his forehead. ¡°With all due respect¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Kyle, who somehow looked at her with subtle displease, grabbed her shoulders, and flipped her around. ¡°You must be full of energy after imprinting. I think we¡¯ll be arriving at Tezeba Port in about thirty minutes at this speed, so please call Mu first. If he gets there in that state, he¡¯ll smash the harbor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    As Noah approached the window, she nced at Kyle¡¯s reflection on the window. As soon as he turned her around, the tip of his ears somehow seemed a little red.

    What, why¡­? You¡¯ve been hugging me well until now. What¡¯s the matter with you?

    Noah looked down at her hands that had been tending his wound and rubbed it against each other because strangely, the heat seemed to rise at her fingertips.

    But the warmth didn¡¯t subside, so she pushed the window open and stretched her hand out into the air, feeling the cool breeze of the ocean.

    ¡°Mu,e here now.¡± The ck dragon, who was drenched in the waters far away, immediately recognized her gesture and spread its wings wide, flying onto the air.

    The creature¡¯s huge body, which was flying at a tremendous speed towards Noah, disappeared within a blink. The next moment, a three-year-old boy with ck curls ran to Noah.

    ¡°The sea is so cool, Noah!¡±

    Noah glimpsed several ships with the size of a fingernail behind the beaming child. The ship galloping across the sea at high speed was gradually approachingnd.

    After a whole three weeks since Noah had left Sorrent, the capital city of Laurent, Tezeba, was right before her eyes ¡ª the city she once returned to two years after she fell into this world.

    *

    The capital, Tezeba, was located in the northwest of the Laurent Empire.

    The headquarters of the Imperial City, called the Ruby of Laurent, which enjoyed a noble and elegant culture as it wasposed with the original houses of the aristocracy, was adjacent to the industrial city of Arral, where new inventions poured out from day to day.

    The port, which would have been normally crowded with cargo ships trading withrge and small countries alike in the central and northern parts of the continent, and ferries carrying hundreds of passengers, was as quiet as a mouse today. There wasn¡¯t a single ship at the harbor, owing to Kyle, who had sent a message in advance to clear the port.

    Noah looked down at a group of magistrates and investigators in ck uniforms, arm in arm on the ship¡¯s railing. Half of them were helping passengers on the ferry get off safely, and the other half¡­

    Was staring at her side.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have four holes or more in my body. Why are they looking at me in such a scary way?¡± Noah grumbled, pulling her wide-brimmed hat down to cover her face.

    ¡°Your reappearance means overtime for them. At least a month.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ I have nothing else to say.¡±

    When Noah was an office worker, she had once thought that if she were to be granted with a wish, she would wish for a kind, considerate employer, who wouldn¡¯t let her work overtime. She straightened her back, sending her condolences to the employees who were burdened to work overtime.

    ¡°Acting like Eleonora. I don¡¯t know if I can do it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re doing great. Sometimes, you have a scary look on your face that¡¯s simr to that woman.¡±

    Noah frowned at Kyle¡¯s statement. Simr to Eleonora¡­ She then remembered when Adrian looked at her and said the same thing. When did I look like her? When I pushed him away in annoyance?

    Fortunately, such expression had no need for Noah¡¯s acting since she was almost always wearing the same hostile look. She was azy woman after all, and her peace had been disrupted too much.

    Kyle nced down and looked at Noah. ¡°Go down. I can¡¯t hold your hand from now on. Watch your step. Watch your step¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, nagging investigator.¡±

    The feeble man, who got embarrassed when a woman had touched his face earlier, had gone away, and the strict investigator had returned. Noah passed by him and descended to the bridge connected to thend.

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    On the other side of the bridge were investigators, who wore a uniform simr to Kyle, on standby. The person at the forefront was blocking Noah¡¯s way. She looked at the investigator¡¯s shoes underneath her hat.

    ¡°Penelope.¡±

    Whether it was Kyle¡¯s subordinate, Noah heard him answer behind her back. It was a beauty, who sported short ck hair, that hampered her movements. She was a little shorter than Noah, but her short hair, rounded eyes, and slim figure reminded Noah of a lioness.

    You¡¯re so pretty.

    She stared at her briefly,plimenting her appearance inwardly, and attempted to pass by her. However, the investigator¡¯s finger hung on the trigger of her revolver, forcing Noah to freeze on her steps.

    Then, Penelope demanded with an adamant voice. ¡°For a moment, Lady Asil. I¡¯d like to ask you to disarm.¡±

 Chapter 103

    ¡°Disarm?¡± Noah lowered her eyes, ncing at her own body. There was nothing sort of a weapon, but there was a little dragon wrapped around the hem of her dress, sped his arms around her leg.

    Muell stared at the woman across them. Perhaps overwhelmed by the child¡¯s gaze, Penelope¡¯s hand, which gripped the revolver, flinched.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Noah thoughtlessly hummed, holding her chin with her index finger. The woman¡¯s gun was not directed at her face, but it was obvious that she would aim at her vital point as soon as Noah acted a little suspicious.

    Muell noticed the investigator¡¯s intention, too, and the air around them suddenly blew strong. He fired ferociously at Penelope, ¡°Get out of the way in front of Noah.¡±

    ¡°Mu, you should speak politely to an adult.¡± Noah remained faithful to the little dragon¡¯s etiquette training.

    Then, Muell changed his tone into a gentle one while sticking out his lower lip. ¡°Get out of the way in front of Noah.¡±

    Penelope, though visibly wavering, did not back down. Noah admired her calmness. The energy which Muell deliberately exuded into the air was a power closest to the origin of all beings of the world. To be able to feel this power and remainposed nheless was worthmending.

    ¡°I already checked, Penelope.¡± Kyle stepped forward and pushed Penelope¡¯s arm down. ¡°I guarantee safety.¡±

    ¡°But Captain, the opponent¡­¡± Penelope reluctantly stepped aside, but her suspecting eyes lingered at the little dragon.

    ¡°No matter how much the Captain assures, she must be handcuffed. How many times have you been stabbed in the back by that woman?¡± Penelope insisted.

    ¡°Penelope, stop.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t arrest her right now, the Minister won¡¯t let you go.¡±

    Meanwhile, Noah became lost in thought as she listened to their conversation. She didn¡¯t want to be in trouble nor cause one either.

    In fact, what frightened her most was not the little troublemaker, who clung to her, or the stunning investigator in front of her, or the powerful people in Laurent, whom she might face in the future.

    Who scared her most was herself. To be precise, her inability to control the absolute, surreal power of the dragon. If you step on the wrong foot, the ground will copse.

    Creak.

    As if to support her thoughts, cracks began to form on the bridge, specifically on where Noah was standing.

    The conversation between Kyle and Penelope, who were having a little scuffle, immediately ceased. Dozens of pairs of eyes simultaneously shifted their gaze to her feet.

    ¡°¡­..¡± No way. When she took one foot off with a sheepish smile, fragments of wood from the bridge copsed onto the sea.

    ¡°¡­So.¡± Kyle concluded with a tired face. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke her, woman.¡±

    Penelope was silent.

    ¡°Back down, Penelope. We are not allowed toy a finger on the body of Eleonora Asil.¡± Kyle¡¯s words bore a tremendous authority.

    The investigator¡¯s attitude, who had nned to confront Noah, risking the lives around them at the same time, changed a hundred and eighty degrees.

    They seemed to think Noah was going to burn to the ground everything she touched, stepped on, and even where she breathed.

    Sadly, it was true.

    While they descended from the bridge and headed to the vehicle reserved for them, Kyle whispered, discreetly grabbing her arm. ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything, Miss Noah. Please. Empty your head. I can¡¯t take your side if you act like the god of destruction has returned.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want it either, but I can¡¯t help it.¡± Noah groaned.

    Thinking the weather was somehow hot, the sky suddenly became dark. Noah panicked and immediately prayed the sky would clear up again lest the rain poured heavily on them. In a wink, the skies brightened. It was only natural for the faces of the investigators, who quietly followed after her, to be anxious.

    Eventually, Kyle suggested a solution. ¡°Then, give me Mu. If you are physically separated from the main source of power, the distance may slow down the response rate.¡±

    Is that so? Noah handed Muell to Kyle, slightly dubious. Still, he had be a familiar human being to the child, and Muell moved on to Kyle without much resistance. Noah was d there was one person that the little boy had grown ustomed to besides her.

    While Noah thought so, Muell had ced Kyle¡¯s hand on her head in a dignified manner and prompted Kyle to stroke it.

    ¡­I think Mu also treats that man as a butler. Noah enjoyed the feeling of her hair being caressed, closing her eyes.

    It was the best thing to enjoy the feeling of sweeping the hair with your eyes closed. Kyle, who embraced Muell very naturally, was either a butler or a babysitter by any means.

    Soon, they were seated in the vehicle heading towards the Bureau of Investigation, and Noah murmured a heartfelt apology to Kyle.

 Chapter 104

    The vehicle ran smoothly along the paved road and soon arrived in Aijet, the central district of Tezeba.

    Noah was surprised as she entered the Bureau of Investigation after Kyle. It wasn¡¯t because of the gray exterior that created a sense of overbearing, or because of the odd stone statues that looked down on people as they entered and exited from both sides of the entrance, but of a red carpet that didn¡¯t belong well to the solemn atmosphere.

    Scarlet petals were scattered over it, and a procession of servants lined up along the carpet. At the end of the splendid red carpet stood a little rotund man with his back against the entrance. He wore a cape so red that at first nce, it seemed that he wore a carpet over his shoulders.

    Who is that guy? While Noah wondered, the men lined up beside him turned their heads towards their side at the same time.

    She became conscious of the men¡¯s ferocious stares. They were people who were unaware of her story, and seemed to bear feelings of resentment for her.

    Park Noah, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll live a long life.

    Suddenly, a man whose eyes were somehow ring, approached Noah. ¡°Long time no see, Lady Asil. You too, General Manager of the Bureau of Investigation.¡±

    When the man greeted Kyle, a subtle hint of irritation and dismay shed in Kyle¡¯s eyes, but it onlysted for a second. He then bowed to the man, whispering to Noah. She read the shape of his lips.

    Mi¡­ Mu¡­ Minister? Oh, the Finance Minister. No wonder he looked so strict.

    The Finance Minister looked up at Kyle and nced down at Noah. His brown orbs beyond the lenses of his spectacles had a deep contempt from the moment heid his eyes upon her. ¡°The Lady still looks fierce.¡±

    It seemed to Noah that he was one of the people who had suffered from Eleonora. Noah didn¡¯t try to bow, a slight frown evidently disyed on her face.

    The Minister clicked his tongue, ¡°A woman who knows shame would never have thought ofing back to the capital city, but in a sense, that¡¯s great, Lady. Your impudence makes me want to be a little like you. If I were you, I¡¯d pretend to be embarrassed instead of staring at me tantly. But no cuteness.¡±

    An iprehensible vitriol resounded in the room. Listening to it, Noah assumed he was referring to Eleonora and Adrian¡¯s quarrel in the city.

    It wasn¡¯t Noah¡¯s personal experience, so it didn¡¯t hurt, but she felt bad still. It¡¯s not cute? Why should I be cute to you?

    While Noah was pondering whether to reply or not, an unusual person approached them. It was the man with a scarlet cape draped on his back, who caught Noah¡¯s eye as soon as they entered.

    Kyle bowed his head with much sincerity than he had towards the Finance Minister. ¡°Your Majesty, the Emperor.¡±

    Who? Noah looked at the man in front of her again in astonishment. He appeared like an ordinary middle-aged man, with soft brown hair and gentle eyes, a tender heart, but unfortunately, no charisma.

    ¡°I was just about to post a report, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°No worries. As soon as I heard that the ship had reached the harbor, I came right away.¡±

    Emperor? Emperor of Laurent? Noah stared nkly at them, mumbling to herself. ¡°Ah¡­ no wonder.¡±

    From the moment she entered the Bureau of Investigation, Noah thought something was wrong. She wondered why there were so many people wearing the same clothes, and it seemed to be servants that the Emperor brought along. The fact that he did not summon her directly to the Imperial City, but even came to the Bureau of Investigation himself meant that he was in a haste.

    ¡°I hope and hope not, but I presume you are the one who possesses the egg of the dragon?¡± The Emperor turned to Noah.

    ¡°Oh, well¡­¡±

    Noah was unable to utter a response immediately as she contemted on her words. Instantly, she was reprimanded.

    ¡°Thisdy, you know! What kind of behaviour is that? She doesn¡¯t respond to His Majesty immediately!¡±

    Noah was bing anxious. Overwhelmed, a blunt answer slipped out of her mouth instead. ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out what to say now, Minister. And your wig is crooked, by the way.¡±

    ¡°What, what¡­¡±

    ¡°You should raise it a little to the right.¡±

    Noah set an example, fixing her hair, and the Minister hurriedly raised a couple of gray hair to the right. Little did he know, it was only Noah¡¯s prank. His wig was actually skewed in the right, so when he pushed it to the same direction, the wig fell to the floor.

    ¡°This¡­ this vile¡­¡± The Minister¡¯s face turned pale and suddenly flushed red. Unable to find anything to say, he turned around and hurriedly arranged his wig.

    Kyle squeezed his forehead, and Noah gave him a sullen look. He was the one who said she ought to act like Eleonora Asil. If she did so, there wouldn¡¯t be a single person who would be able to do anything to her, even if he was the ruler in this country.

    Imitating the witch meant she was to behave pompously, but Noah had no talent to mimic her elegance, so she decided to give up and take a different path.

    Namely, The King of Destruction, Park Noah.

    She nced at thergest and thickest pir at the entrance. With one glimpse, mana twisted like a string of rope, which wounded on the pir and tightened around it. It was a sight only visible only to the eyes of Noah and Muell, unseen to everyone else.

    Soon, the pir, wider than a person¡¯s extended arms, broke.

 Chapter 105

    The faces of the people paled in an instant, their eyes as wide as their mouths. At that moment, their vague contempt for Eleonora Asil transformed into fear.

    However, there was nothing more amusing thanmanding the same people to be polite to her. Noah spat out rather intimidatingly, ¡°I told the General Manager over there that I was willing to coborate, but I wouldn¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do if you keep treating me like this. Sir Leonard realized these past couple of days that you shouldn¡¯t provoke me. Would you like me to make you understand you in a simr way?¡±

    This time, everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to Kyle, who was patting Muell¡¯s back with a tired face. He looked rather pitiful in their eyes.

    There was a stifling silence, and soon the Emperor opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Alright. I apologize for the minister¡¯s mistake. He didn¡¯t mean to insult you. Isn¡¯t that right, Finance Minister?¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Your words tend to be a bit harsh. Admit it and apologize. Come on.¡±

    ¡°¡­Sorry, Lady Asil.¡± The Finance Minister apologized with a disgruntled face. As the Emperor offered an apology himself, Noah decided to not press the matter further anymore, and nodded with the same contorted expression.

    The Emperor gave a goodugh. ¡°What a lovely sight. Now, Lady, you already know. I believe you will keep your promise to cooperate with the Imperial Family.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Now, it was time to prove her willingness to cooperate, and there was also only one way to gain the confidence of the Emperor of Laurent while simultaneously lowering the risks she posed.

    ¡°Mu, would you like to go to the Imperial City first?¡± Noah asked the little child, who was hugging Kyle.

    ¡°First?¡± His round eyes blinked in confusion.

    ¡°Yes. A few days¡­ No, just a week ahead.¡±

    That way, Noah would be apart from the dragon for a little while. It had been confirmed that it was possible to consciously control the mana if the physical distance from the source was great. It was good for Noah to be kept away from Muell until she somehow became used to the potent force.

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    But, of course, the boy wouldn¡¯t easily get away from his master. Feeling like Noah was leaving him behind, Muell began to p his arms and legs, attempting to get out of Kyle¡¯s grip.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be with Noah, old man.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not an old man.¡±

    ¡°You are right. Let me go!¡±

    Kyle and Muell made a wild fuss. Noah watched the rare scene wherein a human, who had lived for twenty-eight years, and a dragon, who had lived for a month, squabbled.

    ¡°You keep calling me uncle, Mu. I would rather have you call me by my name.¡±

    ¡°Noah said you were an old man.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t change it, I won¡¯t take you to Noah.¡±

    At the butler¡¯s remark, the child¡¯s face showed deep sorrow. Noah then hurried to their side, interrupting their petty quarrel before Muell burst into tears. ¡°Mu, if you promise to go ahead and stay calm without causing trouble, I¡¯ll let you go back to your main body.¡±

    Muell¡¯s eyes widened in an instant, blinking away the tears as big as a bead, which trickled down to his puffy cheeks. Noah grabbed the opportunity to persuade the boy and cooed.

    ¡°Our Mu is a kind and patient dragon, so he can do well without Noah. There will be many more amazing things in the Imperial City than you¡¯ve ever seen. If you¡¯re really bored, tell your uncle to dress with a wig and y¡­¡±

    Finally, after ten minutes of cooing, Muell finally nodded. ¡°Well¡­ you have toe quickly.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will.¡±

    ¡°But I will fly right away when Noah¡¯s in danger,¡± Muell sniffed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t happen, but if anything happens, I¡¯ll call you right away.¡± After Noah had sessfully convinced the dragon, she materialized in the air a piece of paper and a pen, and scribbled down instructions.<b> Milk should be heated three times a day. Better with honey or vani syrup.</b><b> When sleeping, be sure to change into pajamas.</b><b> After eating, he has to take a nap, so hug him and pat his back.</b>

    Muell was not a difficult dragon to handle, and if they hadmon sense, they wouldn¡¯t do anything to provoke the anger of a dragon. Well, if they¡¯re that stupid, they can¡¯t help it. A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye¡­

    ¡°¡­Uh.¡± Noah forced her thoughts to a halt. What, what am I thinking?

    Frightened, she rushed to Muell and made him promise. ¡°Mu, it is absolutely forbidden to kill indiscriminately. Alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    When Noah saw the child smile again, she was relieved. Then, she handed the Emperor a note of the instructions she had written, and the Emperor¡¯s expression was somehow nerve-wracking.

 Chapter 106

    After Noah had bid her farewell to Muell, who was in tears, she was immediately guided to the top floor of the Bureau of Investigation and Security. The interrogation room or detention center for questioning violent criminals was reportedly located in the basement of the building. However, Noah was taken to a luxurious VIP room.

    Inside was a finely decorated bed, a wardrobe and a table. Its bathroom was alsovish, and the ceiling was graced with a dazzling chandelier.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it more than enough? Wow, it¡¯s pretty much like a hotel.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a room where the Imperial Family or nobility, brought in as a reference, stays. The door can still be locked, but the recording machine will also run. Would that be all right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. If I fall down right now, I think I can sleep for about two days.¡±

    Kyle ced her suitcase on the table and grabbed Noah¡¯s arm. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve been saying this, but you should wash and change clothes before you plop on your bed, Miss Noah. Why don¡¯t you do it when you change Mu into his pajamas?¡±

    ¡°Because Mu is a baby, and I¡¯m an adult.¡±

    ¡°And Mu is a dragon, and you¡¯re a fragile human with zero immunity and zero stamina.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten quite immune. Now, I can be so calm with your nagging.¡±

    Kyle no longer felt the worth of arguing with Noah anymore, so he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her into the bathroom. Then, he mmed the door shut without a word. Giggling, Noah unbuttoned her dress.

    Suddenly, she remembered something and opened the door. ¡°That¡¯s right, sir, what¡¯s the schedule for that interrogation in the future¡­¡±

    Her words soon trailed off to silence. Beyond the half-opened door, there were two men along with a woman. The man with his back on Noah, and the woman was the investigator earlier. Penelope.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Since the bathroom was situated in the corner of the room, far from the door, Noah couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about. However, Penelope was seen holding and pulling Kyle¡¯s arm. Kyle followed her and soon disappeared into the hallway.

    ¡°Uh.¡± Noah blinked for a moment and left the bathroom. Then, she approached the door, which was left ajar, and mmed it shut. ¡°Why leave the door open knowing I¡¯m in the bathroom?¡± she grumbled.

    At the same time, Noah found it a little bit strange to hear her subtle whine. She crossed her arms, ring at the wooden door. It¡¯s not weird. I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s with a pretty woman or not.

    She thought so, but there remained a lingering bitterness. Noah harshly dumped water on her head and then went straight to bed after.

    *

    ¡±Oh,e on.¡±

    Noah is in the bathroom.

    As Kyle descended the staircase, he looked back at her room hurriedly at the sudden realization. The front of Noah¡¯s room was to be kept guarded with investigators.

    Fortunately, the door was closed. Kyle sighed with relief and turned around. Her miraculous lifestyle made it obvious that she would stir around the room in a nightgown.

    He finally arrived downstairs, unbuttoning his uniform, which revealed the wound he had kept from Noah. There was a sharp pain in his left side.

    I think Park Noah¡¯s dullness is quite fortunate at times like this.

    Penelope, one of his immediate subordinates, hastened him. ¡°Captain, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve called a doctor for you. You have to go right away.¡±

    Kyle shook his head, handing his uniform to Paul, another subordinate who followed behind him like a puppy. ¡°Just do first aid. I have a lot of work to do. Was Lenia Valtalere kept underground?¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°Captain, captain. It must be treated on time. It looks like it¡¯s already opened several times!¡± Paul stood in front of Kyle, frightened. Kyle only shrugged while his subordinate¡¯s hand pointed fervently at his waist.

    Apparently this morning, blood was seeping out of the wound Kyle had treated himself by sterilizing it and covering with bandages thereafter. Upon seeing his bloodstained shirt, which was a new recement for his previous soiled one, he frowned.

    ¡°We¡¯ll take Lenia Valtalere¡¯s statement. I¡¯m in charge, so the captain needs to go and get some treatment! Please!¡±

    ¡°Since when did you think of me as weak?¡± Kyle ignored the pleas of his colleagues and headed to his office on the third floor.

    But he breathed a deep sigh when he saw a medical staff already waiting in line in front of the hallway of the Oval Office. ¡°Such hassle¡­¡±

    ¡°Come in, General Manager.¡±

    Awmaker in charge of the Bureau of Investigation and Security, known for his strictness, scorned rigidly. In the end, Kyle was forced into the Oval Office.

    Bang. Penelope and Paul only rxed after the door of the office was closed. Paul rubbed his forehead roughly. ¡°What a workaholic. Sometimes I wonder if he doesn¡¯t feel the sense-¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way. You guys.¡±

    Paul, who was grumbling, eximed, frightened as the door suddenly swung open. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, boss!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kyle asked back with a frown. He was half-naked, after he was forced to take his shirt off by the hands of the medical staff rushing at him.

    Then, with a bandaged waist, he threw a small box of machine at Penelope. ¡°It¡¯s a record of all the events that happened in the ship, Angelic. Go ahead and edit it by time.¡±

 Chapter 107

    ¡°Yes, I understand, Captain.¡± Penelope, a well-trained investigator, lowered her eyes from her superior¡¯s naked body and received the device he gave her.

    ¡°No¡­ No, I will do the interrogation of Eleonora Asil myself. Don¡¯t talk to her recklessly, provoke her, or be rude. Understand?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have a chance¡­ If we attempt to, we would get retaliated. Isn¡¯t it unfair?¡±

    Kyleughed as Paul murmured mncholy. ¡°It won¡¯t happen if you just let her sleep soundly. Oh, let¡¯s have regr meals three times a day. Hot cocoa for dessert. Don¡¯t give me any other snacks.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain¡­ what?¡± Paul trailed off at the end of his response, confused. Meanwhile, Penelope, who had been diligently writing down the orders of his superior, a habit she had taken from him, also slowed down, looking at the memo she had written herself.

    Kyle¡¯s order was exactly what Eleonora Asil had requested in the instructions she had given to them. Penelope was a little confused. However, Kyle showed no signs of doubt about what he said. He added a few minor orders and closed the door again.

    ¡°It¡¯s a strange day¡­¡± Paul muttered in a puzzled voice.

    Penelope shrugged. ¡°Now, we have to appease her as much as we can.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Even so, you have to pack your own meals¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe she won¡¯t even give us a chance to rebel? You know the Captain has an allergy to Eleanora. If you say that to the boss, you might get hit.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Let¡¯s go, Penelope. Are you going to edit that recording?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Take Valtalere¡¯s statement with you.¡±

    The two investigators, unaware of anything that had transpired between Kyle Leonard and Eleonora Asil went on their way. At the end of the hall, they diverged into two directions. Penelope headed towards the investigator¡¯s office while Paul moved forward to the interrogation room underground.

    And for just one and a half days, when Kyle was forced to take a rest after treatment and Noah was asleep without the knowledge of the world, a few things happened simultaneously.

    Paul encountered unexpected difficulties during Lenia Valtalere¡¯s interrogation, and Penelope witnessed a fairly suspicious scene in Kyle¡¯s recording.

    *

    It was only two days after Noah had been sprawling like a sloth in the VIP room of the Bureau of Investigation and Security. Contrary to her expectation that she would be cleared of charges in a day or two, the situation turned out to be not favorable to her, and it was not Kyle Leonard who brought to her the news.

    She was dozing in the armchair with a thick quilt wrapped around her body when she was woken up by the sudden rush of investigators. Upon hearing the first words they uttered, she was wide awake.

    ¡°Uh, so now, what?¡± Noah blinked, at a loss.

    ¡°I want you to take her down to the interrogation room right now.¡± The investigator, who, ironically, had gentle eyes,manded in a threatening tone.

    ¡°Please cooperate, Lady Asil.¡± He didn¡¯t put a handcuff around her wrists nor pointed a gun at her forehead, but he was menacing enough.

    What, is something wrong?

    Noah was forced to follow the investigator down despite the ominous foreboding she couldn¡¯t shake off, and when she arrived in front of the underground prison and interrogation room, the fear she felt beforehand paled inparison with what she beheld before her.

    I¡¯m scared!

    Contrary to the ground floor, which was a neat modern building, a harsh atmosphere, which seemed to have just emerged from the Middle Ages, engulfed the basement.

    The floors, made of stone, were unevenlyid, grim columns and iron bars lurked every corner, and dimly litnterns casted gloomy shadows everywhere.

    Dozens of iron gates were hung on both sides of the corridor, and judging by the number on the door tes, it must have been a cell for the prisoners.

    Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not gonna lock me up here like this. Noah¡¯s shoulders shrank at the sight of the prison she had never seen before. Upon seeing a prisoner with heavy chains on both his ankles trudging behind the investigator in the hallway at a distance, goosebumps erupted all over her skin.

    ¡°What number is the interrogation room?¡±

    ¡°Number 0. Where the Mana Breaker is activated.¡±

    The investigators surrounding Noah seemed to be exchanging whispers among themselves, but she couldn¡¯t hear them well. Frightened, Noah was seriously contemting whether or not she should escape and call Muell.

    ¡°For the captain only?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Captain. It was a title that referred to Kyle Leonard. Though she perched her ears and paid attention, the investigators did not have any further conversation. Still, it was reassuring if Kyle interrogated her himself. As soon as she could enter, she would ask what was happening.

    However, the foreboding prevailed. As she followed the group of investigators, she scanned the vicinity and saw two people walking from the other direction toward their side.

 Chapter 108

    ¡°Lenia¡­¡±

    The woman, who was following a male investigator, was certainly Lenia Valtalere. Although a shawl concealed her face, the color of her hair which protruded from the cloth was evidently hers. She and the investigator-in-charge were heading towards the same direction Noah was from, that is, the entrance to the prison.

    She made a hurried whisper. ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Lenia Valtalere? Is she gonna be released?¡±

    ¡°Of course, she¡¯s innocent.¡±

    ¡°Innocent?¡±

    The egg thief is innocent? Before Noah could protest in dismay, the investigator urged her dryly. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Of course she wasn¡¯t the one to be told that.

    Get out of the way.

    Before Noah could utter one word, the mana in her responded. The investigator, who was trying to stand in my way, was pushed roughly against the wall by an intangible force. She then grabbed Lenia. ¡°Lenia, look at me.¡±

    Lenia¡¯s eyes were hidden beneath the veil. As Noah stared at the cloth, the shawl moved by itself, revealing her face. She looked a little gaunt, but she didn¡¯t seem to have suffered. Well, Noah didn¡¯t want Lenia to be tortured, but if that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t she too well?

    Noah asked, softening her voice as kindly as possible. ¡°You said you were innocent.¡±

    There was no response.

    ¡°You said to me on deck that day. When I save you, you¡¯ll tell me everything I¡¯m curious about.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Noah thought she heard the wrong answer, and when she red at Lenia in dismay, the corner¡¯s of the woman¡¯s mouth drew a smile and let out a dryugh.

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember. I¡¯m sorry, Lady.¡±

    ¡°¡­What in the hell?¡±

    As soon as she descended the ship, Lenia was arrested and taken to the Bureau of Investigation. It¡¯s only a matter of time before Lennia¡¯s alibi turns out to be a lie, as Lenia¡¯s double still resided in Valtalere¡¯s mansion in Aijet. What a shameless attitude!

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± At the same moment, a realization dawned on Noah. Did she take care of it already?

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you alone, then. My father is waiting.¡±

    Lenia tried to pass by Noah, leaving only a monotonous remark. It was only natural for anger from betrayal to rouse within Noah. Who was it that saved your life?

    ¡°Lenia Valtalere, do you think this is funny?¡± Noah spat out coldly as Lenia walked toward the entrance.

    Her wrath immediately materialized into reality. With a chilling sound, a huge predator set its ws on the hard stone floor, resulting in a session of scratches, Fragments of stone bounced into the air.

    When she saw the investigators who responded immediately, pulling out their weapons, Noah didn¡¯t flinch one bit. There was only one emotion that consumed her head.

    I¡¯m tired of this now. Should I just kill her?

    ¡°¡­Lady Asil.¡±

    A sharp voice cut off Noah¡¯s hateful thoughts, and the pieces of stone that soared into the air immediately froze. She turned her head to the origin of the voice and saw Kyle standing at the end of the hall.

    ¡°¡­Sir.¡±

    When she met with his violet orbs, the extreme emotions that raged within her gradually subsided. Only then did she return to her senses.

    What were you thinking?!

    ¡°You clearly promised me you wouldn¡¯t make a fuss. If you rebel more than this, I can¡¯t treat you as politely as I have done, you know.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Lloyd, please take Lenia Valtalere upstairs.¡±

    Noah grabbed hold of her throbbing head and watched Lenia disappear beyond the entrance. You¡¯re sending her like this? No, before that. What was I really just going to do?

    Oddly enough, although it was just a moment ago, Noah¡¯s memory of the situation had already vanished as if it was swept away by a tide. All that was left was a sense of bewilderment and marks on the floor.

    ¡°Follow me, Lady Asil.¡± Kyle turned around. Noah walked toward him and sped her fingers around his arm, hoping that the only two of them would be left in the interrogation room. There were plenty of things Noah wanted to ask. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in a normal state right now¡­

    But as soon as they entered the small, dark room, Noah realized that it was not possible for her and Kyle to converse exclusively.

    Confining the room were metal bars all over the wall. There was only one iron desk and dozens of tape recorders were ced in every corner of the room.

 Chapter 109

    Only the faint noise of the tape recorders upied the room. ¡°Let¡¯s sit.¡± Kyle pulled a chair from the table. Meanwhile, Noah felt slightly nauseous looking at the dozens of ss lenses directed at her.

    Kyle nced at her, seated firmly and flipping through a thick pile of documents. He gestured dryly without giving Noah any attention. ¡°I asked you to sit down. You know that one of the things I hate is wasting time.¡±

    Noah stared at the pen, ink, typewriter, and small tape recorder on the iron desk, biting her lips. She couldn¡¯t adapt to Kyle¡¯s sudden change of attitude yet. Finally, she took a deep breath and sat down on the seat across Kyle. Kyle, who was skimming through the documents, shifted his attention to her.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to do an alibi investigation today. Everything you do, every word you say, every breath you breathe is being recorded, so please answer carefully.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°First, what is your rtionship with Lenia Valtalere?¡±

    It was not an expected question. While Noah hesitated, having nothing to say, Kyle asked again. ¡°What are your threats against Lenia Valtalere in the ship?¡±

    ¡°It was not a threat, it was¡­¡±

    ¡°In addition to Lenia Valtalere¡¯s statement, we¡¯vepleted the on-site verification. She imed that you had trespassed into the room where she was staying and even tried to harm her.¡± Kyle thrust a couple of photos printed ck and white to Noah. One was a picture of the room¡¯s door knobpletely torn, and the other was a picture of the room¡¯s floor split into two.

    Noah clenched her fist, staring at Kyle. ¡°I never did.¡±

    It was difficult to tell whether he was asking from the bottom of his heart or was merely putting a show. But why do you have to be so cold?

    ¡°Why did you try to contact Yulem again?¡± Kyle resumed the interrogation without ceasing.

    ¡°What did I do?¡±

    ¡°The train incident to Central Edman and the explosion of the ship¡¯s mana operating room. Yulem was present at both of those sites. You¡¯ve already illegally distributed high-risk chips with built-in self-destruct devices in the same organization. What do you get by taking a dragon and interacting with them?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t! No, in the first ce, I¡­¡±

    ¡­I didn¡¯t steal Mu! When did these suspicionse into being, what the hell!

    Something simmered in Noah¡¯s head again; however, her emotions didn¡¯t go as extreme as when she confronted Lenia earlier. Still, she felt like she wanted to at least punch the stomach of the man in front of her.

    The dragon¡¯s mana remained responsive to her will once more. The iron desk, which was rooted to the floor, began to shake dangerously.

    The next moment, something kicked Noah¡¯s foot under the desk, but there was no need to glimpse below. Noah blinked nkly, broken off from her trance.

    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Kyle fixed his posture with a dry apology. ¡°So, the barrier of the Laurent Fortress was dismantled, then the central mana device was neutralized, and you were able to enter. You took the dragon¡¯s egg, which was on the verge of hatching, came out again, and restored the central mana device to its original state, andstly, you returned to Sorrent¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait.¡±

    In an instant, the alibi of a crime Noah didn¡¯t evenmit waspleted. Kyle then proceeded to the next question, leaving no second for Noah to be dumbfounded.

    ¡°Have you had an aplice?¡±

    Tuck. The intensity was weaker than before, but this time, Kyle kicked her leg under the desk again. At this point, Noah thought it was a mistake. She answered with her teeth clenched, trying to put her heart to rest.

    ¡°There is no aplice.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an exclusive offense. Why did you imprint with the dragon?¡±

    ¡°¡­Because he¡¯s cute.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Because he¡¯s cute. Because he¡¯s pretty. I want to live with him. Why not?

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll write it down.¡±

    Noah leaned against the back of the chair, folding her arms. Nheless, Kyle continued without faltering. ¡°Did you contact Yulem again to secretly test the dragon¡¯s mana? That¡¯s why I caught you on your way to Central Edman?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She couldn¡¯t read Kyle¡¯s mind at all. Thinking her crimes were continually increasing in number, Noah began to chatter randomly in an attempt to make her image look not so bad.

    ¡°I did it just for fun¡­ for fun. I wanted to y with a cute baby. I swear I didn¡¯t know the train would break and the ship would stop. I just want to spend the rest of my life quietly.¡±

 Chapter 110

    Kyle typed the nonsense Noah was spewing without missing a single word. His eyes were still numb and sharp. If Noah could cut a person¡¯s throat with her stare, she would have cut him five times.

    ¡°Then again, why threaten Lenia Valtalere?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to threaten her.¡±

    A lump swelled in Noah¡¯s throat; she thought it was unjust. Why do you keep using me of things that I didn¡¯t even do. You promised to clear me of the charges, why would you make me say all these?

    ¡°It was just a mistake. Since it¡¯s a dragon, there are moments when I can¡¯t control it. I¡¯m sorry if it seemed like a murder threat.¡± Noah spat, tasting the blood on her lips.

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡± Noah¡¯s eyes red at Kyle. ¡°If I really wanted to kill her, would Lenia Valtalere be alive to make that statement?¡±

    At her remark, Kyle paused for the first time. He looked at her face for a brief moment, and then turned to the typewriter again.

    Tuck, tuck. For a while, only the sound of typing filled the interrogation room. Noah lowered her eyes, trying her best evading the thought that she wanted to smash the iron desk.

    Finally, Kyle pressed the transfer button. With a shallow sigh, he scoured the desk and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s over, Minister. I just transferred all the transcripts.¡±

    ¨C Good work, Sir Leonard.

    Noah looked to the side, startled at the voiceing from the wall. It sounded like the voice was transmitted through a mechanical device.

    ¨C We¡¯ll discuss it again with the Vice Minister. First, inform Lady Asil of the trial schedule.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kyle replied, marking the end of their conversation.

    Now I¡¯m going to trial. It isn¡¯t surprising.

    While Noah was keeping her mouth tightly shut like a m, Kyle rose from his seat, tidying the scattered papers on the desk. And without saying a word to Noah, he turned around and moved towards the entrance to the interrogation room.

    He stopped in front of the door, lifted a lid from the wall, and began to press something.

    What are you doing?

    Noah¡¯s curiosity quickly unraveled. The light on the recorder situated in front of the desk, which was taking pictures of her face, went out. Then, the recorder that was filming the side of her face also turned off, andstly, the recorder that was recording from the bottom shut off.

    When Kyle pressed thest button, every recorder in the interrogation room made a series of noises and soon went dead.

    The air was still inside the room where all the tapes had been turned off. Kyle checked whether the recorders had stopped, and then approached Noah.¡°Good work, Miss Noah.¡±

    This damn man has finally called my name.

    Kyle¡¯s tone returned to its original manner. For a moment, Noah was overwhelmed by a sense of relief. While she blinked nkly, Kyle, who took off his uniform jacket and put it down on the desk, sat in front of her.

    ¡°Are you surprised?¡± He asked, unbuttoning his ck shirt that was stiflingly tight.

    ¡°You know nothing.¡± Noah murmured, her voice cracked.

    ¡°You look pale.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not pale.¡±

    Noah could now see why Kyle was acting colder than when they first met. The entire duration of the interrogation was recorded and was currently being transmitted.

    ¡°¡­No one can hear us now?¡± She asked hesitantly.

    ¡°No one can hear us now. I turned off all the transmitters. We have¡­¡± Kyle nced down at his wristwatch, estimating the time. ¡°Half an hour would be fine.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°I was surprised to see you dragged down- Miss Noah?¡±

    When feelings of relief, irritation, injustice, and sorrow for being trapped in such a creepy ce reached the extreme, Noah¡¯s eyes were clouded. She bit her lips and red at Kyle. ¡°It¡¯s really annoying, you.¡±

    ¡°No, wait a minute.¡±

    As tears trickled down her cheeks, Kyle jumped off the table in surprise. ¡°Why are you crying?¡±

    ¡°Really, really, really annoying. What did I do so wrong? Why should I be held in this interrogation room?¡±

    ¡°Miss Noah.¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t know anyone else. You can¡¯t do this to me. You know I didn¡¯t!¡±

    It¡¯s unfair. It¡¯s unfair. It¡¯s not fair! I haven¡¯t done anything wrong in all the years of my life. Why should I be in such a tight ce? Why would I be detained like this?

    To Noah, amoner, everything in the ce was horror. She rose from her seat. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Her strong desire to escape the ce shook the air in the interrogation room. As soon as the door of the room jittered, about to be opened, Noah¡¯s shoulders were pulled and her body was swung back.

    ¡°Miss Noah, wait a minute.¡±

    Noah wriggled against Kyle¡¯s grip, who tried to restrain her. Eventually, Kyle pressed the back of her head into his arms.

    ¡°You can¡¯t go out yet. I can¡¯t reason properly if you suddenly go out.¡±

 Chapter 111

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say to you.¡±

    ¡°You should know why you¡¯re here.¡± Kyle sighed and loosened his grip on Noah. His hand, which wandered near her shoulders awkwardly, eventually fell to her back, and began to pat softly.

    At his embrace, Noah was somehow scared of the familiarity. There was only one person in the world who knew Park Noah other than Muell, and if Kyle didn¡¯t take her side¡­ Noah didn¡¯t even want to think about it.

    She didn¡¯t even want to make such an assumption. The damn butler didn¡¯t even know a grain of his master¡¯s unstable state of mind.

    ¡°I was wrong. I thought you would be alright.¡± Kyle sighed over Noah¡¯s head.

    Look at me, you don¡¯t know! Noah spat out iprehensible words, holding back tears and hups. ¡°Betrayal, uh, betrayal, this. I¡¯m just a regr¡­ Ugh.¡±

    ¡°Yes, an ordinary person. I forgot for a moment. I should¡¯ve told you beforehand, but I didn¡¯t have the time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never even been inside that Imperial Pce¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course. How would you get in there? I just needed a statement to be sent to my superiors right now, so I made a usible alibi. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s no big deal.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s ck shirt was soaked with tears. There were hundreds of things that swirled in Noah¡¯s head, but there were only a few she managed to sputter.

    ¡°Lenia, release¡­ You¡¯re trying to get rid of me instead, you son of a b*tch¡­¡±

    Kyle managed to understand and answered right away. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. This is driving me crazy. Why are you so imaginative about this?¡±

    ¡°Then why are you putting the me on me!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. If you stop crying, I¡¯ll tell you. Please stop. Why did this suddenly happen to the one who came down bravely at the bottom of the ship?¡±

    The gentle strokes on Noah¡¯s hair pacified her emotions, her breathing gradually bing regr. However, her temper immediately red at Kyle¡¯s ignorant murmur.

    ¡°I¡¯ve put away everything that¡¯s really dangerous¡­ No weapons here.¡±

    Shut up, you son of a b*tch! I¡¯m just scared of the prison itself!

    Kyleughed as Noah punched him in the shoulder, forgetting to cry. ¡°You¡¯re still alive.¡±

    ¡°If you keep talking, the next is your stomach.¡±

    ¡°No thanks.¡±

    When her tears finally stopped, Kyle held her shoulders and leaned back slightly, looking at her face. Noah snorted and red at him.

    When she first started to cry, she was embarrassed and didn¡¯t know what to do, but now she wasughing. Kyleughed along as he wiped the tears under her eyes with his thumb. ¡°Since when have you had so many tears?¡±

    ¡°¡­Cry more? Would you like to drown in a woman¡¯s tears today?¡± Noah¡¯s nose was so stuffy that an unpleasant nasal sound came out. Kyle looked kind of pitiful, raising her chin a little and wiped her cheeks with a handkerchief.

    ¡°That¡¯s a cute threat. But I know that was thest of it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s really¡­ If you¡¯re surprised, you should¡¯ve told me right away. I thought it was okay because the tape recorders were turned off.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m insensitive to everything? I want you to treat me with care. You¡¯re disqualified as a butler.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good news. Blow your nose, too.¡±

    Noah looked at him, proudly blowing her nose into Kyle¡¯s handkerchief. Since she fell into their world, Noah had shed tears only twice: when Kyle pointed a gun at her and now.

    Come to think of it, it¡¯s both because of this guy?

    Noah narrowed her eyes and warned Kyle. ¡°Don¡¯t make me cry again. If you surprise me one more time, I¡¯ll treat you as the main culprit for disturbing my peace and rest. I¡¯m going to sign you as my real butler for life.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to keep that in mind. Look at me. Raise your head.¡± As if he wasn¡¯t satisfied yet, Kyle cupped her cheeks and scrutinized her face. In Noah¡¯s perspective, he seemed to be assessing the messiness of her appearance.

    She opened her squished mouth and asked in a hurry. ¡°What happened to Lenia?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a hassle.¡± Kyle sat her in a chair and seated across her, after he had decided she was a little clean and presentable now.

    The light expression he had a while ago disappeared, and with a slightly nervous look on his face, he gave Noah a piece of statement. It belonged to Lenia.

    ¡°Lenia Valtalere refused to confess. Somehow, when we were on the ship, she never opened her mouth. She waspletely consistent.¡±

 Chapter 112

    ¡°¡­There was a fake in Tezeba. Did you investigate it already?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°We have seized and searched the Vatalere¡¯s mansion first, but only the answer we acquired was that she had been away a month ago. When I summoned the man who had reported to me, he replied that he must have mistaken Lenia Valtalere for her maid. All the pictures taken as evidence are of poor quality for some reason¡­¡± Kyle spat. He must have been very angry as bits of profanities slipped from his lips.

    I knew it. She must have been able to change her attitude like that because she had already taken care of her alibi.

    ¡°And crucially, the woman believed to be Lenia Valtallere or her stand-in had never entered the Imperial City on the day of the disappearance of the egg.¡± Kyle continued.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The defensive barriers surrounding the Imperial City automatically recognize and record the identities of the visitors. I checked everyone who entered and left the Imperial City that day, but there was no record of Lenia Valtalere.¡±

    ¡°You mean it was manipted?¡± Noah¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The problem is, we can¡¯t keep her in custody right now because we don¡¯t have sufficient evidence. There¡¯s no excuse to persuade His Majesty and the Minister.¡±

    Now that Lenia had gotten the better of Noah, Noah was driven into a corner. She even admitted to the crime with her own mouth, being interrogated just now.

    ¡°As soon as they received Lenia Valtalere¡¯s statement, they ordered you to be arrested first. It¡¯s probably hard for you to be cleared of charges now that it¡¯s like this.¡±

    ¡°What then? Do we really have to destroy this ce with Mu and end up as fugitives?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so extreme. Why do you keep resembling Mu?¡±

    Uh, I do? While Noah was bewildered by the unexpected remark, Kyle gave a clearer answer.

    ¡°If the truth isn¡¯t revealed, I can¡¯t release Miss Noah no matter how much I do. Of course, we can¡¯t keep you in a cer like this for fear of revenge, but you can¡¯t get out of the Bureau of Investigation for months. Then, there¡¯s only one way you can get out of here the fastest. Acknowledging the charges and being sentenced to a moderate time.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Only after hearing that much did Noah realize why Kyle had to take a false statement from her. Kyle flipped his pen and continued.

    ¡°The trial is probably just a formality. Once you cooperate, Laurent will have another magical revival in 500 years, so it¡¯s a waste of time. Besides, our cute baby dragon is hitting all kinds of bricks in the Imperial Pce¡­¡±

    Nice, Mu. Noah wanted to hold the child back in her arms and smother him with kisses. Kyle snapped his pen down on the table and concluded the conversation.

    ¡°So, Miss Noah, of course, would be as relentless as she was, but now she has no choice but to endure.¡±

    ¡°What should I expect in prison?¡±

    ¡°Part of the property, volunteer work, depending on the circumstances. That¡¯s about it. There¡¯s no way they could ask you to be sentenced to prison in the first ce when a dragon is scared.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    The witch¡¯s body already had fifteen previous convictions, so what¡¯s going to be so different if one more was added to the list? There was no need to worry, Noah convinced herself. She tried to nod her head as a sign of agreement, but stopped at the words of Kyle that followed.

    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s something you need, and you need it in a formal way.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Self-reflection.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Letter of apology? ¡®Well, I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do that again, so please forgive me¡¯? Noah asked in wonder. ¡°Is that really enough?¡±

    ¡°It depends on how much you use it.¡±

    No matter how awful it might be, it couldn¡¯t possibly be worse than her graduation thesis. The thought made her feel a little better.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll finish it right away tomorrow. It¡¯s like a letter of apology.¡±

    Kyle only uttered an ambiguous response. ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°¡­..?¡±

    Well, it didn¡¯t take Noah long to understand the real meaning of the word.

    Just the next day, when Noah went down to the underground interrogation room to write her letter of apology, she found a pile of nk sheets of papers piled up on the steel desk.

    ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t tell me I had to write twenty sets of reflections, did you?¡± Noah grumbled as she wrote on her fifteenth letter.

    ¡°No one believes you anyway, so a single page will never be enough. It¡¯s not that the content is important, but it¡¯s important that Eleonora Asil wrote on a hundred sheets for self-reflection.¡± Kyle replied as he handed Noah a new piece of paper, his face awkwardly stiff, as if he was stopping augh froming out.

    In other words, it was her effort that would matter. With all her heart, Noah was reflecting on the sins she had notmitted in a hundred pages or more.

 Chapter 113

    Despite her whines and grumbles, Noah dragged the pen along the nk sheets of paper. Did she have a choice? No, she had to endure to acquire her freedom.

    <b>It was never intentional. It wasn¡¯t a premeditated crime, it was just an idental mistake. I¡¯ve never had contact with Yulem, and I guess there was a conflict as they approached me knowing that I had imprinted the dragon¡­</b>

    ¡°Why do I have to write this!¡± Noahined as her fingers were beginning to feel numb, but flinched at Kyle¡¯s re as she attempted to throw his sixteenth letter of apology away.

    ¡°Miss Noah, I told you I was working all night to reduce your sentence. So, how to behave as one at the receiving end of help?¡± Kyle asked very gently but with menace in his words at the same time. After three seconds of silence, Noah replied, bowing her head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll finish it without saying anything¡­¡± She wrapped her fingers around the pen again, gliding it across the paper along with her mncholy.

    If you forgive me just this once, I will really be reborn as a new person.

    *

    A little tired, Kyle blinked slowly as he read Noah¡¯s letter of apology. Her handwriting, which first started straight, became more and more iprehensible after a few paragraphs. In fact, thest chapter had almost been scrawled.

    However, since the Emperor had no ns to read each letter anyway, Kyle inserted the fifteenth reflection in theption instead of nagging Noah to write properly. While Noah was writing her sixteenth letter, Kyle took out his case log and checked the list of things he had to deal with.

    <b>Eleonora Asil murder.</b>

    <b>A mass disappearance in the Noviscosha mine.</b>

    <b>A back-up investigation of Lenia Valtalere</b>

    <b>Post-op interrogation of the train to Central Edman and the assassins from Yulem on Angelic.</b>

    <b>Review after editing the recording.</b>

    There was so much Kyle had to do. If Noah¡¯s trial would bepleted safely, the case of the egg¡¯s disappearance would be officially closed. However, since the real culprit wasn¡¯t her, Kyle must catch Lenia¡¯s tail and seize the power that controlled her.

    In the meantime, something unusual was happening on Noviscosha¡¯s side, so he had to go on a business trip, but he couldn¡¯t handle Tezeba and Noviscosha¡¯s affairs at the same time unless he had two bodies.

    Fortunately, Penelope and Paul were reviewing the transcripts of the train to Central Edman and the attacks on the Angelic, but Kyle was afraid if he didn¡¯t check the videos himself.

    Ring. Breaking the moment of silence, the pager on the desk rang. Kyle raised his head and pressed the pager¡¯s button, giving Noah a wink to continue writing.

    ¨C Captain, I need to talk to you for a moment.

    ¡°Penelope?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s body was strained. He snatched the pager and answered. ¡°Why, is something wrong?¡±

    ¨C No, it¡¯s not like that, but¡­ Are you still interrogating Lady Asil?

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kyle¡¯s voice was low. Once he had entered the interrogation room, his men usually didn¡¯t call him, well aware of his personality that he hated interruptions. But he had received a call, which meant something happened.

    ¡°Going up. Stand by.¡± He grumbled.

    ¨C Ah¡­ No, Captain. It¡¯s not urgent, so I¡¯ll report it to youter. I¡¯m sorry to interrupt.

    ¡°What? Penelope, you¡¯re kidding me¡­¡± Kyle was about to snap in annoyance and exhaustion, but stopped when Noah stared at him in unease.

    ¡°¡­For now, I see.¡± If I startle her and she cries again, I¡¯m in trouble. In the end, Kyle turned off his pager after replying to his subordinate.

    ¡°Oh, where are you going?¡± Anxiety was already written all over Noah¡¯s face. Seeing that she was eyeing all his movements with her eyes, she seemed to really hate being left alone in the interrogation room. ¡°Are you going?¡±

    ¡°I have a job to do¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll finish writing. Let¡¯s go out together.¡± Noah stretched her arm over the table and took his hand. Kyle looked down at her hand, a little embarrassed. Thest time Noah held him was when she treated the wound on his face, and he was quite ungrateful to her.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we go together?¡± Noah looked at Kyle with sullen eyes while pouting her lips.

    It was hard to say ¡®no¡¯ to her expression.

 Chapter 114

    ¡°¡­¡­¡± How can I leave her when she¡¯s like that? Staring at her, Kyle concluded that Noah was anguid cat. On a sunny day, the cat would lie on its belly by the window and doze off under the sun. She would onlye when she felt like it or when she needed her owner, and when she finished, she returned to her ce and dozed off again.

    ¡°Then do it quickly¡­¡± Kyle muttered, sighing.

    Noah¡¯s face lit up as soon as Kyle gave her a positive answer. Still, it was admirable to see her move the pen with fervor unlike before, and eventually Kyle took the seat across her.

    Fortunately, he benefited from it. No matter how much of a workaholic he was since he was born, he needed a minimum time of rest.

    ¡°Miss Noah, what was your original hair color?¡± Kyle blurted out suddenly, as he watched Noah, who shook and massaged her wrist from time to time, as if her arm was hurting.

    ¡°Me?¡± Noah raised her head at the random question, and Kyle immediately realized he had asked a stupid question, shaking his head hurriedly. ¡°No, it¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°It was brown.¡± Noah answered casually, ignoring Kyle¡¯s embarrassment with his own entricity. There was no emotion in her eyes other than the annoyance at her own situation where she was about to be buried in pages of reflection.

    ¡­May I ask you some more, then? As soon as Kyle thought so, the next question slipped from his mouth. ¡°What color were your eyes?¡±

    ¡°My eyes were simr to the color of my hair. Bright brown. I¡¯ve heard a lot say that I don¡¯t have very much pigmentation.¡± Noah answered Kyle again this time, her voice gentle. Somehow, she even looked very cheerful. ¡°It was a bit of a hereditary thing. I looked like my mom.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    ¡°My face wasn¡¯t as pretty as the face of Eleonora, but it was worth looking at. If I knew I was going to be in this world, I would have taken my body with me. Then, it wouldn¡¯t have been necessary toe into this body and suffer like this.¡± Noah continued, sighing.

    With her words, strange urrences of her life sounded so insignificant. Noah muttered a few more words in a deep voice, moving the pen furiously, ready to smash her forehead to the piles of letters. It was one of the few sights of a motivated Noah Kyle had ever seen.

    Suddenly, a random thought crossed Kyle¡¯s mind. The shell Noah was wearing, it really didn¡¯t go with her. Noah was a very ordinary person, as she always insisted, though with a consistent expression of fullness. She was far from being involved with weapons, prisons, crimes and trials.

    At first, Kyle assumed her appearance was simr to Eleonora, but today he believed Noah didn¡¯t match her shell. Once he thought about it, the branches of his thoughts stretched out. Park Noah¡¯s original body. Her original face.

    Kyle was intrigued about such things. However, it was unlikely that he would reach the end of his curiosity.

    Thud. Noah, who jotted thest word so hard that the tip of the pen broke, snapped Kyle out of his trance. ¡°I¡¯m done! Can I go up now?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, good work.¡± Kyle gave up on his thoughts and got up from his seat with Noah¡¯sst letter of apology.

    The trial was just tomorrow.

    *

    Penelope stayed in her office all afternoon. Therge translucent screen that floated in front of her desk was ying a record from the tape that her boss handed over.

    It was really unusual for Kyle to miss something as he was a person who calcted at least five or six numbers at once. Had it not been for his injury, he would not have handed over the chip containing this information to Penelope.

    ¡°Phew¡­ what the hell is going on.¡±

    The recordingsted about fifteen hours exactly two days ago, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the next day. Everything that happened in the mana operating room was shocking in itself, but there was something else that surprised Penelope the most.

    It was a record of around three o¡¯clock in the morning.

    ¡°I was a little worried if I coulde back up, but fortunately you came.¡±

    The screen was dark, but judging from the rough silhouette, Penelope could tell what the situation was.

    ¡°Good. It would have been pretty difficult if Miss Noah hadn¡¯te down.¡±

    Almost at the same time as when Kyle spoke, the screen glowed a subtle orange. Penelope could glimpse a hair with the color apricot. There was only one woman she knew with such unusual hair. Eleonora Asil.

    ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re asking me if I had dinner in this situation?¡±

    ¡°Are you hurt? I was worried!¡±

    Penelope assumed the conversation wasn¡¯t between Kyle and Eleonora. There was no way it could be, she thought. Eleonora Asil had fifteen previous convictions. After adding thetest case, she became a violent criminal with sixteen convictions. Furthermore, Kyle Leonard was her exclusive investigator.

    I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re in a rtionship like that¡­

    However, it is difficult to quench her doubts. Why did Kyle have to be next to Eleonora when she wrote a letter of apology in the first ce? For several days, it was only the two of them in a closed interrogation room.

    When Penelope attempted to call him, his boss¡¯s voice over the phone was as cold as usual, but¡­

    Penelope frowned and fidgeted with the recorder. Unbeknownst to Kyle, she had put a small recorder under the desk in the interrogation room where Eleonora was being questioned. Of course, she would be dead lest she is caught, but there was something suspicious about their conversation that she had to take the risk.

    ¡°Miss Noah, what was your original hair color?¡±

    ¡°It was brown.¡±

    Penelope¡¯s face clouded with doubt, but even more so, with embarrassment. ¡°Why would you talk like this?¡±

 Chapter 115

    Penelope had deep respect and admiration towards Kyle. He was never a man tomit an offence and a man who would rather jump off the top of the Imperial Pce than fall in a forbidden love with a criminal.

    All actions performed by such a thorough and obstinate dignified man were bound to be followed by reasonable reasons.

    Penelope turned off the recorder after a moment of thought. An investigator should not make any judgment anchored on personal feelings during an investigation, but she decided to keep quiet about it first.

    Perhaps she would discover the reason for Kyle¡¯s actions after the trial of Eleonora Asil. Moreover, if a scandal were to break out between the General Manager and Eleonora Asil, the Bureau of Investigation Security, which was already struggling to cope with heaps of cases, might copse. What good would it bring?

    Night shift¡­

    Penelope sent the images to the inspection team, a kind smile on her lips, and then locked the chip containing all the records inside the desk¡¯s drawer. At the same instant, someone knocked on the door of her office. Penelope¡¯s mouth thinned and she wore a nk expression, calling out.

    ¡°Yes. Come in¡­ Minister?¡±

    A smiling man burst into her office. His hair was a glittering blonde that instantly enlivened the dull office. ¡°Long time no see, Penelope.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing else. Just because thetest train terrorist attack on Central Edman revealed that our side was involved. I came in person because you said it was confidential, but I don¡¯t think the general manager is here now?¡±

    ¡°The captain is currently interrogating. It¡¯s an unwritten rule not to call during interrogation. Would you like to wait a little?¡± asked Penelope.

    ¡°Okay. Can you find out how long it takes?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Just a moment¡­¡± Penelope approached the wall on the right, grabbed the phone and contacted an investigator in the interrogation room.

    Meanwhile, the man circled the office and approached the window. Then, he sat on the window frame and casually inserted a key into the lock hole in the drawer across the window and turned it around. A slender, delicate hand took a nail-sized chip out of the drawer.

    ¡°Yes, Paul. When do you think it¡¯ll be over? It¡¯s nothing else, the Minister of Magic is here right now. Yes, because of that terrorist incident. Ah¡­ yes.¡± Penelope returned the phone and turned around. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Minister, but today¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, is it difficult?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s an issue.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. Your opponent is Eleanora. The boss is always in trouble.¡± Adrian grinned and hoisted his body off the window frame. ¡°Tomorrow was the trial? Then I¡¯ll be back the day after tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Do you have anything else to say to the captain?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Adrian stepped out into the hall<b>. </b>The chip bounced into the air over his head and then disappeared back into his grasp.

    And the next morning, the trial of Eleonora Asil began.

    *

    Noah felt like she was going through a lot of things that she had never experienced in her previous life. She sat in the defendant¡¯s seat in the middle of the court and thought things over.

    I¡¯ve been in the interrogation room for a few days, and the judge isn¡¯t very scary to look at¡­

    Worried that Noah might break down and cry again, Kyle kept reassuring her that the trial was only a formality as he brought her to the court. He even wrote the expected progress of the trial, as if his encouraging whispers weren¡¯t enough.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use magic with anger. Don¡¯t think about anything, just answer the questions as you have memorized, okay?¡¯

    The trial was said to be conducted under the Emperor¡¯s observation, with the Justice Minister taking the position of judge. The prosecutor seeking her sentence, of course, was her exclusive investigator, Kyle Leonard. Lastly, the one who would defend her was a specially hiredwyer named Jenald.

    Of course, the trial was likely to end in thirty minutes at the earliest, as there was a tacit agreement between the three leading judges.

    Noah looked around and found the Emperor in a splendid cloak on a two-story seat, which overlooked the presiding judge. The tip of his brte hair was curled up elegantly.

    Soon, she found a boy standing proudly on his feet with a cape on his back. Muell looked around and found Noah waving from the bottom, and immediately clung to the railing.

    What, why do you have a tail?

    A ck arrow-shaped tail was sticking out behind Muell¡¯s butt. He wiggled his tail excitedly at Noah, and bit the emperor¡¯s hand that was trying to dissuade him.

    ¡°Uh-oh!¡±

    Noah thought she heard a faint scream, but shrugged it off. She couldn¡¯t figure out whether she ought tough or cry upon seeing the Emperor¡¯s vivid fear to touch the dragon. The Emperor rubbed his bitten hand and opened his mouth solemnly.

    ¡°Now¡­ Everybody be seated.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until the Emperor was seated that all the people in the room sat down. The Justice Minister issued a formal courtesy to the Emperor before dering the start of the trial.

    ¡°Then, I will begin the trial. First, a full-time investigator. Sir Leonard, start questioning.¡±

 Chapter 116

    Kyle rose from his seat. He was dressed in an unusual suit. The man who was chatting nonchntly with Noah yesterday had disappeared, and the investigator, who had no ounce of sympathy, asked the first question calmly.

    ¡°Are you, Eleonora Asil, the one who stole the dragon¡¯s egg from Laurent Fortress and imprinted with the dragon?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± answered Noah.

    ¡°The reason you tried to make contact with Yulem is to test the dragon¡¯s power, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Does the Yulem terrorist incident on Train 6478a and Angelic have anything to do with you?¡±

    ¡°No, Yulem attacked me first for the dragon, and at that point, my contract with Yulem was nullified.¡±

    The questions Kyle asked were simr to those that had driven Noah into the interrogation room a few days ago. Her reaction was much calmer than it was then. When she admitted her crimes without much rebellion and answered in a gentle manner, a small roar rose from the audience.

    Kyle asked a few more questions as it was in the script, and finally stated. ¡°¡­So, I demand a five-year prison term and a thousand hours ofmunity service after that.¡±

    It was thewyer¡¯s turn to defend next. Thewyer poured out his words without hesitation.

    ¡°Your Honorable Honor. I know the nature of the defendant¡¯s crime cannot be easily forgiven, but please take into ount that she is fully remorseful. The motive for the crime was not to harm Laurent, and that it was that dragon, Muell, who chose her as the imprint.¡±

    The next moment, a hundred or so self-written letters of apology, which Noah had written over five days, were handed to the presiding judge. The presiding judge nced at her letters of apology and nodded.

    ¡°Anyst words, defendant?¡±

    Now was the time to express her deep sentiments. Noah would say ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. From now on, I will sacrifice myself for the sake of the Laurent Empire.¡± and after that, her role would be over, and if the judge ruled, the trial would be over.

    As soon as she opened her mouth to speak, inhaling deeply, the door of the court room opened wide. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards the door.

    There stood an investigator. He casted a troubled nce at Kyle, who looked at him in confusion.

    ¡°Paulo, what¡¯s going on?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Paulo looked around at the crowd¡¯s baffled faces and quickly approached Kyle, whispering something to him. Noah clenched her fist nervously as she saw Kyle¡¯s face horribly stiff.

    What is it, what is it, again?

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Soon, Kyle rose from his seat and headed onto the podium where the Justice Minister sat, an evident frown on his face. His conversation with the Minister was not heard among the crowd, but seeing the Minister surprised, something unexpected seemed to have happened.

    Kyle returned to his seat, and after a few seconds of silence, the presiding judge pronounced in a low voice.

    ¡°We will allow witnesses to attend.¡±

    ¡°Witness?¡± Witnesses weren¡¯t in the script Noah had received. Anxious, she turned her head towards the door.

    The closed door was opening again. Someone¡¯s foot stepped onto the floors of the court and soon it appeared¡­

    Blonde hair.

    Noah gasped. ¡°Oh, you!¡±

    There was only one blonde Noah knew of. Her bewilderment quickly turned into embarrassment. Unconscious, she jumped up from her seat. ¡°Stalker!¡±

    The man who stormed into the court was none other than Adrian Rossinell. The man who turned out to be the Minister of Magic and who had been nothing but an annoying brat all along the train bound to Battuanu.

    Adrian, dressed in a white shirt and gray pants entered without a hitch and stood on the witness stand.

    Noah retorted violently, her face contorted. ¡°What are you suddenly here?¡±

    ¡°The defendant will remain quiet.¡± The judge ordered. Noah flung back into her seat, frowning.

    Adrian looked at her with a mischievous smile, as if he had something under his sleeve that Noah knew nothing of. The sight of his determined and captivating smirk immediately rmed Noah. What was he nning to say?

    ¡°Your Honor.¡± The words rolled smoothly from his lips.

    ¡°All of Laurent¡¯s wizards are under my control. So far, I¡¯ve defended Eleonora Asil¡¯s natural magical talent, but this is a high-risk crime that¡¯s hard to ignore, and of course, the sentence stipted by the investigator is undeserving. In order to assist the judge¡¯s decision, I would like to testify as a head of the Ministry of Magic.¡±

 Chapter 117

    ¡°¡­Continue.¡± When the judge¡¯s permission was given, Adrian¡¯s lips thinned into a line. His green orbs were fixed exactly on Noah. ¡°For about five days from May 2nd to May 7th, I have been next to Eleonora Asil, watching her,¡± confessed Adrian.

    ¡°What? Hey, when did you¡­¡± Noah trailed off. Oh. Yes, he was. He and I had taken the same train from Lunazel to Battuanu¡­ While she was at a loss for words, words flowed from Adrian¡¯s lips smoothly.

    ¡°The effect when the pure and unparalleled magic of the dragon is fused with Eleonora Asil¡¯s own unique powerful magic, in a negative direction, seems immeasurable. Even the defendant herself doesn¡¯t know how to handle the dragon¡¯s mana.¡±

    Noah stared at him in incredulity while Adrian only shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s had problems with her magical powers over the past two years. So, she tried to steal the dragon¡¯s egg and make up for it, but it didn¡¯t work out the way she wanted. Oh, like now.¡±

    Noah lifted her arms off the desk, startled, and a crack formed on the surface exactly where her hands rested. Moreover, as she nced at the crowd above as gasps and murmurs erupted throughout the courtroom, the chandelier began to sway dangerously.

    Terrified, Noah attempted to pacify herself. Don¡¯t think about anything. Don¡¯t break anything, don¡¯t get into trouble¡­ Rx. Calm down. She struggled to empty her restless mind, recalling her beautiful,zy life back in Sorrent.

    But her effort shattered in a snap when Muell, who sensed her emotions, began to stir.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    The railing which he had been holding onto turned into fine dust and disappeared into the air. The Emperor behind the child gasped, his eyes widening. While the guards rushed to surround the Emperor, Muell immediately jumped from his seat.

    ng! An incredible roar resounded throughout the entire room, sending vibrations that shook both walls and floors.

    A reporter, who had been sitting in the middle of the courtroom, panicked and fled with a typewriter. At a distance, shock was written all over Kyle¡¯s face. However, Adrian was as calm as a stillke.

    ¡°Mu!¡± Without further thought, Noah climbed over the desk and ran to the center of the judge¡¯s court. She pulled Muell into her arms, embracing him tightly, and at the same time, Adrian also began to move.

    ¡°Quiet, quiet!¡± The cry of the presiding judge was buried at the screams of the audience trying to escape. As Kyle was about to approach her, Noah frowned in disapproval. She then turned to Adrian. ¡°Stalker, what the hell is this? Are you going to put me in jail?¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    Muell¡¯s mana began to spin in the air menacingly. Looking at Adrian¡¯s unbothered expression, something stirred within Noah. A few days ago, a simr wave of emotion aroused in her when she ran into Lenia in the underground prison at the Bureau of Investigation and Security, and it was annoying.

    ¡°Do you want me to kill him?¡± Muell, who clung his arms around Noah¡¯s neck, whispered to her ear. Indeed, it was a sweet and tempting option. Adrian approached her, still wearing a smile on his lips. Then, he pressed her forehead with his finger. ¡°I¡¯m on the verge of feeding the dragon.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    His words froze her momentarily. Taking advantage of her stupor, Adrian threw something beneath her feet, which bounced to her fingers. The next moment, there was an intangible barrier that surrounded them, and Noah¡¯s back was pushed against the invisible wall.

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    Adrian grabbed Noah¡¯s shoulders and forced her to sit down. Noah hissed, gritting her teeth. ¡°What is it, this? What did you do?¡±

    ¡°A temporary solution. And what I¡¯m gonna do now is¡­¡± Adrian pressed his knee to her shoulder to stop Noah¡¯s protest and snatched her wrist. With a gruesome click of a lock, a heavy weight sped on Noah¡¯s wrist. The ck threads that originated from Muell¡¯s mana, which was crawling toward Adrian¡¯s back, shook for a moment and scratched the floor next to Noah instead of him.

    Adrian whispered, clutching Noah¡¯s neck with his hand. ¡°By any chance, have you heard of Obelith Chains?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you bastard!¡±

    ¡°This is also your invention, Eleonora.¡±

    Cold metal touched her neck. Noah instantly recognized the feeling. ¡°What did you put on my neck?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not something that would harm you.¡± Adrian stood up, smiling at her one more time.

 Chapter 118

    Breathing hard, Noah scratched the cold metal around her neck with her fingers. Kyle rushed to her side and pulled Noah in an embrace, and Noah instinctively buried her face into the familiar arms, coughing.

    Meanwhile, Adrian returned to his ce to testify, his voice calm as if nothing had just happened. ¡°But it must be true that the dragon¡¯s power will contribute to Laurent¡¯s revival, taking into ount the value of the current dragon¡¯s master, Eleonora Asil¡­¡±

    Suddenly, the invisible barrier surrounding Noah vanished. Muell growled and clenched his small hands, ready to attack. Noah hurried out of Kyle¡¯s grasp, stopping the furious dragon.

    ¡°¡­Conclusively, Your Honor.¡± Adrian¡¯s voice resounded distinctly amid the shambles in the court. He was the only one too poised andposed. ¡°In addition, I would like to ask the defendant, Eleonora Asil, to be restrained with the Obelith Chains. Also, petition for 200,000 hours ofmunity service, andstly, I ask you to bestow me the authority to specially manage the defendant.¡±

    For a moment, Noah doubted her ears. How many hours ofmunity service? 200,000 hours¡­? Calctions swiftly rolled in her head. 200,000 hours was about 8,300 days, and 8,300 days¡­

    Approximately twenty-two years¡­? Forty-four years for twelve hours a day, and about sixty years for eight hours a day.

    It¡¯s a life sentence for me!

    There was no need to think about it. ¡°Wah, you crazy bastard!¡±

    ¡°Miss Noah, don¡¯t move.¡± Kyle was busy scrutinizing the chains on her neck. Frowning, Muell attempted to resonate with Noah, but Noah couldn¡¯t still sense Muell¡¯s mana. However, it was fortunate that there was no impact on her body as Adrian had said. It wasn¡¯t harmful to her.

    Adrian, who nced at Noah, gently urged the judge. ¡°The honorable judge,e on, judge.¡±

    ¡°¡­The defendant.¡± The presiding judge, along with the justice minister, breathed in deeply and handed down the sentence. ¡®The defendant is sentenced to 200,000 hours ofmunity service, 100,000 pounds of bail. All subsequent actions should be directed to Minister Adrian Rossinel¡­¡± His voice was full of will to end the dreadful trial even a second earlier. It was not long after that the gavel was striked, indicating the end of the trial.

    The echo of the hammer rang in Noah¡¯s ears with a sense of foreboding. If I lost her freedom to Adrian here, it would be very, very painful. Everythingfortable would singlehandedly go down the drain!

    In the guise of voluntary work, wouldn¡¯t she be taken somewhere else?

    As the justice minister was just about to hit the gavel for thest time, a resolute voice sounded right behind Noah.

    ¡°Your Honor.¡±

    It was Kyle.

    ¡°Give it to me. The special administrative authority for Eleonora Asil subsequent to this trial.¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°I will stake my name, my position, my honor, all my trustworthiness, and protect Laurent from threats. It was originally my responsibility, so I¡¯ll take responsibility for all subsequent incidents rting to Eleonor Asil.¡±

    His words surprised Noah, but her bewilderment was immediately overtaken by fear at the voice of Adrian.

    ¡°Not like that, Sir Leonard. It¡¯s not a good thing to say here, but¡­ It¡¯s not time for you to be so proud, is it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, Minister.¡± Kyle retorted, his voice cold and heavy. In contrast, Adrian wore a bright smile the entire time. Kyle was cold as ice while Adrian was hot as fire.

    Adrian came one step closer to Kyle and whispered quietly. ¡°The romance between an investigator and a criminal¡­ I wonder how Laurent¡¯s people will ept this.¡±

    ¡°The investigator and the criminal¡­ What?¡± Kyle asked, dumbfounded. On the other hand, Noah realized her mistake and turned pale. She had called Kyle sweet names even when Adrian was around.

    Overwhelmed with embarrassment, Noah hastily interrupted Adrian who was about to speak. ¡°Do it. Yeah. Do it. Once a week instead. Make it a regr report to you. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Two times a week.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, twice.¡± Noah agreed with a clenched jaw.

    The finance minister, who had managed to remain in his post, shouted back. ¡°Yes, do it! The defendant¡¯s overall management is done by Sir Leonard, and requires regr reports to Minister Rossinell. The trial ends here.¡±

    With a look of exhaustion and annoyance, the presiding judge struck the bar with a sharper move than before. ps echoed throughout the court. The trial was over. The final ruling was to report to Adrian regrly, with 100,000 pounds of bail, 200,000 hours ofmunity service, and Obelith Chains on her neck and wrists.

    In the middle of the courtroom, where both the judges and audience were rushing out, Noah crawled out of Kyle¡¯s grip and grabbed Adrian by the cor.

    ¡°¡­Hey, you mongrel.¡±

 Chapter 119

    ¡°How many hours of volunteer work? 200,000 hours? You want me to live my whole life doing unpaid work?¡±

    ¡°Is that important? It¡¯s not that you hate it?¡± Adrian smiled affectionately, patting the chains on her neck. Noah¡¯s body shivered at the cold touch of the metal, but it didn¡¯t exactly frighten her.

    ¡°Hey, you think I can¡¯t break one of these?¡± It was no better than a weak bracelet made out of flowers in front of a dragon. Climbing up to her neck, Muell opened his mouth wide and two sharp fangs appeared between his lips.

    As soon as he was about to dig his sharp teeth on the chain, Adrian whispered into Noah¡¯s ear. ¡°You thought you wanted to kill me, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Noah looked up at him in embarrassment, and he shrugged as if he already knew everything. ¡°Shameless. You don¡¯t know how to handle the dragon¡¯s mana, did you think it would be over with just the imprint?¡±

    ¡°¡­Exin it properly.¡± Noah muttered.

    ¡°Is it really just mana that dragons and their masters share? If you thought so, you are so naive.¡±

    Noah was silent.

    ¡°Just because your dragon looks so cute, you shouldn¡¯t really think he¡¯s human, Ellie. Tell me. Murder impulse, how many times have you felt it so far?¡± Adrian asked.

    So far, it had been twice. When Noah ran into Lenia underground and just a moment ago, when Adrian unexpectedly testified in her trial. Soon, Noah was filled with the realization, and was horrified. No matter how annoying a person was, it wasn¡¯t normal to feel the urge to kill them sincerely.

    At some point, she was being toocent, believing it would be as simple as merely not to think about it. Noah didn¡¯t even realize she was so wrong.

    When she bit her lips, Adrian pointed to the little boy hanging from her arm with his eyes. ¡°And how many times has this dragon felt such an impulse so far? Ah¡­. I can¡¯t say it¡¯s an impulse. You may not feel any guilt.¡±

    Chills ran down Noah¡¯s spine. She gulped, lowering her gaze to Muell. His dark red orbs were staring at her with a hint of uneasiness, as if he understood her emotions. Noah gazed into the eyes of the child, trying to find any inhumanity.

    ¡°You can¡¯t control your magic, you can¡¯t keep your own reason. Ellie, do you even know you¡¯re in pretty bad shape?¡± Adrian spoke sarcastically

    Now, Noah understood. She didn¡¯t know what she felt the most scared of herself would be expressed in such a way, but¡­

    Adrian fiddled with the chains on her neck, whispering. ¡°This restraint will protect you from the dragon. Of course, it¡¯s a man-made object, just like you said, so the dragon can break it if it decides to. So, it¡¯s up to you. But I don¡¯t think you¡¯d have to break the leash and abandon your humanity.¡±

    Noah couldn¡¯t argue with Adrian knowing so well he was right. When she stood frozen, Adrian nudged her gently. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to learn to control the dragon¡¯s mana from me anyway when youe to Tezeba. I promised to meet you regrly.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Learn magic from me. Step by step from the basics. If you¡¯re judged to have improved enough not to be swallowed up by the dragon¡¯s power, I¡¯ll let you go.

    Noah uttered nothing, but Adrian and she herself already knew the answer. Adrian smiled softly and stroked her head. ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t think it¡¯s a losing business, do you?¡±

    ¡°¡­Why are you offering me this?¡± Noah asked, skeptical of his intentions.

    ¡°Well, because I love you? Because I don¡¯t want you to be in danger?

    ¡°I don¡¯t tolerate bullsh*t.¡±

    Adrian pouted his lips at her cold remark. Noah red at him, falling into a deep thought. The man across her was already suspicious. He knew Muell was a dragon at first nce and approached her deliberately.

    Furthermore, the rtionship between Yulem and the Ministry of Magic was suspected, and Adrian was the first person to dig into.

    However, maybe it wasn¡¯t such a terrible opportunity. Noah arranged her thoughts, staring at Adrian¡¯s outstretched hand. Wasn¡¯t it not a bad n to obtain what she needed and at the same time, uproot this man¡¯s roots?

    Noah nced back at Kyle, who was still watching them with his finger carefully ced on the trigger of his revolver, and then nodded slowly. ¡°Okay. Twice a week.¡±

    ¡°Then, the deal is established.¡± Adrian grabbed her hand and shook it a couple of times.

 Chapter 120

    ¡°¡­Let me ask you one thing.¡± The deal was established, but Noah still held reservations. She grabbed Adrian¡¯s arm, pointing to the restraint that was fastened to her neck, and asked. ¡°This, do I really have to wear it around my neck?¡±

    The chains weren¡¯t thich, but the material was metal, so it was heavy and painful. However, before those, somehow Noah couldn¡¯t get rid of the shame of wearing what looked like a dog cor.

    Adrian replied, chuckling softly. ¡°No, not necessarily. You can have it on both wrists, or you can wear it around your ankles.¡±

    ¡°But why did you put it on my neck¡­?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I like.¡± Adrian jiggled his keys yfully. His green orbs, gazing at her neck, darkened for a moment. He then pressed his finger on the chains, causing Noah to cough. When she nced at him, Adrian¡¯s lips were almost watering.

    ¡°And¡­ quite handy.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, you pervert.¡± Frustrated and annoyed, Noah kicked Adrian in the shin.

    *

    Kyle wasn¡¯t very fond of the chains on her neck. After the chaotic trial, they left and headed to Eleonora¡¯s home, and Kyle only red at her neck the whole time while they were in the car.

    However, Noah was preupied with another matter, moving on from the shame of her dog cor. What would it be? The little bastard sitting on herp, staring at her with big, round eyes. As Muell was about to fling his arms around her, Noah coldly refused, looking the other way. Seeing tears brim in his eyes made Noah guilty and weak.

    ¡°Noah, you¡¯re angry¡­?¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Noah assumed that the child¡¯s apologies didn¡¯t really mean that he understood his mistakes. She knew it was time to make a change in her teaching methods. No matter how much she said, ¡®Don¡¯t do this,¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t do that,¡¯ it was still futile.

    So, what do we do¡­ She nced at Kyle, who sat beside her, still staring at her wrists and neck alternately.

    ¡­Oh, I have a good idea.

    ¡°You know, sir. Can I ask you a favor?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Kyle, who still hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off the chains.

    ¡°It¡¯s about Mu. I don¡¯t think my teaching methods work. I want you to help me.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to have him tour around the Bureau of Investigation.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Kyle asked, finally lifting his head, and looked at Noah.

    ¡°I thought he couldn¡¯t understand because my instructions were only talk. If he needs to learn the rules andws between humans, he¡¯d better see them with his own eyes. The Bureau of Investigation is full of criminals¡­ And you¡¯re such a principled man. Wouldn¡¯t Mu have more to see and listen to when he¡¯s next to you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Noah had already prepared ame excuse lest he refused her request. But, surprisingly, Kyle agreed without much persuasion.

    She stared at Kyle, who had fixed his gaze on her neck once again, and suspected he had answered without listening to her.

    Kyle immediately added upon noticing, ¡°I think that¡¯s better. Mu had been doing some really, really naughty things in the Imperial City for a few days and I was thinking abouting up with a solution.¡±

    ¡°What did he do?¡±

    ¡°He destroyed the Majesty¡¯s office, climbed up the highest spire in the Imperial City and destroyed it, too.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡± On Noah¡¯sp, Muell bowed his head down in shame, sniffing. Then, he spoke softly, his voice almost muffled. ¡°Even though I was surrounded by all kinds of things, I was only looking for you all the time, so I went around and asked¡­¡±

    Finally, Noah faced the little boy and squeezed his plump cheeks. ¡°You troublemaker. Alright, it was a bunch of idents. If you¡¯re good, I¡¯ll let you go back to your main body.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to talk anymore. You broke our promise and got into trouble, so you follow Uncle Kyle once a week¡­¡±

    ¡°Please pay attention to the title, Miss Noah.¡±

    ¡°¡­Follow Mr. Investigator, see what punishment you¡¯re going to get for breaking humanws, and write a letter of apology, okay?¡±

    Kyle touched Muell¡¯s forehead, and the child stuck out his mouth with a puff. Noah pressed her palm on his cheeks, saying, ¡°It¡¯s no use making such a cute face. You and I, we will have a special training starting today. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Aye!¡±

    You answer well. Sighing, Noah yed with Muell¡¯s cheeks. Not long after, the vehicle that carried them entered the heart of Azet District.

    Far away, Eleonora¡¯s mansion appeared.

 Chapter 121

    Eleonora¡¯s mansion was nothing different from when she left. The mansions of aristocrats and middle-ss citizens, which are particrly magnificent and humongous in size, were distinguished from ordinary mansions, not only in its exterior but also on the inside.

    There was no sign of a person¡¯s shadow within the mansion, but it was only natural. The first thing Noah did after grasping her situation in the body of Eleonora was dismiss all the servants in the mansion.

    Besides, the total number of people that were hired didn¡¯t exceed ten. Eleonora wasn¡¯t a woman who relied on her own hand to do the work; she was a witch who lived by the power of magic and machinery.

    So, of course, the mansion was a carefully engineered machine itself. It was simply a witch¡¯s fortress, with all kinds of traps, defense walls, and attack magic built into every corner of the house. No other housespared to the witch¡¯s abode.

    As Noah passed the outdoor corridor in front of the mansion and stood at the door, the antennas attached on the door stretched out and stopped inches from her nose. It was an automatic opening and closing device that recognized faces, only opening doors to people authorized by Eleonora.

    Click. A photo was taken.

    The spring installed on the door interlocked with each other and began to turn. The doorte swung around and gradually stopped. Bold letters floated on the doorte one after another.<b> A. ¨C Master</b>

    Eleonora Asil, Master. It indicated the owner of the house. The antennas swiped Kyle and Muell¡¯s faces consecutively, recognizing their identities.<b> L. ¨C Unwee</b>

    <b>UNKNOWN</b>

    The machine worked perfectly even after two years of inactivity. In particr, it was impressive that it was able to detect Muell¡¯s mana and disy the sign ¡®unable to confirm¡¯ in bold, red letters.

    ¡°You are an unwee guest, Sir.¡±

    ¡°¡­About five years ago, I was forced to take a picture here.¡±

    Noahughed and rummaged through Eleonora¡¯s manual notebook to stop the switchgear. Soon, the door of the mansion opened wide. Kyle then said, ¡°Then, Miss Noah. You¡¯ve had a hard time today, so take a good rest¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Noah looked back at him in wonder.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be here early in the morning to pick up Mu tomorrow. Keep your doors shut.¡±

    Noah grabbed Kyle by the arm as he was about to take a step back. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Are you in a hurry?¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not it.¡± Kyle mumbled.

    Well, there it is. She dragged Kyle inside without further dy, who was easily carried along without much force. ¡°You¡¯vee all the way here, why are you leaving already? Have dinner.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that you want me to serve dinner?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that shameless. But of course, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could.¡±

    Kyleughed and stopped walking. ¡°Miss Noah, it¡¯s time you shouldn¡¯t be letting men into your own house¡­¡±

    ¡°Just for an hour.¡± Noah had no idea on what Kyle was implying, but this time, she wanted to be a little stubborn. She strained her arm, clutching the sleeve of his uniform. ¡°I don¡¯t have to eat dinner. I¡¯ll go to bed soon.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wash up as fast as I can, and I¡¯ll fall asleep in ten minutes. Can¡¯t you just stay an hour¡­ No, thirty minutes?¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter if Kyle thought she was immature. Noah was in dire need of Kyle Leonard at the moment. There was only one person in this world, although he was a nagging investigator, who gave her a sense of security. But it was more of an instinct than a romantic feeling.

    No matter how much the chains on her neck restrained her, if only Muell and Noah were left, she didn¡¯t know when the dragon¡¯s inhumanity would arouse within her again. Besides, Kyle was the only man in their world who knew Park Noah.

    Kyle stared at her face for a moment and eventually nodded, sighing. Then, he checked his wristwatch and muttered strictly. ¡°I¡¯ll be here until eight, then. I¡¯ll give you thirty minutes to unpack, thirty minutes to wash and change.¡±

    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to attack my limbs.¡±

    Kyle often disyed a harsh and indifferent facade, instructing Noah, but it was also he himself who would do the chores.

    Noah clicked her tongue and hurled him inside, quickly closing the door. The interior of the mansion was dark, but at the same time, as the sound of her shoes cking against the marble floor echoed throughout the mansion, all equipment, driven by mana, began to turn, recognizing that the owner of the house, though only the shell, had returned.

    The bulbs on the chandeliers draped over the ceiling of the central hall lighted up one by one, and thick curtains hanging over the windows spread wide on both sides. The idle clock struck seven o¡¯clock sharp.

    Noah had already set foot in the strange and mysterious mansion two years ago. At that time, the ce was huge, empty, and unfamiliar. Not only that, it was a ¡®dead¡¯ space.

    When Eleonora¡¯s dead bodyy in the middle of the mansion, the cold, deste space came to life as soon as her eyes opened, with Noah within. How surprised she was to see a mansion that moved by itself as if it had a will.

    A mansion that shared the life and death of its owner, isn¡¯t it eerie?

    That was why Noah abandoned what was supposed to be herfort ce, fleeing to Sorrent as soon as she came back to life.

    Noah dragged Kyle across the hall to the second floor lest Kyle would change his mind.

 Chapter 122

    ¡°Sir Leonard?¡±

    Kyle was not in the bedroom when Noah managed to get out of the steamy bathroom. She thought it had already been thirty minutes, but when she saw his uniform jacket on the chair, he seemed to have not left yet.

    Then where did he go? Did he clean up again?

    ¡°There¡¯s no Mu. Where¡¯d he go¡­?¡± Noah appeared into the hallway, squeezing the water out of her hair. The corridor, filled with colorful wallpaper and light bulbs, was bright, but cold as it had long been since a person had upied the mansion.

    ¡­I have a headache. Can I get a good night¡¯s sleep? I¡¯ll have to go out tomorrow even if my eyes are a little heavy. Noah headed toward the stairs to look around the hall, and suddenly heard the sound of conversationing from afar. Kyle and Muell wereing her way, talking to each other.

    ¡°Don¡¯t scare Noah. Your fault is over eighty percent.¡±

    ¡°But since Noah hasn¡¯te in three days¡­¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t a dragon, whose lifespan is over 5,000 years, wait just three days? Be a little patient, Mu.¡±

    When the little boy grumbled back, he faced the consequence right after. Muell attempted to bite Kyle¡¯s arm, but he pushed away his little head with amendable swiftness. Not long after, Noah and Kyle¡¯s eyes met.

    As Noah stood before him, staring, Kyle raised his eyebrows ¡°What are you staring at? Let¡¯s go in, quickly.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes¡­¡±

    As they entered the dining room, Kyle sat Noah, along with Muell, in front of the table. Soon after, a hot stew and a te of freshly baked bread were served. Noah mumbled, a little embarrassed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to ask for dinner.¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯d eat it if I cooked.¡± Kyle spoke as if it wasn¡¯t funny, then pulled out his chair and sat next to her. Noah was a bit surprised, expecting him to sit across her.

    ¡°Why¡­ why?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We have half an hour until eight.¡±

    When Noah stared at him wryly, Kyle thrust a spoon in her hand.

    Kyle¡¯s ability to extract a miraculous taste from sloppy ingredients had shone again this time, and as soon as Noah got a spoonful of the stew, her worries and doubts immediately vanished from her mind. Oh, suddenly I feel good. Is this what life feels like? If you eat delicious food, sleep soundly, see and hear only the good things, that¡¯s a good life¡­!

    ¡°Sir, just live with me. I¡¯ll give you twice the sry of an investigator.¡±

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t given up that dream. You should start waking up now.¡±

    ¡°Then teach me how to cook. I¡¯ll make it myself.¡±

    ¡°Alone? Pft.¡± Kyleughed dryly at her words, and at the moment she turned her head to rebut, she found a pair of violet eyes, staring.

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Where are you looking at? She tilted her head and took her hand where his gaze was directed. A little below the face, under the chin¡­ Neck?

    Then, cold metal touched her fingertips. Only then did she realize. ¡°Oh, the neck.¡±

    Kyle still seemed to be bothered by the chains around my neck. When Noah touched the ball without thinking, her hand immediately recoiled. Kyle quickly grabbed her hand, pressing it down on the table, and spoke in a rather ufortable tone. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. ¡®Cause the wound¡¯s going to worsen.¡±

    ¡°Would it hurt?¡±

    Despite his warning, Noah¡¯s other hand instinctively went up to her neck as soon as Kye said there was a wound. Come to think of it, I was washing up and it stung a little around my neck, but¡­

    As her fingers continued to grope around her neck, Kyle, with a slight frown, rose from his seat. He snatched her hand and began to rummage through the drawer next to the bed.

    Somehow, it began to get itchy when she heard there was a wound, so Noah scratched her neck again, but a stern warning followed right after.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it and just continue eating. I¡¯ll put some medicine on you.¡±

    ¡°¡­That much, Mu?¡± When she tilted her neck to Muell, who was sitting next to her, drinking warm milk and chewing bread, nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s not bleeding, but it¡¯s red. Does it hurt, Noah?¡± replied the little boy.

    ¡°Just a little tingling.¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like that yellow-haired man.¡± Muell frowned. Noah filled his mouth with bread lest he would say he wanted to kill him again. In the meantime, Kyle, who had taken a medicine bottle from somewhere, sat next to her.

    ¡°You have twenty minutes to eat, Miss Noah. I¡¯ll go right after twenty minutes.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s so sad that I can¡¯t live. Go if you¡¯re going. I can sleep alone.¡± Noah grumbled, picking up the spoon again, and stirred the stew. She was about to scoop up the stew and take it to her mouth, but a warm hand grazed her throat.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡± She almost dropped the spoon.

 Chapter 123

    Noah¡¯s hair, which cascaded below her chest, were slowly pulled towards the back, and before she knew it, Kyle had lowered his head, taking his hand to the chains fastened on her neck. It was apletely different touch from Adrian¡¯s.

    Kyle carefully lifted the restraint slightly, then checked the wound, sighing briefly. His faint breath brushed the skin between Noah¡¯s earlobes and neck.

    With utmost care, he began to apply the disinfectant across her reddened skin. Noah shuddered at the cold sensation, her shoulders straightening.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    ¡°Stay still.¡±

    How am I supposed to eat this?

    Noah clutched a spoon in her hand but she was stiffened. Kyle continued to squeeze a small amount of ointment on his finger and then applied it to her wound. The feeling of the thick cream being spread across her neck made her body feel numb.

    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Kyle asked. He must have mistaken Noah¡¯s contorted face for pain. She shook her head unknowingly and this time, a groan escaped her lips. Kyle clicked his tongue. ¡°What day of the week was your first ss with Minister Rossinell? Tuesday?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Tuesday.¡±

    ¡°Then go and ask him to loosen the restraint. You¡¯ll have a scar if it will keep grazing your neck.¡±

    Noah couldn¡¯t swallow her saliva, let alone eat the stew, while Kyle covered the wound with a gauze and bandaged it so her skin wouldn¡¯t get scraped by the metal. Kyle was much better at treating wounds than Noah. Then, he finally took his hands off her after he had tied the bandage in moderation so that it was neither too tight nor too loose to slide down.

    Noah managed to exhale a long breath upon realizing that she had been holding her breath for the entire moment. But her breath soon hitched again when Kyle lifted her left hand this time.

    ¡°Well, if you like¡­¡±

    He seemed to mutter something like a curse, but Noah couldn¡¯t hear him well. Noah then put the spoon down, thinking she would have an upset stomach if she consumed more in her current condition.

    ¡°I still have a conscience.¡± Kyle muttered as he neatly padded her wrist with a bandage and carefully ced her hand back on the table afterwards. Only then did Noah notice his eyes, staring at her.

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Her eyes met with his violet eyes which were filled with wonder.

    ¡°Are you finished?¡± asked Kyle.

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t finished.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m full.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s eyebrows rose at her surprising answer, and he shook his head stubbornly. Kyle was a keen man who seemed to be a hundred steps ahead of everyone else, but now he seemed to have no idea what Noah was thinking.

    As he rose to hide his agitated expression, a suspecting voice followed. ¡°Miss Noah, I don¡¯t think your stomach was easily full before¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough. Thank you for the meal!¡± Noah squeaked. She must have been really exhausted today. Well, it was understandable as she dealt with a stalker who had the talent to piss a woman on her first trial. Noah attempted to run to the bedroom, but was quickly caught by Kyle.

    ¡°Brush your teeth.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±

    When Kyle¡¯s hand touched her shoulder, Noah flinched again, and then ran into the bathroom without looking straight into his eyes.

    Upon entering the bathroom, she nced at the mirror while taking a quick breath, and there she saw a beautiful woman in her pajamas with slightly flushed ears. Her face was full of embarrassment that she couldn¡¯t hide it.

    Why am I suddenly so nervous? Didn¡¯t he treat your wound only? In fact, you¡¯ve even treated the wound on his cheek just a few days ago!

    Yet strangely, Noah felt nauseous. It feltpletely different from her chest pounding as a response to Muell¡¯s mana, but she wasn¡¯t an idiot enough to wonder why her heart was suddenly racing.

    Noah let out a dryugh. ¡°..I guess there weren¡¯t too many men in her life.¡±

    Otherwise, a little skinship wouldn¡¯t affect her to such extent. Noah tapped the faucet to get the water running and stuck her head in as a desperate attempt to freeze her thoughts.

    Kyle, who saw her head in the sink, nagged that the bandage he had wrapped at his best would get soaked along, and that if she slept without drying her hair, she would catch a cold.

    Noah then concluded to herself that her psychological state was indeed unstable and stayed in her room until she fell asleep, exhausted by her own thoughts.

    The promised eight o¡¯clock had long passed.

 Chapter 124

    Laurent¡¯s Imperial Pce wasrgely an office and a solemn space. Since it was a workce of about a thousand imperial officials who worked day and night for the welfare of the people, silence and consideration were the basic principles.

    In addition, high-ranking moguls in Laurent came and went dozens of times a day, so if the employees were tomit a mistake, they would have to be prepared for minimum sries, suspension, and maximum dismissal. Internal regtions were also severe to meet the prestige of Laurent Ruby, the backbone of the Laurent Empire.

    But these days, the pce was suffering from an unheard illness once a week.

    The main culprit was obvious. Respect for the throne was treaded upon without a care to the dignity of the Imperial Family. It was the witch who had been in hiding for two years and who had returned to the capital splendidly, and the dragon she raised.

    All of Laurent¡¯s official duties were temporarily suspended every Tuesday and Thursday when the two visited the Imperial Pce. It was impossible for the workers to focus on their tasks as sounds of explosion originating from the Magic Department building erupted throughout every corner.

    ¡°Ellie, you¡¯ve not only lost your memory but you¡¯ve also be such an idiot. What the hell are you thinking about with that little head that you¡¯re always destroying things?¡±

    ¡°When I see your face, I want to break everything, why.¡±

    The Magic Department building, where Eleonora and Muell resided, had already been destroyed to the point where it was hard to recognize its appearance. Naturally, all the work within the premise was suspended.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me, mister. I¡¯m a woman who can be more aggressive than you think. You¡¯re trying to tame me with these restraints, but you can¡¯t¡­ Ah!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t even see the mana, and now you bluff.¡±

    All the staff of the Magic Department hid behind the twelve pirs of the hall, watching while the infamous witch, Eleonora Asil, was dragged by the Minister while being tied up with a rope. She seemed to be growling ferociously, but the Minister didn¡¯t bat an eye.

    ¡°A lot of the Lady¡¯s personalities are dead¡­¡±

    ¡°Right. Since we¡¯re doing this, I¡¯d like to destroy your own office.¡±

    Oddly enough, Eleonora had repaired the building she had smashed when she returned from Tuesday¡¯s ss. With an apologetic face, she even bowed down to the employees.

    Eventually, the workers who had been busy running away at first gradually adjusted to the chaos, and now, a week and a halfter, everyone was secretly waiting for Tuesday and Thursday toe. If the Pce broke down, they didn¡¯t have to work that day.

    In the Magic Department, which boasted a fear of turnover due to working overtime every day, Eleonora¡¯s disturbance was a window for people to take a breather. It was a funny paradox.

    Moreover, the battle between their Minister, Adrian Rossinell, and Eleonora Asil, was quite exciting.

    ¡°¡­I see. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t rebel. So could you please untie this rope?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t say sorry with that face at all, so walk quickly. You won¡¯t be able to get out of my room until this evening.¡±

    It was not Elonora who was ted by the friendly voice of the Minister, but the wizards who were watching in secret.

    ¡°What are they doing in his room alone until evening?¡± they would gush eagerly.

    The dramatic reunion of a lover who broke up after a scandalous fight in the capital! A battle that was gued by love! Wasn¡¯t their rtionship so stimting that it had be a romance novel that was exceedingly popr in the capital city?

    The door mmed shut as Adrian, tugging along a tightly bound Eleonora, entered his office. And a littleter, a child of only a height that reached an adult¡¯s knee ran out of the corridor with clumsy steps.

    The spectators, shrouded by the pirs, held their breaths as their bodies froze at once. In fact, what frightened them the most wasn¡¯t Eleonora, but the kid. The cute little boy with ck curly hair and dark red eyes, whose round cheeks were inviting to be poked.

    ¡°Noaaaaaaaah?¡± He looked like an innocent child with a tail twirling behind his back while snooping around, calling his owner who had disappeared somewhere.

    The dragon, Muell, wanted to walk down the aisle, and soon he surged to the front of the pir where the wizards were hiding.

    Eek!

    Tray, a member of the Ministry of Magic and Inventions, barely regained her bnce when she saw the young dragon looking up at her directly. However, she was forced to exercise the spirit of service that public officials should have and smiled affectionately.

    ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s the matter, Mr. Muell?¡±

    ¡°Where is Noah?¡±

    ¡°Eleonora is in the Minister¡¯s office. Over there¡­ There are two doors that are this big.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The little dragon had be much more gentle than when it first came to the Pce. Muell put his hand on his belly button, greeting the employee, then turned around and ran out to the hallway again. Then, he was suddenly caught by a pair of arms.

    The eyes of the wizards turned to the man who dared to lift the dragon, and again, gasps echoed behind the pirs.

    The man who just appeared was a famous figure in the Imperial City and at the same time, he was a man who had recently received the attention of the Imperial Officials as much as Eleonora and Adrian.

    The General Manager of the Bureau of Security!

 Chapter 125

    ¡°Mr. Uncle!¡±

    ¡°Not Mr. Uncle.¡±

    Except for Eleonora, the only person who could hug Muell, the adorable yet feared dragon, was the General Manager of the Bureau of Investigation Security.

    ¡°Why did youe already?

    ¡°I have business to attend to. Where have you left your master?¡±

    ¡°The blonde man kidnapped Noah.¡±

    ¡°Then you should go and get her. What are you doing?¡±

    How can such a young dragon, who had not even the slightest bit of humanity, talk to humans normally!

    Having done the gesture casually, the General Manager put the dragon down in front of Minister Rossinell¡¯s office. ¡°I¡¯ll be back at six, so go and stay with Noah.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Around every Tuesday and Thursday evening, Kyle visited the Ministry of Magic and took over Eleonora from Adrian. Once the three of them were together, the renowned investigator, the fine minister and the infamous witch, it would be the highlight of Tuesday¡¯s horror.

    The mostplicated love-hate rtionship ever!

    Kyle and Eleonora despised each other so much that they seem to want to pull each other¡¯s hair every time they meet. On the other hand, Adrian and Eleonora were ufortable ex-lovers. Andstly, Kyle and Adrian were rumored to be natural enemies¡­

    Thebination of the three was no more less than chaotic. However, it was an oddly fitting match if only their faces were taken into context. All the three of them wore the most beautiful faces in the entire Laurent.

    Tray cupped her cheek and whispered to her colleague. ¡°Doesn¡¯t their story make a good material? Dragon, witch, investigator, wizard! Square rtion!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the story this time? Last time, it was a growth of powerless Valtalere.¡±

    ¡°That was roughly finished, and this time I¡¯m gonna try this¡­!¡±

    It was known that witches and wizards in Laurent were inspiring a lot of fictional stories, which would then be reveled by the fans. In the ragged Imperial City, novels based on the prominent personalities in the Imperial City used to be secretly popr. It was not merely a fad, but also a shrouded history that had been handed down for decades.

    A secret culture of overworked public officials took enjoyment in reading such books, which they burned right after.

    However, no one knew that some of the wizards¡¯ novels were spreading beyond theplex, intertwined boundaries of time and dimension.

    It was no wonder that not a single soul knew there was such a ¡°pathway¡± in the first ce. So even more naturally, it was unbeknownst to others that a soul that lived in apletely different time zone in apletely different world was struggling to make ends meet in a novel.

    However, there was only one in a hundred billionth chance that it would happen again.

    *

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m tired¡­.¡± Noah crouched on the sofa, recalling why she was in her current situation.

    Today was her fourth ss with Adrian. She was dragged to the Imperial City like a cow being dragged to a ughterhouse every Tuesday and Thursday, and had to face that uselessly pretty man to take magic lessons of great intensity.

    ¡°It¡¯s too much to untie the chains yet, so let¡¯s do what we did earlier.¡± Adrian said, tapping on the keyboard with a switch. The primary objective of the three-week ss he and Noah had been doing was to be ¡®sensitive¡¯ to natural magic.

    Mana is a dense, unrealistic force that incorporates the entire space.

    There were many theories at the source of mana, and the most promising theory that existed was man epasses not only this world but also all dimensions. It is a natural force that is infused in not only all living organisms but also minerals such as water, soil, and air.

    The dragon¡¯s power, which is the epitome of heresy, also originates from mana. Only the degree and density of purity differ, but the dragon¡¯s mana is also, very fundamentally, like the power that flows through this world.

    In conclusion, there¡¯s only a degree of difference in each dimension, and mana is everywhere. However, this world was not and where such potent mana was prominent. Surreal power and magic using mana began to arise about 5,000 years ago.

    In ancient times, when dragons were bustling in Muite, pure magic prevailed. This was because nearly infinite mana was constantly supplied.

    But as the dragons, who enjoyed a moment¡¯s y, lost interest and left Muite one by one, Muite soon had only an insignificant amount of mana from what the continent had originally possessed.

    Thus, in due course, for 500 years after the departure of even thest dragon of the continent, the magic of the continent gradually entered the path of decline.

    As the unearthly power began to be forgotten, it was human intelligence that began to glimmer.

 Chapter 126

    As a result of the continent¡¯s remarkable growth, which was several times faster than when it purely depended on magic, the means of men aplished a feat simr to the sess of magic.

    Railways were created for men to cross the continent instead of teleport magic, medical science and anatomy were developed instead of therapeutic magic and potion, increasing understanding of the human body, and firearms were crafted instead of attack magic, which requiredplicated forms.

    Of course, it was notparable to the Republic of Korea in the 21st century where Park Noah had lived, but it seemed to be at least a modern Western country that had undergone industrialization. Furthermore, the political arena was still alike to the pre-modern period.

    It was the Great Empire of Laurent that led the continent¡¯s revival. But was there no magic element in the process? Of course not.

    Even in today¡¯s world, wizards existed. An agency belonging to the Imperial Family, called the Magic Department, was established. But if there was anything different from the ancient times, it was the kind of magic that was used.

    Pure magic and modern magic aremonly called processing magic, which used to be prevalent in an era that was bursting with mana. Processing magic refers to magic that amplifies, refines, or converts mana into higher efficiency with less power, and naturally requires a physical device to support rather than a magic form.

    Hence, can any person who is skillful with machines, be a magician? If it were possible, Noah wouldn¡¯t have been taking basic sses at the present moment.

    To qualify as a wizard, one can either be extremely sensitive to the mana that is present in nature or he can possess a great amount of mana in his body. The former is suitable for processing magic, and thetter for pure magic.

    In the current age, more are overwhelmingly ustomed to processing magic than pure magic. Ny-nine percent of the wizards of this era are those who study and design the devices needed for processing magic: magic inventions. The remaining are talented in pure magic.

    The former¡¯s representative figure is Eleonora Asil ¡ª a rare genius inventor and master of machining magic who is capable of recognizing even the faintest trace of mana in the skies, earth, and seas and maximizes it.

    And the man representing thetter, pure magic, is Adrian Rossinel, the current Minister of Magic.

    In other words, he was the only person who could learn how to control the dragon¡¯s mana that leaked around Noah.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it one more time, Ellie.¡± Adrian beckoned her. Noah sighed and approached the cylindrical device in front of him.

    The narrow fence-shaped device, which reached her waist, was used to measure the sensitivity of mana. Training that extremely increased sensitivity while wearing restraints was Noah¡¯stest lesson.

    As she entered the machine and stood inside, Adrian operated the buttons leisurely.

    ¡°Come on, on the count of three, we start. One, two¡­¡±

    Without ample time to prepare her mind, a transparent curtain rose over the machine and surrounded Noah. Her face crumpled in anger. That bastard. She desired to grab him by the cor when she was finished.

    After about ten minutes of examination, the opaque shroud was lifted. Adrian then read the test results that appeared on the device. ¡°About 675 times out of 1000. You feel better than before, as expected. Maybe because you¡¯re born sensitive.¡±

    ¡°¡­Please watch yournguage. When you say it, it sounds lewd.¡±

    ¡°Tsk. Put me in a more chaste term, Ellie.¡± Adrian inched towards her with a giggle.

    As her hands groped around her neck, the chains of restraint clicked and became a little loose. Muell¡¯s mana, which had been blocked by the chains, quickly filled Noah¡¯s body.

    ¡°Now feel it again. Delicately. What speed and direction the mana circtes in your body¡­ Eleonora, focus.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Noah stared nkly at her hand hands and suddenly recalled the long scar on Kyle¡¯s left index finger.

    The next moment, her thoughts disappeared without a trace when she saw Adrian, his face already inches from her. Noah stepped back with a frown, but Adrian narrowed the distance between as much as he could, the corners of his mouth curling dangerously.

    Her body, which had be sensitive after a single test, instinctively detected the mana that flowed within Adrian¡¯s body. It was surprisingly irregr and Noah could feel its heat.

    A man with an unsteady mana called her affectionately. ¡°Eleonora.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°One more time¡­¡± His gentle eyes suddenly darkened and his smile was no more. Then, Adrian stroked her cheek and whispered sweetly yet with a hint of menace.

    ¡°If you think of another man in front of me one more time and smash the wrong ce, you¡¯ll be tied up in chains next time.¡±

 Chapter 127

    ¡°He¡¯s like a ghost.¡± Noah muttered, staring at Adrian¡¯s displeased face. Perhaps it was a male instinct that he knew her thoughts were drifting onto another man, and Noah found it amusing and scary at the same time.

    Noah wasn¡¯t the type of person whose thoughts were evident all over her face, and besides, she was always trying to put an indifferent facade. Yet the blond man in front of her knew exactly what she was thinking.

    ¡°In fact, there are more than one or two things I don¡¯t like.¡± Adrian whispered, his fingers tracing the white bandage around her neck. His eyes were dangerously dark with jealousy. ¡°Why do you keep making him touch you?¡±

    Adrian didn¡¯t bother to hide his annoyance. Noah looked up at him as he unwrapped the bandage around her neck.

    At this point, Noah believed that Adrian¡¯s love for his past lover must be real. She had presumed that they were only ¡®sleeping partners¡¯, but Adrian¡¯s feelings mustn¡¯t have been that shallow.

    Eventually, Noah apologized, staring into his green eyes. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t let another man touch me.¡±

    Perhaps her words were unexpected as Adrian remained silent for a moment. His eyes narrowed as if to study her intentions.

    Noah put on a bright smile. It wasn¡¯t difficult to fake expression, even against someone who was extremely keen.

    ¡°¡­Anyway, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know.¡± Adrian murmured, withdrawing a little from Noah. But with a faint smile on his face, it was clear that her apology just now had quite pleased him.

    There was one thing Noah had learned about during thest three weeks of sses held by Adrian: his type was easier to tame. Although he seemed like a psycho who constantly makes friendly retorts and sweet threats, if Noah were only to behave obediently, he would soon soften, just like now.

    ¡°Then, shall we try again? From here, a flow that rises near the heart and then circtes back through the brain.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Adrian loosened the restraint on Noah¡¯s neck again, and a gentle but firm energy filled her body and began to whirl slowly. She recalled the first time Kyle felt her mana back in Sorrent. What did he do then?

    ¡°Adrian.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Noah held his hand, not waiting for his answer. It was the first time she made contact with him with her own volition. Whether or not Adrian was surprised, Noah grabbed his hand and ced it on her stomach.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s better.¡±

    Clearly, her senses became sharper when the reference point was clearly established than when it was felt alone. She closed her eyes, feeling a slow wave of water. Don¡¯t let the mana run wild, gently, carefully¡­

    ¡°I wonder about you.¡±

    While Noah was concentrating for a long time, Adrian suddenly opened his mouth. She answered leisurely with her eyes still shut. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing. I¡¯m curious about you, too.¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve resisted as much as you could before. You hated me and pushed me away even if I took a step closer, but what are you up to now?¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯d tie me up in chains. I don¡¯t like that.¡±

    Thinking her practice was enough, Noah then took Adrian¡¯s hand off her stomach and took a deep breath. The sensation of the mana was still evident even without Adrian¡¯s help.

    When she opened her eyes again, there was a faint trace of mana that she hadn¡¯t seen so far. A contentedugh fell from Noah¡¯s lips. ¡°Okay. I think this is enough for today. Now that I can see it, I can stop it quickly even if the magic pops out without me knowing-¡±

    Noah¡¯s words were interrupted halfway as Adrian reached out and tightened back the loose chains. In an instant, Muell¡¯s mana was cut off, and the traces of mana floating around her disappeared.

    She nced up at him with a frown, and Adrian whispered low. ¡°Now that I see you, you¡¯re fearless.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m going to do here now?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being nice to you because you told me not to rebel?¡±

    Adrian, caught off guard by her nonchnt reply, was silent for a moment. Not long after, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re so charming to him, too?¡±

    And, strangely enough, Noah was rather taken aback by his remark, too. She already knew who ¡°the man¡± Adrian was referring to, but for now, Noah pretended to be oblivious. ¡°I don¡¯t have a man.¡±

    ¡°You said you have a lover.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I got dumped.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. Answer me. Do you behave this way to Kyle Leonard, too?¡±

    He was a frightfully persistent fellow, Noah thought. She clicked her tongue and shook her head. ¡°No. I can¡¯t. There¡¯s no ce for me to y, how could I do this to Sir Leonard?¡± Her response was sincere. Actually, Noah had been avoiding Kyle with all her might these days.

    Adrian seemed to fancy her reply. With a wide smile, he whispered merrily to her forehead. ¡°You know, then. Why don¡¯t you throw away that boring, prim-hearted investigator, and go out with me?¡±

    How far should Noah tolerate his mischief? As she stared at Adrian dully, the door of the Oval Office opened wide at a ghostly timing, and an immense, intangible energy poured into the room.

    ¡°Noah!¡±

    ¡°Mu!¡±

 Chapter 128

    Naturally, Noah pushed Adrian away and turned around to greet the little boy. Muell, who came running, staining the clean carpet with his muddy feet, gave her a big hug.

    ¡°Have you brought everything back?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s clean!¡±

    ¡°You said you were sorry, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Adrian, who was half a step from Noah and Muell, slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s end today¡¯s ss as you say. Mu has to be with us next week. We¡¯re going to practice preventing mental unity.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s gaze fell on the young, enthusiastic dragon. With the coboration of Muell and Noah, the Imperial Office was reduced into a wreck as explosions erupted within at least twice a week.

    As soon as Noah steps into the office, it was no longer a surprise if pirs will copse or walls will break. Then, the task of renovating will be handed to Muell, and while he is happily rebuilding here and there, Noah is to participate in a ss with Adrian.

    The reason why she had to endure such hassle was, of course, because the dashing blond man was suspicious. Noah had no idea what he was scheming to do with the dragon, so whenever she came to the magic department, she kept the child away from him.

    Noah nced at Adrian over her shoulders, reaching over the door of the Oval Office. He stood still in ce, staring down at his hand that had touched Muell. As Noah was about to leave, feeling reluctant, Adrian¡¯s voice pierced the back of her head.

    ¡°Next week, I won¡¯t let it go, Eleonora. Keep the promise you made with me.¡±

    He was referring to their appointed ss scheduled the seeding week, which will give him the opportune moment to observe the dragon up close. The man was still interested in the dragon¡¯s power, and he wanted to experience it himself.

    Noah closed the door shut without an answer.

    *

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Adrian is suspicious.¡±

    That evening, Noah spoke to Kyle, who visited the mansion of Eleonora. He sat on the opposite side of the long table, raising his eyebrows as if he was ufortable.

    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you speaking from there.¡±

    ¡°¡­Adrian! The Prime Minister¡­!¡± Noah shouted as she gripped a fork and knife in both hands. When she saw Kyle rising from his seat, approaching her, she became startled and abruptly pulled her seat backwards. ¡°Don¡¯te near!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Kyle, who was halfway past the table, stopped in his tracks. Then, he peered at her with suspecting eyes, his arms folded. ¡°What on earth is wrong with you these days?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Noah dragged the chair back, ncing at him. She was so surprised that her heart was drumming loudly. She avoided Kyle¡¯s gaze, feeling pathetic.

    Kyle asked persistently, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be getting close to me these days, is that my misunderstanding?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I suppose so¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, then can I sit next to you?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes. Yes?¡±

    Without hesitation, Kyle narrowed the distance between them while Noah was stuttering. Meanwhile, Noah was frozen like a rat in a jar and could only re at the corn sd on her te.

    Wake up, Park Noah. It¡¯s only the butler who¡¯s sitting next to you now. The tough butler with the terror of scolding¡­

    But as soon as Kyle took a seat next to her, all her efforts vanished like a smoke. Without the restraint, the table might have been broken in two.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that Minister Rossinell is suspicious. I think you¡¯re thinking the same thing as me, but first of all, where are we going tonight? Miss Noah. When a person talks, they look into the eyes of the person they¡¯re talking with.¡±

    As Noah stubbornly dodged his gaze, Kyle put his arms on the table and leaned over to her side. Even if she averted her eyes, Kyle was persistent. In the end, Noah blurted out. ¡°I didn¡¯t wash up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°The house is also very messy.¡±

    ¡°You talk as if that¡¯s a new thing.¡±

    Kyle seemed to have long been ustomed to her uncleanness. Well, this man was the one who cleaned up the mess in her house even when he mistook Noah for Eleonora.

    ¡°If you haven¡¯t washed yet, you can bathe, and it was originally my job to clean up the house, so it¡¯s not a good reason.¡±

    Noah was rendered silent. Unfortunately, she was terrible at giving excuses.

    ¡°Why on earth are you avoiding me?¡±

    Noah poked the steak with a fork, still not answering.

    ¡°Miss Noah.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±

    ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡±

 Chapter 129

    ¡°Oh¡­ no. Not really.¡± Noah muttered.

    ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re not sick?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±

    ¡°Then, why are you acting strange these days?¡±

    She was in need of a valid excuse. You¡¯ve been so brazen with Adrian a while ago. Where did that boldness go? To make matters worse, Kyle seemed to have decided that Noah was hurt when she couldn¡¯t look at him directly and averted her gaze.

    Suddenly, a big hand softly pressed on Noah¡¯s forehead, surprising her. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have a fever,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not hurt¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±

    Kyle ignored her words and slipped his hand over her cheek, but Noah hastily leaned backwards, avoiding his touch, and took a deep breath. His method of measuring her temperature, which was never a problem before, felt very dangerous today.

    Noah¡¯s actions were easy to misunderstand. Sure enough, Kyle¡¯s eyes narrowed instantly. She then opened her mouth carefully to make excuses. ¡°So, sir, this is¡­ It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you, it¡¯s uh..¡±

    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Worry hadpletely disappeared from Kyle¡¯s face, and the distant expression he usually put on when he worked returned. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about something quite important today, but you don¡¯t want to listen to me.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°Now, I know you¡¯re not particrly curious about the oue of the review of the train to Central Edman and the terrorist attack on the Angelic, so I¡¯ll go back.¡± Kyle, who spoke coldly, rose from his seat.

    Embarrassed, Noah jumped after him without realizing it. ¡°Have you ever yed all the recordings? What did you find?¡±

    ¡°A big chunk.¡±

    ¡°Well, let me know, let me know¡­¡±

    ¡°You are not interested.¡± Kyle grabbed the uniform jacket he had left on the chair and shook his head at Noah. ¡°It¡¯s up to you whether you wash and sleep or not, so take care of yourself, and don¡¯t mess up the house. And if you catch a cold, or if you turn this house into a goblin den, you won¡¯t even step into this house again.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    His threats weren¡¯t even heard in Noah¡¯s ears, let alone understood. As Kyle turned around, heading for the door, Noah trailed behind him. ¡°Where are you going, sir?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault! I¡¯ming with you.¡± She pulled the sleeves of Kyle¡¯s shirt, but it didn¡¯t make him stop. Left with no choice, Noah held onto his sleeve, walking beside him. ¡°Are you offended by what I said? It¡¯s not like that. I don¡¯t hate you. Don¡¯t get me wrong. Don¡¯t get upset.¡±

    ¡°There is no misunderstanding and I¡¯m not upset. Let me go. Penelope is waiting.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s waiting for you?¡± Isn¡¯t Penelope that pretty investigator? Kyle¡¯s immediate subordinate.

    This time, Noah¡¯s reasoning functioned properly. Kyle had more than one or two jobs, and she was not the only one who needed protection. It is impossible for him to handle all the tasks at once, without aid, so it was only natural to receive help from his subordinates.

    That was what he would have said¡­ But why is my grip so strong?

    ¡°At this time? Two of you?¡± Noah tightened her grip, ring at him. Kyle raised his eyebrows as if he thought it wasn¡¯t odd. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°¡­No, there¡¯s no problem.¡± Yeah, what¡¯s it got to do with me? Let¡¯s be a true master who respects the butler¡¯s privacy, Noah.

    But she couldn¡¯t let Kyle go. If the whole story of what she had been through on the way to Tezeba came to light, of course she had to know!

    Not knowing the slightest bit about her internal conflict, Kyle still tossed his words in a cold voice. ¡°You look for me only in this situation. You¡¯re so transparent that I should say it¡¯s good.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not exactly like that.¡±

    ¡°I have a report I¡¯ve arranged for you to report to the superiors, so I¡¯ll send it to Penelope. It¡¯ll be enough to solve Miss Noah¡¯s curiosity.¡±

    There was nothing Noah could say.

    Are you really offended? When Noah lowered her head, Kyle nced down at her and took a step back. Noah looked at his back, feeling glum. It¡¯s my fault for avoiding you for days¡­

    In another perspective, her actions would seem offensive. But didn¡¯t it also say ¡®because you are harming my mind and body these days, it¡¯s difficult if youe close¡¯? Throughout the entire dinner, Noah was too nervous that she only breathed deeply now.

    ¡°Noah?¡± Muell, who was sitting at the end of the table, waving his short legs, tilted his head. Noah beckoned the child weakly. ¡°Mu, let¡¯s go up.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The child stretched his legs and soon stopped, staring at Noah, then tilted his head again as he saw Kyle¡¯s back as he was about to leave the door.

    ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­. But Noah.¡± Instead of jumping off the table and following her, Muell shouted, ¡°I have a scar on my neck!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    The door, which was about to snap shut, stopped abruptly. Noah touched her neck in panic. She had forgotten that Adrian had removed the bandages, and bruises were already returning.

 Chapter 130

    Perhaps¡­ Noah nced at the door without realizing it, and when she didn¡¯t hear any sound, she felt a little disappointed, but decided to shrug it off. ¡°You can go up ahead. I¡¯ll apply the ointment. This is nothing you have to worry about,¡± she said to Muell.

    I¡¯m not a kid who can¡¯t put medicine on a wound without him. Since when did I need a butler for this insignificant wound?

    Noah swallowed her bitter feelings and opened the door to the hall. As soon as she was about to step out¡­

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    She was grabbed by the shoulder and her body turned around. A big hand tilted her head back before she could even grasp the situation properly.

    ¡°Really¡­¡± Kyle seemed to be rather irritated, but his violet orbs were fixed on Noah¡¯s.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    While Noah stiffened, Kyle¡¯s gaze shifted from her face to her neck. He stared at her wounded neck, and his eyes soon fell to her wrist. Fortunately, Noah¡¯s left hand was free from scratches as it was not used as often as her right hand.

    Eventually, Kyle murmured with a short sigh, ¡°You make me keep my eyes open.¡±

    When Noah heard the words, realization dawned on her. Oh¡­ I had to work hard for a few days to get away from it.

    ¡°Go, apply some medicine, put some gauze on, and sleep. If you want to leave a scar on your neck, I won¡¯t stop you.¡±

    I think I like Kyle Leonard quite a bit. Not just a butler, but as a man.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re upset about, but if you¡¯re angry, tell me, and please keep the basic rules of life in your head. That¡¯s all for Noah. How long do I have to tag along and take care of it?¡±

    What¡¯s so good about a man who talks like this?

    ¡°If you keep doing this, I¡¯ll be more distracted and I can¡¯t work. Please cooperate. Please.¡±

    Was I supposed to like this type of person? Confusion swept over Noah¡¯s mind, but she grabbed Kyle¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Are you busy?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Are you busy? It sounds like you¡¯re going on a business trip. Do you have to go right now?¡±

    It was only after Kyle answered that he realized his mistake. Surely, Penelope was waiting for him for quite a while now.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not it.¡±

    They say we shouldn¡¯t judge emotions with our heads, but I don¡¯t think our rtionship ispletely one-sided.

    Was it merely an illusion? But whether or not it was a misconception, it can be confirmed in theter future. The unknown tingles that stirred Noah turned into anticipation, creating a strange feeling. She gulped down her dry saliva and waved her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then. The ce you were going with me tonight.¡±

    *

    Fortunately, Kyle conceded to Noah, but of course, there was a price to pay. She was allowed toe along with him only after she was firmly held by Kyle, who bandaged her neck and wrist again.

    ¡°Miss Noah, clothes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wear it!¡±

    ¡°There may be people who will recognize¡­¡±

    ¡°Hood! I¡¯ll wear it.¡±

    If she were to tap on Kyle¡¯s anger switch again, he would probably really steer away from Eleonora¡¯s mansion, so Noah decided to make him feel a little bit better.

    However, Kyle was suspicious as Noah looked up at him with her eyes wide open, beaming with enthusiasm. ¡°Can¡¯t you just have one attitude per day?¡±

    ¡°I will do that from now on.¡±

    ¡°I will do that from now on!¡± Muell echoed Noah.

    As usual, Kyle breathed a shallow sigh and pulled the child from her. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s leave. We¡¯re going to the Lendia District Bureau of Investigation and Security. It¡¯s less eye-catching than the headquarters, and it¡¯s a new building, so it¡¯s more secure. I sent all the witnesses and evidence there.¡±

    Kyle ushered Noah into the car and closed the door. Then, he turned in front of the car and started the engine. The manual lever pulled down, and the car started smoothly.

    It took them about twenty minutes to arrive at the annex of Lendia¡¯s Investigative Security Agency. As they entered, Kyle¡¯s words that he had an appointment with Penelope proved to be not an excuse. Penelope was seen waiting with a bundle of documents and a recorder.

    ¡°What about the rebellion?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. Now Paul is interrogating him, and it¡¯s probably over before dawn.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Kyle dismissed his subordinate and nced at Noah afterwards. She quickly followed him as he beckoned, and they headed upstairs.

 Chapter 131

    ¡°There¡¯s an inspection team at the annex. As soon as I arrived in Tezeba, I sent all the evidence collected by the Angelic to this ce.¡±

    The second floor was closer to aboratory than an office. As they entered the far end of the hall, Noah then took her hood off, peeking inside a room.

    The room was divided into two sections. On one side, dozens of recorders projected translucent screens on the white wall, and over therge ss on the lefty a wide iron table. Researchers at the Bureau of Investigation Security busied around the iron table in their white gowns.

    As they moved, Noah caught sight of the object on the table. It was the scraps of metal she had found in the mana operating room back then.

    ¡°I spected that it was a bewildering spell but, but they say it¡¯spletely different from the structure of the bewildering magic.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    As Kyle beckoned the researchers, they quickly cleared the perimeter and disappeared over the door on the other side.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in and see. You¡¯ll probably know as soon as you see it.¡±

    Noah carefully stepped into the ss door. On the iron tabley the lumps of metal that were in grotesque shapes. At first, she didn¡¯t understand what they implied, but as soon as Kyle lightly grabbed her shoulders and turned her slightly, a sound of realization fell from her lips.

    ¡°Oh, this¡­¡±

    The scraps, which were simr to a broken machine debris, were all of different sizes. There was a piecerger than her body, a piece as small as gravel, and a piece shaped like a long bat. When Noah first discovered them in the mana operating room, she had never really thought about what they would have been like.

    Kyle held a round, spherical scrap of metal on a thick cylindrical scrap next to him. It was then that it became clear. Noah¡¯s lips trembled.

    ¡°¡­A person.¡±

    Yes, when all the fragments were arranged, they took the form of a person. Thergest piece resembled a body, the scraps as tiny as gravels seemed like the joints of the fingers, the bat-shaped scraps of metal mirrored an arm, and the spherical and cylindrical bits were the heads and necks consecutively.

    ¡°Oh, my goodness. So it wasn¡¯t bewildering magic, but a machine with human appearance?¡± Strands of hair on the back of Noah¡¯s neck stood tall and tiny bumps rose on her arms. She carefully examined the machine lying on the iron table with her chilled arms tightly folded.

    Although some of the broken cables that were ttened out were sticking out like springs, it was not difficult to figure out how sophisticated the machine was to mimic the human body. Even the knuckles and toes were meticulously imitated.

    Noah asked, ¡°How does this work? Wouldn¡¯t it work because it¡¯s already broken?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how it is operated. It¡¯s probably as good as being discarded from the moment it came to this state.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean from the moment it came to this state?¡±

    Instead of answering, Kyle manipted the buttons on the recorder he had brought in. Then, a video appeared in the air. It was an edited version of the evidence had Kyle recorded in the mana operating room.

    At the center of the screen was a gun aimed at the left wall pipe in the mana operating room. Kyle¡¯s target was too far away to be seen, but as the clips had already been modified, the screen zoomed in closer at the next moment.

    A man? Noah wondered.

    It was a man with ck hair. Noah squinted her eyes and tried to take a closer look at his features, but the man¡¯s body swung backwards at a gunshot, quivering. Kyle shot his vital point without hesitation.

    Then, it was as she expected. At the same time the bullet pierced the man, his skin began to fade. When he lost his bnce and copsed onto the floor, there was no trace of a human body but only scraps of metaly scattered on the ground.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a closer look,¡± Kyle spoke dryly and yed the next video. In the next video, someone¡¯s face filled the screen.

    The man who appeared on the screen was also covering his face with a mask. The video shook unsteady for several times and the continuous jiggle sounded painful in the ears. At one point, a series of gunfire erupted and a bullet struck the opponent¡¯s temple.

    When Noah flinched reflexively, Kyle paused the video. ¡°It¡¯s simr to the previous video. Shot, broken. But that¡¯s not what¡¯s important. It¡¯s this.¡±

    What appeared on the screen was a tattoo on the back of the man¡¯s ear ¨C a lowercase letter ¡®r¡¯ which was neatly engraved.

    Kyle knocked on the head of a machine lying on the table. As the head turned sideways weakly, there was an alphabet engraved under the spot where the ears would have been. It was the letter ¡®r¡¯.

 Chapter 132

    ¡°I dealt with five people there, and all but one turned into a machine. The only real human being is now in the basement of this building.¡±

    ¡°Is he the one you were interrogating earlier?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I won¡¯t show you the scene. It¡¯s not a very good sight to see. Instead¡­¡± Kyle picked up a tape, ncing at Noah, and added a warning. ¡°It may sound a little violent.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Noah answered bravely and pressed the y button on the recorder with her thumb. As soon as she pressed the button, she regretted her decision. Snap. A sharp crack that sounded like bones breaking greeted Noah.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s very violent.¡±

    ¡°I told you so.¡± When Kyle saw her face, which had be helplessly pale, he quickly pressed on the tape recorder. A ragged voice came after.

    ¡°The machine¡¯s¡­ source, I don¡¯t know. I heard there¡¯s a factory somewhere¡­ I just did what I was told¡­¡±

    Kyle clicked the button again, and another statement followed.

    ¡°Magic Department¡­ that¡¯s all I know. Everything¡¯s from the top¡­ Because that¡¯s the original structure. He¡¯s the biggest client, and the pay is high, so rather than getting a small request from the top¡­ Ah¡­ I¡¯m going to hit one of those big shots.¡±

    The recording stopped. Noah turned to face Kyle and asked, ¡°By the top, does he mean the head of Yulem?¡±

    ¡°It seems that way. The Magic Department is also mentioned here. A wizard tycoon. A person who raisesrge sums of money to Yulem, receives something in return, and provides illegal magical weapons, including these mechanical devices. There is no physical evidence, but there¡¯s only one person thates to mind.¡±

    The face of a brightly smiling Adrian passed Noah¡¯s mind. Kyle turned off the tape recorder and continued to exin.

    ¡°The original structure of the organization itself is not significantly ranked. The current vice minister position is vacant, and the authority of each sub-department of the Ministry of Magic is ridiculously smallpared to that of the Bureau of Investigation Security. It¡¯s a structure in which all decision-making authority is concentrated on the minister. There¡¯s only one minister Yulem can describe as a ¡®big shot¡¯.¡±

    If so, it was a reasonable doubt. Noah recalled that an attack from Yulem had never urred while she and Muell rode the train together with Adrian. But what if he didn¡¯t have to deal with them in the first ce?

    If it was Adrian Rossinell who hired them from the beginning¡­

    Noah¡¯s head began to spin. ¡°He initially approached me to kill me, but when he discovered there was a dragon next to me, he changed his n and kept observing me¡­¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Kyle seconded her spection. ¡°He may have known for a long time already that you¡¯re not really Eleonora. The terrorists on the train to Central Edman stated that the orders they received from the employee were not to murder, but ¡®capture¡¯.¡±

    ¡°¡­No wonder.¡±

    Tracing back on her memories with Adrian, there were quite a few remarks that he had said that were somehow strange.

    ¡°I like you better now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about you.¡±

    While Noah was thinking over and over, Kyle recited his future ns.

    ¡°Once I get the author¡¯s confession, I will focus on investigating Adrian Rossinell. In addition to his ties to Yulem, he was suspected of the Eleonora Asil murder and the theft of the dragon egg, as well as Central Edman and Battuanu terrorist attack. Of course the Minister¡­ is as cunning as Eleonora Asil, and has a strong connection with the Imperial Family, so I can¡¯t officially ask for their cooperation. I¡¯ll have to secretly investigate.¡±

    ¡°I will help,¡± Noah chimed in.

    ¡°¡­Of course, it would progress faster if Miss Noah would help, but you don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Kyle answered, leading Noah out of the ss door. ¡°If the Minister is involved in all those events, it means he¡¯s a much more dangerous person than I thought. I have no intention of putting you on the front line.¡±

    Simply put, Kyle¡¯s words meant he would not allow Noah to participate in his investigation. As Noah tilted her head, ready to rebut, Kyle resolutely rejected her excuses before she could even make them known.

    ¡°You just have to eat well, sleep well, and then attend sses as usual. There is no doubt that Minister Rossinell is an outstanding wizard, and the ss itself will be beneficial. Also, you should always take Mu to ss-¡±

    ¡°Sir Kyle has way too much to worry about.¡± Noah quickly interrupted lest his nagging will pierce and deafen her ears.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Adrian seems to like me quite a bit. Not as Eleonora, but me inside.¡±

    ¡°¡­So you don¡¯t think it¡¯s a problem.¡±

    ¡°Why, I can use this body to my advantage. I¡¯ve been cold to him countless times, but once I¡¯ve been friendly, he couldn¡¯t get it together.¡±

    It was just like that this afternoon. The more she resisted, the crazier he became, and on the other hand, one affectionate smile tamed him in a blink. It was a hundred times better to pull than to drag. If she knew how to handle him, it was not a bad idea to have him in her grasp.

    ¡°It was suspicious because Adrian seemed to be too interested in Mu. If Adrian was involved in the egg theft¡­ Maybe it¡¯s the power of the dragon that he¡¯s after in the first ce.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡­ How are you going to dig into him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to seduce him.¡± Noah spat out thoughtlessly.

    Across her, Kyle wore a shocked expression, and she quickly realized that she had made a mistake.

    Uh¡­ By seduce, I meant that I will try to be a little nice and gentle¡­

    Kyle, taken aback, asked.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

 Chapter 133

    ¡°No, I meant, I was just going to be nicer to him. Adrian has a soft spot for me.¡± Noah quickly rified.

    ¡°What if something really bad happens?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°¡¯Trust me, I know what I¡¯m doing¡¯¡­ If you give me an answer like that, I¡¯ll never see you again.¡± Kyle was so relentless that Noah had to nod her head in silence. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°The fact that you thought of doing it itself shows that Miss Noah¡¯s thinking is problematic¡­¡±

    ¡°I will not touch a strand of Adrian¡¯s hairs, I swear.¡±

    In the meantime, Noah felt a subtle satisfaction. Perhaps it was because there was a chance that she wasn¡¯t stuck in an unrequited crush. For a moment, she thought of poking Kyle a little more, but realized shortly after that it was enough, and snickered inwardly.

    ¡°So, where are you going on a business trip?¡±

    ¡°¡­Noviscosha.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s Noviscosha¡­ The Northeast?¡±

    Kyle replied stiffly with a disgruntled look. ¡°Yes, when I dismantled these fragments and identified their origin, it was a magical ore from one of the mines in Western Noviscosha. Among the minerals thate from the mine, the Mane Ore is especially precious and is directly reviewed by the Ministry of Magic.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Then, the content of the collection and usage would be certain, but the records of the Magic Department did not say that it was used to make this kind of machine man?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to go to Noviscosha first and search for illegal routes through which the Mane Ore is distributed. There are cases that need to be solved there anyway.¡±

    To make at least five such sophisticated machines, there must be a manufacturing nt somewhere that processed and assembled gemstones.

    If Kyle followed the route where Mane Ore was secretly extracted from Noviscosha, he would find a factory or ab that created them. He could also rob them and discover where the finished products were delivered, Noah thought.

    If he traces their tails, Kyle would eventually find out who designed the machines. Was it really Adrian who did all this? If so, what was he nning to achieve?

    ¡°Miss Noah, if you¡¯re thinking about something weird again¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I just chose the wrong word before. Seriously, why would I do such a nuisance?¡±

    With Noah¡¯s persuasive words, Kyle gradually stopped his nagging, although he was reluctant. As they stepped out of the ss door, Noah¡¯s thoughts still lingered on Adrian. But soon she inadvertently stopped when she glimpsed a video that was shed on one side of the room.

    ¡°¡­.?¡±

    The bottom of the video was covered with blood. It seemed Kyle¡¯s hand was wiping the recorder to remove the blood off the lens.

    I don¡¯t think it¡¯s edited yet. But¡­

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    Noah didn¡¯t want to leave just yet, feeling strange. She passed by Kyle, who was trying to lead her out of the room, and went straight to the tape recorder. Without hesitation, Noah turned up the volume of the video.

    ¡°¡­Just tore off your waist just as much as you broke my shoulder. Even if you say that, you can¡¯t be fine. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to move my limbs, unlike you with your right arm blown away.¡±

    Before the conversation could continue, Kyle, who came in a hurry, turned off the tape recorder. Noah blinked for a moment, and then her gazended on Kyle¡¯s waist. She wasn¡¯t able to notice because he had been wearing a ck shirt for days¡­

    ¡°Sir, you¡¯re hurt¡­¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± Kyle hastily interrupted.

    At his feeble excuse, Noah didn¡¯t spare a response. Instead, she grabbed Kyle by the cor of his shirt.

    *

    After a long scuffle, it was alreadyte at night that they had returned to Eleonora¡¯s mansion.

    Kyle had looked around Noah¡¯s bedroom for the fifth time. She had insisted that her room was in shambles, but it was exactly what he had left the day before yesterday. If anything differed, it was only a loose quilt and a rug with a folded corner.

    ¡­I¡¯m not in my right mind.

    Kyle kicked the folded rug to straighten it out.

    In fact, he had sworn to himself several times not to enter ady¡¯s bedroom as much as he could. As he had realized on the ferry to Tezeba, it was not polite to intrude freely into the most private space of unmarried women.

    No matter how courteous he was, and no matter how¡­ Even if Noah didn¡¯t have any s*xual meaning in bringing a man into the bedroom.

    However, he was in Noah¡¯s bedroom today as well. Kyle frowned and thought, ¡°Why am I here?¡±

 Chapter 134

    Apparently, Kyle was only nning to drop Noah and Muell in front of the mansion and return, but Noah shot him a death re and insisted that she wouldn¡¯t get off unless he showed him his wound. To make matters worse, a really unhelpful young dragon sided with his master and eventually, Kyle got off the car himself and was dragged into the house.

    Eventually, he forced Noah into the bathroom, telling her she had to wash up and change her clothes again.

    ¡°If you leave while I¡¯m inside, I am going to be so mad!¡±

    It was what Noah had threatened. Thus, he was currently waiting for her in her bedroom. Muell, who was lying on the pillow, yawned and muttered. ¡°If you had told her in advance, Noah wouldn¡¯t be so mad.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet, Mu.¡±

    ¡°Actually, it smelled like blood. It¡¯s strange that Noah didn¡¯t know. No wonder she¡¯s so worried.¡±

    The young dragon had recently been in and out of the Imperial Pce and the Bureau of Investigation and Security, and had be more talkative. Now, the kid was also poking on Kyle¡¯s nerves.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t even looked at my side for days,¡± Kyle replied coldly. In fact, he was beginning to feel offended by Noah¡¯s strangeness that had continued for the past few days.

    On the first day of her return to this mansion, she couldn¡¯t sleep alone, so Kyle stood by her side until she fell asleep, and out of nowhere, she was avoiding him the next day.

    She was a cheeky dog with no cuteness and wagged her tail at him only when she needed it. It was absurd to fall for such a ridiculous charm. Besides, wasn¡¯t it the fault of the one who makes people confused in the first ce?

    Perhaps noticing his displeasure, Muell tilted his head. ¡°When Noah really hates something, she confronts it.¡±

    Considering Noah¡¯s unusual personality, it was quite convincing. While Kyle was silent for a moment, Muell made his own conclusion.

    ¡°That¡¯s why Noah is avoiding you.¡±

    ¡°¡­Nonsense.¡± Kyle said so, but his displeasure subsided a little. The dragon, who could not tell a lie and had no reason to do so, added with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m serious. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t get pped when you touch Noah.¡±

    ¡°What on earth does that mean?¡±

    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t like you, you¡¯ll get pped.¡±

    ¡°¡­.?¡± Kyle wouldn¡¯t have known that the little boy was strangely applying the only knowledge he had learned from Adrian.

    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±

    As Kyle frowned at Muell, the bathroom door burst open. Noah stepped out carelessly, shaking off her damp hair. Seeing her foot stagger at the end of the rug Kyle hadid back a while ago, it was clear that she tripped and fell out of the bathroom again earlier in the morning.

    ¡°Oh, really. This rug. I¡¯m gonna put it away or something¡­¡± Noah grumbled, kicked the rug in annoyance.

    Did you think Noah would never do anything cute? Kyleughed and decided to correct the idea. At times like this, she was very cute.

    Noah muttered something and soon approached him. ¡°Are you really not going to show me?¡±

    She looked at him with her eyes narrowed. As she was repeatedly clenching her fists in both hands, she seemed to want to take off his clothes right away.

    ¡°I¡¯ll only take a peek at it. You don¡¯t have to take your shirt off.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be in big trouble if somebody hears the way you talk.¡±

    ¡°Nobody is listening.¡±

    ¡°I have no internal injuries and I¡¯ve been treated properly as soon as I got back to Tezeba. This isn¡¯t even the first time I got wounded.¡±

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s not a big deal, so I¡¯ll just check it once and we¡¯re done. You always check my neck.¡±

    Noah¡¯s hand crept to the button of his shirt again. Kyle muttered embarrassedly, barely holding her arm back. ¡°Why are you so stupid and reckless¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°¡­Nothing. Let me do it.¡± He eventually had to unsp a couple of buttons on the bottom of his shirt and reveal his waist, which was cleanly wrapped with gauze and bandages. Of course, as soon as Noah saw the bandage, he immediately buttoned his shirt.

    Noah asked suspiciously, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all better?¡±

    ¡°Everything is better¡­ I¡¯m not hurt. I don¡¯t feel any pain.¡±

    Noah frowned and shook her head. Then, she spoke as if demanding.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Yes?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt. I¡¯m worried. I¡¯m upset.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡±

    It sounded idiotic to repeat the same words, but Noah seemed so serious that Kyle had no choice but to answer sternly. He answered Noah¡¯s requests a few more times, which seemed more like she was giving orders than asking, and spoke after she had finished.

    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±

    ¡°What kind of stupidity¡­ Oh, when I said I was going to seduce Adrian? I won¡¯t do it.¡± Noah, who answered dryly, still had her gaze fixed on Kyle¡¯s waist.

    Kyle felt strange when he saw her frowning as if it was her who had torn his waist. He really couldn¡¯t get a hold of this woman.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even get mad at me,¡± he murmured.

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I¡¯ve never been angry. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been feeling a little restlesstely.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    Rather than replying, Noah kept her mouth shut.

 Chapter 135

    It was after Kyle had patiently waited for a few seconds that Noah spoke again. Her confident and domineering attitude suddenly vanished into thin air. Noah nced at him briefly and vaguely mumbled, ¡°You think I¡¯m always thinking about nothing, but I¡¯m not. My mind is upied with relevant thoughts, too.¡±

    ¡°Relevant thoughts? Such as? I know you get easily scared more than I thought, but I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re just sensitive or¡­¡±

    ¡°If you keep talking nonsense, I will pinch your sides. Oh, no. I¡¯m going to hit your stomach with my elbow.¡± Noah frowned, averting her gaze from Kyle, and turned around. In the end, she couldn¡¯t utter a word of exnation for the days she had been avoiding him. Still, she cared about him in her own way.

    Noah went to Muell, who was watching them from the bed, and turned the topic around, feigning nonchnce. ¡°So when are you going to Noviscosha?¡±

    ¡°¡­Maybe I¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow afternoon or the day after tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye. Don¡¯t get hurt.¡±

    Perhaps what would follow was a wave of her hand or a friendly salute, but Kyle¡¯s prediction was wrong. Noah, who was stretching Muell¡¯s cheek, nced up at him. ¡°¡­Are you going with her?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kyle asked, furrowing his brows.

    ¡°Noviscosha. You¡¯re not going alone. Are you¡­ going with Lady Romil?¡±

    ¡°You mean Penelope? When did you know herst name?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. Are youing with her or not?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Penelope Romil was one of his most trusted investigators, so he always retained his subordinates from the Tezeba branch when he went on business trips.

    ¡°Maybe this time¡­ Miss Noah. Why, again?¡± Kyle answered thoughtlessly. At Noah¡¯s re, a sigh escaped from his lips. ¡°I told you to tell me if you have anyints.¡±

    ¡°I have noints,¡± Noah quickly interjected.

    ¡°Then, you can re at me to your heart¡¯s content. I won¡¯t deal with silent demonstrations.¡±

    Noah, furious at Kyle¡¯s words, gave more intensity to her gaze and pursed her lips into a thin line. She pretended as if she gave no ounce of care and said, ¡°I¡¯m not really interested, but since I thought of it, I¡¯ll ask.¡±

    ¡°Is your ideal type a woman like Lord Romil?¡± she repeated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re curious about that¡­¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I be curious?¡± Noah retorted sullenly. Not long after, she realized that her ¡®indifference¡¯ had copsed and sheposed herself. ¡°I¡¯m not really curious about that. It¡¯s just that I suddenly remembered that you two looked pretty close, so I asked.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not close, but we¡¯re almost always together because we¡¯re one of the best investigators at the headquarters. She hadn¡¯t been my subordinate for long, but she¡¯s a trustworthy person. She¡¯s quick-witted and has a good sense.¡±

    ¡°Is she pretty?¡±

    ¡°¡­Why in the world would you wonder?¡± Kyle¡¯s eyes narrowed. Noah was strangely avoiding his gaze, though she still wore a brazen expression.

    ¡°I was just wondering what could sway a cold-blooded investigator when Eleonora, who is right in front of him, couldn¡¯t even make him bat an eye.¡±

    ¡°So, why are you curious about that?¡± Kyle straightened his posture against the window and walked off to the bed she sat on. As soon as he saw Noah stealthily hiding herself under the covers, he pulled the sheets down.

    ¡°Why, why? Why not?¡± Noah managed to put on an unconcerned look although she was nearly stuttering. Meanwhile, Kyle suppressed a chuckle as he looked at the woman across him, who seemed so adorable in her clumsiness.

    ¡°My taste¡­ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never really thought about it. Someone who is diligent and clean, so to speak?¡±

    ¡°No, not like that.¡±

    ¡°Then, someone who gets up well in the morning and can eat three meals a day on her own.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Someone who won¡¯t catch a cold or have aches often. I also hope that she won¡¯t talk back to me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not talking about what you want from me, are you?¡± Noah¡¯s eyes narrowed at him again. This time, her nonchnt facade had disappeared and a glum expression took over. Kyle shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I just said it because you asked for my taste.¡±

    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re implying.¡±

    ¡°I never said that. Do you want to suit my taste?¡±

    ¡°I never said that either.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m doing pretty well. It¡¯s a life-long contract, so who¡¯s to be next to you for the rest of your life?¡± Noah asked daringly and bit her bottom lip.

 Chapter 136

    After a few days of avoiding Kyle as if she were trying to test his patience, Noah was surprisingly talkative today. She was such aplicated woman, but somehow there was a charm beneath her entricity.

    Indeed, people are unpredictable. Until two months ago, Kyle had never dreamed that he would find a woman with the face of Eleonora Asil endearing.

    Even when she was simply asking about his tastes or paid attention to his rtionships with women, in some way, it made him feel that taking care of her was worthwhile after all. She didn¡¯t even suit his taste at all.

    Kyle thought he was crazy, but onlyughed and bowed to Noah. ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s limited to those anyway. Diligence and cleanliness are certainly a plus, but my taste is pretty flexible. It has been, and it will continue to be.¡±

    Noah blinked several times at his words, turned her head coyly, and grumbled under her breath.

    ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t want anything more if you¡¯d do anything within my expectations.¡± Kyle muttered to himself, pressing Noah¡¯s shoulder. In his eyes, a body that was extremely frail fell back on the bed. Then, he covered Noah¡¯s body with a nket as she struggled to get up.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to go to bed. Take care of your sses until I get back. Stop destroying the Magic Department¡¯s building.¡±

    Noah, who peeked out of the nket, muttered something. It seemed to be an indistinct answer, but she quickly blinked and buried her facepletely beneath the nket.

    I¡¯m worried. Kyle felt ufortable when he saw Noah wave her hand out of the nket.

    Would it be okay to leave her alone? he pondered. Before he set out, he made a request to the young dragon. ¡°¡­Mu, keep an eye on your master.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Muell¡¯s presence reassured his worries. As long as he was with Noah, there won¡¯t be a big problem.

    *

    Kyle¡¯s worries appeared before him in a slightly different form than he had expected. It was just when he left Eleonora¡¯s mansion and returned to the Bureau of Investigation and Security. Penelope and Paul were not the only people who were waiting for him.

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Kyle, in rare embarrassment, nced over the papers that had been thrust upon him. Sitting on the sofa of his office, the Investigative Security Minister said strictly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dispatch to the Central Edman branch, Sir Leonard.¡±

    ¡°Why all of a sudden¡­¡±

    ¡°The reason is contained in the document, so read it. If you have any excuse, I¡¯ll hear it.¡±

    The document contained a temporary dispatch order to the Bureau of Investigation and Security in the province of Central Edman. In a nutshell, a temporary dispatch was a temporary demotion. When Kyle flipped a few more papers, he could realize why his dispatch was suddenly ordered.

    What was inserted in the middle of the document was a big article with a picture.

    <b>The General Manager of the Bureau of Investigation and Security and Laurent¡¯s witch of 16 previous convictions. Love ends years of pursuit?</b>

    ¡°Tomorrow, it¡¯s for the morning paper. The source said it was an anonymous informant.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s face gradually hardened as he read the article. The minister asked sharply, ¡°The two people in the picture, that¡¯s you and Eleonora Asil, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡±

    There was nothing he could deny. The photo was taken inside a warehouse with a subtle orange light. Eleonora¡¯s apricot hair was dangled and a gold badge symbolizing the Chief of the Bureau of Investigation and Security glistened below. It was not a picture taken by someone else somewhere.

    Kyle knew as soon as he saw the photo. The scene was in the middle of a recording of the incidents in the Angelic, which he handed over to Penelope with his own hands. It was a recording when Noah came down to the mana operating room to find him¡­

    He hadpletely forgotten that Noah was included in the fifteen-hour video. The recording was apparently handed over to Penelope, and since she was in charge of all the editing of the video, Penelope was the only person who could turn the picture over to the newspaper writers.

    As Kyle red at Penelope, who was waiting beside him, as if he was executing her death sentence, she shook her head vigorously. ¡°Not me, Captain!¡±

    Then who is it? Kyle¡¯s grip hardened as he clutched the papers.

    ¡°I managed to stop it from being published in the morning paper tomorrow, thanks to the advance notice. You know that if this spreads to the private sector, the Bureau of Investigation and Security will lose face, sir. You might have to take your clothes off if you¡¯re unlucky.¡±

    Kyle was silent.

    ¡°But I believe in you. Even if there¡¯s only one woman in the world and that¡¯s Eleonora Asil, you won¡¯t even look at her.¡±

    Kyle couldn¡¯t deny nor affirm the minister¡¯sment and had no choice but to appear vague. The Minister muttered with a suspicious look, ¡°But judging by your recent track record, I¡¯ve noticed a marked difference¡­ Is there anything you haven¡¯t reported to me?¡±

 Chapter 137

    Kyle could utter no excuse for his superior¡¯sment. Everything he had been investigating at the annex of the Bureau of Investigation and Security in Lendia had not yet been reported to the Secretary and Deputy Minister.

    Since it was a publicly known fact that the Minister of Defense and Adrian Rossinell were quite close, Kyle deemed it was an inevitable choice to deal with them carefully.

    ¡°Show me that my trust in you is right. Go down to Central Edman for a while.¡± The Minister gave a firm order.

    ¡°But Minister, the cases in charge are still¡­¡±

    ¡°The Noviscosha case and the Lendia Security Force case have to be taken over. I¡¯vepiled and reported all the records about Yulem and Eleonora Asil.¡± The Minister closed his eyes tiredly and gave his finalmand, ¡°Don¡¯te back to the capital, for the time being, Sir Leonard.¡±

    As soon as the Minister left his seat, Kyle fired fiercely at Penelope. ¡°What do you think I mean when I say it¡¯s confidential? Penelope, where do you sell all the information I¡¯ve given to you so far-¡±

    ¡°I swear it was not me, Captain!¡± Penelope hastily excused, whose face was extremely pale. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought was strange, but I was just going to ask the Captainter¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Get it. The recording chip I gave you.¡± Kyle didn¡¯t say much and ordered Penelope coldly. Penelope rushed to her office immediately, and within minutes she appeared with a much palerplexion than before.

    ¡°Captain¡­ Apparently, I saved a copy of the video, and locked the original in a safe but¡­¡±

    It was obvious; there was no need for them to check. The chip was stolen. Kyle pressed his fingers on his throbbing temple, listening to Penelope as she stuttered to recite the names of those who had been in and out of her office for the few prior days. There were only a few who had entered her office that the investigators use together¡­

    ¡°Oh, recently the Minister of Magic has been away for a while, and after that, Lollinne Birch hase to hand in his signature¡­.¡±

    ¡°Say that again.¡±

    ¡°What? Ah, a statement by Lollin¡¯s own author-¡°

    ¡°No!¡± Kyle interrupted her words irritably, tempted to grab Penelope by the cor of her uniform. Meanwhile, Penelope blinked nkly, confused and oblivious.

    Her superior¡¯s violet eyes were gleaming familiarly. It was like discovering valuable evidence that they had missed.

    ¡°Who went there?¡±

    *

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Flip. Whoosh. Thud. Adrian, who was ying with something as tiny as a nail on his palm, bouncing it into the air, looked to his side leisurely.

    ¡°You¡¯re here, Ellie?¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±

    Today was the seventh day of her unpleasant magic ss with Adrian. Noah took her hat off, threw it on the table, and buried herself on the sofa. Kyle was probably getting ready to leave for Noviscosha by now, she thought.

    It was only yesterday that the Investigation Security Bureau annex confirmed the identity of the scraps of metal, and judging from his absence in Eleonora¡¯s mansion this morning, there seemed to be a lot of work he had toplete before his departure.

    Adrian nced at Noah¡¯s side, clicking his tongue. ¡°Where else did you leave the dragon alone? I told you we¡¯re going to have a training session with the both of you to prevent mental unity.¡±

    ¡°He wanted to y, so I left him in the Imperial Garden for a while.¡±

    ¡°Is today¡¯s target a garden? It¡¯s the ce where the Empress Dowager of the preceding generation cherished, so if he breaks it down, it¡¯ll sting her eyes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already crossed the river that I can¡¯t return from the moment Mu broke the tallest tower in the Imperial Pce.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ellie, you just don¡¯t want to take sses, do you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Noah couldn¡¯t even deny it. It was hard to slip through Adrian¡¯s eyes. Of course, he, a human being, and Muell, a dragon, meant he couldn¡¯t inflict a scratch on the child. But, she still couldn¡¯t ease her worries.

    When he noticed her vignce, Adrian shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I know you don¡¯t believe me, but you can¡¯t avoid it forever. If you don¡¯t learn how to do it from me within this week, you¡¯ll have to live with a time bomb the whole week.¡±

    ¡°Why. Where are you going, too?¡±

    ¡°A business trip.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to think that you can have a lot of fun. You¡¯re supposed to start your volunteer work next week.¡±

    It was a golden opportunity for Noah if Adrian were to vacate the Imperial Pce. While he was away, she could search theb and his study secretly. Besides, it¡¯s only volunteer work. I can just skip it.

    ¡°You are going to record each time you¡¯ve done your service faithfully. You¡¯d better not think of cking.¡±

    It¡¯s a record. It can be forged.

    Noah came to a simple conclusion and rose from her seat. ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll bring Mu.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me orders. I might nevere back.¡±

    Of course, Noah had no intention of returning at least today. She then left the office with his back against Adrian. As she was crossing the middle of the Imperial Pce in search of Muell, she encountered someone, who tapped on her temper as much as Adrian Rossinell.

    Noah clenched her teeth and smiled brightly at the person in front of her. ¡°¡­Lenia.¡±

 Chapter 138

    Lenia Valtalere. The b*tch who betrayed me.

    Lenia, with her braided hair hanging sideways, looked elegant and charming still. There were no traces of weariness disyed on her smooth face. She was simr to Eleonora.

    Why do the beautiful women in the world have a nasty temper? Can¡¯t I find a pretty and sweet sister here?

    ¡°¡­Hello, Lady Asil.¡± Lenia briefly nced at Noah and gave a soulless greeting. Then, she merely passed by her. However, there was not a minute chance that Noah would allow Lenia to ditch her again, as she had done.

    The vines that were entangled among the walls of the Imperial Pce quickly grew in size and blocked Lenia¡¯s way. Lenia stopped shortly, and Noah slowly approached her, suppressing the mana, which flowed in the vines, lest it would spiral out of her control.

    In fact, Noah had nned to visit Lenia again after she was released. Not only because it was the root cause of the huge punishment of 200,000 hours of volunteer work imposed on her, but because it seemed to her that Lenia¡¯s condition in the underground prison that day was strange.

    She had no facial expressions and uttered words without even the tiniest emotion as if she had memorized them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything, Lady Asil.¡±

    It was the same as now. Noah didn¡¯t say a word, but Lenia repeated the same thing she had said thest time as if she had read Noah¡¯s mind.

    ¡°No matter how much you threaten me, you won¡¯t get anything.¡±

    ¡°¡­Maybe.¡± Noah ced a hand on Lenia¡¯s shoulder to see if anyone around would approach them. ¡°Are you being threatened by someone? You said that to me on the deck of the ship. If we get caught, we¡¯re going to die this time.¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°You know, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m very reliable, but I¡¯ve been trying to save you since we were on the ship. I was mad at you then because of the situation.¡± Noah said, stroking Lenia¡¯s shoulders soothingly. In order to keep Lenia¡¯s guard as low as possible, Noah wore the most innocent smile she could muster on her lips. ¡°Just tell me. Who¡¯s bothering you?¡±

    Once again, there was silence.

    ¡°Give me a little hint, and it¡¯ll help both me and you¡­¡±

    Lenia turnedpletely toward Noah. There, Noah couldn¡¯t talk anymore. It was because a very sinister assumption crossed her mind. Lenia still repeated the same thing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything. I¡­¡±

    Words that fell from Lenia¡¯s mouth were repeated in a dull manner as if it were in a certain set manual. Back in the ship, Angelic, Lenia trembled like a rabbit in front of a tiger and looked immensely frightened and feeble, but now she looked as if she were apletely different person.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go now, Lady Asil.¡± Lenia finally took Noah¡¯s hand on her shoulder and turned her back against her. Noah clenched her hands as she looked away from the odd woman. I¡¯ll have to check. Let¡¯s see if that¡¯s the real Lenia.

    The walls of the vines swayed about in the wind. Lenia¡¯s hair, along with the hem of her dress, was swept by the gust. Noah extended one hand towards Lenia¡¯s back.

    Slowly, the prickly vines raised their bodies stiffly and aimed at Lenia¡¯s back. The dragon¡¯s mana swelled within Noah and the shackles sped on her neck rattled unstably, but her will prevailed nheless. Vines then wounded themselves around Lenia¡¯s body.

    Still, Lenia remained expressionless. Noah¡¯s instinct made a move before her mind could think of anything. She grabbed Lenia¡¯s neck and jerked her aside. Between the braids of hair, she could see a tape attached behind the ears. There was no need to tear it off. It was too obvious what was engraved.

    Then, just like what Kyle had done¡­ If I attack from here, will it break?

    Muell¡¯s mana faithfully followed Noah¡¯s will. Sharply cropped vines rushed in from behind her back, cutting through the wind. Then, the vines pierced right through Lenia¡¯s neck. It would have been quite a grotesque sight if it had been a real living person, but neither blood nor flesh spurted.

    Instead¡­

    Tuck. A lump of silver metal fell on the ground. A moment ago, it had just been Lenia¡¯s head. The letters engraved in the middle of it were clear: lowercase ¡°r¡±.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Noah bit her lips, witnessing Lenia¡¯s appearance slowly fade from the machine. Fragments of metal rolled on the floor, along with the dresses and shoes that covered it.

    Soon, Noah arrived at a conclusion.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t her fake double that was taken care of.¡±

    Lenia did not tantly im her innocence by putting aside the double she had set up in Tezeba in a timely manner. The one who was taken care of was the real Lenia who was on the ship with her.

 Chapter 139

    It was evident that the machine was swapped with the real Lenia when she was apanied to the Bureau of Investigation and Security, or from the moment she departed Angelic.

    A cold shiver ran down Noah¡¯s spine at her eerie spection. Lenia Valtalere, the culprit who stole the dragon¡¯s egg and the only witness to all the strange events of recent years was missing.

    ¡°Mu¡­¡± As she whispered, a little kid as smallnded next to her. ¡°Let¡¯s hide these things out of sight.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Muell opened his palms, creating a narrow entrance to a subspace, and began to suck every fragment that scattered on the floor. As soon as he cleared the ce, Noah took his arm and left the Imperial Pce in a haste.

    Their pace gradually elerated and eventually turned into a marathon. Noah crumpled herself and Muell into a tram in front of the Imperial Pce that was just about to depart and confirmed their destination.

    ¡°Second Ward. Lendia. Fifth stop, in front of the Fifth Avenue, Bureau of Investigation and Security.¡±

    Noah bit her lips nervously. Kyle. Kyle Leonard. Have you gone already?

    Apparently, he had said he was leaving for Noviscosha this afternoon or tomorrow morning. Before he left, Noah had to tell him what she had discovered about Lenia, and review the records he had recorded.

    Then, the image of the fake Lenia, which she had broken into pieces only a moment ago, shed in her mind. The machine had the same face and voice as Lenia; it was a perfect replica. No one would notice that it wasn¡¯t Lenia Valtalere who they¡¯re talking to.

    Noah recalled the ck alphabet engraved behind Lenia¡¯s ear, and suddenly an illusion of a chilly wind blowing around her appeared.

    ¡®r.¡¯

    All of the machines resembling humans that emerged in the ship, including Lenia and those that attacked Kyle, had a lowercase ¡®r¡¯ stamped on the back of their ears¡¯; like a token from the same factory.

    The letter ¡®r¡¯ could not have been written without any meaning, so it must be an abbreviation. If so, what could it be?

    An idea crossed Noah¡¯s mind, but it was only her guess. She needed evidence to support her im, and the proof, of course, was in Kyle¡¯s office ¨C the Bureau of Investigation and Security.

    While she anxiously bit her bottom lip, thinking over and over again, the tram was slowly speeding down. A sign reading ¡°Lendia 5-Street¡± shed through the window, and a gray building of the Investigation Security Bureau Annex appeared at a distance.

    However, it wasn¡¯t Kyle who greeted Noah when she was about to storm into the Bureau of Investigation and Security. Before she could step into the building, her shoulder was jerked sideways and her body was swept away by the strong grip.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°Be quiet,e here.¡±

    It was not until Noah heard the familiar voice that she knew who the person was.

    Penelope.

    She was an undercover investigator for Kyle. Muell, who had spurted ck mes in both of his hands in rm, managed to extinguish the mes.

    Penelope gripped Noah¡¯s arm and dragged her up to the old stairs in the corner of the hallway. Nervousness was apparent in the woman¡¯s face and every step she took wasced with caution; it was as if someone was watching them.

    In addition, Muell, who was carried in Noah¡¯s arms, also stiffened. Noah couldn¡¯t face Penelope properly until they arrived inside theb on the second floor, where she and Kyle had been the previous day.

    Before she could even ask the reason for her actions, an urgent question fell from Noah¡¯s lips. ¡°Sir Leonard¡­ Is he on his way?¡±

    ¡°He leftst night.¡±

    ¡°Last night? Why did he leave so early¡­¡± Oh, lord. I can¡¯t catch someone who has already left.

    Then, Noah bombarded Penelope with a series of questions like a waterfall.

    ¡°How long will it take to get back from Noviscosha? No, how long does it take to get down to Noviscosha? I¡¯d like you to make a call to the Noviscosha Substation. As soon as possible!¡±

    ¡°The captain¡­¡±

    The room of theb was dark, casting a shadow on Penelope¡¯s face. Noah suddenly felt an ominous premonition as she saw Penelope avoiding her gaze.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone to Central Edman, Lady Asil.¡±

    ¡°Edman¡­? But yesterday he said he was definitely going to Noviscosha.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Why Edman all of a sudden?¡± Noah asked in bewilderment. Not long after, she grasped the situation at once after hearing Penelope¡¯s exnation.

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy. So he was demoted and was sent to Edman because of a scandal with me?¡±

    ¡°Simrly, I have an order from the Minister not to return to the capital for a while.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m really going crazy.¡±

 Chapter 140

    It was unbelievable. Kyle really had to disappear now? Noah pped her forehead with her hand and a bitterugh fell from her mouth.

    Penelope carefully added, ncing at her distraught expression, ¡°We have closed theb on the second floor for a while because of the Captain¡¯s order not to report on what the Lendia Annex is investigating. And I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for you to be leisurely going in and out of the Bureau.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so. No, why did such a scandal spread in the first ce? We haven¡¯t done anything suspicious.¡± Noah asked sharply, thin creases forming above her brows. Did I grab that guy and hug him, kiss him, or even walk down the street holding his hand?

    However, Penelope dodged her question vaguely and even changed the subject. ¡°Well, the Captain gave me a message to hand over the materials from the Lendia Research Institute, which I¡¯ve arranged so far if you evere. Here.¡±

    She quickly handed Noah a package with heavy files, a couple of recorders and dozens of keys, as if she was afraid Noah would ask more. ¡°He left a message. Don¡¯t do anything dangerous, never do anything more frivolous to Adrian Rossinell. If anything happens to the capital city,e down¡­¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me that.¡±

    Come down? Where? Noah nced nervously at the dozens of folders and recorders. What could shein about in her situation? The worry of Kyle¡¯s demotion, or worst, dismissal, that had consumed her mind in the ship was now bing a reality.

    Penelope whispered hastily, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go out. Lady Asil can leave alone after I leave¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Noah grabbed her shoulder, turning Penelope¡¯s body to face her. It could no longer be helped if Kyle had gone already. She had to prove the spection she hade up with.

    ¡°The culprit from Yulem, who was captured in the Angelic, he¡¯s still in the underground prison, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°What? Oh, yeah. The interrogation is not over yet¡­¡±

    It was enough. Without further ado, Noah pushed the puzzled Penelope toward the door.

    ¡°Show him to me, now. Right now!¡±

    *

    The rusty iron door opened with a grotesque sound. As soon as the gate opened, a pungent smell gave Noah a weak headache. Just before the entrance was fully opened, Penelope warned with a wry look. ¡°As the Lady knows, it won¡¯t be a very good sight.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, open it.¡± Noah answered, but as soon as she caught a glimpse of it, she felt her knees weaken. Muell¡¯s grip also tightened.

    ¡°Of course you¡¯re Lady Asil, you¡¯re used to it, but¡­¡± Penelope murmured.

    No, I didn¡¯t know it would look like this. Noah was at loss for words as she stared at the man kneeling in the middle of the prison. Now, she could understand why Kyle refused to show him to her.

    The man¡¯s hands were handcuffed, which were tightly connected to the ceiling with ck chains. A bandage was wrapped around his head and his hair had long since lost its original white color. Instead, his hair appeared brownish, which seemed to be bloodstains.

    Not only was his head evidently injured, but his arms exposed by the uplift and his body seen through his torn clothes were covered with wounds everywhere. The interrogation must have continued until dawn today.

    It was said that all torture devices and weapons were prohibited in the interrogation room, but if a person was a suspect of a heinous crime, he would likely receive a good beating. And it was crystal clear that he had received not much sympathy.

    Perhaps the man felt the presence of someone entering the dungeon as he managed to open his swollen eyes. When he saw Noah, he seemed to mumble something, but he had a gag in his mouth, so Noah couldn¡¯t tell what he was talking about.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Noah ignored the man¡¯s faint voice and asked Penelope. ¡°This guy, did he have a chip removal operation?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Has he told you anything about his employer yet?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ve tried all sorts of different ways to get him to talk. His mouth is tighter than I thought.¡±

    If he had remained mum despite his dreadful situation, there could only be one reason. The punishment he would receive if he were to reveal everything he knew was immensely greater than the punishment imposed to him to confess.

    But it alles under the assumption that this man was really ¡®human¡¯.

    Noah grabbed the man¡¯s chin without dy and loosened the bandage around his head with her other hand. Penelope called her in embarrassment, ¡°I¡­ Lady Asil, I¡¯m sure the surgical site hasn¡¯t healed yet¡­¡±

    At this moment, Noah was fortunate to share the spirit of a dragon. At least she could stop herself from vomiting behind the man¡¯s left ear.

    There was no thin scar on the back of his ear, a sign that Yulem¡¯s self-destruct chip was nted, and instead there was a tiny red scar. There were clear stitches around the scar. Noah brushed her hands indifferently against the wound and asked Muell, ¡°Mu, show me here. Brightly.¡±

 Chapter 141

    In an instant, a bright light burst from Muell¡¯s palm, revealing the scars on the man¡¯s neck. But those scars turned insignificant when Noah found another sign that was shown before the light. The breath she had been holding burst out of her mouth.

    ¡°Letter ¡®R¡¯¡­¡±

    An alphabet stamped exactly on the same position as the mark on Lenia came to view. Their only difference is the case ¡ª this was capitalized, but the symbol on the machine that impersonated Lenia was in lowercase.

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Noah whispered to the man whose bruised eyes were barely open.

    ¡°Uck¡­¡±

    But the only thing she could hear from him was the sound of phlegm in his throat. Noah had even removed the gag off his mouth. Her hand raised his bloodstained chin and their eyes met. ¡°Some letters are capitalized, some are not. What¡¯s the difference?¡± she asked.

    However, there was no need to urge the man to answer. As soon as the words left her lips, enlightenment struck her.

    The real Lenia disappeared and a machine took her ce¡­ Noah carefully looked at the face of the man, which was almost crushed, and recognized the familiar feeling of deja vu.

    Her hand groped the ground and caught one of the recorders Penelope had handed her. When the power was pressed, an opaque screen floated in the air.

    It was the recording that unfolded Kyle¡¯s little secret, which earned him a confrontation from Noah.

    ¡°I just tore off your waist just as much as you broke my shoulder. Even if you say that, you can¡¯t be fine. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to move my limbs, unlike you with your right arm blown away.¡±

    ¡°With his right arm blown away¡­¡±

    A weak groan resounded from the man when Noah held his right shoulder. It was definitely blood that cascaded on the floor.

    This man was the only real human being among the terrorists in Angelic. Noah kept turning the recorder.

    #1. Next, #2. #3¡­

    ¡°Lady Asil, you¡¯re going to have to get out of here¡­¡± Penelope whispered; she was bing extremely anxious.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    Penelope nced uneasily at the entrance. ¡°The minister will visit the annex soon. Before that, we need to keep theb and the interrogation room closed-¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Noah nervously interrupted, ying the 7th edited version of the recording. And finally, she found the evidence she was looking for. Among the records that remained unedited until yesterday, the man¡¯s face was captured the closest.

    The video was paused and the lower part of the man¡¯s face could be seen, just before Kyle¡¯s bullet shed past. Noah looked alternately at the face on the screen and the face of the groaning man in front of her. It was not long before she came to a conclusion.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re the original.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes opened wide. Noah raised herself, removing the hand that held his chin. His eyes, which had never shown any emotion before, were filled with fear and followed her movements.

    ¡°The face is all the same.¡±

    ¡°Huck¡­¡±

    ¡°The mark, it is to distinguish the real from the fake.¡±

    The uppercase letter ¡®R¡¯ is printed on real humans, and the lowercase letter ¡®r¡¯ is printed on the machines made after the people they were designed to rece. The marks were nothing more than a distinction.

    Then. there was only one mystery that had not been unveiled yet: how, or in what way, were the machines covered with human skin.

    In this age where omnipotent magic was gradually growing faint¡­ If one was not a wizard who is a master of pure magic, who could make such an eerie phenomenon possible?

    At this point, it was all too clear who the people that needed to be identified were.

    Noah, clutching Muell in her arms, left the interrogation room. Their backs turned against the shrieks of the ragged man. Penelope, who saw bloodstains on her hands and clothes, stepped back in surprise.

    As soon as Muell¡¯s tiny fingers touched her dress, the dirty marks disappeared as if they were washed away by the water.

    Without dy, Noah and Muell left the Bureau of Investigation and Security, and their seeding destination was the Imperial Pce, where they had been only a few hours ago.

 Chapter 142

    Boom. When Noah violently opened the door of the Magic Minister¡¯s office, Adrian was sitting by the window, enjoying the sun while skimming over some documents.

    He looked up and smiled affectionately at Muell. ¡°Are youing now?¡±

    ¡°¡­Sorry, I¡¯m a littlete.¡± Noah muttered, cing the child on the table, and approached the window.

    Adrian stared at the young dragon with a curious gaze, failing to avoid Noah¡¯s hand, which raised his chin. She nced down at his face. His eyes with the greenness of a meadow in a spring day bent into the shape of a crescent moon

    ¡°That¡¯s unusual? You¡¯re this close to me?¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d like it.¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡± Adrian lowered his eyes as if he could feel her hand climbing up his cheek.

    What¡¯s hiding behind this pretty face? Noah thought. Now that Kyle had failed to discover clues in Noviscosha, there was one thing she ought to aplish.

    Let¡¯s start with this guy, who is like the eye of the storm in every case. Just before Adrian could wrap her hand with his, Noah raised her hand from his cheek. Then, he took a step back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a ss,¡± Noah spurted out.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you run away because you didn¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. There¡¯s so much I want to learn from you.¡±

    ¡°You must have finally recognized my value.¡±

    ¡°Because to some extent, you¡¯re right. I can¡¯t wait to control the dragon¡¯s mana.¡±

    Adrian, who was staring at her, smiled. ¡°If there¡¯s somethinging, shouldn¡¯t there be something going?¡±

    ¡°The opportunity to observe Mu. That¡¯s what you want, right?¡±

    The air in the room rippled and created an artificial wind. Muell, who had just stood on the table in the corner, emerged on Adrian¡¯s desk in the blink of an eye.

    Adrian¡¯s eyes swept over Noah and carefully touched the young dragon. She could see it clearly in his green eyes ¡ª his eyes showed a desirepletely different from when he looked at Noah.

    What Adrian hoped for was Muell. If Noah was oblivious to such an obvious fact, she would be a fool.

    Noah brushed her fingers through the child¡¯s curly ck hair and a smooth lie fell from her lips. ¡°Yes. The deal we made in Battuanu, let¡¯s make it happen between us.¡±

    *

    ¡°¡­I feel uneasy for some reason.¡±

    ¡°What? What do you mean, Captain?¡± Paul looked back strangely at his captain. Upon seeing the sharp look on his superior¡¯s face, he began to offer words offort.

    ¡°Eh, you don¡¯t have to worry so much, Captain. Isn¡¯t Penelope in the headquarters? This time, of course, Penelope made a mistake, but basically, she¡¯s a reliable-¡°

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about Penelope,¡± Kyle interrupted.

    ¡°Oh, because of your demotion? Speaking of which, Captain. The captain needs to take a break. Collecting the vacation paychecks that have been umted for nearly five years will fill up to a full three months. Don¡¯t think of it as demotion, think of it as a reward vacation for all your hard work-¡±

    ¡°Please shut up, Paul.¡± Kyle put an end to the rambling of a nervous subordinate.

    His head had ached because of cases that were forced to stop, but Paul¡¯s nonsensical chatter about vacation made his head hurt even more.

    The train leaving Tezeba was running towards Central Edman. Tezeba¡¯sst stop was just around the corner.

    Kyle flicked at Paul, who nced at him. ¡°Give it to me, what I asked you to bring.¡±

    ¡°Um, Captain. The minister told me not to hand over any confidential data to the captain for the time being-¡±

    ¡°Paul Elzario. Do you want to take away all the rest of the holiday world that you love so much?¡±

    Dictator! Paul was so full of tears that he finally took out the file. The document, which arranged the official schedule of the Minister of Magic this month, was a copy that Paul secretly asked his lover to steal.

    ¡°If I knew she had stolen the Minister¡¯s timetable, I¡¯d know that my darling would all be cut off, you know?¡±

    Kyle ignored Paul¡¯s pleas as he examined the papers. Adrian Rossinel¡¯s schedule was torture, perhaps because of the aftermath ofst month¡¯s Laurent train paralysis, right after his long vacation.

    If the official schedule was extremely tight, he wouldn¡¯t have adequate time to remain in theb for the time being. If so, it was fortunate that Kyle could secure time to investigate from his side.

    Then, a two or three-hour schedule caught Kyle¡¯s eye.

    <b>Eleonora Asil interview.</b>

    I¡¯m nervous, too. He had been thinking like a porridge since he left Tezeba. Adrian Rossinell, what are you thinking? What are you nning to do in the capital by sending me away?

    There wasn¡¯t anything suspicious in his schedule, but if he had toe to the Bureau of Investigation and Security to retrieve the chips containing evidence¡­ Adrian must have already known that Kyle had doubts about the strange urrences in Angelic, specifically the human-like machines.

    Spreading the scandal that led to Kyle¡¯s dismissal to Central Edman, which, by all ounts, was Adrian¡¯s attempt to prevent the investigation from progressing in any way.

    However, it was not himself Kyle was worried about. Deceitful ys weren¡¯t enough to constrain him. He pressed down on his temples, feeling his head throbbing.

    Actually, the problem was Noah. Given Noah¡¯s behavior, which had always been careless around him, there could be no guarantee that she would not do the same to other men.

    Of course, he had lost some of his power as head of the Bureau of Defense, so if Noah continues to progress in the capital, it¡¯ll help the investigation¡­

    But it was unpleasant. There was a sense of ridiculous jealousy that swelled in Kyle¡¯s chest, and this time, emotion won over reason.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t cared for someone to this extent.¡±

 Chapter 143

    Kyle flicked the papers irritably, and Paul, who had been observing him, slipped a few words. ¡°Come on, Captain, I¡¯m asking just in case-¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to ask useless questions, don¡¯t open your mouth.¡±

    Unfazed by his sharp retort, Paul asked firmly. ¡°You¡¯re not really on that terms with Lady Asil, are you?¡±

    ¡°If so, then what will you do?¡± Kyle spat out thoughtlessly, but then saw the dismay of his subordinate and realized he had made a mistake.

    ¡°Oh, my god, again, the Minister had a vision¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t return to the capital and talk nonsense, Paul.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even deny it!¡± Paul¡¯s voice grew louder. Instead of soothing his subordinate¡¯s shock, Kyle turned his head out of the window. He felt ufortable in an instant.

    Although the words fell out of his mouth undeliberately, Kyle wasn¡¯t sure exactly what the rtionship was with him and Noah, too. It was difficult to find the most appropriate term for them. Were they colleagues? Or were they a butler and the master, as Noah always insisted?

    ¡°For now, butler¡¯s dismissed.¡±

    Well, the caregiver is the servant¡­ Kyle pondered. There was still no change in Noah¡¯s hierarchy. Besides, Kyle didn¡¯t seem to be in a position of power, given that he cared too much about Noah and was swayed by a mere word from her.

    Was it natural to be anxious when she was away from him? Even if she was right next to him, everything simply made Kyle anxious.

    ¡°Did you sleep well? Did you eat well? Did you have all three meals? Did you meet a tough guy? Or did you trip over a rug?¡± These were the worries that strained Kyle¡¯s mind. It even seemed he had no time to fret over himself.

    While Kyle was lost in thought, Paul¡¯s voice, in shock, rang unceasingly. ¡°What on earth did you like about her? You seem to have been a bit calmtely, but until two years ago, you were the first son of a b*tch in Laurent!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not Eleonora Asil.¡± Eventually Kyle had to interrupt Paul¡¯s words and correct them. Paul asked suspiciously back, ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Although somehow I got tangled up with Lady Asil, what you¡¯re talking about ¡®in that rtionship¡¯ I¡¯m talking about somebody else¡­¡±

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°There is¡­ a lethargic, sloth-like woman.¡± A woman who was far from diligence and cleanliness, who never listened to a word once she spoke, and who could win a trophy if there were a contest forziness.

    It¡¯s far from my taste, but why am I pouring my heart out? But at this point, I guess I just have to ept it¡­

    ¡°Now stop asking useless questions. Your attitude toward work is harmful.¡± Kyle straightened himself, putting an end to their conversation lest numerous questions would follow. The train was gradually slowing down. After a brief stop at Tezeba¡¯sst station, the train would not stop for hours.

    ¡°What do you mean useless? This is a very important problem. So you¡¯re telling me there¡¯s someone else you¡¯ve been hiding¡­ Uh, Captain. What are you doing?¡± Paul, who was muttering to himself, opened his eyes wide at his superior¡¯s behavior. ¡°Why are you taking off your badge? Uh¡­¡±

    Kyle removed the badge, which symbolized the head of the Bureau of Investigation and Security, off his uniform and threw it at Paul. Then, he took off his uniform jacketpletely.

    Paul stared at his boss who wore a ck coat instead of his usual uniform, blinking nkly. After Kyle had fixed the fedora on his head and the sses, which Noah had given him before, on the bridge of his nose, he stood up.

    At that point, Paul was skeptical. ¡°Captain¡­? You¡¯re not going to do what I¡¯m thinking, are you?¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    ¡°I have a hunch that you¡¯re not going to Central Edman, but you¡¯re going somewhere else in the middle along the way¡­¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    Just in time, the train entered the station. Kyle calmly ordered, unloading his suitcase from the overhead rack. ¡°It¡¯s a secret to the Minister and Vice Minister. If I get caught, I¡¯ll strip you too, so behave yourself.¡±

    ¡°Will this work?¡±

    ¡°It depends on you.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?!¡±

    Instead of answering, Kyle shook the incident log. ¡°Noviscosha Mine Mass Disappearance. I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    From the time he was advised a demotion by the Minister, Kyle had no intention of going down to Central Edman. Adrian was a fool to dispatch him under the guise of a false scandal, to take Noah and Muell with him.

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    Kyle left the room, turning his back against his subordinate¡¯s mournful cry. Having already checked the timetable, the train for Noviscosha would be two hourster.

    If they find out that I disobeyed the Minister¡¯s orders, I¡¯m on the verge of being fired this time. Well, someone from somewhere said they¡¯d give me a new job. Was it a life-long contract for the butler?

    Kyle got off the train with a giggle.

 Chapter 144

    Oh, I miss the butler.

    Three days had passed since Kyle left for Central Edman. When Noah¡¯s attitude of defiance, along with the little child, shifted a hundred and eighty degrees, progress immediately propelled.

    There was only one exercise to be done in order not to be influenced by the dragon¡¯s innate brutality without releasing the chains bound on her neck. The method controls the dragon¡¯s mana so that it wouldn¡¯t seep into the master¡¯s body as if it were his.

    ¡°You should practice so that your body recognizes the dragon and you aspletely different objects. It¡¯s not just about mental strength. You have to apply it to your body.¡± Adrian said, taking his hand to Noah¡¯s neck.

    As he gently pressed down where the pulse was located, Noah felt a sensation of boiling iron pouring into her blood vessels. She breathed in amazement, and Adrian patted her on the shoulder.

    ¡°Stay with it. You tend to absorb it strangely instead of having no rejection when someone else¡¯s mana is flowing in. You should be like a nk paper that won¡¯t stain no matter how much paint is poured on it. So, just thinking about it makes the mana react. You should hold a dragon in your hand and wield its power, and you shouldn¡¯t be the dragon¡¯s weapon yourself. Don¡¯t absorb it, but be aware of it so that it¡¯s out of your body.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t as easy as she thought. More than anything else, Noah was helpless when Adrian¡¯s mana, which he said would be much better to practice than the dragon¡¯s mana, heated her whole body.

    Unable to keep her pulse steady, she panted. Adrian muttered in wonder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? No matter how little it is, it¡¯s rare for a human being to absorb it so easily.¡±

    It¡¯s not my body ¨C Noah swallowed such thought. But Adrian¡¯s lips which were slightly curled seemed to have the same thought as her; heforted her with great kindness on such subject.

    ¡°Yeah, well, we can¡¯t help it. I just hope it gets better.¡±

    Perhaps he knew he wasn¡¯t Eleonora; only pretending he didn¡¯t. Noah could tell what was going on and pushed him away irritably.

    As Adrian said, the mana, which was at first as hot as boiling water, slowly began to cool down and soon was absorbed like it was her own.

    No matter how hard she tried, it became difficult to distinguish the moment other people¡¯s mana entered her. Noah knew intuitively that as long as she was trapped in a body not hers, there would be no way to fix it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today. Do the rest tomorrow.¡± Adrian slowly fell a few steps from Noah when she expressed her intention to stop.

    These days, she has been visiting the Imperial Pce almost every day to meet Adrian. Their deal, under the guise of a ss, began with her training and ended with Adrian observing Muell.

    At the corner, the little boy was eating a strawberry tart on Adrian¡¯s desk, whose mouth and chin were covered with crumbs. When Noah made a small gesture, Muell rushed to her. Then, she whispered secretly. ¡°Mu, you know what to do today, right?¡±

    Muell grinned mischievously, and Noah grabbed his cheeks, smiling brightly. Then, she handed the child to Adrian. ¡°Well, good luck today, Adrian.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    What Adrian did these days was record the wavelengths of Muell¡¯s mana. Adrian held him in his arms and opened the door on the left side of the Oval Office. Right next to the Minister¡¯s office was arge research center where members of the Magic Department worked.

    Noah nced at Adrian who entered through the door and sat Muell at a round table in the middle of theb before she quietly got up on the sofa she was sitting on.

    ¡°What can be purified, what raw materials of strength can withstand the dragon¡¯s mana for as long as possible? Or how long can the dragon¡¯s manast when it is injected into humans rather than imprinted¡­¡±

    Adrian seemed to be giving the wizards some instructions, but they weren¡¯t clear from where Noah was. She then turned around and ran across theb. It was the third time she had been there.

    The research room on the top floor of the Magic Department building had a high ceiling and a wide floor,bining the fifth and sixth floors. The downstairs was full of all kinds of mana-making devices and designs, and upstairs was a library full of bookshelves.

    The previous two days, Noah had secretly searched a smallboratory on the fifth floor of theb, but not much was found on the fifth floor. She looked sideways on the sixth floor.

    Today¡¯s goal is that library on the sixth floor.

    At the same time she set her foot toward the library, hot heat boiled from the side of Adrian and the researchers. Muell had begun to y, throwing fireballs about the size of his head.

    ¡°Muell! Calm down!¡±

    ¡°y with me!¡±

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    Surprised researchers squeaked and screamed. Noah even saw Adrian jerking towards the little boy, the corners of her mouth twisting into a smile.

    Nice, Mu. Then, shall I go up there?

    Noah quickly began to climb the stairs, taking advantage of the ck mes that concealed the front of the staircase.

 Chapter 145

    When Noah had climbed over fifty stairs, she could see the whole view of theb. She rubbed something within her pocket, a thing she carried all the time. It was Largo¡¯s eyeball, whose pair was lost in the Angelic and was never found. It would have been quite useful in this situation as it can transmit the view of another perspective even from afar.

    But she couldn¡¯t help it if it was already lost. Noah stepped inside, hoping that Muell would wear Adrian¡¯s spirit out.

    Before her was a library owned by Laurent¡¯s Magic Department. The library contained the originals of all the magical history books and detailed records of the designs, research processes, and inventions distributed in Laurent. It was an exclusive ce where no one could enter without the minister¡¯s permission.

    The Magic Department¡¯s library was a little different from the image that usuallyes to mind upon picturing a library. At the center of therge space were tall bookshelves lined up in four to five rows, and there were square vaults of different sizes on the walls. Most of the vaults had ss covers, revealing the contents, but some were covered.

    Noah first rummaged through the high bookshelves piled with thick books, enough to make her feel dizzy with only a look. Also, the bookshelves were over twice her height. Noah felt as if she was trapped in a forest of books.

    Now, then. How do I find what I want in this vast space¡­

    Adrian¡¯s time with Muell usually didn¡¯t exceed an hour. Although the little boy gives his best to distract and exhaust Adrian, it bothered Noah that he had seen her head towards the library. Maybe it was better to sneak in like a thief in the middle of the night, Noah thought. She wished she could obtain a useful piece of information so she wouldn¡¯t have to.

    The boxes on the wall and the books on the bookshelf were all arranged in alphabetical order. There was only one clue she had: the ¡°r¡± in the alphabet, which she assumed was ¡®replica¡¯.

    Noah listened to the sounding from the bottom of the library and headed to the bookshelf, where books starting with the letter ¡°R¡± were gathered. After a deep breath, she began to browse through the books. There was one thing she was looking for.

    ¡°¡­I found it.¡±

    She stretched her hand toward the thick book sitting on the second shelf. The title of the book written on the back cover was ¡®Replica Design Theory ¨C Basic¡¯.

    Basic Part of Replica Design Theory. I¡¯ve found one¡­ There can¡¯t be only one book in this huge library with the word ¡®Replica¡¯.

    She took the book she had just found, opened the first page, and carefully hovered above the pages the nail-sized magnifying ss she had brought. The lenses shook for a moment and seemed to bnce, and soon spread a web of manas.

    The began to descend slowly on the page. The letters, which were cramped on the page, were quickly sucked into the lens. As soon as it finished scanning the entire page, the next page flipped on its own. As she busied over the book, Noah didn¡¯t disregard her surroundings in fear that the sound of turning pages might leak out of the door.

    By now, the printing press at Eleonora¡¯s mansion must be materializing the contents of the book that the magnifying ss was transmitting, and it only took less than five minutes to transmit the entire contents of a book.

    She scoured the bookshelf once more and took out the books containing the word ¡®replica¡¯, or ¡®clone¡¯. After she had scanned each book, she inserted it back in its ce.

    When Noah had just pulled out a book entitled ¡°Pure Magic Application ¨C Copy¡± and held it in my arms, the air in the library suddenly changed. With a shrieking sound, the door to the library that she left open stirred.

    Someone came in. She breathed in silently, listening to the sound at the entrance. The squeak of the door had stopped, and soon there were slow footsteps.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Noah bit her lips and hurriedly put the book she was holding back to the shelf. As she panicked, the book bumped into the other books on both sides and made a thud.

    Tap. Tap. The footsteps were getting closer. Then, at one point, it stopped. A strange voice echoed in the quiet library.

    ¡°¡­Lady Asil? What are you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 146

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Noah took her eyes off the book she clutched in her arms and nced at the man who appeared behind the bookshelf. She immediatelyposed herself and shot fiercely, causing the man to stiffen. Looking at his outfit, he seemed to be an employee of the Magic Department.

    ¡°The minister¡¯s library is off-limits. You can¡¯t just touch ancient books¡­ If you have anything to look for, I¡¯ll help you.¡± He murmured, unable to look at her straight in the eye. Then, he checked the bookcase number. ¡°H-line¡­ the books are mainly about concealment magic¡­.¡±

    It seemed Noah came to the H section already. The man looked at the book, poking his head out as if he were checking it in her hand, but Noah hastily shut the book so he could not see the title.

    ¡°I¡¯m not really looking for anything. I just came here to see if there¡¯s anything fun, but it¡¯s not really like that either.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ well, what can I do for you-¡±

    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m going out, so get out of the way. Is Adrian still down there?¡±

    With the book on her side, Noah brushed past him and the man followed her with sloppy steps. Noah spoke, pulling something out of her pocket, ¡°What the hell is that experiment, when does it end? I¡¯m getting tired of it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, the dragon is uncooperative today, so I think it¡¯ll need another hour or so¡­¡±

    ¡°An hour, yes.¡±

    The man kept his gaze fixed on Noah, who eventually stopped walking and turned towards him. ¡°An hour¡­ that¡¯s enough. But you, aren¡¯t you tired?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°All the Imperial City officials are overworked, I mean.¡±

    Noah narrowed the distance without hesitation, and the man stepped back, noticeably nervous. She then grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him, a bright smile appearing on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m saying, let¡¯s have a good dream, for an hour.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°Good night¡­¡±

    Without mercy, she poured powder into his mouth with a short and dull apology in her mind. She couldn¡¯t let his supervisors find out that she was searching for information regarding cloning magic.

    The man¡¯s eyes slowly began to fall, and Noah dragged him down the bookshelf. The sleeping powder only worked in response to the magical powers of the wizard, so it wouldn¡¯t harm the human body. Of course, there would be side effects if the amount was three times the normal.

    Noah whispered, tapping the man¡¯s cheek. ¡°You stood and showed me around.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Nothing happened here, okay?¡±

    After a weak nod, the man dropped his head and fell asleep. As soon as she had confirmed whether he was finally asleep, Noah poked his head against the bookshelf.

    Kwang!

    Just in time, a tremendous explosion resounded from downstairs. The vibration was so intense that it shook to the bottom of the library. Noticing that the resonance between her and Muell, which was blocked by the restraint, was shaking, the child seemed to be rebelling very well.

    Nice, Mu. Noah moved back to the next bookshelf and quickly found relevant books, scanning each one of them.

    ¡°¡­Is this enough?¡±

    About half an hourter, Noah had scanned ten ancient books, collecting all the basic structure of cloning. Now, she had to find something extremely important for the rest of the time.

    No matter how much attention had been focused on the disobeying dragon, the fact that Adrian saw Noah climb up to the library and made no move could mean that there weren¡¯t really crucial things, which needed to be kept hidden, in the library¡­

    She passed through the bookshelf in front of the left wall, organizing her thoughts.

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Suddenly, her steps came to a halt, a strange feeling creeping into her. At the top of the wall, in the middle, appeared something that she had not seen when she entered the library.

    <b>Eleanora Collection.</b>

    Intricate golden letters glistened under the light. Only then did Noah realize the meaning of the order that was listed on the wall.

    What was contained in the ss box was the dismantling and design of numerous inventions, and they were thoroughly arranged in the order in which Eleonora had invented them.

    In the months of the Continental Calendar, at the age of several years, any invention, any invention of the year, any design of the next year¡­ The whole wall was like a chronicle of the Great Witch Eleonora Asil. It was too obvious who arranged these in such appalling detail.

    ¡°You¡¯re a true stalker, Adrian.¡±

    Isn¡¯t this much of a fan of Eleonora? Even if it was harsh or hateful, Adrian must have loved Eleonora inside.

    Noah began to skim through the inventions of Eleonora, giving a cold assessment. From engineering machines such as mana steam engine devices, mana turbines used in ships, automatic direction indicators, and gas engines to rolls that curl hair, traps to cut human ankles instead of mice, face recognition devices, and automatic printouts ¡ª all kinds of items directly rted to real life.

    The self-destructing nano-chip, the design of 100 consecutive bazooka guns, and the appalling weapons¡­

    It was truly diverse.

    Besides the invention, there were also a lot of designs that seemed to have not yet beenpleted, and all she could recognize was the design of the airship using propellers.

    All of these were a feat Eleonora had achieved in just fifteen years, from the age of ten to twenty-five.

 Chapter 147

    As she stared at the wall before her, Noah could feel how much of a genius was Eleonora. Although she hadmitted fifteen crimes that would suffice for a death penalty sentenced to her immediately, aside from Adrian¡¯s quick defense, she must have also contributed majorly to Laurent¡¯s resurgence from its dying magical history.

    Well, if it were Eleonora, it wouldn¡¯t have been too difficult to put a soul into a machine to create a clone.

    Noah blinked nkly at the thought she just had. Wait, what was I thinking? ¡°If it¡¯s Eleonora¡­ I¡¯m sure¡­ I think¡­¡±

    After a short series of iprehensible mutters, Noah¡¯s steps began to hasten along the wall. Her head spun as she ran.

    Adrian was certainly a brilliant wizard, but he was one of the few wizards endowed with a gift for pure magic. In other words, it was not merely a skill in machining magic to design a mana device. Firstly, human clones were machines. Rather than assuming it was Adrian who designed it, it would be more convincing that¡­

    A loud gasp almost slipped from Noah¡¯s lips as she moved to the end of the long wall. How old was Eleonora when she died? Such a question was quickly dispelled. The writing on the right end of the wall, on thest ss case, sparkled gold.

    <b>Imperial power 578, 25 years old.</b>

    ¡°¡­Thest invention of Eleonora.¡±

    Noah looked into the box, biting her lips. Before Eleonora Asil was killed, the ss box that was supposed to exhibit the magic she hadst studied was empty. Had herst creation been iplete before her death, she wouldn¡¯t have had to make such a disy case with her age written on it.

    Certainly, it was something that had existed and stored inside but was removed. When and why was it removed? And where was it at the moment?

    Noah recalled that the library was a ce wherein one couldn¡¯t enter without the Minister¡¯s permission. It was said that it was a very private space for Adrian.

    Downstairs, the floor vibrated at irregr intervals, demonstrating Muell¡¯s continual rebellion. Noah thought over and over again and stared into the empty ss box, clenching her fists.

    Thest invention of Eleonora Asil¡­ No, the size of the box, or the pedestal ced inside the box, clearly indicated what was stored: a bundle of paper, or a blueprint. And in context, what Eleonora Asil designed was a machine that mimicked a living person.

    Who else could design a machine that embodied all the joints of a human being except her? Noah peered through the ss and only then did she discover a few words, describing the contents of the safe.

    <b>Replica Project ¨C with A.R.</b>

    The Replica Project. With Adrian Rossinell. As soon as Noah saw it, the iplete puzzle took form in a sh. It was a joint study. The best living wizard who mastered pure magic and the genius witch who specialized in processing magic had worked together to study a project on human cloning. Design and production must have been the role of Eleonora, while the role of Adrian was to replicate the human skin.

    ¡°These crazy things¡­¡±

    Noah exhaled heavily. After killing Eleonora for a reason unknown to her, Adrian must have kept her designs in the library and sent them somewhere at some point. Why?

    There are two good reasons: to keep or hide the designs from uninvited guests who, like me, have entered his private space without permission; second, to send the device on that blueprint to the right ce to make it. Or¡­

    ¡°Both.¡±

    ¡°Both of you, really¡­ You don¡¯t listen.¡±

    A rather tired voice rang in Noah¡¯s ears. She stiffened, her eyes still glued on the empty box. It was Adrian¡¯s voice. Noah slowly shifted her gaze to the side. The owner of the library was standing at the other end of the corridor where she ran to.

    Noah managed to muster, ¡°Are you done?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Fortunately, his voice didn¡¯t sound so different from usual. Noah took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, then asked with a smile. ¡°Are you getting any results today?¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re making fun of me, aren¡¯t you?¡± A hint of annoyance shed across Adrian¡¯s face. Muell seemed to tire his spirit very effectively. ¡°But¡­ I sent Lindon up. Where did you put him, Ellie?¡±

    Perhaps Lindon was the name of the man she had forced to sleep with the sleeping powder. His name is also heavenly¡­ Come to think of it, it¡¯s almost time to get up. Nervous, Noah looked around.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I said I didn¡¯t need any help, and I just said I¡¯d watch from the side and he went somewhere¡­ Oh, there he is.¡±

    Fortunately, Lindon wobbled out of the bookshelf. The dreamy-faced Lindon opened his eyes wide the moment he saw me. ¡°Have you finished watching, Lady Asil?¡±

    ¡°Yes, thanks.¡± Luckily, the brainwashing effect was excellent. Adrian approached and looked over him, sighing briefly. ¡°Come down for now, Ellie. We¡¯ve seeded in harvesting the dragon¡¯s mana, so let¡¯s go back today.¡±

    ¡°Coming,¡± Noah quickly moved her steps as he beckoned. When they emerged out of the entrance to the library, the door closed by itself.

 Chapter 148

    Theb downstairs was in utter disarray as if it had been struck by lightning. Noah wondered how on earth Adrian managed to gather data when Muell had returned to his original form.

    Well done, my little one. She winked at the giant dragon that upied half of theb. Muell, who received her wink, closed both eyes tightly and opened them. That seemed to be his own wink.

    ¡°¡­Take him with you.¡±

    Adrian must have been really tired as he pushed Noah towards Muell. No matter how wicked he was, he was only a puny person before a dragon. Then, Muell transformed into a little boy in an instant, ncing at Adrian, who was holding a dodo, and then came running towards Noah for a hug.

    The ideas that came to her mind as she scoured the library became a powerful hypothesis. There was one ce where Eleonora¡¯s blueprint would be: a factory where there would be a manufacturing process capable of creating a mechanical human being ording to her blueprint. Perhaps Adrian covered the machines with human skin with the pure magic of his own.

    This was the most credible hypothesis that would exin the true disappearance of Lenia, in addition to the strange events that happened in the mana operating room of the Angelic. If the real Lenia wasn¡¯t already killed, she was likely to be there too.

    So, where was the factory located? Noah squinted her eyes as she watched the back of Adrian ahead.

    ¡°Should I kill him here?¡± Muell wrapped his tiny arms around Noah and whispered in a small voice, blinking his dark red eyes. ¡°May I help you, Noah?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± While Noah retraced her train of thoughts, the boyughed convincingly as if he had taken her silence as a yes. The next moment, a dark trace of mana sank beneath his feet and strode out toward Adrian.

    Even if shemits a real murder anyway, no one in this empire would put her in jail, making such a way the best option there was. In all honesty, it was quite tempting for Noah to end this tedious and wasteful quest right away.

    But, there were fatal drawbacks. If I do that, I¡¯ll have 17 criminal convictions...

    It would not be obvious if one more offense is added on the already overflowing criminal record, but at the least, Noah didn¡¯t want to be obliterated, dragging Kyle with her.

    Even if the Minister¡¯s confidence in Kyle had already been shattered by the scandal, and if Noah is charged with murder, Kyle Leonard may not be fired, but there was a high chance he would be used of being her aplice.

    Then, there was only one way: she ought to gather the evidence one by one and solve it in the back of her head.

    As soon as her thoughts were sorted out, her first destination was also decided. Noah took Muell¡¯s little hand, and at the same time, the ck mana that was about to grab Adrian¡¯s ankle disappeared into the air.

    Noah went back into Adrian¡¯s office and said, ¡°Oh, I have to go to volunteer work next week. The list came up.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Volunteer work. Your guy hit me with 200,000 hours. If I don¡¯t fill it from now on, I¡¯ll have to suffer even after my back gets twisted. Rather than filling eight hours a day, I¡¯ll fill all the sses at once with long-term volunteer work, so I won¡¯t be able toe to ss next week. I heard you¡¯re going on a business trip to the south anyway.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡± Adrian blurted out, confused. But, as soon as he understood, he smiled and nodded as he looked down at the data he had obtained from Muell today. ¡°Yes. Then let¡¯s have the next ss two weekster.¡±

    Noah also stered a smile on her face and left his office without answering. Immediately as the door closed behind her back, her lips pursed into a thin line. What do you mean volunteer work?

    Noah squeezed her arms around Muell and whispered under her breath. ¡°¡­Noviscosha.¡±

    Her first destination to trace the location of the factory where cloned humans were produced was Noviscosha, the northeast part of Laurent. It was where the mine excavated the raw material used for mechanical humans, the same province where Kyle failed to head to.

 Chapter 149

    Most of Noviscosha¡¯snd, which is thergest province in Laurent but has the smallest poption, is covered with rugged mountains.

    However, Novicosha is a well-known mining district not only in Laurent but also throughout the continent, as it is also a ce whererge quantities of Mane Ore were buried, and iron ore and gemstones of all kinds were excavated.

    It was not simply a myth that three generations of a family would be able to make ends meet by owning a small mine in Novicosha.

    Naturally, Noviscosha has always been a crowd of businessmen from all over Laurent, dreaming of a bonanza, a sudden rush of wealth or good fortune. There are far more undeveloped areas than advanced ones, and hence they always hired miners to knock on the unknown mountain ranges where no one set foot.

    Since the mines in the undeveloped areas were recognized as their assets once they had a g bearing their name on them, the city government of Noviscosha even encouraged the development of mines with the slogan ¡°Dream of life,e to Noviscosha!¡±

    Of course, there weren¡¯t many private businessmen who really found a chest with bars of gold idle inside.

    Most of the time, they did not have the resources to follow the aristocratic families who hirerge-scale workers based on huge capital, and the powerlessmoners did not have the ability to operate a mine if they discover one, so they were paid by aristocrats and imperial families to hand over ownership of the mine.

    However, there is only one mine where a middle-ss businessman is responsible for the discovery, mining, and distribution of mines for three generations: Maobiana, arge-scale mine in the heart of Noviscosha.

    ¡°Maobiana? That¡¯s where there¡¯s a nasty rumor going around these days.¡± The engine operator of the freight train tilted his head and kept talking. ¡°Sincest month or so, there¡¯s been a rumor that mine ves are mysteriously dying. That¡¯s why the owner of the mine is in trouble. There¡¯s no one who wants to work even though they¡¯re willing to double their daily wage.¡±

    Mine ves did not mean actual ves, the lowest ss that existed in the ancient past. It was a word that spread from the self-contradictory disparagement of the miners working in the mines, who were born in the dark mines of Noviscosha, foreigners to the sun¡¯s light.

    ¡°It¡¯s a serious problem that mine ves, who have been doing pickaxing all their lives, have died in droves. The Noviscosha Bureau of Defense couldn¡¯t resolve it, so it ended up asking the capital for help, and the Tezeba investigators are also struggling.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a big deal. Maybe Mr. Culton, he¡¯s already cked out. The amount of Mane Ore that Tezeba is asking for is a few tons, but we¡¯re not going to be able to meet the volume. They¡¯re increasing the paycheck and forcing us to work.¡±

    Puff. Gray smoke billowed up in a donut shape from the end of the pipe between the operator¡¯s lips. He gazed down at the bright young man standing over the car window, giving off a tremendous amount of smoke towards him.

    ¡°But you must be a master of a noble family, and you¡¯re not going to get a job at Maobiana this time. What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Is there a job avable?¡±

    ¡°Always hiring. No, you¡¯re really going there?

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The engine operator looked at the man as if he was crazy, who was wearing a coat with a fedora on top of his head, which looked luxurious at first sight.

    He couldn¡¯t see his entire face as the hat covered his eyes, but he could guess that the man before him had a very elegant appearance just by looking at his slim jawline. The engine operator lowered his voice and whispered.

    ¡°You look like a million bucks in the future. Why would you want to go to Maobiana? If you want to run a mining business, contact Leonard. That family has three gold mines.¡±

    The young manughed at the mention of ¡®Leonard¡¯.

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in Leonard¡¯s gold mine. What I¡¯m interested in is the Mane Ore mine.¡±

    Under the fedora, the man¡¯s lips painted a faint smile. Then, he gestured a light salute to the operator. ¡°Thanks for your advice anyway. Is the road to Maobiana that way?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ yes. That way. If you go straight and turn left, there¡¯s a short train for Maobiana. You¡¯ll see Culton¡¯s office when you get off at thest stop.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, then.¡±

    The engine operator stared at the young man¡¯s back as he burned his pipe. He shouted back, ¡°Take care of yourself! There¡¯s a sound of monsters living under the mine! It eats mining ves!¡±

    It was unclear whether his words reached the young man. With a long sigh, the engine operator sucked the pipe once more and returned into the lotive. The clock pointed at exactly two o¡¯clock. Now that he had filled up the fuel, it was time to run the train again.

    In Noviscosha, a train connecting Central Edman to Tezeba slowly began to move along the tracks.

 Chapter 150

    Exactly five dayster, the engine operator encountered a youngdy who asked the same question he had received a few days ago.

    ¡°Well, mister. Where should I go to get to the Baobab mine?¡±

    ¡°Baobab Mine?¡±

    It was a young woman who spoke beyond the tform. She rolled her cascading waves and pushed it into her hat. On the bridge of her thin nose sat a pair of sses which would cause nausea to anyone who would stare at it. The engine operator responded loudly, diverting his gaze away from the woman¡¯s absurd sses.

    ¡°There¡¯s no mine called Baobab. You seem to be getting something wrong.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it Baobab¡­ It was simr.¡± The woman, who gave an impression of a clumsydy, slowly pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket. ¡°It¡¯s arge-scale mine. The name is¡­ Ah, Maobab.¡±

    ¡°¡­Perhaps you mean Maobiana. There are a lot of young people who are interested in Maobiana these days.¡± The operator clicked his tongue, fixing his eyes on the ck-haired boy hanging from the woman¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You have a child. Why go to that dangerous ce?¡±

    The woman tilted her head. ¡°Dangerous ce?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t you hear the rumor? There¡¯s a mysterious death of a group of ves in the Maobiana mine. That¡¯s also for the whole month.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    The operator couldn¡¯t see the woman¡¯s face because of her sses, but the woman let out an exmation that it was very interesting, rather than frightening. ¡°So, where should I go?¡± she asked.

    ¡°¡­There, go straight, turn left, and there¡¯s a train going that way.¡±

    ¡°Aha. Thank you. Is there any ce in Maomana that needs manpower? I have to stay there for a while.¡±

    Does she want to get a job in the mine? The operator wondered. He tried to impart advice out of worry, but he recalled a few days ago when a young man didn¡¯t even stay to hear his concern, and only sighed. Young people these days seem to be too adventurous.

    ¡°There¡¯s always a shortage of manpower. Go to Culton¡¯s office in front of the mine. Because it¡¯s a mining office dedicated to Maobiana.¡±

    ¡°The mining office?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well. It won¡¯t be hard to get a job because they hire women, children, and old people for arge sum of money. But you have to take care of yourself, miss.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± The woman, along with the child, bowed her head and turned away with a light step toward the very mine the young man headed five days ago.

    Noah had arrived at the inconspicuous town of Noviscosha. She raised her wide-brimmed hat slightly, wary of her surroundings.

    <b>Culton¡¯s Office, Mining State.</b>

    A sign was hung at the door of the three-story building. It was said that a middle-aged businessman named Donalian Culton owns thergest Maobiana mine in Noviscosha. The letters on the sign spelled ¡®Culton¡¯s Office¡¯; it seemed Noah arrived at the right ce.

    The raw material used to produce human-like machines, which Kyle mobilized researchers from the Bureau of Investigation and Security for detailed analysis, was Mane Ore, a high-density mineral with a magical power content of 78%.

    As such, there is only one ce in Noviscosha where such powerful ore was unearthed. A mine that supplied a certain amount every month to the Ministry of Magic of the capital, Tezeba ¡ª Maobiana.

    It would have been extremely easy to illegally acquire one owing to the mine¡¯s connection with the Ministry of Magic.

    It was only natural that Noah chose this ce as her first destination. She picked the area closest to Noviscosha from the list created by the emperor himself where she could perform her volunteer duties, then was forced to share a room in an inn with one of the imperial officials assigned to follow her lest she escapes, and immediately fell on Noviscosha.

    Noah tugged the string on her hat and entered Culton¡¯s office with confidence. The male employee sitting at the counter greeted her. ¡°What brings you here, Madame?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here for the new mine. I want to mine an undeveloped area behind Maobiana. I¡¯m here to ask Mr. Culton.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think you¡¯re talking about the valley behind¡­ It¡¯s one of the few areas where mining is prohibited in Maobiana.¡±

    ¡°Really? Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a cliff area, and it¡¯s also a ce where the Ministry of Magicbeled as prohibited. You need to get approval from the Royal Family first.¡±

    It was suspicious. How many areas were directly prohibited by the Ministry of Magic? She thought. A frown appeared on her face, and the employee carefully asked.

    ¡°By the way, Madame. If you¡¯vee to mine development¡­ May I ask which family you belong to?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡­¡±

    The answer to that very question had already been prepared. As she slowly pulled the cloak down, a purple dress, decorated withces and a flower-patterned brooch, along with a dazzling pearl ne that hung around her neck, was revealed. Adding to her dashing appearance was arge velvet hat, adorned with feathers, which covered half of her face.

    Then, the corners of her mouth raised into a warm, friendly smile.

    ¡°Leonard, I¡¯m from the Duke of the Capital.¡±

    At this point, it should be evident. Noah¡¯s concept was a richdy who came to see thend.

 Chapter 151

    ¡°My name is Noah Leonard. I didn¡¯t bring my business card, but myst name would suffice, right?¡±

    I¡¯m sorry for stealing your family name, butler. Still, I used it for something much more productive than when I bought it for ice cream.

    Noah disyed a pompous attitude as best as she could while muttering a nd apology to Kyle inwardly. The Duke of Leonard is an extremely outstanding personality that it is almost impossible to steal the name ¡®Leonard¡¯.

    Therefore, most ordinary people don¡¯t even doubt it, and even if they suspect it, a request for confirmation is sent to Duke Leonard, which will be under Kyle¡¯s jurisdiction anyway. The probability of danger was virtually zero percent.

    However, the employee¡¯s face was somewhat skeptical. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with the gentleman who came a few days ago, Madame?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Leonard, who was herest time, said something simr. I didn¡¯t hear that the Leonard family is going to visit two mines at a time¡­¡±

    Wait, what? Noah frowned, hastily interrupting the employee from speaking. ¡°A few days ago, a man named Leonard came here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, five days ago.¡±

    ¡°By any chance¡­¡± Noah trailed off. ¡°Is his name Derek Leonard?¡± She only asked just in caseI, but the employee nodded in delight. ¡°Oh, you know him! Are you a family member?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Yes. He¡¯s my husband.¡± Without thought, the words fell from her mouth. Derek Leonard. A page of memory unfolded and a scene from a few weeks ago, when they were boarding the ferry in Battuanu, shed in Noah¡¯s mind. At that time, Kyle had operated under the alias Derek Leonard. The conversation between Kyle and his subordinate vividly reyed in her eyes.

    ¡°Mr. Derek Leonard, then thisdy must be Mrs. Leonard.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Confirmed. Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    There couldn¡¯t be more than two people who would dare to steal the surname ¡®Leonard¡¯ in Laurent, or Derek. While she gathered her thoughts, somewhat embarrassed, the employee exined the situation with his hands sped together in delight.

    ¡°Mr. Leonard seems to have sent his wife instead. Then we¡¯ll talk fast. Just in time, I¡¯vepiled the data that Mr. Leonard asked for that day.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s data¡­¡±

    ¡°Have you asked for advice on mining data withpanies that have a distribution partner? Mr. Culton was also thinking of selling Maobiana, so he was willing to give us the data. I¡¯ve been up all night organizing them. Shall we go up?¡±

    As he heard the end of his words, Noah arrived at a conclusion. It was certainly Kyle Leonard. He was the only person toe to Maobiana under an alias and ask the owner of the mine for such information.

    You¡¯re here¡­? The corners of Noah¡¯s lips curled into a smile. He had said he was demoted to Central Edman, but he sneaked out on the way, just like how Noah escaped with Muell to Noviscosha instead of doing her volunteer service in Fugin.

    Noah, clutching the little boy in her arms, followed the employee up to the second floor and asked, ¡°You must have crossed paths. When did my husband say he woulde back?¡±

    ¡°I said I needed some time to organize the data, and he said he¡¯de back in three days, but he didn¡¯t have any connection. I was wondering if I should contact Leonard, but Madame just happened to be here.¡±

    Then, Kyle¡¯s objective must have been to acquire data and carry out an undercover investigation. For a moment, Noah was ted upon discovering Kyle¡¯s presence in Noviscosha, but her joy soon turned into worry. You haven¡¯t heard from him?

    ¡°If you had contacted me in advance, Mr. Culton would have been here to meet you, but now he¡¯s on a mine inspection¡­ It¡¯s lunchtime soon, so he¡¯ll be right back. If you go in, I¡¯ll get you a cup of tea.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you.¡± Noah trailed behind the man who led the way.

    It was not long before anxious thoughts invaded Noah¡¯s mind. Couldn¡¯t it be possible that he was missing as he was in and out of a strange ce? Such spection was not even farfetched owing to the recent matter regarding the group of veteran miners,monly known as mining ves, who were reported missing from the Noviscosha mine, specifically in Maobiana.

    Kyle¡¯s skill as an investigator was indeed superior, but considering the history of his fearless descent to the mana operating room of the Angelic¡­

    ¡°¡­Mu.¡± She ced Muell on the window frame after making sure that the employee had left the room. ¡°Go look around here and see if there¡¯s anyone like Uncle Kyle. Plus, let¡¯s look at the ces beyond here. You can do it, right?¡±

    The red-eyed child, who managed to catch Noah¡¯s quick whisper, nodded enthusiastically. The window, which had been unlocked, opened by itself. Muell flew out of the balcony and soon disappeared into the skies.

 Chapter 152

    The windows closed with a click. Noah nced around the office. Let¡¯s take a look¡­

    If Kyle had been here, he¡¯d probably have acquired everything of importance. Noah was only following after him in case the meticulous man might have missed something, which was near absurdity. She pulled her universal key out of her pocket and approached the nearest drawer. At the same instant, the door, which had been shut, burst open. Noah immediately thrust the key back to her pocket, clicking her tongue, and turned around.

    ¡°Mrs. Leonard?¡±

    The voice didn¡¯t belong to the previous employee who had guided her to the room, but Donalian Culton, the owner in Maobiana mine.

    *

    ¡°The map and mining location of the Maobiana mine.¡±

    Donalian Culton appeared as a tough man, sporting thick ck sses.

    ¡°The minerals from Maobiana are 90% of the Mane Ore, 8% copper, and 2% of the remaining 2% of the gemstones. Most of the ore is traded by Laurent¡¯s Minister of Magic. I have organized the rest of the distribution channel in this file.¡±

    ¡°Well, thank you, but I¡¯m not here to buy Maobiana, I¡¯m visiting you for an undeveloped mining project.¡±

    Donalian enthusiastically pushed Noah into the Maobiana archives. ¡°It¡¯s much better to take in an already developed mine than to dig up a new mountain range!¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Madame, in addition. As you already know, the mountains behind Maobiana are not only difficult to mine because of their rugged terrain, but most areas are already banned from mining as ordered by the Ministry of Magic a few years ago. Because it regtes the amount of Mane Ore. So you¡¯d better not take risks. There¡¯s already a mine with excellent facilities!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, by the way. It¡¯s kind of weird.¡± Noah eyed the data she had received from Donalian with a suspicious look. ¡°It¡¯s not a deficit all year, and if you have a mine that¡¯s been in the boom for decades, your grandson will live on a cushion of money for the rest of his life. Is there a reason you want to sell the mine all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Donalian stuttered as Noah¡¯s gaze fixated on him, beginning to sweat profusely. Noah frowned, and soon realized a probable exnation. ¡°Oh, because of the recent disappearance of that mine ve group?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you exin exactly what happened? Of course, I¡¯ve heard from my husband, but I¡¯d like to hear more about it directly from Mr. Culton.¡±

    Disappearance of miners and illegal acquisition of the Mane Ore¡ª it was harder not to associate the two events. When Noah had arrived in Novischosha, she only assumed that there was conflict in the mining stocks, but seeing the owner in front of her, wiping away the beads of sweat that trickled to his eyes, it seemed unlikely.

    Besides, if Donald Culton was really the one who was stealing the powerful ore, he wouldn¡¯t be willing to hand over Maobiana to anyone else when he was still not out of the y. In that case, it would be more correct to assume that there were other parties involved with the smuggling of the Mane Ore, and that the miners were involved in the process.

    After a moment¡¯s silence, Donalian carefully opened his mouth. ¡°The first time it happened was earlyst month. Maobiana, as Madame already knows, is a little different from other mines. There¡¯s a huge, unmeasurableke beneath the mountain range, so the deeper you dig, the closer you get to the undergroundke. Now, if you look at this map¡­¡± Donalian exined the cross-sectional structure of Maobiana with his hands.

    ¡°Theke has been dug deep enough to show up. When it rains, the water sometimes overflows, even with an automatic machine pumps the water out. In addition, the miners worked hard to ensure that they would not fall below the mine. Since my grandfather¡¯s generation, I¡¯ve been running a mine, and I¡¯m sure there¡¯s really only five of them that lost their lives. But sincest month¡­ And one by one, the miners who went under the mine went missing. Some of them were found dead in mining walls andkes.¡±

    ¡°¡­How many?¡±

    ¡°So far, forty-three people have been missing, and eleven bodies have been found. ording to the remaining mine ves from Maobiana¡­¡± Donalian gulped down his dry saliva. ¡°At the bottom of theke in the mine, it seems like a monster lives.¡±

    ¡°A monster?¡±

    Why was a monster suddenly involved? It was absolutely far from Noah¡¯s presumptions.

    ¡°Do you know why Maobiana is among the mountain ranges of Noviscosha and why such rare ore can only be found there?¡±

    As if to tell a huge secret, Donalian¡¯s voice dropped.

    ¡°Maobiana is known to have had a dragon¡¯s cradle in ancient times, even before Laurent¡¯s founding.¡±

 Chapter 153

    It was a story Noah had never heard of before. If Muell was next to her, she would have asked with her eyes, but there was no way to confirm it because she had sent him to find Kyle.

    Donalian¡¯s words continued on. ¡°Well, why, did the dragon egg go missing in Tezeba? I heard Laurent¡¯s witch is the master of the dragon, and the dragon¡­ I heard it trampled on the Imperial Pce.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Noah let out an awkwardugh. Little did he know, that very dragon had just been at his office and its master was right in front of him, scouring information.

    ¡°Anyway, the timing of the hatching of the dragon egg and the beginning of the mass disappearance of the ves, I believe, is rted.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± Strangely enough, the two events, when linked together, made sense. It was also possible that the hatching of the dragon¡¯s egg affected the mountain range, which was once a cradle of dragons, during the times of antiquity. Furthermore, it had been a month since the bizarre disappearance that happened in the mine, and in the meantime, the Mane Ore was being unearthed steadily.

    ¡°Even though the investigators from the capital have already visited there several times, we haven¡¯t had much ie. Fortunately, it¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t go deep into the mine. Sincest week, we¡¯ve kept the area adjacent to thekepletely off-limits, and mining was continued only in the upper workshop. Since then, no incident has ever urred. You can count on it.¡±

    ¡°Well, I see.¡±

    ¡°Yes. So, Madame, would you like to buy it? What do you think the purchase price is?¡± Donalian looked at Noah with his eyes full of anticipation. She rubbed her hands against each other, about to enter into a bargain. With her legs crossed, Noah assessed Donalian¡¯s face.

    If the rumor that there lived a monster at the bottom of the mine, it was natural to be frightened and sell the mine in haste; however, there existed an ambiguity. Donalian had mentioned that it was fine not to descend and only mine from the top.

    A mine that extracts Mane Ore was also rare throughout the continent, which meant that no matter how high a price it is sold, it does not reach the value of the mine itself. Even though strange urrences had been happening, ordinary people would not even think of throwing it away, but why did Donalian seem so impatient? It was as if he was trying to get his hands off it and run away¡­

    When Noah looked alternately at his face and the collection of the Maobiana mineral distribution channels he handed over, Donalian quibbled nervously. ¡°The price¡­ will be as much as you like. But in terms of its size and future value, it¡¯s still ten million pounds¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s cheap.¡±

    ¡°Right? Every year, the cash from the Mane Ore transaction with Laurent¡¯s Ministry of Magic is enormous, Madame. There have been unpleasant things going on, but as I said, there¡¯s nothing wrong with the mine. It would be almost impossible to buy such a rare mine at this price.¡±

    It was strange, too. Noah mumbled with her mouth covered behind the archives. ¡°If it¡¯s so good, just keep it. Why¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll talk to my husband a little bit more. Thank you for your kind exnation, Mr. Culton.¡±

    Upon hearing Noah¡¯s words, Donalian seemed to think it was the beginning of a bargain.

    ¡°How about eight million pounds, Madame?¡± Across his face, there was a determined will that he could not miss the great capitalist, Leonard. Noahughed sweetly and said without hesitation, ¡°Four million.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do more than that.¡±

    A price of four million pounds for the mine was not certainly not worth it. Even if one was not a smart businessman, he knows the price is simply ridiculous.

    ¡°¡­Seven million pounds.¡±

    ¡°Well, four million pounds is too little, too. Then 4.5 million pounds. I can¡¯t do anything more than that. It¡¯s too risky. Apparently, there aren¡¯t a lot of miners out there trying to get underneath Maobiana, so you have to consider the shortage of manpower.¡±

    Agony shed across Donalian¡¯s face. He bit his lips and seemed to bounce the abacus into his head. ¡°Okay¡­ 4.5 million pounds.¡± Just like that, he sold his mine as if it was dirt. Surely, there was something there, Noah concluded. It was evident that he was desperate to escape from the mine.

    ¡°4.5 million. That¡¯s a good deal.¡± Noah smiled brightly at Donalian after she had fixed her thoughts. Then, she removed her hat that covered half of her face. ¡°Shall we sign a contract?¡± I¡¯m sorry, but I need you to stay dead for a while

    It took less than half an hour to sign the contract, and of course, Donalian had gone white at the reveal of her face, and then he screamed as soon as he saw a nk check and an identification card with the amount written down.

    ¡°You¡¯re Eleonora¡­ Ugh!¡±

    ¡°Shh, shh, shh. People outside will hear.¡±

    The moment he discovered her identity, a magical rope, and a nket that she had secretly let loose on the floor hit Donalian.

 Chapter 154

    Noah had brought not only the magical items of Eleonora but also the handcuffs from Kyle¡¯s office at the annex of the Bureau of Investigation and Security. She managed to tie Donalian tightly and shove him into a closet without much trouble.

    ¡°Uh, bub¡­¡±

    ¡°Be quiet. If you get caught making a noise, I¡¯ll give 4.5 million pounds for your neck.¡± Her threats quickly silenced Donalian. After she had secured him, Noah picked up the signed contract.

    The purchase contract, which said it would hand over ownership and operation rights of the Maobiana mine for 4.5 million pounds, contained a name that was pleasing to the eye: Eleonora Asil.

    You¡¯ve made a career, Park Noah. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m really rich. It poked her conscience to splurge Eleonora¡¯s money like a gushing stream, but wasn¡¯t it because of her brilliant record that Noah was going through all this trouble right now?

    ¡°I take the money, buy thend, hire the butler¡­¡±

    Noah left Culton¡¯s office, humming. The office workers who had changed their employers were given a full-day vacation after they were dismissed.

    Once a mine of astronomical value was acquired at a low price, it was necessary to eliminate the unpleasant weeds before making use of it. Donalian¡¯s story would have been frightening if other people heard it, but Noah paid no care. If it was the cradle of the dragon, then it was like Muell¡¯s futon. Whether she had be braver, Noah wasn¡¯t terrified by the dreary mine; instead, she found it familiar.

    The sun was setting, its hues of deep orange and blood red. Its tangerine glow painted along the streets of a small town bordering Maobiana. A cool, tranquil breezeforted lonely souls. It was dinnertime; a crowd of people swarmed both grocery stores and bars.

    ¡°Noah!¡± Just in time, a ck curly-haired kid popped out of a train that stopped at the convenience store across the office.

    ¡°How was it, Mu? Did you find him?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t find the old man, Noah. This is a very interesting ce. It¡¯s full of spirits!¡± The little boy grabbed her arm and began to gush about the things he had seen. As Muell babbled, a word caught Noah¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Spirit?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I haven¡¯t seen the face yet because it¡¯s too low. But there are voices that say hello. Noah could hear it if she listened, too!

    You said it was a dragon¡¯s cradle, but living under theke is not a monster, but a dragon¡¯s spirit? Noah followed Muell as he led, trying to hear the voices, but they didn¡¯t reach her. Perhaps it was because of the chains that blocked resonance between her and the young dragon.

    ¡°Did you find the way down?¡± she asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of human pathways. Every few hours, a group of humans go down ande up and down.¡±

    The area wherein the Maobiana mine resided stretched from Gate 1 to Gate 10, and the location where Noah and Muell was now was Gate 3. The workers of the mine seemed to group themselves before descending.

    As they walked under the orangemps along the streets lined with bars and inns, Noah organized her thoughts. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll sleep at the inn tonight. Fnd Kyle at Noviscosha substation, and then go down the mine-¡±

    ¡°A whopping five pounds per day! There is a premium for night work, so it¡¯s a plus! 10 pounds!¡±

    Noah¡¯s n was buried underneath a thundering voice that was about five times louder than a speaker.

    ¡°Lady there! Will you work a day and not take ten pounds?¡±

    ¡°What? No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    Owing to the scarcity of the applicants for the mine, even if one was not a miner, they just push anyone into the mine, desperate for work to be done. Noah grabbed Muell and slithered into the crowd, avoiding the jabbering man. She tightened her robe lest her fancy dress would be revealed. Oh,e to think of it, I left my hat in the office. That feathery hat, I liked it so much¡­

    ¡°Okay, good! If you were born and raised in Noviscosha, you should know how to pickaxe by default, whether it¡¯s a man, a woman, a child, or an old man!¡± The miner fastened a loudspeaker cord around his neck. Then, he began to count the number of heads he had managed to catch. ¡°¡­Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty. Good. Let¡¯s go straight down!¡±

 Chapter 155

    Huh? Where¡­? Noah stopped her steps among the crowd of people and looked down at the floor. She could see a nked ground, not a bricked pavement. ¡°Uh?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until she looked back with a frown that Noah realized what kind of group she was now in. Behind her, she could see a letter clearly engraved on a thick iron column that said ¡®Gate 3¡¯.

    ¡°All necessary supplies are provided below, so don¡¯t worry! Lucy, put the lever down!¡±

    The ground rattled. Noah, along with Muell, blinked nkly and followed the crowd as they drifted upward.

    ¡°Well¡­?¡±

    And about ten minutester, they found themselves in work clothes colored blue, wearing helmets with headlights attached. They were dragging their pickaxes along the miners¡¯ herd.

    When did I suddenly be a miner¡­ Hey, who wants to tell me why this happened? They trailed after the miners, and a chuckle fell from Noah¡¯s lips. Of course, she had been nning to go down the mine, so there was no need to freak out and go back, but she also found her situation kind of funny.

    One floor down from the gate was a supply room with miners¡¯ work clothes and equipment. When Noah had changed into the appropriate clothes, bringing with them tools, the supervisor pushed her to follow the crowd while she carried Muell in her arms.

    Should I just think positively? she thought. She had nothing to do at night anyway, and since Muell had said the team would be reced in six hours, they would be able to return by midnight. Until then, she could take a tour around the mine.

    The road to the mine was not as dark and bumpy as she had vaguely imagined. Brightnterns hung on both sides, and both the floor and walls were covered with thick plywood, making the path easy to walk on.

    ¡°Hey, is this the way we go to the workshop?¡± Noah asked the man who was one step ahead.

    ¡°Yes. If you go straight through this road, you¡¯ll see a door leading to the mine wall. Beyond the door, we take the train across each floor.¡±

    ¡°Each floor? Do you happen to know where this team is going?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not mine ves, so no matter how deep we go, we¡¯ll only get to the middle floor. You must be in a hurry to bring your child, so don¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯re going to team up with the miners anyway.¡±

    The crowd was to be divided in pairsprising the person who searches for the location where Mane Ore was buried with a mana detection tool and the person who unearths the ore by directing a pickaxe. The role of the navigator is to merely hold a detection stick and amp, so it is reasonable for ordinary people with no experience to y the role.

    Originally, only the mine ves worked, but now they were mobilizingmoners owing to theck of manpower.

    When they had reached the gate, the miners who arrived earlier stood there waiting. As soon as Noah saw them, she realized at once what the word ¡®mine ve¡¯ meant. She had expected them to be pale, as they were unable to bask under the sun most of their days, but their bodies were sculpted with muscles forged by pickaxing.

    Many miners wore loose sleeveless shirts under the protective gear, revealing their firm biceps. But most of them had tired, dark faces. Some men openly smoked pipes.

    Well, given the arduous conditions they had been working under, they would eventually degrade themselves to a ve.

    Certainly, they were stripped of their rights, and unfortunately, they were oblivious of it. While Noah clicked her tongue in dismay, the director went around and began to pair them.

    ¡°Now, the young man,e down to the second basement with Arnold. Thedy there goes to the third floor with this one. Kid, you go with this guy. Well, thedy there¡­¡± The director stopped in front of Noah, looked around, and found a miner who had not yet been paired with a partner.

    I hope you¡¯re not too much of a burden. She would have to be left out anyway to roam around the mine alone, but it was only possible if she was paired with someone who wasn¡¯t hard to overpower. Noah nced at the miners with a nasty impression as if threatening.

    Suddenly, the director opened his eyes wide as he looked over her shoulders. ¡°Oh, you had a partner. I¡¯m sorry, miss.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°You must have been confused. The area is on the eighth floor.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±

    Muell, who was hugging Noah, tilted his head. If he had a bad impression, he would have shown difort, but unexpectedly, the little boy was calm. He even stretched his arms over Noah¡¯s shoulder.

    In wonder, Noah slightly twisted her head, looking up, and there was a man in a ck suspenders, unlike the other workers. Their difference in physique and height was enough for Noah to recognize him without having to check his face. Her heart thumped.

    The man leaned his torso toward Noah and whispered in a small voice, ¡°The roads are uneven down here. You might fall if you carry your child.¡±

    Before Noah could answer, he took Muell and held him in his arms. At the same time, the supervisor waved his arms and shouted, ¡°Group 8! Get down fast!¡±

    As soon as Noah was about to turn around and look at his face, the voice of the supervisor, which had grown five times louder, bellowed in front of the gate. A big hand held her shoulder and urged her forward.

    The gate to the mine was slowly opening.

 Chapter 156

    Contrary to Noah¡¯s expectation that the mine would be revealed as soon as the door opened, beyond the gate was a tunnel. The interior looked like a cave withnterns draped at the corners and on the ground was a metal track with a one-room freight train, which was like a huge cart, over it.

    The group heading to the same area boarded the rumbling train. The supervisor then filled it with twenty miners, even though it would be dangerous for such arge number of people to ride in a wheeled wagon with only one unstable railing next to the side.

    Noah was caught in the crevices of the crowd, and a hand pulled her backwards, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

    The railing looks weak¡­ Noah was anxious the wagon would copse, ncing sideways with uneasy eyes. Not long after, the train slowly began to swerve along the tracks. Unlike outside the gate, the interior was covered only with old iron on the unpaved road, so the ride was likely to be rough. Sure enough, the train speeded up and the rattling worsened.

    ¡°¡­Hold on tight.¡±

    A low voice whispered above Noah¡¯s head, but it wasn¡¯t directed to her. The next moment, Muellnded lightly on the railing and managed to settle down on the narrow barrier. Then, the man spoke to Noah. ¡°Hold up your arm.¡±

    When she raised her arms slightly, a muscr arm wound around her waist. Naturally, the back of her head met with the man¡¯s chest, and Noah¡¯s worries of being thrown off the train melted away as strong arms sheltered her. However, another problem arose: Noah¡¯s back stiffened straight, nervous her body might tremble uncontrobly.

    The man¡¯s voice mumbled gently in her ears, ¡°I¡¯m holding on to it, so you don¡¯t have to worry about falling. It rattles like this, but it doesn¡¯t actually crash.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    His breath tickled Noah¡¯s ears, and in an instant, her ears turned red. It might have been an overreaction, and Noah hoped he would not notice it. She opened her mouth to speak but stuttered. ¡°When, when did youe?¡±

    ¡°Five days ago.¡±

    ¡°Not in Noviscosha, but since when have you been here?¡±

    Kyle answered tiredly, his chin rested on her shoulder. ¡°I left in the middle of my way to Edman. Why is Miss Noah here? I thought my eyes were wrong.¡±

    ¡°Well, somehow. I didn¡¯t mean to be here.¡±

    ¡°Not on purpose¡­ I was worried about what caused you to run away, but looking at you, I don¡¯t think something bad happened¡­¡± His voice sounded annoyed, but there was also a hint of surprise in it. Whenever Kyle was taken aback by Noah¡¯s entricity, the nagging would slowly pour out. ¡°I sometimes get confused whether Noah is timid or not. I¡¯m sure you snooped down in front of the mine at sunset.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s right, but¡­ I was looking for you.¡± Noah looked around nervously in case anyone had seen them, but they were all crammed together in the wagon that it was hard to move, or even turn their heads. Thanks to this, they did not catch anyone¡¯s attention.

    Kyle¡¯s breath brushed Noah¡¯s neck as he spoke. ¡°Now I think it¡¯s better to follow Miss Noah than leave you on your own.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­ There¡¯s Mu.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m not at ease. I was thinking that I should have brought him down with me, but this is great for now.¡± Kyle lowered his head, pressing his eyes against Noah¡¯s shoulder. She knew it was only to massage his heavy eyes, given his hands weren¡¯t free to do so, but¡­ Her heart kept pounding.

    Kyle paused, breathed in deeply, and continued. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for anything, you¡¯d have figured something out, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Lenia.¡±

    The throbbing beat of her chest and the rattling of the train seemed to bury her words. Eventually, Noah lifted her head to the side and looked up at Kyle, but the moment she saw his violet orbs under the shade of her hat, she froze. It had only been a week since shest saw him, but she felt like they were finally reunited after a long time.

    When Noah was silent, Kyle frowned. ¡°What about Lenia Valtalere? Did she do you any harm?¡±

 Chapter 157

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Noah diverted her gaze, hurriedly spewing from her mouth the information she had discovered regarding Lenia and her supposed ns.

    ¡°Ah¡­ So, the real Lenia Valtalere is gone. Then, there is a fake and the original. I was suspicious of it, but you just solved the mystery.¡±

    ¡°I did a good job, right? So don¡¯t nag.¡± She looked down, but Kyle¡¯s eyes still seemed to be fixed on her. Otherwise, her right cheek couldn¡¯t be burning hot.

    ¡°Good job, not being caught.¡± A praise fell from Kyle¡¯s lips, apanied with a shortugh. ¡°In fact, the Magic Department¡¯s library was not essible by any means from the Bureau of Investigation and Security, so I left it out of the n. That¡¯s an unexpected harvest¡­ how did you get your permission, Miss Noah?¡± He asked rather suspiciously.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t seduce Adrian!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± Kyle, who now had his chin on her head, seemed to organize his thoughts, repeatedly muttering a few words.

    Noah tried her best not to be conscious of his presence and prayed for the train to reach its destination rapidly. Soon, the wheeled wagon increased its speed, the light on the tunnel wall shing past their eyes.

    Kyle suddenly tapped his chin against her shoulder and whispered, ¡°Oh, once we get through this tunnel, you¡¯ll see a view that could hardly be seen from anywhere. Since you¡¯re here, it¡¯s too great and rare of an opportunity to miss, so don¡¯t close your eyes.¡±

    There was a glimmer of light at the end of the railroad in the distance. As the train rumbled faster along the railroad, the light, which looked like an atom, gradually grew to the size of a ball, and soon consumed their sight. Along with the train¡¯s rattle, the orange light devoured the wagon.

    Noah closed her eyes reflexively. At the same time, Kyle, who had his arms wrapped around her waist, tilted her body to the right. ¡°Open your eyes, Miss Noah.¡±

    As she opened her eyes, she beheld a magnificent spectacle. What unfolded before her was a panoramic view of the Maobiana mine, where the sun kissed the horizon. Over the mine, the skies were painted with rich shades of red and purple.

    The train was running along the railroad tracks on the outer wall of the mine. The massive, artificial pit almost appeared like a rocky cliff at every side, and there was an entrance of the tunnel, which seemed to have been dug by a giant nib. It was a workshop where the miners worked.

    And beneath, therey a vast emeraldke, deep enough that it almost appeared ck; one would be vertiginous at the sight. Theke as it mirrored the sunset glowed brilliantly, as if millions of rubies and diamonds were scattered among the waters.

    Noah stared at the breathtaking view in front of her, utterly speechless. She hadpletely forgotten the dangerous situation she was in. It was a spectacr sight, enough to rival the moment she witnessed a ck dragon ascending the heavens from the deep blue seas.

    ¡°Maobiana, the dragon¡¯s cradle,¡± Kyle whispered. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, even though it¡¯s a product born out of human hands, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Indeed, it was astounding to gaze upon a colossal pit that used to be a part of the mountain ranges until just over a hundred thousand years ago. Noah murmured, unable to take her eyes off the emeraldke, ¡°It¡¯s really pretty. I¡¯m d I bought this ce.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    Noah looked up in awe, then realized the close distance between them, and immediately shifted her gaze away from him. Kyle, who wouldn¡¯t miss a detail, inquired persistently. ¡°Come to think of it, when did Miss Noah arrive? What excuse exactly did you give to Minister Rossinell?¡±

    ¡°Volunteer work. I was on my way to Fugin, and I slipped into Noviscosha. You know you¡¯re not in a position to scold me, don¡¯t you?¡± Noah hastily sputtered excuses in fear of being reprimanded. Then, she observed him. Kyle¡¯s eyes, which were almost concealed beneath his hat, had a suspicious gleam.

    Noah managed to open her mouth, ncing at the tip of his chin. ¡°So what¡¯s this outfit for? Undercover investigation?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simr. I thought I had to visit the mine myself and just in time, there was a mysterious disappearance. We can investigate it together.¡±

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a monster in thatke¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll know if they¡¯re monsters or criminals extorting Mane Ore. But didn¡¯t Secretary Rossinel finally release this restraint?¡± Kyle poked the chains around Noah¡¯s neck, which was covered with a scarf, and repeated the nagging he had made several times a day before he left. Annoyed, Noah banged her head against his chest, unwilling to listen.

    As they argued in silence, Muell looked down at thendscape that unfolded before the train with a bewitched look. The boy, who was sitting on the railing, tilted his upper body outwards. His ck curly hair danced with the wind. Noah turned her head towards the child at the sound of his muttering.

    ¡°¡­I feel like I¡¯m back in the egg.¡±

 Chapter 158

    Muell stretched one hand toward theke. The train¡¯s pace was still speedy and rough as they traversed down the slope of the mine, but Muell waved his hand freely, dipping it into theke without a hint of worry.

    A gentle current rose in theke underneath and small ripples formed. Noah squinted her eyes and looked over the surface of the water. Somehow, it seemed the ripples followed the same rhythm¡­

    Something popped up on the surface of the water and drew a circle. There were more than one or two of those. The young dragon, apparently the cause of that mysterious phenomenon, looked back at Noah with a look full of anticipation. Noah shook her head once, ¡°Not now. You have to be careful.¡±

    ¡°Can I goter, then?¡± Muell clenched his small fists, eager to y. It was obvious what the little boy wanted. He desired to return to his original form, but Noah was firm. ¡°No. Don¡¯t get into trouble until we¡¯re done-¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    It was unexpectedly Kyle who interrupted her.

    ¡°Sooner orter, no, in a few hours, I think you¡¯ll have to go back to your original form, Mu.¡±

    Muell¡¯s face instantly lit up in delight and clung to Kyle¡¯s arm carelessly.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Kyleughed as Noah and Muell asked simultaneously and squeezed his grip on Noah¡¯s waist without saying anything more. An intense tremor, with a timely rattling sound, struck the train. The train slowly began to slow down, and the passengers staggered. Far away, they could get a glimpse of the entrance to the workshop.

    ¡°The team for the third floor underground , get off!¡± When the train stopped in front of the entrance, a group of people got off the train. Only then could Noah withdraw a little from Kyle

    ¡°What floor did we say we were getting off to? Sixth floor underground?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Kyle replied, grabbing Noah¡¯s shoulder as the train rattled again. ¡°We¡¯re not getting off.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    It was only after the train had stopped for three more times that Noah realized the answer to her question. When it was only the three of them, Kyle only said, ¡°Mu, put him to sleep.¡±

    Without dy, Muellplied to Kyle¡¯s instructions as swiftly as he did to Noah. Then, Noah saw the driver of the train slide down his seat. Kyle, who pushed the asleep driver to the side, pulled the manual lever down. The train, adjusted at full speed, began to run along the tracks at a tremendous speed. As Muell snapped his finger, the barrierbeled ¡®off-limits¡¯, which had been blocking the rail line, was swept away.

    ¡°How far are we going!¡± Noah screamed iprehensibly, tightly clinging to the railing of the train.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to the bottom of the off-limits zone. As soon as possible so that other miners won¡¯t notice.¡±

    The workshop closest to theke was their destination, which was among the ces where the miners had gone missing all together and was now restricted. The moment Kyle reunited with Noah and the child, he seemed to start an investigation immediately.

    Feeling nauseous by the unpleasant ride, Noah popped her head over the railing and looked down at theke¡¯s creeping edge. The train was making a bigp around this huge mine, its pace terrifyingly fast, and gradually headed towards the bottommost workshop. Soon, the sunset faded away from their view.

    Tuck¡­ Kyle pulled the brake lever. With a screeching sound, the train¡¯s wheels rubbed against the tracks, propelling their bodies forward.

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    ¡°Hold your body well, Miss Noah.¡±

    ¡°I have no sense of bnce like yours¡­¡± Noah gasped and grabbed the railing. As she raised her upper body, a mist rose before her eyes. Droplets of water then poured down her face. She wiped her face, looked ahead again, and the turquoiseke was just below the train¡¯s path. Something invisible split the current, soared upwards, and then disappeared back into theke.

    What is that¡­? Noah rubbed her eyes to see whether her eyes were mistaken, but the same phenomenon urred before her once more. It was clear that it moved along with Muell¡¯s fingers as he got off the train.

    Instinctively, she grasped the restraints on her neck, raising the sensitivity of the mana, and the train that was rattling and shaking stoppedpletely. A calm silence enveloped the space except for the asional sound of sshes.

    Noah held her breath and looked around. On the right was a huge turquoiseke, and on the left was the entrance to the tunnel where the sign ¡®No. 23¡¯ was hung. The entrance was tightly sealed with an iron gate. Kyle, who manipted the train¡¯s controls, jumped out of the train.

    Then, he beckoned Noah. ¡°Get off, Miss Noah. It¡¯s slippery due to moss, so be careful.¡±

 Chapter 159

    It wasn¡¯t a nuisance to move around since Noah was wearing a miner¡¯s clothes instead of a dress that reached her ankles. When she got off the train and hurried to Kyle¡¯s side, he shook the lock on the closed iron door and gestured not toe closer.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Instead of answering, he took the revolver that was hidden within his clothes. A faint gunshot rang, the revolver¡¯s muzzle shing red.

    The lock of the iron door, neatly prated by the bullet, plummeted to the ground. Since the silencer could notpletely eliminate the sound of gunshot, Noah nced above the mine, fearful that anyone might have heard the noise. Fortunately, there seemed to be no one who noticed.

    Kyle, who had roughly pushed the shrapnel of the broken lock away, pushed the heavy gate. The interior of the dark, enclosed workshop slowly emerged.

    Noah was about to poke her head into the open door, but Kyle grabbed her by the shoulder, pulling her back. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere carelessly. This is a mine that swallowed fifty-four professional miners. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°We have Mu, so what¡¯s there to worry about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you. Step back.¡±

    Noah was forced to withdraw a few steps behind, and Muell, who was holding onto her leg, snooping around, jumped inside in her ce. The little boy flung his hands into the air, and thenterns hung along the walls lit one after another, revealingpletely the interior of the workshop.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really big.¡±

    Big¡­ big¡­ big¡­

    Her voice echoed throughout the massive space. The ceiling was arched at a height of about three stories, and uneven rocks surrounded it everywhere. On the floor, which was padded with steel nks, miners¡¯ pickaxes and five or six mana detection rods rolled around at random. Severaldders were suspended on the wall, and the chalk marks at the end of eachdder seemed to indicate the location where the Mane Ore was detected.

    Noah circled around the workshop, searching for a pathway besides the entrance. ¡°There is nothing particrly suspicious, sir.¡± The workshop was apletely enclosed space, which was created by digging from the outside to the inside, so there was only as much space as excavated. ¡°There¡¯s no way out here to steal the ore,¡± she mumbled. It didn¡¯t seem like it was a ce where not only the magical ore but also miners would disappear en masse. There were no traces of fighting, nor bloodstains, nor the victims¡¯ belongings. However, Kyle thought differently.

    ¡°Why is there no passage? It could only mean one thing.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Noah looked back at him in question. Unlike her, who had been constantly looking at the inner walls of the mine, Kyle was crouching on the ground. His eyes scoured the floor of the steel-structured workshop.

    ¡°Not one or two, but fifty-four people disappeared in groups. There is only one entrance, as Miss Noah said. Then, there¡¯s only one ce to disappear.¡± Kyle¡¯s hand stroked a part on the floor, and immediately aimed his revolver downwards. Four shots rang continuously, and the steel nk tilted with a squeak. Kyle kicked the nk with his foot, and the board fell to the bottom.

    Plop.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    It was only after Noah heard the sound of water that she realized where they were right now, and what Kyle meant when he said there was only one ce to disappear to. The lowest floor of the Maobiana mine wasn¡¯t an ordinary mining area simr to the workshop upstairs. The bottommost of the mine faced theke and resembled a huge offshore cave.

    Underneath, theke gleamed emerald, and after the artificial floor, made out of steel nks, was created, the topmost wall was excavated to mimic a massive cave. Kyle was right. If there was no other passage allowing the miners to suddenly vanish, there was only one way.

    Under theke.

    ¡°Thiske is not made of rainwater. Digging through a ce where arge amount of Mane Ore was detected revealed a hugeke hidden underground. In other words, no one knows how deep thiske is. Even the owner of the mine said he had never measured the depth of theke. If so, it is not unreasonable to assume that there is a passage down there.¡±

    The rumor that a monster was living under theke didn¡¯t emerge out of nowhere. Suddenly, Noah remembered a horror movie that she had seen a long time ago. It was a movie about gruesome sharks that came ashore, dragging humans under the sea. Perhaps the same thing happened to the bodies that drowned to the bottom of theke¡­

    ¡°Miss Noah.¡± A calm voice interrupted her thoughts, putting an end to her worst imaginations. ¡°Can you swim?¡± Kyle asked. He was so casual that it sounded like he was saying, ¡®How would you like bacon toast for breakfast?¡¯

 Chapter 160

    Noah answered skeptically, ¡°I know how to float. I learned a little bit when I was a kid.¡±

    ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯te up. We¡¯re going to dive down. How many minutes can you hold your breath?¡± asked Kyle. Noah narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t measured it¡­ But would a minute be okay?¡±

    ¡°One minute. Not bad. Do you like the waters? Or do you have a trauma?¡± Kyle inquired further.

    ¡°Nothing like that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, then.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡±

    Before she even felt an ominous foreboding, Kyle lifted the Muell, who was looking down theke from the side, and in an instant, the little child disappeared. A very faint ssh echoed throughout the cave.

    Noah almost fainted at the sight, frozen on her spot with her mouth agape as Kyle followed suit, casually jumping down the hole. This time, there was no sound of sshing. Noah let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    As she stood alone, she heard a voice calmly answering from under the hole on the floor.

    ¡°Hurry up. It¡¯s only scary if you drag it for a while,¡± Kyle said.

    This woman had jumped from a running train, descended to a dangerous ce underneath a ship, stood at the court as a defendant, and was now on the verge of diving into ake, which depth was unknown.

    ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember doing anything bad enough to hear that. It¡¯s alright, soe quickly.¡±

    Noah approached the hole where Kyle and Muell had disappeared into with an extremely hateful look on her face. Still, she wasn¡¯t frightened enough to chicken out given she had been through all sorts of things that made her braver. But as she nced under the hole, she was startled. The distance from theke was farther than she assumed, and the two, who had already settled on the dark waters, surprised her.

    She had imagined that Kyle and Muell would be floating with their necks above the water, but instead, Kyle stood against something ck with smooth scales. She squinted her eyes, looking closely, and realized it was none other than Muell¡¯s back.

    Before she knew it, Muell, who had returned to his original form, suddenly raised his head under the water. He was a little smaller inparison to the usual size he was before. The dragon¡¯s dark red eyes blinked excitedly as if it was urging Noah toe down quickly.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you told Mu earlier that he¡¯s going back to the main body?¡± she stuttered in astonishment.

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t know how deep theke will be,¡± replied Kyle.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you discuss this kind of thing in advance?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t talk to me before you get into an ident, do you? Jump, please. I¡¯ll catch you.¡±

    ¡°It would be heavy¡­ What if you fall over?¡± worried Noah.

    ¡°What a useless worry.¡±

    Noah was left with no choice but to sit on the floor and hang her legs under the pit. I¡¯ve never dived before, but¡­ I don¡¯t know. He will take care of it. She closed her eyes tightly and then, she jumped. Immediately, a dizzying feeling of falling wrapped her whole body, but it onlysted for a brief moment as she felt an arm hold her lightly. There was a slight shock to her body, but the pain quickly disappeared.

    Kyle, who caught Noah in ease as if he was holding a paper doll that fell from the air, patted the back of her head. ¡°Youin a lot, but you¡¯re good at it.¡±

    ¡°I sometimes wonder if I¡¯m an acrobat. Or an athlete.¡± Noah joked. Inside, she wasmending Kyle. How could he, while standing on slippery scales, receive a falling woman with such ease.

    Kyle sat her on Muell¡¯s back. ¡°We¡¯re going under theke like this. There¡¯s Mu, so there will be no difficulty in breathing. Don¡¯t close your eyes if you can. You have to know the way back just in case.¡±

    Muell gently wagged his tail over the water and dove his head under theke. Naturally, their bodies leaned forward. If Kyle hadn¡¯t grabbed Noah, she would have rolled onto Muell¡¯s head. As she saw the surface of the water approaching her eyes swiftly, Noah screamed in panic.

    ¡°No, wait¡­¡±

    Before she could even close her eyes, the glinting water shrouded her vision. From head to toe, he waspletely submerged in the water.

    This child, Muell, had only learned strange things from Kyle! She shut her eyes reflexively.

 Chapter 161

    Fortunately, as Kyle had assured, Muell¡¯s magic had some sort of barrier and there was no sensation of resistance from the pressure of the currents. Noah didn¡¯t even feel her clothes bing drenched.

    ¡°You have to open your eyes again, Miss Noah.¡± Kyle tapped her cheek with his finger and Noah crept close to him, slowly opening her eyes. The splendid sight engulfed her, and immediately her eyes opened wide on their own. A sound of awe fell from her lips.

    ¡°Woah¡­¡±

    When she was Park Noah, she had gone to an aquarium only once: when she was in high school. Every corner, from the floor to the ceiling, was connected like a huge tank, so she felt the pressure as if she was submerged in water. The scenery surrounding her now was just like the aquarium she saw then.

    Underneath theke was a richer shade of emerald than seen from above. The surface of theke, which will soon bepletely enveloped by the sunset, was colored with a soft orange. On the other hand, the deep waters they were currently immersed in, was rtively darkish blue, owing to theck of sunlight. However, it wasn¡¯t extremely dark that they wouldn¡¯t see; somewhere, there must have been a light source that illuminated the bottom of thiske.

    A school of yellow fish swimming in a row passed right in front of Noah¡¯s nose. She nced below and saw the bottom of theke. Beneath was a picturesque spread of coral reefs of all colors. Every time a giant ck dragon smoothed the water, the green seaweed fluttered along the current; some even got caught in Muell¡¯s ws. Hundreds of marine animals swarmed past each side. A water snake that was as thick as Noah¡¯s head swam over her as if it was dancing.

    Rather than be surprised to see the hovering ck dragon that suddenly invaded their ecosystem, the underwater creatures approached intimately and rubbed their bodies against the dragon¡¯s ck scales. As Noah looked up, the workshop on the bottommost floor where they had been was bing a blur of shadows as they swam deeper into theke.

    Noah looked around the endless world of waters and murmured in a daze, ¡°There¡¯s too much under theke¡­¡±

    ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s not surprising. It was the ce where the holy dragon rested until a thousand years ago. And given the dragon¡¯s characteristics, known as the owner of Maobiana or the cradle, it¡¯s not unreasonable that this environment was created.¡±

    ¡°What dragon used to live here?¡±

    ¡°Records show that about 1,100 years ago, Sailor, the dragon who lived in the western sea of Mute, used it as a resting ce when he came ashore. It wouldn¡¯t have been too difficult for an almighty dragon to have a small ocean beneath the mountains.¡±

    ¡°I see, then¡­¡± Are those creatures that are stuck on Mu¡¯s ws left behind by an ancient dragon? Curious questions lingered in Noah¡¯s mind when she had seen a mysterious creature floating around. Its body was so translucent that it was almost indistinguishable, but at the center of it was a sparkling yellow color. When she touched it, the transparent lump of jelly, about the size of a palm, mounted fearlessly on her hands.

    ¡°What is this?¡± she wondered.

    When she poked it with her finger, the jelly split into two pieces. Then, it broke into smaller pieces ceaselessly, and soon took on a form. It was a small man with wings of a butterfly on his back. The next moment, the creature flew to her neck.

    Noah thought it was about to rip her neck apart, but the creaturended on the chains around her neck. The restraint began to crack with a small growl. As soon as she felt the chains were loosened, she called Kyle. ¡°Sir, what¡¯s this? Please take a look.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Kyle, who was carefully examining the bottom of theke, looked back at her. Then, he calmly lifted her head and examined the restraints. ¡°It¡¯s a ce where the power of dragons remains, so man-made objects seem to break down easily. It¡¯s notpletely broken yet, so don¡¯t turn your head around and stay still in case you get a scar on your neck. I¡¯ll check it from time to time.¡±

    When the restraint is broken, the dragon¡¯s immense power flows straight into Noah. Adrian had also said that the chains were thest fortress to protect her humanity.

    Would everything be alright?

    The translucent creature that had clung to her neck had already vanished among the waters from the moment she called Kyle. Now, she could feel Muell¡¯s mana slowly seeping into her.

    It¡¯s gonna be okay, right?

 Chapter 162

    ¡°Let¡¯s just hurry up a little bit. Go down further, Mu.¡± Kyle instructed.

    At his words, the young dragon vigorously stirred its tail and propelled forward. Even though Noah had no longer problems with breathing, her heart began to pound stronger as they neared towards theke bed. It seemed to be the psychological pressure that she felt when she was thrown into the deep waters.

    ¡°Wait, Mu.¡±

    However, she was the only one who felt that way. Beside her, Kyle lookedpletely unnerved. He kept his eyes fixed on only one thing without showing any hint of admiration at the surrounding scenery.

    ¡°That way,¡± pointed Kyle.

    As Noah followed Kyle¡¯s gaze and looked down, she saw a red string tied between the pointed coral. A long line of ribbons at the bottom of theke stood out from afar; it was like a milestone to give directions.

    Muell immediately began to advance forward in the direction of the ribbons, and the workshop at the top had shrunk into a dot. Noah could see the end of the string of red ribbons which were tangled in corals. Far away, a round ck hole emerged over the surface of the water.

    ¡°Is it there?¡± Kyle squinted his eyes and measured the size of the entrance. ¡°I don¡¯t think Mu can get through.¡±

    Even with their own estimate, it seemed difficult for the humongous dragon to push its head in, let alone pass. But this time, Noah seeded in predicting what Kyle was thinking.

    This guy, obviously¡­ As soon as she thought of it, Noah jumped over Muell¡¯s back and got up. Suddenly, a very yful and daring impulse arose within her.

    ¡°Mu, the¡­¡±

    ¡°Mu, get rid of the barrier!¡±

    Noah seeded to be one step ahead of Kyle. At the same moment he looked back at her with astonished eyes, Noah took a breath as deep as she could. Then, in a blink, the barrier vanished.

    The water poured in at once, drenching their bodies. The pressure wasn¡¯t strong since they were already approaching the surface of theke. Noah pped her arms, and her body began to rise rapidly. Soon, she reached the surface. She gasped for air, brushing away the wet strands of her hair that stuck to her face. Then, she bobbed her head sideways to drain the water from her ears.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Miss Noah!¡± Kyle shook the water off his hair, ncing at her with an angry look. But Noah only shrugged her shoulders and slowly swam away from him.

    ¡°You¡¯re suddenly doing things without informing me beforehand. I don¡¯t act recklessly without the assurance that I¡¯m safe. Do you think I don¡¯t think of that?¡± Kyle gritted his teeth and grabbed Noah¡¯s arm, pulling it to him. ¡°Why are you being impulsive? Even now, when it could be dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god.¡±

    ¡°When I¡¯m with you, I¡¯ve often wished I had four eyes. Don¡¯t make me worry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t nag. You once told me that proper exercise is good for stamina,¡± Noah retorted.

    Kyle could only clench his jaw when she had answered in a nonchnt manner. He obviously had nothing to say. However, the more sensitive Kyle was, the more absurdly satisfied Noah became. The man¡¯s attitude had changed dramatically since a month ago when they departed trains. Noah believed he was not conscious of her as she was of him yet, but the mere fact that he became easily stirred by her felt as good as if he was already in her grasp.

    A faint satisfaction rose within Noah and a question that she would not have thought much normally arose. However, the question was immediately buried in thecency of her ¡®whatevers.¡¯

    She lightly darted through the current and hung her arm around Kyle¡¯s neck. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do anything unexpected. What can I do for you to sign a lifelong contract with me?¡± she teased.

    ¡°Nonsense.¡±

    Kyle answered bluntly and earned a punch on the shoulder from Noah. Muell, who had returned as a little child, popped his face to the surface. They kicked their legs under the water and swam ashore. Kyle reached thend first, then pulled Noah and the little boy out of the water at once.

    Water dripped from their soaked clothes. When they untied the straps of their boots, a bucketful of water spilled onto the floor. Noah¡¯s curly waves clung to her cheeks like seaweed.

    She looked around, wringing her hair. Unlike the previous workshop, this ce looked close to a naturally formed underwater cave. The numerous stone pirs and the stgmites on the ground and ceiling of the cave could not be created by human hands.

    Noah took a few steps toward the inside of the cave while Kyle patted Muell¡¯s back, who vomited a great amount of water. Then, she found something on the floor ¡ª a pair of goggles and small oxygen bottles. Perhaps they were used by the miners as they crossed over here. As she took a few more steps, she discovered pickaxes and mana detection rods. Seeing the traces of the pickaxes on the wall, it seemed that the magical ore was mined at this cave as well. As evidence of that, there were octagonal-shaped gleaming stones on the ground.

    ¡°How much seaweed did you eat¡­ Miss Noah?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going far. It¡¯s just, there¡¯s something here.¡±

    As soon as she touched one of the stones, she confirmed it was the Mane Ore. In the rock, which perfectly fit on the palm of her hand, Noah felt a slight wave of mana. There was more than one or two precious ore that fell on the ground. Noah picked them one by one and walked into the cave.

 Chapter 163

    Noah approached the end of the cave and found a two-way road. ¡°Muell, try to create a hot wind. Not too strong, just to the point where the water dries,¡± she instructed, to which Muell attempted to protest against. ¡°Last time I did that, Noah caught a cold¡­¡±

    ¡°What? When?¡± Kyle asked, his brows furrowed.

    Noah first looked at the crossroads to the right, listening to the conversation of the two men behind her, where Muell was pouting his lips as Kyle reprimanded the little boy. As her eyes became ustomed to the darkness, she could recognize the railroad tracksid on the ground of the cave.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the railroad. This must be the way out,¡± said Noah.

    A foreign object rolled from beyond the darkness. It was then followed by a faint vibration on the tracks, which seemingly indicated that a small wagon was running along the tracks. Noah managed to take the shlight that was still hanging in her work clothes and clicked the switch. Before long, the dark interior of the cave was brightly lit.

    As she expected, a wagon that could barely carry two or three people was approaching from a distance with a rattle. Noah felt strange; the ce was better than she thought it would be, and it¡¯s even equipped with a railroad.

    It didn¡¯t seem like the thief of the Mane Ore broke into the previous workshop along the path under theke, but it could be that they came directly to this ce in a train to mine the magical ore.

    While Noah marshaled her thoughts, the wagon gradually came to a stop. As she was about to take a step forward to the cart, there was a strange sensation behind her back. Wondering, she turned her head and noticed a yellow glint simr to what she had seen previously when they swam through the bottom of theke. There weren¡¯t only one or two. Hundreds of yellow specks twinkled in the dark irregrly. Those were the things that tried to break her restraints.

    What is that? The moment she turned around to get a closer glimpse, someone jumped up from the cart behind her. When Noah looked back in a hurry, what she saw was a man with a paleplexion rushing towards her.

    ***

    A roar, apanied by a vibration, erupted within the cave. Kyle looked up in surprise and Muell, who was blowing hot wind to dry his work clothes, also raised his head. Noah, who had been snooping around inside the cave, had disappeared. As soon as he realized Noah was nowhere to be seen, Kyle leaped up.The little boy also jumped up with a small exmation.

    Feeling the blood all over his body turn cold, Kyle rushed past Muell and ran to the cave. Just as he turned around the right corner where the roar thundered, Kyle was greeted with an unexpected sight. He assumed someone attacked Noah, or Noah touched something wrong, or she tripped somewhere and fell down, but he witnessed before him a sight he never expected to see.

    ¡°What is it?¡± As she turned around, Noah was casually brushing off the stain on her body. At first nce, her hands were soaked in red. ¡°You surprised me,¡± she nonchntly said.

    At her feet the groans of a dying man trickled out and the red stain that was dripping on the floor was blood. Even though the pungent smell of blood reached Kyle, there was no response from Noah. Kyle stood frozen on the ground, stunned.

    Her hands stroked her neck,pletely releasing the restraint, and the shabby chains fell to the floor. The restraints on her wrist had also disappeared. The force that was blocking Noah and Muell¡¯s resonance was broken. The power that she had been struggling to bear returned to her at once.

    Apparently, until a while ago, her apricot hair and work clothes that had been soaked were dry without any moisture. While Kyle remained fixed on his spot, unable to say anything, Muell passed him and ran to Noah.

    ¡°What was it, Noah?¡± asked Muell.

    ¡°Uh, something tried to hit me and I saw it was a person. Looking at his clothes, he seems to be one of the missing miners.¡± Noah lowered her posture in front of the fallen man at her feet and grabbed his chin, turning his face from side to side. ¡°Are you dead?¡±

    As Kyle listened to her words, he determined that Noah was not in her normal condition now. No woman had evere to him ying tricks before. Currently, she looked very much like a young dragon fiddling around the shoulder of the bleeding man next to her. Kyle clenched his jaw and Noah looked back at him.

    ¡°Sir,e here. This guy, he came this way in a wagon, and he¡¯s probably one of the-¡±

    ¡°Come here, Mu. Stay away from Noah.¡±

 Chapter 164

    Muell widened his eyes and looked at Kyle. Although the young dragon did not understand well, he followed Kyle¡¯s instructions nheless. Kyle then approached Noah and cupped her cheeks with his hands.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, sir?¡± Noah asked, blinking as she looked up at him, but Kyle only looked into her eyes without answering. The pupils of her blue orbs, with a tinge of gray, were dark red. Certainly, it was a dreadful sign. Kyle asked as calmly as he could, ¡°When did this happen?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Noah was at loss.

    ¡°You taught Mu yourself that killing is forbidden. Since when did you take it lightly?¡± asked Kyle.

    ¡°That has nothing to do with this. It was self-defense,¡± Noah raised her eyebrows as if she were falsely used, ¡°he tried to attack me from behind. I can¡¯t be that nice to him.¡±

    If the woman before him had been the original Park Noah, she would not have uttered such words without hesitation. Kyle peered into her eyes and scoured his mind for past memories. Was there an instant when Noah was saying anything out of the ordinary? There was once, he thought. It was when Noah was called to the Bureau of Investigation and Security¡¯s underground interrogation room to make a false statement.

    ¡°If I had really tried to kill her, would Lenia have been able to make that statement alive?¡±

    Kyle had assumed she was only furious at that time, but now that he thought about it, there had been many strange urrences. Noah wasn¡¯t a person who used violent words nor actions. In Sorrent, she waszy, and even replying was tiresome for her. Moreover, she is only an ordinary person caught in the frenzy of another world.

    No matter how much she rebelled against Adrian, she wasn¡¯t guilty. Even though she had constantly turned the Imperial Pce into ruins and sumbed to her strange impulses with the risk of inflicting harm to others, she wasn¡¯t remorseful.

    Kyle swallowed a groan as his thoughts reached a conclusion. He had formted a hypothesis for this bizarre situation: the boundary between the two resonant souls was gradually falling apart. He looked down at the young dragon who diverted his eyes away from Kyle¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Did you know?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Kyle turned his attention to Noah, ¡°since when did this happen?¡±

    ¡°Since the imprint waspleted.¡±

    As soon as Muell mumbled an answer, his doubt became certain. The chains of restraint, which only seemed to be Adrian¡¯s perverted taste, was not simply an aid to Noah¡¯s control of the powerful mana.

    ¡°Sir, what the hell is wrong with you¡­¡± Noah, who had a frown on her face, breathed in as if she had realized something. ¡°Wait. What did I just say?¡±

    If Noah hadpletely assimted with a dragon, conforming to its vicious inhumanity, she wouldn¡¯t be conscious of her misdeeds, but seeing that she noticed, Noah must still have remained on guard.

    Noah grabbed Kyle¡¯s arm in a hurry. ¡°Did I just say something weird again?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± Before he could even think rationally, the words already fell from his lips. Then, Kyle covered Noah¡¯s eyes with his hand. If she was in a state of extreme sensitivity, mixed with the inhumanity of a dragon, it was best to avoid confusion as much as possible. Kyle then switched ces with her so that Noah wouldn¡¯t see the bloodied man. ¡°Don¡¯t go alone. Should I specifically tell you not to fall more than three steps from my side?¡± he muttered.

    But Noah¡¯s voice cracked as if she had already realized what had just happened. ¡° The restraint, it¡¯s broken.¡± She raised her hand and felt her throat with only a faint scar left. ¡°Is he dead¡­?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Fortunately, the man who attacked Noah did not reach his end yet. However, he had suffered a long stab wound from his shoulder to the chest. The blood was oozing out, and it was obvious that if left unchecked, he would die of excessive bleeding.

    Kyle soothed Noah and nced at Muell, who looked up at him with anxious eyes. ¡°Nobody saw it, and nothing happened. No one was hurt. Because Mu has treated him properly.¡±

    The young dragon puckered his mouth, seemingly displeased, but then noticed Kyle¡¯s gaze and immediately approached the fallen man. A small hand touched the chest of the man pooled with blood. A butterfly, its wings emitting a golden glow, fluttered its wings andnded on Muell¡¯s palm. The butterfly soon broke into dozens of bits and prated into the man¡¯s wound. In an instant, the blood stopped gushing from his chest. The wound began to shrink by itself. Even though the healing magic, which was deemed a miracle even in ancient times, was executed right before his eyes, Kyle¡¯s attention waspletely focused on Noah. Finally, when Muell shook his hand, the ground which was full of blood was wiped clean. The stench of blood in the air also vanished.

    It wasn¡¯t until Kyle had made sure the surroundings had returned to its original state that he removed his hand from Noah¡¯s eyes. Noah looked at him, hesitant. Kyle breathed a deep sigh, ¡°Why would you cry again? Nothing happened.¡±

    The cheeky sloth who constantly called him a butler had made a mistake; guilt and remorse consuming her heart. Kyle didn¡¯t want to admit it himself, but in the recent months, he had grown ustomed to the brazen Park Noah. Now, he was at a loss of what to do when her eyes brimmed with tears and trickled down her face.

 Chapter 165

    Noah bit her lips and muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t have any more restraints, but if I say something weird again, please hit me on the head.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t hit you. I¡¯m not crazy. Stop talking nonsense and get a hold of yourself. Don¡¯t bite your lips, look at me.¡± Kyle cupped Noah¡¯s cheeks, who was trying to avoid his gaze and turned her face towards himself. ¡°When I¡¯m done with my work, I¡¯ll go down to Sorrent and take care of you. You shouldn¡¯t cry over anything, Miss Noah. You¡¯re not even a child.¡±

    In other words, Kyle had just dered a vow not to take his eyes off Noah for at least the next few years. He cannotpletely manage her; he has no choice but to observe from the sidelines and run to her aid whenever she spirals out of control. Fortunately, Noah seemed to like his proposal to return to Sorrent and recuperate.

    ¡°Would you like to go on a trip with me?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Kyle replied with a smile.

    ¡°Clean for me?¡± Noah blinked several times.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about taking advantage of this opportunity. You must be feeling better now that you¡¯re trying to y with words.¡±

    Atst, the brazen Noah returns. Kyle stretched her cheeks to both sides in exasperation, but inwardly, he felt relieved. ¡°Don¡¯t scare people. How many more times do I have to say ¡®please¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡±

    ¡°No, sorry won¡¯t make up for it.¡± Of course, his grudge fell apart as soon as Noah apologized again. While Kyle was tending and soothing Noah, Muell was listening to the stories told by the creatures hiding in the opposite side of the cave.

    [This is thend where Sailor left for the dragon to inhabit.]

    [And then humans found it.]

    [When I opened my eyes, it was like this.]

    Upon entering the entrance to the Maobiana mine, the young dragon had heard voices of fairies that fluttered their wings underground. The fairies¡¯ eggs, which belonged to the dragon that had settled in this cradle, hatched the same moment Muell hatched in Sorrent. Fairies with golden wings circled around the little dragon and whispered stories.

    [Humans keep tearing down the nest containing the magic of Sailor. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re going to use it for.]

    [I hate it.]

    ¡°So where are they all?¡± asked the little dragon.

    [I locked it up.]

    [I often see a man trying to get away with it.]

    [I threw a few people outside as an example.]

    [I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to forgive them.]

    ¡°No¡­ wait¡­¡± Muell nced nervously at Noah and Kyle. No matter how young a mind was, or how a dragon had not yet adapted to the human world, the little boy now knew that Noah wouldn¡¯t like it if he thought of morbid things. Kyle had also said that in human society, murder or assault is a felony wherein the offender must be locked up in a prison and rot for his entire life. Muell used to ask Kyle why he would have to live his life confined in a prison if he didn¡¯t want it, but he seemed to understand it a little, taking Noah into ount.

    Noah likes to rx. Prison is a ce where you can¡¯t rx. Noah hates prisons. So, I shouldn¡¯t do anything that would put Noah in jail, the young boy thought.

    Muell had been in Kyle¡¯s arms for the past few days, touring the Bureau of Investigation and Security to study and learn simple logic, and he made a brilliant application of the division¡¯s reasoning he had learned in his studies.

    ¡°No indiscriminate killing. Let¡¯s think before we act. Whether Noah would like it or not.¡±

    He hugged the butterflies in his arms and approached Noah carefully, who was justining to Kyle, pouting as if she had calmed down. Muell¡¯sst wish was to be hated by Noah, but he thought he had done something wrong this time. He shut his eyes tightly and tears trickled down his cheeks.

    ¡°I have something to say, Noah!¡±

    ***

    Noah walked with Muell firmly in her arms despite Kyle¡¯s dissuasion. Surrounding them were the very yellow lights that she kept seeing as they descended theke. These yellow lights were fairies with golden wings, simr to that of a butterfly, on their backs.

    A little while ago, Muell had told her with a grim face and close eyes that the fairies living in the cave knew where the missing miners were. Soon, a few hundred butterflies swarmed around them and led the way.

    Kyle muttered in an astonished voice as he stared at the butterflies filling the aisle, ¡°I didn¡¯t know there were still any fairies left.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there any fairy in this world?¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t exist in Mute. Records say that only some of the dragon¡¯s family came to thisnd along with the dragon and left when thest dragon returned, but there must have been some that remained.¡±

    One of the fairies that hovered over Muell flew towards Noah.

    [She¡¯s the owner of the baby dragon.]

    [She¡¯s seeing a lot of it.]

    Perhaps because she was the master of the dragon, the whispers of the fairies, which were inaudible to Kyle, were loud and clear to her ears.

 Chapter 166

    Noah sighed, patting Muell¡¯s butt. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault this time, Mu. You don¡¯t have to feel sorry, because this seems to be my problem.¡±

    ¡°Noah¡¯s not at fault¡­¡± The tearful Muell answered with a nasal voice. The little boy who couldn¡¯t evene close to her was sobbing, and Noah wanted to cry as well.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re making me cry. What¡¯s wrong with you? It¡¯s because I got into a weird body in the first ce. If only I had brought my body with me¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I always give Noah a hard time. I¡¯m always putting you in trouble¡­¡±

    The spectating Kyle then interrupted their emotional conversation. ¡°Both of you stop it. This conversation will continueter and if someone has to be apologized to, it should be me. Offer your tears to me, not to each other.¡±

    Both had nothing to say, so they kept their mouths shut. Ever since Noah regained consciousness, she retraced her actions one by one since she had imprinted with Muell on the Angelic. Now that she thought of it, there were many moments that she seemed different even after Adrian had ced the restraints on her.

    Without any certainty that Lenia she encountered was a fake, she attacked her. She also knocked unconscious an innocent employee from Adrian¡¯s library. When she learned that Adrian had stolen Eleonora¡¯s designs, she contemted whether or not she would forcefully confront him. Lastly, just a few hours ago, she also used violence against Donalian Culton.

    But the scariest thing was, she was justifying her actions with logic. In other words, Noah was bing a hybrid thatbined the normative thinking learned as a human being and the inhumanity of a dragon.

    [Worried?]

    The fairiesnded on her shoulders. Among the fairies, a fairy with intricate wings spoke fluently.

    [I can feel the dragon in you. Obviously the contract you made with this baby dragon is to bring the dragon into your power, but now you¡¯re in trouble.]

    Muell leaped out of Noah¡¯s arms. Far away, in front of the road, the fairies were spinning round and round, pointing somewhere. It was a crossroad again.

    ¡°That must be where the miners are.¡± Kyle followed Muell, who was one step ahead. On the other hand, Noah¡¯s steps were slowing down. The fairy sitting on her shoulder continued to talk smoothly.

    [That¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? Because the bond between the soul and the body is terribly weak.]

    Her steps suddenly stopped. The fairy flew right in front of her eyes. Noah answered slowly, attempting to clear her confused mind. ¡°I know that. It¡¯s because I¡¯m not the original owner of this body. That¡¯s why I¡¯m being overly swayed by other people¡¯s mana. But it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    [Why can¡¯t it be helped?]

    The fairy tilted its head in wonder, and Noah felt like she was bing more stupid by every second. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me to get out of this body and find another body that¡¯s morepatible with me? Die again and wander through the countryside?¡±

    [Why do you have to look for a different body?]

    The conversation went off strangely. What could the fairy possibly be talking about? When Noah was about to raise her voice in frustration, Kyle called her name from afar.

    ¡°Miss Noah.¡± He approached Noah and touched her forehead with his hand. ¡°I think you¡¯re overdoing it¡­ Are you all right?¡±

    Noah looked up at Kyle nkly. As she came to the face of the witch reflected in his violet orbs, enlightenment gradually dawned on her. I don¡¯t have to find the right body, do I? Are you saying that I can go back to Park Noah¡¯s body?

    ¡°How can I do that?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Kyle asked back, confused. But she wasn¡¯t already looking at him. Waving away the fairies that swirled around her, Kyle frowned and dragged her. ¡°Miss Noah, what¡¯s wrong with you-¡±

    ¡°How can I get back? I thought I must have died.¡±

    What Noah had seen right after her death was her lifeless body lying low on a bed. Then, she found herself in another dimension, foreign to her.

    After wandering for a long time in a starlit space, Noah came to this world at one point, and then, after wandering in the wind for a while, she happened to see Eleonora in her mansion and went through the chimney. She didn¡¯t know what had happened to her body since then. If she was indeed already dead, there would have been a simple funeral, and she would have been buried underneath the ground for a long time now¡­

    But what if it was not toote?

 Chapter 167

    The fairy then gave a bolster to the hypothesis Noah had juste up with.

    [You didn¡¯t die in the first ce. Just like you, the owner of that body has gone somewhere. For a while, your soul wandered outside your body, and then it was swept away by something and fell into this world. Now, you¡¯re in the body in which the owner has gone somewhere, too.]

    Noah was rendered silent.

    [You know, if a person had indeed met his end, he would have lost all his reason, lost his memory, and he would have been sucked into the world of the souls.]

    The fairy spoke like a living person, twirling around Noah. It was then that Noah reached a conclusion.

    [Although the bond is weak, seeing that you are still alive¡­ That means the owner of that body isn¡¯tpletely dead either. Huh, in the first ce, you must have been a good enough match to assimte this much.]

    ¡°The soul of the living and the body of the living.¡± Noah¡¯s face paled as she mused on the fairy¡¯s words. There were two main implications of what the creature said: perhaps Noah¡¯s body remained undead, and Eleonora¡¯s soul¡­ It might be existing somewhere still.

    If, as the fairy implied, Eleonora hadn¡¯t been murdered by someone, but for some reason, her soul was out of its body for quite a time, which allowed Noah to enter that empty shell, then the chance for Noah to return to her original body was not entirely beyond the bounds of possibility.

    So, the moment I possessed the body of Eleonora, it wasn¡¯t exactly like a dead body, and¡­ Eleonora, at that instant, had been sitting in front of a dinner table with her eyes closed as if she were asleep. On second thought, it was too hasty and thoughtless to assume it was a corpse.

    Furthermore, there was one more thing she ought to ponder about. What Eleonora had working at the time with her partner, Adrian, was the magic of human cloning, which breathed a soul into machines modeled after humans.

    Noah shuddered at a gruesome realization. It could not be the mere murder of Eleonora, but an entirely different story, where Adrian might have had tampered with her soul. In other words, just as Park Noah was alive even though her soul was separated from its body, Eleonora might still be existing somewhere in a different shell. Noah managed to speak despite her faint heart, ¡°First of all, my body, can Ie back?¡±

    [Well, we¡¯re gonna have to hurry. Before the medium that came to this ce disappears.]

    At the fairy¡¯s words, Noah¡¯s mind drifted to the novel she had read before her death. Then, the fairies soared high into the air.

    [Follow me for now. Because every weird phenomenon that happens here are rted to the cradle.]

    ¡°Cradle¡­¡±

    The fairies began to take the lead over Kyle¡¯s head, and Noah trailed after them. Soon, she found a dark, shrouded exit at the end of the slope.

    [There¡¯s only a little bit left. You¡¯ll find out when you see it. What the cradle means.]

    She hastened her steps without further thought. Her pace was bing more urgent every second. The wind blew from the upper exit. The railway on the ground was exactly directed towards the exit. As the exit neared, Noah was greeted with an almost pitch-ck sky. Underneath it, there was a small child standing still, looking at the scene.

    With her breathing ragged, Noah climbed the steep slope and finally stood in front of the exit. Her body was about to copse from exhaustion, but someone rushed to her side, supporting her. Noah held Kyle¡¯s arm desperately and raised her head. And for the third time since she arrived at Noviscosha, Noah was captivated, once again, by nature¡¯s undisguised glory.

    The night sky, glittering with millions of stars, unfolded before her eyes. A month and a half ago, she beheld the same sky with Muell on the train as they headed to Battuanu. At a time when it seemed like aet swimming in a distant universe, a conversation with the young dragon crossed her mind without notice.

    ¡°It¡¯s simr to what I saw in the egg. There¡¯s something like that in the human world.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then, there must be your world among those stars. My world must be out there somewhere.¡±

    Loss for words, Noah slowly lowered her gaze. The ce they set foot on was the middle of the huge valley surrounded by the mountains of Maobiana. Under the valley, they could see a clear river that was connected to theke they had passed earlier, and at the top of the steep cliff, there was a huge pit that was iparable to the small passage they currently stood atop.

    Muell lifted his small hand, pointing at the crater, and said, ¡°That¡¯s the cradle.¡± Then, his finger shifted on a protruding rock where a horde of yellow fairies surrounded arge cocoon, and there was a narrow path through it.

    ¡°That¡¯s the prison where the thieves of the Mane ore were locked up.¡± The boy shook his hand lightly, and the fairies scattered in all directions at once.

    ¡°And over there,¡± Muell¡¯s hand pointed to thest night sky strewn with countless bright stars, ¡°are doors to other worlds.¡±

 Chapter 168

    When the restraint that blocked the resonance between the two had been broken, Noah saw a huge of mana hanging over Maobiana. The, designed like a spider¡¯s web, fluttered gently whenever the clouds shifted, and the stars poked their heads out in between the grids.

    ¡°This is the passage, Noah.¡± Muell looked back at her, and the child¡¯s thoughts flowed straight into her mind as if they were her own.

    Certainly, it was odd. The tale of Noah crossing another dimension as a soul through a mere storybook acting as a medium, and that ancient dragons could go in and out of this world meant that there existed a way to connect the different worlds.

    Maobiana had been a passage during the times of antiquity when dragons crossed over to Mute, and perhaps, somewhere in that infinite universe, there is a door to the world where Park Noah lived.

    If I could go back to my world¡­ If my body hasn¡¯t lost life yet¡­ Then it¡¯s not theoretically impossible to get my body back.

    Noah could feel all the thoughts that filled her head were also conveyed to Muell. She looked down at the little boy and moistened her lips. ¡°¡­Will it work, Mu?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what Noah wants.¡± Muell gave a big smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s find it together!¡± These words echoed inside her head, and Noah made a decision as soon as she heard the child¡¯s enthusiastic voice. What they ought to do wasn¡¯t merely go after Adrian. Here, in Maobiana, was the only ce where Noah grasped the chance to retrieve her original body despite not knowing which dimension she was stuck in.

    ***

    Of course, there were things to be aplished before they could achieve such a feat. The fundamental purpose of theiring was to find answers that they persistently sought.

    ¡°So, that means the owner of the mine had ordered to mine some of the undeveloped areas behind Maobiana.¡±

    The tapes from a small portable recorder ran with a click, recording every word of their conversation. At Kyle¡¯s sharp question, a young boy, who was one of the missing miners, answered vaguely.

    ¡°Yes¡­ Don¡¯t record the quarry that you¡¯ve mined, but let it go straight out through this cliff path, they said.¡±

    There were about twenty miners trapped in cocoons created by the fairies and the other twenty were confined in another cocoon at the bottom of the cliff. After being locked up for at least two weeks, their condition was not very well. Some were driven to the brink of starvation, while many others were injured trying to escape the cocoons. Some even said they had already fallen down the cliff and died.

    The miners who were able to speak coherently were, rtively, recently brought to the cocoons. A boy who appeared younger than Noah stuttered, ¡°Once on the moon, there¡¯s a dealering up this cliff. What we were doing was handing over minerals from undeveloped areas to dealers, receiving payments, and handing them over to the miner¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean Donalian Culton, the owner of the mine?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Culton. But since the first disappearance¡­ Even though I said I wouldn¡¯t go in this way because I felt ufortable, he kept persuading me to double or triple the daily wage. I came here through theke to cry and eat mustard, but¡­¡± The young man nced at the yellow fairies surrounding them with terrified eyes. It was obvious what would follow.

    Then, the mystery of the mass disappearance in the Noviscosha mine was finally unraveled. It was a tale reminiscent of the ancient times, epassing dragons. Maobiana may appear unambiguous on the outside, but underneath lies the traces of the beastly creature, along with the magical ore, and fairies.

    A month and a half ago, when Muell hatched from the egg, the fairies instinctively sensed the birth of the dragon. What seemed to be the queen of the fairiesid itself on Muell¡¯s ck curls as if it were afortable nest spoke in a resonant voice.

    [How dare you take a piece of the cradle and steal it? This was the cradle of Sailor, but it¡¯s also our home. We, the dragon¡¯s family, feed on the dragon¡¯s magical power.]

    ¡°They must have been upset that they ripped off their homes.¡± Noah delivered the fairy¡¯s message to Kyle, who couldn¡¯t hear its whispers.

    ¡°It¡¯s only been a month and a half ago when they started kidnapping the miners en masse. I think the fairies started moving in earnest after they saw the miners handing over the ore to the dealers.¡±

    It was unexpected that the fairies, known to have already been extinct, were involved in the disappearance of miners. Now, they had confirmed the existence of the ¡®dealers,¡¯ which also materialized the existence of the thieves of Mane Ore.

    Kyle briefly calcted information in his head and then asked the boy another question. ¡°When did you first start trading?¡±

 Chapter 169

    ¡°Well, as far as I know, my father has been here for two years¡­ No, it¡¯s been a little longer than two years, I remember being sent into an undeveloped area around spring¡­¡±

    ¡°About two to two and a half years ago. The timing is just right,¡± Kyle muttered.

    Noah agreed. Adrian and Eleonora had worked together on the replica project toplete the design, and it was two years and three months ago that the two of them put an end to their rtionship, seemingly because of an unexpected incident. If Eleonora disappeared after that and Adrian started to steal the Mane Ore to continue on the project alone, the timing was precisely correct.

    ¡°Have you ever heard where the dealer is taking the Mane Ore?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s¡­¡±

    A small rustle resounded from inside the cocoon. Words away from the most important information, Kyle and Noah frowned at the same time. The wrinkled old miner arose and answered instead in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°There is only one way down this cliff. At the end of the road, there is a temporary station where trains stop to refuel. It¡¯s not used now, but it¡¯s the railroad that headed to Tauren until a few decades ago.¡±

    ¡°Tauren,¡± repeated Kyle.

    Tauren is the fifth province of Laurent across Noviscosha on the southern border. The old man continued, ¡°If you look down from the edge of the cliff, you can see it faintly. On the day of your appointment with the dealer, ck smoke should always rise from the unused side of the station.¡±

    ¡°You mean, you used the closed train station to move the ore. How many people usuallye?¡± asked Kyle.

    ¡°Three at most.¡±

    ¡°Three¡­ It¡¯s perfect for camouge.¡± Noah mumbled to herself. One of the miners could be their guide, and she and Kyle would disguise themselves as the other two traders. Kyle nced back at Noah. He must have thought the same thing. Just two dayster, a dealer would visit Maobiana.

    The boy swallowed his dry saliva and began to speak instead of the old man. ¡°The owner of the mine said never to break the deal. No matter what happens, we¡¯ll have to fill out the quota on a fixed date. So, he kept sending miners downstairs even though he knew many were missing.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever seen the dealer¡¯s face?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him¡­ Because he¡¯s always covering his face. But the owner of the mine was so agitated when I once made a joke, saying, ¡®Isn¡¯t this a secret deal between us with some organizations in the back of the world?¡¯¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Yulem.¡±

    At Kyle¡¯s immediate conclusion, the young man¡¯s face turned white. He stuttered, ¡°Yu-Yu-Yulem¡­¡±

    It was a shock to him that the man who had been in contact with the miners once a month was a member of the underworld. If he had done anything suspicious, he could have been thrown from a cliff or drowned in ake without anyone knowing. However, this story was a little different in the case of the owner of the mine who already knew that the trading partner was Yulem. Why did Donalian Culton rush to get his hands off his own mine? Noah slowly organized her thoughts.

    ¡°There was an article about the alleged terrorist in Yulem, who was a suspect in the Edman attack, that he was linked to the Ministry of Magic. Well, it would exin why Donalian Culton was so restless trying to sell the mine.¡±

    Perhaps Culton had only realized recently that the organization he was smuggling with may actually be rted to the Ministry of Magic. If the Imperial Family were to discover that a significant amount of the magical ore, which is both valuable and hence, subject to abuse, had been stolen over at least twenty-four times in two years, he would have to spend the rest of his life in prison.

    ¡°No, wait a minute.¡± Noah¡¯s brows furrowed in foreboding. Come to think of it, I took ownership of the mine from Donalian. As soon as the realization crossed her mind, she hurriedly pressed the pause button on the recorder. ¡°Sir, I need to get back to the office quickly.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I bought the mine from Donalian for 4.5 million pounds. And the real owner of this mine is now¡­ Well, that¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Well, I tied him up and put him in the closet, but there¡¯s a chance someone found him and let him go. If the owner of the mine runs away, the investigation will be directed at me¡­ You know, I¡¯m a criminal with sixteen previous convictions, and I don¡¯t think I should be guilty of one more crime.¡±

 Chapter 170

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to go get Donalian Culton and some of the office staff involved. That¡¯s quick. It won¡¯t take long. Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Noah pleaded.

    Kyle understood her rambling words perfectly and had a look on his face that he¡¯d rather not have understood them. Without a word, he rose from his seat and approached Noah. Then, he pinched her left cheek tightly, stretching it out. ¡°Really, Noah. Without consulting me at all, you¡¯ve done everything reckless and I do all the cleaning. At this point, my doubt that you¡¯re just treating me like a backseat passenger is bing reasonable.¡±

    ¡°I did it, so I¡¯ll take care of it!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s chaotic. It¡¯s much easier for me to do these things. Why the mine? That is such an impulsive purchase. Overconsumption. Did you think of it at all?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know this would happen. But it was such a loss not to buy that bonanza¡­¡± Noah tried to appeal to Kyle, but his temper only increased, so Noah had to surrender both of her cheeks as a sign of reflection.

    After a long while of Kyle¡¯s nagging, the interrogation of the miners was finally finished. There were two things left: Kyle¡¯s task and Noah¡¯s.

    Noah edged Kyle¡¯s back into the cliff. ¡°Sir, then, you¡¯ll have to go down now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go down there? That¡¯s weird.¡± Naturally, Kyle began to pry into her ulterior motives for trying to send him away. ¡°You must have talked to fairies on your way up here earlier, what did you hear?¡±

    ¡°That Muell is cute¡­?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to run up the slope because Muell is so cute? You dislike walking, let alone running. You¡¯d better stop makingme excuses and just tell the truth.¡±

    Proving once again his excellence as an investigator, Noah had to tell him her conversation with the fairy, as she was left with no more excuses.

    ¡°Well, it seems that the bond between the soul and the body must bepletely cut off. But looking at how healthy I am, I don¡¯t think the bond with my original body ispletely broken, and if this body of Eleonora was simply a corpse, it wouldn¡¯t have been able to assimte with me.¡±

    That was enough exnation for Kyle.

    ¡°Oh, so the soul of Eleonora Asil still exists, too, and perhaps it was Adrian Rossinell who stole her soul. Somewhere, Miss Noah¡¯s body will still be alive? So, while I close the case of the missing miners, you¡¯re gonna look for your body, that¡¯s what you mean?¡± spoke Kyle.

    Inplete astonishment, Noah mumbled, ¡°I sometimes wonder how fast your brain works.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible? What¡¯s the risk?¡± Kyle asked with a frown.

    ¡°The fairy said that the dragon cradle acts as an entrance to cross the dimensions. I was wondering if there might be something at the entrance.¡±

    ¡°I thought there might be something, but I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Noah had already anticipated this. Kyle, who had been acting as her butler and guardian, didn¡¯t seem to want to let her go. ¡°I think I should go with you. I¡¯m getting very nervous,¡± said Kyle.

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about safety because I have Muell.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about your safety. I¡¯m worried about what kind of ident you¡¯re going to cause.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s Muell¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more worried because you¡¯re with Mu.¡±

    Noah shut her mouth. It was better if she had Kyle by her side, but unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have enough time this time. It was only two days before the dealers of Yulem came again. What needed to be done was send the missing miners back home, arrest Donalian Culton, and temporarily close the Maobiana mine. Two days would barely suffice. Noah wondered whether she must change her strategy in order to persuade Kyle.

    ¡°You¡¯d better not waste your time, so why don¡¯t you take care of your work, and then we¡¯ll meet again? Adrian, you don¡¯t know what that man is doing right now.¡±

    Kyle was silent.

    ¡°The replica project seems to have already progressed far enough to make no distinction between humans on the surface with his own mana and the dragon¡¯s,¡± continued Noah.

    The day she found the collection of Eleonora in the library, Adrian had managed to extract a minuscule amount of Muell¡¯s magical power. He may be attempting to create a real human being this time.

    Then, Noahughed out loud. ¡°I think it¡¯s natural that he showed interest in me. How charming I must have been to Adrian¡¯s eyes. A human being who took over the body of Eleonora and became the master of a dragon. I must have been a very interesting study.¡±

    Kyle could not utter a single word of reply, so Noah pressed on.

    ¡°Sir, if I find my body, I¡¯ll have to deal with him.¡±

    Noah remembered that Kyle didn¡¯t want her to get close to Adrian. Soon after, the memory of Kyle asking about the real color of her hair and eyes shed in her mind.

    ¡°And sir, you were curious, weren¡¯t you? My original body.¡±

    His violet eyes shook slightly with embarrassment.

 Chapter 171

    Without further ado, Noah seized the chance while traces of trouble shed on Kyle¡¯s face. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll only spend two days. Okay?¡± She hastily lifted Muell lest he would protest again and hurled the child out of the cliff with all her might. Muell, who leaped into the air using her hands as a springboard, instantly warped his body into its original form. A humongous ck dragon fluttered its wings as it orbited the cliff and strong gusts of wind disheveled their hair.

    Kyle frowned, ¡°If you¡¯re going to behave like this, why did you ask for permission in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I was only informing you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Noah smiled sheepishly.

    ¡°Why would you apologize? Anyway¡­¡± It seemed Kyle had decided it was meaningless to continue dissuading her. His gaze followed after the dragon, who pped its wide wings and waved its long tail. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Eventually, it was Kyle who heaved a sigh of surrender this time, as he always did when Noah, along with Muell, stared at him with glittering eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I can¡¯t trust you two. I know I don¡¯t have to worry, but¡­ I feel like I¡¯m putting two babies on the water alone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not included in those two babies, am I? I¡¯ve lived for 27 years,¡± Noah retorted.

    ¡°Even a six-year-old wouldn¡¯t be as reckless as Miss Noah,¡± Kyle replied sharply and rolled his sleeves upwards to check his watch. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take? For me, a day and a half. It only takes that long. I can¡¯t give more than that time to Miss Noah. If you don¡¯t think you can do it, give up quickly ande back. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You hear that, Mu? We have to be super fast.¡±

    ¡°First of all, be careful. Second, be careful. Thirdly, be careful¡­¡± Kyle¡¯s persistent nagging kept ringing in Noah¡¯s ears like a broken record, and for more than twenty times, he could only sigh because her attention was already fixated on something else. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not in charge of the Park Noah mystery case. I mean it.¡±

    ¡°The police sometimes say things that are too creepy.¡± Noah retaliated as she climbed onto the dragon¡¯s body. Muell seemed to have grownrger than the first time he transformed into his original body; Noah could hide her entire body between the head and shoulders of the dragon.

    ¡°Be careful, be careful.¡± Kyle repeatedly voiced. Nervousness was tant on his face as he watched Noah settle down on the dragon¡¯s body.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Noah waved her hand at Kyle. Immediately, Muell spread his broad ck wings and pierced through the skies, the flitter of the dragon¡¯s sable wings echoing throughout the tranquil valley.

    The cliff they had been a moment ago, where Kyle stood, appeared distant before Noah could even blink. Soon after, endless mountain ranges fringed by thend. The dragon ascended from the ground at a terrifying speed, but Noah felt no resistance press onto her skin. Only her hair and the hem of her dress swayed about. Noah clutched her quivering chest, lifting her chin. It¡¯s going up¡­

    The twinkling night sky that housed millions of worlds was gradually nearing, almost devouring the ck dragon. The golden lights radiated by several fairies that encircled the dragon¡¯s body was the only indication of the beastly creature¡¯s presence. But even its colossal figure was overshadowed by the starlight.

    As Muell circled in the sky, the mana cast over the heavens became closer and closer.

    The magic enchanted over the entire cradle of dragons in Maobiana, was an entrance to more than millions of paths diverging into different worlds.

    At one point, the feeling of her body passing through something was evident. It felt as if she had crossed a delicate, moist, and transparent jelly. When Noah closed her eyes reflexively and then opened them again, thend and its boundless mountain ranges were nowhere to be found.

    A bewildered exmation escaped Noah¡¯s lips. ¡°How, where is it¡­?¡±

    Then, Muell decreased his speed and soonnded in one ce. The floating sensation that staggered Noah vanished in an instant. She opened her mouth, her hand gently pressing her pounding chest. ¡°Is this the entrance?¡±

    [Yes.]

    One of the fairies responded andnded on herp. Noah carefully lifted the winged-creature, making use of its light. Beneath her feet, there was no ground. Only darkness surrounded her amidst the glittering passages. Skeptical, Noah asked as she clung tightly on Muell¡¯s scales. ¡°Won¡¯t we fall? Looks like there¡¯s no support.¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    No? He¡¯s back in his original body and he¡¯s talking? Noah raised her head, bewildered, and the body of the dragon she had been holding on to suddenly disappeared. For less than a second, she floated in the void space and then plummeted.

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± You child, you¡¯ve only learned strange things from Kyle!

    She massaged her aching bottom as she stumbled across the ground. Fortunately, the floor she stood on was concrete, dissolving her worries on falling again. Only then could she rx and glimpse at her surroundings properly.

    Wouldn¡¯t it feel this way if you were actually floating in space?

    Noah straightened her body and carefully took a step in the vast, bleak space. The part her foot stepped on trembled lightly and immediately hardened. Meanwhile, the young child was loafing about everywhere with great enthusiasm. Noah furthered her steps, approaching the nearest light source. At a distance, there was a white twinkling sphererge enough for Noah to hold. Then, the fairies trailed after her.

 Chapter 172

    [Dragons cross the bridge through imprints with humans. You, the owner, must have a medium connecting this ce and the ce you originally lived.]

    ¡°There¡¯s a medium¡­ That crappy novel.¡±

    [It must have had some magic in it. It¡¯s a low probability, but it¡¯s not impossible. The passage will open only when you find the door to your world that it connects to. The other doors won¡¯t open.]

    Noah looked around, her emotions rather obscure. Hundreds of million pathways in the deep space resembling white spheres floated before her. There, she could find the passage that would lead her to her world.

    ¡°Noah¡¯s body. Noah¡¯s body.¡±

    Contrary to her, who was exhausted even before their search began, Muell was briskly running from ce to ce. One glowing sphere caught his foot, causing the young dragon to stagger. Muell then raised himself and returned to Noah¡¯s side again. ¡°Noah has toe with us!¡± He grasped the hem of Noah¡¯s clothes tightly and tugged her. The fairies also pushed her back gently.

    Just walk where your feet reach. The medium will pull you in. Noah reassured herself as Muell led her along the unfamiliar space teeming with doors to different worlds, which glistened like stars. The golden fairies hovered above her.

    ¡°I wonder about Noah¡¯s world. I think it¡¯s a ce full of nice people like Noah.¡± The little troublemaker¡¯s eyes were sparkling with curiosity as he spoke. But Noah corrected his innocent assumption. ¡°There isn¡¯t a world full of good people. What¡¯s more, where I lived was a hopeless world full of all sorts of injustice.¡±

    The boy tilted his head and looked up at her, ¡°Noah must have hated it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t like it. Well¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever really hated it because I just lived my life as it goes.¡±

    ¡°¡­But that¡¯s exactly what Noah¡¯s expression looks like.¡±

    ¡°What look?¡±

    ¡°That annoyed look on your face.¡±

    Noah burst intoughter at his words. Then, she pulled Muell into an embrace, answering him lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think of me, but I was an epitome of sincerity. When I was in high school, Ipleted my credits, when I was a college student, I achieved plenty of rewards. When I worked, my performance was outstanding. Throughout my life, I ran without a breath.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make such a face of disbelief. You¡¯re gonna get hurt.¡±

    Although Noah hadn¡¯t lived long enough to realize the absolute truth of life, it was still her pride that she had lived her life in a way that fulfilled her expectations. She didn¡¯t have an explicit goal, but she was the kind who ran forward. Park Noah despised being left behind; she loved to be recognized and adored. But it cost her to be mum and submissive, unable to express her sentiments and ept everything she didn¡¯t have to. In other words, she was the paragon of a pushover.

    In the end, as she looked down on her lifeless body sprawled on the floor of her shabby dorm room, she had regrets. Why would she live such a desperate life, constantly pleasing others, when not a single soul even searched for her amid the fire.

    However, now, Noah was no longer thirsty for other people¡¯s recognition, which ensnared her in the past. She couldn¡¯t even afford to mull over her meaningless regrets.

    She didn¡¯t want to think about it. Park Noah¡¯s childhood, school days, and workdays¡ª none of it. It was not even her desire to return. The one she sought for is not the world she had lived in for, but her body. Only that.

    She cleared her mind with unpleasant memories and changed the subject. ¡°How about you, then? The world where your brothers are. Don¡¯t you want to go back?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that ce is like.¡± A cheerful answer fell from the child¡¯s lips. He continued brightly, ¡°The world I first opened my eyes to is where I just left. Where I first met Noah.¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been so blind to me that sometimes it¡¯s strange. What did I do for you?¡±

    Park Noah had never owned a pet, but it wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t want it. She was a lonely person since her young days. Although she learned to swallow loneliness as she grew older, sometimes she would be desperate for someone¡¯s warmth.

    Since she couldn¡¯t afford to meet people, she thought about bringing in animals, but eventually, she gave up, thwarted by realistic problems. Owning a pet wouldn¡¯t merely cost a penny or two cents. For poor Park Noah, Korea in the twenty-first century was a filthy world where only money could soothe loneliness.

    But the dragon that happened to be raised in a different world¡­

    ¡°You don¡¯t care what kind of person I am?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    The child¡¯s words touched her heart.

 Chapter 173

    This is bad. Noah stopped walking and stered a kind smile on her face. ¡°Go down, Mu. Walk with your feet.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Muell refused.

    ¡°Will youe down? You¡¯re heavier than you look.¡±

    The boy whined, wrapping his arms around Noah¡¯s neck tightly. Noah attempted to tear herself from his grip, reeling from the weight of the child, but Muell began to sputter a gibberish excuse. ¡°But uncle Kyle said Noah should be a little healthier. You should gain weight, exercise¡­ Wake up when the sun rises, sleep when the sun sets, eat three meals a day.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what Kyle said?¡± Her eyebrow arched.

    ¡°That¡¯s what uncle Kyle always says.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± She embraced Muell again, pretending she couldn¡¯t win against him. Behind her indifferent facade, an emotion faintly soared. I don¡¯t think I regreting to this world. This is a much happier life than the one I had.

    ¡°So what else did Kyle say about me? Well, what did he think of me? Does he want to quit his real job and work at my ce¡­ No, well. I¡¯m not asking because I¡¯m curious,¡± Noah hummed.

    ¡°He often talks about keeping Noah well.¡±

    ¡°I kind of like that a little. What more?¡± she inquired.

    ¡°To please listen carefully.¡±

    As her steps furthered while they talked, Noah felt at one point that the door she was searching for was near. It was as if an unseen force was pulling her body right to it. Then, she turned left as though she was drawn to the opposite pole of a ma. Not long after, she found arge sphere that sparkled brighter than any other star in the vast universe.

    She ced Muell down and approached the zing sphere, extending her arms outward. As soon as the tip of her finger touched against the orb, an intense golden light shed. It devoured her.

    Noah closed her eyes in reflex and opened them to the feeling of something brushing past her left cheek. An object had emerged from the light; it was a piece of paper. She then hurriedly snatched the thin sheet, and another piece fell over her head this time.

    Then, itmenced. Dozens, which became hundreds and soon thousands, sheets of paper began to blend gradually into the swirling swarm of light that enveloped the sphere. Shrouded ck letters written on the white sheets dashed past her sight.

    ¡°Ah¡­ This, no way.¡± Only then did Noah realize what they were. The floating papers, they were pages. ¡°Found it, medium.¡± She lowered her gaze to the paper that first touched her cheek, and written on it was the first page of the book, the title written in bold letters.

    <b>The Master of Dragons.</b>

    The book wasn¡¯t a mystery to her. Just before Noah died, she had chosen this book to cool her throbbing head. It was the weekend, the week before her unfortunate death, that a friend of hers, who felt pity for her, lent her the book and forced her to rest in her room. It was the very book that allowed her to breathe amidst her suffocating days.

    One by one, the pages scattered. It only meant that the medium was disappearing. ¡°I¡¯ll have to hurry,¡± Noah murmured as her hand squeezed the paper. The sphere then emitted a blinding white light and quickly grew in size.

    Barely moments before the light consumed them, Muell had changed into his original form. He lifted Noah over his head and fluttered his wings, flying up. The light was so intense that her vision still appeared white even though she had shut eyes tightly. The fairies shadowed them in haste and gave a warning.

    [Go with the dragon. If you go in alone and the medium disappears, you can¡¯te back.]

    She rubbed her eyes and nced at the sphere, which had grown immenselyrger, towering over her. ¡°Muell, I¡¯m holding on. Okay? You can¡¯t put me down either because I didn¡¯t put you down earlier.¡±

    The obedient dragon bobbed its head. With onest deep breath, Noah pointed down and gave the dragon her order.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go find Park Noah¡¯s body now.¡±

    <strong>TN: Excuse the short chapter! The next chapter willpensate for it ?</strong>

 Chapter 174

    Noah¡¯s noting back.

    Kyle checked his watch in nervousness, unaware that he had just checked the time barely five seconds ago. It had been exactly forty-nine hours and thirty-seven minutes since Noah, along with Muell, departed from the cliff Kyle currently stood, waiting for their arrival. The date was June 6th, the day when the dealer from Yulem visited the Maobiana mine to smuggle the valuable ore. The appointment time was between six and seven o¡¯clock at sunset. And now, the time was 6:10 p.m.

    Noah hadn¡¯t returned yet, and the time for the dealer to arrive was just around the corner. For two days, Kyle¡¯s mind spun with immeasurable regrets. Should I have abandoned my work and followed you? hemented.

    Within forty-eight hours, Kyle led every single miner who was trapped in the cocoon out of the mine and immediately stormed into Culton¡¯s office, arresting Donalian Culton, who was just crawling out of the closet with his hands tied behind him, and throwing him and his aplices into a detention center at the Noviscosha Investigation Security Office. The temporary closure of the mine was a natural consequence.

    Ignoring the astonishment of the branch manager who had already been briefed on his demotion, Kyle attached a transcript of all the suspected trafficking between the mine owner and Yulem, which was collected in Culton¡¯s office, as well as testimony from the miners.

    Thus, the ¡®Noviscosha Miner¡¯s Missing Case,¡¯ which had been dedicated to him for a month and a half, finally reached an official conclusion. Of course, another case arose, bearing the title ¡®Maobiana Mane Ore Smuggling Case,¡¯ and it was ssified.

    Finally, after he appointed the head of the Noviscosha branch a member for the case, he returned to the cliff, but this time, through a mountain valley behind the mind, and not through the bottom of theke. He also confirmed all the routes to Tauren, which the miners had testified to, and the temporary stations that were not in use.

    It took Kye exactly forty-five hours to aplish all those. When he arrived at the cliff that housed the dragon¡¯s cradle, the sun was leaningpletely west. But the woman with apricot waves and the dragon bearing the face of a child was yet to show up. Kyle ran his fingers through his hair, upset. I should have followed you, he thought.

    Park Noah had no idea how ridiculous it was for a workaholic like him to even think of abandoning his duties to follow after a woman, wanting to take care of everything. If all his fellow investigators had heard of such a rumor, they wouldn¡¯t be surprised. They wouldn¡¯t believe it in the first ce.

    Kyle¡¯s gaze alternately shifted from the watch on his wrist, the cliff, and the sky where Noah and the dragon disappeared two days ago. But his eyes thennded at the bottom of the mountain. Beneath, ck smoke was rising among the thick bushes. It was smoke emitted by old-fashioned steam freight trains.

    The dealer in Yulem had just arrived. Kyle straightened himself, frowning. The promised amount of Mane Ore to be handed over to the dealer had already been hidden under the cliff.

    If things were as he nned, he would have met with Noah again and they would wait for the dealer together. However, as long as Noah and Muell were nowhere to be found, he could not move his feet away from the entrance to the cliff since he didn¡¯t know when and how the two would return.

    Frustrated, Kyle thrust his hand into his robe and reached for the holster on his waist. Without a sound, he pulled out a revolver and loaded it, and waited in silence. The ck smoke was approaching, concealed by the bushes for a brief moment, and then reappeared. It takes half an hour to an hour for the train to reach its destination through the side road on the cliff, so there was still time¡­

    A mix of anxiety and annoyance colored his voice. ¡°Park Noah, where and what the hell are you doing?¡±

    It was in the next moment that he felt a sense of deja vu. Kyle raised his head in reflex. In the distance, somewhere in the evening sky, slowly turning orange, a foreign ck dot was drawing a circle. The dot grew bigger and bigger; as big as a fist before a few seconds had passed, and gradually revealed its shape.

    A sense of relief and urgency enveloped Kyle at the same time. He nced down at the bottom of the side road, clenching his jaw. He had seen the dealer arrive, and it would be a waste if they retreated upon seeing a dragon. Kyle clicked his tongue, gripping his revolver. The humongous ck dragon hovered over the sunset in the background. However, the figure of a woman riding behind the dragon¡¯s head was not seen yet.

    However, it didn¡¯t matter which side arrived first. Two of Yulem¡¯s dealers didn¡¯t intend to take care of themselves anyway. The shing gunpoint of Kyle¡¯s revolver aimed precisely at the steep corner of the side road. Without motion, Kyle pointed his muzzle in the air, estimating where the thighs and the knees of an average adult man could be. A faint gust of wind caused by the dragon¡¯s wings blew off the hood of his robe. At the same time, a red mark appeared on the translucent screen that floated on his revolver.

    Then, the target reached the center of the mark. As soon as a man in a ck robe emerged around the corner of the cliff, Kyle pulled the trigger. Bang! Of course, his estimation proved to be correct. The man instantly copsed to the ground with an abrupt scream, an unbearable pain on his thigh. There was a small disturbance behind the corner. The dealers that followed must be agitated to witness a colleague¡¯s injury.

    Kyle sneaked a glimpse to his side and confirmed that the dragon was slowlynding on the huge cradle above the cliff. Seeing that Muell¡¯s condition was prime, he assumed Noah seemed to have no problem either. Only then did the nervousness that caused his heart to beat unsteady faded away.

    ¡°Come down here, Mu.¡±

 Chapter 175

    The ck dragon¡¯s head protruded from the cradle. Immediately, Kyle turned his gaze from the entrance and quickly set foot on the cliff-side road, unveiling his tenacity. There was no hesitation in his steps, even though he knew he would be breaking his bones if he fell.

    Three criminals searched behind the corner for a g. One of them was in a state of disbelief, thinking that their opponents must have possessed firearms.

    Kyle stopped, leaving just enough distance for the specially processed bullet to exert its maximum power. It would be the most effective way to capture three people alive at the same time from this cliff.

    Kyle deflected the direction of the muzzle into a hard rock that formed a cliff, his index finger strained on the trigger. The revolver, which was remodeled by Yanak, the continent¡¯s best cksmith and descendant of a dwarf, absorbed some of the mana flowing within the body of its wielder. A specially coated bullet was loaded onto a revolver designed to consume mana and draw the power of the bullet a dozen times. Kyle pulled the trigger and a second shot rang out, sounding even more terrible than the previous one.

    The edge of the cliff exploded with a loud roar. The muddy mass, which filled the gap between the solid rock, and fragments smaller than gravel in the crevices bounced into the air with cloudy dust. Screams erupted from those holding their breath behind the projection. It was natural for the ground to copse.

    Kyle, who dislodged a portion of the cliff without batting an eye, moistened his lips unconsciously. ¡°Hold on, Mu. Don¡¯t kill,¡± he ordered. The young dragon understood Kyle¡¯s signal correctly and glided its wings toward the valley.

    The giant ck dragon opened his mouth wide, revealing its sharp fangs, and swallowed three falling dealers in one swoop, but Kyle was already looking away. He quickly retraced the slope he had been treading. Passing in front of a small entrance just as tall as an old man, he climbed the narrow road to the cradle without hesitation. Dozens of yellow fairies were circling over the cradle. Some flew close to him, pping their wings, and gibbered in anguage Kyle couldn¡¯t understand. They clung to him only making his heart begin to thump nervously.

    Kyle stepped into the huge cot without giving the flying creatures a breath of a nce. The space was subtly painted by a golden tinge emitted by the fairies¡¯ wings. Underneath the cliff, the dragon¡¯s cradle was tranquil, as if nothing had happened.

    Then, a sharp scream echoed in the valley. It sounded like a stone that was struck against a smooth rock, causing an echo.

    ¡°Miss Noah?¡± Kyle called out.

    There was no answer.

    He frowned and turned his head. Then, he found someone leaning against a wall that was not there before. He wasn¡¯t sure who it was, but he began walking towards the person as if he was possessed. His steps gradually carried urgency, and the distance, only a few steps, was quickly narrowed. A woman with her head drooped rested her body against the wall. Her slender shoulders shook weakly and her breaths were shallow.

    Without much effort, Kyle recognized at once that she was Noah. But it wasn¡¯t the woman he once recognized. Half of her face was hidden beneath the locks of her hair.

    The conversation they had in the interrogation room of Tezeba¡¯s headquarters reyed in his mind.

    ¡°Miss Noah, what was your original hair color?¡±

    ¡°It was brown.¡±

    ¡°Your eye color?¡±

    ¡°My eyes were simr to the color of my hair. Bright brown. I¡¯ve heard a lot say that I don¡¯t have very much pigmentation.¡±

    Indeed, her hair was the hue of hazel, absent of any redness. Unlike Eleonora¡¯s apricot waves, which stretched to her waist, her hair only reached her shoulders, revealing her pale cheeks and soft neckline. And her figure was much smaller and thinner than Eleonora. Oftentimes, Kyle thought her body was too thin, but the woman in front of him was more than that.

    Small head, small shoulders, small body¡­ I didn¡¯t think she was very short, but she was much shorter than Eleonora, who was 170cm tall.

    Even her legs stretched out under her pants that barely covered half of her thighs. Kyle looked down in a rather dazed mood and caught a glimpse of her tiny bare feet. He breathed in, ¡°What¡­ what is this outfit?¡±

 Chapter 176

    White thin cotton shirt and beige shorts. The top, however, appeared impressive in his eyes. The world is dynamic and ever changing, surely the aristocrats¡¯ clothes would be lighter and more casual, but he had never seen them disy half of their thighs like that. Kyle took off his robe, which he was wearing for the first time, without any time to deal with the embarrassment upon seeing Noah¡¯s true appearance.

    ¡°Miss Noah.¡±

    However, another problem arose: he couldn¡¯t simplyy a hand on a sleeping woman, oblivious of the world. He lowered his posture, but he couldn¡¯t figure out where to grab to put on the robe. Shoulders? Arms? He was in turmoil.

    Until yesterday, he had never hesitated wrapping his arms around her back and shoulders. But as soon as he faced Noah¡¯s original body, it seemed Kyle had forgotten every ounce of familiarity they had with each other.

    At a closer look, Noah was too thin as if she was an extremely frail ss that would crumble at one clumsy touch and her skin was too pale. It was then when he understood all the lethargy andzy images Noah had often shown. Even with Eleonora¡¯s shell, she looked weak at first sight. When she was able to function properly, such as waking up early in the morning and having meals at a proper time, he had to praise her for doing well. But as the sun fades away from the skies, her temperature begins to drop gradually.

    The valley is windy. If you dress so thin, you¡¯ll catch a cold, he thought. Eleonora¡¯s rugged, iron-like steel body was made into a fallen old tree. What if she got sick? Kyle fretted. He eventually ced his hand on Noah¡¯s shoulder with caution. ¡°Miss Noah, you have to get up.¡±

    He carefully shook her shoulder that he held in one hand, but there was no significant response from the woman. However, her head, which was leaning downwards, slightly tilted to the side, baring the features of her face. But even that small change of posture was enough to freeze Kyle.

    Her face, still buried under strands of her disheveled hair, was as pale as her arms and legs, and fit perfectly in Kyle¡¯s palm. Her eyes remained unopened, but its shape and curve suggested that Noah had gentle eyes. Her appearance prompted apletely different impression from the elegant, bold features of Eleonora, which Kyle had grown ustomed to.

    She said she was twenty-six years old. Kyle was perplexed. But she looks so cute.

    Kyle had forgotten to wrap Noah within the robe, unable to take his eyes off the foreign face before him. When Noah had written a hundred pages of reflection, he had likened her to a sly cat, only approaching its owner when it needed something. But now, she seemed like an innocent puppy pretending to be a cat. As he watched her climb on the back of Muell, promising she woulde back, he didn¡¯t realize what it meant until now.

    Of course, he imed he had never wanted to see Noah¡¯s true appearance. However, there were times when his curiosity would silently grow. He never thought it would be possible, nor did he imagine it would be simr to a herbivore.

    Kyle eventually surrendered his puny attempt at clothing Noah with a robe and buried his face in his other hand instead. As soon as he recognized his irregr heartbeat, a faint sigh fell from his lips.

    ¡°This is driving me crazy¡­ You¡¯ve already bothered me enough.¡±

    Now, he had an ominous feeling that he would not live a day without chasing after her. I¡¯m not your guardian, heined, but his butler role was immediately overshadowed. Still, the confusion he felt after witnessing Noah¡¯s appearance was weak inparison to the embarrassment he felt. As he turned his head to her, the woman began to whine, tossing and turning.

    Then, without warning, Noah opened her eyes tiredly. Her orbs had a color slightly darker than her hair. She blinked slowly, and closed her eyes again as she muttered something in a soft voice.

    Kyle held his ears close to her, and her faint voice tickled his ear.

    ¡°It¡¯s cold¡­¡±

 Chapter 177

    Even Noah¡¯s voice was different from Eleonora¡¯s; hers was a little thinner. From tip to toe, there was not a single corner reminiscent of Eleonora.

    ¡°Please cover me with a nket¡­¡±

    However, her drunken mumbles and hernguid expression, which was especially infectious, were the very traits of a person whom he had been with for nearly two months. A vainugh eventually fell from Kyle¡¯s lips. He picked up the robe again, which he had given up on, and gently patted Noah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come¡­ bend down. I¡¯ll put a robe on you.¡±

    ¡°Why do you keep¡­¡±

    ¡°Hurry up. You said it was cold.¡±

    Noah¡¯s face contorted, evidently displeased. ¡®Why would you ask me to move when you could just pull my shoulder?¡¯ Even though the woman¡¯s shell had be a stranger to Kyle, he could easily read her thoughts.

    Noah, who barely opened one eye, grumbled inaudible words under her breath. Albeit her inward protest, she hoisted her body and leaned her head against his chest, but Kyle could barely feel her weight. He was at a loss. He shook his head once and managed to wrap her small body with his robe. After thest button had been fastened with utmost caution, Kyle stared at the woman, deep in peaceful slumber, and a thought of concern casually crossed his mind.

    I should have brought a thicker one¡­

    ¡°What are you doing, mister?¡± Muell¡¯s cheerful voice ceased his thoughts at once. Kyle looked back, surprise and dread stered on his face as if he had been caught doing something wrong. A ck curly-haired child ran towards them.

    ¡°Mu, what about the dealers?¡± Kyle asked, drowning his awkwardness with a cough.

    ¡°I tied them up under that valley so they wouldn¡¯t move. Is Noah up?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    The child then squeezed himself between Kyle and Noah, and peered at his master. ¡°Fairy says it takes time for the soul to adjust to its original body. She said her soul had been gone for a long time, so she must have been very weak.¡±

    It seemed that her attitude was not because of a simple cold. Kyle pulled the robe¡¯s hood to cover Noah¡¯s head, tying the ribbon tightly. ¡°What about the body of Eleonora Asil?¡±

    ¡°Noah fell asleep without telling me what to do with her body, so I put her in the open space. I tried to find the body¡¯s original owner, but I failed because I didn¡¯t know where it was!¡±

    ¡°Did anything else happen?¡±

    ¡°Other things happened, but¡­¡±

    The child blurred the end of his words, which was a rare urrence. Kyle looked down at the child with a baffled expression. Muell seemed to ponder on something and after a moment, he shook his head. ¡°Noah said it was a secret. Don¡¯t tell anyone what you saw there, and don¡¯t tell your uncle.¡±

    Kyle repeated, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me either?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The boy nodded.

    Noah had always been an open book towards Kyle, and he had gotten used to it, so the fact that Noah was hiding something from him came quite strange to him. But that wasn¡¯t peculiar at all. Everyone has a secret they choose to conceal, and it is only by their will that it would be revealed. It would be what unfaltering Kyle Leonard, who had constantly advocated rationality over emotions, would normally think, but¡­

    I feel a little sad now.

    ¡°Okay, for now.¡± Kyle rose, his arms supporting Noah¡¯s back and knees; he tried to control his strength as much as possible. Noah frowned and squirmed. After multiple tosses and turns, she found afortable position as she always did when she was held by Kyle.

    The woman in front of him was merely the usual Park Noah he knew, but Kyle didn¡¯t know why he was so agitated. The only thing that bothered him whenever he gazed at Noah was her appearance¡ªthe shell of Eleonora Asil, which had aggravated him for thest five years.

    Is it because the shell, which seemed to be thest barrier, was unexpectedly peeled off? Kyle felt as if he had been swept into a sea of emotion without a single weapon to protect himself.

    What do you call this feeling? Noah was still Noah, and he was still him. That¡¯s what I think in my head, but why are the waves of this foreign feeling dragging me to an unknown shore?

    He then carried Noah to the cradle, wondering if he was crazy. The yellow fairies and the young dragon followed after him cheerfully.

    In the empty cradle, two shadows that appeared one and and a much smaller one, stretched long. The sun was slowly sinking under the vast mountains of Noviscosha. Atst, its warm light fell on the face of the woman who had found herself, finally liberated from the chains of sixteen convictions. At an old station, seen below the valley, an old freight train waited for its passengers along the tracks, spewing ck smoke.

    Kyle turned his eyes from the horizon transcending the mountains and set foot again on the steep cliff road.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Muell.¡±

    It was time to leave Noviscosha and head towards Tauren, an industrial zone where forbidden magic research was being conducted discreetly.

 Chapter 178

    ¡°I¡¯mte!¡±

    Restless, Noah checked the time on her phone once more. The time that appeared on the screen was as clear as a cloudless day.

    <b>8:54 A.M.</b>

    ¡°Please, please, please¡­¡±

    It was only two days ago that her entire team was reprimanded by the manager due to her sister¡¯s frequent tardiness. Since then, employees who arrivedte even a second past nine o¡¯clock on the dot, especially new employees, were to write their names on the office¡¯s whiteboard without exception. It was an exemry discipline for new recruits.

    Noah nced alternately at the elevator and clock, her foot tapping the floor impatiently. Eventually, she turned around and ran toward the exit. She had worked for thepany for a year, and there wasn¡¯t a day she didn¡¯t arrive twenty minutes earlier, but today, she overslept.

    It¡¯s all because of you¡­ Jeong Yu-young. If it weren¡¯t for the book she lent to Noah, encouraging her to rest and clear the fuss in her mind, she would have woken up on time.

    Noah began to climb the stairs in haste all the while ming her innocent friend inwardly. The office was a whopping seven stories high.

    ¡°Wow¡­ Ugh¡­¡± Perhaps because she was hungry, Noah suddenly felt dizzy. She gripped the handle and turned around a corner. She checked her phone again, suppressing creeping nausea.

    <b>8:57 A.M.</b>

    ¡°Oh, you should have got up five minutes early, Noah¡­¡± She climbed the rest of the stairs with exasperated breaths. She was in a hurry, but she was losing strength in her legs. Only two floors remained and only two minutes remained. It was not yet impossible to get to work on time. Just a little bit more, quickly¡­

    Her damp palm lost its grip on the steel handle. Noah had just set foot on the six-story staircase and looked down with a stunned face. Papers from the pile were covering the stairs like snow. These were important data that outlined major cooperation ns with the tradingpany. Noah immediately descended the stairs and began to collect the scrambled papers. When she finished gathering the documents, the time on her phone had already changed. She clutched the disorganized heap of papers and stared nkly down at her cell phone.

    <b>9:02 A.M.</b>

    She felt heat below her nose. In the midst of a daze, she inadvertently rubbed her nose with the back of her hand, and blood was smeared on her skin. It had already been a while since she felt nauseous, and now, her nose started bleeding. Noah sighed as she looked down at her bloodstained hand.

    After all, she couldn¡¯t tolerate tardiness.

    *

    Noah awoke to a feeling of dampness under her nose. She brushed her hand against her nose and discovered blood.

    ¡°Tardy?¡±

    Coincidentally, her nose was bleeding in the dream she just had, and thus making her confused whether it was real or still an extension of her dream.

    Her drowsy scanned the dark vicinity, feeling a ceaseless vibration under her body. However, only one idea reverberated in Noah¡¯s head. Tardiness. It¡¯s tardiness. The word that worked like a spell to Park Noah in her past life worked again this time. She raised her body albeit dazed and stood upright, stepping on the nket that had fallen to the floor.

    At that moment, all sides rattled louder and stronger than before. Everything around her was churning and jostling as if they were agitated. So was her body. With a loud noise, the view before her fell downward, and in the next moment, she felt a tremendous pain in the buttocks.

    A pained groan fell from her lips a beatte. As Noah slowly rubbed her sore bottom, she heard urgent footsteps approaching from the outside. Then, the door burst wide open. Two voices crossed in her ears.

    ¡°Miss Noah?¡±

    ¡°Noah!¡±

    Still caught in a daze, Noah attempted to realize the situation before her. An old blue fabric¡­ Oh, the bottom of the train seat. I just fell down. When she managed toe up with that, someone¡¯s face floated in front of her eyes.

    ¡°Did you fall over? I thought something was going on. Wait, what¡¯s wrong with your face?¡±

    Both of Noah¡¯s cheeks were captured inrge, warm palms, and a pair of violet eyes reflected her face. A bobbed hair that reached her shoulders. Round eyes. It wasn¡¯t the face of Eleonora, but her face. Only after she shifted her gaze and saw a little child clinging to her knees did she realize that this was real.

    ¡°Why is there so much nosebleed¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m notte. Thank God.¡± Noah muttered under her breath, and the bitter taste of blood spread on the tip of her tongue.

    Then was that a dream¡­ When I waste for work only once, two days before I died. I thought I was ¡®breathtakingly safe¡¯, but suddenly I dropped the documents and had a nosebleed. Noah slowly retraced her memories in her groggy state and unconsciously licked her lips.

    ¡°You must be crazy. Why do you eat blood? Wake up, Miss Noah.¡± Kyle¡¯s fingers pinched Noah¡¯s nose. ¡°Are you half asleep? Can you hear my voice?¡±

    ¡°I can hear you.¡±

    ¡°Did you fall asleep?¡±

    Toozy to exin the situation, Noah only nodded her head.

    ¡°Any other bumps? Where does it hurt?¡±

 Chapter 179

    Kyle began to stop the bleeding. His fingers carefully pressed on Noah¡¯s nose, exerting enough force to cease the bleeding. When the blood stopped to some extent, he scanned her thoroughly, wiping her face with a handkerchief. His arms gripped her shoulders but with the utmost care, making sure she was uninjured.

    I think the butler¡¯s got to worry about not my body, but my mind. But Noah was annoyed to even say that. It was the first time for a few months that she disyedziness, but if her thoughts be words, Kyle would only stare at her in disbelief.

    Noah opened her arms despite her grousing mind. Kyle, who was examining her right shoulder, looked embarrassed. ¡°Why¡­ why? What does that look mean?¡±

    ¡°Please put me on that chair,¡± Noah responded. Inward, she was already expecting to hear his usual retort ¡®I¡¯m not your nanny,¡¯ all the while doing her request. However, Noah¡¯s assumptions were proven wrong.

    ¡°Muell, move Noah over the chair,¡± Kyle instructed, to which the red-eyed boy immediately obeyed. Noah¡¯s body flopped on the chair, and she carefully settled on the seat, murmuring a word of thanks to Muell. ¡°Uh¡­ Thank you, Mu.¡±

    ¡°It might bleed again, so why don¡¯t you sit down for a moment? Until it stopspletely. If you¡¯re sleepy, you can go to sleep.¡± Kyle draped a nket over her shoulder, but this time, his eyes didn¡¯t meet Noah¡¯s. However, he still took a seat next to her instead of distancing himself.

    For a moment, Noah thought he was avoiding her. Was it only her misunderstanding? Noah simply leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, but the urge to sleep had already left her. She asked, ¡°How far is it to Tauren?¡±

    ¡°We just got out of the Noviscosha Mountains. By the time the sunes up, we¡¯ll stop at a nearby vige.¡±

    Kyle¡¯sst word was followed by a moment of silence. Again, Noah assumed he would ask what happened while they were gone, but Kyle merely fixed his posture so that she could lean on him morefortably and remained silent. In fact, it was a bit of a relief.

    Noah¡¯s experience underneath the unassuming town of Noviscosha was now as if it were years ago. Instead, what echoed endlessly in her head was the moment they sought her real body.

    What the fairies told her was right. Park Noah¡¯s body was not dead yet, nor buried, nor cremated, but was found by a friend in Goshiwon and taken to a hospital for a while before being moved to another ce within a day. The ce where her body was relocated was the house she had lived in for about twelve years until she became independent at the age of twenty years old.

    Upon discovering herselfid on a bed, she was sucked into her body that boasted perfect harmony with her soul. Then, without a moment¡¯s hesitation, she opened the window wide, ready to leave the house.

    ¡°Noah¡­¡±

    But she had an unexpected encounter. Before her, her mother looked at her wide astonished eyes.

    ¡°Noah, you¡¯re awake¡­¡±

    Was it a good choice to turn her back on her mother there? Noah closed her eyes tight; her thoughts cast back to that time, which lingered like an afterimage. Eventually, she fluttered her eyes open, and her gaze was confronted by a pair of red orbs. She stared back at the little child, who was sitting on Kyle¡¯sp.

    From the moment she returned to where she originally lived until the moment she left, Muell was her onlypany. Seeing the confusion in her eyes, the boy knew his master¡¯s sentiments. He whispered quietly, ¡°Noah needs more sleep. I¡¯m not going anywhere, I¡¯ll be by Noah¡¯s side.¡±

    His heartfelt, encouraging promise caused a small burst ofughter to slip from Noah¡¯s lips. She embraced Muell tighter and snuggled a little closer to Kyle, who covered her eyes with a low sigh. ¡°Get some more sleep, Miss Noah. I¡¯ll wake you up when we arrive.¡±

    The words of the people who certainly wouldn¡¯t abandon her no matter what the circumstance pacified Noah¡¯s quivering heart. Soon, she fell into a deep slumber once more, where she watched the dreams that trickled, but never awoke again with a bloody nose.

 Chapter 180

    <b>09:05 A.M.</b>

    Noah heaved a sigh so deep as if the ground was about to copse. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy, really.¡± I can¡¯t get into the office like this. She pulled a tissue out of her bag, rolled it into a long ball, and thrust it into her bleeding nostril. She hurriedly grabbed the documents, along with her bag, and climbed the stairs again.

    She went straight to the bathroom, and as soon as her eyesnded on her reflection on the mirror, her face was a spectacle. Blood stained her lips and chin, and her makeup was smeared because of sweat.

    I¡¯m having a bad day¡­ Noah wiped the dried blotches of blood with water from the faucet. Now that she saw it, the nosebleed hadn¡¯t stopped yetpletely. Drops of blood sshed on the washbasin.

    I often see blood these days. The day before yesterday, she lost consciousness for a split moment and identally cut her right index finger with the edge of a paper, but today, it is another cause: nosebleed. Besides, I don¡¯t feel well.

    Noah raised her head and stopped the bleeding again while crafting a short summary of her week. Have I gotten sleep in the past twenty hours? I don¡¯t think so. Exhausted, Noah pressed her sore eyes with the back of her hand.

    Today is Friday, and tomorrow will finally be the weekend. She hadpleted the most important negotiations and presentations at dawn yesterday, so if she endured today, she would be able to rest on the weekend. I just want to sleep for a dozen hours, she thought longingly. Soon, Noah left the bathroom, dragging her weak legs. She massaged her aching neck and back. As a consequence of beingte, she would be burdened with the manager¡¯s duties.

    <b>05:27 P.M.</b>

    Things escted at work. The manager, who was at a meeting with an overseas client, rushed into the office with a flushed face. ¡°Who made the North American buyer negotiation presentation,e out!¡± he bellowed.

    Meanwhile, Noah¡¯s head was glued to herptop screen, frantic to finish thest chapter of the report for her departure. She was extremely focused and her ears seemed to block the raging noises around her. It was only when the assistant manager, Oh, jerked in his seat that she returned to her senses.

    ¡°Sir, what happened?¡±

    ¡°Assistant Manager Oh Hee-young. Yesterday you delivered the final order amount amendment at this time, you reflected it in PPT, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡°Amendment¡­ Ugh.¡±

    ¡°Did you or did you not? Does it make sense that I pushed a deal that didn¡¯t even fit a simple calction at the buyer¡¯s meeting? How the hell do you do things! Speak up! Where did you put the amendment?¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, it¡¯s¡­ I printed it out yesterday.¡±

    Assistant Manager Oh rummaged through his desk, his fingers trembling. Noah looked up at him in bewilderment. Final amendment sent at this time yesterday? Thest amendment Noah received from him was before lunch yesterday. Oh, he must be aware of it, too, seeing him panic. Oh¡­ I¡¯m screwed.

    Noah sighed inwardly. He forgot. All his work was left to Noah, and he was making revisions to the excel presentation that Noah had been busy making all day, and he forgot to hand over the final revision to her before he left work. Suddenly, she was struck with an ill realization.

    No way, no way. Mr. Oh, can¡¯t you¡­

    ¡°Ms. Noah, step aside. Didn¡¯t I ask Noah to revise the PPT and ask her to review it yesterday? Data matching the minimum order quantity and order amount!¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never had a¡­¡±

    ¡°Here it is!¡± A sense of relief spread to Oh¡¯s face, who found the blue file among the pile of now disorganized documents staked in the corner of Noah¡¯s desk. Her ominous premonition was bing a reality.

    ¡°I was so sick yesterday, Sir. I left thest review to Park Noah here, but she didn¡¯t make it.¡±

    ¡°Assistant Manager¡­¡±

    It was Noah who turned pale this time. The files piled up in the corner of her desk were all Oh¡¯s documents. She didn¡¯t even think about touching them since none of their documents should be mixed¡­

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even see the cover of the amendment¡­¡± Noah tried to reason, but her eyes had already met with the manager before she could even protest against Oh. Then, she had a hunch. It would not be possible to leave work early today.

    <b>9:37 P.M.</b>

    Noah looked alternately at her phone and out of the window. She thought she did something simr this morning, but she couldn¡¯t remember it well. The sound of rain beating against the window had faded away. The back of her neck was stiff and painful. She felt like she was sick all over her body.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the state of open loans these days? Do you think I hired you after two or three interviews while giving you extra pay for your job like this? What¡¯s the point of working overtime like you¡¯re eating? Have fewer mistakes! You need to increase efficiency. Am I wrong?¡±

    Noah had to apologize to the manager for an hour, who med her for all the mistakes he had made so far. Even though dozens of failures which she couldn¡¯t even remember were gushing out of the manager¡¯s lips, all she could do was say ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯

    Naturally, it was Noah¡¯s job to clean up the mess. In a dark office where every employee had already left for home, she wrote an apology to the wronged client for three hours. The night waste and the rain poured outside. In the end, she seemed to have no choice but to take a cab. Noah was tapping her phone to book a cab when the screen suddenly changed. She remembered the letters she saw after a long time.

    Mom.

 Chapter 181

    ¡°Huh?¡± It had been a long time since she heard from this contact. Noah quickly pressed the answer button. ¡°Hello, Mom?¡±

    ¨C Noah.

    ¡°Why did you call first? It¡¯s been a long time since you called me first¡­¡±

    ¨C Are you busy on the weekends?

    ¡°Oh¡­ why? Is something wrong?¡±

    ¨C Whatever happened¡­ It¡¯s not like that, but I was wondering if you could help me with tomorrow¡¯s work. I¡¯ve been looking after the store all week, and I¡¯m so tired.

    Silence.

    ¨C You¡¯re not busy, are you?

    Noah¡¯s lips were pressed into a thin line for quite a moment, pondering what to reply. And yet every time, the same words roll from her tongue. Her response whenever her parents called had be habitual.

    ¨C Noah?

    ¡°When are you going out tomorrow? I¡¯ll be there on time.¡± A flurry of instructions echoed over the phone. Noah muttered, ¡°Yes¡­ Yes. I¡¯ll be there early tomorrow morning. Yes, go to sleep. All right¡­¡±

    Soon, their phone call ended on a cold, dull note, without even the slightest whisper of amon greeting. Noah left thepany building, trudging her exhausted body. Her weary steps headed toward the taxi stop, her hair and shoulders drenched under the trickling rain. Noah managed to grab a cab and hastily thrust her body in.

    ¡°Please take me to Sillim Station.¡±

    ¡°Sillim Station. Okay. By the way, Miss, you don¡¯t look so well, are you okay?¡± The cab driver asked in a worried voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± she replied despite her spinning head. She rested her head by the window and closed her eyes. There was only one thing she had to do at home tomorrow: to manage the grocery store owned by her parents while they, along with her sibling, fancy a trip.

    But if I wait till evening¡­ I think I can at least show my face. If Noahes early, she might be able to have a real dinner. Noah heaved a long sigh, her body crumpling on the seat of the cozy cab. On a tumultuous Friday, Seoul¡¯s streets, vibrant even at night, brushed past her drowsy eyes.

    <b>10:02 P.M.</b>

    It happened twenty-hours before Park Noah¡¯s unfortunate death.

    Noah was an adopted child. She met her parents for the first time when she was eight years old, preparing to enter elementary school. Regrettably, she had no knowledge of her biological parents. What seemed to be a fragment reminiscent of their spectral existence was the words of the director of House of Love, the orphanage that sheltered her. He had said her mother¡¯s hair and her eyes looked like mixed blood because of their light pigments.

    Noah had grown to be the oldest in House of Love and had almost given up the chances of a new family. But soon enough, it was a young couple, who had been dered infertile, that took Noah into their home.

    Coincidentally, only a year after adopting Noah, whether it was a farce in heaven, the couple conceived a child. A foster child who had only been their daughter for a year and a child in the mother¡¯s belly- the parent¡¯s priorities were expected to shift the moment she was impregnated with her own child.

    However, the shift did not imply abuse. In the end, Noah grew up in a house of strangers, alone.

    For Noah, being loved was one of the least natural things in the world. She had lived trying to earn affection. Even in House of Love, when couples visited to adopt, the children had to act behaved, stering winsome smiles on their faces. Even after their adoption, they needed to continue being good, beautiful children to attract the attention of their parents and other strangers.

    It is only those who strive harder, those more sincere, and those more exceptional than others are deserving of love. It was what Noah believed in since she was young.

    In order to establish her own foothold in a battleground swarming with contenders aspiring for excellence, she must be recognized. Heavily anchored to such belief, Noah toiled for more than twenty years, dividing days into minutes, never indifferent to a single moment¡¯s worth.

    But on a day like today¡­

    <b>8:30 P.M.</b>

    Soon, her family will be carousing under the starry skies while she stays home, alone, tending the store of her parents. Her efforts to be acknowledged by her own kin were a little futile.

    ¡°Excuse me, I would like to pay¡­? Excuse me, miss!¡±

    After a moment¡¯s silence, while she gazed nkly outside the window of the store, Noah came to her senses in surprise. ¡°Oh, oh, yes. Yes, I¡¯m sorry. 13,800 won. Would you like an envelope with it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please. By the way, miss¡­ Are you all right? You look so pale.¡±

    Noah fixed a wide smile on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m sorry. I was thinking about something else for a little while.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any customers, so close it thirty minutes early and go home. I feel like you¡¯re about to faint.¡±

    ¡°Ah-ha-ha.. Thank you for your concern.¡±

    The middle-aged woman who came to buy food ingredients for tomorrow morning worried over Noah. The thought of her parents and younger sister not returning had made her feel a little less depressed.

    After thest customer left the store, Noah checked the time again.

    <b>8:35 P.M.</b>

    It was already past dinner. She had nned to stay out until Monday, after she finished revising the presentation she couldn¡¯t finish yesterday.

    Come on, let¡¯s go home.

 Chapter 182

    With deft hands, she cleaned up the store, checked the stock, and even set the settlement amount. Then, she turned all the lights in the store off and locked the door, hiding her spare key under the flowerpot. She opened her umbre and walked down on the rainy streets, heading to Goshiwon, where she lived.

    [Did you finish well, Noah?]

    [Yes, I put the key under the pot.]

    [Yes, you¡¯ve worked hard. Thank you always.]

    But as soon as she received the text, she burst into tears. Her mother¡¯s messages sounded as if she treated her as a part-timer, not a daughter.

    Noah never thought she was living the wrong life. People around her had pointed out her pathetic lifestyle, but she merelyughed it off. Living as such was Noah¡¯s approach to redeem her ce. However, she knew it wasn¡¯t right. Noah swallowed her sobs and consoled herself, ¡°Because it¡¯s hard. Yesterday and today.¡±

    There had been many asions when she had it harder than today. Whether it was taking college admission tests, having team misunderstandings, or being abused by thepany¡¯s senior employees, Noah had a share of it. Yet she hoped that after a little break, she would be able toe back stronger.

    ¡°There are so many people who have it harder in the world¡­ You shouldn¡¯t beining like this, Noah.¡±

    However, each individual had bowls to capture their own hardships, and her bowl was about to copse, barely withstanding. Noah couldn¡¯t ovee the crushing weight of fatigue.

    <b>10:02 P.M.</b>

    Thest time she checked the time, she had caught a fever and her heart jumped abnormally. She lied on her stomach for a moment in an attempt to rest, but that was it.

    Sudden death in one¡¯s sleep was a situation she thought would only appear in a headline of the news, having a mere probability of 0.001%. She never thought it would happen to her.

    ¡°Oh, what a pity,¡± she sighed. Her soul that had slithered out of her body stared at her corpse.

    It is said that there may be consequences in the process of the body and soul being separated for a long time, and in Noah¡¯s case, memories that she thought she had almost forgotten wereing to her in the form of lucid dreams. Fortunately, the memory that had been appearing in her dreams in fragments was finally reaching its epilogue. Her dream ended with her friend in the room next discovering her sprawled body and calling 119.

    Then, she wouldn¡¯t have to dream of what would follow. She no longer wanted to be reminded of the agonizing memories of her pitiful life.

    Noah could feel a hand gently shake her body. Her small room Goshiwon was gradually dimming and her mind rose to the surface of consciousness.

    *

    ¡°Miss Noah, we¡¯re here.¡±

    When Noah returned to her senses, she saw her reflection in a pair of violet orbs. Kyle, whose fingers sweeped lightly across his disheveled hair, hesitated for a moment before cing his hand on top of Noah¡¯s.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get off and change to a carriage. If you wanted to sleep more, you¡¯d have to hold it in for a while¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to get up.¡± She squeezed his hand tightly. Kyle nced at their connected hands for a second and lifted her up.

    Noah gazed beyond the window. The distant mountain ranges that had surrounded them a while ago had disappeared without a trace. The train had stopped in a small, quiet vige. Atst, they were no longer in Noviscosha. Now, they had reached the beginning of Tauren.

    *

    Humans are adaptable animals. Less than three hours after she woke up, Noah could rte to the saying.

    It had only been two years and two months since she had lived in the body of Eleonora Asil. Nevertheless, her soul, which lightly betrayed the body of Park Noah, who had lived for twenty-five years, has adapted near to perfection to the body of Eleonora. However, the moment she returned to her body, her soul instantly coalesced with it.

    Noah stared at the locker with a frown. It was positioned high on the wall. She had grown ustomed to the advantages of bearing the witch¡¯s shell. For years of living in her humble home, she had encountered no difficulty in reaching the items in the cupboard. She was tall enough.

    Of the storage boxes that upied one wall of the post office, what she had to open was the fifth from the top and the seventh from the left. The first reason they stopped by a rural vige at the entrance of Tauren was to transfer to a carriage, and the second was because of the locker. She was told there were things she had to collect here.

    Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Open, sesame.¡± The locker was immediately wide open even at her absurdmand. She attempted to concentrate her will toward the locker. Then, the luggage began to wriggle out of the locker. All right. Just a little more.

    While her eyes burned in desperation, an arm stretched over her head and overhead grabbed the luggage with ease.

    <strong>TN: To our dear readers, this is only the beginning ?</strong>

 Chapter 183

    ¡°I was wondering why you weren¡¯ting¡­¡± Kyle, who took the luggage lightly, fumbled inside the locker and pulled out a note.

    The baggage was secretly sent to Kyle from the Tezeba branch, filled with documents he had left behind in the capital. Of course, it also contained his weapons. Kyle sighed as he read the note left by Penelope. ¡°The information that you¡¯re missing out on volunteer work has already reached the Imperial Family.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Since she abandoned her supposed responsibilities and managed to slip past her guardian, it was only expected that another crime would add to Eleonora¡¯s almost ceaseless list. However, Noah was now relieved of such burden. She was no longer bearing the shell of the infamous witch, and no one is aware of her true identity excluding Kyle and the little boy. Atst, Noah was liberated from the chains of the witch¡¯s name.

    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s news in Secretary Rossinell¡¯s ear, too. ording to the personal schedule I had in advance, he¡¯s been down to Homed since a week ago. Just in case, he slipped back like someone else,¡±Kyle uttered.

    ¡°Like me?¡±

    ¡°And like me. We need to think about whether we should hurry, or we should look at the situation and move carefully.¡± Kyle nced out of the window where a carriage drawn by a horse could be seen. It was a freight carriage with a rough tent spread over the cart. Inside, the dealers from Yulem were binded by a rope, which was especially sealed with dragon¡¯s magic.

    The dealers¡¯ train from the simple station in Noviscosha stopped short as they left the mountain range. Instead, a freight wagon was waiting in front of the severed railway. Although Laurent is said to be having remarkable progress, horses and carriages were still the main means of transportation in rural areas instead of cars and trains running on engines. With no ticket reservation records and no passenger list left, it was also perfect for secretly siphoning off illegal items.

    Of course, the travel speed was much slower than the train. Hence, Noah and Kyle, along with Muell, moved at ease.

    ¡°Miss Noah, have you ever done anything suspicious to the Minister beforeing down to Noviscosha?¡± asked Kyle.

    ¡°No, not really.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been cleaning up our traces as much as we can so that there¡¯s no sign of us in Noviscosha, but¡­ If the minister starts to doubt it, there¡¯s a chance he¡¯ll shut down Tauren¡¯s factory.¡±

    ¡°But as you left Noviscosha, you telegraphed it to Tauren. Mane ore has been delivered, and he¡¯ll be here in a week. We haven¡¯t had any problems since then, so they haven¡¯t noticed anything suspicious about it yet.¡±

    ¡°I hope so. For now, I¡¯ll go on schedule and send a telegram to the next town. We¡¯ll be free for a few days.¡±

    With numerous events transpiring for nearly two months without pause, a moment of rxation was imperative for the three travelers. Kyle spoke again, squeezing the note into his robe pocket, and shut the door of the locker. ¡°Shall we get back to work? But I think we¡¯ll be able to get to the nearby city by evening. There¡¯s a lot of work to do.¡±

    Noah looked up at the man before her. To put it bluntly, Kyle didn¡¯t grow in size, but it was Noah who shrank. She was only seven centimeters shorter than Eleonora, but it seemed there was a huge difference. Then, Kyle nced down at her, perhaps feeling her gaze. As soon as their eyes met, there was a subtle tremble in his violet orbs.

    No other soul lingered in the post office of the small rural vige. Only specks of old dust slowly drifted in the air, illuminated by the golden sunlight piercing through the windows. Engulfed in peace and quiet, it seemed as if one could hear another¡¯s beating of the heart.

    Kyle¡¯s eyes glided across Noah¡¯s direction without looking straight at her, and only then did she notice their close proximity. She withdrew a step. Kyle muttered, ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± His voice was awfully low.

    ¡°Yes, a lot.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean a lot-¡±

    Noah grabbed Kyle¡¯s arm. It was the first time that the two were alone for nearly three days after they left Noviscosha. Noah spent the three days in deep slumber and dreams of the past visited her every night. However, her condition had improved much better since then.

    Except for one thing: her mother¡¯s voice never left her mind.

 Chapter 184

    The familiar voice swept her mind and echoed in her ears the entire journey, notpletely forgotten. Was it because of a lingering regret?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry my mom hasn¡¯t done so much for Noah so far.¡±

    It upset her. Noah had tried to bury the echoes of her mother¡¯s bitter voice, but to no avail. After a moment of silence, Noah mustered enough courage, albeit hesitant, and asked Kyle. ¡°Sir, can you hold me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± His answer came almost immediately, but Noah refused to surrender. ¡°Can¡¯t you hug me, then?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Not even that.¡± This time, Kyle even took a step away from her as if his words were not enough refusal. Noah red at him sulkily. ¡°Muell hugs me very well¡­¡±

    ¡°Am I the same as Muell, Noah?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°Should I teach you about the physical and mental differences between an adult man and a three-year-old child?¡± Kyle replied with his usual reprimanding tone, but avoided Noah¡¯s stare. Irked, Noah thrust her face to where his gaze was directed, but Kyle was adamant. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to give you a hug. You¡¯re not sick. And it¡¯s not good for others to see.¡±

    As Noah scowled at him in silence, Kyle began to utter more and more ridiculous excuses. It¡¯s not good for others to see? So until now, did you go around with Eleonora because it looked good? ¡°Sir, why are you suddenly acting married?¡±

    ¡°This is exactly what it is. So far, it¡¯s never been so bad.¡± Kyle¡¯s tone was unyielding. Then, he turned his back coldly against her. ¡°If you don¡¯te, I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Reluctant, Noah began to follow him. I don¡¯t think he hates me at all, but he doesn¡¯t like me either. If she had to name the emotions that shed across his face, it would be vague embarrassment or difficulty. What is it? The person who had been tending her, of course with grumbles and whines, for the past three months, keeping up with her uncharming character, seemed to have changed into a stranger.

    Noah tilted her head and looked into the mirror on the wall, reflecting the face that she had worn for twenty-five years. A hair of caramel color touched her pale shoulders, and her eyes had the same hue, only a little darker. Gazing at her appearance, her mind hopped into a train of mncholic thoughts.

    I don¡¯t look very good¡­

    Her steps ceased at once, and she inspected herself in the mirror. The only aspect reminiscent of Eleonora was her expression of indifference. Noah strained her eyes open, but of course, it would barely alter her appearance. Contrary to Eleonora, who exhibited a beautiful face, Noah certainly looked a little inferior.

    Did I overestimate myself too much? Every ounce of her self-esteem shattered once Kyle acted the way he did.

    ¡°Am I not pleasing to look at?¡±

    ¡°Miss Noah?¡± Kyle, who walked forward without even sparing a glimpse behind him, turned as soon as he noticed Noah had stopped following him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve received a lot of confessions myself.¡± Noah muttered to herself.

    ¡°What did you get?¡± asked Kyle.

    ¡°No, it didn¡¯t mean much.¡±

    ¡°It sounds very meaningful.¡± Kyle¡¯s tone instantly sharpened. Noah asked again with little hope.

    ¡°Sir, are you really not going to hug me?¡±

    Kyle hesitated for a split second, but eventually wielded his iron wall again. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to hug you.¡±

    Instantly, Noah¡¯s gaze dropped to the ground, sullen. ¡°Do you really hate me? Okay¡­ I won¡¯t hit you anymore. I won¡¯t even call you a butler¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡±

    When the memories of her past life returned to her at once, she soughtfort. However, when they met again, Kyle acted as if she was a stranger, making Noah feel dejected. I guess the hardest thing in the world is the human mind. She walked past Kyle and approached the door. But her shoulders were pulled back before she could even make three steps.

    She was dragged a few steps backward, and a warm embrace enveloped her small figure. After returning to her original body, the difference in their physique was quiterge. Kyle had only wrapped his arms lightly around her waist, but it felt as though she had been trapped by him.

    For a moment, Noah blinked nkly. Then, she also stretched her arms and wound them around Kyle¡¯s. She murmured softly, ¡°Sir, you look a little bit of a bouncer.¡±

    ¡°You keep your mouth shut when you¡¯re given a hug.¡±

    ¡°You do, really.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, and tell me why you¡¯re scurrying like a dead weed.¡±

 Chapter 185

    Noah buried her face in Kyle¡¯s shirt and muttered in a pitiful voice, ¡°I think I¡¯m in the early stages of depression.¡±

    ¡°Depression? Why? For what reasons?¡±

    At Noah¡¯s words, Kyle¡¯s lukewarm tone changed at once. He pulled Noah off of him but her grip around his waist only tightened. Wrapped in Kyle¡¯s embrace, his warmth, along with his rigid torso, provided Noah thefort she longingly sought. Kyle flinched a little as he felt Noah inhale his scent, but didn¡¯t push her away. Instead, he asked, ¡°What makes you depressed?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s such a thing. It¡¯s still a secret to you,¡± replied Noah in a muffled voice.

    ¡°You tell me so I can know.¡±

    Now that I¡¯m sick, I¡¯m getting a little sweetness from him¡­ Do you like it when I don¡¯t usually rebel? Noah let out a contented groan. ¡°Oh¡­ good.¡± His affection seemed to lift her spirits a little from the woe that weighed her down. Noah¡¯s heart then began to beat in a pleasant melody.

    On the other hand, Kyle heaved a deep sigh, his fingers tenderly stroking her hair. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to want to talk. Sometimes, I want to look inside Noah¡¯s head.¡± His gestures contrasted his earlier behavior where he avoided Noah the entire day. Noticing so, Noah tried to take advantage of the opportunity to ask, ¡°Why would you avoid me?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t avoid you.¡±

    ¡°You avoided me. You¡¯re obviously in front of me, but you¡¯re only speaking through Mu. You don¡¯t even make eye contact. You don¡¯t even touch me unless you really need to.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re pushing it too far. And you don¡¯t think that you¡¯ve been pushing me beyond what you normally need¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. Sir Leonard, am I unfamiliar?¡± No matter how hard she thought about it, Kyle had only one reason to suddenly avoid her. Noah looked up and stared deep into the pair of violet eyes close to her. ¡°Or are you shy now? Are you ashamed that you don¡¯t know the woman in front of you?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep talking nonsense, I¡¯ll leave you alone.¡±

    ¡°Huh? No, I don¡¯t like that.¡± Noah hugged Kyle tighter as he was about to tear himself away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing anything wrong. You can¡­ You can stop doing that, too.¡±

    The copse of the investigator¡¯s iron wall seemed to be no longer. Kyle pulled himself away as if he had already given enough, and turned his back against Noah before she could even catch a glimpse of his expression. However, Noah chased after Kyle, struggling to see his face.

    ¡°I hugged you, so don¡¯te too close now,¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Really? Not this much?¡±

    ¡°Yes. For the time being.¡±

    A cold-hearted person¡­ Still, Noah found it fortunate that he didn¡¯t seem to dislike her appearance. If it was indeed the case, she might have gone straight to the end of depression, not the beginning.

    When they came out of the post office, Muell, who had been rolling around on his back around the truck, stood up excitedly, painting a wide smile on his lips, which revealed stems of grass between his teeth. ¡°Noah!¡±

    Noah created translucent steps in the air and climbed up the carriage without difficulty. The yellow fairies fluttered their wings and clung to her.

    Ever since Noah recovered her body, she finally realized what Adrian meant when he said she ought to feel the mana individually. The sensation of mana flowing through the every cell of her body, which she had never perceived before, was vivid. In other words, it was now possible to use the dragon¡¯s magic whenever she desired to. Finally, there was perfect resonance between them. Noah was now as powerful as Muell.

    All the problems she encountered since she imprinted with Muell were solved at once. No more restrictive chains were needed, and the same was true for the little boy. Muell, who had been undeliberately restrained by his careless master, would no longer suffer from unwanted frustrations. Since Noah returned to her body, the little child could only smile wide. Now that she hadplete control of her power, capable of performing magical spells that were called ancient miracles, the boy said, ¡°I have been writing down magic tricks here and there all day long.¡±

    ¡°Wow, is this possible now? This magic would be really useful.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Noah, practice magic with me!¡±

    When the two of them busied themselves in scribbling magical spells while the carriage marched forward, Kyle¡¯s voice bellowed from below. ¡°You two,e down here. What are you doing on the carriage?¡± But only to be ignored.

    Noah rested on her back on the seat and gazed towards the sky that scattered soft clouds, brightened by the yellow sun, across its vast canvas.

    ¡°A little further away, we¡¯ll enter the tangent city. If you lie there like that, you¡¯ll see¡­ You¡¯re not listening.¡± Kyle ceased his nagging and sighed without saying another word. He sat on the horseback and kicked the man next to him. ¡°Get off. We¡¯ll arrive in town before sunset.¡±

    The horseman that would lead them to Tauren was the captured member of the Yulem. Albeit dazed, the man managed to move his wrist and pulled the reins. The horse hooted wildly and the carriage began to traverse along the unpaved road, causing tremendous rattle. However, with Muell¡¯s magic, the vibration disappeared in a blink.

    Noah tilted her head and looked down at Kyle, who, like a ghost, noticed without even looking at her. ¡°Why, Miss Noah.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just thinking about why you¡¯re suddenly shy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not shy.¡± Kyle looked up at her with a re, then turned his head back again quickly.

    What¡¯s wrong with him? What could it be? I hope it¡¯s the reason I think. Well, that can¡¯t be the cold-hearted investigator. Even so, I¡¯d like you to be more friendly. Don¡¯t remind me of my mom.

    ¡°Noah, look at this! This is the lightning magic form!¡±

    Her nk trance was interrupted by Muell¡¯s enthusiastic voice, who was asking for apliment for his wonderfully-drawn magic circle.

 Chapter 186

    When they arrived at the city through a deserted valley, the sun had almost sunk beneath the distant mountains. Kyle then created in his head a sequential list of the things to be taken care of as he measured the time.

    The vige that they had reached was the location where dealers from Yulem handed over the illegally-acquired magical ore to the workers of the factory they conspired with. Three days remained until the promised date of the agreement, and in three days; time, the exact whereabouts of the factory would be revealed.

    Locate and then move quickly at once¡ª it was Kyle¡¯s objective. It didn¡¯t seem that assassins nor cooperating wizards had caught up to their tail. Somehow, however, Kyle felt that heading straight to the factory once its location was discovered was not a good option. It was instinctive. So far, Adrian Rossinell had not taken a single action even after hearing themotion in Noviscosha.

    How much does he really know? Kyle wondered with unease. I don¡¯t know if Noah¡¯s back in shape, but¡­ He nced behind him. The woman he had just brought down from the roof of the carriage was still sound asleep. Noticing a frown on her face from time to time, Kyle thought she was having an unpleasant dream.

    Kyle turned his head away without looking at Noah for long. As she guessed, Kyle had been experiencing a phase, which never, not once, ured in his entire life, for nearly three day, leaving him utterly agitated and bewildered. When they had left Noviscosha, the foreign cloud of emotion remained shrouded by peculiarity. Until three days, where the fog seemed to have lifted itself.

    What ceaselessly pestered Kyle for the past days was, obviously, a crush on the opposite sex. Now that he mused on it, he realized plenty of evidence to support his conclusion. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint when it exactly started, but there were moments that hinted at it.

    I couldn¡¯t let go even the small scar on Noah¡¯s neck. When she was avoiding me, I was very irritated. I was futilely jealous of Adrian. I was in danger of being relegated to Edman, but I was worried more about being away from her. And now, if I¡¯m looking at Noah¡¯s real face, not Eleonora, I want to get closer without realizing it.

    Kyle reached the point of wanting to have meaning in minor contacts that neither side never cared about at all. Perhaps Kyle failed to realize because Noah was clothed in the shell of the criminal he most hated in his life; there was no indication as certain as such for a man with a clear prohibition on himself. Kyle seemed to find himself lost in a space whenever he became vulnerable without his knowing.

    With a deep breath, he called Noah, ¡°Miss Noah, we¡¯re here. You have to get up.¡±

    Of course, mere words wouldn¡¯t wake the woman. Eventually, Kyle managed to put his hand on Noah¡¯s shoulder after a long while of pondering. There used to be no hesitation at all in such trivial skinship, but now, it took Kyle quite a lot of preparation. He thought that once he put his hand on hers, he¡¯d want to keep it on.

    At times like this, he even longed for the shell of Eleonora, which acted as a brake for whatever surging emotions he felt. Kyle shook Noah carefully, feeling ashamed of himself. ¡°Miss Noah?¡±

    There were numerous things he ought to do before the sunpletely vanished beyond the horizon, before the shops closed. First of all, he had to do something about Noah¡¯s outrageous clothes concealed under her robe. Then, he had to feed her and take her to the doctor.

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    A few shakes, Noah opened her eyes, frowning. She blinked slowly, revealing her hazel orbs, and shut her eyes again in annoyance. ¡°Are we almost there?¡± As she stirred, her pale, slender legs protruded from the robes. Kyle was startled but patiently adjusted her robes.

    Noah muttered in a cheeky voice as he rolled over the hood of the robe. ¡°I don¡¯t have to cover my face anymore. I think it¡¯s you who should cover your face.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°Neglect of Duty, absence without notice, vition of the Laurent Civil Service Act¡­¡± Even though still half-asleep, Noah steadily recited Kyle¡¯s offenses. Then, she flipped the hood, frustrated as the oversized fabric covered her eyes.

 Chapter 187

    Noah hopped out of the carriage in a precarious manner and cheered, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Kyle, however, hastily snatched her arm, who was about to head in the wrong direction confidently. ¡°Not there.¡± But as he realized what he had done instinctively, his hand wrapped around her arm, nervousness began to settle in his nerves. He suppressed the urge to flinch and attempted to rx his subtly fidgeting fingers.

    Noah looked up at him, rubbing her tired eyes. Then, with his heart unreasonably thumping, Kylepletely released her arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­ It¡¯s probably too much for Miss Noah to move around today.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t look very well though. You better wash up in the inn first and get a good night¡¯s sleep,¡± Kyle insisted. He had noticed Noah¡¯s glum spirit persisting for a few days already. Personally, he thought there was no problem between her and Muell¡¯s resonance since it would have reached perfection by now, nor was she sick; however; Noah was acting a little more lethargic than usual.

    Suddenly, thin, warm fingers wound themselves one by one around his hand. These fingers were paler and carried more warmth than the hand of Eleonora, which he had held several times before without trouble. Kyle felt the need to close his eyes as he sped Noah¡¯s hand. Then, he stole a nce on their intertwined fingers, a sense of crisis wreaking havoc in his mind.

    I really¡­. can¡¯t. I don¡¯t think I should be as casual as I have been.

    When Kyle first saw Noah¡¯s true appearance, he had a sense of satisfaction that stemmed from the idea of finally getting rid of the shell of his most despised witch. Only to withdraw such thought in merely three days; little did he know his feelings had soared beyond satistisfaction. If he were not cautious enough, he would find his eyes fixated on one person and his heart erratically pounding over one trivial contact.

    Seriously, you¡¯re not some adolescent boy.

    Kyle had never doubted his patience in his entire life, but every time Noah approached him without wariness, his patience would evaporate into thin air. Apart from that, Noah had always been overly absent-minded. For instance, when she asks for a hug and randomly grabs his hand like now¡­

    Of course, Kyle had grown ustomed to it, epting that it was Noah¡¯s habit. She was that kind of person in the first ce. But now, Noah¡¯s wonted indifference was bing a little dangerous to Kyle.

    As expected.

    It was fortunate that she didn¡¯t notice Kyle¡¯s agitation with her eyes closed. However, Muell, who was hanging from Kyle¡¯s shoulder, was different from her oblivious master. The child asked, sping his left cheek. ¡°Uncle, Noah, good¡­¡±

    Kyle interrupted, ¡°Be quiet. You walk along, Mu.¡±

    Muell¡¯s eyes opened wide, tilting his head, but soon a smile was painted on his lips as if he knew. The boy couldn¡¯tpletelyprehend the meaning behind Kyle¡¯s words yet somehow, he seemed to have noticed the nuances of his actionstely.

    While feeling strangely ufortable, Kyle walked away as if he were dragged away when Noah tugged his hand. Soon, he would encounter an untimely situation, which would leave him emotionally strained.

    ¡°How many rooms would you like?¡±

    ¡°One¡­ No.¡± Kyle answered habitually and almost bit his tongue. ¡°Two, please.¡±

    However, his hurriedly altered words could not be concluded. Noah stared at Kyle, her eyes widened in shock. Kyle stammered as he picked up two keys from the innkeeper. ¡°Why¡­ Why do you see it that way?¡±

    ¡°And now¡­¡±

    ¡°What about now?¡±

    It was unbeknownst to Kyle how far Noah¡¯s misunderstanding was reaching. The shock on her face was gradually turning into a look of betrayal.

    Why are you looking at me like that?

    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯ll change the key.¡± The innkeeper, who was wary of the two, quickly snatched the key from Kyle, and before Kyle could dissuade her, the owner had changed their key. It was strange, but seeing that they were given two keys still, Kyle thought the rooms were separate

    ¡°It¡¯s upstairs in the far right corridor. Please let me know if you have any inconvenience. Would you like your meal up to your room? Or at the restaurant?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t eat.¡± Noah spat out, grabbing one of the keys Kyle held. Dumbfounded, Kyle turned around and hurriedly called her. ¡°You won¡¯t eat dinner? Didn¡¯t you skip lunch on the pretext of having dinner?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I¡¯ll go up first.¡± Noah replied coldly and climbed the stairs without looking back.

    What kind of defiance was that? But even more, what¡¯s so cute about that? As realization dawned upon him, Kyle snapped himself back to his senses. I must be really crazy.

 Chapter 188

    The innkeeper¡¯s voice rang in his ears, ¡°First of all, the cost of amodation is ny pounds.¡±

    ¡°Here it is. And please bring the meal up to the room,¡± said Kyle.

    ¡°All right, but¡­ I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll eat it if you don¡¯tfort her.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    A middle-aged woman, who wore a warm impression, hid a smile as she gave him change. ¡°I think your wife is younger than you, and the more she is, the better she will be.¡±

    Young?

    Park Noah was only twenty-six years old until this year, and Kyle was twenty-eight. Noah was indeed younger than him, but Kyle thought their difference was not that much that he ought to hear such words from other people. However, strangely, he was convinced. Noah basically looked younger than her age.

    Yet somehow it was unfair. Kyle bluntly tried to correct the misunderstanding, but the innkeeper continued with a bright smile. ¡°Did you argue before you came? Even if you had a fight, it¡¯s not good to rebel like this, husband. Especially when your son is watching.¡±

    ¡°No, wait a minute.¡± Kyle interrupted her speech before the misunderstanding spiraled out of his control. ¡°We are not married.¡±

    ¡°Oh? No way, you¡¯re not even married¡­¡±

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but this boy is not a child of me or Miss Noah. And Miss Noah, she¡¯s only mypanion.¡± Kyle thought it was ridiculous to utter excuses for such a pointless confusion, but the innkeeper was listening to his story with great seriousness, prompting Kyle to exin further despite feeling like an idiot. ¡°We¡¯re just a group, and we never had a fight beforeing here. So the misconception¡­¡±

    ¡°Then why is thedy upset with having two rooms? You don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t done that before?¡±

    Kyle was speechless. We have used the same room¡­ but¡­ A crease formed on Kyle¡¯s forehead and heughed as if the owner knew.

    ¡°I knew it. Young man, if you do that, your pretty girl will run away soon. You two looked so cute that we all looked at both of you.¡±

    Silent, Kyle nced around the first floor of the inn. There were five or six pairs of ears intently listening to his story; it was obvious even though they pretended not to be. An unpleasant feeling crept to Kyle.

    Noah was so thoughtless and unmindful that she wouldn¡¯t even notice those peering eyes.

    While he promised to himself that he would force Noah to wear her hood down to her chin no matter how much sheined next time, the innkeeper spoke cheerfully.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go up for now. I put you in the right room, so gofort her well. Anyway, men don¡¯t notice unless you tell them this in person.¡±

    She pushed Kyle¡¯s back with a power so great that Kyle had unwittingly trudged toward the stairs before realizing that he had not cleared the owner of the misunderstanding that he and Noah were lovers. However, his desire to resolve the misunderstanding had already vanished. His steps then marched toward their room, carrying understanding of the old woman¡¯s advice.

    ¡°Miss Noah?¡±

    There were supposedly two rooms. Kyle thoughtlessly opened the door on the right side and almost fainted. Noah was sprawled on the bed like a paper doll.

    ¡°Sir?¡± Noah, who had her face buried on the sheets, turned her head sharply. Kyle looked down at the doorknob in embarrassment. Did it mean the two rooms were connected? Kyle stifled his mortification and responded, ¡°Miss Noah, you have to wash before you sleep.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to, but I don¡¯t have a bathroom.¡±

    ¡°No bathroom?¡±

    Come to think of it, something was strange. Noah¡¯s room housed a strangely spacious living room but there was no bathroom, and the room that Kyle opened was a little smaller than Noah¡¯s, but had a bathroom instead.

    ¡°Ah¡­ did the innkeeper give us a house altogether?¡±

    Kyle couldn¡¯t hide the frown on his face. Meanwhile, Noah hoisted herself from the bed and stood. ¡°I¡¯ll wash over there.¡± Noah proceeded across the living room, taking off the robe Kyle had fastened meticulously.

    However, Kyle remained intact on the floor, wearing the very same look of astonishment whenever Noah did something unmindful. Noah¡¯s drowsy hazel eyes blinked toward Kyle several times. Of course, it meant ¡®get out.¡¯

    Kyle btedly realized the signal and stepped aside from the door he was blocking. The woman who entered his room casually went straight to the bathroom, which soon closed with a thud.

    Muell, who emerged under the bed of the next room, sprinted to the bathroom happily. Kyle immediately seized the child before he could open the bathroom door. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wash up.¡±

    ¡°I want to wash up with Noah!¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    It was trifling, and normal in that matter, for a three-year-old child and an adult woman, who could be recognized as his mother, to bathe together. However, Kyle was adamant.

    Muell muttered sulkily with his lips pouted, ¡°Uncle, I can tell you like Noah very much.¡±

    If the little dragon seemed to perceive anything, how much would he know? Kyle felt extremely apprehensive.

 Chapter 189

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything nonsense to Noah, Muell.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Noah knows. Right now, Noah is a little depressed.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ No, first of all. Why is Noah depressed? Because she was looking for her body?¡± Kyle no longer bothered to conceal what he wanted to hide. If something caused Noah to be unstable, he couldn¡¯t just let it go.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Muell replied as his expression turned rather somber. The little boy witnessed exactly what sort of mental warfare Noah experienced as she came to visit her world in the search of her body, but could not fullyprehend it. For Muell, who was still learning the rudiments of humanity, understanding suchplexities of a human mind was a matter of enormous difficulty. After a while of contemtion, Muell managed to encapste Noah¡¯s thoughts in one phrase.

    ¡°Noah, maybe she didn¡¯t want toe back.¡±

    But the child¡¯s words were something Kyle hadn¡¯t thought of. It felt like a blow to his head. While Kyle was rendered speechless, unable to find the right words to say, Muell mumbled in thought.

    ¡°Everything else was fine, but there was only one memory that Noah had a hard time with. She said it was okay¡­ But it seemed like she had regrets.¡±

    Noah must have had a lingering attachment to her previous world. Did she leave anything of importance behind? Perhaps a thing she treasured the most¡­ Kyle¡¯s thoughts meandered to a depth he had never reached before. A woman who had unexpectedly crossed another dimension on the day of her supposed death still bears sentiments for her world. It only meant there were things she left behind. For all he knows, it could be her family.

    Kyle knew almost nothing about Noah¡¯s rtionships, except for one thing. When he asked Noah about her original appearance in Tezeba¡¯s interrogation room, he only heard what she said: ¡°I don¡¯t have very much color, I looked like my mom.¡± Only then did he feel that he had been too indifferent to Noah. Looking back, Noah was quite lonely.

    Kyle had never seen Noah me the young dragon even when she was suffering from the consequence of an idental imprint. Even when he had told her repeatedly to distance herself from Muell to minimize the toll on her, she stubbornly refused toply and stuck closer to the boy instead. Furthermore, when they first entered Eleonora¡¯s mansion in Tezeba, she even asked Muell to stay with her until she fell asleep.

    As Kyle mused over his memories, he realized he was achingly apathetic towards Noah, who was more warmhearted than he thought.

    ¡°The medium to Noah¡¯s world hasn¡¯t beenpletely destroyed yet, so I¡¯m going to ask Noahter. If Noah wants to go, she can go back.¡± Muell wriggled pieces of crumpled paper out of his arms. Before the portal had entirely disappeared, he hid several pages of the medium into his pocket and casted a protection spell upon them.

    Kyle remained silent for a moment. As he fathomed Muell¡¯s remark, a corner of his chest tightened uneasily. If Noah desired to return to where she originally lived, she could. Besides, with the dragon¡¯s power, almost everything could be made possible.

    Noah can always disappear from my side¡­ I¡¯ve never made such an assumption.

    Kyle¡¯s eyes drifted toward the bathroom. The faint sound of running water had long ceased and worries began to invade his mind. He got up from his seat.

    *

    Thest thing her mind could remember was filling the bathtub with warm water to dip herself in before she dozed into slumber for quite a while. When Noah woke up with a chill, the water had already cooled down.

    ¡°Should I get out?¡± I just want to fall asleep like this. I would have if it weren¡¯t cold. Begrudgingly, Noah slipped out of the tub and squeezed the water from his hair. And, as if a moment of eureka, only the opposite, Noah was hit by a realization.

    ¡°What should I wear?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t brought with her any change of clothes, but it would have been still useless if she had noticed beforehand since she didn¡¯t have spare clothes to begin with. She merey brought a pocketful of Eleonora¡¯s inventions and left all the rest of her luggage somewhere in Noviscosha, which carried all her clothes¡­

    Noah stared at the clothes she had previously worn. Muell had used a spell to clean her clothes before, and even without the child¡¯s help, she knew how to cast it. However, Noah felt repulsed to wear those clothes, owing to the fact that it was from her previous world.

    I¡¯m sure my mom changed it for me because it was different from what I wore right before I copsed. It only implied that it was her sister¡¯s clothes, and Noah hated it more when she thought so. I think there was a gown hanging in the room. Should I wear that?

    As I sighed left her lips, a knock was heard on the door.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± A voice came from beyond the thick wooden door. While Noah couldn¡¯t answer in embarrassment, a series of knocks ensued.

 Chapter 190

    Knock, knock, knock, knock. The taps now carried a sense of urgency. Noah answered in bewilderment, thinking he might throw the door open. ¡°Oh, nothing happened. I¡¯m going out now.¡±

    The knocking ceased. Noah instantly became nervous, ashamed of her current dilemma. Why did I forget? This wasn¡¯t my room. Besides, I¡¯m not alone. I can¡¯t go out like this! Especially in front of him¡­ She hurriedly picked up the clothes and screamed internally. Why can¡¯t I do the magic of making clothes?

    ¡°Miss Noah? Are you all right?¡± asked Kyle. And since he hadn¡¯t heard Noah respond, he assumed something had happened. The doorknob twisted. Noah hastily shouted, ¡°Sir! Wait, don¡¯te in!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I have a problem. Take your hands off the doorknob and turn around. Otherwise, I won¡¯t go out.¡±

    Even when a wall separated them, Noah knew what Kyle¡¯s expression was right now. He must be very suspicious. Still clutching the knob outside, Kyle narrowed his eyes. Soon, though, he released his grip. Noah then grasped the doorknob with both hands. ¡°Can you just go outside for a while?¡± I can just send them out and quickly go to the room and get my gown. Then, I¡¯ll lock the door and go to sleep.

    However, his response waspletely out of the blue.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, Miss Noah, but depression is not a mild condition.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I thought it was just a joke before, but I was mistaken. If there¡¯s anything that bothers you, you have to tell me.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the problem right now¡­¡± Now that he mentioned it, Noah recalled the time when she told Kyle she was in the early stages of depression. She startedughing. So do you think I¡¯m doing something in the bathroom that I shouldn¡¯t not be doing? ¡°I¡¯m not that feeble-minded. Please don¡¯t make any strange misunderstandings.¡±

    ¡°Then why would you ask me to leave? Noah, don¡¯t think too much about it, and let me talk to you. There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you.¡±

    Why are you so stubborn over nothing! Noah was agitated, but the scuffle persisted. ¡°No, so just stay out for a moment. Wait, five minutes! We¡¯ll talk tomorrow,¡± she convinced Kyle.

    ¡°I need to see you right away.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you test your conscience and think about how many times you¡¯ve made eye contact with me in thest four days? I don¡¯t really agree with you now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s my fault.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s sudden apology baffled Noah. ¡°What are you apologizing for? Look, I¡¯m not really thinking about something weird¡­ It¡¯s because I don¡¯t have it right now.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Clothes¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kyle asked back reflexively and soon became silent as if he realized what she meant.

    Noah then finally surrendered with a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t have any clothes to change. I was thinking about what to do because it¡¯s a bit awkward to wear what I was wearing. Look, speaking of which, please look for a gown. Without it, I can¡¯t go outside.¡±

    The steam that clouded the bathroom was gradually fading away. Noah, who had been immersed in cold water, began to shiver. After a moment of silence, Kyle seemed to move away from the door. Noah waited a few more minutes. Before long, there was a knock again.

    ¡°Please wear a gown for now.¡±

    With a swift move, Noah managed to open the door and snatch the gown. She immediately wrapped her quivering body with thick cotton, and warmed up. After she had tied the gown string tightly, she opened the door hesitantly.

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    She was pushed back into the bathroom, and the door mmed shortly.

    ¡°What¡­ what is it? Why?¡± She stuttered in embarrassment, but was left with no answer. Instead, she could hear footsteps rushing away from the door. Only after waiting a few more minutes in a daze did the door open again half a span.

    ¡°Wear this under your gown too.¡±

    When Noah took what Kyle handed over, it was a tailored ck shirt. It seemed to belong to Kyle. She took off her gown and put her arms through the shirt. She roughly buttoned up and wrapped the gown over her body again. With a nce at the mirror, before her stood a great fashion terrorist. A white, thick gown over a ck shirt. Besides, the ck shirt was sticking out at the end of the robe¡¯s sleeves, which was quite an odd sight.

    Still, it was much better because her chest waspletely covered with one moreyer. Relieved, Noah opened the door. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±

    Kyle, who was massaging his temples, looked back at her in surprise. His gaze rested on Noah¡¯s waist for a moment before he spoke, ¡°You should say that before you open the door.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you¡­¡±

    Noah didn¡¯t know why Kyle was staring at her waist neither did she care. She was only d their eyes didn¡¯t meet. She slowly crept away from him. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to the store to buy some clothes. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s-¡±

    But before she couldplete her sentence, she was blocked by Kyle. And as soon as he touched the waistband of her gown, her breath hitched on her throat.

 Chapter 191

    ¡°Wait, hold on¡­!¡±

    ¡°It will loosen up if you tie it like this.¡± Kyle pulled the ribbon around her waist very lightly and it came undone instantly. He proceeded to wrap it twice, leaving Noah unable to breathe. The distance between them was too close. When the ribbon circled her waist, his arms wrapped around her as though he was going to embrace her, then moved away and back, in a cycle. Kyle, fixated on her waist, spoke in a low voice. ¡°I better ask the owner of the inn if she has any extra clothes.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°Dressed like this?¡±

    Noah was unable to reply; partially because she had nothing to say, and also because Kyle was finished tying the ribbon. Her body rxed from the tension and she was about to breathe in when Kyle lifted his hand. His hand brushed close to her neck, and she instinctively flinched. Kyle touched the cor of her shirt and called Muell.

    ¡°Muell, can you do me a favor?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Can you go downstairs and ask for something Noah can wear, then ask them to send up the dinner.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± The beaming boy, who had been seated like a couch potato on the sofa, nodded and jumped down.

    ¡°No, Mu. Wait, don¡¯t¡­g¡­go.¡±

    Noah tried to stop him from leaving, but Muell had already left through the door. She even felt like she caught a glimpse of a cheeky smile on his face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it right now¡­¡±

    ¡°Then are you going to continue staying like this? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    Kyle started to button her shirt right to the top. Due to itsrge size, even though the shirt was fastened all the way to the top, Noah didn¡¯t find it suffocating at all. Then, out of the blue, Kyle took her right arm and lifted it up, staring at the sleeve of his shirt. He didn¡¯t utter a word but somehow Noah felt like she had to say something.

    ¡°The shirt is kind of big¡­ My hand is here.¡±

    As she moved her hand and made it pop out of the sleeve, Kyle smirked. ¡°I know your hand is there.¡±

    ¡°Well, you were staring¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re smaller than I thought. So I was amazed.¡±

    Well, isn¡¯t that obvious.

    Kyle folded her sleeves twice, and observed her protruding arm.

    She wondered why he was staring at her, perhaps he imagined having des in between my knuckles. Noah¡¯s heart pounded as she came up with all sorts of ideas. Soon, her confusion reached its peak when he inteced his fingers with hers. Despite the unforeseen gesture, she managed to look up at his face and saw that it looked the same as usual, or rather brazen.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say this is give and take.¡±

    ¡°For¡­?¡±

    ¡°Just how you asked me to hug you, so I¡¯ll call it even with this.¡±

    She never imagined that a child¡¯s y like intecing fingers could be such a dangerous thing. There wasn¡¯t even much force being applied. Kyle simply inteced his fingers with hers.

    But as Kyle had said, she had indeed asked him for an embrace out of the blue, so couldn¡¯t find it in her to pull her hand away. She wondered if he had felt as awkward as she did now, when she had hugged him all of a sudden. It would be unfair if she was the only one overreacting.

    Kyle, with their fingers still inteced with each other, suddenly asked, ¡°Did you juste out of the shower? Why is your body so cold?¡±

    ¡°The water¡­ cooled down.¡±

    His palm touched her forehead and then swiveled to her cheeks. Contrary to her body which had been cooled by the cold water, his touch was warm. Knowing where his hands would move next after her cheeks, Noah turned her head away and replied, ¡°I dozed off in the bath.¡±

    ¡°To catch another cold?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t let her guard down from these insignificant yet ceaseless contacts. Kyle let out a sigh and withdrew his hands. ¡°Miss Noah, are you always this reckless with your body? Previously, I just let things go since it¡¯s not my body, but if this is the case, then it is a serious problem.¡±

    ¡°Not really. My body is precious.¡±

    ¡°Aha¡­ Are you acting reckless so that I can¡¯t keep my eyes away?¡± It was a teasing tone. Noah simply rolled her eyes, to which Kyle clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, nevermind. I¡¯m used to doing everything for you now. So I will simply assume that you want me to take care of you.¡±

    ¡°I thought you don¡¯t want to be a butler.¡±

    ¡°That is if you were rebellious. But you¡¯re so delicate like you would break any minute¡­ so I decided not to bother resisting since it is a meaningless act.¡±

    Even though his words were blunt, his hand moved gently. As he folded the remaining sleeve of the ck shirt, Noah could only hold hope that her face wasn¡¯t flushed and that the thumping of her heart wasn¡¯t audible to him. Atst, Kyle had finished and lowered his hand. At the same moment, Noah withdrew in haste.

    Kyle frowned slightly. ¡°Why are you so defensive? I haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡±

 Chapter 192

    ¡°That is based on your standards¡± was what she wanted to shout, but she suppressed her urge.

    ¡°Hey, thanks for the shirt. Well then I¡¯ll be off to sleep. By¡­!¡±

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    Even before she could finish bidding farewell, she was caught by the cor. Noah tried to struggle. ¡°I am so sleepy right now!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t look sleepy at all. Even if you are, you should eat dinner before you sleep.¡±

    ¡°I told you I don¡¯t want to!¡± she protested.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that your body is precious? It doesn¡¯t make sense since you didn¡¯t eat a meal at all today. You can¡¯t lose any more weight,¡± Kyle retorted.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a weakling.¡±

    ¡°To me, it¡¯s a miracle that you are even able to walk around.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t base that on your standards.¡± Noah held onto the door that divided the two rooms and shouted desperately. She decided it would be best to lock it. Just when she was about to use her magic, Kyle interrupted.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know there is no point being stubborn.¡±

    The door gave into the stronger pull. Because of the sudden force her body leaned in forward, and she was lifted up even before she knew it and a strong arm wrapped around her waist. Noah forgot to rebel and clung her arms around his neck in surprise.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure being forced to do things isn¡¯t your style, but you just won¡¯t listen¡­¡± Kyle clicked his tongue and sat her in front of the table. Just in time, the door to the room opened wide.

    ¡°Here is dinner, Noah!¡± Muell hopped into the room with a cheerful voice, apanied by the innkeeper she had seen earlier.

    ¡°Has your anger calmed down now, Miss?¡± the woman asked.

    ¡°Wh..what?¡±

    ¡°Sweet things are the best when you are feeling upset. I just baked some brownies so I¡¯ll send them up for free. I was going to send up two wine sses but I didn¡¯t, since they said you weren¡¯t feeling well. Eat well, calm your anger and enjoy your sweet evening. Alright?¡±

    ¡°Wh..what?¡±

    After repeating the same word four times, it was already toote. Kyle had already replied as if it was not a big deal.

    ¡°Thank you. We will need breakfast for tomorrow as well.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll pay careful attention.¡±

    The innkeeper winked secretly and hummed a tune as she left the room. Noah stared at Kyle. Why was this man not denying it¡­?

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you go back to your room until you finish.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t let you go back!¡±

    Kyle and Muell, who were seated opposite her, dered sternly. Eventually, Noah had to finish her te of roasted chicken and sd to be liberated from them.

    Sweet evening. Thank you? No matter how many times she went over it in her head, the answer didn¡¯t seem right. By the end of dinner, her suspicion had reached a climax. Once Kyle gave up on trying to feed her more food, Noah dered her territory.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever, never, ever open this door ande in. Do you understand?¡± The man who was cleaning up the table didn¡¯t even bother to look her away, so Noah emphasised and repeated herself. ¡°I¡¯m saying this because you are being awfully odd today. Don¡¯t even pass my room door. Okay?¡±

    ¡°You better keep it locked.¡±

    Somehow, the man she was always with felt different than usual. Noah red at him through her door. Normally he would have replied something like ¡®what do you take me for?¡¯ or, ¡®I don¡¯t even want to¡¯ or look at her nkly. But his response today was ambiguous.

    Kyle undid his button and nced over in her direction. ¡°If you keep staring at me like that, then I¡¯m going to consider what you just said as invalid. So stop staring and go to bed.¡±

    See! Noah fumed and closed her room as she was surprised by his response. With a click, the lock turned in ce. ¡°I hope this doesn¡¯te unlocked,¡± she muttered under her breath.

    Noah checked on the lock several times before finally turning away from it. She nced at the mirror hanging from the wall and found that her cheeks were flushed. After seeing her reflection, she realized, that her actions so far had been rather irresponsible.

    Today wasn¡¯t the first time she had sensed the difference in Kyle, but today seemed more than usual. Aspared to the time he treated her injury at the Eleonora residence, the day at the old railway station at the Maobiana mines was more intense. And aspared to that day, today was more intense.

    Then the next time it would be more than today¡­

    She felt her entire face heat up. She leaned against the door and buried her face in her hands. She had to be careful.

 Chapter 193

    ¡°Noah, mother is sorry.¡±

    Noah was being embraced tightly by someone. She blinked her eyes in confusion, and found people watching her from behind the door. It was her father and younger sister.

    Ah, then the person hugging me now must be¡­

    ¡°Did you have a hard time? I know you always get through everything, so I thought you would be okay. I¡¯m sorry mother didn¡¯t know, but thank you for waking up.¡±

    The woman stroked Noah¡¯s back twice and put down the arms that had been embracing her. Noah looked at her dryly. Her mother¡¯s face was hazy as though someone had erased it. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because it was a dream, or because she was someone insignificant to her. But one thing was sure, she had no reason to be here right now. She got up from her seat and went by the window, and below the window frame a ck curly-haired little boy was seated with his legs hanging down. Noah turned her back to her mother and approached the window.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Muell.¡±

    ¡°Noah? Where are you going?¡±

    Her mother took a hold of her arm in surprise. Noah turned to look at her in reflex, and saw her younger sister looking at her with foreign eyes and her father¡¯s back. She was theirte daughter, whom they had a year after they adopted Noah. Her sister who was younger by nine years and had always found Noah difficult to approach.

    Her parents had conceived their own child before they even had the chance to warm up to their adopted daughter. The only one who had loved them was Noah. She had tried to be a good daughter to her parents, a good sister to her younger sister, but Noah realized after twelve years of living in the same house that she would always be an outsider.

    So, she left home once she was twenty, to which her family politely acted to be disappointed, but their happiness and relief were obvious. They had no interest in her even when they lived together, and now that she had left the house, they had truly lost Noah. Except for their asional requests to look after the shop.

    I should have just cut ties then. She had lingered around her perfect family¡¯s side every weekend but ended up with a pitiful death in the end. Recalling those memories made her burn with rage, her mother adding fuel to her anger.

    ¡°Are you going back to that tiny hostel of yours? Mother and father will look for a better ce, nearer to your workce. Since it¡¯s only been a few days since you¡¯ve regained consciousness, rest a little more¡­¡±

    She found it ironic that she was only offering to help her get a house now, when all this while she knew that she was staying in a hostel, but what hurt her most was the fact that she never asked her to e back home.¡¯

    ¡°I don¡¯t need a house. I can get by on my own. Like I always have.¡±

    As she heard herself, she felt the coldness of her own voice. Noah pushed away her mother¡¯s hand. She had to get away from this ce as soon as possible. And never return.

    Muell, who had been watching Noah, silently offered his hand. Just as she was about to ept his tiny hand, her mother stopped her with a shaky voice.

    ¡°Are¡­ you going?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and we won¡¯t be seeing each other again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯ve not done anything for you until now, Noah.¡±

    No matter how one perceived it, it was goodbye. Even till the end, she didn¡¯t ask where she was going, or if she wasing back.

    Noah knew her adoptive mother well and knew what this would mean to her. She had felt sorry to dissolute the adoption, but the daughter she raised with no love and one she had no affection for was offering to disappear from her life by her own will.

    Maybe she felt like she was finally getting rid of an aching tooth? Noah breathed out loudly.

    She bit her lip. She felt it was too unfair. She would live her whole life with memories of them while they lived on happily in her absence. She didn¡¯t want to let them. Muell whispered to her in a small voice.

    ¡°Do you need my help, Noah?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Noah refused the boy¡¯s offer once more, ¡°I¡¯ll do it on my own.¡±

    The imprint was finallypleted as soon as she had found her body. A double-sided resonance. Her will would be realized in the power of the dragon. It wasn¡¯t even a big deal to harm an ordinary human being now. Noah mumbled as she nced at her father who was standing behind the door.

    ¡°You should have just dissoluted the adoption before. Then neither mother nor father would have had to live with the guilt. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    She never wanted them to forget her. She wanted them to feel sorry towards her for the rest of their selfish lives. Soon, a ck energy containing Noah¡¯s wishes trickled down the floor and permeated their bodies. The brainwashing effect that caused confusion in one¡¯s mind started to manifest.

    Noah emphasized each word as she spoke.

    ¡°I am dead.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t leave you aftering back to life, I just died. So, don¡¯t ever think you canfortably forget me, and live the rest of your life feeling sorry for me.¡±

    Noah stood on top of the window as she spoke herst words.

    The medium that Muell brought, which was the entrance to the other dimension, started to gradually erase the words in the book as it flipped the pages. Noah did not turn back until the white light of the entrance engulfed her entirely.

 Chapter 194

    By the time she woke up it was near the middle of the night. As she blinked a few times, the tears that had gathered fell on her cheeks. Noah stared nkly at the ceiling and came to a realization.

    ¡°Ah¡­ another dream¡­¡±

    The minute she had fallen asleep, she had started to dream. It was an extension of her lucid dream that she had thought had ended yesterday. The urrences of her return to Korea had been visiting her. But she could tell instinctively, this was thest dream. The bond between her body and soul had finally stabilized. After all that time, the imprint of the dragon was finally perfect.

    Right. That¡¯s all good¡­ Noah put a hand to her aching forehead. I don¡¯t feel too good.

    ¡°Wow. It sure is difficult to retrieve a body¡­¡±

    Beside her, Muell looked up at her worriedly. As she moved her hand to stroke his ck curly hair, the child felt the tremors of her hand.

    ¡°Shall we go to Mr. Uncle?¡±

    Perhaps we should.

    Noah slithered out of the bed and stood nkly for a while before moving to the right side of the room. Then, she opened the door she had locked with her own hands.

    ***

    Kyle let Noah into the room, while he locked himself in the bathroom like she did a few hours ago. It was because he thought they would need another door for him not toy his hands on Noah who warned him continuously. After he had finally calmed his heart and exited the bathroom, he felt himself shaken again as he saw the woman sitting on his bed.

    Kyle suspected his eyes for a minute. ¡°Miss Noah??

    Noah was wearing only a ck shirt, and the gown he had tied tightly for her nor the clothes he had borrowed from the owner of the hostel were nowhere in sight. It seemed like she hadn¡¯t even bothered to change. Kyle swallowed as he saw the gown, which had probably fallen off, on the floor.

    ¡°And you tell me not to cross the line¡­¡±

    Noah looked at him silently. The room was dark so it was difficult to make out her expression. Kyle tried his best not to look in Noah¡¯s direction and turned on themp on the side table, dyeing the room with a shade of orange. Kyle sighed and started to nag as usual.

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t perceive me as a man, but isn¡¯t this too much? I even let you go safely back to bed this morning but if you keep¡­¡±

    There should have been a reply by now, but Noah was still silent. Instead, a small hand grabbed his. Kyle turned to look at her surprised, then he realised that Noah looked too pale. And the hand that grabbed a hold of him was far too cold.

    ¡°Are you alright? Why is your face so¡­¡± He bent over, attempting to inspect her, when Noah¡¯s arms wrapped around his neck. Through the thin pieces of clothing, he felt the soft curves of her body. She clinged on desperately that even with her insignificant weight, Kyle lost his bnce and was dragged into bed.

    ¡°Hold- hold on¡­Miss Noah?¡±

    He narrowly managed to refrain crushing her by bncing himself on one arm, but even then Noah did not let go. Eventually, Kyle gave up on trying to push Noah away and changed positions to have Noah on top of him. He was worried that he might break the small woman with his weight.

    ¡°Miss Noah, what¡¯s wrong. Are you not well? Answer me. Can you hear me?¡±

    Noah seemed like she was still half asleep. She was looking at him but her focus was off. He searched for her small hands and when he grabbed it, it wasn¡¯t only cold, but it was also trembling slightly. She was in an unstable condition, Kyle assumed. A word suddenly crossed his mind: depression.

    ¡°Lift up your head.¡±

    He tried to assess her condition but her arms around him wouldn¡¯t let go, as though she didn¡¯t want him to see her face. Kyle called her several times before shifting their positions again. Hey on his sides and finally caught a glimpse of her pale face. Her light brown hair was soaked in cold sweat and stuck to her forehead. Kyle forced her away from him to take a closer look. She must have felt stuffy while she was asleep as a few of her buttons were undone. Kyle didn¡¯t dare turn his gaze to what was below.

    ¡°This is driving me crazy¡­¡±

    He was already worried because of her weak condition, but now she was truly unwell. He wondered what kind of dream she was having to be this unconscious, and was starting to feel lost himself. Kyle tried his best to keep a tight grip around his sanity. He believed he was not a shallow being to think of other things when there was a sick person in front of him¡­ until now.

    ¡°Stay here¡­ I think you will need a lot of things right now.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t possibly attempt to do anything in this state.

    Kyle looked down at Noah¡¯s side profile with mixed feelings. Her eyshes fluttered. She must have not been fully unconscious as her lips moved slightly. Kyle quickly lowered himself towards her face. Noah mumbled slowly.

    ¡°¡­Not to pass the door.¡±

    What a brazen person she was, after passing it herself. But instead of replying to her with a blunt answer as usual, he hugged her tightly. Noah did not reject and breathed deeply in his arm.

    ¡°Dangerous¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re aware that this is dangerous.¡±

    However, aspared to her fearless approaches from before, this was a great improvement. Kyle let out a deep sigh and stroked the back of her small head, which must have felt nice, as the corner of Noah¡¯s small lips curled upward.

 Chapter 195

    Kyle reached out his hand and gently wiped off the stray tear that escaped the corner of Noah¡¯s eye; his light touch softly caressing her cheek, as if Noah was as fragile and frail as ss.

    Staring deeply into her eyes, Kyle¡¯s voice rang out, the deep and gravelly sound breaking the tense silence. ¡°Were you dreaming?¡± He asked, concerned.

    Unbeknownst to herself, Noah¡¯s eyes started tearing up as she looked away, avoiding his gaze. ¡°Yes,¡± she stuttered; her voice strained due to her uncontrolled emotions.

    Immediately after she said that, Noah grimaced, not expecting her voice to turn out like that. Clenching her fists, she forces herself to calm down, even if her heart beat resounded loudly in her mind.

    Like a ray of hope shing through a deste grey sky, Kyle¡¯s arm snaked itself around her waist, grounding her back to reality. With a quick tug and a bit of maneuvering, Noah found the side of her face resting against his chest, her head just under his chin, listening to his heartbeat.

    This is nice, she thought, gradually calming down as she listened to the rhythmic sound, a light blush coating her cheeks.

    A moment after sensing her calm down, Kyle spoke out, his curiosity momentarily conquering his mind. ¡°What was it about?¡±

    Hearing this question, Noah quietly pressed her forehead against Kyle¡¯s chest, her free hand tightening its grip on his clothes. ¡°I¡­¡± she began, her voice wavering and tiny. Steeling herself, she continued, ¡°It was from a long time ago. About the things that happened when I found my body.¡±

    Sensing her growing distress, Kyle moved his free hand to the top of Noah¡¯s head, stroking it gently in an effort tofort her. As he continued the motions, he quietly thought to himself, his shoulders dropping as though he had just sighed. I shouldn¡¯t have pried. My curiosity and impatience isn¡¯t as important as her emotional state. He mused to himself, frowning.

    With an audible sigh, Kyle rested his chin on Noah¡¯s head, looking grim. In a serious tone, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it if you don¡¯t want to. Just tell me when you¡¯re ready. Waiting won¡¯t be difficult for me.¡±

    Speechless, Noah could only nod, hiding the small smile that formed on her lips away.

    As silence enveloped the room yet again, Kyle¡¯s hand moved to her back, alternating between stroking and patting it lightly. In a soft voice, he said: ¡°Do you want to go back to sleep, Noah? Just try to rest and not dream, I¡¯m here.¡±

    Hearing his words, Noah squeezed his arm, smiling softly. She felt her throat constricting, as though a stone suddenly found itself lodged inside. Just like that, Noah¡¯s eyes started tearing up, causing her vision to be hazy.

    Pushing herself away for a small fraction of space, Noah looked up at Kyle¡¯s face. Although his face was bleary, just looking at his direction gave Noah strength.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t sleep¡­ It¡¯s just that I ran into my mom on the way to find my body.¡± She shared in a small voice, her bottom lip quivering slightly.

    Seeing her like this, Kyle froze while staring straight at her. I knew it¡¯d concern her family, he thought to himself, resisting the urge to cup the side of her face with his palm.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t my biological mother. But, she was my foster mother ever since I was a child. Our rtionship wasn¡¯t that bad, but¡­¡± she continued before taking a pause to take in a shuddering breath. ¡°I think she felt that it was her responsibility to raise me. Like it was a job. An order. You know?¡±

    Not waiting for a response, Noah¡¯s grip on Kyle¡¯s body tightened unconsciously as she continued, her voice tinged with sadness. ¡°I could be wrong, but that¡¯s what it felt like. Even until the very end, when I¨C¡±

    And with that, silence took hold of the room again.

    Kyle, not knowing what else to do, moved to hold Noah¡¯s hands, twining them together and giving them a squeeze, as though the action could give her strength.

    Quietly, he prompted, ¡°And?¡±

    Squeezing his hand back, she paused before saying: ¡°It upset me so I let her believe that Noah Park was dead.¡±

    For the second time around, Kyle was left at a loss. Thus, he kept quiet, merely holding her hand to give her strength. Fortunately, Noah went on.

    ¡°Dying as she managed the store alone. Hah, can you believe it? Well¡­ At least, like this, she¡¯ll surely feel something for me, right? Pity? Guilt? I don¡¯t know.¡± With a shake of her head, Noah bowed her head and let loose a small, abruptugh, augh that caused Kyle to stiffen. ¡°Perhaps she won¡¯t forget me for the rest of her life.¡±

    At that, no matter how stoic and expressionless Kyle was thought to be, at this moment in time, hearing the pain seeping from her voice, it was not easy for him to remain calm, at all.

    He ced both hands on her shoulders, his lips melded into a thin line as multitude of emotions swirled in his eyes. Opening his mouth slightly, instead of talking, Kyle let out a shuddering breath. What was he supposed to say?

    He bit down on his quivering lip. Without thinking about it, Kyle squeezed Noah¡¯s hands and brought them near his face, forcing her to look back up at him. ¡°Noah, everything¡¯s alright now, though? Right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Everything is. That¡¯s the magic, right?¡±

    ¡°No, Noah. I mean you. Are you alright?¡±

    Noah stared at him, silently. Kyle merely stared back, patiently waiting. Soon after, Noah bit down her lips as twin tears spilled down her cheeks. Shaking her head, she pulled her hands away from Kyle¡¯s, to cover her face.

    ¡°No. Not as good as I thought I¡¯d be. I honestly don¡¯t know why I¡¯m putting myself through so much suffering. It was tough back there, too. But, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s been any easier since passing through here.¡± She ranted quickly before cutting herself off with a sob. With a shaky form, she sighed. ¡°I think about how cruel I was to my family. I wish¡­¡±

    Does that mean she wants to go back? Kyle thought, worried over the thought. He was just about to ce his hand on her arm but Noah suddenly spoke out, yet again.

 Chapter 196

    ¡°Please stay with me here tonight.¡±

    The worry that Kyle felt instantly disappeared at Noah¡¯s words. The small sheepish tone she used reced that dread with embarrassment. When Noah drew closer and buried her face once more against his chest, a light blush dusted itself across Kyle¡¯s cheeks.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk a bit more until I fall asleep. Don¡¯t leave me in the middle like this.¡±

    With a sigh, Kyle quickly buries his feelings, yet again. I almost misunderstood, he thought as he started ying with Noah¡¯s hair, a small exasperated smile ying on his lips. This woman¡­ She can control me like a puppet.

    Noah, surprised and distracted by the feeling of his fingers running through his hair, blushed and quickly spoke out without thinking.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep here together. Though I know those words hold a lot of confusion, I believe you know what I¡¯m saying right now, right?¡±

    Of course not! Kyle thought as he moved to look down, only seeing the top of Noah¡¯s head.

    Unaware of Kyle¡¯s internal dilemma, Noah, seeing that Kyle didn¡¯t respond, bit her lip in thought. Then, she said in a small voice, ¡°I spoke without thinking earlier, forgive me. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Startled, Kyle asked, ¡°For what?¡±

    Was there something she ought to apologize for? Kyle wondered, trying to recall any memory. Fortunately, Noah exined: ¡°I whined like a spoiled child earlier. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Confused, Kyle asked, ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°When I was choosing a room¡­ And when I said I wasn¡¯t going to have dinner.¡±

    As Noah continued to exin herself, Kyle merely continued to look at her, confused. If those incidents warranted an apology, then Noah had more things to apologize for.

    ¡°To be honest, I was a little upset that you avoided me all day. But, now that I think about it, I¡¯ve also done that to you before. You know¡­ After the trial, I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± Noah said in a small voice, regret palpably coating her words.

    ¡°Ah, yes. That did happen.¡± Kyle mused, mortified as he thought about it. His actions were ungentlemanly but thinking about the time when Noah did it, his actions were no match for what she did. After all, at that time, Noah had tried her best to keep herself away from him. She wouldn¡¯t let here within a ten-foot radius.

    Thinking about that time, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but feel as though a heart lodged itself into his throat. At that time, he had no clue why she did that. And now, he still didn¡¯t.

    As Kyle opened his mouth to voice out the question weighing on his mind, he honestly felt terrible. It felt as though his own heart was going to leap out of his mouth. It was already practically deafening his ears.

    But, before he could voice out a syble, Noah¡¯s clear voice rang through the silence, her words causing him to stiffen in shock.

    ¡°I like you, that¡¯s why.¡±

    All the negative emotions that weighed Kyle down like a boulder evaporated and the stone that lodged itself in his throat seemed to disappear. His heart, however, seemed to double its pace. Though, this time, it didn¡¯t feel as though it was pierced with an arrow. He was so ecstatic and dumbfounded that Noah¡¯s next words sounded like a garbled mess.

    ¡°So I guess that¡¯s why I kept acting like a ridiculous kid. I¡¯m so sorry. I know, it must¡¯ve made you so ufortable.¡±

    ¡°No, no, wait.¡± Kyle hurriedly cut her off once he snapped out of it, unconsciously cing his hands on her shoulders as he moved back, trying to get a glimpse at her face. ¡°Noah. Say it again. What did you just say?¡±

    Despite his pleading, Noah simply turned her head while scrunching her nose, avoiding his gaze. That expression¨CKyle felt it could mean multitude of things. Is she annoyed that I cut her off? Or does she think my request was a hassle? Kyle thought as he stared at Noah, his heart thumping madly. Every time she moved, the light casted different shadows over her face, giving her an ethereal and endearing look. Is she embarrassed? He finally thought, hopeful.

    At the thought, he became excited and, without really thinking it over, he started shaking Noah¡¯s form by her shoulders.

    ¡°Noah. Say what you just said again.¡± Kyle begged, causing Noah to recoil back, an attempt to hide the faint blush forming on her face.

    ¡°After the trial?¡±

    ¡°Not that.¡±

    ¡°Why did you pretend to listen when you didn¡¯t?¡± Noah suddenly yelled out as she ced her hands on his chest and tried pushing herself away. ¡°Let go. I¡¯m not repeating it,¡± she continued, pouting right after.

    While Noah was battling her nerves and trying to push Kyle away, he struggled back and managed to see the quickly darkening blush that coated her cheeks.

    He started hugging her tight. A few moments after, they somehow found themselves in a weird position.

    With Kyle¡¯s tight embrace and his constant moving, Noah had somehow found herself somewhat on top of Kyle¡¯s form. Propping herself up with her hands, she found her eyes meeting Kyle¡¯s, who was underneath her. Blushing even more fiercely, Noah tried to scramble back to a proper position beside him. A feat that was interrupted by Kyle, when he tightened his hold on her waist.

    ¡°Hey¡­ Don¡¯t do this. Even my butler isn¡¯t this foolish.¡±

    ¡°Who asked me to stay with them? You can hug me, but I can¡¯t hug you?¡± Kyle retorted, his lips formed into a wide, roguish smile.

    Noah, on the other hand, started imitating a fish, opening and closing her eyes, as though she was going to protest. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t even know what she wanted to say. So, instead, she swallowed and bowed her head, and, since she was nervous, her tongue darted out to unconsciously wet her lips. An action that instantly caught Kyle¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 197

    If Noah was still staring at him, she¡¯d have noticed his eyes had darkened. But, since she wasn¡¯t, she was only surprised by Kyle¡¯s sudden touch. He had brought one hand up, to cup the side of her face, with his thumb resting on her lips, gently brushing over them.

    Noah had inhaled in surprise, the small gasp for air revealing her white, even teeth and a hint of her scarlet tongue. The sound she¡¯d made, the way the light hit her face, and her sudden confession¨Call of thosebined made Kyle want to sumb to his baser instincts.

    But, seeing Noah bite down on her lip and feeling her form her hands into fists, he quickly suppressed those impulses and simply brought his hand down,ying it back onto her waist.

    ¡°If you tell me what you just said again, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± He whispered softly, momentarily tightening his hold. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re holding it in. Just say it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Noah questioned, staring at his face intently. Kyle nodded and shed her a smile. After a bit of time, Noah nodded and mumbled, clearly embarrassed, ¡°You¡­ Uh, yeah. I like you. I think you¡¯re a good man.¡±

    Despite hearing those faint words, Kyle squeezed her waist again, ¡°Again, clearly.¡±

    Puffing up her cheeks, she red at him, but nevertheless continued, with a raised voice. ¡°Kyle. You¡¯re better than I thought. Oh, damn it,¡± she suddenly yelled out, having bitten her tongue. Bowing her head while her eyes tear up, she pouted.

    Kyle quickly patted her back and made sure she was okay.

    ¡°I like you.¡± Noah abruptly said, in a low but clear voice, a blush staining her cheeks, despite the fact that she was still pouting. ¡°I really, really like you.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± Kyle affirmed, hugging her close, smiling.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you about your ideal type of girl, purposely avoided you and whined like a child. And right now, my confidence is at the lowest. Is that better?¡±

    Seeing Noah lift her chin and look at him directly, Kyle met her eyes, his earlier smile turning into a frown. Noah¡¯s eyes looked ssy, as if she were ready to cry. But somehow, Kyle felt a sudden thirst hit him at the sight.

    ¡°From when?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that. I¡¯m not even sure.¡±

    Seeing her like this, Kyle simultaneously felt worried and happy. After all, it was Kyle¡¯s first time seeing the girl, who had always been either indifferent, annoyed or talked back with scathing remarks, be so embarrassed, to the point that she would cry.

    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re not confident?¡± Kyle stubbornly asked, neither loosening or tightening his grip on her.

    ¡°That¡¯s just how I feel, okay? Now, let me go. I¡¯ve already told you what you wanted to hear. I¡¯ll just go to my bed and sleep.¡± Noah replied, her tone slightly sour as she struggled to free herself from his hold.

    ¡°No,¡± Kyle retorted. ¡°It¡¯s not the right time for you to go. Even if you dide as you pleased. Tell me why you don¡¯t feel confident.¡±

    Hearing his calm and firm voice, Noah could not help but let out a deep sigh, as though the ground had cracked open. Judging that she would be bothered all morning if she rebelled further, she surrendered. The words she wanted to say started pouring out of her mouth.

    ¡°I just felt that you were avoiding metely. I¡¯m a bit sensitive to that, by the way. I thought of many reasons but, I really did not know which one it would be. Like, did I do something wrong? Or do you not like me as much as I thought you did?¡±

    Without waiting for Kyle¡¯s response, she continued. ¡°You said you loathed Eleonora so much, but I wonder if she had been your original ideal type.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait a minute, Noah.¡± Kyle interrupted, the small idea he caught from her words finally forming in his head. As a result, he startedughing out loud. ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Did you actually think I was disappointed with how you looked like thus, I avoided you?¡±

    Ashamed at his sudden questioning, Noah quickly looked away.

    ¡°No?¡±

    Chuckling, Kyle drew back his hands. But, instead of letting her gopletely, he ced both of his hands on her cheeks and smiled.

    ¡°Noah¡­ I was just shocked at how much you changed from the past. But, I didn¡¯t avoid you because of that.¡± Kyle assured her as he raised his upper body up, in order to properly ce his forehead against hers. ¡°So, you think that I had only been nice to you because of Eleonora Asil¡¯s face? And now, since you¡¯ve regained your original appearance, I didn¡¯t have to be as nice to you?¡± He questioned.

    Blushing, she retorted fiercely, ¡°Well, who doesn¡¯t like a pretty face?¡±

    Taken aback by her answer, Kyle reeled away a bit before shaking his head, ¡°So what? Don¡¯t be like that from now on. That¡¯s all I wanted to say.¡±

    Touched, Noah stared at him spell-bound for a moment before shaking her own head. Noticing that he had let go of her waist, she took the opportunity to lift her face away from his hands and scramble to sit a distance away.

    Observing her actions, Kyle sighed then muttered in a low voice, ¡°You said you liked me, yet why are you so anxious to escape from my arms?¡±

    Straightening her back, Noah turned her head away, avoiding his gaze, yet again. ¡°That¡¯s diff¨C¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d cry if I kissed you, Noah.¡± Kylemented, cutting her off.

    Startled by his words, Noah quickly turned to look at him with wide and wary eyes. Earlier, she was trying to think of how to argue that that was a different story but, hearing his words made her train of thought screech to a halt.

    Not knowing what else to say, she muttered the flimsy excuse that she thought of earlier. ¡°My feelings for you are just like the feelings I have from Muell. You know? Just something innocent¡­ tonic!¡± She said, stammering over her words and still staring at him with wide eyes. Unknown to her, due to her shock, her face had given her away. It was bright red, like a freshly picked apple. That shade implying that she was, in fact, clearly aware of him, as a man.

    Seeing that expression on her face, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva. He had the sudden urge to take a bite of that apple. When did she be so cute? He mused internally, his lips forming into a small smile.

 Chapter 198

    ¡°tonic!¡± Noah¡¯s voice stammered out as she stared at him with wide, doe eyes. A retort that Kyle simply smiled at, causing her to renew her efforts at struggling away.

    ¡°So, just because I like you, that doesn¡¯t mean that anything has to change. You will be you and I¡­ I will continue ying my part as your butler.¡± Noah said as she continued her struggle, the blush on her cheeks never fading away.

    Though, when Kyle moved, as if to draw her back into his arms, tears started forming at the corner of her eyes. Reeling away, Noah snapped out, uncaring of the validity of her words.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t confess for you to y with my heart like a toy! So, don¡¯t treat me like a piece of meat! We have to keep our distance.¡± She said, scrunching her eyebrows together as she frowned. ¡°We need to keep our professionalism as employer and employee.¡±

    Stunned and a little bit angry, Kyle quickly retorted with a frown. ¡°Who came into my bed first?¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter! I¡¯m allowed to do what I want, you can¡¯t. Just think of it like that.¡±

    So unreasonable. Kyle thought to himself as he stared at her, sizing her up. Noticing her tears, Kyle sighed. ¡°Noah¡­ You¡¯re a tricky little one.¡± Kyle murmured, his shoulders dropping into a slump.

    ¡°Tricky? How? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Noah quickly defended herself, crossing her arms over her chest. Unbeknownst to her, Kyle stealthily and quickly drew himself closer while she was distracted.

    She only noticed when it was toote. Kyle had pressed his thumb against her lips, causing her to stiffen in shock.

    In contrast to her spiralling thoughts, Kyle¡¯s mind was calm as he idly thought, his gaze sweeping from Noah¡¯s teary eyes to her lips: If we were to kiss each other, is it enough for you to cry?

    Fortunately for Noah, Kyle didn¡¯t feel the need to force a kiss onto her for confirmation. After all, one mustn¡¯t make advances on a woman whose hands are bound.

    With a small half-smile, he pressed his thumb against Noah¡¯s lips harder. ¡°Don¡¯t bite your lips. Just forget about what you said.¡± He said,pletely dropping the matter for Noah¡¯s convenience.

    For Kyle, even if Noah insisted that a ck object was actually white, if Noah said so, then it was so. Thus, if she wanted a tonic rtionship, then it had to be for the time being.

    How different would it be? Kyle thought before internallyughing at the thought. Not at all; he had been tailoring her actions ording to Noah¡¯s whims ever since she found herself in Eleonora¡¯s body, after all.

    Seeing her dumbfounded look, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but tease her.

    ¡°Though, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s possible that our rtionship stays tonic.¡±

    ¡°Why not? I think it¡¯s very possible.¡±

    Moving his thumb away from her lips, only to cup the side of her face with his hand, Kyle simply smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯ll see if I can continue strictly liking you tonically.¡±

    A puzzled look fell over Noah¡¯s face. She asked, ¡°That¡­ Does that mean you like me?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Like the way I like Muell.¡±

    Hearing her own reply being used against her, Noah¡¯s jaw dropped in surprise before she realized it. Seeing her dumbfounded expression, Kyle grinned and finally pulled his hand away, pushing himself off the bed to a stand.

    Sensing the weight of his hand going away, Noah felt equal parts relieved and disappointed. But, seeing and feeling Kyle lift himself entirely off the bed, Noah¡¯s eyes immediately focused on his form, alert and worried.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    With a smirk on his face, Kyle replied slowly, ¡°You said you wanted to sleep alone.¡±

    At that, Noah sat more upright, her face constantly going through a myriad of colors. Kyle hid away his smile at the sight. He could guess what was going through her mind. Noah was scared to sleep alone, thus she had asked to sleep together. But, after everything that happened, Kyle thought that that¡¯d be tempting fate.

    Noah really didn¡¯t want to sleep alone. She bit down on her bottom lip as she worried. All those thoughts and emotions, they were disyed in as day on Noah¡¯s face. However, no meant no.

    I don¡¯t have to push my patience to its limit, Kyle thought idly as he grabbed the nket and wrapped it around Noah. In a straightforward manner, he said, ¡°There¡¯s no basis for tonically sleeping in the same bed. Thus, from here on out, if you do something that goes against the definition of tonic, I¡¯ll take it as a sign that I can cross the line. Alright?¡±

    Silently, Noah contemted the offer for a moment before nodding quickly. Then, she tucked her head into the nket and settled herself on one side of the bed.

    Kyle, exhausted, merely patted her back after sighing softly.

    Feeling the rhythmic pressure, Noah loosened her guard and quickly fell asleep.

 Chapter 199

    After checking that her breathing had calmed down, Kyle tugged at the nket, pulling it down a bit and watched as the moonlight reflected off of Noah¡¯s tender pale skin.

    As he silently stared at her face, his worry over her gradually faded away as he thought back to what just happened, his lips forming into a small frown. In truth, Noah¡¯s earlier actions were disgusting and arrogant yet it didn¡¯t destroy the image he had of her. He still thought she was pretty cute. Ever since his eyes had closed in on her, he hadn¡¯t been able to stop thinking of her. It hade to the point where Noah looked pretty, no matter what she did.

    A few days ago, when he¡¯d seen her suffer a nightmare, he wanted to wrap his arms around her. And today, he wanted to kiss her.

    Observing her sleeping form, Kyle opened his mouth to say something before hesitating and setting down, the emotions with no origin and words he hadn¡¯t revealed to Noah disappearing from the tip of his tongue.

    Muell, who had been hiding behind the window curtains, watching them, finally crept out of his hiding ce and onto the bed. Nudging Kyle¡¯s hand, he chirped, ¡°Uncle Kyle, what does tonic mean?¡±

    Startled, Kyle ces a hand over Muell¡¯s mouth, blinking rapidly before rxing. ¡°Shhh, kid. Noah¡¯s asleep.¡± After he said this, Kyle scooped Muell into his arms and carefully left the bed, slowly and quietly making his way back to the window. Kyle ced Muell on the window sill and looked down at him, contemting how to respond to the child¡¯s innocent question. After a few moments, he decided not to, at all.

    ¡°Muell, from now on, do not leave Noah¡¯s side.¡± Kyle murmured quietly, rubbing the little ck creature¡¯s head with his finger.

    With inquisitive dark eyes, Muell tilted his head to the side as he asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Noah needs protection. You have to protect your master.¡± He responded, smiling at the little creature¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Protect Master. Yes. Master¡­ You like Master.¡± Muell responded confidently, causing Kyle to gape at him in surprise.

    Well, it¡¯s not exactly wrong? He thought to himself, watching as Muell butted his hand with its head.

    ¡°You too, Mister?¡± Muell chirped, looking up at him with wide eyes.

    ¡°Me too?¡± Kyle responded, confused.

    The little dragon hummed a reply as it wrapped itself around his hand, not bothering to exin.

    Confused, Kyle decided to leave the creature be. Stroking its scales, he looked out of the window and sighed.

    While Kyle lost himself in his own thoughts, Muell looked up at him, tilting his head to the side. Ever since he dreamt of being together with Noah, Muell had learned that, behind the visible expressions of human beings,plicated thoughts zoomed in their minds, entangling with each other like a knot¡ªlike what Kyle was doing right now. Since Noah and Kyle could do it, Muell deemed he would do it, too. Just like them, he would start saying the opposite of what he was thinking.

    Bobbing his head in happiness, Muell nudged Kyle¡¯s hand once more before whispering: ¡°Got it, Mister. I¡¯ll protect her. So, you can¡¯t even touch Noah¡¯s fingernail!¡±

    ***

    What in the hell happened yesterday?

    That was the first thing that entered Noah¡¯s mind when the warm sun rays hit her eyelids, waking her up. Groaning loudly, she pulls the nket over her head, not entirely registering her surroundings as she tried to rememberst night.

    What on earth did I dost night? She thought to herself, yawning softly. And when her brain gave her that answer, Noah stiffened, shocked.

    ¡°I like you, that¡¯s why.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ Uh, yeah. I like you. I think you¡¯re a good man.¡±

    ¡°Kyle, I like you.¡±

    Noah gasped frantically as she rolled in bed, burying her face against the pillow. Resisting the urge to scream into the soft pillow, Noah shook her head, as though she was trying to bury her face deeper into it. Thinking back to the memories ofst night, Noah¡¯s face practically burst into a tomato. After all, Noah had been swayed by the gloomy sentiment of dawn. Noah ransacked her mind for memories of the previous night, only to recall one word: tonic.

    Well, the damage is done. Noah reminded herself, after finally noticing Kyle¡¯s absence. For a moment, Noah¡¯s blush darkened before she shook her head, sighing as shey back down on the bed, on her back, with the covers up to her mouth. Was his absence a sign of rejection?

    With a sigh, she turned toy on her side, fixing her gaze on the small ck lump beside her. Well, if there is one thing to be thankful for, it¡¯s the fact that Muell crawled into bed and fell asleep with me. Smiling softly, she reached out a hand to pat the dragon-lump under the nket.

    At her touch, Muell fully stuck his head out from under the nket, turning to lock his gaze on Noah, the dark gems causing Noah¡¯s heart to skip a beat. A baby angel came to erase my evil thoughts at once!

 Chapter 200

    ¡°Morning, Noah! Did you sleep well?¡± The little dragon chirped, crawling closer to ce itself on her arm.

    Smiling softly, Noah ced her other hand on top of the little dragon¡¯s back. It was true. After all, she¡¯d slept well without dreaming this time. Usually, waking up during the morning was harder because her body only felt limp and lifeless but, right now, her head felt refreshed. She wondered if it was because the void between her body and soul were finally repaired. To put it short, she was in the best condition that she had ever been.

    With a groan, she opened her eyes and started blinking them rapidly, in an effort to wake herself as a yawn escaped her lips. Just then, Kyle¡¯s voice seeped into the room.

    ¡°Are you awake?¡±

    I should¡¯ve just pretended to go back to sleep, Noah thought as she stopped her actions. Without thinking about it, she pulled the nket back over her head without answering Kyle¡¯s call. Sleep some more. I have hypotension. I can¡¯t hold a pulse in the morning.

    However, Kyle Leonard, who had eyes like a ghost, walked in towards the bed then ced his hands under Noah¡¯s back and knees, immediately lifting her off of the bed, giving her no time to gather her thoughts. Just like that, she had been lifted then set back down in a sitting position in an instant. He didn¡¯t stop there and even pulled the nket off of her head.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re awake.¡±

    ¡°You cruel man.¡± She felt a bit humiliated.

    Kyle was right in front of her, with a speckle-free face despite it being so early in the morning,pared to her, who looked awfully disheveled in his purple eyes. Kyle took her right hand out of the nket and ced a ss of water in it.

    ¡°We have quite a lot to do today. We have to stop by the post office, stop by the shop. We have to buy our tickets at the train station. And we also have to go to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°I have low blood pressure, so¡­¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s start by going to the hospital. Though it¡¯s a hassle, we have to leave together today.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s voice was no different from any other normal day. Noah drank the water and read the atmosphere. The strange atmosphere that had been lurking right after they¡¯d entered the hotel yesterday was now gone.

    He waited for her to finish the water. Taking her cup and setting it down, and did exactly what he usually did, including carrying her into the bathroom while she was still wrapped in the nket.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get in until the water has cooled down. You¡¯ll get sick. I put your change of clothes over there,¡± he reminded.

    Soon after washing up, the bed was perfectly made, and breakfast was set on the table. While Noah and Muell ate together, Kyle caught up on thest two days of newspaper articles and, every now and then, wrote some notes on a memo pad.

    Curious, Noah asked, ¡°What are you writing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a password that Penelope and Paul sent. It¡¯s one of the ways we use tomunicate when we¡¯re in a situation where we can¡¯t contact each other during an investigation ¨C delivering a message using the daily newspaper¡¯s wanted ad.¡±

    The method was skipping over two letters in one sentence and pulling out the second letter of the third word. It revealed a one-line message from the two-paragraph-long job advertisement: Secretary Rossinell returns early. Nothing out of ordinary.

    ¡°It looks like the secretary is in the city now. There¡¯s something awfully quiet about this¡­¡±

    Kyle flicked his pen around, frowning slightly. Noah admired the handsome man wearing sses and naturally disheveled hair in agony. Why is he so handsome this early in the morning?

    Kyle spoke, interrupting her trance. ¡°You disappeared, you¡¯re not supposed to be this calm. Noah, if you don¡¯t finish eating, we can¡¯t leave.¡±

    Begrudgingly, she nibbled on the mushroom soup. The innkeeper¡¯s cooking skills were slightly worse than Kyle¡¯s.

    ¡°I thought by now they would have dispatched wizards to Novischosha or Fujian to find her. Awfully quiet. I feel disgusted,¡± Kyle continued.

    ¡°Disgusted, how?¡±

    ¡°When there¡¯s no sign that I have to follow, the reason I can guess is that the other party has already seen what I expected and has intentionally not responded, or that there was no reason to do so. It¡¯s one of those two¡­ But I hope it¡¯s not thetter. Noah, don¡¯t put down the spoon. If you don¡¯t eat, I¡¯ll have to feed you.¡± Kyle¡¯s forehead crinkled when she pushed the soup dish away. His eyes shot open, then he pulled his chair up right next to Noah.

 Chapter 201

    ¡°When will you be able to eat enough for me to stop worrying? You don¡¯t eat on your own and only eat when I make you. That¡¯s disobedient¡­¡± Kyle pointed to Noah¡¯s untouched food.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re giving me too much?¡± Noah said, pushing her te of food away. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry right now.¡±

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t usually eat like this, you¡¯re in a state of lethargy every time. Have youpletely forgotten your diagnosis of malnutrition in Sorrent?¡± Kyle snapped.

    Noah sighed, realizing that his nagging had begun. Kyle really was acting like usual self. Like someone who hadn¡¯t gone through that ordealst night. Up close, that¡¯s how he appeared anyway. However, something definitely was different about him. Noah¡¯s breath hitched as he ced his hand on top of hers.

    It was only to help her lift the spoon, but she could feel the heat rise from Kyle¡¯s hand. And then, after he helped her lift the spoon, he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. His purple eyes looked darker than usual because of his drooping eyelids.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Noah snatched her hand away. As soon as she did, however, there was a sense of coldness from where Kyle had held her hand.

    ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± Kyle replied, a beat toote. He rested his hands on hisp. ¡°I thought I could be good at this tonic rtionship business, but I must have been overconfident.¡±

    Kyle caught a glimpse of her, and then sighed in a way almost sounded like augh. ¡°Geez, I can¡¯t do anything right. With you so cautious like this. Anyway, I¡¯ll be downstairs. After you¡¯ve finished eating, put on your robe ande down.¡±

    Kyle ced Muell on the table and left the room. Noah buried her face in her hands while looking down at the now-empty soup bowl.

    ¡°This is serious. What am I going to do with him?¡± She groaned.

    ***

    It had been only two months since they¡¯d first met in Sorrent and came to Tauren. They initially got along really well, but that was before they had spent all their time together, travelling several times over the past few days.

    Throughout all that time, they had been unnecessarily closer than Noah thought. From when they healed each other¡¯s wounds to when they had reunited in Novischosha. Hugging and holding hands with no constraint. But they never had any intimate moments between them, until yesterday.

    ¡°I need to send this telegram off, so you can go get yourself a fresh set of clothes. And don¡¯t take off your robe, or pull your hood down.¡± Kyle pulled up Noah¡¯s hood over her eyes and fastened it in a neat bow.

    ¡°You know, I can go around without having to cover my face. I think you¡¯re more of a problem.¡± Noah remarked, adjusting her hood so she could see where she was going without revealing her face.

    Kyle didn¡¯t answer, instead, grazing his hands over her cheeks after a moment¡¯s hesitation. Then he held both cheeks as he lifted her face.

    ¡°Why do you look the way you do? It worries me.¡± He said, a concerned look upon his face. ¡°You look like you¡¯d trail behind anyone who promises you free cake.¡±

    ¡°Are you belittling me? I have Muell with me, why are you worried about me? And I can use my powers if I need to. And anyway, aren¡¯t we meeting at the town square in an hour anyway?¡±

    Kyle was supposed to send a telegram to the capital¡¯s administration centre from the post office, and purchase some tickets from the train station. And Noah was thinking how she needed to buy herself some new clothing. Afterwards, they would meet at the town square, drop by the hospital, and return to the hotel.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to worry about me, Kyle. I will be perfectly alright,¡± she said, reaching out to lightlyce their fingers together. There was a brief moment, when their eyes locked, that Noah could feel her heart pounding against her chest. Kyle pulled his hand away and patted Muell on the head, who was resting on Noah¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Take care of your master, Mu.¡± He said as he walked away, leaving them alone. Noah watched him go and then ducked into the first shop she came across that sold clothes. She was thankful for the time with just her and Muell so she could take her time shopping for clothes.

    She took selected items of clothing that were in her size and draped them over her arm. She carried them over to a table where Muell hopped off her shoulder. He folded the clothing up as she returned to pick out some more clothes. ¡°Muell, did Kyle¡¯s behaviour seem unusual to you in any way?¡± She asked as she carried more clothes back to the table.

    Muell tilted his head like was trying toprehend what she was saying. ¡°No, he seems normal to me,¡± he replied in a cheery tone of voice.

    She looked back at him suspiciously, but he only smiled in response. His innocent nature meant he was unable to detect the subtle tension between adults. Noah sighed and turned back to the clothing racks.

 Chapter 202

    ¡°From now on, if you see me getting too close to Kyle, I need you to stop me, okay? I know we¡¯ve gotten close, but therein lies the problem.¡± Noah approached with a final armful of clothing, which included some belts and pairs of shoes. ¡°Can you do that for me?¡±

    Muell nodded his head, and Noah smiled at him as she patted him on the head. At that moment, the shopkeeper walked over to her and examined herrge pile of clothing.

    ¡°Have you finished selecting your clothes, Miss? Would you like to try any of them on?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Yes, actually I would, thank you.¡± It had never dawned on Noah to try anything on to check if everything actually fitted her. She bundled up some clothes in her arms and carried them over to the changing rooms, with the shopkeeper close behind carrying the rest.

    After trying on every item of clothing she had picked out, which all fortunately fit her, she selected a baby blue blouse and a pair offortable ck trousers to wear, along with some leather boots. That way, if she needed to make a quick getaway, she would be able to run.

    During the process of trying her clothes on, she thought back to Kyle¡¯s warning about not taking her cloak off, and how she hadpletely ignored his advice. She figured he wouldn¡¯t mind if he didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the lot, please.¡± Noah reached into the bag to pull off her purse. As she was physically smaller than Eleonora, she needed clothes that actually fit her.

    ¡°Everything? Are you sure?¡± The shopkeeper paused to look at the amount of clothing Noah had. ¡°If you¡¯re certain, would you like me to bag everything for you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no thank you.¡± Noah smiled at the shopkeeper. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to manage.¡± She pulled the tags off of her outfit and handed them to the shopkeeper so she could add them to the register. Together, they carried her new wardrobe, along with her old outfit that she had kept to one side, out so they could be properly paid for. As the shopkeeper scanned all her items, Noah folded them up neatly in a pile, ready for Muell to work his magic.

    After all twenty-five pieces of clothing, six pairs of shoes, and assorted essories had been scanned, Noah handed over the money and nodded at Muell. He nodded back at her, realizing what she meant. He closed his eyes and clicked his fingers, summoning an orb above the clothes. The orb expanded to engulf all of her clothing, and then promptly shrunk down and vanished.

    The shopkeeper stared in horror at what had just taken ce. Her hands were shaking as she gave Noah her receipt and change. Noah could only smile and thank him as she picked up Muell and walked out of the shop.

    All the other junk disappeared into the orb. Noah, who got the receipt and change from the clerk who returned, left the store with Muell. To her dismay, only fifteen minutes had passed. She was certain that she had taken much longer, what with all the clothes she tried on. She thought about going back to the hotel and sleeping, but changed her mind and decided to look around the town square.

    The aroma of meat skewers lured Noah over to a vendor, who presented her with two skewers that he imed were fresh from the oven. When she bit into one, the meat juices running down her chin, she believed him. She bought two for herself and two for Muell, and stopped off at the bakery next door to purchase some warm bread so they could have an impromptu pic.

    With their food in hand, they cut through an alley near the bakery where an outdoor exhibition was being held. The walls of the surrounding buildings had been painted in brightly coloured murals, all of which left Noah speechless. Yet she couldn¡¯t help but feel someone was following her. And she knew it wasn¡¯t Muell, who was sitting on her shoulders eating his sandwich.

    She passed by a painting that showed a sunset over a seascape, one simr to when Muell first turned into a ck dragon. Then, as turned around the corner, she ducked into a doorway.

    ¡°Muell, can you turn me invisible?¡± She whispered to him, peering around the doorway to check she wasn¡¯t being followed. Then, she felt a tingling sensation in her toes. She nced down to see the tops of her boots beginning to disappear. It wasn¡¯t long before she, along with her outfit, hadpletely vanished. She knew that a dragon¡¯s magic was powerful, but she had no idea of the power it contained. Now safely invisible, she returned to the art exhibition and nced around, trying to see if someone was acting suspicious and trying to find her.

    To her dismay, she couldn¡¯t find anyone like that. Yet she still couldn¡¯t help shake off the feeling someone was following her.

 Chapter 203

    Someone was following her; Noah was sure of it. There were people who were lurking in the shadows, out of the view of the public. Even if they had a legitimate reason for being there, she was still suspicious of them.

    However, she was not in Elenora¡¯s body now. She was Park Noah. Aside from Kyle and Muell, no one knew her face, her name, or her existence. She carried Muell who had been disguised since they left the hotel. She had even changed her clothes and was covered up in a robe. Who could be following her?

    She looked around, carefully examining her surroundings. She stood in the middle of the exhibition, though no one could see her. She shuffled to one side to avoid people bumping into her, only to realize toote that because she couldn¡¯t see her feet; she couldn¡¯t see where she was walking.

    She barely managed to stop herself from falling when she stumbled into an open paint can that someone was using to paint a mural on a nk wall. Frantically, she ducked down another alleyway to examine the damage. To her horror, she found that the blue paint she had bumped into had sshed on her shoes and the bottom of the trousers, revealing her location for all to see.

    Within seconds, five shadowy figures descended upon the alleyway. Two of them were on either end of the alleyway, blocking her escape. Two more were looking down at her from the rooftop, And the final person was slowly approaching her at an agonizingly slow pace.

    With no option to run, there was only one way she could escape. She held Muell tight in her arms.

    ¡°Muell, I need you to do something for me.¡± She whispered to him, her eyes not leaving the man approaching her. ¡°There¡¯s a spell of teleportation, one from the ancient miracles. I need you to do it for me now.¡±

    Teleportation magic was one of the spells that remained elusive to her. No matter how hard she practiced, no matter how many times she studied Muell¡¯s scribbles, she could never master it. If she had a teleportation scroll to hand, she would be able to find her own way out. But she did not, and thus she would have to rely on Muell.

    Muell nodded, preparing the teleportation spell. Instantly, brightly coloured runes appeared beneath Noah¡¯s feet, illuminating her and causing the figures to shield their eyes. Pleased that they had temporarily been halted, Noah braced herself for the spell to properly take effect.

    ¡°We should let Kyle know where we are,¡± Noah gestured to Muell.

    Muell snapped his fingers to summon the orb where all their belongings were kept, allowing Noah to reach in and find what she was looking for. She pulled out a bottle containing a small fairy asleep on a leaf. Gently tapping on the bottle, the fairy awoke and gently flew out the bottle.

    ¡°Tell Kyle to follow us.¡± She said to the fairy, who nodded and transformed into a yellow butterfly. Watching as it flew back towards the city, she turned her attention back to the alley where she was.

    In a sh of light, Noah felt her feet leave the ground. She was free floating through nothingness, yet there was immense pressure on her body. Mercifully, the sensation onlysted a few more seconds before she was unceremoniously thrown onto the ground. Rubbing the back of her head, Noah sat up to find where she hadnded.

    Gone was the alleyway with the art exhibition, deep within the city. Now she was somewherepletely different. Lining the cracked road were rows of run-down houses, many of which had ivy growing up the walls and covering the roofs. Weeds sprouted from between the cracks in the pavement.

    The streetlights that were still operational appeared to be in dire need of new bulbs. And in the distance, standing out above the houses, were derelict factories. The first drops of rain fell from the sky as Noah picked herself up and dusted herself off, her invisibility spell now beginning to wear off.

    ¡°Muell, any ideas where we are?¡± Noah asked, looking down at him. She felt a pang of annoyance when he shrugged, as he was the one who brought her there in the first ce. However, she could not stay annoyed at him for too long, as he had just saved her life.

 Chapter 204

    Noah walked through the deserted streets, peering in the houses to see if there was any sign of life around. As far as she could tell, she and Muell were the only two around for miles. The hustle and bustle of the city was as far away from them as could be.

    But she could not let herself rest easily, especially when she came across ake that was as dark as the night¡¯s sky. Fortunately for her, there was an old wooden sign next to theke that, although covered in algae, was still legible.

    ¡°Tauren District 13: Harrell. Oh, what a relief. We¡¯re still in Tauren. But I have never heard of Harrell. Appears to be an industrial town of sorts. Where is everyone?¡± Noah nced back out over the empty streets.

    Harrell was a far cry from the busy metropolitan city hade from. Noah theorized that for every massively developed city where the wealthy lived, there was an area that was on the opposite end of the spectrum.

    Even if Harrell was popted, it seemed as though it would be one of those ces where everyone lived in poverty and made their living at the factories. But that only made her feel more tense and on edge. Now that her invisibility spell had worn away, she was standing out, and not just because of the blue paint still staining her clothes.

    She had to expect that security in a ce like the slums was not that great. Abandoned areas like Harrell made for prime hiding ces for those who wereying low and hiding from thew.

    ¡°We should leave, Mu, before anyone shows up. Hopefully we¡¯ll meet up with Kyle before long.¡± Noah scooped Muell into her arms and moved down to the banks of theke. If someone was going to sneak up on her, she¡¯d rather be out in the open whilst she searched for the way out.

    As Noah got closer to theke, more factories were visible from behind the dense forest thaty on the other side. However, she could also see that patches of thick green grass were growing on the surface of the ckke, and a rotting old tree stood on a small ind in the center. The water was so dark she couldn¡¯t see the bottom of the tree, and the smell left something to be desired.

    She hadn¡¯t even taken ten steps and she was pinching her nose to block out the stench. The closer she got, the worse it became. And when she got close enough, she could finally see why theke was so dark: it was wastewater, with a thickyer of ck grease covering the surface of the water. Dozens of dead fish were floating on the surface. Noah knew about the aftermath of rapid industrialization, but she had never seen it on a wide-spread scale. Usually only a handful of small rivers were polluted, but never an entireke.

    ¡°What were the factories doing to create this much waste?¡± She said to Muell, who was desperately trying to break free of her grip. He managed to slip free and tear down towards theke, Noah sprinting close behind him. She picked him just before he dipped his hands beneath the surface. ¡°Hey! Muell! Stay back! We don¡¯t know what is lurking below the surface. Or what has been dumped into it.¡± She stepped back away from theke.

    ¡°But Noah, I can feel magic. It¡¯s faint, but there are definitely traces of the magic.¡± Muell tilted his head up to look at her. ¡°It¡¯sing from somewhere around here.¡±

    ¡°Magic?¡± Noah lowered Muell to the ground and crouched down. ¡°Why would magic be here?¡± She had thought it was just environmental pollution, like some normal side effects of industrialization, but Muell said he felt magic nearby.

    ¡°There are two kinds of magic: manual, and automatic.¡± Muell held up two fingers. ¡°With manual types, the user has to intentionally and physically release the magic. But with automatic, any natural spells that ur will be processed automatically. You with me so far?¡±

    Noah nodded, even though she really wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Now, here is my theory.¡± Muell nodded to the factories in the distance. ¡°Automatic spells can be mass produced. Which is what I think has happened here. Or, rather, is happening here. Nothing else would produce waste on such a massive scale, enough to fill an entireke.¡±

    Noah pondered on Muell¡¯s words, and what it would mean for Laurent and the world if such mass production of automatic spells was taking ce. Anyone would be able to get their hands on magic, and plunge the world into chaos.

    ¡°So, what can we do, Muell? We¡¯ve found a secret factory, one deep within an abandoned district. Why was it abandoned in the first ce? And how long has this been taking ce?¡± She got to her feet. ¡°We need to find Kyle. He would have an idea of what to do.¡±

 Chapter 205

    If there was a factory beyond thatke, it made sense that theke was clogged up with magic. And amongst them was where Adrian¡¯s cloning research took ce.

    Noah was uncertain of what to do. In front of her was, potentially, an industrial zone where vast amounts of magic were produced. And behind her was a town that was seemingly abandoned. She did, at least, back away from theke. There was only so much of the stench that she could handle.

    There was still no sign of Perri, the fairy she had sent off to track down Kyle. When she did find Kyle, she would be able to ry his location back to Muell so he could transport Noah there with little fuss.

    Unsure of how long she was going to wait, Noah sat down on a rock and rummaged through her bag until she found her spyss.

    Through the spyss, she was unable to spot any factories. Theke seemed to stretch on for miles, seemingly with no end in sight.

    ¡°A vastke with this amount of contamination, and no factories in sight.¡± Noah mused aloud to herself. ¡°A underground pipe that carries waste materials from far away?¡±

    Her thoughts were interrupted when Muell rapidly tugged on her arm to get her attention.

    ¡°Noah, they¡¯re here! They¡¯ve found us!¡± Muell was breathing heavily, and ncing in the direction of the town. Noah leapt to her feet, scattering the contents of her bag onto the ground.

    ¡°Muell, cast your invisibility spell again!¡± She scrambled around trying to gather up her belongings and shove them back into her bag.

    She wondered how they managed to track her down to such a remote location, and what they wanted with her.

    As she shoved everything back into her bag, she stumbled upon Largo¡¯s Eyeball. She wondered what eye she was hiding: the one that saw everything or the one acted as a projector. She had lost one of them whilst aboard The Angelic, and thought she would never find it again. However, there was a chance that those chasing her had the other eye. After all, they were affiliated with Yulem, the same person who sent out the first wave of assassins after her.

    ¡°I won¡¯t know until I try, I suppose.¡± She said as she tapped the side of the eye. Instantly, a screen was projected from the iris. Noah yelped in surprise and dropped the eye, watching as hooded figures appeared on the screen. Panic set in her stomach when she could see four pairs of eyes staring at her, and quickly checked that Muell¡¯s magic had worked. To her immense relief, she was invisible and the assassins couldn¡¯t see her.

    ¡°It seems like she does have the other eye. She must be using some invisibility magic.¡± One of them turned to the person to their left. ¡°Run the tracker again. We should be able to find her again even if she has vanished.¡± The assassin pulled out a small scanner and held it up to the screen. A few secondster, they lowered it to check the screen. As Noah nervously waited to see what they would do, a horrifying thought crossed her mind. They already knew where she was, as they were radioing support to track her down. The moment she got her eye out and connected to the other one, they had her location. Usually, she kept it buried inside her bag, thus the connection between the two eyes was weakened, or outright severed.

    If she had just ced the eye back into her bag without fiddling with it, she may have been able to escape without alerting them to her location.

    She cursed herself for being clumsy and dropping the content of her bag, which allowed her toe into contact with the eye in the first ce.

    ¡°Look, the screen is crystal clear. She¡¯s got the other eye, I¡¯m sure of it.¡± One of the people stepped forwards and stared directly into the camera. Though their face was covered by the hood, Noah felt like they were staring directly into her soul. ¡°Enjoying the show? Thank you for using the eye, and showing us where you are. Now, be a goodss and turn yourself in.¡± The assassin held up a radio, and gave it a quick shake. ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to run. We¡¯ll be able to catch you soon enough, and we¡¯ll bring back up.¡±

    Noah rubbed her arms, desperately trying to figure out what to do. She could throw the eye away, but it would be pointless if they already knew where she was. Plus, provided she could get the other one back, it could be uselesster on.

    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± She uncurled herself and lifted her head up to address the camera, not wanting to give the impression that she was inwardly terrified. ¡°You win. I¡¯ll turn myself in.¡±

 Chapter 206

    The assassins on the other end were smirking, Noah could tell. But she had no intention of going with them. If she ran away, or got Muell to teleport her away, they would just chase after her at the new location.

    And then, an idea shed across her mind, one that almost made her gasp out loud. She mped her hands over her mouth and turned to Muell, who was staring off into the void. His eyes were glossed over, indicating that he was in conversation with Perri, who had found Kyle.

    ¡°Muell, take the eye and go to Kyle. Perri has been in touch with you, hasn¡¯t she?¡± She whispered, not wanting to alert her assants to her n.

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not leaving you, Noah!¡± Muell protested, clinging onto the hem of her trousers. His eyes were watering as Noah gently shushed him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright. It¡¯s to lure them to them Kyle. Just actually at Kyle. He¡¯ll know what to do!¡± Noah smiled at Muell and picked up the eye, ready to sever the connection.

    ¡°Hey, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± The leader of the assassins shouted at her. ¡°Don¡¯t try and run. We¡¯ll find you, no matter where you run off to!¡±

    ¡°I said I would turn myself in. I never said I would do it quietly.¡± Noahughed as she severed the connection and ced the eye into Muell¡¯s pocket. ¡°Tell Kyle to be careful. And you, as well. Take care of each other. Now go!¡±

    The runes spread beneath Muell¡¯s feet. Noah shielded her eyes from the bright lights, and when she opened them again Muell had vanished.

    ¡°There¡¯s never a peaceful day¡­¡± Noah sighed before sprinting away from theke, trying to stay out of sight as the invisibility spell began to wear off. She hid behind arge tree, and within seconds the assassins had reached where she had been. They thrashed about, likely seeing if she was pulling a double bluff.

    ¡°Come on, Muell¡­¡± She muttered under her breath as she grew more agitated. With them still lurking around, and more to arrive, she would be caught again. Her admittedly rash n would all be naught. The only hope she would have would be that Kyle connected to the other eye and found where she was before it was toote.

    ¡°She¡¯s given us the slip! She¡¯s back in the city!¡± An assassin cried out as they held up the eye. ¡°It¡¯s been reconnected! Everyone, move out!¡±

    Noah breathed a shakily sigh of relief as they all teleported away. She was safe, and Kyle would know how to handle them. With one problem tackled, at least for now, there was still the problem of what was going on within this town.

    And how the assassins were able to call for backup so quickly. Surely, it would have taken time for the extra help to arrive. After all, Noah was in some backwater town off the beaten path. The first group took an hour to track down her location.

    There was, of course, the likelihood that because her location had been revealed to all, they would know instantly where to travel without having to manually search everywhere. However, Noah could not shake off the feeling that there was something else going beneath the surface. Had the assassins been camping out, as if they knew where she had run off to? And why did Muell choose to teleport her to town, when there was the whole of Taurent he could have chosen? Unless, he didn¡¯t have a choice where he travelled and was pulled here by some outward force Noah didn¡¯t understand.

    Noah pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She had been wrapped up in something bigger than she imagined. Theke that had unnaturally high levels of pollution, despite not a single factory being in sight. Yulem¡¯s assassins, and what exactly they want from her. And now the town of Harrell. Everything was connected, and she had to find out how. And what part she yed in it all.

    Leaving theke behind, Noah set off back towards the town. She prayed that Kyle and Muell were alright. She felt guilty for dumping her assassin problem on them, and she would apologise to them both when she next met up with them.

    If she ever met up with them¡­

    ¡°No, don¡¯t be stupid Noah!¡± Noah pped herself hard across the face. ¡°Don¡¯t think like that. They will be fine. All you need to do is focus on this town and not getting into even more trouble than you already are.¡± She let out a nervousugh, the realization of what she was doing now fully sinking in.

    <strong>TN: Hello! Would you like to read advanced chapters of this novel?</strong>

 Chapter 207

    Kyle stood in the paint-covered alley, pressing his temples in an attempt to stop the oing headache. His intuition was never mistaken. After leaving the hotel, they were supposed to stay together. And now Noah had vanished, leaving behind a trail of chaos.

    As he let out a weary sigh, Muell appeared out of thin air. He scurried over and quickly informed Kyle on Noah¡¯s whereabouts, and what had transpired in the alleyway. Kyle listened, curious as to what Noad had nned.

    ¡°And the assassins¡­ They should be here any minute!¡± Muell handed Kyle the Eye of Largo. ¡°She lured them here. Said you could deal with them.¡±

    ¡°Did she now? Tell me, why did she send you to tell me this news, rather than tell me herself? You can teleport her, so why didn¡¯t you?¡± Kyle rolled the Eye between his fingers. ¡°Why would you leave her alone in such a dangerous ce.¡±

    ¡°Please, I wanted to bring her with me, I swear! She made mee here alone. Something about how she wanted to investigate the area.¡± Muell clung to Kyle¡¯s leg. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t try harder!¡±

    ¡°Noah is infuriatingly stubborn. I¡¯m sure she has her reasons, but she still could havee back and reported what was happening to me. That way we could have gone and solved the mystery together. And as for these assassins¡­¡± Kyle lightly juggled with the Eye, tossing it from one hand to the next. ¡°When did you say they would be here?¡±

    Paint cans rattled further down the alleyway, alerting Kyle to the presence of the assassins. He tucked the Eye back into his pocket and scooped up Muell to rest him on his shoulder. Pulling his retriever from its holster, he loaded up the barrel and cocked it so it was ready to fire.

    ¡°Who¡¯sing, your master? Or¡­¡± He called out into the empty alleyway. ¡°Are you too just a clump of metal?¡±

    He vividly remembered the time he had chased several assassins, cloaked in robes, in The Angelic. One of them had taken into possession one of Largo¡¯s Eye, but before he could retrieve it, he was suffocated by a strongvender scent, paralyzing his senses. Afterwards, he could only remember the Eye, unable to recall the appearance of his enemy.

    However, what he thought was human had shattered into chunks of metal by the dragon¡¯s sharp fangs. Kyle thought it was impossible to salvage the other Eye, but seeing his situation now, the missing Eye was indeed intact.

    His thoughts conjured a spection: the replica¡¯s ¡®real form¡¯ had been aboard on The Angelic that time. But who was it? How true was it that Adrian Rossinell had left for Central Edman to restore the damaged railway?

    Kyle tightened his grip on the revolver; surely, he would acquire information from the assassins. His thoughts quickly leaned toward other more important things. Noah has to eat lunch.

    ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± Muell poked Kyle¡¯s shoulder excitedly.

    From the corner of the alley were five shadows. The first of the assassins leapt into the air, their weapon at the ready. He chuckled as he aimed his revolver and aimed it at them. His mind only thought of one thing: take care of this mess and get back to Noah.

    ¡°Nice of you to join me. Perhaps your little friends would like to join me, as well.¡± He said as he pulled the trigger, the first shot firing out.

    ***

    Harrell was a much quieter vige than Noah had thought. But just because it was quiet, didn¡¯t mean it was safe.

    Every face she passed was covered in grime and filth, their eyes filled with exhaustion. Their clothing was shabbier than those who lived in the cities, mostly consisting of patches sewn onto torn trousers and shirts.

    The buildings on either side of the road were in a simr state of disrepair. Worn out curtains, broken and poorly repaired windows, squeaky doors, ck rotten fences¡­ It was clear something was happening within the vige.

    Some young boys were kicking around a ball in the road. None of them seemed to have the energy to kick the ball, let alone y a game.

    ¡°The Empire really doesn¡¯t care about those outside the cities¡­¡± Noah said to herself as she weaved between the civilians who aimlessly wandered around. They were all staring at her, as well as her clean and intact clothes.

    Noah pulled up the hood of her cloak and hurried out of the area, trying to find a ce to hide for a little while. A three-pronged fork appeared in the road, making her wonder how long she¡¯d been walking. An old sign was sticking up from the middle.

    It was hard to read everything on it since weathering had taken its toll on it. She could barely interpret the letters.

    ¡°East, Harrell School. North, district office and security forces. West, hotel. So there are security forces. That might be the best ce to start in order to figure out what is going on here.¡±

    Worryingly, the road leading to the north was more deserted than those leading east and west. Nheless, she set off along it, constantly keeping an eye out for any signs of danger. The buildings at the entrance still appeared to be livable, but the more she walked, the more the buildings were run down and abandoned. Not a single person was around.

 Chapter 208

    ¡°How did everything get like this?¡± Noah asked to herself, something crunching beneath her feet. She stopped walking and looked up to see a shop that had been ransacked, the contents of the building strewn about the road. Noah looked all around her, taking in her surroundings. Theck of people made the ce feel more dangerous. She was all alone in the ruined section of the vige, and with assassins after her, she would be easy to attack.

    After ten more minutes of aimless walking and getting lost in the confusing maze of streets, Noah finally stumbled upon a building that was mysteriously unscathed. It was as empty as the rest of the vige, but at least the door and window were intact.

    She rushed over to it, hoping it was the district office or security forces. Her hopes were dashed when he saw the sign by the door.

    ¡°Harrell Worker Hotel. They have a hotel for workers? Do they bring in extra workers from the outside?¡± Noah traced her fingers over the sign, recoiling at theyer of oil that coated the wood. The building was in a simr state, with reddish-brown bricks covered inck oil stains.

    The lights weren¡¯t on, and she couldn¡¯t feel the presence of any people around, let alone a group of assassins. The outer wall¡¯s steel beams, which scaled the whole exterior of the building, looked like they were about to copse at any moment. She also noticed how it seemed to dominate over the surrounding houses. They were all two stories maximum, but this hotel had at least six floors.

    As she examined the building, a sudden wave of horror hit her. She reread the sign over and over, and each time it said that she was by the hotel. But back at the crossroads, she saw that the hotel was in the west portion of the vige. So why, in the north section, was there a hotel?

    Now realising her mistake, Noah set off running back to the crossroads before anything else could happen. She didn¡¯t get very far before she felt the first droplets of rain on her face. Confused, she looked up to discover massive ck clouds in the sky.

    The sky above had been overcast, but there had been no indication that rain wasing. And yet, there were the dark clouds looming overhead, threatening to bring a storm. As the drops began to fall more frequently, Noah ducked into the doorway of a house and watched as the rain poured down.

    ¡°What is the deal with this rain!?¡± She said, sticking her out of the doorway to catch the droplets in her hand. To her confusion, her hands were turning ck as oilnded on her palm. Rubbing it with her fingers, she felt a faint flow of magic.

    It took less than a minute for the sunshower to turn into heavy rain, the sky turning as dark as night. In front of Noah, lights from the hotel began to light up one at a time ¡ª the sight rather spooky than fortunate. With her arms crossed, she stared at the brightly lit hotel. ¡°It¡¯s like they¡¯re seducing me to go inside,¡± she murmured.

    ¡°Hurry inside the hotel! Theke is going to overflow again!¡±

    Noah looked up from her hand and peered out of the doorway. The boys she saw kicking the ball around were racing towards the hotel. She was about to shout out that they should stay away, when she saw a glimpse of light from the corner of her eye. Bracing herself for the storm, she left the house and headed up back towards the hotel. Whilst it was previously deserted with no lights on, now it was fully illuminated with the poption of the vige hurrying into it.

    As Noah watched people run past her, she remembered what the boy said about theke overflowing. There had been oil all over the entrance of the vige. Was theke flooding that often that it left permanent oil deposits everywhere?

    Noah ducked back into a doorway to get out of the rain, and nced down at her hand. Normally, a spell of this magnitude didn¡¯t exist in nature. She pressed her palm together and watched as more people ran to safety.

    ¡°Raining oil, ake that floods on a regr basis, and the civilians fleeing to that hotel.¡± She poked at a puddle of oil outside the door. ¡°Not to mention the hotel itself mysteriously lit up as soon as the rain started. Something strange is going on here. Maybe a purification spell gone wrong? There has to be a way to properly purify this ce.¡±

    The wind and rain picked up, battering her with oil. Thest remnants of the vige were scurrying into the hotel, and Noah saw that she had no other choice but to follow them. She ran back out into the streets and followed them. As she got closer, the same thought kept crossing her mind. Even if theke was to flood, why would an entire vige have to evacuate to this hotel?

 Chapter 209

    Before entering the hotel, Noah caught a whiff ofvender. Despite the fact that she could see novender flowers around, she pushed through what felt like a thick, tingly wall of gel. Panic began to set in as she wondered if she was ever going to make it out the other end. Mercifully, she popped out and took a moment to gather her bearings.

    What she thought was a standard hotel, with a reception room that led off towards bedrooms, was in fact something entirely different. In the foyer were tables as far as the eye could see, withmps casting a harsh glow about the ce.

    Around two hundred guests were crammed around tables, calling out for champagne or close to breaking out into a fight. Heavy cigar smoke lingered around the air, causing Noah to choke as she tucked mouth and nose into her cape to avoid breathing in the fumes.

    ¡°Gambling? Here?¡± She muttered under her breath as she slinked around the walls. She spotted some scantily d women leave the game area with some men in tow, eagerly rubbing their hands. ¡°And prostitution, as well. What the hell have I stumbled upon? But that also means¡­¡±

    Someone roughly elbowed her out the way. She stumbled and caught herself on the window as she rubbed her arm. The man who had shoved her was carrying two pints of ale in both hands, dodging and weaving over to a specific table. Noah dabbed at the spilt ale that had dripped on her sleeve and red at the man¡¯s back, and then jumped slightly at the sound of someone shouting and scraping their chair back. She watched as the man tried to conjure a spell of sorts, only for it to not work. Not even a spark flew from his hand.

    ¡°You moron. Magic doesn¡¯t work in here, remember?¡± One of the other men got to his feet and lightly pped him round the head. ¡°Now stop being a sore loser and hand over the chips.¡±

    ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t work¡­ Wait, the barrier!¡± Noah pressed herself up against the window and saw a shimmering barrier in front of the hotel. She only knew it was there because of the oil trickling down it. She realised that the barrier blocked magic and spells from taking ce inside.

    She closed her eyes and tried to piece together what was happening. The contaminated magic that filled Harrell was being recycled. The source of the spell was the wastewater from the great ckke. At first nce, the seemingly insignificant amount of the spell was gathered enough that it covered theke, exerting enough power to create such a strong barrier.

    As Noah stared out the window, the intensevender scent was giving her a headache. She utched the window and opened it a fraction to allow in some fresh air.

    ¡°Are you mad?!¡± A boy, his face smeared with oil, brushed past her and mmed the window shut. ¡°Do you want to be addicted?¡±

    ¡°Addicted?¡± Noah frowned at the boy¡¯s bluntness. ¡°Addicted to what?¡±

    ¡°Have you been living under a rock, or have you somehow stumbled into this ce?¡± The boy sighed, and leant against the window. ¡°When it rains, the magic discarded from the factories spreads five times faster than before. It is also highly addictive, and if you be addicted, you¡¯re going to be deformed. It was incredibly gloomy this morning, did you not see that?¡±

    The boy stared at as if she waspletely stupid. He pointed over to a table where some men were hunched over a table. One man, half his face wrapped in a bandage, was aggressively shuffling cards in his hands. His skin was ck and calloused, just like the scales of a reptile

    ¡°See that man over there? He used to work at the wastewater disposal nt. This hotel is the only safe ce in all of Harrell. Go to bed if you have a headache. Don¡¯t blindly around outside.¡±

    The boy bolted off, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She stared out the window, watching the oil trickle down the barrier. She had no idea where Kyle or Muell were, or even if they were safe. She did end up dumping her problems on him with little warning, and then fled from the back up that was meant to be arriving. At least she was safe in the hotel, until the rain had stopped. And where, exactly, where the civilians who had all fled to safety?

 Chapter 210

    A hand mped on her shoulder and forced her around. Noah found herself face to face with a bearded man who towered her. He leered at her and shoved her away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there by the window, daydreaming! Do your job and fetch me a whiskey and ice, now!¡± His sunken eyes were heavy with sleep deprivation. And he reeked of alcohol and that all-too-familiar deepvender scent, strong enough to give Noah a slight headache.

    ¡°Get off me. I¡¯m not a waitress here.¡± Noah tried to yank the man¡¯s arm off her shoulder, but he refused to listen or let go. No matter how hard she dug in her nails, he did not budge. As ast resort, she gathered saliva in her mouth and spat directly into his face.

    ¡°You little brat! I¡¯ll teach you a lesson for not respecting your elders!¡± The man wiped the spit away using the back of his hand and balled it into a fist. He raised it into the air, his face twisted with rage.

    With a yelp, Noah flinched and held up her arms in an attempt to protect her face. As she did, she could feel a surge of magic flowing through her body, starting from heart and spreading through to her fingertips. She barely had time to react before her hand moved on their own ord, her fingers twitching and magic surging from her palms.

    Confused, Noah cautiously lowered her arms slightly to check on what had happened. The man¡¯s arm, the one that was about to punch her, was suspended in the air. Wrapped around them, barely visible save for the light sheen they gave off, were spectral ropes that stretched up to the ceiling. Noah stared in shock, wondering how she was able to aplish such a feat when magic was blocked within the walls of the hotel.

    ¡°What is this? What did you do?!¡± The man roared, thrashing his arm around to try and free it. He used his other hand to try and pull it free from the ropes, allowing Noah to take a step back and analyze the situation.

    And then the answer dawned on her. Ordinary magic, the type that as mostmon around thend, was regted. But her magic came from Muell, which was a rare form: dragon magic. Such magic was harder to keep tabs on, and as such was not as tightly controlled.

    Noah stared down at her hands and then back at the man still trying to free himself. Fortunately, everyone surrounding them was engrossed in their games to notice the man now turning red in the face as he loudly demanded what was going on.

    ¡°Oh, please shut up! ¡± She snapped at the man, who instantly became limp. The spectral ropes vanished into the air, causing the man to copse to the floor in a lump. Staring in horror, Noah quickly dragged him over to the window and propped him up like he was gazing out at the scenery.

    And then, she spotted a mark behind one of his ears that turned her blood cold.

    An R that had been crossed out.

    ¡°This symbol¡­¡± Noah racked her brains. An R is the mark engraved on humans, or the real forms of the replicas. However, the symbol had been crossed out. ¡°Does this mean that he is defective? Or, at least, not in use anymore¡­¡± Noah said as she traced her fingers over the mark. As she pondered, an ominous spection struck her. ¡°Is this ce the source?¡± she muttered.

    Leaving the man where he was, she walked as nonchntly as possible over to a table where a poke game was in full swing. One of the men was shaved bald, so Noah aimed to walk behind him. As she passed, she nced down to check behind his ear.

    There, clear as day, was the same mark. The R that had been crossed out. Next to him, the man also had the mark. Noah weaved deeper into the gambling ring, horrified to see that nearly everyone bore the crossed-out R.

    Now at the point of hyperventting, Noah scuttled back to the window. She bumped into several tables, earning her some choice words and cursing from disgruntled patrons.

    ¡°Sorry, just need to get some fresh air.¡± She nervously chuckled as she squeezed between two chairs ced closed together. At the window, she went against the boy¡¯s advice and opened it a crack to breathe in some wee fresh air. With the unconscious man staring at her with his ssy eyes, she covered him up with the curtain and tried to calm her breathing.

    For this many humans who had once been replicated, and were now all gathered in the illegal ring, how many replicas were roaming around free? She closed her eyes, praying for Kyle and Muell to finish with the assassins and reach the hotel before it was toote.

 Chapter 211

    Sensing that Kyle would take some time, Noah got to her feet and scooted along the edge of the walls to the room marked ¡°Front Office¡±. No one paid her any mind as she slipped in through the door, which was fortunately unlocked.

    The office was as run-down as the rest of the hotel, with dust and cobwebs everywhere. She tore through a desk, opening all the drawers she could reach, trying to find the guest list. This was a hotel for crying out loud. A hotel built for people to basically check-in and sleep. There had to be a guest list somewhere.

    But despite having ransacked the entire office, going through all the filing cabs, she found no trace of any guest list. There weren¡¯t even any keys to give to the guests, nor any hotel staff. She plopped down in the chair behind the desk, and thought about the hotel and what it meant.

    If it were a normal hotel, there wouldn¡¯t really be a reason to set up a barrier, which meant this was never a hotel. It was merely a ce where the lowest ss of society could congregate, and no one cared if any of them died when they were used as test subjects. Nearby, prohibited biological experiments took ce, and the resulting wastewater was dumped into theke.

    Noah groaned. She and Kyle didn¡¯t have to wait for the workers to hand over the magic ore to them, and then head to Tauren Industrial Zone. Their objective was right there.

    As Noah slumped in her chair, she heard someone entering the office. She sat up straight, her heart pounding through her chest when she saw who was approaching her.

    ¡°We meet again, long time no see.¡±

    She slowly stood out of the chair, ring at the mysterious figure. Despite what was going on around them¡ªa stench mixed with white cigarette smoke and a deepvender scent; gamblers who couldn¡¯t beat their anger and flipped the tables upside down; prostitutes looking for quick money¡ªthis man was pristine with a clean-shaven face. His blonde hair was shining underneath the broken bulbs of the chandelier.

    ***

    The inside of the alley, which was awash with color from the broken paint cans, was in the middle of being painted a new color. However, rather than being paint on the wall this time, it was the blood of the recently deceased.

    There had been three groups of five men who had run to Kyle and Muell. And it had taken less than half an hour to subdue the fifteen assassins. It would have taken more time if they had to be captured alive, but for those with lowercase ¡®r¡¯ marks behind their ears, Kyle knew there was no time for hesitation. Out of a group of fifteen, were only three ¡®real¡¯ people.

    They couldn¡¯t be seen outside of this alley, as Muell had generated a double barrier around him. Kyle leaned on the alley wall and slid down on the ground next to one of the men who was still alive.

    ¡°Will you ever learn? Stop making a big fuss over nothing. Now,¡± with the tip of his loaded revolver, he tapped the man¡¯s bruised cheek, ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of time. I have to feed someone.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyshes were flickering up and down. Kyle lowered the gun, pressing it up against his rib cage on the right side.

    ¡°Are you the one who took Largo¡¯s Eye from the Angelic?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I got it from my master.¡± The man winced as Kyle pressed his gun in harder.

    ¡°Who is your master?¡± Kyle said, remembering that one of the Yulem members he had caught on the Angelic call someone that.

    The man didn¡¯t answer. Kyle clicked his tongue when he saw the tell-tale imprint under his ¡®r¡¯ mark.It was obvious who the replicas¡¯ master was.

    ¡°Adrian Rossinell.¡±

    As soon as Kyle said the name, the man¡¯s eyes bulged out of his skull.

    ¡°So, you do know him. Where is he now?¡± Kyle asked, pressing the gun further into the man¡¯s ribs.

    ¡°Oh, the secretary, probably in the capital¡­¡± The man stammered, trying to move away from the gun. Kyle mped his hand around the man¡¯s head and pressed the revolver into his temple.

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±

    Even while knowing that Eleonora¡¯s body had disappeared, there was no way Adrian Rossinell couldn¡¯t have taken action. That¡¯s what Kyle had been suspicious about all along.

    Wouldn¡¯t a man who had stamped this many replicas make one for himself? In a simr way that Lenia Valtalere had done, he could have set up a replica in Tezeba, and the real form could be out somewhere else roaming around. If so, then where was it now?

    Kyle tightened his grip on the revolver, and the man looked pale.

    ¡°Harrell¡­!¡± The man cried out just before Kyle pulled the trigger. ¡°Tauren District 13, Harrell. Try going there! I can¡¯t say where my master really is, but if you go to the research center then you¡¯ll find out¡­¡±

    Harrell. The area where Muell had dropped Noah off at. Did he say research center?

    Kyle got to his feet and hoisted the man up by his cor.

    ¡°Take him, Muell.¡±

    Muell, who was running around the alley and putting all the bodies into a portal, looked up. Kyle slightly shook the man at him, and when Muell approached them, he threw him into the portal. Now at Kyle¡¯s side, Muell summoned the runes for the teleportation spell.

    ¡°Set the coordinates for Harrell. The same ce you and Noah went. Can you do it?¡±

    ¡°Yep!¡± Muell excitedly bobbed his head. Gold lights shed and in the next moment, both disappeared without a trace.

 Chapter 212

    Adrian hadn¡¯t changed much in the two weeks that they hadst seen each other.

    ¡°Ellie, lovely to see you again.¡± Adrian smiled at Noah. His ent was still gentle and friendly, but his expression was twisted. Or was it just Noah¡¯s imagination?

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. You¡¯ve known that for a long time. I am not Eleonora,¡± Noah spat out insensitively as she stared at him. The suspicion, which had begun when she assumed that this might be Adrian¡¯s stomping ground, grew in size when she saw the barrier surrounding the entire hotel.

    Arge-scale, borate spell that couldn¡¯t be aplished by an ordinary wizard alone. The type that was pure magic. There was only one man in Laurent named ¡®the master of pure magic¡¯. If anything went wrong beyondmon sense, it would have been right to start doubting Adrian. But still, she didn¡¯t think for a moment that he¡¯d be here.

    ¡°How did you get here? And how did you know I was here?¡± Noah asked, folding her arms across her chest.

    ¡°Earlier I received your information about yourst location, and I just so happened to be nearby. You didn¡¯t have to go outside; you were kind enough toe all the way here. All I did was make my way down here.¡± Adrian took a step forward, his arms opened wide.

    ¡°As for what I was doing here in the first ce, that¡¯s for me to know. Now, you look younger than I thought. When I saw the expressions on your face, I thought you had looked older. And I noticed the dragon called you ¡®Noah¡¯? Is that your real name?¡±

    ¡°If I tell you my name, what are you going to do for me?¡± Noah held onto her arms to stop herself from showing her nerves. ¡°After all, don¡¯t you want to know the name of the woman who has been using the body of the woman you love for two years?¡±

    Adrian sharply inhaled, and then cleared his throat. With a forced smile stered on his face, he gestured for her to follow him. He held the office door open for her, and then led her away from the crowds. When there was enough distance between them and the gambling ring, Noah finally spoke up.

    ¡°What you know is right. My name is Noah. Now it¡¯s my turn to ask you a question, right? What happened to Lenia? Did you kill her?¡±

    Probably not expecting her to get straight to the point, Adrian didn¡¯t answer and remained silent. But she could clearly see that his face was twisted with difort, so she continued questioning him.

    ¡°And why did you make this dump of a ce Harrell? Why does wastewater flow down here? It¡¯s the poor end of the district. And what do you get from this gambling ring?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to ask one question at a time?¡± Adrian tried to take control of the situation, but Noah interrupted him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought my name was worth more than just one question.¡± She shrugged. How many questions could she ask Adrian? Probably not as many as she would want, but she decided to throw everything at him that she had been curious about.

    ¡°Was it you who took Largo¡¯s eyeball from the Angelic? That was all your idea? Why? To separate Muell and me? And before that, you were the one who made a fuss on the train to Edman. And you knew that I wasn¡¯t your Eleonora, so why didn¡¯t you deal with me beforehand? When did you start caring for me? From right after when Eleonora died?¡±

    Noah stopped there and breathed heavily. The ce she¡¯d stopped walking was in front of a wooden staircase quite far from where the gambling was going on. Unlike the hotel¡¯s shabby outer appearance, the interior looked to be managed well seeing that the polished wooden stairs were glossy.

    And then there were two important questions left.

    ¡°Was that the real you in Tezeba, or a replica? And how many replicas did you make? Adrian!¡±

    She knew that Kyle had received a single, two-line message from his subordinates in the capital: ¡®Secretary Rossinell returns early.¡¯

    That meant Adrian had made at least one replica.

    Was the man standing in front of Noah the real Adrian, or a replica.

 Chapter 213

    Adrian smiled, his grin stretching from ear to ear. Though he was smiling, it did not reach his eyes, which were stone cold and emotionless. ¡°Don¡¯t just smile at me!¡± Noah stomped her foot, which she immediately regretted when it made feel like a child throwing a tantrum. ¡°Are you real, or are you a duplicate?¡±

    ¡°I am just me,¡± Adrian imed, shrugging his shoulders and pulling his hair back to reveal that the back of his ear was spotlessly clean. There was no sign of an ¡®r¡¯ or ¡®R¡¯ on him.

    Noah¡¯s forehead wrinkled deeply as she frowned. ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer anything. You could still be a replica; you might not have been tattooed!¡± Noah said, desperately trying to get Adrian to give a straight answer.

    ¡°Well¡­ if you don¡¯t believe me, I can confirm it. After all, you know how to distinguish between the real and the fake. That incident on the Angelic, didn¡¯t Kyle Leonard tell you? It¡¯s all captured on the video he recorded.¡±

    Noah couldn¡¯t tell if he was bluffing or not. There was a way to distinguish between the two forms, but it was dangerous.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Noah.¡± Adrian said, holding out his hand. His voice was soothing, as if he was trying to calm her nerves.

    Something was rather off about the conversation, but Noah stood her ground and made her mind to put Adrian to the test.

    The walls of the stairs were lined with different swords, ranging from a longsword to a tiny dagger. Focusing on that dagger, Noah reached out with her hand to wrap phantom ropes around the hilt of the dagger. She tugged on the rope with enough force to pull it free from the wall. As the de ttered to the floor, it caught Adrian¡¯s hand.

    Blood began to ooze down his arm, which made Noah¡¯s heart sink. He had been confirmed as human, as blood did not flow through replicas. She was certain that he was a replica of some sort. And yet, there he was, standing in front of her in the flesh and blood.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even try to dodge it.¡± She said, staring at Adrian¡¯s blood. He rubbed his finger over the cut, his dark red blood staining his finger.

    ¡°I take it that I have been confirmed, then. Or, am I?¡± Adrian wiped his fingers down his cheek, smearing it with blood. The sight of him with the blood on his hands, his face, and his clothing, was grotesque to see. How Adrian didn¡¯t even seem to care that he was covered in blood, and the way he left bloody handprints on everything he touched. He approached Noah, gripping the front of her shirt to pull her in closer. Noah wanted to run, to free herself from Adrian, but she was curious as to what Adrian had to say.

    ¡°Do you know how Eleonora died?¡± He leant in close to whisper into Noah¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Because you killed her. While co-researching the replica project, you fought with Eleonora near the castle. You killed her right after that, didn¡¯t you?¡± Noah said, shivers going down her spine as Adrian¡¯s breath tickled her neck.

    ¡°That¡¯s that you think. But the truth is much different than you think. She was proficient in pure magic, and a very curious individual. Eleonora really wanted to create another version of herself. Not just a machine shell over human skin. An existence that thought and moved just like her. But how could that be? A mechanical human has skin but no soul, and soulless replicas only maneuver ording to a set manual. So, what did Eleonora think of?¡± Adrian lowered his voice to a whisper as if he were about to tell his deep, darkest secret. ¡°To model it not only after the human body but after the human soul. She died attempting that.¡±

    Noah froze in ce, too stunned to move. All this time, she thought that Adrian had been the one to kill Eleonora, and then she took over the body before returning to her original form. But, as it turned out, her death was an ident. An experiment that went wrong. Goosebumps spread across her body as she looked down at Adrian¡¯s hand, the blood from his cut now dripping onto the floor.

    ¡°Adrian, you¡¯re a sess? You mean to say that someone managed to create a perfect clone of you? Or are you still messing with me?¡± She took a step back, her heart pounding against her chest as Adrian walked towards her. But if Eleonora had died during the experiments before she could create a clone, who carried on her work? Adrian himself?

 Chapter 214

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I did have some help, though. Dragon magic, as it turns out, has different properties to the regr sort. That little dragon really made all the difference. That eye was very helpful too.¡± Adrian smirked at her.

    ¡°It was you? You stole the eye and not Lenia?¡± Noah took another step back from Adrian, her breathing growing erratic. There was too much information, and none of it made sense. Was the imprint candidate Lenia, and not Adrian? Who was the Adrian that stood in front of her?

    ¡°Why are you doing all of this? What does this even mean? Answer me, Adrian! No, forget that. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Noah turned to flee, but Adrian grabbed her by the arm and yanked her backwards. Before she had time to recover, he sped his hand around her neck, his blood now oozing down her skin and soaking into her shirt.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere, Noah. You¡¯ve asked all your questions, and now it is my turn.¡± Adrian gripped onto Noah¡¯s neck, his nails digging into her flesh. His calm, if unnerving, smile had vanished. Now he was baring his teeth, like a savage animal about to devour its prey. His eyes, too, were burning with rage, the likes of which Noah had never seen.

    ¡°Adrian, please¡­¡± Noah tried to plead with him, but her words fell on death ears.

    ¡°Eleonora¡¯s body, where did you put it?¡± Adrian growled. ¡°I know you put it somewhere when you finished using it. Where is it?¡±

    Noah was suffocated by the intense pressure of the hand around her neck. She knew that Adrian was close to Eleonora, and was pleased to see her using the body of the woman he loved. And now that she was in her own body, he was furious that Eleonora had been lost to him forever. But the truth was, she had no idea where it was out what had happened to it.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything with Eleonora¡¯s body, I swear!¡± Noah mped her hand around Adrian¡¯s, trying to free herself. His grip was slipping due to the blood, but not enough that she could run away

    ¡°Then where is it?¡± Adrian yelled, mming Noah against the wall.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything with it. I didn¡¯t even lose it¡­ Muell¡¯s got it!¡± Noah¡¯s vision blurred as her head connected with the wall. Her answer seemed to satisfy Adrian, whoughed as he loosened his grip slightly to allow Noah to breathe. And then, what should have been aforting presence, Noah could sense Muell¡¯s magic throughout the air.

    ¡°Well then, it worked. Noah, you were a splendid decoy.¡± Adrian smirked, pulling out a de from the waistband of his trousers. A decoy. Adrian was going to use her as bait to call out Muell. Noah struggled again, reaching out for the dagger that she originally used to cut Adrian. She strained to get the psychic rope around the hilt, and pulled with all the strength she had left. The de flew through the air andnded in Adrian¡¯s arm. He let out a pained scream, and dropped Noah to the ground. Not wanting to stay around and give Adrian a chance to recover, Noah set off running back towards the main hall. On the way, she passed by an rm system. With Adrian now on the verge of insanity, she wanted to evacuate the hotel as quickly as possible. Just as she was about to activate it, she figured that she may as well make a real emergency.

    At the same time as she mmed the rm, she generated a small fire ball and threw it at the ground between her and Adrian. The rm had clearly not been in use for some time, and the ear-piercing scream was deafening on the ears. Disoriented from the noise and the smoke now rising from the mes, Noah fled back to the main room, where the patrons were now getting to their feet in a drunken stupor. All of them were looking at each other with expressions of confusion, until a doorman burst into the room and yelled, ¡°Fire!¡±

    Chaos erupted, with tables and chairs flying around as people leapt to their feet. Many tried to cram themselves through the tiny doorway, causing a stampede and a blockage. Noah realized that she would not be able to escape that way, and she didn¡¯t fancy dying in the mes. She grabbed a bar stool and hurled it at the windows, frowning when it bounced off.

    ¡°Here, like this!¡± Someone smashed a ss bottle open and used it to carve an X into the ss. Smoke was rapidly filling the room, causing Noah to have to duck there the air was breathable. She almost wept with joy as the widow shattered.

    But where was Muell? She had sensed that he was around, but where was he? And did he have Kyle with him? Would they be caught up in the mes?

 Chapter 215

    As Noah tried to escape from the burning building, she felt water pouring down on her. She looked up to see that the sprinkler system had activated, and was dousing the mes. Peering down the hallway she had fled from, she could see that Adrian had vanished. Breaking away from the crowds still trying to evacuate, Noah stopped by the front office to deactivate the rm system, sighing in blessed relief at the silence that followed.

    Back out in the hallway, she checked that no one was around before darting up the stairs to the second floor. A carpet spread down the narrow hallway, with dozens of numbered guest rooms on either side. Noah crept over to one that was ajar, and peered in.

    It appeared to be a regr guest room with a double bed and an en-suite bathroom, except for the people sprawled out all over the floor. They were twitching, which did nothing to soothe Noah¡¯s nerves. She slipped out the room and carried back up the corridor.

    There was a sense of unease about the ce, one she could not put her finger on. Those people, were they simply there because they needed to rest after a heavy day of drinking? Or were they part of something much more sinister.Not to mention how the corridor seemed to be changing around her.

    She could feel it getting narrower, and it was far too short to cover the span of the hotel. Wanting to leave the corridor and continue exploring, Noah tried to step foot onto the stairs leading to the third floor. Instead, she was met with strong resistance, as if she had encountered another barrier.

    No matter how hard she pushed, the barrier would not give. She clicked her tongue in annoyance, and summoned fire in her palm. Sparks from the mes lit the barrier and began to burn it away.

    But it was soon clear that it was burning more than the barrier away.

    The wooden stairs and rails, which had started to rot, turned into brass that gleamed under the light of her mes. Along the walls, the paintings disappeared, leaving only the frames behind. Before Noah could take in the sudden change, she was flung to the floor by a rumble from deep within the hotel.

    She curled up in a ball until the movement ceased, praying that the hotel did not copse on her. When all was quiet, Noah scrambled to her feet. She wanted nothing more than to flee, but something was pulling her up to the third floor. Some unknown force that she couldn¡¯t refuse.

    As if in a daze, Noah climbed up the stairs to the third floor and stared in awe at the scene unfolding before her. Simr to the floor below, dozens of rooms spanned either side of the hallway.

    What was different was the wooden picture frames that had turned into windows, and the stair rail turned into a pipe going across the wall. Dim lights cast an orange glow, one that made it hard to see where Noah was going. As she approached one of the doors, she noticed that they were not wooden, like those downstairs. Instead, there was iron, with a circr window inserted.

    As she peered in, Noah caught a whiff of the familiarvender scent. Inside the room, people were standing around, a vacant expression on their faces.

    ¡°What is this ce?¡± Noah stepped back from the door, horrified at the amount of people who seemed to be locked in the rooms. She buried her head in her hands, trying not to hyperventte. Though it was her goal to find theboratory, she had not actually intended to find it so easily. She expected more of a challenge to find it, and now she had, she didn¡¯t have a clue as to what to do. As she tried to calm her breathing, she heard a creaking noise in front of her. Her head shot up, and all she could see was white.

    With a panicked cry, she shot a fireball out in front of her. The figure yelled in fright and leapt out the way, allowing her fireball to travel down the corridor where it came into contact with the walls and sizzled out.

    ¡°Human?¡± She whimpered, another fireball at the ready. The man blinked a couple of times, then turned around to reveal the ¡°R¡± behind his ears.

    ¡°Who are you? This ce is strictly off-limits to those who do not have permission from the owner.¡± The man cleared his throat and tried his best to sound authoritative.

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m a friend of the owner,¡± Noah used her sweetest voice, curling her hair around her finger. ¡°Lenia Valtalere. Do you know where she is?¡± She added with a girlish giggle.

    The man looked as though he wanted to protest, but instead he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

 Chapter 216

    ¡°Right this way, Miss.¡± He led Noah down the corridor. As they walked, he introduced himself as Pecker, Former Ministry of Magic in Laurent. He had worked at the researchboratory for nearly two years, under the covert orders of Adrian. Besides him, there were no other researchers. ording to Pecker, one week ago Adrian suddenly got rid of all the researchers here, now only keeping a minimum number of employees.

    ¡°One week ago? That was when he had gotten a sample of Muell¡¯s magic. If he hade here with it and made a replica of it, the timing would be just right.¡± Noah muttered under her breath. Pecker had obviously heard her as he stopped to face her.

    ¡°Is something the matter, Miss?¡± He said, staring directly into her eyes.

    ¡°Oh, no. Nothing wrong at all.¡± Noah shed her best smile, and gestured for Pecker to keep walking. ¡°Well, I suppose¡­ You see, Adrian never really exined what was going on to me. He just told me toe here, and didn¡¯t tell me why.¡± She did her best to sound like a lost and hopeless girl who had no idea what was going on.

    ¡°Oh. He didn¡¯t tell you about the replica manufacturing process?¡± Pecker scoffed. That was music to Noah¡¯s ears. She was definitely in the right ce. Now she just needed to find theboratory.

    ***

    The rain had almost stopped when Kyle arrived at the dpidated vige. He looked out at the abandoned area and frowned.

    ¡°Here, Muell? Really? Of all the ces in the world, you chose to travel here?¡± He sighed. There have been articles in the city¡¯s newspaper because the pollution level has suddenly risen over the past two years, causing arge number of hospital patients. His face twisted as he looked around the ckke, the oil-stained streets, and the dark buildings.

    ¡°If you¡¯re wondering why, it¡¯s because I set the coordination to where Noah wanted to go. I mean, how many times have you mentioned to Noah that you wanted to travel here?¡± Muell poked his head out from Kyle¡¯s hood. And Kyle knew that Muell was right.

    The ce where both Kyle and Noah wanted to go, the one destination they were heading to together after they had left Novischosha. Somewhere in Tauren¡¯s industrial zone where prohibited magic research was being conducted. Adrian Rossinell¡¯s researchboratory.

    He walked in silence, taken aback by theck of civilians around. ncing up at the sky, he could see that it was dark, but not dark enough to warrant people huddling down in their homes. Though, as he soon found out when he had a quick peek, there was no one in their homes either.

    ¡°Any idea what happened, Muell?¡± Kyle said as he carried on walking up the path. ¡°Something to do with this rain, perhaps?¡± He held his out to catch the droplets of oil. Rubbing it between his fingers, it suddenly dawned on him why people had evacuated.

    And why Noah had disappeared, as well.

    ¡°Mister, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Muell said as Kyle picked him up off of his shoulder. He sat firmly on his arm, clinging to it. Kyle began to walk briskly towards the fork in the middle of the road.

    ¡°Tell me if you feel anything, Muell.¡± Kyle grit his teeth. The vige was heavily polluted, and increasing in intensity the more he entered. If someone with no immunity, like Noah, traveled around without protection, they would soon start developing symptoms including headaches and nausea. And then, they would be addicted to the magic around the air.

    Kyle hoped, and prayed, that he was not toote.

    ¡°Noah¡¯s surely found somewhere safe.¡± He muttered to himself when he came to the fork in the road. ¡°Muell, which way did she travel?¡±

    ¡°Noah went north. I see the traces of her magic.¡± Muell pointed in the direction Noah had traveled. Kyle walked past the sign without even looking at it, instead focusing on therge building that was slowlying into view. It was vast, and towered over the surrounding buildings. He came to a stop a few feet away, and scowled.

    ¡°This must be it. Adrian Rossinell¡¯s secret project. I wonder if we will run into the man himself.¡± His jaw tightened. ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice that we are not alone. What¡¯s up with these people here?¡±

    Outside the hotel were hundreds of confused patrons, all huddled together and talking amongst themselves. They were looking back in towards the hotel, peering through the broken windows as if searching for something.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see Noah.¡± Muell whispered into Kyle¡¯s ear. ¡°I think she might be inside.¡±

    ¡°Yes, so do I.¡± Kyle folded his arms. ¡°What have you gotten yourself into this time, Noah?¡±

 Chapter 217

    As Noah had expected, each section of the third floor was used for different purposes. As Pecker led her through the corridor, they passed through automatic doors simr to those found in Eleonora¡¯s mansion. Noah breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar technology, when she waspletely blinded by a shing light. She blinked the dots away from her vision as the screen on the door started beeping and flickering. An eerie message with red letters appeared up on the screen:

    <b>[UNKNOWN]</b>

    ¡°What was that about?¡± She asked as she faced Pecker. He only shrugged as tapped on a keyboard to dismantle to open the door leading into the mainboratory. The door slid open, allowing Noah to walk in and stare in awe at everything.

    She let out a low whistle at the sheer size and scale of the ce, as it easily spanned the fourth and fifth floors. To her right, thousands of huge blueprints were pinned up on a wall. A few of them were even familiar to Noah. Blueprints for magic turbines like the ones in Adrian¡¯s library at the imperial castle, airship designs using steam engines, propulsion propellers¡­

    She took a couple of steps back, enabling her to see thergest print in the centre of it all: the design for the ¡®Replica Project¡¯ which had disappeared from Adrian¡¯s library.

    When Noah closely examined the design, she saw a drawing that looked like the anatomy of the human body. The only differences were the use of refined ores ced where the organs were supposed to be, and the iron cables recing the blood vessels.

    Below it, the ores had been organized ording to the content range of the magic. In front of Noah, the processes from manufacturing magic ores to the assembly of human-type replicas were all detailed.

    The remaining two walls¨Cthe one behind Noah and to the left¨Cwere filled withpletely different research. Noah spun round to see that the space above the door was a huge ckboard. Magic forms were scribbled on it, enough to make Noah¡¯s brain like it had stopped working. Some errors had urred in the calctions, since some forms had been crossed out and there were traces of things that had been erased. And finally, the wall to the left was full of bookshelves that were crammed with books.

    It soon became clear that the wall filled with designs and processes was Eleonora¡¯s work, and the wall filled with magic forms was Adrian¡¯s work. Like a space that was a concentration of all the pure magic and manufactured magic in the world.

    Noah reflected on what Adrian had said, about how perfect replicas were modelled not only after the human body, but after the human soul.¡±

    Which meant that somewhere, there had to be a method of that written down.

    Noah summoned a fireball and let it hover over her head, allowing her to search theboratory for any sign of Adrian¡¯s work.

    ¡°Pecker? I¡¯m looking for a way that a soul can be injected into a replica. Do you have any idea where to look?¡± She said, turning to face Pecker. He rubbed his arms and looked down at his feet.

    ¡°Master Adrian hasn¡¯t given me permission to read them¡±

    ¡°Who says you are going to be reading them?¡± Noah smiled sweetly at him and batted her eyes. ¡°You just show me where they are, and technically you haven¡¯t broken any rules.¡±

    Pecker, seemingly defeated, picked up from the messy desk a thick bunch of papers tied loosely with a cord.

    ¡°Here. Adrian was holding onto this. You might find something useful.¡± He dropped it onto the table in front of Noah.

    As soon as Noah looked at the cover, she noticed it was what she had been searching for.

    <Replica Project by A.R.>

    She flipped open the pages, reading the first page to herself.

    04.17.578

    Eleonora has died. However, a piece of her has been kept safe. The damage is already so severe that it took a long time to find a witness and bring them back to theboratory.

    ¡°What is the ¡®piece¡¯ secured in a safe ce? And what witness?¡± Noah muttered as flipped through the stack of documents. She read on to find that some impurities that were not in the calctions had intervened, but there seemed to be no harm. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that this ¡®impurity¡¯ is me who¡¯s stitched to Eleonora¡¯s body. Adrian, that bastard. Where do you get off treating humans like germs?¡± She mmed her fists on the bench, sending papers everywhere. As she bent down to pick them up, it dawned on her that if this had happened, the ¡®piece¡¯ that was also stored in a safe ce must mean Eleonora¡¯s soul, which had exited her body.

    With everything back on the table, Noah continued to read down the pages.

 Chapter 218

    Rather, things have turned out quite well, and I will make it happen for you. Except, this time, I will do things my own way. Eleonora, you crazy¡­ I begged you not to do such a thing. You brought all of this onto yourself.

    ¡°Oh, he was so torn up about her death.¡± Noah sighed, flipping over the pages.

    11.09.579

    When the unity of the soul and the body is torn away by an external shock.

    ¡°What, what? Unity of the soul and body. Where have I heard this before?¡± Noah scanned further down the page.

    At the same time, so as to prevent the extinction of the soul as it¡¯s ripped from the body, it is ced in an object where the replica process is entered, or, in other words, ¡®hacked¡¯.

    But it doesn¡¯t look like there is a way to perfectly duplicate the soul without damaging it. No matter how much almighty power is borrowed, it is impossible to create something out of nothing. The ¡®record¡¯ is possible, but the ¡®duplicate¡¯ isn¡¯t. Damage done to the soul is toorge.

    A defect. Noah recalled the defects in the gambling ring on the first floor; those who had never been seen as normal. They¡¯d be guinea pigs of the Replica Project, so their souls were forever damaged.

    She flicked through more pages, the records spanned over a few days. And then a few months.

    If there is no point in trying to duplicate everything, change the way you think. It¡¯s not about making one more, it¡¯s about making two¡­

    How would it turn out if one were divided into two?

    Noah felt shivers run down her spine as goosebumps spread across her body. The record showed when Adrian¡¯s thoughts had reached a turning point. If it¡¯s impossible to create another one that¡¯s already there, divide it into two. But dividing it like that would no doubt make the two halves iplete. Was such a thing even possible?

    The text that filled the next page was a bit smudged:

    03.12.580

    Divided without damage. It¡¯s looking more and more impossible to choose the parts I only want.

    Failure.

    03.15.580

    Failure.

    03.21.580

    Failure.

    03.27.580

    Failure.

    Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure¡­ Nearly twenty pages of failures had been recorded. When Noah urgently flipped through the pages one at a time, a page appeared with the word ¡®failure¡¯ written on the bottom with a new phrase:

    04.02.580

    Failure.

    Doesn¡¯t work through human strength alone.

    She gasped, her words dying in her throat. Checking the date, she saw that the entry was dated from the second of April. The dragon¡¯s egg disappeared on the seventeenth of April. Now the puzzles were starting to fall into ce.

    At first, it was Adrian, not Lenia, who had stolen the egg from the heavily guarded imperial castle. Then why had Lenia been the one to be the imprint?

    ¡°Pecker.¡± Noah looked at Pecker and folded her arms across her chest. ¡°Lenia Valtalere. This is not the first time she has stepped foot in thisboratory, is it? Pecker! Answer me!¡±

    ¡°No! No, it isn¡¯t. Lenia has been with Master Adrian ever since theboratory moved here two years ago.¡± Pecker stammered, avoiding Noah¡¯s eye contact. ¡°She¡¯s never left his side.¡±

    And then, the pieces started to fall together in Noah¡¯s mind. Lenia hade to Harrell with Adrian two years ago. If, as Noah was assuming, she had stayed for a long time, everything else fell into ce: Lenia being able to make copies of herself, her stealing Adrian¡¯s egg and bringing it back to Noah, and the never-ending fear of being killed by Adrian.

    Adrian had stolen the egg, and the person who had stolen it back from him and returned it to Noah was Lenia. In the process, Lenia had mistakenly been contacted by the egg, suddenly bing the imprint candidate. And thus, she was able to be replicated with no problems. She was not another one of Adrian¡¯s ¡®failures¡¯.

    But if that was the case, when did she first meet with Adrian and be hisboratory partner?

    ¡°Pecker, you said that Lenia came here two years ago with Adrian, right?¡± She said, frantically flicking through the papers. ¡°Where did they move from?¡±

    When Pecker didn¡¯t respond, she mmed her hands on the table again. He leapt back with a yelp.

    ¡°The oldboratory was in Eleonora¡¯s mansion in Tezeba.¡± He squeaked. ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore than that, I promise!¡±

    ¡°So, the oldboratory was in Eleonora¡¯s mansion until she was killed. And then they moved everything here.¡± Noah slumped against the desk. ¡°How does Leniae into all this? Where did¡­ Where did she meet Adrian? I need to see her, and get the answers from her.¡±

 Chapter 219

    Noah came to the conclusion that Lenia had been the one to witness Eleonora¡¯s copse, as well as Adrian¡¯s presence. If that was the case, then where was she?

    Noah ran her hands through her hair, exhaustion beginning to set in. Her feet were killing her, and she desperately needed some food and drink. But she couldn¡¯t rest until she got to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the hotel.

    ¡°Pecker, please. I need you to take me to where Lenia is.¡± She looked over at Pecker, who was still nervously fidgeting with his hands. ¡°Earlier, you mentioned there was a manufacturing process. Where is it?¡±

    ¡°This way, please.¡± Pecker said with his head bent down. He walked over to the wall opposite them, which had a small iron door in the bottom right corner. Noah looked at the sign that read ¡®RESTRICTED AREA¡¯, and was about to summon another fireball when Pecker blocked her path.

    ¡°No, wait! I¡¯ll do it! It¡¯s an automated process from here on out, designed to blow up the whole process when impuritiese in.¡± Pecker stammered over his words. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t purposely break the door down or interfere in the process. Please wait, since I am one of the only people who has ess.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll just wait over there.¡± Noah sighed and vaguely gestured to the wall. She leant against it and watched as Pecker scurried over to the control panel and diligently tapped on the keyboard. When a password input window appeared on the transparent door, he started typing in the secret code.

    A cogwheel installed inside the door could be seen spinning, while a whirring sound grew louder. Before long, the other interlocking cogwheels were also turning, and the lock on the door began to lift. When the door was fully opened, Noah kicked herself off the wall and approached Pecker.

    ¡°Can I go now?¡± She asked, peering in through the door. Inside everything was shrouded in darkness. Pecker pressed a button on the control pad, causing the area to be illuminated.

    Noah was stunned at the sight thaty before her. The room opened up into a seemingly endless chasm. As she leaned over the barrier, trying not to sumb to vertigo, she could see arge pile of magic stones forming a mountain. Up ahead, there didn¡¯t seem to be any distinguishing floors, as the area stretched from floor to ceiling.

    The entire space was taken up by hundreds of pulleys hanging from the pitch-ck ceiling and walls, tight-pulled belts, and w machines that operated nonstop and automatically assembling the replicas.

    The assembled replicas, afterpletion, were ced into cylindrical devices sticking out of the wall. Noah watched it all unfolded, frowning at the immense heat on her right cheek. She nced down to see a huge furnace boiling in a sunken space in the wall.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream, right?¡± She said, gazing at the scale of the operation. She couldn¡¯t help but admire it, even if there was a voice in her head telling her that such a thing should be impossible.

    No matter how big the hotel was, it would have been too much to implement this kind of process. Even if the floors and such had been demolished to make room, it would still be too small. There had to be some magic involved, some kind of space distortion spell. If the wall was bent that much, what did it look like from the outside?

    And how good at pure magic was Adrian Rosinell? He had to have been the one to cast a spell on this magnitude. There was no doubt that Eleonora Asil wasn¡¯t the only genius in this generation.

    ¡°So, where is Lenia?¡± Noah folded her arms over the railing. ¡°Is she around here somewhere?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s there.¡± Pecker pointed his trembling hand toward the diagonal space below. Far away, they could see a cut-off path that seemed to be the original hallway. ¡°You can build stairs in the air, but if you cross this space recklessly, there is a chance you cannd on the conveyor belts.. If that happens, you will be knocked right down into the boiling furnace.¡±

    Noah, her face nched, turned to look at Pecker and discovered he was diligently tapping away at the control panel again. But before he could exin what he was doing, the ground beneath Noah¡¯s feet violently jolted and caused her to lose her bnce. She fell through the air until shended on something solid with a thump. Too stunned to move, and pain radiating from her hips, she was powerless to move as she was taken on a journey against her will.

 Chapter 220

    Noah felt herself sliding around for a long time, followed by a sudden jerking motion as her body soared upwards. Motion sickness was kicking in as Noah tried to right herself and work out where she was.

    With great difficulty, she heaved herself into a sitting position. There, she could finally see that she was on a conveyor belt that was rapidly travelling the vast expanse of theplex. She scanned the belt as best she could, and came to the horrifying conclusion that she was heading towards the furnace.

    ¡°Think, Noah, think!¡± She frantically looked around for something that she could use to save herself. As she searched, she failed to notice the conveyor belt take a sharp turn. With a sharp cry, she lost her bnce once more and tumbled to the ground. Fortunately, the fall was not substantial enough to cause broken bones. Unfortunately, Noah hadnded on a hard, concrete floor. She winced as she rolled onto her back and rubbed her shoulder.

    ¡°Who designs a ce like this¡­!¡± She cursed, writhing on the floor in pain.

    ¡°Are you alright?! You took quite a fall there. I did try to warn you not to fall onto the conveyor belts, as you¡¯ll be taken to the furnace.¡±

    Noah lifted her head irritably. Pecker was hurrying over to her, his face contorted with worry. He bent down in front of her and offered her a hand. She reached out with her non-injured shoulder, and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

    ¡°How did you get down here?¡± She wiped herself down and rubbed her aching shoulder. ¡°And where are we, anyway?¡±

    ¡°There was another way down, one I was about to take you before the ground shifted and made you lose your bnce.¡± Pecker fiddled with the hem of his jacket. ¡°As for where we are, well¡­¡±

    Noah, revealed to be on solid ground, took the time to properly inspect her surroundings. She hadnded in front of a cage made of steel bars. Inside, she could see six people trapped with tubes and needles sticking into their bodies. Their eyes were closed, and there was no sign of them moving. From afar, they could be mistaken for life-size dolls.

    ¡°Oh God. Are these¡­ Are these replicas? Or the originals?¡± She hurried over to the bars, where one person caught her eye. ¡°Lenia? Lenia, is that you?¡± Noah rattled on the bars. ¡°Lenia Valtalere, answer me!¡±

    Lenia lifted her head up, her eyes zed over. Her hair was in dire need of a wash, and she was covered in filth. Noah rattled on the lock to the cage, frustrated when it wouldn¡¯t budge. She stepped back and sted it with a fireball, metal fragments flying everywhere. With the door unlocked, Noah flung it open and rushed inside to Lenia.

    When their eyes had met, Noah thought Lenia hade to her senses, but the woman was not in a normal state. Though she looked better than someone who haspletely lost consciousness¡­

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Lenia¡¯s voice was croaky, like she had been without water for some time.

    ¡°Me¡­? It can wait. First, let¡¯s get you out of here.¡± Noah began the painstaking process of removing the needles and tubes from Lenia¡¯s body, as well as unfastening her bindings. She then slung Lenia¡¯s arm over her shoulder and carried her out the cage. As Lenia¡¯s head slumped, Noah could see the R behind her ear.

    ¡°You¡¯re real. Oh, thank God you are real.¡± Noah lightly traced a finger over the R. This was the Lenia who knew Adrian¡¯s deepest secret, gave Noah the dragon¡¯s eggs, and witnessed the reality of the strange hotel.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Lenia groaned in pain as Noah leant her against the wall. She probably couldn¡¯t recognize Noah because she wasn¡¯t Eleonora. Noah, instead of going over her identity to Lenia, focused on conducting a healing spell, one of the ancient miracles. Though she had seen Muell use it, she had yet to use it herself. Ancient miracles were amongst the hardest spells to perfect.

    As she closed her eyes and tried to conjure the spell, she felt a strong sensation flowing through every fibre of her body. She gasped, much to Lenia¡¯s and Pecker¡¯s confusion.

    Muell was in the vicinity, which meant help was soon on the way. Noah nearly cried with relief that she would soon be with Kyle, as he would know what to do.

    She looked up to see, passing through a curved window, a yellow butterfly.

    ¡°Perri!¡± Noah cried out as the butterfly flew down andnded on her index finger. After spending so long along and in such an unfamiliar ce, it wasforting to finally be around those she knew.

    Perri fluttered her wings, and sent a telepathic message to Noah:

    [Master, you asked where I am; I am in an unusual ce.]

 Chapter 221

    ¡°Perri, I need your help.¡± Noah knelt down in front of Lenia. ¡°This woman, she needs medical attention. She has been exposed to hallucinations for so long that her soul and body are shaking. Once she¡¯s healed¡­¡±

    Noah cut herself off. The joy that rose at Perri¡¯s appearance briefly weighed on her, but now she could sense that something was off.

    ¡°Hold on for a second¡­¡±

    Noah¡¯s voice was much clearer. Up until a few minutes ago, the surrounding area had been so loud that she couldn¡¯t hear Pecker who was standing right beside her. However, the machine noises had all stopped, leaving nothing but a deathly silence.

    She felt goosebumps on her back and all along her arms. When she looked back over her shoulder, she saw the process, which had been running incessantly until a few seconds ago,ing to aplete stop.

    ¡°Pecker, who did you say was the only one who can control that automation process?¡±

    Noah didn¡¯t need to hear the answer. Pecker¡¯s nched face gave her all she needed. But that was impossible. The only other person who could control the machinery had disappeared, and she had not seen him at all during her travels.

    Dread began to set in Noah¡¯s stomach as soon as it became clear that she had overlooked something big. All this time, she had assumed that Adrian Rossinell¡¯s real body was in Tezeba and the replica was here in Harrell.

    No one had said that there was only one replica in the first ce.

    She quickly scanned the surroundings but didn¡¯t see one strand of blond hair.

    ¡°Perri¡­ We have to hurry.¡±

    Perri, urged on by Noah¡¯s words, gentlynded on Lenia¡¯s head. Her body then dissolved into a shower of yellow sparkles that slowly permeated into Lenia. With Perri¡¯s magic, inbination with Noah¡¯s will, Lenia¡¯s irregr breathing gradually subsided. Less than a minuteter, the strong smell ofvender from Lenia faded away. She stared nkly and shook her head.

    ¡°What is this? What is going on?¡±

    ¡°Are you alright, Lenia? Can you move?¡± Noah said, pulling Lenia to her feet. When Lenia refused to move, Noah crouched down and grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a fierce shake. Lenia merely tried to push her away, though she had little strength in which to do so.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked, weakly grabbing at Noah¡¯s hands. Noah responded by giving her another firm shake.

    ¡°How on Earth were you able to steal a dragon egg like this?! I asked you a simple question: can you walk or not?!¡± She screamed into Lenia¡¯s face, which seemed to snap her out of her lull.

    ¡°Yes! I can move!¡± Lenia pulled Noah¡¯s hands away and pushed herself up. Noah sighed, getting to her feet and grabbing Lenia by the wrist. She had to get to a ce where Adrian wouldn¡¯t look. Lenia would die this time if Adrian were to get his hands on her.

    The remaining experiments were still heavy on her mind, but there was nothing she could do for now. She could only hope that Adrian doesn¡¯t go crazy and st the process. Using both hands to pull Lenia and Pecker, she mbered back onto the path she had taken.

    ¡°Pecker, what are you doing? Manipte the path now! We have to get out of here!¡±

    Before Pecker could do anything, an ominous noise and a faint vibration filled the area. Noah nced up to see something falling from the ceiling at a frightening speed. It was the giant tong that was assembling the replica bodies. It mmed into the ground, generating a shockwave that shook everyone to the core.

    ¡°This ce is going to copse!¡± Noah screamed over the rumbling sounds. ¡°I don¡¯t care which way we go, just go to the hallway that connects to the balcony!¡±

    Outside the central window was adder that ran along the outside of the building. One which, Noah hoped, ran the full length down to the ground floor. All they needed to was get to that window.

    Pecker, his hands trembling, pressed down on his control panel. Mostly due to the added pressure, he guided the path so that it did not stop at the door they¡¯de in earlier. Instead, it came to halt in front of the curved hallway on the fifth floor.

    Noah, not caring where itnded so long as it was high up, scrambled up the path. Pecker and Lenia followed close behind, and soon all three of them were safe outside the hallway. Thankfully, off in the distance, they could see the window leading out and the balcony beyond. But as Noah stared at the window, she could feel a strange presenceing from behind her.

 Chapter 222

    Breathing heavily, she slowly looked back over her shoulder. Beyond the dizzying replica manufacturing process now teetering unstably, on a circr device anchored on the opposite wall, she could see someone. The one person she did not want to run into.

    Noah wasn¡¯t the only one to have spotted him.

    ¡°He has the override button.¡± Pecker muttered under his breath.

    ¡°Gods¡­ We should run.¡± Noah turned back to face Pecker and Lenia. ¡°Get to the window, find a way to the bottom floor, hide¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter! We need to go!¡± Noah said, preparing herself to run. No sooner had she set off, however, she ran straight into Adrian.

    ¡°Hello, Noah. I¡¯ve been looking for you. Adrian smiled down at her, his grin stretching out from ear to ear. He waved the override button by his head. ¡°You know what this is, don¡¯t you? And what it is capable of doing?¡±

    Noah swallowed hard. In that man¡¯s hand, twirling under and over his fingers, was the override button With a single press of the button, everyone inside, including the experiments, would perish as the hotel exploded. All would be buried within the rubble, along with all of the secrets hidden within the walls.

    Noah weighed up her options. Between her subduing Adrian with magic and him pressing the button, which would be faster? She could see his thumb rubbing the surface of the button, and instantly knew that it was thetter. Even the slightest sign of her attacking him would turn this whole ce into a pile of steel and cement.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal, Noah.¡± Adrian said, giving away no indication if he was real or a replica, ¡°You give me Eleonora¡¯s body and the dragon, and I¡¯ll surrender to you. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±

    Noah stared at him, wondering if the world had gone crazy. What was it that Adrian wanted? If it¡¯s thepletion of the replica project that he wanted, wasn¡¯t that already finished?

    But Noah didn¡¯t have time to think deeper about that. No matter how she looked at Adrian he didn¡¯t seem normal. There was no sparkle in his eyes, no slurring tone, nor his usual metaphorical way of speaking. Every time the remote control twirled in his hand, Noah¡¯s stomach twisted at the fear of him pressing the button by ident.

    She turned around and nced at the window, where she could hear faint screams and shouts. She knew that Muell, and by extension, Kyle, were nearby. He was a man of more than five hundred senses, so he would know what to do the moment he sees her. But that did not mean that she didn¡¯t have some half-baked n up her sleeve.

    After scanning the level floor of the hotel, she turned her head back toward Adrian.

    ¡°I will cooperate.¡± She said, taking a step away from Adrian. ¡°If you catch me..¡±

    Adrian squinted as if he was trying to gauge Noah¡¯s intention. She simply gave him a light smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m the only one who has what you want, Adrian. I am talking about the dragon. The most omnipotent supernatural being in the world. So, if you want him,e and get him.¡± She said, taking another step away from Adrian. Her words were more than enough to cause him to let out an inhuman roar andsh out at her. Noah had already dodged out of the way, and quickly turned on her heels and ran towards the fifth floor balcony, where she would be able to make her escape.

    ***

    Outside, Kyle watched as the people mingled outside the hotel. If it could even be called a hotel. Normally, hotels were well-kept buildings that appeared weing to guests, but the building in front of him was anything but.

    The reddish-brown walls were stained with a ck substance, therge arched windows had cracks in the ss, the old outer-walldders that connected floors looked as though they were on theirst legs¡­ It was such a mess that one could consider it a deserted home. Or an abandoned warehouse of sorts.

    But very faintly, Kyle could sense that something was wrong about the ce. There was a deepvender smell that lingered in the air, one that Kyle knew spelled bad news.

    ¡°Muell, Noah went in here?¡± He frowned. ¡°And alone, at that. Surely she realised how dangerous this ce was?¡±

    ¡°This is where her trace stopped.¡± Muell hummed and stroked his chin., I think Perri went in, as well. I can sense her aura about the ce.¡±

    He hopped off Kyle¡¯s shoulder and began to toddle towards the right. Kyle followed him close behind, curious as to what he was tracking. Muell sniffed around for a bit, obviously trying to find any trace of Noah left. His head shot up into the sky, his deep red eyes brimming with anticipation.

 Chapter 223

    As Kyle approached the building, he came to a halt when he felt the presence of something in front of him. He reached out, his handing into contact with a pulp wall. As he pressed down on it, his hand and arm were sucked in deeper and deeper.

    He pulled his hand out, took a couple of steps back, and looked down at Muell. Blue light was spreading from his fingers and covering the dome-like barrier that was enveloping the hotel. Kyle looked at the barrier with equal parts horror and interest.

    A solid wall made from wastewater mixed with a processed spell. Whatever happened inside, it just looked like a run-down old hotel from the outside, so it seemed like the perfect ce to conduct top-secret research.

    And Noah was in the middle of it all.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to tear it down, Mister!¡± Muell shouted, raising his hands up and curling them into tight fists. The blue fluorescent began to squeeze, causing the barrier to bulge and lose its shape. Within seconds, it was starting to fall apart.

    The real hotel soon appeared within the diminishing barrier, along with an array of scents that bombarded Kyle¡¯s nostrils. A waft ofvender tickled his nose. That soon gave way to an acrid smell of smoke.

    With the barrier fully removed, Kyle stepped towards the hotel. Outside, hundreds of patrons were gathered around, with many still mbering through the door and broken windows. Smoke was wafting from the outside, but Kyle could see no sign of the fire. The drenched appearance of the people told him that the sprinklers had been activated, preventing any further damage.

    But even without the mes, the hotel was still a horrific sight to behold. The top floor had a twisted appearance that defied allws of nature. Brass pipes were covering from the third floor the top floor,and chimneys were attached where windows should be. All along the walls, small houses appeared to have been tacked on. On top of that, the outer walls were swelling up as if they¡¯d burst any second.

    Additionally, with the barrier now gone and the grease rain falling, those who had fled the hotel were beginning to itch their skin and writhe around as if in pain.

    ¡°Muell, can you cover the hotel? It¡¯ll protect the people, as well as the building. It is too important to be lost to the rain.¡± Kyle knelt down beside Muell. ¡°And is there any sign of Noah?¡±

    Muell nodded and closed his eyes. His nose twitched as he tried to find Noah¡¯s trace. His eyes snapped open, and he pointed up to the fifth floor.

    ¡°She¡¯s moved from the third floor to the fourth floor, and is now on the fifth floor. She¡¯s heading to the balcony.¡±

    Kyle nodded, and Muell closed his eyes again. Smoke covered his body as he began his transformation, and soon arge pair emerged. As the rest of the smoke dissipated, Muell reared his head back and roared. Kyle, used to Muell¡¯s transformation, merely watched as he took to the skies and soared over the hotel. Everyone else, on the other hand, were startled and frightened by the sudden appearance of a dragon.

    Now soaring around the air, Muell came to a rest on the roof of the hotel. He spread his wings out, allowing the rain tond on his wings and protecting the people on the ground. With the people, and the hotel, now with some degree of cover, Kyle readied his loaded revolver and pointed it at the fifth floor balcony, ready to fire when needed.

    ***

    Noah swore that, as she felt her heart pounding against her chest and fire in her muscles, that she would never run again in her life. When she was free, when everyone who was out to get her was behind bars, she was going to pack her bags and move back to the countryside. Eleonora, Lenia, and Adrian would not be able to find her, so she could live her life in peace.

    Noah kept repeating that to herself as she ran, a stitch forming in the side of her torso. Her cardio levels had always been her weakness, and now that weakness was in in sight. But finally, she reached her destination: the fifth floor. Much like the other floors, the geometry was confusing and disorienting. But fortunately, arge window was easily essible. And on the other side, to her blessed relief, was adder attached to the other wall.

    Still breathless, Noah hurried over to the window and utched it to push it open. Before she could lean out, however, she yet out a yelp of pain as a sharp pain radiated from her shoulder.

 Chapter 224

    Noah fell onto the balcony, screaming and writhing in pain. If it weren¡¯t for the metal rail, she would have fallen down to the floor below, which would have resulted in her instant demise. The view below the hotel was vast, and on any other day Noah would have stopped to admire it but there was no time to look down properly.

    Her chest was pressed against the rail, and she was too focused on not dying. And the suffocating sensation that came from within her chest that spread throughout her body. It felt as though she was being electrocuted via some form of magic. And no sooner had the pain ended, her whole body was flung back by an invisible thread. Shended in a heap on the floor, too stunned to even cry out when she saw Adrian approaching her from the corner of her eyes.

    ¡°Hello, Noah. You thought you could get away, could you? I admit, I admire your naivety.¡± Adrian smiled, nting a book on Noah¡¯s chest and pressing down.

    ¡°Bastard.¡± Noah spat, trying to wiggle free. Adrian only smiled at her and shook his head.

    ¡°I won, right?¡± He said, holding up the remote control and giving it a little wave. His thumb was inches away from pressing the button. ¡°Now, I¡¯m only going to say this one more time. I want your dragon, and I want him right away. Any hesitation or attempt to run away will result in your death.¡± He gave the remote another shake for good measure.

    ¡°What is this?!¡± Noah screamed at him, firmly yanking Adrian¡¯s boot away and scrambling away. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s simple, really. Because I need that dragon.¡± Adrain said in a calm and serene tone, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

    ¡°For what?¡± she asked furiously, slowly backing away towards the balcony. Willing to try her luck, Noah got to her feet and scrambled out onto the balcony. She saw thedder that was mercifully close. And down below, hundreds of people were watching her every move. She could hear the collective gasps as Adrian stepped onto the balcony, looming over Noah.

    Noah looked up at Adrian, trying to gauge why exactly he wanted Muell. What reason would he have for wanting him so badly that he was willing to blow everything up to get his way? The work that he had poured his life and soul into, the very reason for his existence, gone up in mes at the push of a button. And how did he get a self-destruct feature, anyway?

    Mentally pping herself for thinking such thoughts, Noah closed her eyes and thought back to theboratories with Pecker. As she read his notes, she could tell that he was passionate about his work. And Eleonora¡­

    ¡°Is this¡­ Is this about Eleonora?¡± She asked, hoping to strike lucky. The look in Adrian¡¯s face when she mentioned her name indicated that she had. And the more she thought about it, the more everything made sense. Adrian¡¯s obsession over finding Eleonora¡¯s body, something that Noah had possessed for the longest time before finding her own body.

    The secret factory was built deep within a building, masquerading as a hotel. The entire replica project, where hundreds of clones were free to roam around. Lenia being experimented on. Eleonora¡¯s mention about creating a perfect replica, something which she died for.

    It all clicked together in Noah¡¯s head.

    ¡°Eleonora¡­¡± Adrain¡¯s voice was subdued. His thumb moved away from the trigger on the remote control, allowing Noah to properly breathe now that her life was not in imminent danger.

    ¡°Eleonora died conducting that experiment, didn¡¯t she? The one about trying to make an exact copy of herself. I¡­¡± Noah sheepishly rubbed her arms. ¡°I read your notes in theboratory. How she died, even after knowing the dangers. The countless failed attempts, and how you need something stronger to really make it work. That¡¯s why you need¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I need your dragon, yes. Eleonora has been dead for years, and even if she hadn¡¯t, resurrection is not possible. But what is possible is cloning a body, and imnting a soul into it. You read my notes, you should know all about this.¡± Adrain scoffed, and moved his thumb back over the trigger.

    ¡°I need that dragon, Noah. Without the magic of a dragon, it is not possible. Every attempt would end in failure. And if I can¡¯t have that dragon, well¡­¡± Adrian looked down at the remote control in his hands and smiled. Noah noticed how the smile did not reach his eyes, and how they looked cold and lifeless when he looked back at her. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll all be together in death. You, me, and Eleonora. It¡¯s in your hands, Noah. Make your choice.¡±

 Chapter 225

    ¡°The choice is in your hands, Noah. Are you going to hand over your dragon, or are you going to let countless people die? You hear that, Eleonora?! I will see you again soon!¡± The glimmering in Adrian¡¯s green eyes was held a mixture of emotion; hate, love, admiration, and inferiority. He had tried hard to receive her love, but in the end, all he¡¯d umted was wounds. All this madness had been for Eleonora.

    Noah could not help but feel sorry for him. However, that still did not excuse the reckless behaviour he had been exhibiting. Kidnapping countless people to form replicas, forcing her to choose between giving him Muell for his own selfish desires, and threatening to blow everything up if she didn¡¯tply with his demands.

    ¡°I truly feel sorry for you from the bottom of my heart. But you really cannot do this!¡± She said, looking down as the crowd below all screamed and dispersed. In the middle of the clearing that had just formed was a figure with their arm raised. And as she heard the oh-so-familiar screech of a dragon, she smiled to herself.

    Kyle had found her, and his aim was locked onto Adrian. There was no need to fear that he would miss and identally shoot her, either. His aim was always deadly urate, and she knew he would shoot Adrain even from such a long distance.

    She turned her head again toward Adrian, a smug smirk of satisfaction stered on her face.

    ¡°I will never give you Muell.¡± She said as a gunshot echoed through the air. Within a few seconds, she felt the shockwave of the bullet whizzing past her face. Adrian¡¯s face contorted with pain as the bullet shot through his hands and embedded itself into his shoulder.

    ¡°Kyle Leonard¡­ So, you¡¯vee here. For what purpose?¡± Adrian said with a dark smile. Blood poured down from his wounds and soaked into his clothing. A heavy object dropped out of his intact hand, ttering to the ground. Noah reached out and snatched it up before he could bend down and retrieve it.

    In her hand was the switch to blow up the whole hotel and the replica process. Without any hesitation, she looked over the railing and waved it in the air. She hurled it over the railing, where it was promptly destroyed by another bullet that fired from Kyle¡¯s gun. The debris from the remote control fell down to the ground in dozens of tiny little pieces.

    With the immediate threat dealt with, Noah turned to face Adrian. He was hunched over, clearly in pain, with dark veins popping out of his forehead. Every movement he made was jerky and stiff, as if he had been injected with something.

    Or like the bullet that was lodged into his shoulder wasced.

    ¡°A paralytic poison¡­ You¡¯re a scary man, Kyle¡­¡± Adrain muttered, coughing up some blood. He copsed onto his knees, one hand on the balcony and the other clutched over his injured shoulder. ¡°Damn it¡­ I was¡­ So close¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s over, Adrian.¡± Noah tried her best to sound triumphant and in control, but she was still terrified at how close she was to dying in a fiery explosion. It was only thanks to Kyle and his frankly terrifying aim that she was still alive to stand over Adrian as hey motionless on the floor.

    It was a brush with death she would rather not face again.

    With the adrenaline starting to wear off, Noah¡¯s knees began to buckle. She wobbled over to the wall next to the railing and slid down, bringing her knees up to her chest. It was difficult to breathe, her mouth dry and her throat feeling like it was beginning to close up.

    Her breathing was erratic as she tried to calm herself down, to convince herself that she was no longer in danger. Adrian was lying in a bloodied paralyzed heap on the floor, and the switch to detonate everything had been destroyed. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not calm her breathing down.

    Her hand, which was barely holding onto the railing, was soon covered by arge, warm hand. She nced up and almost cried in relief at the sight of Kyle wrapping his arm around Noah¡¯s shoulder and pulling her toward him. He hummed a soothing song as he stroked her hair, making the asional shushing sound like he was trying to console a lost child. And to Noah¡¯s relief, it worked. Soon, her breathing was under control and her nerves were no longer frayed.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, Noah. Nice deep breaths.¡± Kyle ran a hand down her arm. ¡°I was scared for a moment there. Me, scared. Can you imagine?¡± He let out a hollowugh. ¡°But we¡¯re alright now, aren¡¯t we? Everything will be alright.¡±

 Chapter 226

    ¡°Right¡­ We¡¯re going to be okay.¡± Noah sighed, and slumped against Kyle. She looked out the corner of her eyes to see his other arm pointing straight down at Adrian¡¯s head.

    ¡°Noah, are you alright? Did he hurt you at all?¡±

    Hearing her own nameing through his lips cleared her troubled mind a little. But with the tension now fading away, there was the terrible pain in her chest and shoulder that had hit the railing. Because of the tingling pain, when she couldn¡¯t reply right away, the hand around her shoulder calmly slid down her back.

    ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± Contrary to his soft touch, his voice was rough as if he was holding back his anger. Noah sniffled and shook her head.

    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. He only threatened to blow the ce up if I¡­¡± Noah cut herself off. ¡°I tripped and fell as he was chasing me, but he didn¡¯t actuallyy a finger on me.¡± She was lying, of course. The number of times he had grabbed her by the shoulders and arms were too numerous to mention, not to mention the fact that he nted his boot on her chest to stop her from running away. But given how close Kyle looked to blowing Adrian¡¯s head off, she decided to keep that little tidbit to herself.

    Kyle slowly lowered his gun from Adrian¡¯s head to his shoulders. Adrian himself was now sprawled out on the ground,pletely paralyzed by the poison. Blood was pouring from his many wounds, and within a few minutes he would bleed out and die.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let him die, Kyle.¡± Noah crawled out of Kyle¡¯s grasp and over towards Adrian. She reached down to his neck, where she could feel his pulse beating weakly against her fingers. ¡°We need to bring him in so he can face a proper trial.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll deal with him. Are you able to climb down thatdder?¡± Kyle said, gesturing over to thedder running along the outer wall. Noah nodded, even though the pain in her corbone and shoulder was radiating throughout her body. But she didn¡¯t want to let Kyle know until she was safe on the ground.

    As Noah climbed over the railing to thedder, she looked up and saw Muell in his dragon form, sheltering her from the rain with his wings. She smiled at him as she began her descent. Pain shot through her arm with every step she took downwards, and it only got worse the longer she climbed. By the time she was halfway down, she had to hold onto thedder one armed to give her poor shoulder a break. She would have cried with relief when her feet hit the solid ground, were it not for the fact she was already crying in agony.

    On the ground, the people who had been watching her all gathered around her to check she was okay, with tissues being thrust into her hands so she could wipe her eyes. She dabbed her eyes as saw Kyle climbing down thedder, Adrian draped over his shoulders. When he reached the ground, Noah hurriedly scrubbed her tears away and ran over to him.

    ¡°Adrian was threatening to blow the ce up if I didn¡¯t hand over Muell. He said he needed the magic to bring Eleonora back from the dead. She died trying to¡­¡± Noah was cut off when Kyle spun round and embraced her tightly. The sheer force of the hug sent another wave of pain down her nerves, causing her to let out an involuntary scream.

    ¡°Noah?!¡± Kyle pulled back instantly and flinched away from her. Blinking back her tears, Noah let out a fakeugh.

    ¡°Just banged my shoulder a little bit, that¡¯s all. Nothing to worry about.¡± She said as a wave of nausea overcame her. She barely managed tond in Kyle¡¯s arms because her knees gave out.

    He helped her to the ground, stroking her hair and whispering soft words of encouragement to her. She slumped against him, focusing on steadying her breathing as he rubbed his hand up and down her back. After a few minutes passed, the sensation that she was about to be sick passed, and she heaved herself upright.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright, Noah? Why did you lie to me if you were clearly in pain?¡±

    Noah put on a brave face and turned her to face Kyle. There was definite worry in his face, but there were bigger things to worry about. Namely: Adrain.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Kyle. I didn¡¯t want you to worry too much until we were on the ground, that¡¯s all.¡± She just wanted him to stay there for a little longer, because for the first time she arrived at the town, she felt safe.

 Chapter 227

    ¡°Hold on a second¡­¡±

    Noah grabbed Kyle by the sleeve as he tried to stand up. He smiled at her and lightly uncurled her hand. Noah did not miss the way his touch lingered for longer than was necessary.

    ¡°Muell wille soon. Just hang on for a little bit more.¡± Kyle whispered as he tucked Noah¡¯s hair behind her ear and got to his feet. Noah stared in disbelief as he walked away, wondering how he could be so s¨¦ about the casual physical contact and walk off so naturally like nothing had happened. He may be acting like the small gesture of tucking her hair behind her ears was normal, but she could feel the heat rising to her face.

    ¡°That man, I swear¡­¡± she muttered under her breath. As she contemted what was going on, she felt a gust of wind blow from the balcony on top of the hotel. She turned in the direction of the wind to see Muell flying down andnding on the ground.

    The impact he had on the ground caused thedder, which was already hanging by a few loose screws, topletely detach from the outer wall and crumble to the floor in a pile of scrap metal. Muell vanished in a puff of ck smoke and within a few seconds, he transformed back into a small child.

    ¡°Noah!¡±

    Muell called her name as heunched himself at her. Pain instantly shot through her as hended on her with a thud. Noah, struggling to catch her breath, barely managed topliment him.

    ¡°Good¡­ job, Muell. You came right on time.¡±

    Hugging him tightly in her arms, she kept her eyes on Kyle as he was restraining Adrian¡¯s wrists. As she exined everything that had taken ce, she winced as she witnessed Kyle stomping on Adrian¡¯s injured arm. She had never heard a soft crunching sound like that before.

    A few minutester, Kyle approached Noah and knelt down in front of her.

    ¡°Earlier, you said you hit a rail. What did you hit? Your arm?¡±

    His face and voice were full of emotions, but Noah couldn¡¯t notice any difference from usual.

    ¡°Below my corbone.¡± She murmured, unbuttoning the top of her blouse and sliding it off her shoulder. She hissed as the fabric brushed over her skin. ncing down, she gasped at the bruising below her corbone, the dark colour contrasting against her skin.

    ¡°Close your eyes, Noah.¡± Muell said as he closed his own. Noah reluctantly did as he asked, flinching slightly when his hands lightly pressed against her bruise. Within a few seconds, the pain radiating from her corbone and down her arm began to subside.

    A warm and tingly sensation spread throughout her nerves, and soon she could no longer feel the bruise. She opened her eyes as Muell¡¯s hand moved away from her corbone, and she looked down to see that the ghastly bruise hadpletely faded away. Cautiously, she lifted her arm up and marveled at how easy and painless everything was.

    ¡°How are you feeling, Noah?¡± Kyle said, still crouched down in front of her. ¡°Any pain?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mu.¡± Noah said with a smile, before turning to face Kyle. ¡°I¡¯m not in pain anymore. The ancient miracles have worked their magic again.¡±

    She hoped that he would back away to allow her to stand up and examine the scene that had unfolded, but instead he reached out and gently took her hand. Startled, Noah snatched it away. She regretted it as the pathetic sight of Kyle¡¯s face, which was full of hurt.

    ¡°I want you to promise me something, Noah.¡± Kyle said, not meeting her gaze. ¡°I want you to promise that you will never leave my sight ever again. I cannot bear the thought of you being alone.¡±

    Noah scoffed. After all she had done, going into the so-called hotel and solving the problem by herself, even going as far as to find Adrian and rescue Lenia¡­ Kyle did not trust her in the slightest.

    ¡°Look at all I have done!¡± She gestured to the factory. ¡°I did this! I solved the mystery! And aside from hitting my corbone on the railing, I am perfectly alright!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Noah!¡± Kyle grabbed her by the arms. ¡°Yes, you solved all of this, but did you ever stop to think about how I felt? You could have died and I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything to help!¡± Kyle exasperated. He sighed heavily and lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You did what you had to do, and I appreciate that. You were the one who told me not to get hurt, and then look what happened to you.¡±

 Chapter 228

    They sat in silence for a while, Muell running off to deal with Adrian. Noah was at a loss of words as to how to respond to Kyle. He was being as stubborn as ever, but maybe she was also being stubborn. They were both believing that they were in the right: Noah for going off into the hotel and exposing it for what it really is, and Kyle for wanting to keep Noah safe and protect her from harm.

    ¡°Answer me something, Noah.¡±

    Noah looked away from Muell, busy supervising Adrian, and moved her gaze back to Kyle. His hand was outstretched, like he wanted to touch her but was too afraid of how she would respond. He clenched his hand into a fist and let it drop into hisp.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say you want to go on another wild adventure like this one. You want to go uncover another mystery and throw yourself head first into danger. Can you at least promise to take me with you?¡± He looked at her, his eyes staring straight into her soul. ¡°That is all I am asking. For me to apany you next time you do something like this. For¡­ For both of our sakes.¡±

    Noah bit her lip and sighed. She knew that Kyle would be incredibly overprotective of her, especially after this whole ordeal. His eyes kept flicking back to where the bruise had been on her corbone. She hastily fastened her shirt back up.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± She said, holding her hand up to her neck even though there was nothing there.

    ¡°Just because you¡¯re not injured now does not mean you haven¡¯t been hurt in the past, or will be hurt in the future.¡± Kyle said, his voice with a hint of sadness Noah had never heard before. ¡°Allow me to be selfish for once and say this: it hurts me every time I see you getting injured. Seeing you mmed against that railing¡­ I never want to see such a sight again.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Noah paused. She thought that Kyle was just saying those words to make her see his side, but he said it with such conviction that she almost believed what he was saying. ¡°Do you really mean it? That you will always be by my side when out and about like this?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± Kyle inched closer, reaching out to Noah¡¯s hand. Unlike thest time he tried, Noah did not pull her hand away. She allowed him to sp his hands around hers, the callouses from years of training rubbing against her smooth skin.

    ¡°No matter where or when?¡± She whispered, scarcely loud enough for herself to hear.

    ¡°No matter where or when. I promise.¡± Kyle repeated, his thumb stroking over the back of her hand. Noah finally looked at Kyle, truly and honestly looked at him, for the first time since the start of their conversation. His violet eyes, which she had always secretly thought were pleasing to look at, were full of an affection she had never seen from him before.

    ¡°If you promise,¡± Noah said after a brief pause, ¡°Then you can¡¯t leave me when I start to get on your nerves.¡±

    Kyleughed, a soft sound that Noah couldn¡¯t help butugh along with.

    ¡°Not going to happen, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Kyle lifted Noah¡¯s hand up and, after a moment of hesitation, pressed a kiss so light that Noah barely felt it. But it was enough to cause her face to burn up slightly. ¡°It is not going to happen in this lifetime.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit dramatic, Kyle.¡± She said, her skin flushed. ¡°But I appreciate the sentiment all the same. And if I wake up one day and find that you have left me over night, I will track you down and kill you.¡±

    ¡°Guess I won¡¯t run away then.¡± Kyle inched closer so that their faces were close. So close that Noah¡¯s nose was almost touching Kyle¡¯s. There was a brief moment, a thought that passed through Noah¡¯s mind that she was close enough and should pull away, that there was nothing between her and Kyle, but all thoughts left her mind when Kyle closed the gap between them and kissed her. Her brain went haywire as she processed the kiss, and how it was over before she could fully take in what had happened.

    Kyle, his face flushed, got to his feet and held out a hand for Noah to take. Still too stunned and in awe to say anything, Noah willingly took his hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. Her knees were shaking from the nerves, but she was able to walk with Kyle as they went over to collect Muell and Adrian. And as she looked down at their hands linked together, she wondered if this was where she belonged. With Kyle.

 Chapter 229

    Spring, Year 578 on the Continental calendar.

    It waste March, six months after the second stage of the replica project ended with a sess.

    The upper floors of Harrell Workers¡¯ Hotel were bathed under the warm sun for the first time in a long time. Along one side of the wall was a huge ckboard that spanned from floor to ceiling, full of chalk sketches and equations. Next to the ckboard was a bookcase, absolutely packed with books and journals. Desks were scattered along the floor, each one containing yet more books and scrap bits of paper. Despite the chaotic mess of theboratory, all was calm and quiet until Adrian broke the deathly silence.

    ¡°You really aren¡¯t going to end it here?¡±

    Eleonora clearly heard his question, but she didn¡¯t even look at Adrian. She continued to stare at the replica process schematic that filled the wall.

    Her apricot-colored hair glistened under the sunlight beaming through the window. The thin-rimmed sses on her small face made her haughty and arrogant impression seem intelligent. There was a teacup sped between her thin, calloused fingers.

    Adrian waited in silence for her answer.

    The silence continued for a long while until Eleonora sighed.

    ¡°You know that I was not satisfied.¡±

    ¡°Do we really have to do this¡­? Aside from the replica project, there is still so much we haven¡¯t done.¡± Adrian said, taking the chance to persuade her. ¡°I¡¯ve officially obtained a permit to start building the ship¡¯s blueprint. It will take decades toplete just that.¡±

    ¡°No, it won¡¯t take that long if the replica project is a sess.¡± Eleonora, who was looking up at the wall process, slowly turned her head. ¡°There is a lot that I want to do, Ari.¡±

    The world in her eyes was too slow. In her head, hundreds of designs had already beenpleted or were mere steps away from beingpleted. This world was too small to embody the world in Eleonora¡¯s head, and the pace of development was terribly slow.

    Adrian knew that Eleonora had always been unhappy about that. Even though Laurent carried the weight of the entire continent¡¯s magic, she was not satisfied.

    ¡°This world still has no development; just idiots wherever I look.¡± She downed the rest of her drink and frowned.

    ¡°Ellie, Laurent already has enough¨C¡± Adrian spoke, only for Eleonora to interrupt him.

    ¡°You think so? Then you¡¯re also one of the many stupid humans on this. The trains are still too slow, and the buildings all still stop at 100 feet. People still work with their hands. The same with the ship. In theory, it only takes three years to build a ship that flies in the air. But in actuality? To shorten the construction process, we need to rebuild the manufacturing nt first. Then it will take twenty more years for it to fly. I have so much that I want to see; life is short. Do you know how depressing that fact is?¡±

    When Adrian remained silent, Eleonora raised her eyebrows as if she knew he¡¯d do that.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know a thing, stupid fool. People use the things I make, ride them, live, rejoice, grieve at the same time, and die because of my invention. The weapon I developed determines the survival of a country. I don¡¯t have a hundred years to feel that thrill. A genius like me will have to live for that long. But if only I perfectly seed at this project¡­ I can go off to aplish bigger, better things. I can exert my influence on more people across the entire continent. Isn¡¯t that wonderful?¡±

    Eleonora turned her eyes to the wall again. The replica project. After thousands of simtions, the process that had finished up until the first and second stages safely moved slowly and showed the manufacturing development.

    The replica project had even seeded in the original goal, which was to manufacture a living clone. Now her goal was the next stage: To create aplete clone of herself. It was herself that she was fascinated with. Eleonora¡¯s face was full of bliss.

    ¡°I need me. Not anyone else but me,¡± she muttered.

    Adrian heavily respected the inhumane aspect of Eleonora and hated it at the same time. She was born with genius and psychopathic temperaments. If she hadn¡¯tid a hand on the invention, she would have probably be a wanted murderer all over the continent.

    Although Adrian had defended her more actively than anyone else, he was sometimes afraid and hated that fact. Not because she was a cruel woman, but because a narcissist¡¯s terrible arrogance made others exhausted.

    But surely hatred and love muste together like two sides of a coin.

 Chapter 230

    As a child, there had been a moment when the yearning for a genius girl who recognized Adrian¡¯s talent on the street developed into love. Eleonora¡¯s dream world had fascinated him at once. Her utopia had soon be his dream world.

    But there had been no one to ept it, so there¡¯d been no ce for love. Love had gradually lost its initial innocence and turned into mechanical blindness.

    ¡°At this point, you¡¯d understand no matter how stupid you are. Stop getting in my way, Ari. I¡¯ve had enough. If you don¡¯t like it, you can back off.¡±

    And at times like this, his love was soaring. Adrian cupped his fists so tightly that the veins on the backs of his hands were clearly visible.

    Eleonora watched as the model process stopped moving. She gripped the empty cup between her hands, and nearly mmed it down onto the table next to her. Spinning on her heels, she walked over to the door that led to the workshop where the process took ce. But she soon stopped, perhaps because she changed her mind, and she turned around to Adrian, her eyes full of emotion.

    Eleonora approached the window where Adrian was sitting. Having spent most of the day gripping pens and tools, her calloused hands ran through his blond hair. The touch was friendly, but there was no warmth in the voice that followed.

    ¡°Ari, you know you¡¯re getting arrogant, right?¡±

    Adrian became hot and bothered whenever Eleonora came around.

    ¡°You call this arrogant?¡± He asked in a sunken voice. ¡°Is it arrogant to want you to stay away from dangerous research?¡±

    ¡°Adrian.¡± Eleonora sat down at the windowsill opposite him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°You could die.¡± Adrian blurted. The area that Eleonora wanted to touch was Adrian¡¯s major field of study: spiritual magic on the human soul. That¡¯s why Adrian knew exactly where a wizard should never touch. He reached up and gripped Eleonora¡¯s hand, gripping it between his own hands

    ¡°Ellie, you shouldn¡¯t touch the bonds between the body and the soul.¡± He said, his voice full of urgency. He pulled her hand down and pressed a kiss into it. ¡°Please, don¡¯t go too far. You said you want to nt a nucleus that replicates the soul in addition to the original memory and knowledge data. In theory or whatever, that is possible; in actuality, it is close to impossible. The risks are high.¡± Adrian looked up at Eleonora, whose eyes were beginning to water. ¡°The body, it can recover even if it deteriorates. But the soul is different. When it takes damage, it cannot go back to its original state. Ever.¡±

    ¡°All I have to do is make it to where I don¡¯t get damaged.¡± Eleonora licked her quivering lips. ¡°How hard can it be?¡±

    ¡°It ispletely impossible, Ellie. Damage starts immediately after the soul leaves the body. One mistake and you are brain dead. The possibilities of waking up again are less than one in one thousand.¡± After Eleonora remained silent, he pleaded to her. ¡°Don¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t want to lose¡­¡±

    Shortly before his increasingly intense emotions burst, Eleonora reached out and kissed him deeply. Adrian was stunned for a few seconds, before deepening the kiss and closing his eyes to enjoy the kiss. Eleonora knew how to handle Adrian quite well. Whenever he said something she didn¡¯t like, she would kiss him as if it were a redemption.

    He pushed down and grabbed her arm, but they only became more entangled. Her body was pushed back and her signature rose-scented breath was paralyzing with every exhale.

    The kiss was long and dense. When they eventually broke apart, out of breath, Eleonora wiped his wet lips with her fingertip.

    ¡°I don¡¯t fail, Ari.¡± She whispered into Adrian¡¯s ear. ¡°I promise.¡±

    ¡°El¡­¡± Adrian closed his eyes and turned away. He felt a hand cupping around his chin. Opening his eyes, looked back at Eleonora as she stroked her thumb over his cheek.

    ¡°But what you said is right, to some extent. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m going to start right away, but I will try it after I¡¯ve had enough theoretical work.¡± Eleonora breathed a heavy sigh. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m wasting my life, just sitting around doing nothing when I can be out there doing so much. And I know you are worried about me. I didn¡¯t mean to say you are arrogant. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Then promise me¡­¡± Adrian murmured, embracing the warmth that wasing toward him, ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything stupid. I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t lose me, Ari.¡± Eleonora kissed him again, and Adrian could feel himself melting into her touch. All was calm and well.

    He hoped that everything would be alright.

 Chapter 231

    Adrian finished posting his regr report to the Imperial Headquarters of the Bureau of Investigation and Security when he spotted Eleonora, seemingly on her way back home. He grabbed her by the arm and held up the records he had received that morning from Pecker, a researcher in Harrell, of the secret research that Eleonora was conducting.

    ¡°You¡¯re a lunatic, Ellie. Please exin to me exactly what this is. He snapped, thrusting the records of her secret experiment into her face. The experiment was to analyze the strength of the bond between the soul and the body. More than a hundred records detailed how long a soul couldst once removed from the body, and how much damage was sustained when a cloning spell was used on the body.

    Even if investigatorsbined all of Eleonora¡¯s evil deeds from the past decade or so, the scale of this experiment was iparably inhumane. Worst still, she first started the experiment half a year ago, shortly after thepletion of the second stage of the replica project.

    ¡°Who did you hear it from? Pecker? I should fire that bastard.¡± Eleonora said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. She pushed the documents off her face and pulled Adrian¡¯s arm off her shoulder.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the subject.¡± Adrian yelled as he gripped her shoulder once more, his knuckles turning white. He didn¡¯t care about the people passing by already ncing at them. ¡°We made a promise to never ever touch the soul. That thing you want to do is absolutely impossible through human strength.¡±

    ¡°This is so ridiculous it isn¡¯t even funny. Wouldn¡¯t you know better than to judge me?¡± Eleonora sneered at Adrian, once again removing his arm from her shoulder.

    ¡°I know. I know it well. But you are not a superhuman.¡± Adrian had been trying hard to make Eleonora see how unobtainable her goals were. Though she believed herself to be more than human, that¡¯s all she was. Genius as she was, a genius beyond human level was limited to their insurmountable existence as long as they are born as a human being. Eleonora was always resentful of the limitation of human beings; something that drove her to continue conducting such oundish experiments.

    ¡°The third stage is no longer in the field of cloning. It¡¯s in the field of creating.¡± Adrian said, sighing when Eleonora merely shrugged her shoulders. ¡°It is something that absolutely cannot be done, even if the egg in the Imperial City hatches into a dragon right now. Didn¡¯t you read the ancient text? It mentions the wizards who have been obsessed with creation magic. You must know this¡­¡±

    Adrian stopped in the middle of his sentence, letting out another sigh of frustration. He knew that these words would not reach Eleonora at all. But if that was the case, what in the world could he say to stop her? He was always on her side. ¡°Can¡¯t I just say that I don¡¯t like you doing dangerous experiments?¡±

    Eleonora, instead of responding, nervously shook her head. Adrian chewed hard on the inside of his bottom lip. He wanted to grab her and let out so many things. Ever since the age of ten, when he had met her on the street for the first time, he had stood by her for fifteen years until she became a minister. Even when she had continued to do the experiments she wanted to do, and eventually went beyond the boundaries of Laurent¡¯sws. Adrian had been by her side. He had protected her from the death penalty and provided her a safeboratory, concealing evidence of research prohibited from being further sinned against her life.

    And this is how she repaid him.

    ¡°Ellie, do you really need all these experiments? Can¡¯t I be the one you need?¡± Adrian said, almost on the verge of pleading with Eleonora. Instead, she only pulled a face that showed that she had misunderstood what he was talking about.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you love me, Ari?¡± She said, holding her arms close to her and avoiding his gaze. ¡°If you do, then shouldn¡¯t you like it when there are two or three of me? The person you love is multiplying. And who knows? Maybe the Eleonora you really love is among those ¡®Eleonoras¡¯.¡±

    Adrian had already nked out what Eleonora had just told him. His mind was racing with questions, and when he finally found the will to speak, he was ovee by his emotions.

    ¡°Love?¡± He said, his voice dangerously low. He was so shocked the smile disappeared from his face. ¡°You think that this is all about love? Answer me this, Ellie. Among them, will there be one who loves me?¡±

    He wanted to tell her so much, like how she had been looking at him for ten years, and not once had he ever begged for her love. Yet he kept his mouth closed, partly because he couldn¡¯t pluck the courage to talk, but also because she would not listen. His words would travel in through one ear and go straight out the other. In the end, he grabbed her hand and looked directly into her eyes.

 Chapter 232

    ¡°Just be by my side. I can¡¯t do anything without you, so please, don¡¯t do anything dangerous. I have never objected to anything you¡¯ve done, Eleonora, and I¡¯ve been there for you for over fifteen years. But this¡­ Please, I beg you to reconsider.¡± Adrian pleaded.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been there for me?¡± Eleonora scoffed in disbelief.

    ¡°How do you think you¡¯re still alive when you¡¯ve been on death row ten times? How do you think you¡¯ve avoided Kyle Leonard up until now?¡± Adrian gripped onto her hand, hoping that she would see how he felt.

    To his dismay, Eleonoraughed at him, which was not the reaction Adrian wanted. He had poured out his sorrows in front of her, and this was how she repaid him.

    ¡°So what? I¡¯m supposed to thank you or something? Because you¡¯ve been by my side?¡± Unlike Adrian, Eleonora was calm and rational. Every word she uttered was like a dagger to Adrian¡¯s heart. ¡°Say it straight, Adrian. All you do is clean up my mess. You don¡¯t know a single person better than me; I don¡¯t need you and I don¡¯t want you to be by my side; you are not worth putting into my research.¡±

    Adrian was too stunned to speak as Eleonora finished her tirade. He knew that he couldn¡¯t refute a single thing she was saying, and that is what destroyed him the most. Objectively, Adrian Rossinell was one of strongest wizards on the whole continent, but he was no match for Eleonora.

    ¡°I have never forced you to stay by me. Even if you weren¡¯t here, I would survive just fine on my own. Besides, if it had been hard to get a foot in Laurent because of that bastard captain of the defense bureau, I would have moved on to another country.¡± Eleonora frowned and folded her arms. ¡°You¡¯ve only done this for your own self-interest. And I¡¯ve already paid the price enough.¡±

    ¡°Price¡­?¡± Adrian started speaking, only for Eleonora to cut him off.

    ¡°I told you only my body was yours. You¡¯re the only man in my life who can touch me. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Eleonora gently took her hand from Adrian¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t give me orders. You don¡¯t have that right, Adrian.¡±

    Adrian listened to Eleonora¡¯s razor-sharp words rip into his flesh, his thoughts muddled. Did he even love her anymore? If this was how she was talking to him. what was even the point of lingering around like he had done for the past ten years. ¡°Is that¡­ Is that truly how you feel?¡± Adrian whispered, not wanting to meet her gaze. ¡°God, you are pathetic. Do what you want, because I don¡¯t care.¡±

    At his final words, Adrian turned away. He began to walk away, doing his best to keep his head held high. Eleonora¡¯s words hurt him to the core, but he was not going to give her the satisfaction. He didn¡¯t miss the fact that Eleonora didn¡¯t try to grab him.

    Whatever they had was well and truly gone.

    ***

    Two weekster, Adrian happened upon to cross Eleonora once again. He bumped into her whilst his attention was elsewhere. In the midst of apologizing, he looked up and gasped when he recognised the pair of eyes looking back at him.

    ¡°Ellie¡­?¡± He said, like he could scarcely believe that she was right there in front of him. After their argument, they hadn¡¯t spoken to each other once.

    Fortunately, Eleonora seemed willing to talk. They found a nearby spot to sit far away from the public and made ufortable small talk. And yet, all Adrian could think about was what Eleonora wanted. The world she imagined was vast and surreal; a utopia no one else could imagine. A ce that developed in a direction different from the wizards who only dreamed of reviving the legendary era when dragons existed.

    Adrian had been fascinated with Eleonora since he saw her flush face as she poured her heart and soul into her future.

    At one point he was just purely worshipping and loving her, hoping and praying that he existed in her world.

    When was it that the love began to crack?

    Was it when her curiosity had stretched out in an increasingly dangerous direction by delving into the arms industry and exchanging secret deals with Yulem? They had argued about what would happen if Yulem got his hands on the nanochip they hadpleted, and how she gave it to him to spite Kyle Leonard. The heated debate had ended with Eleonora telling to stop pouting as he was getting on her nerves.

    Adrian sighed, and looked over at Eleonora with a sad smile on his face. The more likely reason, the one he did not want to imagine but had toe to terms with, was that he didn¡¯t exist in the world that Eleonora imagined.

 Chapter 233

    There were only a few people on the whole continent who she thought was eptable in her standards. Kyle Leonard, a dedicated investigator who had seeded in arresting her fifteen times; Jason Thompfer, a wealthy merchant from the Aorim Empire who had all of its money in his pocket; and Admiral Noison, who had been dubbed ¡®the best tactician¡¯. In Eleonora¡¯s mind, the only people worth knowing were the strong ones.

    Adrian, despite being the youngest minister in Laurent and a powerful magic user, was non-existent to her. If one had to choose a reason why she had kept him by her side, they would not have to think for very long: his good-looks.

    ¡°I wish you were half as good as your hair looks.¡± She told him on a regr basis.

    Adrian¡¯s self-worth had be redefined through her words. Whilst he could only be responsible for cleaning up Eleonora¡¯s mess, he was grateful to be in a position where she was around him, as it was always a struggle to be loved and appreciated.

    A one-sided rtionship like that was not something normal. But when he realized that fact, it was already after he¡¯d naturally gotten used to her.

    He found himself crawling back to her mansion to pay her a visit, like she was a bad habit he couldn¡¯t break. As soon as he entered, however, he could sense that something was wrong. There was a faint smell of iron in the air, and there were no signs of intruders anywhere. Yet something was still off.

    Adrian found his answer when he walked into the dining room, where he found Eleonora¡¯s body slumped over the dining table. In front of her was her uneaten meal, steam rising from the piping hot food.

    Panic settling in, Adrian rushed over to pick her up and gave her body a shake in an attempt to wake her up.

    It was only when he tried to awaken her soul with the magic of the spiritual world that he realised what was happening. What he had in his arms right now was just a shell of Eleonora.

    This is what happens when one fails to prate the soul. But Eleonora¡¯s body was soft, and warm, and her breathing was faint. indicating that she was still alive. If Adrian couldn¡¯t prate her soul despite that, there was only one possible exnation: The bond between her body and soul was broken, and her soul had disappeared somewhere.

    Adrian recalled the most recent records about Eleonora he had received from the researcher in Harrell.

    ¡°It starts with a month-long dosage of hallucinogens that are painless but slowly weaken the bond between the body and soul.¡±

    One month ago, Adrian had seen her drinking a tea she normally didn¡¯t drink.

    ¡°When you¡¯re temporarily braindead, you lock your soul in a nucleus with a sealed replicated magic form. Based on past experiments, the dosage of hallucinogens varies greatly, and after taking them for more than a certain period, the binding is easily broken even with very small external shocks. In case that happens, the ¡®nucleus¡¯ even has a magic form that is immediately summoned as soon as the soul is separated.¡±

    Eleonora¡¯s lips that opened up nkly were fluttered.

    ¡°¡­nucleus.¡±

    A nucleus was contained in her soul, which was separated from her body.

    Adrian heaved Eleonora¡¯s body from her chair and carefullyid her down on the table. Afterwards, he ran up to the upper floor of the mansion where her littleboratory was located.

    Herb was much different than thest time he had visited. Perhaps to avoid having to run into Adrian too often, Eleonora had some copies of the first and second stages of the replica project she had been working on in Harrell.

    On one side was a wide medicine counter, and above it was a cupboard that contained various kinds of herbs in ss bottles. It appeared as though she had made her own elixirs.

    However, the dosage of hallucinogens that slowly breaks the bond between the body and soul varies from person to person. No matter how many experiments Eleonora did, if her body was far from the average, taking an average dosage was useless.

    After all, she had experimented with her body in the most dangerous way. It was clear that she hadn¡¯t exactly calcted it, but it had happened unconsciously.

    Adrian knew he had to find the nucleus, and fast. He quickly tore through the counter and the cupboard. He was rummaging around when he touched something strange and felt a stab of pain. He snatched his hand away to find blood oozing down his hand..

    He looked down at his bloody hand for a long time, before grabbing a nearby cloth and using it as an impromptu bandage. Then he slowly turned around. In a corner across theb, a replica was sitting, with something blurry covering it.

    Adrian approached like he had been possessed by it.

 Chapter 234

    A magic form was engraved on the head of the replica to ovey the original human biometric data Eleonora had created. Due to the iplete magic caused by the failure of the experiment, her mold could not bepletely overwritten and remained translucent in silver scrap metal.

    And at the heart of it, a red gem that looked just like a human heart was pulsating. But the size of the nucleus that was drawn on the blueprint was ridiculously small. The magic Adrian felt radiating from it was also weak. He knew that it had been damaged.

    With his hand shaking, Adrian separated the nucleus from the replica. At the same time, Eleonora¡¯s skin was washed away from the surface of the cyborg. What was left was a seriously damaged nucleus that contained Eleonora¡¯s soul.

    When Adrian went back down to the dining room, he saw an unfamiliar woman at a loss standing in front of Eleonora¡¯s shell.

    ¡°Baroness Asil¡­? Are you alright? My name is Lenia Valtalere. Thank you for inviting me. And thank you for your interest in my family¡¯s farm. My father willingly decided to supply wheat and potatoes to the Asil Industrial Zone of Tauren.¡±

    She seemed to have a previous agreement with Eleonora. She never thought it would happen like this when she made that appointment. This was the first disastrous failure that Eleonora Asil experienced after birth.

    The blonde woman with an innocent face talked to herself for a long time in front of the soulless shell.

    ¡°Hey, uh¡­ Are you very tired, ma¡¯am? Should I take my leave and return some other time?¡±

    She spent several minutes talking to herself like that. Finally, it looked like she realized that Eleonora was not responsive.

    ¡°Baroness Asil?¡±

    When she got closer and touched her, Eleonora¡¯s body slumped over like a sack of potatoes. Lenia grabbed her in dismay and pulled her back onto the chair.

    ¡°Is anyone here?!¡±

    Urgently scanning around the mansion, Lenia¡¯s gaze met Adrian. The look in her eyes suggested that she recognized him.

    ¡°Minister Rossinell?

    Her eyes, slowly jumping from Adrian¡¯s face to his hair, then his shoulders, seemed to have a hunch. As soon as she saw his blood-soaked hand, her face turned as pale as a ghost.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I did not harm her. But I might still be able to save her.¡± Adrian said, walking over to Eleonora.

    The red nucleus in his mmy grip heated up as if it was crying out for him to let it out. Adrian alternated looking at Eleonora¡¯s nucleus and her body, which had be a lifeless doll. It may not be toote. If he sends it back to her body right now, there¡¯s a one in a thousand chance she¡¯ll wake up.

    But what if she woke up whilst he was still around?

    ¡°I have never forced you to stay by me. Even if you weren¡¯t here, I would survive just fine on my own¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve only done this for your own self-interest.¡±

    Again, and again. Back at square one.

    At that moment the clear desire he had given up and tried to forget over the years rose. There was still a chance to get back into her good graces.

    A deepvender scent spread through the air. Lenia, who gasped in surprise, soon nkly rxed her face. As soon as Adrian gestured with his hands, she stumbled up to him and fell at his feet.

    ¡°You looked at the very thing you were not supposed to look at. Poor thing.¡± He nced down at Lenia, and then back towards Eleonora.

    ¡°I hope you love me, Eleonora. I wish you were under me for once. May this dreadful domination rtionship be reversed. You must know what I have to do now.¡±

    There is no way to restore a soul that has already been damaged except by grabbing it to prevent it from destruction. If Eleonora were destroyed, there was one way to bring her back to life.

    The cloning of the soul that Eleonora wanted to do so badly.

    The birth of a new, undamaged soul.

    The lips with a crooked smile touched the lips of the shell where the soul had left. With that final kiss, Adrian left Eleonora¡¯s mansion, and shortly after, he was followed by the blonde woman.

    The mansion¡¯s door mmed shut behind them. The gear wheels on the door turned and locked it. The mansion, which responded to the owner¡¯s biological activity, fell into a deep sleep along with her.

    Before long, the silence was trapped.

    ***

    On page one of the third stage of the replica project, Adrian Rossinell¡¯s name was written instead of Eleonora Asil. On the next page:

    Eleonora died on April 17, 578

    A piece of her was safely stored.

    Your circle, I¡¯ll fulfill it for you.

    In return, this time I will do as I please.

 Chapter 235

    ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± Noah asked as she and Kyle approached Adrian.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for the Protection Bureau to arrive.¡± Kyle let go of Noah and folded his arms. ¡°When I sent the telegram to Tezeba, I also issued an emergency warning to the Tauren Protection Bureau. If abnormal magic flows were to be detected in the entire district of Tauren, a search party is dispatched immediately. ¡°

    ¡°I see.¡± Noah nodded at Adrian who was lying unconscious on the floor. ¡°What if the Adrian over there is the ¡®real¡¯ Adrian?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to see the report to know if it¡¯s the real him or a fake replica like on The Angelic, but it doesn¡¯t matter what he is. If he resists on the way to the Imperial Castle, he¡¯ll get the death penalty. My guess? This one here is a replica.¡±

    At that point, Noah had nothing more to say. She nced back over at the hotel, where the so-called workers were piling out, and heading into the empty buildings surrounding it to avoid getting wet. Noah held out a hand to catch some of the rain, watching the ck water flow over her skin and leave a trail. She was so caught up with the rain that she failed to hear Kyle calling out her name until he tapped her on the shoulder.

    ¡°Kyle?¡± She asked, snapping out of her trance. He gestured for her to follow him, and together they hid under the doorway of a house, much like everyone else. Noah wiped her hands on her trousers, making a note to wash them properly as soon as she was able to.

    ¡°I was saying that you should try and eat something.¡± Kyle reached into his satchel and pulled out a small, brown paper bag. ¡°When was thest time you ate?¡±

    ¡°Breakfast, same as you.¡± Noah eyed up the bag. ¡°And I¡¯m not hungry.¡±

    ¡°Noah, please. You¡­ You¡¯ve uncovered something that has been happening right under our noses. I think you¡¯ve earned the right to eat.¡± Kyle thrust the bag into her arms. ¡°Please.¡±

    Noah sighed. Kyle could be so persistent when he wanted to. She rolled her eyes and opened up the bag. Inside were a couple of cheese sandwiches, along with two apples. She picked up a sandwich and an apple, and handed the bag back to Kyle.

    ¡°I made them both for you¡­¡± Kyle began, but Noah cut him off.

    ¡°I¡¯ll only eat if you eat. You¡¯ve been on your feet for as long as I have.¡± Noah wiggled the bag in her hand. ¡°Come on, Kyle Leonard. Eat you lunch.¡± She sang, shing him a childish grin as he relented and took the bag from her.

    Satisfied, Noah entered the house proper to find somewhere to sit. As the ce had been empty for who knows how long, the furniture was not in the best state. In the living room, the sofas were resting at odd angles, tables had been flipped over, and a thickyer of dust covered everything.

    Blowing ayer of dust off one of the sofas, and coughing as it blew back into her face, Noah cautiously sat on the sofa and waited to see if it would copse under her weight. When the only thing that happened was the creaking of a spring, she chomped down on her apple and thought back to the factory deep within the hotel.

    She expected Kyle to sit down next to her, but when he didn¡¯t, she looked around for him. She found him sitting on the very edge of a table that he had turned upright, a look of difort on his face. It dawned on her then that Kyle was the biggest neat freak she had ever known. The first time they met, he had cleaned his entire house from top to bottom even before she had even entered. Everywhere he went, things had to be spotless. And for him to be hiding in a derelict old house which likely had not been cleaned for decades, he was clearly ufortable.

    Noah could not help but giggle at the way Kyle frantically brushed off a speck of dust that hadnded on his trousers.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve had a bite to eat, we need to talk about what we¡¯ve going to do next. We still need to interrogate Adrian, question Leina once she has had time to calm down, and find Eleonora¡¯s soul within the factory. On top of waiting for the help to arrive¡­¡± Noah took a bite of her sandwich. ¡°Did you bring any water?¡± She asked, her mouth feeling dry. Kyle rummaged in his satchel and pulled out an unopened bottle of water. He threw it to her and continued to watch her. Trying to nk him, Noah chugged half the water, unaware of how thirsty she had been. She then continued to eat, consciously aware of Kyle staring deep into her soul.

    Eventually, it was all too much for her handle.

 Chapter 236

    ¡°What?¡± Noah asked, her voiceing out more forceful than she intended. She didn¡¯t miss the way Kyle flinched at the tone of her voice, and cleared her throat so she could ask again, lowering her voice and asking in a polite manner.

    ¡°I was just¡­ No, it doesn¡¯t matter. It can wait.¡± Kyle seemed to sink into the table, chewing on his sandwich like all the fight had left him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kyle?¡± Noah asked, leaping to her feet. Her half-eaten sandwich, along with her apple, rolled onto the floor. ¡°First you say you¡¯re never going to leave me alone, then you insist that you give me food, and now you are staring holes directly into me and act like nothing is wrong. Clearly something is wrong.¡± She marched over to him, her hands on her hips. ¡°So? Will you tell me?¡±

    Noah was expecting Kyle to snap back at her, for them to get into a row that would result in one, or both, of them having to take time out to calm down. Or that Kyle would just storm off in a huff.

    She was not expecting what happened next.

    Kyle shoved his food to one side and nted his hands on her face. Before she could react, he kissed her deeply, with more intensity than the kiss they shared outside. Noah hesitated for a brief moment, unsure of what to do. Her hands, moving on their ord, grabbed onto Kyle¡¯s shirt as she found herself returning the kiss.

    Her thoughts were racing as she tried to determine how she felt about all of this. The kiss did, admittedly, feel good, and she couldn¡¯t deny the warm feeling that was spreading from her heart. But, on the other hand¡­

    Noah pushed Kyle away with such force that hended back on the table, and stepped away from him. Her breathing was heavy, and her heart was pounding against her chest with a mixture of emotions. Euphoria, confusion¡­ She felt them all.

    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t right.¡± She said, holding her hands up to her lips. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡±

    ¡°Doing what? Noah, what are you so afraid of?¡± Kyle pushed himself off the table and carefully reached out to hold Noah¡¯s hands. ¡°We have nothing to be afraid of.¡±

    ¡°I, well¡­ I thought we agreed that we should stick to having a tonic rtionship.¡± Noah said, sighing as Kyle brushed a hand over her cheek. ¡°Didn¡¯t we?¡± They had both agreed that there was nothing between them, and to keep their feelings to themselves, and yet there they were. There was no denying that she did enjoy Kyle¡¯spany, and they had made the choice to stick to each other from here on out, but that didn¡¯t mean they had to take things to the next level. Right?

    ¡°Things are not set in stone, Noah.¡± Kyle lightly kissed her hand, the sensation of which gave her butterflies in her stomach. ¡°Feelings can change, and evolve over time. Just like mine have for you. But I suppose I did move pretty quickly. Perhaps a little too quickly for you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, just a tad¡­¡± Noah said, tilting her head away. What was she so afraid of? This man was throwing himself at her, and she was hesitating. She needed fresh air to clear her thoughts. ¡°I was thinking we should go investigate the hotel before the Bureau arrives.¡± She said, rubbing her arm with her spare hand. ¡°And we should get some more food, seeing as our lunch is now on the floor.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we should. Come on, we should hurry so we don¡¯t stay outside too long.¡± Kyle let go of Noah and walked over Adrian. He took some more rope out of his bag and secured him to the table, ensuring that there was no way he could escape. He then took Noah by the hand and led her back outside. Together, they sprinted towards the hotel.

    All the workers that were gathered outside had vanished, presumably seeking shelter, and so they were able to approach it easily. Noah looked up at Kyle as they were running, and then down at her hand still sped in his. There was a little flutter in her heart, something that was growing from deep within.

    She couldn¡¯t deny her feelings any longer. This man, who was so often cold and ruthless to everyone he came across, had opened himself up to her. True, he had kissed her without warning, but he acknowledged that he had moved too fast for her to keep up. And now they were investigating something big together.

    Maybe, just this once, she could open her heart to him.

 Chapter 237

    Outside the hotel, Noah took a brief look around. The towering building that masqueraded as a hotel hid so many dark secrets, and she was the one who managed to uncover it all. Pride was swelling inside of her as she stepped inside with Kyle, only for shock to take over at the state of the inside.

    Whilst the mes had been extinguished, there was still a lot of damage. Smoke stained the walls and ceiling, the tables and chairs had been thrown about the ce as the patrons rushed to escape the fire, cards were strewn about the floor, and liquor bottles had been smashed. If the abandoned house was in a state of disarray, then the bar was even worse.

    Noah heard Kyle sharply inhale, and she knew that he was at his limit.

    ¡°Muell.¡± Noah called out to the dragon following close behind her. ¡°Get this into a state of normality, please. For his sake.¡± She gestured with her head to Kyle, who was silently seething.

    ¡°Right.¡± Muell stepped out into the middle of the room and waved a hand. ck magic spread out and filled the room, lifting everything into the air. The tables and chairs were neatly arranged in rows, the cards were neatly stacked into their respective piles and ced onto the tables, and the broken bottles were neatly swept into piles in the far corner. Aside from the soot stains, everything was back to how it was when Noah first arrived. Minus the patrons, of course. They were all still gathered outside the hotel, seeking shelter from the rain.

    ¡°Well, now that all this has been sorted out,¡± Kyle said as he took Noah¡¯s hand, ¡°We should get some food and conduct our own investigation.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we should. At least until the Bureau arrives.¡± Noah allowed herself to be led through the bar and into the kitchens at the back. For all the misery Adrian seemed hell bent on causing, as well as running the highly illegal operation where he tested on humans, he did at least seem to care about his test subjects and ¡°employees¡±.

    The kitchen was well-stocked with food, with the cupboards and fridge full to bursting. Noah let go of Kyle and rummaged through the cupboards, looking for something to eat. Nothing had been left out for them, which means she would have to cook something from scratch.

    She began rustling around until she found an unopened packet of pasta. Aware that Kyle was watching her, she set about making some proper food for the two of them. She poured water to a pan and brought it to a boil, adding the pasta in and ensuring it was all covered. As the pasta cooked, she set about making a homemade sauce using some tomatoes she found in the pantry.

    All the while, she was consciously aware that Kyle was staring intently, seemingly watching her every move.

    ¡°Is something on your mind, Kyle?¡± She asked as she stirred the pasta. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking at me ever since we entered the hotel.¡±

    ¡°How did you find this ce, Noah?¡± Kyle leant against some cupboards; his arms folded. ¡°I get that you were being attacked at the marketce, but how, of all the ces in Tauren, did you end here? The one ce we would find Adrian and the replica process?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Noah stirred the tomatoes and sprinkled in some herbs that wereying close by. ¡°Muell teleported me here.¡±

    ¡°My point still stands. Why did you not just run away? st a fireball at them and run back to me.¡± Kyle frowned. ¡°We could have dealt with them together. And how did Muell know about this ce? What are the two of you nning? How did you know about the hotel and how it wasn¡¯t all that it seemed?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Noah sighed as she turned around. She waited for Kyle to chastise her for deliberately getting herself into dangerous situations. They had already had that chat, so how many times did they need to have it.

    Instead, all he did was walk forwards and take her hands in his. ¡°I will deal with the food.¡± Kyle said, pressing a kiss onto the palm of her hands.

    Noah found it unfair. If she had known that Kyle Leonard would be this dangerous, she would have been afraid to be close to him. As she kept lowering her head, he eventually grabbed her head softly, forcing her to look up, but she avoided his gaze as much as she could. ¡°Didn¡¯t we promise to have a tonic rtionship?¡± she stuttered, even though she had already asked the question.

    With a sly look, Kyle replied, ¡°I don¡¯t remember making a promise; I only said I¡¯d make an effort.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I meant!¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really confident from the beginning. I was just trying to get at your level because you¡¯re so on guard. I guess my patience wasn¡¯t that long for you; it didn¡¯t evenst a day.¡±

    Noah couldn¡¯t utter a reply; hearing Kyle say those words with so much nonchnce made her flush. If it were a usual day, she would p back at Kyle, but she was rendered speechless by his deep stare and by the way his fingers softly brushed her neck.

    ¡°And frankly, you looking at me with that expression is hard to¡­¡±

    ¡°What expression do I have on my face? It¡¯s the same as normal! It¡¯s ufortable seeing you suddenly act like this. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± She tried to speak as firmly as possible, but her emotions betrayed her as her voice wavered at the end of her sentence.

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re so cute. That expression that¡¯s wary of a man. You don¡¯t usually make that kind of face.¡±

    Dumbstruck at Kyle¡¯s straightforward answer, Noah narrowed her eyes at him and said, ¡°Your personality really stinks.¡±

    Kyle sighed, removing his hands from her, and asked. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m that bad? Then tell me how far I could go. I¡¯ll take it slow, one step at a time.¡±

    Noah replied hesitantly, ¡°I think hugging is fine¡­¡± And with nowhere to step back, the only ce to hide was in his arms. Noah carefully inched closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. ¡°Like this.¡± As she inhaled the familiar scent of his body, herposure gradually returned. With her face buried in his chest, she heard Kyle¡¯s frantic heartbeat and felt a pleasant thrill. She mumbled, ¡°I need some time to adjust.¡±

    ¡°Then all you need to do is get used to me.¡±

 Chapter 238

    Looking down at her, a heartyugh fell from Kyle¡¯s lips, and before she could figure out the meaning behind thatugh, Noah felt her body lifted; Kyle had ced her on top of the kitchen counter. Suddenly his lips were on hers, devouring her like a prey. His arms around her waist and his hand around his neck gave her a sense of safety, holding her tightly so she couldn¡¯t escape. She had no choice but to surrender to the sudden invasion.

    Her hands turned pale as they gripped onto the sleeves of Kyle¡¯s shirt. The unfamiliar sensation of his tongue sent tingles to her spine and their faint breathing filled the empty room. Scared that she¡¯d make a weird noise, Noah bit her lip and shuddered. Kyle took a short breath.

    ¡°That face,¡± Kyle grabbed her chin and his grip on her waist tightened, ¡°can make anyone fall out of focus.¡±

    Feeling threatened, Noah pushed his chest and said hurriedly, ¡°Kyle, I want to eat now!¡±

    Kyle frowned as he was suddenly hit by a realization. ¡°Oh¡­ Damn it. Lunch.¡± After a moment of pondering which was more important to him, kissing Noah or preparing lunch, he finally conceded with a sigh. He pulled Noah into an embrace and rested his chin on her shoulder. With obvious hesitation, he then let her go.

    ¡°Alright, just wait for ten minutes.¡±

    He walked to the other side of her and began putting the finishing touches to the food: adding seasoning to the pasta and the sauce, and adding a few parsley leaves. Soon, the pasta has been mixed with make-shift sauce, and heaped onto a te. Sprinkled on top was some cheese, and the whole thing was making Noah¡¯s mouth water.

    ¡°Dig in.¡± Kyle handed her a fork, and tucked into his own portion. Noah started eating her food, trying not to devour it in one go when she realised how hungry she actually was. Considering it was cooked with so few ingredients, it smelt and tasted absolutely divine.

    ¡°No matter how you go here, what matters is that you uncovered something big,¡± Kyle said, ¡°and the fact that you have means that we can start to clean this mess up.¡±

    ¡°I found Adrian¡¯s diary. No, journal¡­ Whatever it is, within theboratory.¡± Noah stabbed at her food with her fork. ¡°He was initially against everything. It was Eleonora who was doing all the experiments. She was trying to create the perfect replica of herself, something which Adrian seemed to think was impossible. And he was proved right when Eleonora died attempting to split her soul from her body and imnt it into the replica. But now Adrian is attempting to do the same thing. Except¡­¡±

    ¡°Except he wants to imnt Eleonora¡¯s soul into another replica and bring her back. Essentially a resurrection. Sounds like him.¡± Kyle took another bite of food. ¡°And given how many Adrians there are, he looks like he¡¯s getting closer.¡±

    ¡°But he needed Muell¡¯s magic, and Eleonora¡¯s body. Something which I am not in possession of anymore.¡± Noah poked her food some more. ¡°He was that desperate to get a hold of Muell¡¯s magic that he was willing topletely destroy everything. He was going to blow the entire operation up, and take him along with it. If he couldn¡¯t have Eleonora, he didn¡¯t want to live.¡±

    ¡°People do strange things for love, it seems.¡± Kyle sighed. ¡°Good job I got here in time to stop him.¡±

    ¡°Good job you¡¯re a crack shot with that revolver of yours.¡± Noah joked, even though none of them wereughing. They both knew that Noah would have been killed had Kyle been a few minuteste. There likely wouldn¡¯t have been anything left of her to bury.

    ¡°Good job, indeed. Now,¡± Kyle nodded to her te of food, ¡°Finish that off and then we can have something sweet for dessert. I think I saw some lemon sorbet in the freezer.¡±

    Noah finished the rest of her food in silence, trying not to think about what could have been her untimely demise at the hands of Adrian. She forced the food down, her appetite now gone. When her te was empty, it was taken away, and a bowl of lemon sorbet was thrust into her hands. The tangy sweetness was enough to take her mind off everything, and she willingly dug into it. She counted her lucky stars that her favourite dessert was around, and she savoured it. She also noticed that Kyle seemed to have added an extra heaping into her bowl, almost as a way of spoiling her. Kyle himself was busy washing everything up, his robe draped over the counter and his sleeves rolled up.

    ¡°Kyle,¡± Noah suddenly blurted out, ¡°Do you like me?¡±

    Kyle dropped the bowl back into the sink and dried his hands on the towel. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. His reply was so simple and so fast that it was almost ridiculous. As Noah asked again, Kyle grinned, ¡°I do like you. So much that it is impossible to have a tonic rtionship with you.¡±

    ¡°Since when?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly when it started, but when I came to my senses, I realized that you¡¯ve had me in your palms for a long time.¡±

    Noah pretended to be unfazed at his confession, but inwardly she was brimming with pleasant satisfaction. Kyle attempted to close the distance between them, but Noah swiftly stopped him, pointing her spoon threateningly towards him. ¡°Don¡¯te near me.¡±

    Kyle, however, simply said with a dangerous smile on his lips, ¡°I think my favorite part of you is when you¡¯re very defensive.¡± He took a step forward. ¡°The more you stop me, the more I want to get closer to you.¡± He reached over the table to grab Noah¡¯s hand, which he was allowed to do, and unexpectedly bit the tip of her finger, making her whole body freeze.

    Her gaze met Kyle¡¯s, whose lips were pressed against her palm. With his head lowered, his purple eyes looked deeper and darker from above, hidden by the shadows of his eyshes. The touch of his lips moved to her wrist, hot as ifcerating her skin, but slow as if asking for an unspoken permission to be closer to her.

    But clearly, he had kissed her less than a minute after saying he¡¯d take it one step at a time¡­ It was the moment when anger was about to rise on her body that foresaw what would continue as instinct.

    Suddenly, she could hear a faint and indistinct voiceing from the pocket of his robe.

    ¡°Now, of all times.¡± Kyle muttered under his breath as he went over to his robe and stuck his hands into one of the pockets to find his radio. Tuning the radio until he was on the right frequency, he pressed a button and spoke into it.

    ¡°This is Kyle Leonard. Where are you? Over.¡±

    ¡°Boss, we¡¯re approaching the hotel. What¡¯s our first objective? Over.¡±

    ¡°Half of you, question the people who are hiding in the houses. The other half, enter the hotel and wait for me to give you further instructions. Oh, and in one of the houses is Adrian, or one of him anyway. Keep him subdued. Over.¡± Kyle finished speaking and looked at Noah. ¡°They can take it from here.¡±

 Chapter 239

    Noah saw an opportunity and hurriedly broke free from Kyle, her heart hammering from her chest as she almost got swayed by insensibility. Both her cheeks were burning crimson. Unable to look back at him, she shifted her eyes outside the window, and below, the armed Protection Bureau members were seen entering the inside of the barrier.

    ¡°No need to put out the fire. And no need to be afraid since the fire isn¡¯t burning anyone. First things first, lead the people outside the hotel to a temporary security post, especially those with the letter ¡®R¡¯ written on the back of their ears, and iste them separately. And do not touch room #319.¡±

    Behind her, Kyle¡¯s voice was heard giving orders over a radio. Noah deliberately tried hard to think objectively about what she had to do right now.

    ¡°There is a process running in the entire northern hallways from the third floor to the sixth floor. First, save the Harrell residents in those rooms. On the second, third, and fourth floors.¡±

    The Ministry of Magic¡¯s secretboratory, designed with a bizarre process, will now move on to the Bureau of Investigation Security.

    The replica project hadpletely fallen into the realm of Laurent Imperial Law. That fact meant one thing: Eleonora Asil and Adrian Rossinell had failed. The resurrection of Eleonora, the abuse of Adrian¡¯s authority as the head of the Ministry of Magic¡­ The manifestation of the world those two had dreamt of would never happen.

    Further investigation of the persons involved in the project would be required to close the investigation. Adrian would be arrested for several violent crimes, including unprecedented brutal biological experiments, the murder of Eleonora Asil, the attacks on the train bound for Central Edman and the Angelic, and the embezzlement of magic stones.

    However, it wouldn¡¯t be the end yet. Adrian, who had been split into two and the whereabouts of Eleonora¡¯s soul which had been ripped from her body, the rtionship between the two¡­

    Noah recalled Eleonora¡¯s body, which would be trapped in the many clutters of Muell¡¯s subspace, and her soul, which would be stored somewhere. Eleonora had performed joint research with Adrian for the replica project. In fact, it may be that they were associated by names only; perhaps it was only Eleonora¡¯s doing from the beginning. If so, the one who would bear the consequences of her crimes was Adrian.

    ¡°Hey, Noah.¡±

    Kyle, who had received orders through his radio, called her name. Swiftly turning around, surprised, he smirked with a serious look on his face. His loose smile caused Noah¡¯s heart to tremble and tighten.

    ¡°The staircase up to the fourth floor is blocked. Which way did you go up a few hours ago?¡± he asked.

    Noah frowned as she recalled her memory. ¡°Oh, right. The structure of the mansion must have changed as I went up. I¡¯ll try to go up again.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    ¡°But I can go a-a-alone.¡±

    ¡°What happened to our promise, Noah?¡±

    You didn¡¯t promise to follow me wherever I go! Noah couldn¡¯t bear to answer and left the kitchen sooner. This was not the time or ce for that; she had to go up to Adrian¡¯s researchb again and go through all of the documents in there to see Adrian¡¯s involvement in Eleonora¡¯s research. She ought to know who the subject of such inhumane experiment was. Thinking about what she had to do, her tightened heart seemed to have found its rhythm again.

    All right. You have to draw a distinct line between public and private matters, Noah. Determined, she stepped foot into the hallway before freezing. Speaking of public and private affairs¡­ there was someone she hadpletely forgotten about: the witness.

    ¡°Right, Lenia!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave Lenia Valtalere¡¯s interrogation with Muell,¡± Kyle said, putting a robe around her shoulders.

    Noah, frozen at the scent of Kyle¡¯s body scenting from the robe, snapped back at the sound of her dragon¡¯s name. ¡°What?¡± she whipped her head to Kyle.

    In retrospect, Kyle had asked Muell to do something just beforeing up from the first-floor hall. Noah asked in a dashing way, ¡°So, what did you order Muell to do?¡±

    Kyle only shrugged his shoulders as if saying, ¡®What else would it be?¡¯

    ¡°Youngdy, he had seen and heard a lot in the Protection Bureau. Well¡­ although the child hasn¡¯t learned about morality or ethics yet, but still, I¡¯m sure he has learned everything useful in this situation.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that¡­¡±

    Noah was appalled after btedly realizing the meaning of what he had said. Don¡¯t tell me he didn¡¯t just teach Muell how to interrogate, this guy?

 Chapter 240

    Muell was sort of confused. His round eyes moved left and right repeatedly. This side, blond hair; that side, blond hair. This side, green eyes; that side, green eyes. No wonder, their features were the same, and even the amount of magic flowing in their bodies and the cracks in the soul were the same.

    Although young, they were sophisticated enough to be hard to distinguish even with the eyes of the mightiest dragon in the world. Actually, the dividing of Adrian¡¯s soul and the replica transntation were only possible thanks to Muell¡¯s one magic fingernail.

    With no signs of resting his eyes rolling back and forth, he agonized over which one to talk to. Then, he decided to just leave it to his gut. The one Muell chose to talk to was the Adrian on the left side. He started the interrogation in a determined manner.

    ¡°What happened to this person?¡±

    He put strength in his eyes to stare at the human in front of him. All the while gripping a half-torn calendar in his hand. On the backside of the calendar, the nk part was filled with crooked lines. It was a painting with two dots inside of a circle and several curved lines hanging outside of it.

    The man looked at it for a long time. The noble being, who had the sheer density of magic he had longed for so close to infinity, sometimes did some things very out of the blue. Even that seemed to resemble his owner. The power that he wanted to put in his hand, in thest ce, was in someone¡¯s hands. The man¡¯s green eyes became dreary.

    Muell, who didn¡¯t know what he was thinking and wouldn¡¯t even care if he knew, shook the calendar in his hand annoyingly.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to answer?¡±

    The man asked, controlling the sudden surge of emotions, ¡°What¡¯s that, Mr. Muell?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    With a serious look on his face, Muell started rubbing the picture again. Every time, his tiny finger was smeared with gold paint. He pointed at the blue dots inside the circle. Having done that, the man came to figure out roughly what the shape was.

    ¡°Oh, this female. The egg thief. What was her name again¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Lenia Valtalere?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yep!¡± Muell smiled brightly, shaking the wanted photo of the person who looked nothing like Lenia. ¡°Noah said that she is hidden somewhere in the hotel, but I am not sure where.¡±

    No wonder he couldn¡¯t find her. Because Lenia had run away nched in fear after seeing the dragon. The man closed his lips for a moment. It was only for mere seconds, but the cost was quite severe.

    Muell had seen Kyle and his men interrogating criminals during a fifteen-day tour of the capital¡¯s Protection Bureau. In fact, Kyle had had Muell present to teach them what would happen if they broke thew, but it was the interrogation method that Muell had been interested in.

    If a criminal doesn¡¯t simply confess, beat them until they do.

    Muell shed a grin across his face before hopping onto the knees of the Adrian on the left side. When the man, whose hands were handcuffed, fell back, he settled on his chest. Then, lifting his tiny hands, he started to p his face.

    ¡°Where is Lenia?¡±

    The man cracked a fake smile at his cute interrogation, but it disappeared from his face the next moment when he witnessed Muell¡¯s actions. His small palm raised in the air, clenching into a fist, and a spell-powered whirlwind the size of his head started winding. The dark red eyes had already lost their mirth. Goosebumps spread all over the man¡¯s body.

    ¡°There she is, Mr. Muell. The human you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Muell was about to hit him with the magic whirlwind, but the other Adrian had interrupted him. He then heard the sounds of someone hiding at the end of the hallway.

    ¡°Found you!¡±

    The young dragon leaped off the man he was standing on and dashed down the hallway. The moment he turned the corner, he heard the sounds of footsteps descending the stairs. Jumping onto the handrail, he extended his hand out in front of him to shoot out a string of magic. The long stream twisted in the air before catching someone.

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    The invisibility spell Noah had cast on her disappeared immediately, and Lenia, whose upper body was tied tightly, rose into the air. Muellughed, hanging from the handrail.

    ¡°Gotcha.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m s-s-s-sorry,¡± Lenia stuttered in fear.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay.¡±

    With Lenia floating in the air, Muell searched the subspace and took out what he needed: a dry piece of paper, a pen, and a small recorder Kyle mainly used. Mister told me to ask her something¡­

    What Kyle had asked Muell to do was to distinguish the authenticity of Adrian¡¯s replica and to secure Lenia Valtalere¡¯s previous alibi.

    Lenia was on the verge of copsing into unconsciousness, but Muell was not delicate and considerate enough. Without dy, he asked, ¡°Number 1! What¡¯s your rtionship with Eleonora Asil?¡±

    ¡°Sh-sh-sh¡­ she was one of my clients! Asil Industrial Zone!¡±

    Muell didn¡¯t really know what a ¡®client¡¯ was, but soon enough he grabbed the pen and scribbled it down. The tape inside the recorder nearby was rolling, recording all of the information of the interrogation and sending it to the other party.

 Chapter 241

    ¡°Number 2. What¡¯s your rtionship with Adrian Rossinell?¡±

    ¡°Uh, um. Two years ago, I visited Baroness Asil¡¯s home, a-a-and she was unconscious¡­ At that time, I caught a glimpse of Adrian.¡±

    This was roughly what Lenia¡¯s tearful statement was. Eleonora was one of the clients of Valtalere Farm, and Lenia was the only one who happened to have witnessed her death while visiting Eleonora¡¯s mansion to renew her contract. She had not only witnessed Eleonora lying unconsciously, but she had also witnessed the sight of Adrian, with her. Everything that transpired afterwards was obvious. Adrian had then dragged Lenia, who had said that she¡¯d do anything if he let her live, back to his researchb in Harrell.

    ¡°At first, I was put into an experiment. That was when I handed over biometric information about the second stage of the replica project. My father had put out a missing person¡¯s report¡­ but seeing that no one came looking for me, I think that was when he nted the replica in Tezeba.¡±

    Of those trapped in theboratory, half had already been there before Lenia was captured, and the other half had been newly deployed after Lenia. Very few of those who¡¯d been there beforehand had survived. Some had be slobbering, babbling animals with their eyes rolled to the back of their heads, hallucinating out of their minds, or already dead for days.

    Fortunately or unfortunately, the circumstances of Lenia and the others who had been captured after her have not been so brutal. Those who were deemed impossible to revive if more experiments were conducted had been sent to the second floor, where the failed experiments were kept. Among them, Lenia was especially lucky.

    It just so happened that one of Harrell¡¯s researchers had had acquaintances, and with his help, her turn could be postponed without being put through several rounds of biological experiments. But then the number of subjects had decreased, and things had be different after Adrian started obsessing over the research.

    Eventually, when Lenia hadn¡¯t been able to avoid her turn, she had risked her life to escape. Escaping the process anding out of the researchb, the discovery of the dragon¡¯s egg was simply a coincidence.

    She justified in a stammering voice, ¡°I overheard the researchers whispering among each other while I was trapped. I heard there¡¯s a sign when the dragon starts to hatch; I think Adrian is greedy for the egg¡­ This is just what I heard, by the way, but if Adrian even imprints a dragon, it really seems that everyone in this process will die<b>.</b> I didn¡¯t know it would start imprinting if I-I-I touched it.¡±

    Lenia thought there was only one person who deserved to be the dragon¡¯s master. Eleonora, the witch who had hid in Sorrent for two years since she copsed in her home two years ago. Unless someone was a genius magical engineer, who was qualified to face the best wizard in Laurent?

    Of course, the chase had followed two days after she stole the dragon and went down to Sorrent. Pretending to go up to the capital, hiding briefly in Cezanne, where her father¡¯s farm was located, she had boarded a ferry intending to ask for help from the capital¡¯s Protection Bureau, in an attempt to at least stifle Adrian¡¯s movement. However, when she¡¯d been caught by Adrian, she had been reced by a replica.

    Muell, listening up until there, nodded his head. ¡°Hmm, so that sucker came to catch you and found Noah with me in Lunazel.¡±

    That blond-haired man had been chasing Noah from the beginning. So he wasn¡¯t just trying to be a nuisance by chasing her, he had had bad intentions this whole time, he thought, imprinting the information in his head. His red eyes darkened.

    Lenia, unable to recognize his reaction, looked around. ¡°By the way¡­ where is Baroness Asil? At that time, I definitely saw her on the Angelic imprinting you, Mr. Dragon.¡±

    ¡°Noah is upstairs. And I never told you to ask any questions. I am the one who is questioning.¡±

    The chilly tone of the three-year-old was cute, but no matter how young he was, he contained power that humans could not resist. He gripped his pen again. There was still onest piece of information Kyle had told him to find out.

    ¡°Question number 3. Tell me what you know about the replica project. What are stage 1 and stage 2? Is there also a stage 4?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ The replica project has three stages at the most. Stage 1 is the design and production of an automaton, which moves with a built-in battery and an inputted manual. Stage 2 is a more sophisticated implementation of the automaton¡­ so it¡¯s a project to ovey the body size and external characteristics on the surface of the automaton from head to toe. When I came here, it was after stage 2 had ended with a sess.¡±

    ¡°Stage¡­. 2¡­. has seeded¡­¡± Muell looked carefully at his records somewhere between the drawing and his writing. There were lots of letters he didn¡¯t know, but he could understand the gist of it. He extended both hands in the air again, opening the subspace. He then buried his upper body inside and began to rummage around.

 Chapter 242

    From Lenia¡¯s position, his upper body suddenly appeared to have been swallowed by an invisible wall. While she was pale in the face, Muell pulled out a cyborg that Kyle had subdued.

    ¡°That is stage 2,¡± Lenia pointed out.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    ¡°Then over that¡­ thing, there must be the third stage.¡±

    His head turned toward the room where Adrian was temporarily detained. One of the two human beings who were indistinguishable at first nce.

    Lenia continued her statement, trembling. ¡°The point of the third stage is¡­ cloning and reassembling the human soul. Spiritual magic is one of Adrian¡¯s areas of expertise, so¡­ I know that he has written many theories rted to binding the soul and body¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but¡­ I heard that the binding of the soul weakens more when a certain intensity is applied to the body. Then, the soul is ced in a prepared core and sealed up. So after all of the human memories, knowledge, and abilities inherent in the nucleus are informally recorded, they¡¯re imnted into an embodied automaton¡­ No matter how many experiments there are, he could not create a real human being, just a more sophisticated machine.¡±

    That was a fact. No matter how much a human¡¯s body and soul were analyzed and copied, the clone that was created was just a collection of information. It couldn¡¯t feel or perceive anything.

    ¡°That¡¯s why Adrian chose soul division. Even in the process, the failed experimentes out tremendously,¡± said Lenia.

    To minimize damage to the soul, it¡¯s divided in half, with one going into its original body, and the other into a finely embodied clone. At this time, it is the mighty dragon¡¯s power to act as an adhesive for the soul and the clone. A supernatural power with the densest magic to bring all dying creatures to life at once, allowing them to be free to go beyond the boundaries of construction, and rule the world.

    Muell, feeling enlightened, nodded his head. ¡°I think humans are a brilliant existence.¡±

    The reason why dragons and transcendents with the power to make everything possible other than the creation of something out of nothing have not tried to clone this kind of soul so far, or to experiment with themselves, is that they do not have to. They are already the most perfect beings in all dimensions on their own.

    On the other hand, humans are weak. And iplete. Therefore, they gather to live in a society, set standards between good and evil, and act inconsistently, being swept away by emotions. And sometimes, theye up with ideas that they cannot do forever. Interesting, Muell thought, biting the tip of his pen.

    But as expected, thetter was arrogant. Muell liked Noah the most in this world, followed by his nanny, and didn¡¯t hate other humans, but he didn¡¯t love all imperfect humans. The ones who have ill will toward someone he likes are especially already a long way from being liked.

    ¡°Then what now?¡± Muell¡¯s eyes turned toward the room where the arrogant man was locked up.

    The doorknob to that room was shaking disturbingly.

    *

    While Muell wrote down all of Lenia¡¯s words in front of the main staircase, and Noah and Kyle scoured theb on the fourth floor, there was only a curious silence in room 319.

    The faint sound of Lenia crying, someone muttering, and the bright voice of a young dragon seemed to be heard, but no one inside listened.

    The man lying down with his eyes to the ceiling as if he¡¯d died raised his upper body again after a long time. Leaning his cheek on the back of his hand, Adrian looked at his other self for a moment. Another Adrian Rossinell created through a destructive desire.

    Having gained enough dragon power to conduct just one experiment, he had chosen himself without hesitation. It wasn¡¯t that the experiment wascking. Now wasn¡¯t the time to ponder on ethical problems.

    There was a wave of emotions he couldn¡¯t handle; destructive feelings that ate himself little by little. Love wasn¡¯t the only thing that has gued him for a long time. In fact, what he felt for Eleonora wasn¡¯t a form of love. It was the desire for genius and a sense of inferiority that coexisted as much as love did; crushed self-confidence; an emotional exchange that he longed for but could not eventually gain; a deep sense of betrayal.

    He wished he¡¯d cut out the things that¡¯d driven him crazy for the past years. Or split them in half if he couldn¡¯t drive them to one sidepletely. And now, the weight of losing was finally divided into two, with not even a mark to distinguish the real from the fake. Only the real Adrian knew which one was fake. However, there was no point in distinguishing who had been cut out and who did the cutting out.

    Since there will only be one person left anyway.

    The two pairs of green eyes met in the middle, and a low voice fell between them.

    ¡°What do you think, Adrian?¡±

    One was expressionless while the other smiled faintly.

    ¡°Who wants to stay?¡±

 Chapter 243

    ¡°You say that because you want to disappear?¡±

    A brief silence fell. Then Adrian said, ncing slyly,

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m a bit sick and tired of this.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. In fact, I thought it¡¯d befortable to have two Adrians, but I don¡¯t think it is. Are you feeling ufortable?¡±

    ¡°Is that even possible?

    Adrian¡¯s lips twisted.

    ¡°I feel really disgusting. I¡¯ve been doing this crap for the past few years, and I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll all copse like a sandcastle.¡±

    ¡°Hmmmm.¡±

    ¡°The power to revive Eleonora is rushing right in front of that hallway. I¡¯m so pathetic that I¡¯m going crazy. I should¡¯ve sunken that ship in the sea to stop the imprint.¡±

    A slew of curse words flew out of his mouth.

    The end goal of stage 3 of the replica project was thepletion of Eleonora¡¯s clone. And since he had decided to use the method of soul division in the process, Adrian had decided to cut off all of his weak parts and then destroy them. Because he couldpletely reverse the rtionship after creating Eleonora¡¯s clone; a genius witch who had been reborn from his hands after defeating his grand goal. It was certainly a fascinating study. The end of the project was finally in sight.

    With a part of himself now detached, what was left was emptiness and lethargy on one side and madness on the other. It¡¯s better to be motivated by opening up the possibility of the project¡¯s final sess to see who was real.

    Besides, if one of them was missing, the power they shared will bebined again. Maybe he can shake the barrier for a moment and escape.

    Adrianughed.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ve decided on who will remain.¡±

    Hearing that, Adrian pulled something from his shirt pocket.

    His hands were constrained and his movements slowed, but soon he managed to pull out a small chip half the size of a fingernail. Standing up with that in his hand, he began to walk toward himself, one slow step at a time.

    When the bandage on his shoulder was loosened, a bloody wound was revealed. He ced the chip into it without hesitating. Adrian grumbled.

    ¡°Be gentle. You know it hurts.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡±

    As soon as the specially coated nanochip was nted into his body, it immediately became entangled with his muscle tissue. It is a self-destructing chip that explodes immediately if anything taboo is uttered. This was Eleonora¡¯s invention. Adrian let Adrian¡¯s arm go and stepped back.

    ¡°Go. Your goal is right in front of you, you loser.¡±

    Adrian gazed at his dithering face. There was one word that set off the suicide bomb chip. His lips became dry.

    ¡°Eleonora, I¡­¡±

    But Adrian¡¯s words couldn¡¯te together in the end because of a slight rumble outside the room. The ground shook like hundreds of bison were sprinting at full speed, and a ck cloud poured in through the crack in the door.

    At the moment Adrian looked back, tearing down his impression, he met eyes with a pair of dark red shing eyes.

    Before he knew it, a young dragon was standing in front of the opened door.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    The air in the room turn ice-cold the moment those words were uttered.

    With his eyes shifting side to side at the two men, like earlier, Muell curled his lips and smiled. The look in his eyes though was not amused.

    ¡°Do you want to die? How do you want it?¡±

    A murderous intent glistened in the young dragon¡¯s eyes. But then he recalled what Kyle had asked for:

    ¡°Do whatever you want, Muell, but do not kill him.¡±

    There were so many ways to interpret those words, but Muell seeded in interpreting exactly as Kyle intended. Kyle didn¡¯t care what he did, as long as he didn¡¯t kill Adrian.

    ¡°Right. You¡­ I saw¡­ You put your hands on Noah earlier, right?¡±

    The scene of investigators interrogating a criminal in the Protection Bureau¡¯s basement appeared in Muell¡¯s mind. What do I do if a criminal rebels against me?

    Beat him until he confesses.

    Muell looked down at his tiny hands. They were too small. No matter how much he was to wave his tiny fists, they¡¯d only feel like fluffy bats.

    He smiled broadly as he felt a resonance with Noah, who opened up without any obstacles.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for me to be big.¡±

    Soon, thest smile on Muell¡¯s lips appearedpletely.

    ***

    After leaving the dining room, Noah and Kyle went upstairs with some of the militants from the Tauren Protection Bureau. For the investigation to proceed smoothly, because there were barriers everywhere in the building, Noah had to release the spell in theb and the replica process.

    She sighed for a long time, recounting Lenia¡¯s statement that Muell had sent.

    ¡°Oh, pitiful Lenia. When we arrive in the capital, please post a report saying that Lenia acted as a helper from time to time. She has been through a lot these past two years, so she should at least get a reward.¡±

    ¡°I was going to do that. If I do that, Lenia Valtalere won¡¯t bebeled as the criminal who stole the egg, so she will receive no punishment.¡±

    That was a relief. On top of that, thanks to Lenia, Noah was able to meet Muell, and because of that, she was able to find her body and use the power of the dragon to her heart¡¯s content, so she thought that it ended well. It¡¯s just that the process was a bit curved.

    Noahter vowed to hand over a few mining shares to Lenia. Her thought stretched further, to the replica project.

 Chapter 244

    ¡°By the way¡­ I was wondering what the first, second, and third steps meant, but it must have been a step-by-step project. Disassembling and reassembling the body and soul, no matter how hard I think about it¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s inhumane.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it is inhumane.¡±

    Noah agreed with Kyle, but a corner of her heart felt ufortable. It was because of the records she had read in Adrian¡¯s researchb. She thought about going back up to that ce and taking everything she hadn¡¯t been able to read.

    While searching for a way up from the third floor to the fourth floor, Muell¡¯s presence, who was connected to her, fluctuated greatly. Noah stopped in her tracks.

    ¡°Huh? Just now, what was¡­¡±

    Muell¡¯s resonance immediately returned to normal, but the next minute, a slight vibration came up from downstairs.

    Noah put her ear close to the transmitter just in case.

    ¡°Muell? What are you doing?¡±

    After a few seconds, a lively voice flowed out.

    ¡°¡­Nothing!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Noah. There is nothing.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah? Then we¡¯re done.¡±

    She didn¡¯t think the vibration earlier was a mistake. Then was it the sound of the process running again? Or it might have been sounds of the researchers and experiments escaping from the fourth floor.

    Now bing impatient, she pulled on Kyle¡¯s sleeve.

    ¡°I have to go up and check now. I guess something is going on.¡±

    ¡°Nothing is going on up there.¡±

    Kyle, however, was only shrugging, not expressing any sense of a crisis. No wonder he looked a little satisfied. I¡¯m sure this is a mistake, Noah thought.

    Pushing her shoulder, Kyle patted her shoulder.

    ¡°Muell is going to figure it out. As for us, we will first check out the researchb and the process.¡±

    Adrian and Eleonora¡¯s researchb were perfectly divided between the third and fourth floors. This was because the stairs Noah had stepped on yesterday had straightened out and tilted up like a seesaw before turning into the floor of the fourth floor.

    The staircase was sopletely gone that no one could find them no matter how many times they went around the same ce. Even Noah would have wandered for a long time to find a way up if it hadn¡¯t been for the traces of a broken barrier.

    Anyway, the staircase was gone, so if she wanted to go up, she could either use the outer walldder or dig a way up.

    Unhesitant, Noah chose thetter.

    Kaboom! The ceiling of the third floor and part of the floor of the fourth floor copsed like an explosion.

    ¡°¡­No wonder you¡¯ve be so aggressive. Or are you stillmunicating with Muell telepathically?¡±

    ¡°No. No matter how aggressive I am, it¡¯s just the way you investigate.¡±

    The copsed ceiling revealed the hallway of the fourth floor. When Noah made a floating translucent stairway leading up to it, Kyle looked at her with mixed feelings.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten much better, Noah. Now you don¡¯t have any hindrance when using your magic?¡±

    ¡°I do. It depletes my strength, so it¡¯s hard to summon many things at once. I¡¯m going to start exercising when I get back.¡±

    ¡°Exercising¡­? I¡¯d be d if that goes for a day.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me started.¡±

    The fourth floor, which came up grumbling, was almost the same as when Noah hade earlier. The ten doors lining both sides of the hallway raddled and mmed open all at once.

    That was the moment when the strongvender smell filled the hallway. Noah simply waved her hands, blowing away the smell.

    The interior structure of the room, which she hadn¡¯t properly examined earlier, was the same. On the bed in the middley the replica experiments, and on top of themy a round ss dome with a magic orb.

    Kyle looked as if he wanted to faint right away.

    ¡°I can¡¯t count how many charges there are. Well, this is going to be more than Eleonora Asil¡¯s criminal record¡­¡±

    The researchb was just as she had messed it up earlier. Noah walked toward Adrian¡¯s desk while Kyle was looking at the wall that disyed the replica process. Its research records, which had been randomly pulled out, filled the desk and floor.

    As she searched the desk for the records she had stopped reading, she noticed a small frame lying on the floor. Naturally straightening up the frame, she was startled to see the picture inserted in it.

    ¡°Eleonora¡­¡±

    In the picture, she was wearing thin-rimmed sses with her silky hair up in a bun. Perhaps she hadn¡¯t known she was getting her photo taken, her eyes were fixed on the book in herp. The sun rays from the window made her hair and cheeks shine.

    From Adrian¡¯s point of view, Eleonora seemed like apletely different person from the woman Noah knew. She didn¡¯t look like a felon or an arrogant queen bee. She took out the thick file under the frame. Plop. A few more photos fell out. All of Eleonora.

 Chapter 245

    A picture of her putting a tool in her hand with ck soot on her cheek, one of her leaning against a chair, one of her smiling satisfied while hanging a finished blueprint on a wall. Just to be sure, Noah opened each file on the desk, and every one of them was a picture of Eleonora. But there wasn¡¯t a single one of Adrian and Eleonora together. She hesitated for a second before opening up Adrian¡¯s personal file she¡¯d looked at before.

    578.04.17

    Eleonora died.

    Noah saw something she hadn¡¯t seen a few hours ago because she¡¯d been in a hurry. It was a round dry mark left by a tear that had fallen onto the page. Slowly going through the records again, more pages with dried-up teardrops showed up.

    Thinking Adrian had been talking behind Eleonora¡¯s back, there were parts that Noah had skipped over that were filled with more animosity than she¡¯d thought.

    Crazy b*tch. I begged you not to do this.

    What am I to you?

    What is the meaning of us?

    Eleonora, what are you?

    However, this animosity soon became nonsense, and this nonsense soon became self-deprecation.

    While slowly reading the slurred handwriting that suggested Adrian might have been drunk, Noah felt terribly weird.

    I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m doing. I wish I could just be satisfied with her.

    But she¡¯s not going to crush me as much as you did. She¡¯s good at acting cute and rebellious, and she¡¯s not mean.

    Looking at the date, it seemed like the ¡®her¡¯ and ¡®she¡¯ that Adrian was talking about was probably Noah wearing Eleonora¡¯s body.

    However, she is not the you that I want.

    Let¡¯s meet again soon, Eleonora.

    That was thest sentence written at the end of the most recent research record.

    Also, for Adrian, Eleonora must have served as an indicator of his life beyond just a lover. His despair of abandonment after struggling to be loved for such a long time filled the entire pages. It was also a feeling that Noah already knew¡­ She ced the records on a desk and looked up at a bookshelf to see if there was anything else to go through.

    Having pulled out so many books at random, it was now empty like a mouth with barely any teeth. She first reached out to the first book in the highestpartment that she could reach, titled Draft of the Replica Project-1.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    The moment her hand touched the book¡¯s spine, a low wave streamed down her fingers indicating that it wasn¡¯t just some normal book. When she hurriedly snatched her hand away in surprise, the thick book slid from the shelf, crashing to the floor with a thud.

    Noah looked at it for a few seconds. As soon as she thought ¡°There is something on the back,¡± she tiptoed up and started pulling out all the books in thepartment at random.

    ¡°Noah?¡± Kyle, who was looking inside in front of the door leading to the replica process, immediately turned his head. ¡°Why? Do you need something?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    The fifthpartment of the bookshelf from which the books were pulled out was empty. Behind the luxurious glossy wooden wall, however, there was still a faint wave of magic. Noah dragged thedder toward herself that was leaning against the bookcase and began to climb to find the ce where the magic felt thickest on therge wall.

    Out of nowhere, a yellow butterfly fluttered out. It circled her and soonnded on a bookcase in the middle of the wall. There it is. As she stirred her hands, the bookshelf shook dangerously and the books that had been ced were pulled out into the air.

    Something appeared that had been hidden behind it; a door that was just about half the size of the bookshelf.

    Looking at the tiny doorknob andplex round lock system, it was no doubt a safe. So this was what Adrian had been hiding deep behind the bookshelves.

    A sentence that he had recorded passed through Noah¡¯s mind:

    A piece of her is safely stored.

    The concern was short. First, after tearing open the safe door, she snatched out what was inside. It was something small and warm enough to be held in her hand. Then, she quickly ced it inside the pouch hanging around her neck. Before she knew it, Kyle came down anotherdder with his recorder down.

    ¡°Noah, you¡¯ll fall if you move on top of thisdder like that. Get down. I¡¯ll keep an eye on you.¡±

    ¡°I saw it all. I¡¯ming down now, so please get ready to catch.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Catch wh¡ª¡±

    Before Kyle could even ask back, Noah had already jumped down. The air was gentle, and her fall had caused a light breeze. Within seconds she slipped into Kyle¡¯s arms.

    ¡°¡­did this be a habit of yours?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you. I¡¯ve be bolder.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? It¡¯s a scary habit.¡±

 Chapter 246

    What was he talking about? Noah wondered. She looked up at him strangely when she realized something. Right. Being in his arms like this was very dangerous.

    Noah¡¯s rattled mind managed to find its ce in Kyle¡¯s ensuing words.

    ¡°It¡¯s a joke. We have to separate our public and private lives.¡±

    ¡°¡­is that the truth?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Right now, we are in the middle of an investigation.¡±

    The part ¡®right now¡¯ was very disturbing. When Noah couldn¡¯t shake off her suspicious face, he smirked as he set her down. Then he said nonchntly, ¡°When will youe to know that this barrier is meaningless?¡±

    After ring disapprovingly at him, she grabbed his arm to hide her bulging pouch and burning earlobes and to quickly return to a crowded ce.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the whole process, right? Then let¡¯s go. Leave all this for the investig¡ª¡±

    ¡°Over there, you have to release even the magic summoned on the replica process, Noah.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that.¡±

    Noah summoned a fireball that she had burned the safe¡¯s barrier with earlier, put it in her palm, and blew on it. Immediately, the bulky me flew through the air with a light blow from her lips, ripping through the barrier in front of the replica process

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    ¡°Good job. Then do you want to take it out now?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Take what out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the thing you took from that bookshelf and stuffed in the pouch around your neck.¡±

    Feeling guilty, Noah studied him. What a ghastly man¡­ When did he see that?

    ¡°Noah?¡± He even held out a hand to her. Instead of taking out the red, warm thing, she raised a hand.

    ¡°¡­mean hold your hand?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Smirking, Kyle looked down at her hand, then her face, then her hand again. There was a bit of satisfaction in his smile. He naturally wrapped his hand around hers. ¡°I can¡¯t idly let you slide like this every time. It¡¯s hard to put it into practice even if I think about it a hundred times. This isn¡¯t dangerous, is it?¡±

    Suddenly, Noah felt very grateful for the warmth of the man in front of her.

    Why did she suddenly think of that? Was it because she remembered that she had always had a thorn in the corner of her heart simr to his from the moment she had opened Adrian¡¯s record again? It may have been because in a short few days the thorn had be so small that she wouldn¡¯t even know it was there if she didn¡¯t pay attention to it, and maybe because she hade to realize it was Kyle Leonard.

    Noah slowly opened her mouth at him waiting for her answer.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t dangerous. It¡¯s very small, powerless¡­ It might not be able to survive, and even if it¡¯s brought back to life after already being badly damaged, it can never be the same as before.¡±

    Kyle seemed to have roughly understood what she had brought up just by hearing her vague exnation.

    ¡°The soul and body of Baroness Asil, whom the minister touched?¡±

    ¡°Right, the soul and body, but it¡¯s not Adrian¡¯s fault. I think there¡¯s a high probability that it was through Eleonora¡¯s own volition¡­¡±

    ¡°If it was a joint study, that means that this hotel¡¯s process wasn¡¯t a product of his work alone.¡±

    In this case, two people should be put on trial: Adrian and Eleonora. Kyle¡¯s eyes looked confused andplicated. ¡°Is the damage severe?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It looks like it. Even Adrian¡¯s record says so. If you feel it now, the wavelength is very faint.¡± Noah shrugged. ¡°Adrian tried to use Muell¡¯s power to divide the soul into two, but¡­ now the imprint is perfect. There¡¯s nothing Muell can¡¯t do.¡±

    Faint crevices formed on Kyle¡¯s face. He hade to the same conclusion as Noah. What she had in her hand now was a genius who was born once every one-thousand years and a strong criminal who was also recognized in the history of Laurent¡¯s Protection Bureau.

    Whether Eleonora lived or died was solely in her hands.

    ***

    It was already after dark when they came down from the geniuses¡¯ researchb. The replica experiments and failures trapped in the hotel were sent to a shelter temporarily set up by the Harrell Police Department, and those who had been gambling and soliciting prostitution were taken to the branch office of the Tauren Protection Bureau.

    Adrian was secretly sent to Tauren state prison so as not to cause any trouble. The circumstances of his crimes were so clear that he will immediately go up to Tezeba to be put on trial.

    Muell stared at Noah in front of Harrell¡¯s temporary shelter. Noah was shocked as soon as she saw him.

    ¡°What are you doing, Muell!? When did you get so big?¡± The charming boyughed. ¡°A little more and you¡¯ll be a real kid.¡±

    Within a few hours, Muell had grown from a three-year-old¡¯s body into a six-year-old¡¯s body. Noah could hardly hear the slight gibberish of his pronunciation and could feel much more power in his toddling steps. Now he could probably jump around with no problem while holding her hand.

    ¡°The imprint is perfect, so I thought you could grow more! You¡¯re not a baby anymore, Muell.¡±

 Chapter 247

    Muell¡¯s triumphant cry somehow made Noah a little sad. She hugged him and mumbled mncholy, kissing him on the cheek, ¡°What is this¡­ Seems like you¡¯re all grown up now.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m only two years older, Noah.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ve grown up to age five in three months, you¡¯ll grow up faster, Muell. Take it slow for me.¡±

    He had grown a little, but his tiny balled-up hands were still cute, and there were red marks on them like he had hit something. Noah lifted one of his hands to see where he was hurt, but Muell just smiled awkwardly and wiggled it.

    ¡°I¡­ haven¡¯t washed my hands.¡±

    ¡°¡­this looks like bloodstains though.¡± Noah erased the smile from her face. Not again!

    Avoiding her gaze, Muell cried out in a hurry, ¡°I didn¡¯t hit anybody! I only hit the guy I was supposed to!¡±

    ¡°What? What do you m¡­ oh, don¡¯t tell me.¡±

    While she and Kyle had been looking around theb and the process, Muell had been in charge of Adrian. And Kyle was the one who¡¯d told him so. Noah jerked her head and looked up at Kyle. Then she discovered him doing something he rarely did: avoiding her stare like Muell did.

    ¡°I have a rather militant style of interrogating. Especially with powerful criminals.¡±

    Noah was speechless at his ridiculous exnation. Perhaps because of the time they¡¯d spend together, Muell was starting to resemble Kyle.

    ¡°Hey, Noah. Actually,¡± Muell said, carefully tugging on her shirt. When she bent down to lean her ear closer to him, he whispered something.

    ¡°What?¡±

    As soon as she heard it, her jaw fell wide open. Adrian was trying to do what? She couldn¡¯t think anymore. Noah stood straight up and put Muell back onto her shoulder.

    ¡°Where is the bastard held at!?¡±

    ***

    ¡°This is so funny. Where are you threatening to harm yourself?¡±

    The door to the temporary detention center mmed open. A man leaning against the wall looked up to see who it was. The one who¡¯d stormed in was none other than Noah, the woman who had once upied Eleonora¡¯s body and acted indifferently to him.

    Standing below her knees was a ck curly-haired dragon and behind her was the general manager of the Protection Bureau, who had no expression on his face.

    ¡°Where are you trying to y tricks on me?¡±

    Noah entered the temporary detention center, bringing in cold air from outside. As she strode closer, she opened her mouth as if she were about to scream when she saw Adrian, but only blinked in bewilderment when she saw another man wiping his bloody lips and feet.

    ¡°Geez¡­ You really beat him like a dog, Muell.¡±

    ¡°It was self-defense. He threatened you before! Whatever is dangerous to you is dangerous to me.¡± The young dragon, who had been punching him mercilessly a while ago, grasped onto Noah¡¯s leg and showed his teeth toward him.

    ¡°Self-defense, yeah right. Where did you learn that word from¡­¡±

    Sighing deeply, Noah approached closer. She reached out to grab Adrian¡¯s chin, then turned his face to both sides. Adrian, who remained alert, was in better shape than the other Adrian, whose entire face was blue and swollen. She pushed the man¡¯s body wiping his feet and squatted down in front of him, ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to die without anyone¡¯s permission?¡±

    Adrian dyed his response, only ncing up at Noah¡¯s face. The beautiful woman, so different from Eleonora, held a lot of power in her eyes and grabbed him. ¡°Psycho. Are you nuts? If you think you¡¯re going to give up these past four months and run away cowardly by yourself¡­¡±

    ¡°Noah.¡±

    ¡°What, what!?¡±

    ¡°Be careful.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The other Adrian, who had beenid out on the floor like he was dead, lifted himself. Muell¡¯s magic collided with his magic to crush barriers, and an intense spark flew out. It was right when the spark was about to strike Noah.

    ¡°Cover your ears, Noah.¡±

    A deafening gunshot rang out in the tiny detention center that was less than the size of a public bathroom. And blood started to pour from Adrian¡¯s waist, who had tried to get up while gritting his teeth. Histest model copsed weakly to the ground.

    With eyes full of anger, Kyle slid over to Noah and lifted her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s back away. I think we have to quarantine in another room anyway. And I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to face him directly.¡±

    ¡°Huh? No, hold on¡­¡± Noah pleaded something, but Kyle didn¡¯t even pretend to hear and pulled her behind him. It was a move to block her from Adrian¡¯s vision. Seeing him do that, something inside of Adrian stirred.

    ¡°¡­must be friends.¡±

    There was a strange atmosphere between them even when she had upied Eleonora¡¯s body, but after Noah found her original body, they looked like lovers no matter what. Lovers. Adrian recounted the word inside his head. It was weird. Despite having always craved a lover, it was merely a word that rolled from the tip of his tongue.

 Chapter 248

    ¡°Must be nice for him. To have such a woman like that.¡±

    At those words, Kyle gave Adrian a look. His eyes definitely possessed a different emotion from before, not the indifferent gaze he always had. Seeing that Noah hadn¡¯t let go of his hand, Adrian could tell they had the same feelings for each other.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s true that I am jealous.¡±

    Perhaps Noah heard him, she stuck her head up from behind Kyle¡¯s back, and then she met Adrian¡¯s gaze. After a long staring contest, Noah grabbed Kyle¡¯s hand and shook it. ¡°I have to tell him something,¡± she said.

    ¡°Never. I know what he¡¯ll try to do.¡±

    ¡°Nothing will happen. I am ten times stronger now,¡± she insisted.

    ¡°Your magic abilities, yes. But your physical strength and agility are depleted, so no.¡±

    ¡°Hey! But still!¡±

    A few quiet scuffles between the two ensued. Adrian tried to ce Eleonora¡¯s face over hers. It wasn¡¯t difficult to do. Noah¡¯snguid, indifferent expression was surprisingly simr to hers. Frankly speaking, there were times when he wished Noah, who had only worn Eleonora¡¯s body, was just her. He didn¡¯t have to bring her back to life, all Noah had to do was just pretend she was Eleonora. Then all he had to do was think of her as her¡­ Though Adrian had always protested and expressed his vignce, Noah was not as cruel to him as Eleonora.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be with Muell. Going with him will increase my agility by double. Right?¡±

    ¡°How do you expect¡­¡±

    It would have been nice if Eleonora had looked just half as much as her. Adrian¡¯s head spun like crazy. It hadn¡¯t been that long since the soul division, so the bond between the still unstable soul and the body gradually began to shake. Adrian had a splitting headache and dropped his head down, his sense drifting away.

    ¡°Hey, Adrian.¡±

    At the calm voice, his mind returned. Someone was hunkered down next to him. It was Noah and Muell who managed to win the scuffle with Kyle.

    ¡°Come have a little chat with me.¡±

    ***

    Sitting in the same position Muell was, Noah tore Adrian apart.

    Looking back, the atmosphere that had surrounded Adrian on the first floor and Adrian on the fourth floor were strangely different. On the first floor, he had looked extremely unstable, much more insanity than usual. On the other hand, Adrian, who had threatened her with an explosive switch on the fourth floor, was rtively dry and his usual slickness was gone.

    When Noah asked Muell which side was the ¡®real¡¯ Adrian, he pointed to the left without hesitation. It was the Adrian who had pushed Noah on the fourth-floor balcony on the fourth floor, a gunshot wound to the arm and chapped lips. Kyle also understood that and pulled Adrian¡¯s clone, who had been ragged by Muell¡¯s sharp blows, out into the hall.

    The Adrian left in the room was ncing at Noah. As he was looking at her with watery eyes, Noah sighed because he looked like a puppy in the rain.

    Though he was the real Adrian, he was not in his normal condition. First of all, it was surprising that the human being who had split his soul in half had remained sane. Maybe Muell¡¯s magic was minimizing the damage to his soul.

    ¡°You were supposed to kill yourself?¡±

    ¡°¡­I thought that it wouldn¡¯t be bad.¡±

    ¡°Why all of a sudden? You acted like you didn¡¯t know what to do because you missed Eleonora.¡±

    Adrian leaned slowly against the wall. The man who was always as beautiful as a God-made sculpture murmured with a gloomy face, ¡°Actually, my original n was to kill that thing. That terrible lump that has fallen from me. Hate, inferiority, pain; all those things. I thought I¡¯d befortable after separating those from me and getting rid of them. That¡¯s why I turned towards soul division.¡±

    ¡°But?¡±

    ¡°But now I am not entirely sure. Which one was really cut out.¡± Noah didn¡¯t stop him from speaking. As she remained silent, Adrian¡¯s voice became low and deep as if he were talking to himself. ¡°I guess there was nothing left of me in the first ce except for the things rted to Eleonora. I am not wrong. Because it¡¯s no different from devoting my whole life to that bitch to get a little love one time.¡±

    More silence from Noah.

    ¡°I am not sure now. What exactly it is that I want. What I am going to do now that I¡¯m caught here and all the money from the project is gone. I am sure this is now what I wanted. I don¡¯t think this is it.¡±

    He had been living his life to the fullest, but he didn¡¯t think this was the answer. There were times when Noah also thought like that. If Adrian was wandering in a bitter void like she had been, maybe this was an extremely depressing burnout.

 Chapter 249

    Adrian¡¯s lips quivered, with no expression on his face.

    ¡°He might know what I¡¯m going to do next. He must be burning with a sense of mission to revive Eleonora Asil. As long as he has a nucleus with my soul body in it, he, too, is me¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s real or fake. Now, what¡¯s the point of all that? Eleonora, who he will revive anyway, will also be a clone.¡±

    Noah thought of something while she listened to him: if he was sinking into extreme torpor and depression due to the unstable soul division, she should first retrieve the nucleus from his clone.

    ¡°Then, the problem is him.¡±

    When she made an eye gesture to Muell, he, who understood perfectly, dragged in the blood-soaked Adrian from the next room. Unable to look in that direction, Noah gave orders.

    ¡°Muell, take out the nucleus.¡±

    With no hesitation, he put the words into action. Nearby there was a grueling, crackling sound.

    A startled look fell over Adrian¡¯s expressionless face. The spot on the clone that Muell attacked was the left side of the chest, the exact spot a heart would have been if he were a real human being. Piercing his hand through the cked-out Adrian¡¯s chest, Muell wiggled his hand around before pulling out the nucleus, which was about half the size of his hand.

    As soon as the soul was yanked out of the body, Adrian¡¯s clone slowly began to fade away. The surface of hard scrap metal¨Cnot soft human flesh¨Crubbed against the floor, creating a dreaded noise that nobody wanted to hear. Blood vessels turned into thin cables and sprung up.

    ¡°There are no more clones left to make your nse true. Right?¡±

    The nucleus that Muell dropped into Noah¡¯s hand pulsated like crazy. Unlike Eleonora, it hadn¡¯t been out of the body for that long, so it was still radiating heat. Noah broke the crystal relentlessly.

    ¡°The replica project is over. It¡¯s not you but me who decides whether to revive Eleonora or not.¡±

    Though invisible to the naked eye, very light and low-density energy slowly permeated Adrian¡¯s body. The torn wound on the clone filled the purest and most meticulous dragon¡¯s magic. It started to heal. A light was seen gradually returning to Adrian¡¯s green eyes.

    Noah stressed each word as if to engrave the letters on his still nk face.

    ¡°And I guess you kept forgetting that you don¡¯t have the right to end your life on your own. How many crimes have youmitted? How many victims were there in your research in Harrell? It can¡¯t end this easily. Shouldn¡¯t you at least stand on trial where I stood?¡±

    ¡°¡­When we go back to the capital, I won¡¯t have a chance to deal with myselfpletely¡­¡±

    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m the one who decides that.¡± Somehow Noah¡¯s anger surged the more she spoke. She stared at him and chit-chatted away. ¡°So until Ie looking for you again, sit still and think about how long you will be swayed by Eleonora.¡± She stared at him straight in the eye as she continued, ¡°If she has been doing it for fifteen years, you¡¯ve done enough. So don¡¯t think aimlessly, think about how you can reduce your sentence.¡±

    Adrian didn¡¯t reply to that. That was thest thing that she could say to him. But maybe the words ¡®you¡¯ve done enough¡¯ had been directed toward herself.

    After tying a magic rope around Adrian¡¯s body a couple of times, Noah left the detention center with her back to him.

    ***

    Getting rid of Adrian and Eleonora.

    Immediately after leaving the detention center, Noah fell deep into thought. Wouldn¡¯t she have the right to celebrate the end of their lives as she had been caught up in their dramatic games for months? The problem was how she would ept Kyle. Noah carefully opened her mouth while looking at the creases on his face.

    ¡°Hey, Kyle. About Eleonora.¡±

    Kyle, who was properly dusting off Muell¡¯s overalls, looked back at her.

    ¡°Originally, the rights to dispose of her should have gone to you, a dedicated investigator.¡±

    ¡°That is right,¡± he replied as a matter-of-fact.

    ¡°But can you lend them to me for a little bit? Eleonora¡¯s right of disposition. And Adrian Rossinell¡¯s right of rescission. There¡¯s an ending I really want to see when I go to Tezeba. After seeing just that, I¡¯ll kindly turn them in at the Protection Bureau.¡±

    Honestly, she thought that it was inevitable even if it didn¡¯t work out. Because Eleonora Asil and Adrian Rossinell were already criminals who could remain on death row five times, and Kyle, who was merciless with criminals, seemed to be uninterested in their stories at all. Just by the look of his frown at what she was saying¡­

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that illegal or something?¡±

    ¡°No, never!¡±

    ¡°Then is it dangerous?¡± he inquired.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that either,¡± Noah hastily replied.

    ¡°Then we¡¯re settled. Do as you wish.¡± But his answer was unexpected. Surprised, Noah asked back, ¡°Settled? Really?¡±

    ¡°You have to do it if you want to. You are the one who overpowered Adrian Rossinell and found Eleonora Asil anyway. Of course, only within the territory permitted by Laurent¡¯s imperialw.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that reaction? Don¡¯t tell me that was illegal?¡±

    As Noah¡¯s jaw fell open at his random question, Kyle raised his eyebrows. She shook her head right away. ¡°No! That could never be! I¡¯m just surprised. I thought you wouldn¡¯t trust me.¡±

 Chapter 250

    ¡°Actually I can¡¯t trust you. The truth is I worry about everything that you do.¡± Kyle stopped talking for a while at that point. His hand gripping Noah¡¯s hand squeezed tighter. ¡°So it¡¯s fine as long as you don¡¯t do anything dangerous. I¡¯ll be following you anyway, but just in case.¡±

    Noah seemed to know what Kyle was worried about. The thing pulsating in her tiny pouch right now was the spirit of the most brutal and arrogant genius witch, and the one waiting for the interrogation below was the wizard who had already seen the end of the replica project.

    But she didn¡¯t feel scared or worried. Because, when it came to magic in this world, no wizard could surpass her.

    The magic of the dragon, which would not even be a bite away from bringing in a hundred geniuses as strong as Eleonora Asil, patted pleasantly inside her body. Perhaps her feelings were conveyed as they were, Muell smiled and clung to her leg.

    Noah said confidently, with a very reliable smile, ¡°Just trust me. I¡¯ll hand them over to the Protection Bureau in apletely disarmed state.¡±

    ¡°¡­I would have trusted you more had you not said that.¡±

    Should she have not been so confident? Ashamed, she added, ¡°No matter what, there will be nothing to worry about. I¡¯m not trying to do anything spectacr in the first ce. First, I¡¯ll need to return to the capital to get an ID card.¡±

    ¡°Why an ID card?¡±

    ¡°I am an unregistered alien now. I¡¯ll need an identity to do what I want to do.¡±

    ¡°I have alerted the Administration Bureau,¡± Kyle pointed out.

    While they chatted back and forth, inmates were seen getting into a vehicle behind the temporary detention center far away. At first nce, Noah felt like she saw dazzling blond hair.

    She would be busy when she got back to the capital. Because she had to put a great finishing mark on the replica project. She had turned her back to Adrian. When she hugged Muell while grumbling, Kyle immediately picked him up from her arms.

    ¡°Come here. Muell, don¡¯t hang on to Noah now. You¡¯re heavier than you look.¡±

    ¡°H-h-heavy?¡±

    Perhaps Muell was shocked at those words, he forgot to hit Kyle¡¯s shoulder with his small fists as his jaw dropped to the ground. Noah smiled and looked up at her party.

    Three or four fairies flew in a group of circling lights in the night sky. Calmly looking at the sky, she signaled for one of them, who was particrly shining. There wasn¡¯t really a need to express it through words.

    The fairy flew up high into the sky above the Harrell temporary detention center and went around gracefully. Its body started to disintegrate. Just as a huge star exploded into hundreds of millions of small stars, countless pieces of light fluttered in the air, and soon sank gently under the detention center, which was just a tent.

    The absolute and transcendent power that could heal a damaged soul permeated the failed experiments with warmth. The fireball, which burned the oil stains in the contaminated city, also swallowed thest remaining pollutant cleanly.

    Though it would take a very long time to restore the vige to how it had looked before the pollution. The city that had been sacrificed by someone¡¯s shining intelligence would be back on its way to its original state from today.

    ¡°Noah, should we go now?¡±

    At Kyle¡¯s call, Noah took her eyes off the full view of Harrell. Under his and Muell¡¯s feet, a magical orb of aplex shape was drawn out; a teleportation portal.

    Noah grabbed Kyle¡¯s hand that was held out to her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Now.¡±

    The long day in Harrell hade to an end, and so had their journey in Tauren, the final destination.

    Now it was time to return to Tezeba.

    <b>***</b>

    The capital city Tezeba was not much different from when the dragon, witch, and investigator had leftst time. This was because the substance of the replica project, which Adrian and Eleonora had worked together on, was not yet known to the private sector.

    However, rumors spread around starting at the Imperial Castle.

    It was said that Laurent¡¯s top witch, Eleonora Asil, had been finally caught in a grave state by the Protection Bureau. And Minister Adrian Rossinel was detained in an underground prison of the Protection Bureau after conducting prohibited research. The person who had arrested them was Kyle Leonard, general manager of the Protection Bureau, who was unofficially demoted to Edmant.

    The news that all employees of the Protection Bureau had been working non-stop for three days straight, and the work of the Ministry of Magic that had been forcibly suspended due to the absence of the minister fueled the rumor. Employees of the private administrative department were also in full swing as soon as they went to work.

    ¡°But would Minister Rossinel be thrown out so easily? How many investors are there closely connected to the Ministry of Magic? The noble people of the capital will somehow try to smuggle the minister out of the country.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right. I heard that dozens of petitions have already been posted for him.¡±

    ¡°This is a world where nothing is impossible with money and connections¡­ Come on, Laurent.¡±

    A sporadic sigh broke out when someone muttered spontaneously. A silence filled the space. After a brief lull, the conversation shifted to a different topic.

    ¡°Then what happened to Baroness Asil¡¯s dragon? It¡¯s already been imprinted.¡±

    ¡°They say that she is on the verge of the dead. Does that weaken the dragon¡¯s power?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so¡­ It¡¯s a dragon. If Baroness Asil doesn¡¯t wake up, won¡¯t it find a new owner?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Huh?¡±

    Those who were in a heated discussion btedly noticed the unfamiliar voice that had just intervened.

 Chapter 251

    The eyes of the five clerks all gathered in one ce.

    ¡°That story is going around the royal pce like that? Good. I was wondering about how I could exin it.¡±

    ¡°Wh-who are you?¡±

    It was a woman who leaned against the window and listened to their conversation with interest. A young woman with her short brown hair tied in pigtails on both sides. Her eyes, a slightly deeper shade of brown than her hair, were blinking excitedly.

    ¡°Oh, I am the one who came to get a new ID card,¡± said the woman, grinning.

    There was no way for the male clerks to fall for any tricks because this outstanding woman smiled so beautifully. A couple of their faces even blushed. One of them, who couldn¡¯t look away, smiled devilishly as he stood up.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re here for an ID card. I guess you¡¯ve lost yours. Have you reported it?¡±

    ¡°No. This is my first time being issued one. Because I am an immigrant. I submitted my photo and documents to the Administration Bureau two days ago, and I was told that I can pick up my new card today.¡±

    ¡°I see. Can you wait just a minute? I¡¯ll give it to you after checking your information. Your name please.¡±

    ¡°Noah Park. Oh, and I think it will be good to check his, too.¡±

    The woman who identified herself as Noah Park bent down below the window. Then she let out a grunt and came back up. In her arms now was a little kid about five years old. The clerks all thought the same thing the moment they saw the smiling child: That child¡­ I think I¡¯ve seen him many times somewhere¡­

    He was a lovely kid with ck curly hair, big dark red eyes, and chubby cheeks that anyone wanted to pinch, but he chilled their spines. Someone whispered to a co-worker, ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t he look¡­ like him? Uh, Baroness Asil¡¯s dragon¡­¡±

    The witch and her pet had suddenly appeared in the capital a month ago. The child looked just like the humanized dragon notorious for stopping by the Imperial Castle and tearing up the Ministry of Magic every week on Tuesday and Thursday.

    The female secretary, who inquired about Noah¡¯s name and found the issued ID card, asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Uh¡­ by chance is that kid¡¯s name¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Mu!¡±

    The one who quickly answered her question was not Noah but Muell himself. He smiled like he was a master, and every one of the clerks stood frozen. Noah was the only calm one.

    ¡°Muell, no. You have to say your full name. That way she can look you up.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Muell!¡±

    The secretary looked up his name with quick fingers on the keyboard. His ID card had also already been issued. She looked down at the two cards.

    They were not like normal ones. The cards decorated with gold and small diamonds on the edges of ck leather were tinum-ss ID cards issued only to high-ranking aristocrats.

    But upon closer look, she knew that no matter how much royalty they had in Laurent, they should not¡­ no, they could have such a card. Because nowhere on them did it indicate their nationality of Laurent.

    ¡°Hey, look at these! They came out pretty.¡±

    Upon receiving their cards, Noah admired the design, checking the fronts and backs, before sticking them in her pocket.

    ¡°Thank you for providing us with a good excuse.¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡±

    The two politely bid farewell and leisurely left the Administration Bureau. A deste silence fell inside the office. Someone murmured in a soft voice,

    ¡°That¡­ that was the dragon master.¡±

    The fact that the master of Muell, who hatched for the first time in 500 years that day, had changed from Eleonora Asil to another person, a woman named Noah, spread throughout the entire office.

    ***

    The rumor went round and round, all the way to Tezeba headquarters of the Investigation and Security Bureau, where the rumor had first begun circting.

    ¡°General Leonard, I think it has spread everywhere,¡± Paul said, ncing at Kyle with his arms around the mountain of papers on his desk.

    ¡°The story about her. Miss Noah, sir.¡±

    ¡°The story of Noah is going around?¡±

    His supervisor, who was busy reviewing the backlog of the case, responded for the first time.

    ¡°Noah has been at the Rendia Annex. Did she get moved?¡±

    He didn¡¯t stop at asking back persistently. It was at an incredible reaction speed that he was immersed in the atmosphere of not being able to let go even if Paul had interfered for six hours already. Paul made a hasty excuse.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I think she went to the Administration Bureau this morning with Muell to get ID cards.¡±

    ¡°Oh, ID cards.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s eyes loosened up a little. It was a convincing reason.

    She had signed up for ID cards as soon as she returned to the capital a week ago with Muell, and it seemed like today she received them. Noah had told him how excited and confident she was about her clean record; that she could finally receive a real ID card. Kyle recalled her smiling all day yesterday as if she was in a good mood while pretending it was nothing special.

    Paul studied the General¡¯s calmedposure as he carefully asked,

    ¡°Uh, General. Is it okay if I ask one more thing, sir?¡±

    Kyle had softened up while thinking about Noah, so he decided to ept this one question.

    ¡°Go ahead. What is it?¡±

    ¡°She, uh¡­ Is that the person you mentioned that time when you left Noviscoasha for Edman? With whom you had a special rtionship¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

 Chapter 252

    Paul was so shocked at the immediate reply that he almost fell back in his chair.

    ¡°Oh, my! But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then do I have to make up an excuse?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, sir¡­ but at least an additional exnation.¡±

    ¡°What kind of exnation?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a lot you haven¡¯t told us, sir? About how Baroness Eleonora Asil evaporated out of the blue; about why the dragon¡¯s master suddenly changed; about how this person named Noah suddenly popped up out of nowhere. And about when you and her were in a rtionship¡­ Wait, you don¡¯t even know if you really know her, sir!¡±

    Minister Rossinell¡¯s secret researchb was shocking enough, but the investigation had begun shortly after the Angelic incident broke out, so it was not surprising enough for him to faint. The problem was everything else outside of that.

    There was a story circting in the other ministries that Eleonora Asil was sick with a sudden chronic disease. But in reality, she had been reported missing by the Protection Bureau.

    How could the dragon¡¯s master be missing!? When everyone had bawled and said that they couldn¡¯t escape the fate of working overtime for the next six months, Kyle had returned to the capital with the dragon in question. And next to the dragon was a woman he¡¯d never seen before.

    She was a brown-haired beauty with gentle and cute features. She had said a few words to Kyle with a face that would doze off any minute, and eventually, she had fallen asleep on him. As if he was used to this kind of thing, the General stroked her hair and carried her to the VIP room on the upper floor of the Protection Bureau.

    His series of actions were so natural, the surrounding investigators didn¡¯t think anything strange about it.

    ¡°I guess he¡¯s got a girlfriend. They look good together. I am jealous.¡±

    ¡°¡­what did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said I am jealous. That the General has a girl¡­ Hold on, what did I say just now?¡±

    Kyle was the only one oblivious of the chaos in the office that day. From then, however, the woman named Noah was moved to the annex building of the Protection Bureau, and as she remained trapped in the room all day, those in the office rarely got to see her face. The investigators¡¯ curiosity naturally amplified.

    Who in the hell is that person who captivated the General!?

    However, there wasn¡¯t a brave soul who could grasp the cold and strict Kyle and inquire about the identity of his girlfriend. Therefore, the targets were Paul and Penelope.

    The two deputies whom Kyle had worked alongside the longest. They each took on a huge sense of mission to answer the questions of the staff of the Protection Bureau.

    Paul decided to start with forming intimacy.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been working with you for that long, sir.¡±

    ¡°Well. What¡¯s it been, five years?¡±

    ¡°No! It¡¯s already been six years since you were appointed as the General, and before that, we had been together since you were the branch manager of Edman, so I¡¯ve already been with you seven years, sir.¡±

    They were close enough to share this matter, right? Paul looked at Kyle with anticipation.

    ¡°So when did you first meet Noah, sir?¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°It was Baroness Asil who caused the scandal, but how could you be in a rtionship with Noah, General Leonard!? It was a smokescreen tactic, right? But where did you find the time to meet someone, sir¡­? No, that¡¯s not important.¡±

    More silence.

    ¡°So when do we get the good news¡­?¡±

    This persistence was uncanny. Kyle calmly listened in on the rain of questions and decided to ept only one question as he had initially thought.

    ¡°Soon, Eleonora Asil will be handed over to the Protection Bureau. Adrian Rossinell¡¯s trial will end soon. As soon as she is arrested, she will also be sent to the defendant¡¯s seat, so make sure to thoroughly prepare for her trial.¡±

    ¡°Wow, Baroness Asil is alive?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I got it. Then now let me know about Noah¡ª¡±

    ¡°Paul.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±

    Instead of solving his subordinates¡¯ curiosities, Kyle hugged the mountain of papers on his desk that¡¯d just been printed, disappearing from Paul¡¯s field of vision.

    ¡°These are records of the Harrell incident investigation. All of the evidence, including pictures, audio recordings, and videos, are in these files. I wrote down the victims¡¯ status and post-treatment ns, so share them with all branches of the Protection Bureau. And notify Tauren and Noviscosha that there will be arge-scale personnel movement.¡±

    ¡°General Leonard¡­¡±

    Kyle neatly arranged the desk and kindly turned his back to the subordinate.

    ¡°And there are ns for a special interrogation for Adrian Rossinell tomorrow evening, so keep an eye out for that. I am the observer.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Understood. Uh, but¡­¡±

    That¡¯s not what I was curious about! As Paul barely poked his eyes over the mountain of documents, he faced firm purple eyes in an orthodox way.

    Kyle smiled friendlyly.

    ¡°And Paul.¡±

    ¡°Yes, General Leonard?¡±

    ¡°Get rid of your interest in Noah.¡±

    With that said, Paul was chased out of the office. With his back against the outside of the door, his head began to spin.

    Wasn¡¯t that actually what I really wanted to say¡­? he thought. But the investigators of the Protection Bureau were in fact not the only ones who Kyle had to be on the lookout for. Because there were so many more people monitoring Noah than he thought.

 Chapter 253

    Laurent Protection Bureau, Zone 2 of Tezeba, Rendia Annex.

    The annex, which Kyle had ordered to close down while he left the capital for a while, was still tightly closed despite his return. Of course, looking in from the outside, that could only mean one thing.

    I¡¯m sleepy¡­ Noah, surrounded by a mountain of books that would be twice her height, blinked hastily. She didn¡¯t know how many nights she had stayed up already. The white things are letters, the ck things are paper¡­

    ¡°Miss Noah, you can close your eyes for a bit¡­ Oh.¡± The worried Penelope, who was wandering around the mountain of books, became startled and shrieked. ¡°Miss Noah¡ª blood. Blood!¡±

    ¡°Blood¡­?¡±

    Absently lifting her head, she felt a warm wet something dripping down her nose. Penelope blocked her as she lifted her arm and was about to wipe it away with her sleeve. Moving about desperately, Penelope quickly stuck a napkin under Noah¡¯s nose to stop the bleeding. Noahughed shamefully.

    ¡°Thanks, Penelope.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to go through the records meticulously, but taking a rest for a bit would also be good. If General Leonard finds out about this we¡¯ll never hear the end of it¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, send Kyle a message that I took a 5-hour nap today.¡±

    Penelope¡¯s face became pale. Noah took the napkin from the woman¡¯s hand and pressed it harder up her nostril. And tofort the pensive Penelope, she gave a rather tempting suggestion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Kyle to fix your holiday vacation schedule, Penny.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Sure. When this trial is over, you, Kyle, and Paul should all take some time off.¡±

    Penelope, who had a graveplexion, felt alive at her words. Poor woman. It¡¯s like looking at the old me, thought Noah. Penelope nodded as she looked enthusiastically at Noah with admiration in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell General Leonard that you took a 7-hour nap.¡±

    ¡°No, no. If you do, he¡¯ll just nag at me for sleeping all day, so please just tell him five hours.¡±

    ¡°Got it! Don¡¯t worry, Miss Noah.¡±

    Then, this solves the nagging problem.

    When Penelope, who of course was impressed by her words, returned to the Protection Bureau and praised around the neighborhood about her, Noah didn¡¯t expect her image to change.

    It had already been ten days since she started building her nest here. Quite some factors had worked together at her spending thest several days waking up early and staying in the Protection Bureau researchb untilte at night.

    The first reason was that Noah had nowhere to go due to Eleonora¡¯s mansion having been seized and searched, and the second reason was that the annex¡¯sboratory was optimal to proceed with the tasks that needed to be done in the future.

    For nearly ten days, she had been steadily implementing the ns she had made while leaving Harrell. Noah plopped down onto the sofa and studied the ID card she received this morning.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡±

    The card, which was decorated with gold and tightly embedded with diamonds, was colorful itself. Anyone who saw it would naturally think it belonged to an aristocrat. However, in addition to the appearance, if there was any difference from the ID card issued to ordinary Laurent citizens, this card didn¡¯t contain her and Muell¡¯s nationalities.

    Upon receiving it, she had read through the replica project¡¯s researchb records. Most of it had be ashes, gathering all through her passion and motivation, and it took just four days to understand the big stems of the first, second, and third stages.

    Of course, if she had mastered the vast amount of records that filled up four bookshelves twice her height in that short amount of time, she would have pped Eleonora four times, but unfortunately, she was not a genius. So, for herst-ditch effort, she picked out only the necessary parts and memorized all the parts she didn¡¯t understand.

    The replica project had two pivotal points: A human-type machine that will serve as the human body, and a nucleus that will serve as the soul.

    The nucleus contains not only human biometric data chips, but also a manual that makes the replica look like a real human being. To put it simply, the manual is the clone¡¯s code of conduct. Just look at it as a type of steering control.

    Everything Noah pulled out of Adrian and Eleonora¡¯s vast records was about the manual.

    After putting her brain through so much work like that, this paper-like body seemed to send an abnormal signal. Fortunately, Kyle was twice as busy preparing for Adrian Rossinell¡¯s uing trial.

    Since Noah had said that she doesn¡¯t like the sight of blood, she had no ns ofining to him about her nosebleed. It¡¯ll all be fine!

    She made a promise to Penelope.

    ¡°Please do not tell Kyle that I had a nosebleed, Penny.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Miss Noah. General Leonard is as sharp as a tack.¡±

    ¡°So then we have to clean up this blood. And it¡¯s a secret that they¡¯reing. Got it?¡±

    Penelope¡¯s face nched again as Noah pointed at the window with her thumb.

    By orders from Kyle, the annex still wasn¡¯tpletely open to the public. Despite that, it was obvious how much the rumors had spread just by observing the growing number of people roaming around it.

 Chapter 254

    As Penelope had gone out and inspected for two days, most of them were servants of the Laurent aristocratic family having private meetings. Noah thought they would be interested in the dragon master, who had appeared overnight, and left them alone for a few days, but rather their interest had gradually increased. Even worse, today¡­

    ¡°Noah! Muell received all of these!¡±

    The door mmed open and Muell came wobbling in with his arms filled with letters and gift boxes. About an hour ago, she had sent him out to go around the annex. Noah picked up a letter that had fallen next to his foot.

    ¡°Marquess Certes. How many letters were sent to this address? Muell, you don¡¯t just eat food from a stranger. We eat together. Give them to me.¡±

    Muell, who had jumped up to the sofa, flicked a chocte cookie into Noah¡¯s mouth. She looked through the letter against the backdrop of a long sigh presumed to belong to Penelope. It was all the same story.

    ¡°Congrattions on bing a new dragon master! If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to attend a tea time or a party at your home sometime.¡±

    Noah had never once received such profound attention back when she was wearing Eleonora¡¯s body. As soon as she made a frown, Penelope decided to carefully say something:

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Miss Noah¡­ Compared to Baroness Asil, you¡ª ahem, are much more, uh¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­less important?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the word. Wait a¡ª Miss Noah!! You aren¡¯t less important! What I mean is Baroness Asil was such a dirty person!¡±

    ¡°Why are you so antsy? In the end, the truth is I am more easily approachable than Eleonora,¡± Noah said aloofly as she burned the letter. The high-quality paper disintegrated into a fine dust.

    It is difficult to ept kindness and ttery dotted with all kinds of rhetoric as real. Their ultimate goal would be the dragon¡¯s power.

    However, if Adrian wanted the power of a pure dragon, the aristocrats were different in that they paid attention to the political power and status of the dragon master brought about by the existence of dragons.

    Of course, Noah had no intention of showing off her power to Laurent¡¯s powerful people or gently swaying them. This was because she felt close to a conviction that once she showed a gap, she would suffer endlessly.

    As evidence, the letters sent to her maintained her close rtionship with the Ministry of Magic, which had been led by Adrian up until not too long ago, and even now, the aristocratic forces supporting him were also included. If Adrian steps down, their position will narrow, so no doubt they must be appeasing her to use some strength.

    It doesn¡¯t matter how they try to seduce her. Because all she has to do is ignore them.

    But it¡¯s different if they tried to take advantage of Muell. Noah and Muellughed together as she looked down at him stacking cookies in the palm of his hand.

    Baby dragon. And the somewhat stupid-looking dragon master. To her, they were a greatbination.

    ¡°¡­who seems like a sucker?¡±

    ¡°Noah, what is a sucker?¡±

    ¡°People who get allured by this kind of chocte cookie and say ¡®Just tell me. I¡¯ll do everything for you!¡¯ are called suckers, Muell.¡±

    ¡°Mmhmm. I see.¡±

    How dare someone try to approach someone as dirty as Eleonora. Just as expected, do not present yourself as less important. Noah stood up after getting rid of all the other letters she hadn¡¯t read. In fact, her efforts over these recent days were just a prelude to what will happen. She decided she was going to deal with Adrian, Eleonora, and those who darey an eye on Muell once and for all.

    Now that the theoretical preparations were over, it was time to put it all into practice ¡ªstarting with Eleonora.

    Muell went up to the roof of the annex to sunbathe, and while Penelope cleaned up the remaining gift boxes, Noah entered theb next to the office.

    The door soundlessly locked behind her. And in an instant, the lights in the darkboratory turned on.

    ¡­Will I do well? She looked at the tform in the middle of theb in a disturbed mood. Above the ss tform, a red mineral as big as two fists was slowly rotating. The nucleus that contained Eleonora¡¯s soul. If you lean in close to it, you can hear the faint, unstable sound of it pulsating.

    After bringing that from Adrian¡¯s study, the nucleus of the soul, which seemed to disappearpletely within a few days, was barely hanging on by the magic power Muell had injected in it.

    For this thing, where the light of life was fading, the dragon¡¯s magic power will be thest rope. When Noah got close to it, the red nucleus started trembling. It seemed like it was begging for its life and would scream if Noah picked it up.

    When she tapped on the ss surrounding it, it immediately turned foggy. The tremor inside the nucleus grew stronger. She muttered as she ran a finger over the mineral, ¡°Just wait a little bit longer. I¡¯ll take you out of here as you wish.¡±

 Chapter 255

    Like it caught the gist of her words, the pulsating sound stopped. Noah made a sound like air seeping from a tire as she held the nucleus in her hand. Then she turned around from the ss tform.

    ¡°Muell.¡±

    When she called the name of her precious child, a thick vibration was sent from the roof of the Protection Bureau¡¯s annex. His body movement was vividly conveyed through his senses as he sluggishly sunbathed on the roof. The next moment the closed door of the researchb mmed wide open.

    ¡°Noah!¡±

    With a shinynyard disying his new ID card, he jumped into the room. Noah gave a serious re as he approached her.

    ¡°Now is the time, Muell.¡±

    Muell, who was trying to hug her with a big smile, stopped, giggling. Then, copying her, he changed the expression and stance on his face: Fiercely narrowed eyes, clenched fists.

    ¡°Should I bring it out, Noah?¡±

    With no need for an exnation through words, the two were a good team. Noah took a deep breath and nodded.

    ¡°¡­yep. Bring it out.¡±

    As soon as she gave the signal, a part of the air distorted and trembled. A multi-colored cloud spun, creating a whirlpool shape. It was a round yellow doorknob, shaped just like a stic toy.

    Although what appeared was like that, Noah recognized the shape of the doorknob at once. A tiny dimensional pocket just for Muell, which he had used multiple times in the past, for throwing in things he didn¡¯t need, taking things out that he needed, etc. A doorknob that led to subspace. Noah didn¡¯t hesitate anymore and grabbed it.

    Park Noah had returned as Park Noah, and Adrian had returned as Adrian, so now was the time for Eleonora to return to her original body.

    ***

    The sun was starting to sink below the horizon when Noah popped out of Muell¡¯s subspace. Considering that the days have been getting longer as the summer slowly crept in, this meant that she had spent quite a long time there.

    Noah grumbled, drying her wet hair and body by standing out in the dry wind.

    ¡°Muell, you got that seawater from when you returned from the Angelic, right? Why did you fill it up so much? It totally surprised me.¡±

    ¡°Heh-heh. I brought it back because the sea was so pretty and fresh. ¡±

    ¡°¡­then what is up with that pile of stone pebbles? I was almost crushed to death by them.¡±

    ¡°Those are pebbles that Uncle Kyle prepared to trick dealers when he left the mine!¡±

    His subspace was literally five minutes before the mess had happened. This was because everything that Noah and Muell had bought during their trips together and everything Noah and Kyle had asked for were mixed up, cramming the space.

    The nket that she had covered Muell with in Sorrent and a baby bottle for him; Laurent¡¯s West Sea, connecting Botswana and Tezeba; one ton of pebbles from Novischosha; hundreds of sleeping fairies crouched between the pebbles; thirty pieces of clothing Noah had bought right before she teleported to Harrell.

    Muell¡¯s short three months of life were all in the subspace. And most of those things were rted to Noah.

    Her affection for the lovely little dragon rose inside her.

    ¡°My lovely Muell, when are you going to stop being so cute, huh?¡±

    Feeling bashful, his cheeks blushed. Lifting the dragon, Noah hugged him and kissed his cheek. All right. I have to take care of my baby, she thought.

    ¡°Still,e take care of this seawater. I almost drowned¡­ Achoo!¡±

    She sneezed despite there not being a single drop of water on her body anymore. Nosebleed, runny nose, and everything in between. After setting Muell down, she felt around inside the box for a tissue or handkerchief.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t get sick. I¡¯ll get chewed out again¡­¡±

    ¡°I guess you know that you will be scolded.¡±

    Pop~ She almost ruptured an eardrum while blowing her nose with a slightly used handkerchief. Looking behind her, she discovered Kyle dressed in a detective suit, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed.

    ¡°J-Jesus Christ! When did you get here?¡±

    ¡°From when you came out of the subspace upside down covered in water.¡±

    Of all ces¡­ of all times¡­

    For nearly four days, Kyle hade to pick her up after finishing his work at the main building of Aijet. His normal time of arrival was 10 p.m.; midnight if he was runningte.

    He straightened up his leaning body. Then, squinting his eyes ever so narrowly, he meticulously scanned her face and body.

    ¡°What¡¯s in subspace that makes youe out looking like a rat stuck in the rain?¡±

    ¡°There are hot springs there. Very warm, oh, the steam is so good for your¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking nonsense.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±

    Noah casually ignored him as she immediately lifted Muell and hugged him. Muell, who had grown to be five years old, had be much heavier than before, so it took too much effort for her to lift him. But her confidence was boosted when she had him in her arms like this.

    <strong>Announcement: Advanced chapters are now avable on our Patreon!</strong>

 Chapter 256

    The current Kyle Leonard was often dangerous. With a clich¨¦ reason: She couldn¡¯t tell when he would nt a kiss on Noah. The normal nagger switched to butler mode, changing his attitude every time without a moment¡¯s notice. And when he did change his attitude, it took such a long time to let her go.

    But he was not going to kiss her in front of this representative of cuteness and innocence. She quickly recovered her shamelessness.

    ¡°You¡¯re a bit early today. What made you rush out of the office?¡±

    ¡°The trial is almost over. Seems you too are almost done with what you have to do. More important than that, are you catching a cold?¡±

    ¡°No, I am not,¡± she eximed, nodding her head with confidence. One fairy that had escaped from subspace and clung to her back was in the middle of diligently performing its healing magic on her. The annoying tingling feeling in her nose was gone, and her glossy eyes from before were now clear and smooth. Her confidence soared alongside her energy.

    ¡°It¡¯s the truth. You¡¯d know right away if you came and put your hand on my forehead.¡±

    But those words might be her mistake.

    She thought he was about five steps away, but he was right in front of her after only three. It was such a short time that there had been no time to feel a sense of crisis, and the movement of Kyle raising her chin slightly was very calm.

    Even worse, so was the light touch of his lips.

    The series of events was so natural, it wasn¡¯t until after Kyle released her lips that she realized she had been kissed. Soon after, she was shocked to realize that she had blinked only once during it. <em>When did he get so good at this¡­?</em>

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have a fever.¡±

    The fairy that had escaped between the open subspacended lightly on Kyle¡¯s hand; his hand that still held Noah¡¯s chin up.

    He shifted his eyes to the fairy, then back to her face. Realizing it had been secretly using its healing powers on her, he humbly criticized her.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t just y tricks like this, Noah. That nap was also a lie, huh?¡±

    ¡°¡­was scared that you would worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to overdo it.¡±

    Kyle sucked his teeth as he lowered his hand from her chin. He fell back half a step neatly enough to overshadow what Noah had been nervous about for a moment. Unlike the past few times when they kissed, it was an attitude that she was only going to give five stars this time.

    If he had wanted to measure her temperature, he should have just touched her forehead. Why had he kissed her lips? Why was he so satisfied with her natural reaction? Those kinds of thoughts circled around inside her mind. But nothing really made sense. In the end, what Kyle said was something she thought was quite calm.

    ¡°Are you going home right now? Hold on. I¡¯ll bring a few books.¡±

    But upon seeing Kyle¡¯s expression, Noah knew he had realized her mistake. The problem was ¡®home¡¯. Lendia Annex. The ce where she nestled at.

    ¡°Noah. Your standards are very unique, too.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    He gave a smallugh.

    ¡°With me guarding you like this, it doesn¡¯t matter if I go home?¡±

    Noah had nothing to say. She med Penelope and Paul for confiscating and searching Eleonora¡¯s mansion, which had previously been her home. Of course, since that too had been an order from this man, it was impossible to me those two.

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders as if he¡¯d read everything inside her. Then in aughing tone, he asked Muell for a favor: ¡°Let¡¯s go for now. Muell, teleport.¡±

    Muell, who had been watching everything between Kyle and Noah with his eyes wide open, smiled brightly. Looking down, Noah saw a sparkling orb surrounding her and Kyle.

    And when her hair gently rose into the air along with the flow of the magic and then slowly fell, their surroundingspletely changed.

    ***

    If she had to argue, it was indeed a strange event. Adrian¡¯s trial had yet to begin, even before the replica project had been marked with an official closing mark.

    Noah, an important witness in this situation, didn¡¯t have many ces to stay. Even worse, she was attracting all types of attention because she was a dragon master.

    At first, she had thought of a VIP room in the main building of the Protection Bureau, but Kyle nailed it in her brain that it would never work. There are a lot of things that get in the way and even more things one should never do once they¡¯re at work. Though she didn¡¯t know what those things were.

    Noah murmured sulky, stirring an egg over a fire with a whisk, ¡°I think I¡¯m too caught up in you, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done a thing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah right, you seduced me by telling me toe eat at your home.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll burn yourself if you get too close to the fire, Noah.¡± Kyle grabbed her shoulder and gently dragged her away from the stew boiling in the pan. ¡°Don¡¯t stand directly in front of it, stand over her with Muell and fix the pie dough. I asked you to stay at my house for a while for a reason.¡±

    The reason was obvious. But as always, she felt it was unfair. She muttered, holding up the rolling pin with dissatisfaction, ¡°But why did I follow you¡­¡±

 Chapter 257

    His home was a three-story detached house located on the outskirts of Aijet. Not only was it secluded and quiet, but it also matched Kyle Leonard¡¯s personality, the way the interior was so neat and clean.

    But ording to what Paul had said, the owner of the house often went on business trips and pretty much lived at the headquarters of the Protection Bureau, so it was only three or four times a month that he came here. Kyle had told Noah that she should never live in a researchboratory, but he didn¡¯t have the right to say that.

    Noah, however, was also worried. So sheid out the conditions.

    ¡°If you promise toe home with me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°If you promise to cook for me.¡±

    ¡°You say that like I¡¯ve never done that for you before.¡±

    Of course, Noah wouldn¡¯t deny that she fell for it when he said he¡¯d cook for her.

    But primarily it worried her that he was a workaholic. This was a fact that she had learned while talking to investigators who belonged to the Protection Bureau, but Kyle Leonard was quite the generous type to her, contrary to forcing her to have the right living rules.

    In other words, it meant that his lifestyle was quite irregr. However, still, people have to rest at home as much as they work. If not, one may die of work overload.

    Thankfully, her expectation that he would go home regrly if she begged him was right. Over the past ten days, Kyle has beening home without missing one day, though he waste a few times.

    The butler who was just going out wouldn¡¯t know a thing of this deep meaning intended by his master. No matter how much Noah thought about it, it was not her who was arrogant, it was him.

    As she was rolling the pie dough with a sulky look, a question came up.

    ¡°So. How is Baroness Asil¡¯s condition?¡±

    Helping him prepare dinner after work and reporting to him the events of the day had be her new habits over the past ten days.

    ¡°Not bad. Uhh, it takes some time for a soul which has been away for a long time to adapt, so she is sleeping in a subspace right now.¡±

    ¡°Will she be sent to the Protection Bureau right after she wakes up?¡±

    That was a given. Though, of course, he wasn¡¯t exactly sure when and how she would be sent there. Instead of confessing, Kyle stopped thedle that was stirring the pot and looked back at her. Then, after lowering his head and kissing her left cheek, he calmly held out thedle.

    ¡°Steamed egg.¡±

    ¡°¡­here. This is all nned out, right? Trying to make me get used to you so that I don¡¯t rebel.¡±

    ¡°You caught me.¡±

    Soft steamed eggs permeated the pot, where the meat, vegetables, and tomato sauce were cut and ready to eat. Both of Muell¡¯s cheeks were dotted with powder as he tossed thin pie dough in the air.

    ¡°So, is the trial going well?¡± asked Noah.

    ¡°Should I say that it is? For now, we will push ahead with the maximum sentence that the Protection Bureau can do. Well¡­ the image he built is so good that I don¡¯t know how the Ministry of Justice will judge it. I have to demand the heaviest sentence,¡± said Kyle.

    ¡°Hmm. I see. I knew it; I guess aristocrats are a problem.¡±

    ¡°The Ministry of Magic¡¯s business is the most funded in all of Laurent¡¯s ministries. There are many areas of interest involved in this trial. We may have a chance to win if the emperor doesn¡¯t interfere.¡±

    The Emperor of Laurent¡­ Noah remembered that some of the letters that had been sent to her had been stamped with imperial seals.

    Softly scrambled eggs mixed evenly with the stew gave off a savory smell. Her thoughts about the emperor were gone in an instant.

    ¡°Can I try it before I put it in the oven?¡±

    He soon put the spoon up to his lips. When he tasted it and nodded satisfactorily, the pie was lightly ced on a tray and into the preheated oven.

    Kyle set the time and straightened his back again. Noah focused all her attention on the pie that was starting to swell little by little then continued the conversation from a little while ago.

    ¡°Can I ask why you¡¯re willing to do that?¡±

    ¡°Eleonora?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Baroness Asil and Adrian Rossinell.¡±

    It slightly deviated from the previous topic. The way she said Adrian¡¯s name without attaching ¡®Minister¡¯ was a bit sharp.

    ¡°You seem to be showing some enthusiasm, unlike your usual self,¡± Kyle pointed out.

    Was that so? It was certainly a bother for her. Had Adrian been sent to the Protection Bureau and Eleonora naturally disappeared, it would have been a clean end to the investigation without any hassle.

    Noah fell into thought with a spoon in her mouth. After a short silence, some of the emotions she had been feeling since Harrell flowed out of her lips.

    ¡°Something¡­ Somehow, it seems that there is a very different but simr aspect to me.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Adrian.¡± She stopped there before quickly adding out of concern, ¡°I¡¯m saying this just in case, but I¡¯m definitely not defending criminals!¡±

    Kyle¡¯s face was slightly stiff, but his body was facing toward her as if saying ¡°Please, continue!¡±

    Noah slowly tapped her memory as she gathered what she had to say. She recalled Adrian in the middle of the hotel¡¯s gambling room on the first floor and Adrian on the railing on the fourth floor; his expressions; choices of words; his green eyes raging with countless emotions.

    Those eyes had contained emotions unknown to Noah, but she felt that some of Adrian¡¯s emotional storms could be understandable.

 Chapter 258

    Noah slowly muttered, narrowing her eyebrows to put what she felt into words, ¡°It¡¯s always hard for me to try to be loved. Especially when the rtionship is lopsided.¡±

    It is natural that the bigger your desire to be acknowledged by someone, the lower your confidence gradually gets. Happy with the other person¡¯s small touch, disappointed and sad at their expressionless face. As everything about you gradually bes more and more defined by the other person, you gradually be insignificant.

    ¡°If that feeling continues, I get confused. Whether I really love that person. I hate it, but on the other hand, I keep obsessing. Acting foolish, trying not to miss him. I think Adrian¡¯s emotional state was very extreme, so on the one hand, I feel pitiful and a sense of sympathy,¡± Noah paused before continuing, ¡°Honestly, I think I¡¯m talking like this because I still haven¡¯t given up on my lingering feelings.¡±

    A sigh came from her lips. In fact, the brainwashing Noah had put on her family was stuck like a thorn in a corner of her heart all the time.

    ¡°Should I have talked more? But if I did, what would have changed? Rather, isn¡¯t it better topletely erase them from my memory? But I don¡¯t want to forget them. Since it is something that cannot be undone, it¡¯s still lingering¡­¡±

    Kyle was silent.

    ¡°Actually, all I wanted to do was make my ce there.¡±

    It would be nice if a rtionship between people was something that could be cut, like an apple. It was quite simr that neither Noah nor Adrian could abandon their lingering feelings and had been dragged around by someone like a pushover.

    Even if Noah died, she couldn¡¯t forget her family, and even if Eleonora were dead, Adrian would be obsessed with her.

    Even worse, the resulting extreme lethargy and burnout symptoms were simr in both cases.

    ¡°Well¡­ What happens between a man and a woman must be resolved between them, not just some arranged reconciliation. He saved Eleonora because she had to pay a fair price for her sins. I think I just didn¡¯t want to see Adrian fall into a deep depression,¡± Noah heaved a deep sigh. ¡°Anyway, the same goes for my mother and father; and Eleonora too. They¡¯re all such bad people. If I want to abandon them, it¡¯s better to do it early.¡±

    Kyle calmly listened to her for a while, which was somewhat rambling. The feeling of Noah¡¯s hair escaping smoothly between his fingers felt good. It was only a few minutes after the lingering silence that he opened his mouth to speak

    ¡°Noah.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±

    ¡°If your work is done, do you want to head back? ¡±

    ¡°Huh? ¡±

    It was an unexpected question. As soon as Noah blinked without understanding what he said, Kyle slowly added, ¡°I mean the ce you used to live. Muell still has a few mediums heading there. It would be possible to return to the birthce of Maobiana and open the entrance for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    <em>Oh, Muell he never even told¡­ </em>While she was at a loss for words, his friendly voice continued quietly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the decision you made was wrong. But if that is still bothering you and making you ufortable, it would be better to resolve it differently. With me, of course.¡±

    Thest part he said was emphasized.

    ¡°Together. Noah.¡±

    ¡°Together¡­¡±

    She needed a lot of time to try to digest the meaning of that word. This was because the thoughts that had been swimming in her head until just now had evaporated at once.

    ¡°That word¡­ so¡ª Together.¡±

    ¡°Because if I¡¯m by your side you can make better decisions, even if I don¡¯t help much,¡± Kyle said.

    She immediately felt that voice flow not into her ears but her heart.

    ¡°Together¡­¡±

    His words were like a spell to stabilize her. Noah managed to nod. Even so, she tried for a long time to express herself, but in the end, it was difficult to clearly convey what she was feeling now. Instead, her body acted on her own. Her fingertips stretched toward him and caressed his face.

    She looked up at his purple eyes for a long time, which were not very different from usual. There were many aspects where Noah feltfort towards Kyle Leonard, but among them, those unshakable eyes ounted for the biggest part. Eyes that could be trusted whenever, trusted in any situation.

    Kyle intertwined their hands together and gently bowed down to her. Noah was fully captured by his eyes. His eyes narrowed, as she hadn¡¯t said a single word for a long time.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Your face is strange.¡±

    <em>Strange how?</em> A tinyugh burst from Noah as she didn¡¯t know if that was an insult or him just voicing his concern.

    ¡°I look strange? It¡¯s because I feel new.¡±

    ¡°New how?¡± Kyle asked.

    Up until a few months ago, he had held first ce on Noah¡¯s list of people whom she had to avoid for her own peace and well-being, butter on, he had be someone who must never disappear from her side.

    ¡°Just¡­¡±

    But somehow she was ashamed to say that, so she just lowered her eyes. At that moment, it was an impulse that moved her, and she realized that there was only one perfect way to express her feelings now.

    Noah looked surprised by the purple eyes right in front of her. That was understandable. It was her first time kissing him on her own.

 Chapter 259

    In fact, he was always in contact with her, so she was going to stay calm and withdraw lightly. But after easing on her slightly pressed lips, they locked gazes the moment she opened her eyes. Kyle didn¡¯t say a word, but his half-closed eyes seemed to be asking if that was all. His lips touched her lips again as if he was possessed by the purple shade on her eyelids and eyshes.

    What did she do when he kissed her¡­? Noah¡¯s head shook a little. As she bit his lower lip slightly, there was a sucking sound that made her back tremble. What should she do? She didn¡¯t have enough courage to dig deeper into his mouth. Her closed eyelids trembled.

    There was no significant movement from Kyle, even though he would have felt Noah¡¯s hesitation sufficiently with the movement of her lips. He just remained still, receiving her sloppy kiss.

    In the end, after withdrawing her lips just in the nick of time, she stared up at him with desperation in her eyes. Kyle only shrugged his shoulders after seeing that look on her. His face was covered with resentment.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help me?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°With what?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so much better than I am.¡±

    ¡°So, what?¡±

    This gave a surprise to Noah. This man had kissed her first and was now teasing her. <em>No way. </em>She frowned, trying to pull her head back, but before she knew it, his arm wrapped around her waist, stopping her from backing away. And he kissed her with more passion than the previous one.

    The sound of the stew boiling on the stovetop was in the distance. The timer went off for several seconds before suddenly stopping. The heat, which may have been from the heated oven or something blooming deep in Noah¡¯s body, spread between them.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Earlier, she had wondered why he had fallen short at the Lendia Annex, but now it seemed that he was holding back. Kyle¡¯s right hand which gripped Noah¡¯s cheek traveled down the nape of her neck and brushed her corbone.

    She couldn¡¯t even find the chance to feel his touch because she was out of breath and was not used to it even after they¡¯d done it several times. When she took a step back at the pressure on her body, Kyle thought she was running away, so he grabbed her waist and put her on the table at once.

    As soon as the hand which had stopped at her waist came up, the spark had already gone out due to the already sensitive feeling of being on the edge. Noah reflexively put her hand up to his hand, but it was not as strange as when she had first kissed him.

    The rapid beat of her heart was closer to an oddly blooming anticipation than anxiety from this unfamiliarity. He then snatched his hand away and grabbed the sleeve of her shirt. Noah thought she heard a faintugh from him. This was the moment when she felt the cold air touching the back of her neck.

    Thump. Something heavy had fallen to the floor. Noah¡¯s startled eyes were all over the ce.

    What had fallen to the floor was a sack of flour that had been leaning on the countertop. Powder was now spread all over the floor as if the snow hade through the window.

    ¡°Heh-heh-heh. Muell caused a mess.¡±

    The main culprit who had besmirched the kitchen was sitting in the middle of the flour pile. Perhaps he had put the bag over his head, his head and both hands were covered in flour.

    That¡¯s when Noah came back to her senses. <em>Now, what is¡­ </em>What had they tried to do in front of the small child?

    Urgently looking down, the ribbon around her neck was loose, causing her blouse to lean to one side. Exposing the silk undershirt she was wearing.

    <em>How! When?</em>

    While the frightened Noah adjusted her clothes, the child covered head to toe in flour, stood up and climbed on the table. Then, squeezing in between her and Kyle, he sat on Noah¡¯sp.

    Kyle, who was still leaning toward Noah, slightly narrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°Muell, today you¡­¡±

    ¡°I didst time, Mister. You told me to keep Noah safe.¡±

    ¡°¡­things can change depending on the situation. And why are you just here now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. There is something strange about you now, mister. Different from before. I won¡¯t say anything that¡¯s the opposite of what is in my head.¡± Muell nced at Kyle and pointed to the hot oven. ¡°And now the potpie for Noah and me is burning. I think it¡¯ll be burnt to a crisp soon.¡±

    Noah was busy feeling around the back of her neck to find the ribbon, so she missed half of their conversation. It was after Kyle sighed with resignation that she finally tied the string again and looked up.

    ¡°Who do you think you are, a ghost? You¡¯re going to clean the floor, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    An unspoken agreement existed between the two. Kyle burst out intoughter as he straightened his back.

 Chapter 260

    ¡°Your dragon sure does treat you well, Noah. Nothing coulde between you two.¡±

    It was a bit of a shame that the heat had faded. His gaze, which stayed on Noah for a while, was tingling with a simr look. Gathering Noah¡¯s hair to one side, he put his hands behind her neck to tie her ribbon. The skillful touch raised questions that she had never thought of before.

    Noah lowered her voice to scold him so that Muell wouldn¡¯t hear it.

    ¡°Tell me. Besides me, how many women have you been with? You are very strange.¡±

    ¡°Women?¡± Kyle made a face like he was getting ready to hear a bunch of strange things from her. ¡°Go catch all of the investigators at the Protection Bureau and ask them if I have ever once had a rtionship with a woman like this.¡±

    ¡°What about before you worked there?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I joined the military academy at ten years old? Did I not? It has a dormitory system, and dating there is prohibited.¡±

    ¡°And before that?¡± Noah inquired, rather persistently.

    ¡°Before I was ten years old? Well, you can ask my older brother about that time. Since Duke Leonard has been begging for me to get into a rtionship for over fifteen years.¡±

    Noah still couldn¡¯t wipe the suspicious look from her face. Kyle, turning off the oven, discovered her expression andughed.

    ¡°Why? What are you so curious about?¡±

    ¡°¡­why are you so skilled? Like someone who¡¯s taken off a lot of clothes.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s ease was a little shaken by those words. He replied one beat toote.

    ¡°I am good at most things. Whether it¡¯s with my brains or my body and Noah, just in case you didn¡¯t know, you shouldn¡¯t talk in front of others that way.¡±

    ¡°Talk how?¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m done.¡±

    The heat that had been surrounding and piercing Noah¡¯s whole body had disappeared peacefully. And the potpie that Muell had thought was about to burn had actually cooked just right. All that remained were embers, like the red eruptions that permeated Kyle¡¯s lips and neck.

    He cut the pie into two slices and ced them on saucers. The sweet, savory pie was tailored to Noah¡¯s taste. She spoke as she saw him giving her a big piece that she could never finish.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. To where I used to live. But it isn¡¯t really a fun ce.¡±

    ¡°Not a fun ce¡ª But I have thought about it.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± asked Noah.

    With saucers in both hands, he pushed her with his waist, sitting her down then set the two saucers on the table. What ensued were words that never ever fit the mood of an evening dinner: ¡°Does your world allow ordinary people to carry weapons, like guns?¡±

    ¡°Huh..?¡±

    ¡°It troubles me to have to give up my weapons.¡±

    Briefly bewildered by his random question, she soon burst intoughter. Kyle always chose to speak a certain way.

    ¡°What is this? In the world I used to live in, you are arrested if you walk around with a weapon. I don¡¯t want to be an ex-convict anymore.¡±

    ¡°So I can¡¯t, right? Such a boring world.¡±

    ¡°But I won¡¯t change my mind. Later on, I will go back to Maobiana.¡±

    Through that short and convincing promise, it felt like the thorn in her heart had been picked out.

    Thanks to the book that had fallen into her hands by chance and the miracle that had happened with the probability of one out of one hundred billion, she had found two people most treasured in her life.

    A cute dragon that would love her no matter what she looked like or whoever she became, and a man who had given her the greatest sense of stability that made her heart flutter.

    It became clear at that moment that she had only vaguely thought about it. What she wanted to give to Adrian was not beyond her ability, such as new love or reconciliation with an old lover.

    ¡°When the trial is all over, you will go receive your very first health check-up. Now you know how I¡¯lle out if you¡¯re diagnosed with malnutrition at that time. I won¡¯t let you sleep tonight unless you eat all of that.¡±

    ¡°You know that can be misunderstood, right? Please be careful what you say in front of Noah or anyone,¡± interjected the little kid.

    ¡°Muell¡­ your spoon is upside down.¡±

    ¡°Look at you, changing the subject.¡±

    Noah wanted to give Adrian a chance to catch the same miracle that hade to her.

    ***

    Adrian¡¯s special interrogation was scheduled for the next day.

    But the one thing different was the location. With the trial just around the corner, the defendant had to move to an underground cell in the main building of the Ministry of Justice. So the only time Noah had to see Adrian was when he was transferred from the basement of the Protection Bureau to the Ministry of Justice.

    ¡°You have¡­ up to one hour. Is that all right?¡±

    ¡°That will be enough.¡±

    Kyle had anxious eyes the whole time. He held Muell and whispered something to him, and when Muell answered back with a big smile, Kyle flicked the child¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Noah, if something happens ¡ª I don¡¯t think anything will happen, but call Mue¡ª¡±

    ¡°If something happens, I¡¯ll teleport back to the Ministry of Justice right away,¡± said Noah, taking a peek inside the interrogation room. She caught a glimpse of blonde hair inside the window seen just past Kyle¡¯s shoulder. Kyle sighed, realizing that all of Noah¡¯s attention was there.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡±

    And with those final words, he took one step back. Noah, after patting his hand forfort, opened the door of the interrogation room.

 Chapter 261

    Seeing Adrian for the first time in six days, he was more emaciated than thest time Noah had seen him. His eyes were bloodshot, his shoulders and neck were nted downward, and both of his cuffed wrists were covered in dried brown blood marks. A sling was wrapped over his left shoulder down to his right arm (which had been shot by Kyle).

    <em>Overall, he doesn¡¯t look too bad, </em>thought Noah.

    However, that did not mean that his normal good looks had gone away but rather the emaciated look rather gave him a natural beauty that had never been there before. Deep depression still lurked in those green eyes.

    Noah had something that could make his eyes shine at once. Doing away with the meaningless greetings and introductions, she pulled the pouch hanging on her waist and ced it in front of Adrian.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    As expected, his eyes, looking like two fist-sized nuclei, widened. Adrian stared at it for a while with a look of agitation. The emotions passing by in those eyes were ones that even Noah could name. Resentment, hate, a tingle like a rake scraping his heart. Lingering feelings that appeared when theyer of those painful feelings was removed; faint longing and bottomed-out love.

    When Noah had crossed the entrance of dimension with Muell and went back to her world, her face facing her family had probably been filled with those emotions.

    ¡°¡­why are you showing me this?¡±

    Adrian¡¯s voice was the same as usual but different at the same time. His tone was much lower and slower as the rxation and slyness, which had always been there, werepletely gone.

    ¡°Now you¡¯re the one with that woman¡¯s life in your hands, not me. But why are you giving this to me?¡± asked Adrian.

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a final chance. It¡¯s up to you if you¡¯ll ept it or not.¡±

    ¡°¡­exin it to me.¡±

    His strange high-handedness despite being eaten up by extreme lethargy showed that this guy definitely was not normal. What¡¯s so pretty about sitting face to face with this kind of guy? No matter how much Noah thought, she was way too soft. But what could she do? They had already started. Quietly clicking her teeth, she opened her mouth.

    ¡°You know. I have a family. Though we aren¡¯t the same blood.¡±

    At her random, incoherent reply, he slowly nodded his head. She continued, not shifting her eyes away from him.

    ¡°I lived with them for about as long as the time you spent with Eleonora. It isn¡¯t really a pleasant memory, so you¡¯ll get the gist of it even if I give you a rough run-through. No matter how different the dimension and world are, the subject matter of the drama is exactly the same.¡±

    ¡°I guess you weren¡¯t that close with them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I wanted to be loved, so I put in so much effort, but I fell short. I was neglected for quite a long time. I can¡¯t say that I cried more than you, but I must have cried as much as you did,¡± Noah paused. ¡°Then, I died.¡±

    A speck of shock slowly appeared on Adrian¡¯s face.

    Noah shrugged. ¡°Why are you so shocked? From the moment my soul entered the shell, it already meant I was brain dead.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ is right.¡±

    ¡°There was nothing to see with those eyes. Though I regret I looked like that. I eventually had to die to realize that there are things in the world that I have to let go of. In that sense, I¡¯m lucky that I fell into this world. Because I was able to force myself to sever ties.¡±

    She continued, ¡°I guess I need that in my life. A sweet and understanding savior who appears more or less like a miracle when I can¡¯t get out of a jam by myself.¡±

    Thetter, of course, meant her. Even at her shameless words, Adrian didn¡¯t crack a smile and only studied her face.

    ¡°¡­that was meant for you tough; I¡¯ll feel silly if you don¡¯t. Anyway.¡±

    Noah, rummaging around in her pouch, pulled out the whole nucleus. Soon, one person¡¯s soul was ced on the table.

    ¡°At the trial tomorrow you will stand as the defendant. Your sentence too will be decided then. But you probably know that if you cannot let Eleonora go, your sentence or future or whatever will mean nothing.¡±

    Adrian kept silent.

    ¡°The damage to the soul is too severe. But it still hasn¡¯tpletely disappeared. You¡¯ll have to put it back into the body. But there is no promise that she will wake back up, and the ones who do wake up will never be normal. You, Adrian, know the price of a prohibited experiment. Of course, whatever side you choose, there is no happy ending for Eleonora. She killed lots of people and put so many more in danger andmitted so many inhumane acts.¡±

    Eleonora had already exceeded the limitations that her genius could cover. Now that the true nature of the replica project¡¯s third stage was revealed to the world, there had already been well over twenty crimes on her neck.

 Chapter 262

    Even if Eleonora were to miraculously open her eyes in her state, which was highly improbable, she would not be able to escape the chain of Laurent¡¯s Protection Bureau until she has paid for her crimes.

    That¡¯s why Noah had given Adrian two choices: Either force that ruined woman back to life and let her rot in prison for the rest of her life. Or livefortably here. Noah hoped that he¡¯d choose thetter. She wanted him to break away from the boundaries and free himself and give him a chance to do so.

    For a while, there was no response from Adrian. It was more right to say that he could not answer immediately. Tears started to show in his green eyes. After a long time, he said her name in a sobbing voice.

    ¡°Noah.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t have Eleonora, how can I live?¡± The tears falling down his pale face wet the cor of his worn-out shirt. His eyes became distorted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Noah muttered. It was all she could say.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what will be left after Eleonora Asil is taken away from me. Probably nothing. What will I do then?¡±

    The line of tears streaming down his face grew to two lines. Noah felt like she was walking alone on a rainy street holding an umbre tightly, a few hours away from death.

    Would she also cry with a nk face like that?

    She sped Adrian¡¯s shoulder as if she wereforting herself. ¡°It¡¯s better if nothing is left. That means the space which can be filled with something new is that much bigger.¡± She had said that in a bright tone, but it was unclear whether thefort had reached him or not. Still, everything she had said up to now was from the heart.

    ¡°If you still don¡¯t know what you¡¯re supposed to do or how you¡¯re going to live, I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯m actually not fully recovered, so I¡¯m not sure how much help I can be, but¡­ it¡¯s still better than doing it alone,¡± she murmured.

    ¡°I¡¯ll set a big direction for your life toe. But as you follow me, there will be new things to fill your life with.¡±

    ¡°How and where will you set the direction?¡± asked Adrian. His voice mixed with tremors. Noah was looking at him for a bit, when sheughed jokingly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you now. But you¡¯ll find out soon. Shortly. Probably tomorrow when the sun rises?¡±

    Tomorrow is the day of Adrian¡¯s trial; the day that will be the final destination of Noah¡¯s n. She nced at him and smiled, ¡°You¡¯re curious, huh? So just hold off for one more day.¡±

    Adrian merely stared at her, unable to voice a reply.

    ¡°These trivial things are worth spending the day for. Even though I am not really Eleonora. When I first fell into this world, I was so happy at the fact that I could sleep all day. My lethargy is getting better and I meet a lot of new people because I¡¯ve been doing a lot of the things I couldn¡¯t do. So I really like who I am right now,¡± smiled Noah. ¡°You too will be the same. For sure.¡±

    Noah was speaking in a voice as bright as possible, and when she saw that tears had formed in his green eyes again, she was embarrassed.

    ¡°Hey, why are you crying? Stop crying!¡±

    Adrian didn¡¯t answer in words until she eventually left the interrogation room. He cried for a long time even after everything Noah wanted to convey was over, and eventually, he poured out so much pent-up sorrow that she had to pat him on the head and soothe him for quite a while.

    With that sad sob, it was as if she had heard his answer.

    ***

    Deep darkness and deep silence spread across the Lendia Annex, from where the investigators and researchers had left when work time ended. After Pen¨¦lope left after bringing in Adrian, Noah remained sunken in the sofa, staring into thin air.

    <em>Two hours until Kylees.</em>

    That¡¯s how long it would take to lock Adrian in the Imperial Castle¡¯s basement jail cell and return by tomorrow when the trial was held. After Kyle returns, she will probably be right next to him until just before the trial tomorrow, so now is the only chance.

    Noah slowly rose. The door to theboratory she had had to herself for the past several days mmed open.

    As she entered the doorway, the doortch locked behind her. She whispered quietly to Muell, who was already in theb, ¡°Hey, make a barrier.¡±

    After swiftly rising like a cat, he began to circle the experiment chair. ck orbs gradually appeared in the spots he ran past. Above them were gently swayings.

    Noah stood in the center of the well-litb, staring at the experiment chair. She had talked to Adrian like he had two choices, but in fact, Eleonora¡¯s fate, which she had set, had already been decided.

    On the cold iron experiment chair, the body Noah had been wearing for the past two years was lying dead.

 Chapter 263

    A few lies had been thrown into what Noah had told Adrian, but among them was ¡°The damage to Eleonora¡¯s soul is too severe, so she can¡¯t be brought back to life even by the dragon¡¯s power.¡±

    <em>Well, there is nothing Muell cannot do. </em>Unless it consisted of creating things that did not exist in this world, the power exerted by the dragon¡¯s magic was transcendent.

    Having been away from her body for almost two years, it was purely thanks to Muell¡¯s resonance that Eleonora¡¯s soul, which should have already been on the trajectory of ceasing to exist, was able to return safely to its original body.

    Then in the same vein, it was said that Eleonora can open her eyes from her body as Noah could. If only she had Muell¡¯s help.

    The reason why Noah hadn¡¯t instilled that hope in Adrian was that he didn¡¯t have a reason to meet Eleonora for the next fifty years.

    Yesterday, Noah had returned Eleonora¡¯s soul to her body in Muell¡¯s subspace. In the process, she had gone through a little ¡®experiment¡¯. Having been inspired by the second stage of the replica project Eleonora and Adrian had researched, it was the fourth stage of Noah¡¯s project. That¡¯s why the nucleus she had handed to Adrian was just an empty shell.

    Using the dragon¡¯s magic for support, the damaged soul inside of it had been returned to her original body, and the moment she opened her eyes again was drawing near.

    All around the space was calm, chilly. Noah smacked her lips.

    ¡°Eleonora, get up.¡±

    Her tightly closed eyelids flinched. Before long, the eyelids slowly opened up, and the strangely colored grayish-blue eyes appeared so slowly that they made Noah anxious.

    Eleonora Asil had opened her eyes.

    Her eyes and Noah¡¯s met in the middle. Noah shed a grin at the once brain-dead witch who¡¯d woken up through a miracle.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    That was all. A strong whirlwind blew in.

    Hadn¡¯t Eleonora said she was as good at pure magic as Adrian? It was never an exaggeration that she created such a sensation even while surrounded by the dragon¡¯s power.

    However, Noah had expected it. She hadn¡¯t even thought from the beginning that Eleonora would obey her as soon as she opened her eyes. This safety was enough. The gust was gradually eaten away by Muell¡¯s magic. The wind slowly stopped. Even the researchb which had shaken like an earthquake had urred had found its stability again.

    <em>For now, there is nothing wrong with Eleonora Asil¡¯s magic powers.</em>

    Noah¡¯s eyes which had been closed from the forceful winds were now open. There she was, on the experiment chair in the middle of the researchb; a woman sitting arrogantly with one leg crossed over the other, studying Noah.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    It was a reply a few seconds toote. She didn¡¯t ask who Noah was. Since there was no one in Laurent who didn¡¯t know Eleonora, Noah thought she was just one of the countless people who knew her.

    The real Eleonora waspletely different from when Noah was in her body.

    Noah originally knew that Eleonora gave a coy and arrogant impression like a cat, but after seeing her open her eyes, she could never bepared to such a cute animal. If Noah really had topare her to an animal, she was closer to a tiger than a cat.

    In fact, Eleonora had been a mechanical designer and engineer before a magician. Contrary to her slender body line and splendid appearance, she emitted the unique character of someone handling scrap metal and tools.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask one thing.¡± Eleonora tilted her head after looking Noah up and down. ¡°Do you want to exin to me why I am wearing this horrific outfit?¡±

    Come to think of it, what she had on were a worn-out men¡¯s shirt and torn-up blue overalls. It was the work outfit worn by miners in Novischosha. The reason she was wearing that was that that was thest thing Noah had worn on the final day she was in that body.

    Eleonora lifted her scrawny arms and started to look at them closely.

    ¡°I have no muscles.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Why am I so scrawny? At this rate, I won¡¯t even be able to lift a screwdriver.¡±

    That¡¯s because Noah had lived carelessly in that body. She had suffered from malnourishment and stumbled upon quite a few ces.

    Noah felt sorry for Eleonora, who didn¡¯t suit the situation. Noah should never ever reveal to her that she had lived in that body for two years.

    ¡°¡­well. It¡¯s good for a body that woke up after almost dying.¡± Fortunately, Eleonora, who closely observed her body, seemed to havee to a reasonable conclusion in her own way. ¡°So where is this ce?¡±

    Though very grumpy, she still didn¡¯t ask who Noah was. When Noah didn¡¯t respond, she looked Noah up and down once again then jumped down lightly from the experiment chair.

    ¡°Seeing that this is a researchb, this must be the Ministry of Magic. If I was discovered passed out, I would¡¯ve been taken home, but why did you bring me here?¡±

 Chapter 264

    ¡°Are you one of the people who work here? Go tell your superior. If he doesn¡¯t apologize for everything he has said to me, don¡¯t even think abouting near me again.¡±

    ¡°¡­Adrian Rossinell. You remember him?¡±

    Eleonora burst outughing at Noah¡¯s quiet question.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard anyone say his name so carelessly.¡±

    It became clear through that ridiculous answer. The second thing Noah needed to check was Eleonora¡¯s memory. If she did that, all that was left was the third thing.

    Eleonora popped a button on her fluffy overalls as she took one step forward. Curled up on the floor and waiting for her, something shed like a snake¡¯s eye in the dark.

    One step away from Noah, she looked down at her feet and found a magical orb filling the floor. A magical rope-like thing that formed part of the magic circle rose and wrapped her feet up.

    Curiosity sparked in Eleonora¡¯s eyes as if she had realized something.

    ¡°¡­this power.¡±

    It was then that she turned her head to Noah and looked into her eyes. But her gaze passed her again, shifting to Muell by Noah¡¯s side.

    A faint exmation flowed from her lips. She scanned Muell up and down with chilly eyes. Shortly after, a cold smile formed on her face. ¡°That noble dragon, he¡¯s younger than I thought. Young and unimportant.¡± She seemed to be staring a hole through Muell.

    Muell tilted his head to try to understand what she¡¯d said, and at that moment Noah started to cry. Young and unimportant?

    The witch, who took a glimpse at Noah¡¯s scrunched-up face, now began to be sarcastic, with her arms folded.

    ¡°You¡¯re only inferiors trying to borrow the power of an absolute. Losers who can¡¯t do a thing with your own powers. How long are you going to be drunk on ancient glory and beg¡­?¡±

    She was <em>certainly </em>so full of herself. This was the moment when Noah came to respect Adrian, who had been with Eleonora for 15 years, and Kyle, who had been chasing her for 5 years. Noah, appalled, mumbled, ¡°Is that why you did business with a team of contract killers?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You tortured hundreds of people and even gave them hallucinogenic drugs and put them in aatose state. What kind of utopia is that?¡±

    It was a hundred times better to get the help of an absolute than to realize your own abnormalities in that way. That was self-satisfaction. However, Eleonora¡¯s response was a spectacle.

    ¡°They were all abandoned by society anyway. The expelled workers, the half-retarded, and the abandoned children without parents. They weren¡¯t even weed anywhere and begged in the lowest ces. They would be useful if they knew their purpose. Their time spent with me was probably the most valuable time in their lives.¡±

    Abandoned children with no parents¡­ Noah had to force herself to catch her breath. At that moment, anger shot inside her, almost blinding her.

    She could tell even through this brief conversation, through the look on Elenora¡¯s face, that there was no room for reflection in that woman. Most of the novels Noah had read about death failed to prove it, but only one fact about Eleonora was incredibly urate.

    She was the wickedest b*tch in the world.

    Noah pped Eleonora¡¯s hands after Eleonora grabbed Muell¡¯s face and examined it. Then she held Muell¡¯s small shoulders tightly with hands trembling in anger. A dark shadow permeated the crimson eyes looking up at her.

    Barely regaining herposure, Noah retorted, ¡°You want to keep your hands off my baby? As his guardian, that makes me considerably angry.¡±

    ¡°¡­so, you¡¯re the dragon master.¡± Eleonora, who had been bent at the waist, straightened her back. Her eye level had risen sharply. The hands which had withdrawn from Muell wereing toward Noah. ¡°There is no dragon in the world I envision. So get out of here, don¡¯t interrupt me. Go back to where your species lives.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you are so convinced of. It is nothing for me to turn you back to braindead with just one lift of a finger.¡±

    When the woman¡¯s calloused hands full of scars were about to touch Noah, a ck spark appeared and wrapped around her hands. Her beautiful face pouted with pain.

    ¡°You cannot do that.¡±

    But she didn¡¯t stop and kept babbling away.

    ¡°You treated me like a murderer for killing people, didn¡¯t you? Since you said that, you can¡¯t at least kill me. Because you don¡¯t want to be the same human as I am. Scaredy cats like you are so typical.¡±

    Noah took a deep breath as she listened to Eleonora¡¯s whispering. What she¡¯d said was right. Noah despised bing someone like Eleonora. Noah would not take her life with her own hands.

    She had something else to do. Since Eleonora had woken up safely, it was time to check the third and final item.

    Noah felt it clearly that Eleonora was operating a spell in her body to calm the ck spark stuck on her hands. She said after taking another deep breath, ¡°Don¡¯t be so arrogant.¡±

    Noah was reciting the starting words from the ¡®manual.¡¯

    ¡°Sit down, Eleonora.¡±

    At that moment, the true value of her experiment shone.

    Eleonora¡¯s knees bent, and the two women¡¯s eye levels were reversed. The sound and vibration of a sharp fall leaked out of the hallway beyond the quietboratory.

    ¡°Wh¡­ what is this?¡±

    The grayish-blue eyes of Eleonora, who had knelt down in front of Noah within less than a second, disyed astonishment.

 Chapter 265

    ¡°What is what? It¡¯s one of your inventions,¡± said Noah inattentively as she picked up one of the blueprints on the table. The blueprint of the ¡®manual chip¡¯ used in the second stage of the replica project was shoved in front of Eleonora¡¯s face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this is¡­¡±

    The soaring thoughts in her head had instantly concluded. Eleonora¡¯splexion darkened.

    The experiment Noah had performed on Eleonora¡¯s soul was actually very simple. In other words, all the power circuits built into the manual chip had been ripped out then copied and pasted into the nucleus containing Eleonora''s soul.

    The difference was that the thing controlling Eleonora was not an operating device such as a remote control or control button, but starting words that were pronounced that put power into her.

    Noah said kindly as she fixed Eleonora¡¯s hair that was all messed up, ¡°You said all the time that you want to make a clone. So I made you into one. How does it feel to be controlled by someone, Ellie?¡±

    What better way was there to overpower an arrogant witch who used to think she was the strongest in the world?

    Noah squatted down in front of her twisting body. This woman who had been talking nonsense up until now had be as helpless as a bird that had lost its wings. Noah soothed Eleonora while enjoying the cool exhration.

    ¡°Be quiet. Below is a scary investigator. We¡¯ll be in big trouble if we behave unexpectedly.¡±

    Eleonora¡¯s lips quivered as she inhaled deeply. But not a sound came from her beautiful, thick lips. Noah smiled happily at the greatest genius and narcissist who had fallen into a clone stuck under hermand.

    ¡°All right. Then we¡¯ve established our positions in this rtionship. Stay still, as if you¡¯re going to die tomorrow. And tomorrow all you have to do is give a reply to what I ask. Got it?¡±

    Eleonora didn¡¯t reply a word, but she didn¡¯t need to in the first ce. Because the manual etched in her soul would never give her any freedom.

    Noah one by one picked up a few papers and pulled out an ink pad. And everything she had to do today waspleted after she grabbed the woman¡¯s hand, rubbed her thumb on the ink pad, and stamped it cleanly on the bottom of each document.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s meet tomorrow, Ellie.¡±

    With her mind feeling refreshed, Noah sent her back to Muell''s subspace.

    ***

    Noah carefully exited the researchb, locking the door. Muell was waiting for her with both hands holding the shoes she¡¯d taken off.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. The butler should be here any minute.¡±

    The two of them tiptoed through the annex hallway like a couple of cat burrs. Now, they nned to head back down to the second floor and wait for Kyle.

    The moment Noah gently stepped foot into the office, a monotonous voice sliced through the silence, piercing her eardrums.

    ¡°Set a big direction for your life."

    ¡°Arrrgh!!¡±

    ¡°ckkk!¡±

    Noah and Muell were so startled they both shrieked bizarrely. Noah, raising her head, tripped but managed to avoid trampling Muell.

    ¡°Kyle. When did you get back?¡±

    Kyle was sitting crookedly in his chair at his desk with his eyes fixated on a semi-transparent screen floating above. Noah and Adrian¡¯s scene from the interrogation room from a few hours ago filled the entire screen. It seemed that he had been watching the whole thing via a real-time surveince system.

    The video rewound as soon as he pressed a button on the control panel. And it started ying again at some point.

    From the screen, Noah¡¯s voice was heard.

    <em>¡°If you still don¡¯t know what you¡¯re supposed to do or how you¡¯re going to live, I¡¯ll help you. ¡­it¡¯s still better than doing it alone.¡±</em>

    <em>¡°I''ll set a big direction for your life toe. But as you follow me, there will be new things to fill your life with.¡±</em>

    It stopped there then rewound again, ying at the same scene.

    <em>¡°If you still don¡¯t know what you¡¯re supposed to do¡­¡±</em>

    What is that man doing? Noah asked in a puzzled voice, ¡°What are you doing, Kyle?¡±

    ¡°Brooding over something.¡±

    ¡°Over what?¡±

    ¡°What ¡®Set a big direction for your life¡¯ means,¡± replied Kyle as he pressed the button again.

    <em>¡°If you still don¡¯t know¡­¡±</em>

    Before the same scene was yed three times, Noah hurried over to his desk and pressed the red power button on the control panel. The screen turned off with a ¡®pop¡¯ sound. She crossed her arms while trying to hold back a smile. ¡°Kyle. Now that I see it, you have a hobby of filming without permission.¡±

    ¡°All visits to the prison are recorded. Especially since Adrian Rossinell is currently treated as the most dangerous suspect, and you were the visitor. I obviously have to watch it.¡±

    It was a voice like a crisp cold wind. Even worse, he had even crossed his arms like Noah. The corners of Noah¡¯s mouth twitched, but she endured it with extreme patience; then she put both hands on his desk and leaned toward him.

    ¡°So what do you think about the real-time video?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that good.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°¡­if I were to go to Pen¨¦lope and tell her ¡®I¡¯ll take responsibility for your life¡¯ do you think she would feel good?¡±

 Chapter 266

    Perhaps he¡¯d been put in a bad mood after saying those words from his own mouth, the valley between his eyebrows deepened. Seeing him like that, Noah could barely hold back smiling, and in the end, she burst intoughter.

    ¡°You would never do that.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so sure about that?¡±

    <em>Well,</em> because Kyle was a human being who would jump from a spire rather than do something that prompted the decision whether it was immoral or moral. Cheating on a spouse was equivalent to something ¡®moral¡¯.

    Noah, instead of giving him a long story, went around the desk to stand in front of him. Even while she was speaking sulky, Kyle turned his chair toward her when she came. His half-swept ck hair was tangled in her fingers. Perhaps he liked the feeling of his hair between her fingers, Kyle¡¯s eyes, which had emitted cold energy, became rxed a little.

    Noah opened her mouth, wondering if this was the time.

    ¡°There is something you¡¯ve misunderstood. I didn¡¯t mean it in a weird way.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Of course, it shouldn¡¯t be.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    The eyes Noah had thought were rxed turned stern again. Kyle pointed out something as he tilted his head sharply.

    ¡°I just hate that you spoke that way. I understand enough that you resonate with a part of Adrian Rossinell¡¯s past, but no matter how much I think about how it leads to the consequences of your life, I can¡¯t understand¡­¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh. Now that I look back, you were the king of jealousy.¡±

    ¡°Am I not allowed to be jealous?¡± asked Kyle.

    ¡°Well. If you find out what I am going to do from now on, your jealousy will be gone with the wind¡­¡±

    ¡°Noah, what I mean is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, I get it. From now on I won''t say such empty words. Please don¡¯t re at me like that.¡±

    If she were to leave like this, he would nag at her for an hour, so she just smiled and tapped his crossed arms. Kyle, even while making a suspicious expression, obediently uncrossed them. And soon he wrapped them around her waist.

    She had naturally been swooped to hisp. This too was a recent habit he¡¯d picked up.

    ¡°¡­so. Why did you say that? Noah, you won¡¯t be able to eat dinner if you have a cookie now.¡±

    While she buried her face in between his shoulder and neck, Kyle gently blocked her hand that tried to reach into a cookie box. Noah stared at it with pity. Queen of the Cookies.<em> But it¡¯s the limited edition hazelnut vor sold only at the branch in the capital¡­</em>

    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to let me eat it, why did you bring it? Someone who doesn¡¯t let sweets touch his lips.¡±

    ¡°I brought it for Muell to eat. Don¡¯t change the subject, Noah.¡±

    Kyle tickled the area between her earlobe and chin with his lips. Not stopping once, he continued to pester her. When she flinched at the pleasant goosebumps, his hand swept down her back as if soothing her.All the while not forgetting that he was waiting for a reply.

    ¡°Answer me. You really didn¡¯t have a secret rtionship with Adrian Rossinell, right?¡±

    ¡°I can guarantee you that whatever you¡¯re thinking did not happ¡ªHey, don¡¯t bite!¡±

    It seemed that he was satisfied with that answer. After biting her earlobe, a wet sound that heated her five senses had prated her eardrum. In the end, she had to give him a cookie-cutter answer.

    ¡°As you know, I told you let¡¯s go to Novischosa when the trial finishes. Then after that, we¡¯ll return to Sorrent. Then we¡¯ll say hello to the capital for a bit. Of course, I don¡¯t really need to¡­ no, I have no reason to be with another man, especially Adrian.¡±

    ¡°¡­then that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Though he¡¯d gotten the answer he wanted, Kyle didn''t seem to have any intention of letting Noah go. The feeling of him nibbling on her earlobe moved to her lips. If she let her guard down during a kiss, the contact gets deeper in an instant.

    Just in case someone knocked on the door, Noah, on pins and needles, turned her head away from him.

    ¡°You know you have to wake up early tomorrow. Go back early and sleep,¡± she said.

    ¡°Together?¡± Kyle grinned.

    ¡°No, separately.¡±

    ¡°Howe? You said that we can sleep together whenever.¡± His eyes had shifted down to the hem of her skirt beforeing back up to her face. When their eyes met, Kyle noticed that Noah felt a little distant. He sighed, ¡°I wish I could read everything that you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    ¡°Why so?¡±

    ¡°I think I said it once before, but you make it so obvious when you think about something else, Noah.¡±

    She had been trying to predict the scene of the presiding trial tomorrow. Surely she wouldn''t be able to get out of it if Kyle found out that she was thinking about Adrian again this time, so she said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. I thought it may be a corruption of public morals. And this is your workce.¡±

    She quickly kissed him, who was trying to say something with a suspicious look.

 Chapter 267

    ¡°It¡¯s done, right? The day ends with this. Since this ce isn¡¯t all that appropriate.¡±

    ¡°¡­I was thinking that I should not let youe to the Protection Bureau anymore, Noah. Things don¡¯t work out when you¡¯re around.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ right. Then since I can¡¯t be here, should I go home? I have to check the trial preparations onest time. You said there''s a chance that Adrian could end up being released,¡± said Noah.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already finished typing. Now all that¡¯s left for me to do is leave it up to God.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and the list of nobles who filed a petition regarding Adrian''s arrest, you said you would let me pick¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already picked them. Though I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m going to use them for.¡±

    ¡°¡­then take a shower and go to bed early. Separately, of course.¡±

    ¡°If you go to sleep now, won¡¯t you wake up at dawn? You are sensitive and sleep well only when the temperature and humidity are perfectly set. And you thought I wouldn¡¯t know that you and Muell went out to the gardenst night because you couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± Kyle asked.

    Noah tried to win by any means but couldn¡¯t find words to retort. Someone had said that Kyle Leonard was celibate. She wiggled her body to get away from him.

    ¡°Still, I don¡¯t want to go to sleep. The people in the Protection Bureau keep looking at me strangel¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who looks at you like that? Tell me. I¡¯ll send them away, either by business trip or demotion.¡±

    ¡°¡­you¡¯re joking, right?¡±

    Not at all. A General, who considers his work his life, is not someone to say this even as a joke! He smiled at her suspicious look and said, "You made me this way. Naturally, you have to take responsibility if you do something.¡±

    ¡°What kind of responsibi¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just once.¡±

    Within five minutes of her deciding that she would not get caught up in anything today, a crisis urred. When she bit her lip stubbornly, he made a low groan. His voice disyed his impatience.

    ¡°Oh¡­ why are you making me so eager? I¡¯ve even said this before, but don¡¯t rebel; I¡¯ll let you go if you just let me kiss you once.¡±

    Usually, this man who never speaks in this voice to anyone makes such passionate eyes only when he is with her. Even though she tried to avoid it because it was unfamiliar and embarrassing, he approached her persistently, little by little.

    Eventually, today was another day that she¡¯d surrender. Noah mumbled quietly as she nced at the doorstep.

    ¡°If you promise to leave quickly.¡±

    It was a condition, but even they both knew that they were truly meaningless words. The arms that hugged her body closely, his impatient but polite lips, and the sense of him rushing in as always were firm.

    The trial date was the next morning.

    ***

    The mood of the courtroom was heavy. ncing at the clock, it was 8:40 a.m. After it started there were around ten minutes left before the defendant appeared.

    The trial was nned to proceed in a much different way than thest one Noah had been involved in. Her trial had been held to be formally visible to the public, so she had kissed the Ministry of Justice¡¯s butt in advance, but this time it was different.

    The defendant was the minister who had led Laurent''s Ministry of Magic for as long as five years. Noah clicked her tongue after reading the list of Adrian Rossinell¡¯s personal information and work history she¡¯d received from Kyle.

    ¡°He really is a genius. At the age of fifteen, he graduated from the Royal Academy early and was scouted first in the Ministry of Magic¡­ I can''t believe he borrowed money as soon as he became an adult.¡±

    In the nearly 20 years when Laurent''s magical history began to roll again, Adrian''s stake in the Ministry of Magic''s achievements list was second only to Eleonora. His most representative achievement was the form that proved the rules of flow of magic dissolved in nature. Without this form, Eleonora could not have been able to design automatic machines of raw magic.

    Noah sat in the observation hall and swiped through the document that showed the order of progress. Then, when she saw the two-word sentence that Kyle had written down, she clicked her tongue.

    ¡°So cold-hearted¡­¡±

    Well, he had nagged at her and Muell, but obviously, there was no blood or tears when working. She shouldn''t hate Kyle for the rest of her life.

    As she decided this one more time, she checked the witnesses of the trial. And she slipped her name under the names of the witnesses appointed by Adrian''swyer. Noah Park.

    Next to her, Muell breathed a spell into her handwriting. The documents flew up smoothly and disappeared. Now, all the documents with the same content will contain Noah¡¯s name that she had inserted.

    Someone next to her said something:

    ¡°W-wee, dragon master.¡±

    Turning her head in surprise, there was an unfamiliar face looking at her, a middle-aged man. Whether he was afraid of something, beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

    Noah spent a few seconds wondering who he was before remembering his identity after seeing him frantically fix his wig that slipped down to the right side of his face due to the sweat. Laurent¡¯s Secretary of Treasure. The one who had picked a fight with her when she arrived in Tezeba.

    Noah briefly replied.

    ¡°Oh, right. Hello.¡±

    She thought he¡¯d be on his way if she replied casually, but he seemed like he wanted to say something to her. After only fidgeting his lips for a long time he barely managed to blurt something out.

 Chapter 268

    ¡°By the way, why are you here¡­?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the proper seat for you.¡±

    Noah oddly looked around her. And that¡¯s when she figured out upon first nce that half of the people that filled the observation hall were high-ranking officials of Laurent or noble people.

    She had sat in the center of the middle row because she wanted to sit where she could get a good view of the trial, but looking at it now, there were empty chairs around her. The people sitting two spaces apart from her nced at Muell.

    ¡°Ah, I guess I¡¯m not allowed to sit here.¡±

    He¡¯s really picking a fight over something. Looking around both sides, the Secretary of Treasure fumbled, rubbing his forehead with a handkerchief.

    ¡°The seats in here are different, depending on your status. This is because these are the seats for the ministerial level of each department and Laurent¡¯s marquess and duke. It seems, madam, that you didn¡¯t know that¡­¡±

    It was a strange tone that mixed formal and informal speech, but what he wanted to convey was certain<em>: ¡°Since here was where the royal members and nobles of Laurent sit, immigrants who just got citizenship should get out of the way!¡±</em> Isn¡¯t that what he¡¯d pretty much said? As expected, the Secretary of Treasure is still a straightforward figure with no flexibility at all.

    ¡°Riiight. I¡¯ll move.¡±

    ¡°Whaa¡­?¡±

    With no regrets, Noah stood up from the chair. Better safe than sorry. Noah didn''t want to bother him or argue, plus she had to go down soon anyway, so she was nning to move in front of the screen outside the courtroom.

    ¡°Muell, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Muell, who was sitting next to her, leaped to the floor. After picking up the documents one by one, Noah bid farewell to the Secretary of Treasure.

    ¡°Now you can watch the trialfortably. I¡¯ll be going.¡±

    ¡°No! That¡¯s not what I meant!¡±

    The reaction from him, which Noah thought would be pleased with her departing, was unexpected. He turned around, grabbed and pulled thece on her shoulder, and yelled out, ¡°It¡¯s not that! I''m telling you to go forward¡­ madam!¡±

    ¡°Forward! Forward!¡±

    ¡°Don''t be angry, dragon master!¡±

    Those who were sitting far away from Noah urgently added one at a time. Puzzled, she looked around, and all the nobles who had previously given her unusual stares were standing up.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you all¡­?¡±

    She asked one question, and ten responses flew at her sporadically.

    ¡°How dare we sit in the same row as the dragon master and her dragon? Please, sit in the row ahead of us.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course. It''s a matter of grace even from His Majesty. Miss Noah, we¡¯ve also issued you a VVVIP tinum ID card.¡±

    All of the stares fell to the shiny ID card hanging around her neck. This was a tinum ID card? Exactly how many V¡¯s were there?

    Noah had guessed that it was a card issued to quite high-ranking aristocrats, but she didn''t know it symbolized a statusparable to that of the imperial family. While she looked down, embarrassed, at the ID card decorated in diamonds and gold, the nobles crept up and pushed her to the next row.

    Within mere seconds she had been brought down to a seat in the very front row of the observation hall. It was not until she forced herself to sit in one of the shiny golden chairs that blinded her just by looking at it that she figured out the situation.

    ¡°Oh no. I just want to go down and sit in an audience seat.¡±

    ¡°Audience seat, yeah right. How dare someone let a dragon master sit in one of those tiny corner seats?¡±

    It¡¯s a hassle to refuse many times when she¡¯s told to sit in a better seat. Noah gave up and plopped down in the chair.

    ¡°Well¡­ okay. I will. It¡¯sfy.¡±

    Being a dragon master was no different now than when she was in Eleonora¡¯s body, but the difference in the way she was treated was immense.

    Since Noah had never replied to their letters, they might have thought that today was an opportunity.

    Even now, Noah could understand the feelings of those who approached her while ncing at her. Most of them would be nobles who couldn¡¯t avoid seizures depending on the oue of today''s trial.

    She was sure they were the ones who¡¯d been sending letters to her for the past week. It was clearly seen that they were trying to coax her and lead this trial in Adrian¡¯s favor.

    <em>I can¡¯t let that happen. </em>Feeling the presence of those hovering behind her chair, Noah slowly gathered her thoughts, and someone''s voice split the chaos.

    ¡°Stop it. Stop it. What is this nonsense on this important day?¡±

    To Noah, it was an unfamiliar-but-familiar-at-the-same-time voice. Someone made a gulping sound, then closed their mouth. The Secretary of Treasure, who removed his wig and wiped sweat gathered on his head, yelled out a wee.

    ¡°My Lord! It has been a long time. Over here, sir.¡±

    My Lord. Noah was taken aback at the title that had been yelled out in a sudden loud voice. There were two noble families with dukes in Laurent. The Leonards, and the Herjens.

    As soon as Noah saw the tall man standing in front of the entrance to the observation hall, she could see which family¡¯s leader he was.

    ¡°Yes, sir. Good to see you, minister.¡±

    The appearance and impression were unfamiliar, but there was only one thing Noah was familiar with: His purple eyes.

 Chapter 269

    Muell tugged on the hems of Noah¡¯s dress. ¡°Noah, his eyes are the same color as Mister Leonard¡¯s¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ yep. That¡¯s because he is Mister Leonard¡¯s older brother.¡±

    For Leonard¡¯s brother, they didn¡¯t really look alike. Unlike his cold and cool-headed younger brother, the duke was a handsome man with elegant dignity. Contrary to Kyle, who had no unnecessary movements, he had a light smile as he walked inside the observation room, and dignity flowed even in his subtle nodding as he received greetings from the nobles who were rushing towards him.

    Even worse, he was much younger than Noah had thought. <em>What was he, about thirty? The age difference between them isn¡¯t even that noticeable.</em>

    The duke scanned the entire room. It was Noah¡¯s first time to see a great noble so up-close, boasting a rank in Laurent''s status system just below the emperor.

    She looked interestedly at his face, making eye contact with him.

    A sparkling excitement sshed in his bright purple eyes just like his younger brother. Noah thought he was giving her a yful look that didn''t match his elegant figure, but she was mistaken.

    After quietly lifting Muell, she stood up from the golden chair. Somehow that¡¯s when it seemed like it would happen. As soon as Noah saw the duke sh a bright smile, showing his teeth, the doubt became certain.

    ¡°Dragon master! Oh, wait. Miss Noah Leonard!¡±

    Goosebumps appeared on Noah¡¯s entire body when her name was called. The name he had called was the name she had stolen at will. How did he know?

    <em>Oh¡­ Actually, it¡¯s quite obvious.</em> The work in which she had written Leonard''sst name would have been first reported to the duke before being handed over to Kyle. Noah was filled with anxiety, recalling her past and records as pure as snow. <em>Don¡¯t tell me he caught me stealing.</em>

    The duke, who had quickly removed the dignity of a great noble, smiled and held out his right hand to her. ¡°I knew I could see you if I came to watch Minister Rosinell¡¯s trial. May I sit next to you, Miss Noah?¡±

    ¡°Oh, hello¡­ Huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you like this. I have so many stories that I want to hear from you!¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­? Oh, ha-ha¡­¡±

    Her right hand was forcibly caught in his hand, and she did a rough handshake. <em>What kind of stories does he want to hear from me¡­? </em>The Leonard family was not listed on the list of nobles on Adrian''s side nor on the list of families who had sent Noah a greeting invitation.

    The moment she thought up until there, the words Kyle had said two days ago passed by in her head.

    <em>¡°You can ask my older brother about that time. Since Duke Leonard has been begging for me to get into a rtionship for over fifteen years.¡±</em>

    No way Laurent''s great noble would pay attention to such personal matters¡­ but it looked like he would. Duke Leonard sat very friendly on Noah¡¯s left and held out his right hand to Muell.

    ¡°Hello, dragon. Your name¡¯s Muell Leonard, right?¡±

    Even Muell must have stolen the Leonard surname from the Angelic. Why hadn¡¯t Noah remembered that¡­?

    She fixed her eyes on the back of the ck head of hair that ordered the investigators to the left entrance of the courtroom which could be seen below. <em>Sir, I can feel the air of a very tired fool from your brother; please tell me I am mistaken.</em>

    To make matters worse, the emperor had entered the observation hall, so not only did Noah and Muell go down closer to where the trial was being held, they had ended up in VVVVIP seats front and center, right between the emperor and the duke.

    Today, as soon as the emperor, wrapped in a velvet cape like a red carpet with a heavy crown pressed down on his head, sat next to Noah he started a conversation.

    ¡°Unlike the dragon master before you, you are a calm, elegantdy. In the dragon master¡¯s seat, a talent like you, Miss Noah, is better suited than an unruly woman like Baroness Asil.¡±

    Noah had never met the man before, so what was the best response for a first meeting? She would have never thought in her wildest dream that the emperor of Laurent would say ¡°unruly woman like Baroness Asil.¡±

    The emperor talked to her for a long time, then slightly changed the subject.

    ¡°From what I heard, you¡¯re an immigrant. Can I ask what country you are from?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I came from a tiny penins far over the mountains and across the water.¡±

    ¡°My goodness! If you¡¯vee that far it must be a long way to go back. Since you¡¯ve already gotten your citizenship you¡¯re nning to stay in Laurent, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡±

    ¡°Splendid! It''s such a waste to ruin your talent like this. As the master of Laurent, I won''t spare any support to a dragon master, so won''t you work hard for Laurent''s development and endless glory?¡±

    Desperation permeated the emperor¡¯s voice. Eleonora Asil¡¯s magic history had lost its star, and now the head of the Ministry of Magic was a criminal, so he must be very worried. It had been less than 20 years since a wizard of Laurent had emerged as the strongest person on the continent.

 Chapter 270

    On one side, however, since the most perfect dragon master had appeared, for the emperor, this was like an opportunity from heaven. Though there were hundreds of people like Eleonora or Adrian, they were no match for a dragon and dragon master.

    Noah vaguely threw a reply, ¡°Umm, I shall think about it, Your Royal Highness.¡±

    ¡°Think again. Oh, right. Which position do you want? I¡¯ll match your desired status. Should I step down from the duke? Or do you want to be a minister? I think one seat will be empty today.¡±

    Noah kept silent as the emperor continued, ¡°If you say yes, dragon master, I will hand over all the control of the Ministry of Magic. You can fill the department with whomever you like.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll refuse the ministerial position. My work history is insufficient for such a position.¡±

    Noah can''t beat around the bush. She changed her mind and rejected the emperor''s offer at once. And added, since she was a bit upset, ¡°¡­and, Your Royal Highness. No matter how heavy Minister Rossinell¡¯s crime may be, he has been serving as the minister for a long time, so why not express your regret that the magic world has lost its star?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    ¡°What crime did the civil servants of the Ministry of Magicmit? They must be troubled by the suddenwsuit Minister Adrian is facing, and they¡¯re even on unpaid leave,¡± said Noah.

    ¡°Uh¡­ they must be d to have an extended vaca¡ª¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s unpaid. What they want is not unpaid leave, but to reduce the burden of their work.¡±

    The emperor muttered nonsense, saying that they had always done well on their own, that Laurent would develop faster as the Ministry of Magic rolled faster. Then, he concluded on his own: ¡°Then you should reform the Ministry of Magic by taking over the ministerial position¡­!¡±

    This isn¡¯t a rerun. How does he think she¡¯s going to put on a spectacr show when she doesn¡¯t even know the first thing about the theory of magic?

    The emperor¡¯s pretending to look good by ttering Noah was so much that she felt more prone to reject his offer. It''s not like he¡¯s teasing her by unting a name tag of a nation''s ministerial position¡­

    Duke Leonard seemed to have read the visible displeasure on Noah¡¯s face. He leaned in her direction and whispered, ¡°Just let it slide, Miss Noah. Around this time next year is the continent conference, and it will be held in Laurent, you know. It''s a time when all the rulers of the whole continent flock here, so I think they want to do well early on.¡±

    Noah didn¡¯t want that. She ced her chin on Muell¡¯s tiny head and thought deeply.

    It was too obvious that he was trying to get s extensively to the country to which a dragon and dragon master belonged. Noah had felt it from earlier, but looking from the outside, Laurent was an advanced country, but if you look at the situation a little bit, you can see that it was not very shy.

    The life of the ve miners in Maobiana sucked, and so did the treatment of slums like Harrell and the workers in industrial areas. Even the day-in-day-out problem of overtime enforced by imperial officers.

    These were the harmful effects that naturally followed if the world developed too rapidly. However, Noah didn¡¯t know why she had to worry about such things now? Some people needed to review the agenda and put it up for the next meeting.

    "Everyone, please be quiet.¡±

    Noah was deep in thought, and Muell lifted his head when she rubbed her cheek on his curly hair. The Minister of Justice was sitting in the judge''s seat just below the observation hall. Further below in the defendant¡¯s seat was blonde hair, and in the prosecutor¡¯s seat to the right was Kyle.

    It was the beginning of a full-fledged trial.

    Muell, who was sitting, leaning back in Noah¡¯s arms, wiggled and changed his posture.

    ¡°¡­anyway, I hope to have dinner with you, Miss Noah. How about it?¡±

    Upon first nce behind her, the emperor had a look like he wanted to have a private meeting with her after this small-scale trial ended. Noah broke the silence that she had kept all along, and spoke out.

    ¡°Let¡¯s reverse it. I will ept one of your proposals, Your Royal Highness.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°That you let me do whatever I want, whenever I want, anywhere in Laurent.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, that proposal is primarily based on the premise that you will absolutely cooperate with Laurent¡ª¡±

    ¡°Except that.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll thankfully keep that in mind.¡±

    A ck magical orb stretched out on the golden chair. It was a portal summoned by Muell.

    Perhaps Duke Leonard was bewildered, he turned around to Noah. But before he called her name the scene in front of her eyes changed.

    ***

    The ce she¡¯d traveled to was the hallway beyond the courtroom door. Noah lifted her head to study the thin screen installed on the wall.

    ¡°Kyle Leonard, former investigator. I shall begin the interrogation of the defendant.¡±

    The trial process was being broadcast live on the screen. Since it was an issue, today''s trial was being transmitted in real-time not only to the Imperial Castle but also to the town square in front of Tezeba City Hall. Noah tried to measure the time.

    <em>Will it be the most dramatic if I intrude at some point?</em>

 Chapter 271

    Even after Muell had disappeared from the observation hall, the trial continued without much going on. asionally, Kyle was caught looking up at the observation hall. He seemed to notice that Noah was missing.

    Perhaps he felt unhappy by the fact, he was grumpier towards Adrian and exhibited a much colder attitude than usual. In a cold, dry voice he read the defendant¡¯s crime:

    ¡°The case of the dragon egg¡¯s disappearance, the crime of aiding and abetting Baroness Asil¡¯s smuggling in Yulem, appointing a fakewyer at the time of Baroness Asil¡¯s trial, the crash of Laurent¡¯s national railwaywork, the terrorist incident on the Angelic, embezzlement of the Mane ore, illegal biological research on the bond between the soul and body, the disappearance and mysterious deaths of arge number of workers in Harrell, the kidnapping and confinement of innocent witnesses¡­¡±

    Every detail was revealed, from the big crimes to the rtively minor ones. The more the pitch-less voice continued, the more sunken the mood in the observation hall became.

    Reading the overview of the long list of crimes, Kyle announced after a short sigh, ¡°Therefore, I seek the death penalty for the defendant.¡±

    Death penalty. The audience made amotion at those two words. The nobles in the observation hall all nervously clutched their hairs, but it was still too early to be relieved. Kyle had sought the death penalty, but the chances of the Minster of Justice deciding that were extremely low.

    Adrian''s influence was wider than expected, and arge number ofwyers had already been appointed to defend him, and if he was admitted to be on death row, half of the high-ranking imperial officials would have to be arrested and re-examined.

    No one could shake it off.

    In fact, the Minister of Justice, who served as the judge of today''s trial, was also not innocent. Because Adrian''s defense had resulted in more than ten light punishments for Eleonora.

    At this point, if thewyer started defending, the Minister of Justice would probably adjust the sentence appropriately and make a ruling. The key point of today''s trial was which line was ¡®appropriate¡¯ enough. In addition, several variables would control the oue of the trial, one of which was the emperor''s attitude.

    ¡°From my small point of view¡­ the death penalty seems too harsh.¡±

    The Minister of Justice was so shocked he looked up at the observation hall.

    ¡°Y-Your Majesty?¡±

    The voice that¡¯d butted in out of nowhere belonged to the emperor. Despite him being the emperor, it was rare for him to ever give his personal opinion during a trial.

    ¡°Considering the contribution made by former Minister Rossinell to the Ministry of Magic, 1,000 hours of social restoration and volunteer work; the same as the first request to Baroness Eleonora Asil, I think that will be enough.¡±

    The emperor on the screen nced continuously at the empty seat next to him, that is, Noah¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Since he''s the best wizard in Laurent¡­ As part of the service, how about taking charge of the education of the newly emerged dragon master? To bnce the power¡­¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Kyle asked back as if bbergasted. Duke Leonard too, who was seated next to the emperor, had an appalled look on his face.

    It was evident that they were trying to use Adrian to have the dragon and its master under their grasp as soon as possible. The choice was consistent with the interests of most of the nobles in the audience. A few of them were noticeably relieved as they were seen on the screen leaning back in their chairs.

    The emperor¡¯s personal opinion was notpulsory. Laurent, however, was a monarchy state with no separation of powers. The emperor, the head of the former imperial ministry, had expressed his opinion, but no matter how fair a judge could be, how could he let it spill?

    The Minister of Justice¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°I sh-shall examine it, for the time being, Your Majesty. Thank you. Then,wyer. Start your defense.¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Honor! As the first witness, I call Miss Tracy Irene, who works for the Ministry of Magic¡­ Huh?¡± Thewyer stuttered as he flipped through his documents. He raised his eyebrows in confusion and read the content of the document again. ¡°The witness¡­ witness¡­ uh¡­¡±

    On the screen, Kyle¡¯s face could be seen stiffening. Soon, however, as if he had predicted something, a beam of enlightenment shone in his purple eyes.

    Noah walked past the screen and stood in front of the door leading to the courtroom. The doors which gave off a solemn and heavy atmosphere opened wide on both sides like a folded piece of paper. The stares of the hundreds of people gathered inside the court focused on her. The voice of thewyer, whom she couldn¡¯t pinpoint because his back was turned towards her, continued.

    ¡°The first witness¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    The man who was struggling with the revised documents, unbeknownst to him, was interrupted. There wasn¡¯t really a reason for her to say her name. Those who saw her would recognize her anyway. The faces of the nobles in the observation hall, which had been brightened with the evidence, were already ashen.

    As soon as Noah stepped foot into the courtroom the door closed behind her with a heavy click.

    ¡°I am the first witness. Can I have a word?¡± Noah said, stering a big smile. She was about to create change in a trial that showed signs of copse.

    Faint mumbling was heard from the audience.

    ¡°Who is that woman?¡±

    It still wasn¡¯t widely known to the public that Park Noah was the new dragon master. Most of the citizens of Laurent only knew that the dragon master that¡¯d appeared for the first time in 500 years was Eleonora. For the general audience, most of them were eithermoners or middle-ss.

    The people who knew Noah¡¯s identity, however, were greatly shaken by her and Muell¡¯s sudden appearance. The emperor, who had been caught trying to cheat, was frightened and leaned his back onto the golden chair. Duke Leonard, who was sitting next to him, seemed to have thought that the turn of events was quite humorous, as he was desperately trying to hold back hisugh.

 Chapter 272

    Noah scanned the observation hall as she continued: ¡°As the only witness of everything that happened in Tauren¡¯s Zone 13, I think I am the best witness. May I add something for the sake of Laurent¡¯s ¡®development¡¯ and ¡®infinite glory¡¯?¡±

    She annunciated what the emperor had said earlier. Muell, who was held obediently in her arms, stepped down onto the table on the witness¡¯s stand. His dark-red eyes had sparking sses. The presence of a dragon, which had been tightly embedded in the body of a five-year-old child, began to engulf the courtroom with no filter.

    ¡°A¡­ dragon.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a dragon.¡±

    ¡°A dragon!¡±

    The disturbance, weighed down by the pressure, stopped as Muell began to throw a zing fireball into the air. Noah patted her admirable little boy''s head and asked again as kindly as possible, ¡°May I begin my testimony?¡±

    At this rate, it was not a request for the right to speak, rather, a notification.

    ¡°I allow you to s-speak as a witness.¡±

    The Minister of Justice¡¯s voice shook. He had his gavel gripped in his hand, and his chair rocked back and forth. The emperor was seen sighing as a sign of resignation and delivering a few words to Duke Leonard with a sullen face.

    Noah somehow felt fresh inside. No more than a month ago she had been the one in the defendant¡¯s chair. <em>So this is what it feels like to be on the witness stand</em>, she thought. Noah was looking around the courtroom excitedly, when her eyes met Kyle¡¯s.

    From the moment she¡¯d entered he seemed to have abandoned the attempt to lead this trial in a normal fashion. He was looking at her with eyes that looked slightly worried and slightly excited at the same time.

    ¡°Now can I start?¡± Noah mouthed to Kyle, and he seemed to understand her immediately. Kyle shed a grin as he covered the documents he was holding, and ckly, he leaned back in his chair. It was a signal that said he would not interrupt and remain a spectator.

    There was someone else looking at her the same way¡ªAdrian. His face was a little livelier than when she had faced him at the Lendia Annex yesterday. As soon as Adrian met her gaze, he raised the corners of his mouth slightly, somewhat awkwardly. It was clear that he was embarrassed for having cried in front of her yesterday.

    The two men''s eyes of different colors asked her the same question: What are you about to do, Noah?

    Noah handed over the cover of the documents that she had been holding the whole time. Written on the second page was a list of the many many things that had to be done here today. Among them was: Appropriate a sentence for Adrian Rossinell. After clearing her throat loudly, she opened her mouth with the most motivated voice she could produce.

    ¡°Now, in my short opinion, isn''t 1,000 hours of asset society restoration andmunity service too light of a punishment for former Minister Rossinell?¡±

    No one refuted herment. After setting Muell down behind her, Noah circled the desk and walked in front of the clerk¡¯s desk in the middle.

    ¡°His Majesty seems to have proposed such a light sentence just to keep me, the dragon master, on guard, despite the numerous feloniesmitted, but isn''t the evidence too full for that?¡±

    Noah stood in the middle of the court and turned towards the defendant¡¯s seat, the spot that directly faced Adrian.

    There was a pinch of confusion in his eyes. He must be confused. The woman who had acted like his savior up until yesterday had suddenly changed her attitude and was taking the lead in raising his sentence. Noah continued, keeping her eyes straight on his green eyes.

    ¡°I am d that no one was killed directly by the defendant, but he certainly studied magic that disturbs the soul and body, which is said to be absolute taboo among pure magicians. On top of that, even though this isn¡¯t his first time to lead the replica project or the ck market with Yulem, he clearly assisted in the process, and then he touched it himself. Well, the general of the Protection Bureau exined the rest of the egg theft and terrorist incident, so let''s move on.¡±

    Noah could clearly see the excitement gradually rising in the green eyes, where the light was almost gone. At that moment, he seemed to have returned to the man from a few months ago who had joked around at her. She tapped the table with her fingernail as she said to herself, ¡°However, he must be a hard-to-get talent more than once in Laurent, and he thinks he has enough will to reflect on himself¡­¡±

    In fact, the punishment Noah wanted to give to Adrian had been decided from the beginning. The very punishment that this yellow-belly had given her a few weeks ago. Twofold.

    ¡°So I want to serve you, former Minister of Magic,¡± Noah paused.

    Muell¡¯s tiny hands twirled. ck magic gathered in the air and soon formed into a ck iron ball attached to chains.

    ¡°An additional 20 years of imprisonment. And I hope you will be sentenced to 400,000 hours ofmunity service in Laurent''s lowest poor ss neighborhood.¡±

    A clicking sound rang even before everyone could understand what those words meant. Adrian¡¯s neck and right wrist were restrained with ck chains. Noah smiled honorably as she looked him straight in the eyes. <em>How ufortable he must be wearing those. Keep those for the rest of your life, you bastard.</em>

 Chapter 273

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s possible to substitutemunity service hours in prison for 500 hours. Should I see about that? Of course, the number of receable years is 10 years maximum.¡±

    While the audience was still, only the voice that continued without hesitation was clear. Even after spilling that explosive deration, the woman with soft-looking light brown hair gathered on one side of her head calmly rummaged through the documents in her hand.

    The audience members mumbled their confusion.

    ¡°How in the world? Sending minister Rossinell to the slums?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this must be a joke. A 20-year sentence?¡±

    ¡°But no matter how many times I look at that ck-haired child, I think it¡¯s¡­ A long time ago, the breaking news of Laurent''s imperial family was on the front page. The dragon that broke the spire. Then that woman¡­¡±

    The astonishment of the audience was more than before. They couldn''t stand up or scream astonishingly with their noble faces, couldn''t cover up their gradually paleplexions. The Secretary of Treasure mumbled in a puzzled way, ¡°How can he do 400,000 hours ofmunity service for the poor¡­ in prison?¡±

    400,000 hours was well worth a lifetime. If it¡¯s split up by 12 hours a day, that¡¯s 90 years. On top of that, the sentence was 20 years. Abination of 110 years. It was actually no different from a life sentence.

    Adrian Rossinell hadn¡¯t been born from a noble family, but he was a big shot who had immediately taken the post of the minister after entering the Imperial Academy and securing the top position in the year he graduated with the support of the renowned Duchess Hergen.

    Considering the royal noble family who were close to him and the high-ranking government officials of the Ministry of Justice and the administration who were closely connected to the Ministry of Magic, he was definitely in the top five when citing Laurent''s main public figures.

    The behavior of the general of the Protection Bureau, who had demanded the death penalty for him, would also cripple, but at best, the emperor had reduced his sentence, and, the woman who appeared as the new dragon master this time had interfered.

    Her calm voice ignited their astonishment and nervousness.

    ¡°How about that, Your Honor? I really like that.¡±

    The dragon master, who had gentle eyes and a slender physique, smiled brightly and looked around the observation hall. All the nobles, who had invested in the secret business of the Ministry of Magic during the short time, trembled with the same fear. The dragon master nodded satisfactorily after getting a glimpse of their reactions.

    ¡°If you all have no objections, then shall we end the trial of former Minister of Magic Adrian Rossinell here?¡±

    The Minister of Justice, whose breath was trembling from the seat behind Noah, hurriedly lifted his gavel. ck. ck. ck. As the silence had sunken in the courtroom, it was even cheerful to hear the echoing sound.

    ¡°This c-court is adjourned.¡±

    The final sentence could be reced by 20 years in prison, 400,000 hours ofmunity service, and 500 hours of service per year in prison for the entire assets held by the imperial family.

    Adrian heard the final sound of the gavel that determined the rest of his life. His gaze didn¡¯t fall on Noah even for a second. She was nodding her head sluggishly, perhaps it was very pleasant to suddenly invade and reverse the direction of the trial.

    Frankly, Noah didn¡¯t intend to butt in. Through his connection made by the Ministry of Magic, he would avoid the death penalty or life imprisonment anyway. Noah wanted to do as much as she could, but why suddenmunity service all of a sudden? Even worse, it was twice as much than what he had demanded when he stormed in during her trial.

    Adrian turned towards Noah, who was approaching him, and said, "Is this the big direction of my life that you said you''d decide for me?¡±

    ¡°Frankly I still think it¡¯s a light sentence.¡±

    Noah, who had approached the front of the defendant¡¯s seat he was sitting in, reached out to check if the chains were securely locked. Adrian smiled somewhat confidently.

    ¡°Oh, Noah. 400,000 hours ofmunity service isn¡¯t even enough to fill one lifetime. That¡¯s a light sentence?¡±

    ¡°Of course it is. I am here for your death penalty! Even if you shouted one thing, you would already have been taken to the gallows.¡±

    ¡°Actually, you just wanted to give me a taste of my own medicine, huh?¡±

    ¡°N¡­ no.¡±

    Noah made a prickly face before quickly straightening it; then she shook her head. Even if Adrian pretended not to be, he must have felt it extremely unfair about the 200,000 hours ofmunity service he had overwritten at the time.

    ¡°I just thought it was a waste for you to rot because your mind is uselessly genius. It will benefit Laurent to use your abilities and return you to society at the lowest point for the people there. That would be better for you,¡± Noah said. ¡°From now on, you are not the only genius in the world, but you live for the poor and weak who have beenid down by that genius. That is the big direction I decided for your life. If you live that way, you will learn to let it go.¡±

    Her voice was stern and full of conviction. Concluding there, Noah turned her head and made a gesture to someone. Anyone could tell who it was without turning.

 Chapter 274

    Kyle Leonard, who approached behind Adrian, grabbed his shoulders. The handcuffs in both hands were connected by long chains.

    ¡°Shall we go?¡±

    ¡°Hold on¡­¡±

    Adrian was forcefully taking a step, when he stopped and turned to look at Noah. She, flipping through the documents she¡¯d been holding tightly since earlier, lifted her eyes. The look in her eyes asked: ¡°You have more to say?¡±

    She was an unusual woman. He thought she wouldn''t be hard to handle, but she was rebellious, and even though she looked annoyed at everything in the world, she had eventually dragged him out into the light. He had wanted her to live as his savior, but she had put a chain around his neck and even imposed a relentless punishment.

    However, considering the punishment, it was not that harsh. Since they¡¯d said that it was possible to substitute prison time formunity service, instead of imprisonment, it meant to live for 110 years, so volunteering for the rest of his life. It was an iparably light treatmentpared to rotting and in prison for life.

    His heart fluttered. ¡°Oh, Noah.¡± His lips moved on their own, without him being aware of it. ¡°Will you meet me again?¡±

    Noah couldn¡¯t figure out why he¡¯d say such a thing. She thought it would be better for her not to meet him again like this, but¡­

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Well. If you have the premise of living, the day woulde that we see each other at least once,¡± she replied. ¡°If you work hard, we might be able to meet about three times.¡±

    After a moment of silence and a slip of the tongue, eventually, a slight smile spread across his face.

    ¡°All right. See you soon.¡±

    Noah didn¡¯t respond anymore.

    Kyle Leonard handed over the chains on his handcuffs to his subordinate. Adrian let out a long sigh as he stared at them from behind. Was it over? Perhaps from today, he would live apletely different life than he had lived for the past 26 years. Adrian found himself hoping that it would be salvation, not hell.

    Before long, his steps had faded away.

    The trial was over.

    ***

    After the former Minister of Magic hadpletely disappeared behind the door, the audience hastily stood up to leave the courtroom. They feared that the dragon master might suddenly feel ufortable and smash everything in the courtroom.

    ¡°Take care of all this, Paul. Pen¨¦lope.¡± Kyle requested. ¡°And since reporters are outside, tell the audience members not to speak of things that transpired inside. Be careful not to spread Noah''s personal information to the public. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The investigators began to move quickly after receiving the order. Kyle immediately turned his back to them. He wanted to go to Noah, but Noah put a hand up to stop him from approaching.

    <em>What now? </em>he thought. Originally, she had nned to conclude her n here. She had already given Adrian an appropriate sentence and snuffed out the emperor and the royal noble family who secretly tried to reinstate him. Truly, her behavior was erratic.

    Noah twirled her foot and looked elsewhere. She seemed to be waiting for all of the audience members to leave the courtroom. In the meantime, the number of people in the observation hall remained the same while the audience was gradually emptying.

    It was after she checked that thest person had scurried out that pped her hands loudly twice. p. p. The sound echoed loudly throughout the courtroom. The screen that had been broadcasting the trial situation live with a series of machine sounds turned off.

    ¡°All right then.¡± Her drowsy voice fell in the courtroom. Then, she dered as she flipped through the pages of the documents she had been holding all along: ¡°I shall slowly get ready for the second trial.¡±

    Not only the nobles, the imperial family members, and the emperor, but even Kyle, was shocked. The second trial was something Noah had not been told of in advance.

    ¡°Miss Noah, what are you thinking¡­¡±

    The door where Adrian had exited, opened once more, revealing the second defendant. The person standing before the court room entered with a frown.

    Kyle turned his head reflexively, and his face was instantly distorted as if he had seen even the most despicable thing in the world. On the other hand, Noah wore the most satisfactory expression she had ever made.

    ¡°The defendant is Baroness Eleonora Asil. The main culprit who caused the disaster at the Harrell Workers'' Hotel, the designer of the replica project.¡±

 Chapter 275

    The fact that Eleonora Asil was alive and breathing was undoubtedly a piece of confidential information.

    The story of how she had unfortunately left this world after suffering an unidentifiable disease had already circted in the newspaper this morning. But that alone was, of course, not enough.

    ¡°Outside the space that I allowed, speaking of Eleonora Asil is strictly prohibited.¡±

    At the same time as Noah said that, golden magic began to surround the edge of the courtroom like a band. It was a spell that forced people to keep silent about what was happening here. This was all to prevent Adrian from learning that Eleonora was still alive, resulting in him causing amotion again.

    But Eleonora, too, had to stand in the courtroom.

    Kyle wrinkled his face disgustingly when he saw Eleonora¡¯s peach-colored hair fluttering at the courtroom entrance. Noah hurriedly said as soon as she saw his hand drop to his holster, ¡°I''ve taken some action in the process of suppressing Eleonora. Right? ¡®Answer,¡¯ Ellie.¡±

    ¡°¡­right.¡±

    Eleonora¡¯s expression was prating as much as Kyle¡¯s expression was. However, she gave a regr answer with steady eyes.

    ¡°You agree to obey me, Muell, and Laurent Protection Bureau, right? ¡®Answer¡¯.¡±

    ¡°¡­r¡­ right.¡±

    ¡°Come over here and sit in the defendant¡¯s seat.¡±

    The emperor and the aristocrats were now trading puzzled looks back and forth between Eleonora and Noah, so much that you could hear their eyeballs rolling. It was understandable what they were thinking: how it must be strange that this witch, who had all kinds of temper and evil acts every time she was brought to the courtroom, was obedient.

    ¡°The list of Eleonora Asil''s crimes is so long that it hurts to read them. I won¡¯t check them again. For now, there¡¯s still a lot left to do, so I hope to give you your sentence and wrap up the trial. Do you agree?

    Noah decided that silence was a sign of yes.

    Eleonora¡¯s sentence had been decided much quicker than Adrian¡¯s. Noah continued to spew out line after line.

    ¡°First, it¡¯s obvious we talk about returning all your wealth to society. The Tauren Industrial Zone and Harrell¡¯sb under Baroness Asil¡¯s name, Tezeba''sb, and all other designs she has produced over the past 15 years, including the patents, have been returned to the Imperial Ministry of Magic.¡±

    ¡°Crazy b*tch¡­¡±

    Eleonora quietly mumbled a slew of curse words. Kyle reacted before Noah could recite the manual to shut her mouth. With a clinking sound, a swift, dark blue gun was pointed at Eleonora''s temple. Kyle rarely used abusivenguage with the honorifics removed.

    ¡°Shut up. How dare you curse someone?¡±

    He squeezed his pointer finger harder on the trigger. While Noah thought there was no way Kyle would actually do it, she was on pins and needles that he might blow Eleonora¡¯s brain to smithereens. Noah refused to witness the sight of someone¡¯s head being blown off in front of her. She quickly continued.

    "In addition to that, I want the defendant to be sentenced to life in prison. I want her to be thoroughly isted from Laurent''s society. So I¡¯ve thought it over, and there is a prison in the southwestern waters of Laurent, in the Great Empire Mewitt. Wouldn''t thebined number of previous convictions and sentences that Eleonora Asil has avoided be able to meet the minimum imprisonment conditions?¡±

    ¡°Richelli International Maritime Prison?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. And if there is a blueprint she produced during her sentence, I hope the Imperial Ministry of Magic will retrieve it immediately.¡±

    Frankly, Noah couldn¡¯t deny that Eleonora was a genius who would appear once a thousand years.

    Judging from that narcissist''s deeds, she won''t be able to stop inventing something until she is breathless, so it''s beneficial for Laurent to lock her up forever and take away the ideas in her great head.

    Kyle, who finished grasping for a moment, echoed Noah¡¯s words. ¡°Maritime prison. Seven years ago, the defendant participated in the blueprint drawing of that prison. In many ways, it¡¯s the perfect sentence for her.¡±

    ¡°G-G-General¡­¡±

    ¡°If so, first, we can put her in custody in the underground cell of the Protection Bureau¡¯s jail, and at the continental conference next year, we post her disposition agenda,¡± continued Noah.

    With that, every discussion was ended swiftly. ck. ck. ck.

    Eleonora wasn¡¯t the only one who was deathly nched. The sound that decided the rest of Eleonora¡¯s life echoed loudly in the courtroom. Evidently, she couldn¡¯t believe how the situation had turned out.

    However, her knight in shining armor, Adrian, was nowhere to be found. Because he was no different from something, she tossed him away. In the end, she¡¯d fallen into a trap that she¡¯d set herself in the future.

    Noah cold-heartedly shifted her eyes from her. Kyle approached her and, with rough movements, secured the chain on her handcuffs. It was shabby considering the words of a rare criminal who had avoided the Protection Bureau¡¯s investigationwork 15 times.

    ¡°Then I shall officially terminate the replica project.¡±

    No one objected. The sound of the gavel echoed in the room again. ck. ck. ck.

    ¡°Now¡­ is it done,¡± asked the emperor, trembling like a tree in the wind. Noah shook her head as she flipped one more page of the documents.

    ¡°No way. This is just the beginning.¡±

    ¡°Just the beginning¡­ of what?¡±

    ¡°I have a few things I want to suggest to Laurent imperial family, and while we¡¯re gathered here like this today, I think it¡¯ll be best to say it all at once.¡±

    The emperor, ministers of each ministry, aristocrats, and even the middle ss of Laurent, were influential enough to win seats in each region. It''s a hundred times better to take the time to gather these people when you have a chance. On top of that, Noah didn¡¯t have the time to wait for them anymore.

    ¡°Muell, can you bring out the documents and ¡®that thing¡¯ I told you to bring?¡±

    ¡°Yesss!¡±

    Muell smiled brightly as he opened the subspace with his two hands. Thest time Noah was excavating Eleonora''s body, which had been syed out under a pile of magic stones, the area was divided and well organized, so there was no flood of seawater.

 Chapter 276

    There was a sound of scraping scrap metal. What came out of the subspace and into the center of the courtroom was a raw magic device that only one person here had seen it before. Eleonora spewed out vomit.

    ¡°You! That¡¯s¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡¯Quiet.¡¯ Oh¡­ so. This is one of Eleonora Asil¡¯sst inventions. A present from stage one of the replica project.¡±

    What had been pulled out of the subspace was a machine that borately embodied the joints of fingers and toes and a replica of the stage before human skin was put on. When Noah slid her hand over the surface of the cyborg, which was taller than she was, the observers¡¯ expressions turned bizarre.

    ¡°The termination of Eleonora Asil and Adrian Rossinell¡¯s replica project has been finalized, but it''s a waste to dispose of all the replicas. I terminated the second and third stages but left the first stage.¡±

    The emperor asked, stuttering, ¡°If it¡¯s the first-stage project¡­¡±

    ¡°Stage one is the design and assembly of an automatic puppet called Automata. Automata still don¡¯t have human skin; it simply moves by a built-in manual in the mechanical device. I hope Automata is distributed in the necessary ces.¡±

    ¡°Distributed where?¡±

    "Even in Novischosha where mines are in the worst conditions and all regions considered difficult for humans to ess due to pollution of Tauren''s industrial wastewater treatment nts and water pollution. And, well, if there''s any ce you need more, the slums that need reconstruction most urgently?¡± Noah asked before continuing.

    ¡°I went up to the capital and saw a map of the administrative district, and there are nine poor districts in Laurent. Tezeba''s 11th District Hijem, Edman''s 9th District Lesita, Taurent''s 13th District Harrell, and so on¡­. Our priority is Harrell. Do you know that wastewater in Tauren¡¯s Industrial Zone flows to Harrel through Lake Ricamenta? The people there are slowly bing addicted to heavy metals and processed magic. They say that there have never been such reports in the Imperial Protection Bureau or the Administrative Bureau. What on earth is the reason for that?¡±

    A few aristocrats were seen cringing in their seats. Perhaps they were businessmen who had several factories in Tauren Industrial Zone and secretly spilled wastewater or those who assisted in it. Noah turned towards them and smiled sluggishly.

    ¡°Purifying wastewater has a high cost, so if you ignore it once or twice, the cost will be three times, and three times will be four times, and so on¡­ It''s all like that, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    "And one more thing. Pouring that much wastewater means that the amount of industrial products printed by the factory is astronomical¡­ I am not sure if you reported the production status correctly and paid the tax correctly.¡±

    Noah only brought up taxes one time, but the people seemed tired of it. Several people in business in the back row grabbed one another''s hands.

    She added with sorrow in her heart, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry. When the investigators enter, it will be revealed as clearly as day. So what if you get caught? You¡¯ll have to throw up twice as much as what you''ve made. You¡¯re capable of posting bail.

    ¡°What a very soft constion,¡± mumbled Kyle from her side. She looked at him and said she was full of drive right now and then returned to the original topic.

    ¡°Anyways, about Automata again. The manual that will be installed in the Automata must be checked one at a time. They will only be dispatched to authorized ces in a fixed quantity, as they should not deprive good citizens of their jobs. Of course, Muell and I will conduct the final inspection before being dispatched to the designated areas.¡±

    A man seated at the far left raised his hand. When Noah raised her eyebrows, he hesitated and opened his mouth.

    ¡°With the dragon¡¯s magic, you¡¯ll be able to summon five miracles at the same time¡­¡±

    ¡®R-Right! Can¡¯t everything be resolved with one twirl of the dragon master¡¯s finger?¡±

    ¡°If you have that much power, it''s natural you can contribute to Laurent''s development, ah!¡±

    The words exchanged between them made Noah frown. She spewed out to the man who had spoken first.

    ¡°So, are you telling me to go around Laurent and use magic for the rest of my life? Why me? The imperial family was indifferent towards me, neglected me, and aided and abetted me.¡±

    They were intending on making a fool of Muell. Why did she have to clean up other people¡¯s mess in the first ce?

    Noah¡¯s wish was to return to Sorrent and eat, sleep, and y happily for the rest of her life. Patriotic spirit about Laurent? <em>Sorry, but I don¡¯t have that</em>, she thought.

    ¡°I will not use Muell¡¯s magic if it isn¡¯t for my happiness or to preserve the safety of my body. Also, intervening in the continental power struggle is a no. I received an ID card in Laurent but never once said I live for Laurent. My nationality was not specified anywhere in the first ce. But¡­¡±

    When the silence between the words became stretched long, the heads of those who had been bent down gradually rose again.

    ¡°The investigator whom I like a lot is so professional and cares a lot about the happiness and welfare of Laurent¡¯s people¡­¡±

    ¡°So¡­?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to act like I don¡¯t have any affection forever¡­¡±

    A light of hope appeared in the emperor¡¯s eyes in the front row. He hurriedly grabbed the wooden railing and shouted, ¡°What do you want? A title? Loyalty? The best groom? I¡¯lle off the throne and give it all to you!¡±

    The best groom? What is that? Noah replied, looking like she¡¯d eaten shit,

    ¡°No. Give me money; you don¡¯t need to speak.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­?¡±

    ¡°Then I''d like you to give me cash that¡¯s not tied up innd documents or magic stones. I already have enough to fill a mine.¡±

    She pulled out a paper stuck between the files and shook it. It was a certificate of purchase of Maobiana, a mine of astronomical value in Noviscosha that had been bought from Donalian Culton at a bargain price.

    With Eleonora¡¯s thumbprint on the transfer document stamped on it just yesterday.

 Chapter 277

    The papers fluttered and then fell in front of the Minister of Justice. Reading them, he mumbled with a nched face, ¡°Maobiana¡­ when¡­¡±

    ¡°It was transferred from Eleonora. Since it was transferred before her entire wealth was returned to society it should be valid.¡±

    Noah had brought all the ownership and mining rights of all the minerals mined in the mine, so even her grandchildren would easily live off of it. So, she wasn¡¯t really greedy over money but didn¡¯t want to volunteer in Laurent for free.

    Actually, solving Laurent¡¯s problems with teleportation, healing magic, or a single fireball was as simple as brushing Muell¡¯s hair. Despite that, her demanding a price was simply for the sake of her dragon¡¯s dignity.

    Noah hoped that Muell wouldn¡¯t be some country¡¯s guardian. Because she didn''t want to remain, with Muell, like an eye of the storm among the many powers on the continent.

    And to prepare when she is gone, that is, after a long long time.

    Muell looked up at her and blinked his innocent eyes. Then he smiled brightly when Noah swept his hair back.

    <em>It¡¯s better for Muell to remain as Muell.</em> May he not get involved in theplicated situations of the human world but remain as a noble being that everyone admires. May he receive love and awe wherever he is, without being taken advantage of or being abandoned when things get hostile.

    On top of that, Eleonora and Adrian had already proved that human power alone can open a dazzling new era.

    Someday, even if the dayes when Muell leaves this world like ancient dragons, the human world must develop in human hands in order for this ce to survive. Noah tried hard not to imagine specifically when that ¡®someday¡¯ was.

    The contract flew lightly and spread out in front of the emperor.

    ¡°If it is something that must require my help, please give me money. I will decide the amount per case based on the seriousness and urgency of the issue. Well, it''s not for the money, so we''ll set the amount realistically.¡±

    No one refuted Noah¡¯s request. It took less than five minutes for the emperor''s seal to be stamped on her conditional cooperation contract.

    ¡°A-are you done? Your suggestions are all done now, correct?¡±

    The emperor looked like someone unfazed that his country had fallen. A clear difference in mood than that of Muell and Noah.

    ¡°Almost finished.¡±

    ¡°¡¯Almost¡¯¡­?¡±

    Noah satisfactorily put the contract in a file. She wasn¡¯t giving him the airs, but now she really was almost finished. Taking out thest document in the folder, she spoke again.

    ¡°And for thest¡­¡±

    What now? The faces of the people ruffling in their chairs turned pale. Thest item on her agenda wasn¡¯t anything too serious, but to her, it was a hundred times more important than every single thing she¡¯d said before now.

    When she bravely raised the document, the gazes toward her way also became firmer. Kyle, who was handing over a copy of the document he¡¯d gotten from Muell, looked back at Noah with surprise.

    She intensified the look in her eyes and dered solemnly, ¡°I request the adjustment of the special paid long-term vacation system of Kyle Leonard, the general manager of the Bureau of Investigation Security.¡±

    ***

    10 minutester¡­

    Noah hugged in her arm the pile of papers stamped by the emperor and left the courtroom with a cheerful jaunt.

    <em>Done</em>. It had alle true. Everything she had prepared over the past two weeks with no sleep ended nicely. She heaved a contented sigh.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Kyle stopped her with a light pat. As soon as she turned around and faced him, both of her cheeks were pinched painlessly. ¡°Please tell me before you do something rash. You won''t listen to me no matter how much I tell you."

    ¡°When hab I done anyffing mash?¡±

    Her pronunciation was off due to her cheeks being pinched. Noah groaned and protested to get away from him.

    ¡°I decided not to reverse it. Have you forgotten that we were supposed to go to Maobiana together? And I think you¡¯ve really forgotten this, but you also promised to go to Sorrent and recuperate after this is over. That was clear. And I want to rest and do nothing for at least three months, so of course, an extended vacation is¡­¡±

    ¡°No, not that.¡± Kyle, not giving up, pressed her cheeks with his palms. ¡°When are you going to nt the manual in ¡®that thing¡¯ again?¡±

    Noah¡¯s body froze the moment his eyes shifted over to Eleonora. Perhaps she was annoyed that he¡¯d called her ¡®that thing¡¯, Eleonora shot back violently.

    ¡°You think I want to be this way? He touched my soul with his own two hands¡­¡±

    ¡°¡¯Stay quiet.¡¯ Ellie.¡±

    Her pretty eyebrows went up, but the manual worked wonderfully. Though the look in her eyes as if she would kill Kyle was prating. The same went for Kyle. The two certainly despised each other.

    ¡°Paul, Pen¨¦lope. Take her and go.¡±

    Paul and Pen¨¦lope grabbed and pulled the chains connecting Eleonora¡¯s handcuffs. She didn¡¯t take her eyes off Noah even while she was forced to walk away.

    ¡°What are you looking at? ¡®Lower your eyes and obediently follow them.¡¯ Ellie.¡±

    The manual worked too wonderfully.

    From now on, Eleonora would be locked away from society until her sins are washed away, and she won''t be able to see what kind of world the machines she designed and sent out of the prison she was deported from would be. That fact probably aggravated her the most.

 Chapter 278

    Noah turned around as she saw her moving away and said, ¡°Go. Pack your bags.¡±

    ¡°Right now?¡± asked Kyle.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Your vacation starts today,¡± replied Noah.

    ¡°¡­I was going to take a vacation anyway. The amount of vacation I¡¯ve umted is already over 100 days.¡±

    ¡°Why are you pretending not to like it when you do? You can¡¯t even be frank about it.¡±

    Muell smiled brightly as he clung to Kyle¡¯s leg. Kyle, who struck a few more words, eventually admitted, holding Muell, ¡°Alright. That¡¯s good. My first vacation since entering the Protection Bureau. I haven¡¯t taken a rest like this in a long time, so I should think about how to hand over the duties¡­¡±

    ¡°Shouldn''t you thank me first?¡±

    Instead of replying, Kyle leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. The light pecking sound echoed sweetly in Noah¡¯s ears. She tried to stop the corners of her mouth from curling, and forced a straight face.

    ¡°Well, there is no need to thank me. I spent so much time working this morning that I''m tired. I want to go home and rest today,¡± she said.

    ¡°You told me to pack my bags.¡±

    ¡°He will do it for you.¡±

    ¡°¡­When will you stop being sozy?¡±

    Whether it was a groan or a joke, Kyle sighed and pushed Noah on the back. But when she stood there not moving, he tapped her shoulders.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve grown tired of walking too¡­ Noah?¡±

    Instead of replying to him she quietly hid behind him. After quickly whispering a few words into Muell¡¯s ear she held her breath while holding his ck conquest jacket embroidered with golden thread. Kyle turned to her with a bewildered look on his face.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    But he became as stiff as her as soon as he turned to where she¡¯d made an eye gesture. It was because he¡¯d discovered, far down the hallway, a man standing with his back leaning against the wall, looking this way with a smile on his face.

    It was obvious who he was. It was the elegant, noble Duke Leonard.

    ¡°Long time no see, my brother.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s voice sounded like he was choking. The duke straightened his back as if he was about to respond.

    He soon started toe this way, but the closer he got the more Noah could see the lines thickening around his neat mouth. It was clear that he was watching everything, including the physical affection shared between the couple.

    Kyle opened his mouth as he hid Noah behind him.

    ¡°What is the matter? All of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®all of a sudden¡¯? I''m upset again. After all this time your personality is still irritable. How can you be so cold?¡± The duke grumbled, but the cold investigator had built a high iron wall.

    ¡°Is Duchess Leonard well?¡± Kyle coughed awkwardly and tried to change to subject, but his attempt was blocked by a series ofints. His face showed fatigue.

    ¡°Your exaggeration is severe. Don''t we often see each other in the Imperial Castle?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go making up stories like that. You just nod even when you pass by from a distance or if we run into each other. Do you know how much that hurts me each time you do that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I am busy¡­¡±

    The duke scoffed, ¡°Excuses.¡±

    Noah observed with interest the brothers¡¯ conversation. It was a very unfamiliar sight for her to see someone who nagged in fear be pushed back.

    ¡°¡­right. That was my fault.¡±

    When Kyle closed his mouth with a faint sigh, his brother raised his voice with momentum.

    ¡°While we¡¯re at it, Mother said that you send a letter once every two or three months. But why don¡¯t you send me any? Looking back, I raised you more than she did.¡±

    ¡°And you sent me to the military academy when I was 10.¡±

    ¡°Aaaaanyways¡­ I did that to find out your aptitude. Do you think you would adjust well there? And I apologized several times saying that it was my mistake.¡±

    ¡°Anyways, as a result, you opened up the starting point on the path to hell for me.¡±

    <em>Not really</em>. Noah quietly withdrew thatst thought. Kyle seemed not to be pushing back but reluctantly epting his brother''s whining.

    The duke pinched his forehead as he groaned.

    ¡°Cold-hearted bastard. No-good bastard. How weird it is that you are in a rtionship.¡±

    His purple eyes¡ªthe same color as his young brother¡¯s eyes¡ªfell on Noah, who was watching the scene from behind Kyle. When she smiled awkwardly, the eyes of the duke, who had removed his disappointed face, sparkled.

    ¡°Sooooo. I hope our reunion greeting ends here¡­ And now I want to talk to today¡¯s judge. What do you think, Noah Leonard?¡±

    <em>This is it. He¡¯ll tease me until the end, </em>Noah thought. Muell pulled gently on the hem of her dress. The teleportation portal she¡¯d asked from him shed below her feet. Noticing it, Kyle cut off the words of his brother, who tried to talk forever.

    ¡°Hey, Brother. I¡¯ll see youter. We have work to do.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll visit hometer on. Please give the duchess my wishes. To stay healthy and live well.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Hold on! ¡­bastard!¡±

    The portalunched them away from his final cry. The mercilessly frowning duke and the hallway of the Department of Justice were wiped away from the front of their eyes.

    It was a sessful escape!

 Chapter 279

    While Kyle tidied up his house, since he would be gone for a few months, and returned to pack his bags, Noah heard a shocking revtion about the duke.

    ¡°What¡¯s the¡­ age difference again?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Oh, I guess you didn¡¯t know. Fifteen years or sixteen years; something like that.¡± Kyle was replied nonchntly. When he noticed her astonishment, he added, ¡°He was already over forty years old by the time he became the duke. You must not be blinded by his looks, Noah.¡±

    Noah gasped, ¡°Forty?¡±

    ¡°He may have turned forty-four this year. That¡¯s right, since he¡¯s scheduled to graduate from the academy next year. Forty-four.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    An exmation came from the big shock. Thest time Noah had seen Duke Leonard, waving his hands wildly above his head, he had looked thirty, no matter how high she guessed his age. Not a day over thirty. But how could he be forty-four?

    In a sense, wasn''t his a very destructive babyface? It was obvious that the Leonard family was firmly in their good looks.

    ¡°Still, I guess you and your brother have a good rtionship.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t bad. When I was young, he and his wife raised me. Father died early, and Mother at the time, too, was quite old.¡±

    These were new information to Noah. So, on top of the sixteen-year age difference, if the older brother had gotten married while his younger brother was just learning to walk, it was not excessive to say that Duke Leonard had really raised Kyle. Noah murmured again as she watched the man clean up the whole house.

    ¡°I see, you were the youngest sibling. You sure don¡¯t look like it. Somehow, it seems that you and your brother have switched roles.¡±

    ¡°I, too, think that sometimes. That he is in fact not forty-four but fourteen. It¡¯s a shame he behaves so stupidly in private; if he were like that all the time the problem would be a little serious.¡±

    ¡°Still, I think Lord Leonard is taking good care of you. He worries a lot about you. And he has kept in contact with you,¡± said Noah.

    "If I concede to his whinings even once, he never stops being immature. His habits have already gotten much worse, so don¡¯t be too friendly with him if you see him behind closed doors, Noah. Because you will definitely regret it.¡±

    ¡°Well, he was sort of¡­ quite unusual.¡±

    Kyle devoted himself to the steamer he was using to get rid of the wrinkles on the five robes he had hanging up.

    Among them were a few of Noah¡¯s blouses and dresses that had been crumpled by her being randomly dragged in and out of Muell''s subspace. He mumbled to himself as he ironed out the wrinkles with very cautious hand movements.

    ¡°I''m sure he feels especially sorry for me. I was dispatched to a conflict zone when I was young and almost died, so¡­ oh.¡±

    Then, perhaps noticing a mistake, he abruptly stopped talking. But it was already toote. Noah held her tail sharply and hung it down.

    ¡°You, what? When?¡±

    ¡°¡­it was long ago. More than a decade ago.¡±

    ¡°When exactly, and how bad was he hurt?¡± Noah inquired adamantly.

    ¡°I must have been seventeen since I was in the military academy at the time¡­ Don¡¯t make that face. Soldiers in closebat zones all suffer such injuries.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s certainly a disturbance in the words ¡®almost died¡¯ and ¡®such injuries.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡­it just means that Lord Leonard is sensitive. When I was sent, he called me out of the army right away¡­ I just moved to the Protection Bureau where I was offered to work with him. After that, none of that really happened.¡±

    That didn¡¯t seem so. Noah could infer that this had happened frequently before, considering that he had reacted casually to the tear in his side on the Angelic.

    Kyle was obsessed with others¡¯ opinions that his method of investigation was violent, so he would never allow Noah to be at the forefront of an investigation¡­ She was sure he had rolled around in the Protection Bureau, too. She lowered her eyebrows with a threat.

    ¡°Then when I¡¯m bored, I want to watch you work.¡±

    Kyle, who was folding his stiffly ironed clothes into his bag, turned his head immediately. ¡°Are you nuts? No way.¡±

    ¡°Why not? You will be extremelyfortable if you take me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­¡± He smiled for a moment at her sulky re. ¡°I¡¯ll say this again, but no matter how good you are at magic, and even if you have Muell by your side, you must not act recklessly in an unprofessional field. Because a trained expert is nothing to toy with.¡±

    Even Noah knew that. She knew but was still worried. When she shifted her eyes unsatisfactorily, Kyle, after closing his suitcase, rigidly turned her back in his direction with his hands.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that you¡¯re worried, but you must be relentless. I am not like you, the type who breaks something whenever I fall.¡±

    ¡°I am not that kind of person either,¡± Noah retorted.

 Chapter 280

    ¡°Compared to me, that is forever insignificant. Move, Noah. I have to clean the carpet now.¡±

    When she procrastinated in her spot he seemed to be pretty annoyed, and he hugged her and Muell at once and threw them down on the sofa.

    ¡°And stop worrying. After all, aren¡¯t the next three months your half-forced vacation?¡±

    A warm hand lightly swept one cheek to soothe Noah¡¯s difort. When she reluctantly loosened her face, Kyle patted her on the head and immediately turned his whole attention on the carpet.

    The carpet, which had been cleaned of all its dust, was rolled up and ced on the living room wall.

    ¡°Be frank with me, Kyle. Doing chores is actually your hobby, right?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°I have never called it a hobby in a grandiose. It¡¯s just that if something is mine, I like to touch it with my own hands,¡± Kyle replied.

    ¡°Isn''t that what you''re saying?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s different. I like using things with my own hands. I mean, it''s not necessarily limited to cleaning.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing.¡±

    ¡°You are included in there, Noah.¡±

    ¡°¡­so it is different.¡±

    She acknowledged it from the look on his face but wondered something strange. Then what he¡¯d said earlier was that it¡¯s better to touch with your own hands?

    She wasn¡¯t some pet. However,e to think of it her treatment by him didn¡¯t seem any different from the pet he was raising. But as the satisfaction level of her livelihood was so high, she decided not to raise any particr objection.

    Kyle, perhaps having nothing else to tidy up, looked around the house to check before approaching the sofa where Muell and Noah were sunken in. He pushed down the sofa with one foot without using his hands. The dumbfounded Noah grinned at him.

    ¡°Heyy. No matter how stronger than me you are, you can¡¯t pu¡­ Whoa!¡±

    As soon as she said that, the sofa made a cking noise and started to move backward.

    The sofa seating one adult female and one child made a heavy dragging noise. Noah turned pale, mumbling, ¡°You''re using your strength on nothing¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because no one can handle it.¡±

    ¡°¡­no one?¡±

    ¡°Who might it be?¡± His purple eyes nced at her then shifted down with a smile.

    While she btedly understood hisment one beatter and tried to find somewhere else to look, Kyle did not forget to sweep the white dust under the sofa and mop it up. And after that, he shifted his eyes elsewhere that needed cleaning.

    Muell, sitting on her knee with a bag of candy, tapped her.

    ¡°Noah? What is ¡®handle¡¯?¡±

    ¡°¡­uh, it¡¯s nothing. Cover your ears, Muell.¡±

    Noah red at Kyle while Muell covered both ears.

    ¡°From earlier you¡¯ve really¡­ Can¡¯t you be cautious about your words and actions with a child around?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I really said anything I wasn¡¯t supposed to,¡± said Kyle.

    ¡°Well, you did. You¡¯ve said a lot of really foul words.¡±

    ¡°You took them as foul, Noah.¡±

    Just like that, her nagging didn¡¯t give him any sense of attack. After carefully lowering the curtains, he winked at her as he locked the door.

    Contrary to her dissatisfied head, her body reacted first. As she stood up unconsciously and approached him, a warm robe fell over her shoulders.

    Her sight waspletely blocked when the hood was thrown up. Noah had already gotten used to Kyle trying to wrap her up, so she stood there obediently when he packed a short kiss on her lips. It was apanied by a low whisper.

    ¡°First is Maobiana. Right?¡±

    ¡°¡­right.¡±

    Below the hood covering half her face, she could see Muell smiling and reaching out to her. Under his feet was a ck magical orb big enough to swallow all three of them.

    Noah smiled at him as she grabbed his tiny hands. Before the pale heat on her cheeks cooled down the waves of magic that began to ripple engulfed her from head to toe.

    ***

    Maobiana was quiet after having been away for so long. The mine, which Noah looked down on as she climbed onto Muell''s back and flew up above, was dark without a single light, and in the winding valley, only a yellow light emitted by the sparse fairies shone faintly, and soonpletely disappeared.

    As they went through thes over the Maobiana sky, the same universe that they had treaded on the other day greeted them

    Kyle muttered as he scanned the surroundings, ¡°We''vee all the way to the path of the other world.¡± His eyes were mixed with different colors. Noah dragged his hand as she began to cross the infinitelyrge space.

    ¡°This kind of experience can be done only with me.¡±

    ¡°All of the time I spend with you is like that.¡±

    The serene way he spoke was lovely. Kyle continued as he pulled his hand away from Noah and readjusted it back.

    ¡°Actually I¡¯ve been curious. About the ce you originally lived, Noah. Because there is so much that I don¡¯t know about you.¡±

 Chapter 281

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    She asked back because it was weird, bute to think of it, Kyle really was right. Hadn¡¯t she first heard about Kyle¡¯s family history a few hours ago? There was so much more Noah hadn¡¯t told him.

    His voice continued, not too fast and not too slow.

    ¡°At first, I was only curious about your original appearance, but after seeing the real you, I¡¯ve been gradually wanting to know more. Where you came from; how that ce was; what you did there; if you had three square meals a day; what kind of terrible things you ate to have your body end up like this.¡±

    ¡°Hold on. I think I heard something strange in the middle,¡± interjected Noah.

    ¡°Strange how? You¡¯re mistaken. There''s nothing more important to me than that.¡±

    Noah lost what she was about to say when Kyle coldly denied herment. She remarked, ¡°Such an unappetizing remark. I have no desire for materialism. And no lust for power¡­ Oh, I had no drive in the first ce. You can see vividly how I¡¯ve lived.¡±

    She should never tell Kyle that she¡¯d eaten an average of a meal and a half when she lived in South Korea. Noah vaguely changed the subject.

    ¡°Even back then, I wasn¡¯t the type to live hoping for something. And you will find out once you¡¯ve overworked yourself to death. The motivation that I have disappears with a lot of effort.¡±

    ¡°Overworking. Good one. I¡¯ve also wanted to ask about that. Where and how in the world did you work to nearly kill yourself? It must have been a workce with nomon sense. ¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying.¡± Noah couldn''t say that she was a bit of a pushover and had done everything she didn''t have to do. She turned her head on the sly. ¡°Oh, where did Muell go¡­ Muell?¡±

    Now that she thought of it, Muell was actually missing. Just a while ago, he had been pulling on the hem of Noah¡¯s dress, following behind her.

    She saw the little boy standing alone in the distance when she turned in bewilderment. It seemed that he¡¯d been standing there for a long time.

    ¡°Muell, what are you doing?¡±

    Despite her calling his name, the boy didn''t reply and only stared at the vast universe for a long time. Noah turned back around at the strangeness, then heard a voice stopping her.

    [Master, I am going back.]

    A yellow fairy swam gently through space and flew to Muell.

    It looked like the two were having a conversation. Muell¡¯s lips moved around and stopped, and Noah wondered if he was listening to Perri¡¯s story, then he shook his head at once. Before long, a bright smile appeared on Muell¡¯s face.

    ¡°Muell?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Muell is going!¡±

    When Noah called Muell out of sudden angst, he immediately replied. He sprang out across outer space and grabbed her dress.

    ¡°We should stay together; you must not lose me. Let¡¯s hold hands,¡± Noah said, extending her towards Muell.

    ¡°Yep!¡± He quickly let go of her dress and grabbed her hand. From the looks of his shiny dark red eyes, he was relieved then.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Noah, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Noah took off again after having stopped at the friendly voices urging her from all around. In no time, they¡¯d reach the door leading to her world.

    [The medium is holding on very narrowly. It¡¯ll end up disappearing if we go back through it one more time.]

    The fairy came up with its tiny wings, and several sheets of paper fluttered in the air.

    The spectacr view of thousands of pages fluttering on a shining sphere did not unfold as Noah had experienced the other day. Still, the entrance seemed to be gradually shining brightly in the medium''s magic.

    ¡°Noah, your hand!¡±

    Before she¡¯d known it, Muell, hugged by Kyle, was reaching out to her. The moment she grabbed his tiny hand, light from the sphere blinded her vision. It was as if outer space had exploded.

    Once again, the door leading to her world was open.

    ***

    Seoul, South Korea.

    A sunny August 17th without a cloud of dust or a speck of fine dust in sight. 11:59 a.m.

    Today''s date on the electronic disy clearly showed off its presence. Noah looked up for a long time at the seconds, counting on the electric clock.

    11:59:56, 11:59:57, 11:59:58, 11:59:59¡­ 12:00.

    It was noon. It was a morning on a weekday, so the quiet main road gradually became busy starting at noon. The roadside in front of the station was crowded with workers flooding out of the buildings to go eat lunch, students runningte to ss, and construction workers going out to buy lunch slowly.

    Noah stood in front of the crosswalk that she had crossed countless times a day two years and three months ago and looked at the electronic disy board for a long time, which she had never even had time to look up to before. The year was not disyed on it, so she couldn¡¯t even give a rough estimation of what year she was in.

 Chapter 282

    Thest time she¡¯de back, she¡¯d arrived at a different time from the time that the world had passed. It had been two years for her, but less than a week had passed here. How was it now? More time could have passed than she¡¯d thought, or it could be that not even one day had passed.

    It was simple just to grab someone walking by and ask them what year it was now. Somehow her lips wouldn¡¯t move.

    But there wasn¡¯t really a need for that. After the green light above the crosswalk shed, a wave of people started walking in her direction. Unfamiliar faces drew closer. Among the dozens of strangers, there was one face she recognized.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    She could recognize her at once even though she was now tall and quite mature-looking. It was her younger sister; the biological daughter of her foster parents; a child ten years younger than Noah.

    She was wearing her school uniform. However, it wasn¡¯t the same middle school uniform that Noah remembered. From the looks of the unfamiliar uniform and earphones in her ears, she was wearing a backpack that seemed to be empty. Her expressionless face drew closer to Noah. Her face was still young, but there was a world of difference from thest time she¡¯d seen her.

    So, she is now a high school student, Noah thought.

    If so, Noah could now measure approximately how much time had passed. It had been as short as a year or as long as three years since shest left.

    Noah¡¯s younger sister didn¡¯t see her and zipped past her in the sea of strangers. Noah turned around as if someone had spun a thread around her body. She broke through the crowd, following her sister.

    It wasn¡¯t like she wanted to grab her and start a conversation. Noah could count on her fingers how many times she¡¯d talked to her sister.

    After bing independent, whenever Noah met her every three or four months, it had only been to give her pocket money, and they¡¯d say goodbye immediately after eating. Memories of her calling Noah <em>sister</em> were now a blur.

    Since their rtionship was so awkward, there was nothing to say even if they faced each other. The reason for Noah chasing her was simply because of suspicions that¡¯d just happened toe to mind.

    ¡®She¡¯s not going to school?¡¯

    Morning on a weekday. For a typical high schooler, the fourth period was just finishing, and it was time to skip to the cafeteria for lunch.

    Noah couldn¡¯t tell if her sister was skipping school or if she¡¯d left early, but from the looks of her short-cut skirt, jacket, and light bag shaking helplessly on her back, it seemed to be the former.

    When she was in elementary school and middle school, Noah had heard from her mom that her younger sister was a good student, but had she gone down the wrong path? Noah came back to earth after pondering on that for a while.

    <em>I¡¯m worrying pointlessly again.</em>

    Now, she wasn¡¯t shocked at her own pitifulness anymore. She had felt out of ce around the house, but why was she worried about them? Her reason foring back to this world was not to liberate them from pain. It was to finally look back on where she¡¯d lived for 24 years and say goodbye.

    But she didn¡¯t stop going after her sister.

    The sister stopped at a bus stop like she was about to ride the bus. Noah hid behind some roadside trees behind the bust stop.

    Oh¡­ now that she¡¯d thought of it, it seemed that she¡¯d done this before. The sister had been ahead of Noah, looking at her, and Noah had been restless because she couldn''t approach her and talk to her. That was during her young days when she had had apulsion to approach her younger sister kindly because she was the older sister.

    The bus came. Noah¡¯s sister got on and sat in a window seat on the left. Noah was watching her, when an unknown impulse yanked her from behind the trees.

    She got on the same bus, tapping her transit card on the ticket machine. Despite her not knowing which card she¡¯d used, a ring came from the machine, signaling her that her card worked.

    Perhaps her sister had no interest in the other bus passengers since her eyes were fixated on the view outside the window. She was motionless with her eyes half-closed despite her older sister having walked past her. Noah plopped down in the seat directly behind her.

    Alright, now she had to go with her instincts whether there was another dullness at the end of this or nothing else.

    A yellow butterfly outside the window flew up in a circr motion. When Noah opened the window and reached out, it gentlynded on her index finger.

    [Worry.]

    The subject was omitted, but she could understand immediately. This meant that herpanion was worried about her, saying, ¡°She''ll just look around her world after noticing that I want to be alone for a while."

    She cracked a tiny smile, signaling that she was fine. Perri, who seemed to be looking back at her, soon flew back into the sky above the crowded street.

    The bus took off.

 Chapter 283

    The bus ran for a long time. Only when the number of people getting on and off gradually decreased and more people were getting off than people getting on did Noah¡¯s sister prepare to get off. Around that time, Noah was able to know where she was going.

    She¡¯d already left Seoul a long time ago. The ce where the bus had stopped was some memorial park in Paju.

    That¡¯s when a fact suddenly crossed Noah¡¯s mind. She pondered on today¡¯s date again. August 17th.

    <em>Oh¡­ Come to think of it, this is the anniversary of my death.</em>

    She didn¡¯t know because it was an unfamiliar date to her. The day she¡¯d died in this world only to wake up andpletely vanish into thin air may as well have been her death day.

    <em>Then don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m buried here</em>, she thought. As there¡¯d been no corpse, there was no way she could have even been cremated. Her death here, which she had decided, had only been described as ¡°<em>Died suddenly at the hospital where she passed out and was taken away¡±</em>, and there was no way to know how the funeral had been held after that.

    Noah had brainwashed her, so someone would have reported her death even if there was a body. She guessed her sister had put some of her belongings in the casket instead of skeletal remains.

    Noah followed behind her sister, who was still walking forward idly. With her earbuds in her ears, she had no clue that her older sister was trailing her.

    <em>Things happen in this scary world if you walk like that without checking your surroundings.</em>

    Now she decided to get rid of the strange worries that had suddenly appeared in her. Instead, she waited five minutes after her sister entered the tomb to sneak her way in behind her.

    The inside of the tomb was still. Her footsteps echoed louder than she¡¯d expected. Just in case her sister caught her in the act she hid behind a corner and took Largo¡¯s eyes from her pocket.

    After rolling one on the floor, she took out the other and sat against the wall of the hallway. A transparent screen appeared when she poked the surface of the eye.

    The view beyond the corner seen through Largo¡¯s eye was as she¡¯d expected. Among the hundreds of ss-coveredpartments, the third one from the bottom contained a pile of white chrysanthemum flowers and a recognizable photo.

    <em>It¡¯s my high school graduation photo.</em>

    Noah felt a bit weird.

    Still, she was alive and breathing, but how could she be looking at her own tomb? Despite knowing the results of her brainwashing procedure, an unfamiliar feeling lingered.

    Her sister stopped for a second, then opened her bag and pulled something out. It was a messy photo that looked like it¡¯d been taken on a smartphone and printed out. It was a headshot from when Noah¡¯d been looking for a job.

    ¡°¡­hey, Sister.¡±

    Noah¡¯s sister said those words with an awkward look on her face. Clearly, she was not used to calling Noah ¡®sister¡¯.

    Her lips quivered like she was trying to say some more, but she couldn¡¯t find her voice. Tension and depression were smeared on the face of the young girl, who had been sticking to an expressionless face the whole time.

    Noah wanted to hear what she wanted to say but at the same time didn¡¯t want to. Whatever she said anyway would be the result of Noah¡¯s brainwashing. Because she had brainwashed them to suffer from guilt for life. It''s not like she was bowing down, and now that she regretted it, it didn''t sound that sincere¡­

    ¡°I just thought it would be better if there¡¯s a recent photo.¡±

    Noah¡¯s sister¡¯s meek voice was heard through the door, not the screen. Noah¡¯s thoughts stopped when she heard the voice.

    ¡°I just suddenly thought about you. That¡¯s why I came again.. I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    She hesitated for a long time even though she¡¯d said she would be going now.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Noah heard the voice that continued, hesitatingly holding her breath.

    ¡°It is okay if Ie again next year?¡±

    On the screen, Hee-yeon couldn''t keep her hands still, and Noah could see her collecting and fumbling them over and over.

    Noah really didn¡¯t know now if she was supposed to feel some kind of emotion.

 Chapter 284

    Noah actually didn¡¯t know Hee-yeon that well. Despite having seen her from the day she was born.

    From time to time, Noah vaguely thought that Hee-yeon was an active and smart child, judging from their mother''s words: ¡°She became the ss president this time.¡± ¡°She won first prize in a mathpetition.¡±

    So it was true that it was especially hard to deal with that kid.

    However, Noah had never hated her for stealing the love of their parents. Since their love had never been hers, to begin with anyway, the word ¡®stealing¡¯ never made any sense.

    Hee-yeon was just born lucky to be loved by their parents, and never formed some kind of bond with her older sister who¡¯d left home at the age of ten.

    That¡¯s why Noah didn''t think her death would actually mean much to her. And she didn¡¯t have any special thoughts about her either.

    Hee-yeon was asleep in a chair in the tomb hallway with her head against the wall. There was one thing Noah wanted to check, so she¡¯d just put her to sleep.

    She felt around her sister¡¯s side pocket for her smartphone. When she surpassed the fingerprint verification the most recent message appeared at the top of the screen. A conversation with Mother.

    [11:57 You said you aren¡¯t going to school. Where are you?]

    [11:59 Today is a difficult day for me. I was hoping we¡¯d go together this morning. Why did you go by yourself?]

    Noah studied the reply to that question for a long time.

    [12:02 I don¡¯t think Sister will like it if I go.]

    [12:03 I will go to school by the end of lunchtime. Don¡¯t worry, Mom.]

    Noah felt unsettled. She ced the phone down and turned back at Hee-yeon who was in a deep sleep. A yellow fairy sitting on her shoulder was pping its wings.

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡±

    Her voice oozed out after having her mouth shut for such a long time. Come to think of it, Hee-yeon was not young. She must have been vaguely aware of who Noah was for a long time at home.

    Somehow she may have felt the exaggerated love and attention that only her parents had given her.

    So, Hee-yeon may have noticed Noah for a long time. So she may be feeling guilty over Noah¡¯s death.

    Despite having been brainwashed and hoping for her family, there¡¯d been surprisingly little satisfaction from that fact.

    Noah thought that it was stupid for Hee-yeon to ce a picture of a dead person on a tomb and ask if it was okay if shees back next year.

    Noah stood up straight, cing her tiny photo in the center of the chrysanthemum flowers piled up over the ss cover of the tomb. In the low-quality picture, her stiff face was smiling very awkwardly.

    Surrounded by white chrysanthemums, it looked just like a portrait. At that moment an immense sense of rejection hit her.

    Noah crumbled it in her hand as she clenched her jaw.

    The people who¡¯d known her, who had remembered her, whom she had hoped wouldfort her no longer existed in this world. The thorn Noah had forced into her parents and Hee-yeon only inted her difort.

    It may actually have been the brainwashing that kept her from letting go of the lingering attachment. The shortage of affection somehow had created a perverse obsession to remain in the corner of someone else¡¯s heart forever.

    However, there was no shortage now.

    ¡°I¡¯m learning to let you go.¡±

    It was now that she could feel the words she had spat at Adriane to fruition.

    ***

    A few hours had already passed when she left the memorial park and returned to Seoul. The sky was starting to turn red in the west.

    On this cloudless day, the sun was seen sinking between the sea of skyscrapers. The hot summer nights made Noah¡¯s head spin.

    It was rush hour, so the streets were crowded iparably to noon. It was very new to Noah that the center of Seoul boasted a hellish crowd from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Do peoplee flooding out of buildings during rush hour in the Imperial Castle of Laurent? she wondered.

    She squeezed her way through the narrow crowd with uninteresting thoughts. Half a day had already passed since she¡¯d returned to this ce called Seoul.

    As soon as Kyle arrived here, he had snatched Muell away and only left a fairy somewhere. He hadn¡¯t really asked her, but he seemed to have noticed that Noah wanted to be alone for a while. Well, he was someone with enhanced sensibility.

    Still, she hoped he would appear soon¡­

    Noah seemed to have finished all of her business and was getting lonely for having spent half the day alone. <em>Where is the butler? He must be by my side for when I need him¡­</em>

    The crowd lessened as she passed the front of a subway entrance. Noah could read the faces of those hastily walking past her. There were many people everywhere who did their best to make it through the day.

    She stopped dead in her tracks. She let out a long sigh. The hot air filled her lungs, then escaped.

    Her throat strangely felt blocked whenever she took a breath. Something very hot and heavy was filling her lungs and throat, and it gradually became bulky.

    Howe?

    As soon as she felt nauseous and pressed down on her chest, a crowd poured out from the entrance of the subway station. She was about to be swept away from it.

    Woosh. Something was put over Noah¡¯s head. Her vision had turned to ck.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±

    As she instinctively lifted her hands to pat the thing covering her eyes, she felt a slightly rough cloth. It felt¡­ like a hat.

    The one who¡¯d put a hat on her backward dragged her away, giving her no time to process the situation. When she took a few steps back her back soon touched someone and felt a familiar warmth¡ªwarmth she had grown used to.

 Chapter 285

    ¡°¡­must you grab me like this?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°I tried to grab you, and you were faster than I thought so I had no choice.¡±

    ¡°It''s unbelievable that someone who walks as twice as I do say that.¡± Noah patted the back of her head and took off the cap as she spoke sulkily. It was a red baseball cap. ¡°Where did thise from?¡±

    ¡°I was walking and saw it,¡± replied Kyle.

    ¡°Where did you get the money?¡±

    ¡°Muell exchanged my pounds for this ce¡¯s currency. But it¡¯s too big. Turn around.¡±

    When Noah turned around to face him Kyle adjusted the stic prong-in-a-hole of the cap. This time it was on correctly. Though he¡¯d made it smaller, it had a wide brim, so it covered half of her face.

    Noah tilted back the cap that kept falling and looked at him.

    ¡°Why did you put this cap on me?¡±

    ¡°You look like you need it.¡±

    ¡°Do I?¡±

    Kyle nodded without replying and kissed her. When there were lots of eyes around, he kept contact to a minimum. It was a peck that she had already gotten used to, so she naturally blinked slowly, but then her eyes caught his eyes right above her nose.

    ¡°How was it, Noah, your half-day spent alone?¡±

    ¡°Just¡­¡±

    <em>Just so-so. Just the same boring ce with nothing different even though I left and came back. </em>That was the answer she was about to give him.

    ¡°Just¡­¡±

    At that moment, the inside of her eyshes heated up and her vision became blurred. She, too, was shocked, urgently pulling down the brim of her cap again. Almost at the same time, something hot that was just running down her throat began to overflow like a wave bursting over an embankment.

    It wasn''t until the damp thing dripped and fell that she knew what it was that kept her feeling sick. It must have been a cry that she had unknowingly swallowed.

    She had thought that it was nothing, but it must not have been this time either. Her eyes and cheeks were messy with tears.

    As if to say ¡°I knew you would,¡± there was a hand wiping away her soaked cheeks. Whenever she cried, that handforted her. Noah grabbed it as she barely found her voice.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get the wrong impression. I¡¯m not crying because I¡¯m sad or hurt¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± whispered Kyle.

    She burst out crying at his quiet voice.

    With the help of a fairy, Noah summoned a small magic orb above Hee-yeon¡¯s head. It was powerful psychological magic, one that brainwashed her so that she would not forget Noah until she died. She could feel the blessing of oblivion that she had taken away permeating her sister again.

    She summoned two more invisible magic rings around Hee-yeon¡¯s wrists. Those were for her parents. The brainwashing that had been weighing excessively on the family had been erased, so over time, Noah¡¯s existence would naturally be blurred to them.

    When she muttered that fact discretely, she heard a familiar question.

    ¡°Still though, are you okay? Not your family, but you.¡±

    She wiped her wet eyes as she nodded. That she was okay was a sincere answer. Because now there was no reason to leave her ce here like that. Because she had a better ce to rest and lovely people by her side.

    That¡¯s why this world, too, would be forgotten in her memory at some point. And she, too, would slowly be forgotten by the people here.

    The lingering feelings would be cast away like that.

    ¡°¡­Muell.¡±

    His voice mixed with unshakable tears and tremors.

    ¡°Muell, where are you? Come here.¡±

    The right side of the air vibrated as if it¡¯d been waiting. Noah felt a faint wave of a spell along with a tiny hand grabbing her leg. Lowering her tear-filled eyes, his curly ck hair stood out.

    Soon afterward, his gentle, round eyes looked up at her and blinked. Perhaps he was watching her sob, he, unsurprised, reached both arms out to her.

    However, he lowered them again and muttered sulkily, ¡°Oh. You said I am heavy¡­¡±

    Instead, he hugged her leg tightly again. He seemed to be trying to hug, not be hugged.

    In the end, Noah plopped down on the ground and hugged him tightly.

    ¡°This is embarrassing, so I¡¯ll say it one more time. You must listen.¡±

    ¡°Yesss!¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much foring to me. I tried to send you away, like, five times, but you persistently came back, so thank you. And thanks for bringing Kyle, too.¡±

    Muell calmly listened to her rambling murmur.

    ¡°Be with me from now on.¡±

    At the end of the brief silence, Noah could feel his tiny hands hugging her back. The warmth from him patting her back¡ªlike he¡¯d learned it from Kyle¡ªbrought tears to her eyes.

    ¡°I will only stand by you, Noah. Because Noah is the best in the world!¡±

    His lovely voice whispered in. It was not until she realized that the person standing next to her gave her stability in a different sense from Kyle that the light shone down on the ce where she stood.

    It was a wee sunset that marked the end of a point in time.

 Chapter 286

    Hee-yeon was heading home. She seemed to have fallen asleep there, stopping by her sister''s tomb and sitting down for a while. The sun was already setting by the time she woke up.

    The rm for the missed calls and unanswered texts on her phone was ring. After hastily replying back to her parents and friends she got on the bus back to Seoul.

    Hee-yeon buried her body in a window seat on the right as she caught her breath.

    <em>Why did I fall asleep so suddenly? That¡¯s where¡­</em>

    A strange thought came up, but it wasn''t very unconvincing, considering that she¡¯d been sleepless thest few nights. Hee-yeon always suffered from severe insomnia when the anniversary of her sister''s death was approaching.

    Not only her but her parents as well. Her mother, who normally suffered from depression, became rough around the edges this time of year, and she would randomly burst into tears while in the middle ofughter.

    Her father tried his best to soothe her, but it didn¡¯t seem to be working. Because in the end, it led to them raising their voices and arguing.

    ¡°Noah keeps appearing in my dreams. And the kid who can¡¯t find the body¡­ You¡¯re the one who said let¡¯s adopt her. You killed her!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You¡¯re the one who neglected Noah. What were you thinking, bing a mother and not caring for your children?¡±

    Though it¡¯d been three years since Noah¡¯s death, nothing had changed. Noah strangely clung to everyone''s memories and didn''t fall away for a moment.

    From time to time, Hee-yeon wondered if her sister¡¯s soul was roaming their home.

    But even so, it was inevitable. Maybe she started to me them after the death of her sister, who was like a puppet whose strings were about to break but smiling every time she saw Hee-yeon¡¯s face.

    The meaningless scenes outside the bus window passed by. A few more stops; a few more people got on and got off. It seemed to be making its way to downtown Seoul, but even that disappeared.

    This was at one point when she was looking out the window at the side of the road so numbly.

    She saw someone through therge window on one side, sitting in a cafe. A brown-haired woman wearing a red baseball cap.

    The cap, bigger than her head, was covering half her face. The shape of her slender jawline, thin cheeks, and mouth seemed unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. The bright brown hair, which didn¡¯t look like it¡¯d been dyed, was scattered all over her shoulders.

    The man sitting opposite her bent over to tidy her hair for her. With her plump lips, the woman was seenining about something. The man, resting his head on the back of his hand,ughed as he listened to the woman.

    It was just one part of a normal, peaceful evening scenery. It was that of a lovely but uneventful rtionship. But strangely Hee-yeon couldn¡¯t take her eyes off them.

    <em>Don¡¯t tell me¡­</em>

    She was staring at the couple for a few seconds when she shot up out of her seat.

    ¡°Sir, hold on. This is my stop!¡±

    The bus, which was about to take off, slowly halted. Hee-yeon ignored the darting stares at her and hastily ran out of the bus. She ran straight to the cafe and got mixed in with a group of people who had just entered.

    ¡°So, ahem. What did you do with Muell for half a day?¡±

    ¡°I took a look around this world. And I bought some things I needed.¡±

    ¡°What is it that you need here? Come to think of it, what is that package? Oh, my. Am I cra¡­¡±

    Their conversation didn¡¯t go well due to a roar of noise. Because of the people going in and out of the cafe, their forms at the table repeatedly appeared and disappeared.

    ¡°You''ve been paying attention to this since you decided to follow me, right? That''s why you kept talking over and over about three meals.¡±

    ¡°Because it is important to eat evenly.¡±

    ¡°Now you don¡¯t deny it.¡±

    By the time Hee-yeon was barely able to grab a seat, it was already toote. They were standing to leave the cafe. The woman with the red cap still pulled down to her nose grab the man¡¯s hand that he held out.

    Hee-yeon sparsely heard the contents of their conversation.

    ¡°My eye hurts¡­¡±

    ¡°They should. Since you bawled so much. Let me take a look.¡±

    Contrary to what he had said as natural karma, the man tilted her cap up and looked closely at her face. Perhaps she was embarrassed, she pulled it back down.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it before, too, but when I''m embarrassed, can you just leave me alone for a moment? Must you behave so cruelly?¡±

    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have said that your eye hurts.¡±

    ¡°¡­make me.¡±

    ¡°Stop whining and keep this on your eye. You have to stop the swelling so it doesn¡¯t burn.¡±

    No doubt it was Hee-yeon¡¯s sister¡¯s voice. Her lips opened in silence. It still wasn¡¯t even nighttime and it felt like she was dreaming. Puzzled, she rubbed her eyes, but Noah¡¯s form as she exited the cafe did not disappear.

    On her right, a child was holding her hand. A child with curly ck hair. She thought maybe he was about five years old.

    Holding a drink with a straw in it, he turned his head.

    Their eyes met with the window between them.

 Chapter 287

    He was a cute kid, with plump white cheeks and eyes like a doll. He sipped his juice as he studied her. His eyes were dark red. Swallowing his juice, he smiled at Hee-yeon.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    It was a face smiling naively. There was a chill from his drawn-back lips.

    ¡°I knew it, Noah is too nice.¡±

    An unfamiliar voice echoed in Hee-yeon¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Muell, however, is not so nice.¡±

    At the same time, the scene that upied Hee-yeon''s eyes broke into pieces like a ss window. Her memories from the moment she¡¯d discovered Noah from the bus until now started to crumble. Above the traces of Noah¡¯s brainwashing effect was another voice engraved like an imprint.

    ¡°You¡¯re just going to remember Noah around this time of year. You are going to cry, feel guilty, and suffer nightmares.¡±

    Wasn¡¯t she supposed to do so to some extent? Because she had made things difficult for Noah for a long time¡­ That¡¯s what the deep-red eyes seemed to be saying. The kid, who took a glimpse of the increasingly dazed Hee-yeon, tilted his headzily.

    ¡°¡­still, since I think you¡¯re better than the other two. I¡¯ll let it slide.¡±

    What had disappeared were the two invisible magic rings around Hee-yeon¡¯s wrists.

    The man who leaned on Noah and swept her eyes turned to nce at Hee-yeon. His eyes, which she had been able to recognize at a distance, were an intense purple.

    ¡°Since our work here is done, are we going back right away?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m more curious about this ce. And there are still many things I want to have.¡±

    ¡°I think you have enough¡­¡±

    ¡°I need more. A lot more.¡±

    The man turned his eyes unsympathetically from Hee-yeon after nting a kiss on Noah¡¯s pale cheek half-hidden under the cap. That was the end.

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±

    When the time had passed¡ªwhether it was a few minutes or a few hours she did not know¡ªand Hee-yeon suddenly came to her senses, their bodies disappeared without a trace into the sunset on the street.

    Hee-yeon¡¯s lips quivered slightly.

    ¡°Dream¡­¡±

    It must have been a dream¡­

    The young girl turned around with her feet nted. Today was the anniversary of her older sister¡¯s death, and she was on her way home after stopping by her goshiwon*.

    <em>Weird.</em>

    She thought there were a lot of days when she¡¯d burst into tears even though nothing had happened this timest year, but actually, it¡¯d seemed that way until yesterday¡­

    ¡°¡­I do not hate you.¡±

    A voice that she¡¯d never once heard before breezed faintly past her ear. It was a very weird event.

    Before long, her steps started up again. Her steps were a little lighter than before. Her form faded away, bing part of the chaotic street scene.

    This day, which something had definitely changed but at the same time hadn¡¯t changed, wasing to an end.

    ***

    They¡¯d stayed in Seoul for a few more days. It was because it wasn¡¯t like they absolutely had to return, and Muell and Kyle were really amazed by the city.

    First, what Muell really loved so much was the kids¡¯ cafe often seen inrge grocery stores or shopping centers. In particr, he had fallen in love with the ball pit, and he¡¯d gotten caught secretly throwing balls into the subspace.

    On the other hand, Kyle''s focus was on crawling the Seoul streets collecting used books that contained information that meant the world to him but meant nothing to Noah.

    <em>10 Korean Meals You Must Eat Before You Die.</em>

    <em>Yoon¡¯s Table Recipe.</em>

    <em>How To Cook Like Your Grandmother.</em>

    The content of thest book was suspicious. This was written on the first page:

    You have to feel the food!

    <em>Something about that was weird¡­ </em>Noah thought as she asked out of curiosity while studying the books Kyle had bought an hour ago,

    ¡°Hey, did you even read the title before buying it? I think it¡¯s filled with some weird stuff.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so weird about it? I chose the ones with nice illustrations.¡±

    Noah remained silent, turning a page in <em>How To Cook Like Your Grandmother</em> with the nice title. She didn¡¯t have the confidence to exin to him how to make kimchi. Or even how to make blocks of fermented soybeans¡­

    ¡°¡­why in the world did you buy it without even reading it? You always tell me not to by on impulse, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°What are you so worried about? Muell will do his trantion magicter. And this wasn¡¯t an impulse purchase. It¡¯s one of my hobbies.¡± Kyle snatched the book away from her hand. All thirteen books he¡¯d bought at the bookstore disappeared into Muell''s subspace. His eyes were stained with satisfaction. ¡°This should be enough.¡±

    Noah decided not to say that it was already enough and too much. In fact, she wasn¡¯t in a position to stop him. Besides, it was better to see the benefits if Kyle learned many more ways to cook.

    ¡°And I also bought some cleaning supplies¡­¡±

    He¡¯d bought cleaning products on top of the books, and one of them was even a lint roller that removed debris from clothing when you rolled it. But perhaps because it was not enough, he couldn''t leave the street corner of the shopping center where he¡¯d purchased the cleaning supplies until thest day.

    ¡°Is the detergent here different from Laurent?¡± he inquired.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t all detergent the same?¡±

    ¡°How do you read this, Noah? Fabric sof¡­ ten¡­¡±

    *goshiwon ¨C a specific living space in South Korea for someone studying for an important exam (civil service test, etc.)

 Chapter 288

    Kyle¡¯s forehead became slightly wrinkled as he read the English text written below the logo. It was overall simr to Laurent¡¯s English writing system, but the letters, ent, and a few of the meanings were different.

    Noah interpreted them with a sigh, ¡°This is fabric softener. If you put it together with detergent it makes the clothes softer.¡±

    ¡°Ah-ah. That¡¯s good.¡±

    He put the fabric softener into the shopping cart, and Noah watched with a slightly fed-up look as he lined up the detergent and fabric softener. Then, as she suddenly looked around, there were quite a lot of eyes staring in their direction.

    When she looked around wondering, their eyes scattered away. She could figure it out even without looking at them that a high percentage of the people looking at them were women.

    Since it was rare to see someone with purple eyes not only in South Korea but all over the world, Kyle was wearing his handy sses to divert the attention away from him; the same sses Noah had forced him to put on as a disguise when they¡¯d gone to Edman from Lunazel a few months ago.

    As for his clothes, there was nothing special about them. ck pants, white shirt. It was much simpler than his usual work uniform, so it was easy to wear here.

    Then, the reason for him being stared at must be because he looked unusual. He seemed to be not hiding his handsome features. Noah felt ufortable when she recalled Penelope''s words that he was always picked as one of Laurent¡¯s most handsome men.

    She snuck up on him and held his hand, pretending nothing had happened. She held it as naturally as she could, and Kyle turned to her in a sh. But her reaction to him was stupid.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you all of a sudden grab¡ª¡±

    ¡°I just want to hold it.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s eyes slightly grew bigger in surprise. Perhaps the reason she¡¯d tried to get physical first was that it didn¡¯t happen often. She just let go of the hand she¡¯d grabbed out of embarrassment.

    ¡°I just grabbed it because it was there. I¡¯ll stop if you don¡¯t like it,¡± she said.

    ¡°I never said I don¡¯t like it.¡± Before her fingertips even fell away, he grabbed her hand with immense force. He was a man that never missed an opportunity when it came. Kyle shook the sped hands and smile convincingly. ¡°It¡¯s good that you held mine first.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s nothing special. I¡¯ll hold it more from now on.¡±

    ¡°We promised. I may be mistaken, but it seems like you are keeping your word more and more these days,¡± said Kyle.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really like unpaid work.¡±

    It was a ridiculousment when she thought about it, but Kyle replied in earnest.

    ¡°Then I shall expectpensation from you from now on.¡±

    When Noah red at him, he shrugged his shoulders shamelessly. Completely ignoring the countless set of eyes ncing at him, he turned his body toward the Clorox.

    Noah was quite happy about it, but if she showed it, she thought he would throw a strange nuance again, so she changed the subject.

    ¡°That¡¯s Clorox, a type of bleach. If you were going to do this, I would have done the trantion magic earlier.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be heading back soon. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    This man who seemed to have the instinct of a housewife, not an investigator, from the bone, dragged tugged on her hand pleasantly after another long time after packing the cart. Gradually getting tired from the long shopping trip, Noah gloated beside him and asked, ¡°Are we done?¡±

    ¡°Yes. More or less.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s pay for this and go¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then should we go to the food department?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, head down to the bottom floor with Muell. That¡¯s where the ball pit is.¡±

    Muell, who was sitting in the shopping cart, swinging his legs, lifted his head with delight.

    In the end, Noah had to stay in the kids'' cafe''s ball pit until Kyle was done filling the shopping cart with mounds of food.

    ***

    It was midnight.

    On the top floor of a building looking down over the entire Seoul city, which had so much light pollution that you couldn¡¯t see a single star in the night sky, Noah snuggled up to Kyle and nced down at the spectacr night view of the city.

    When Noah said that she wanted to go somewhere where she could see the entire city from one ce before she left, Muell immediately weaved a magic orb. Then, she and Kyle were ced at the top edge of a skyscraper famous for its height.

    ¡°Whoa. This is really high.¡±

    Noah¡¯s spine tingled at the thought of her bones shattering if she were to fall. She felt slight motion sickness. The safety from the arms holding her firmly was no help this time.

    ¡°I thought you had nerves of steel,¡±mented Kyle.

    ¡°I am not afraid at all. I¡¯m not like this because I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m never scared.¡±

    When she strained to open her eyes, Kyle smiled as if her reaction were veryughable.

    ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯ve said about ten times that you¡¯re afraid.¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯m not,¡± Noah insisted.

    ¡°Yes. If you say so.¡±

    Next to Kyle, Muell was swinging his legs over the edge with a chattering smile. When Noah gestured to him with a blink, he stood up fearlessly.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to go now!¡±

    The curly-haired kid disappeared from the narrow wall without a trace. Instead, a familiar strong wind blew in. An abyss deeper and darker than the Seoul night hung above their heads.

    The half-moon, which had been the sole light in the sky, became obscured by the ck dragon¡¯s body. It was an untimely moment.

    With the moon hidden, Muell flew down slowly, circling Seoul. Kyle, still hugging Noah, stood up without even stumbling once.

    This final view of Seoul was undoubtedly astonishing. The city, where the summer heat remained prevalent even after sunset, never slept even close to midnight.

    Thest page which was about to fade away fluttered dangerously. Noah hugged Kyle¡¯s neck even tighter. She closed her eyes with thest sight of the night view pressed down in her mind.

    ¡°¡­let¡¯s head back.¡±

    Atst, the farewell. Now that it¡¯d been well over two years since she left, she finally said herst goodbye to this cumbersome world.

 Chapter 289

    Sorrent, Zone 10 of Lunazel

    The countryside, with its steep coastal cliffs to the south, dense forests to the east, and fairyke to the west, was quiet amid the numerous incidents in the capital, Tezeban, the coastal city of Botswana, the mining zone of Noviscosha, and the industrial city of Tauren.

    The <em>Frill Frill Happy Night</em> clothing store that¡¯d been frequented by an apricot-haired witch at one point, the Sorrent branch of Queen of Cookies, and even the butcher shop run by Mr. Walter. Even the Sorrent police station where themissioner was dozing off today remained the same. Unchangingly warm, seamlessly peaceful.

    The only days when there was a brief disturbance in Sorrent were on days when the train came in once every five days. However, the number of people remained almost the same, to a great extent, as the Sorrent people also went out to each province of Laurent as much as the outsiders were entering. So, the disturbance usually ended within a day.

    The Sorrent people knew one thing after the other about their neighbors¡ªfor example, well enough to know how old their children were¡ªbut they were just as ignorant of the outside world. The capital¡¯s news was just delivered to Sorrent three monthste.

    ¡°Ahem, you said the dragon hatched? I heard his head touched the Imperial Castle¡¯s spire and the tail reached the outer castle road.¡±

    ¡°They said a witch imprinted out the dragon. A very gentle, beautiful witch. Whatever kind of young woman she is, if I get her autograph and hang it on a wall, Sorrent will be filled with tourists.¡±

    ¡°Something must have happened in the capital. It seemed that a major trial has opened. They say the defendant is a minister. Which ministry was it again? Was it the Treasury Department?¡±

    As always, news that traveled a long way was a bit exaggerated and glorified.

    But even those wild rumors gradually waned, and it was one of those ordinary days when the people of Sorrent were again engrossed in their own lives.

    A train trailed by a long streak of smoke sliced through the wide nds in the north.

    ***

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re almost there.¡±

    The train that¡¯d departed from Lunazel had to travel two hours to finally make it to the outskirts of Sorrent.

    It had taken a week to return from Noviscosha andplete Kyle¡¯s transfer beforeing here. The end was seen on the long journey that¡¯d taken Noah from Tezeba to Buttuanu, Lunazel, and Sorrent.

    Noah was deeply moved as she admired the scene passing by outside the window. Gradually, familiar figures came into her field of vision.

    A row of nted olive trees, a warm red brick alley, a few dogs dozing in the sun in front of her favorite clothing store, an old shopping cart¡­

    When she opened the window and stuck her head out, she could see the train station¡ªas tiny as a fingernail¡ªwhere the train was heading. Kyle, sitting next to her reading <em>50 Luxurious Meals to Take Charge of Your Dinner Table Tonight</em> lifted his head.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be arriving at the station in five minutes. We should get ready to get off.¡±

    He closed the book, and while he was bringing down their luggage from the space above their seats the tiny train station grew to the size of Noah¡¯s hand and then Muell¡¯s head before swallowing the train.

    A sluggish announcement echoed on the old tform where the noon sun was shining.

    ¡°The train is arriving. This train transfers to Botswana and Lunajel via Tezeba.¡±

    It didn''t take long for today''s sparsely popted tform to be filled with a huge chunk of scrap metal.

    ¡°Boarding passengers, please take a step back for your safety.¡±

    The announcement ended with thest word stretched out, and the train slowly came to a stop. Noah, knowing how much she was trembling, gripped her straw hat tightly.

    The station employee jumped down onto the tform first to operate the train¡¯s safeguard. Before long, the train doors opened with a long squeaking metal sound.

    Click.

    The first one to step down on the tform was a young boy wearing overalls. Muell, jumping with his feet pressed together, turned his head both ways as he caught sight of the station. And then he yelled excitedly, ¡°We arrived!¡±

    He leaned out of the train using that cheerful cry as a sign. The sun''s rays from the perforated ceiling of the train station permeated Noah¡¯s brown hair and cheeks under her hat and lightly fluttering red skirt.

    She read out loud the amiable text written on a wooden board:

    ¡°¡­Sorrent.¡±

 Chapter 290

    Her heart pounded heavily. As she jumped off the tform with no caution her wide-brimmed straw hat flew off behind her. Noah turned around after btedly realizing it.

    ¡°My hat¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­I told you to be careful.¡±

    A hand suddenly reached out from inside the door and narrowly grabbed it. He, holding tworge luggage bags in one hand and the straw hat in the other, was thest to get off the train.

    ¡°At this rate, you¡¯ll lose your hat.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. By the way, I want to get off quickly. I¡¯ve been riding trains for the past few days, so I¡¯m starting to feel weak.¡±

    ¡°Who was the one who acted stubbornly about having to ride the train back since she came in on one?¡±

    Noah naturally ignored Kyle¡¯sment. Instead, she pulled her hat strings down, tied it under her chin, and gestured to Muell.

    ¡°Ignore his nagging Muell, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Muellughed like a baby as he ran first towards the train station exit. Noah, feeling weak, followed behind him with sluggish but energetic steps. Kyle¡¯s sarcasticugh could be heard from behind.

    ¡°Is it that good?¡±

    He too was freshly swayed by the appearance of a human woman and dragon who acted like they¡¯d found their area offort. Noah turned to him as she blurted out yfully,

    ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry we are really going to leave you behind.¡±

    Even Muell, who was way ahead of her, waved at him. Kyle let out a breath that sounded like half augh and half a sigh.

    ¡°Leave your luggage with me¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡±

    ¡°I meant let¡¯s go together. Wait. Don¡¯t run, Muell. You¡¯ll trip and fall.¡±

    The young dragon excitedly took the lead, and Noah was tired again after walking a little, so she followed him a little ways behind. And Kyle was walking in the same manner behind her.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach halfway up the mountain where Fairy Lake in west Sorrent was located.

    Of course though Noah had used teleporting magic at the halfway point.

    Still, rather than moving straight into the house, Noah thought it would be realistic that she had to take thest few steps to reallye back, so she deliberately moved to a spot a few feet away.

    That alone was still somewhat arduous for a body that rarely exercised. The slope on the way home was no joke.

    However, eventually, after a few minutes, Noah finally caught sight of the view that she had longed for for months.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ here.¡±

    At the end of the narrow and steep trail, a two-story house protruding sweetly in the middle of the mountain weed them. It was a small, cozy log house that at one point had been a witch¡¯s house, and now it belonged to her.

    More than ever, her heart was beating harder than the day she had first gone back to Seoul and found her body. Her lips kept drying, and she was struggling with the rising expectations. She knew the name of this emotion: A thrill that made her feel good.

    Muell, who had grown a hand taller than when they¡¯d first left, reached out to the doorknob. When he narrowly grabbed it and turned it the lock made a snap sound and became loosened.

    The door opened wide.

    The cozy and warm space Noah had left behind just a few months ago was revealed in front of her eyes.

    Her breathing stopped for a moment before she exhaled. And slowly, she scanned the inside of the house.

    The living room, small kitchen, and table in front of the kitchen where the investigator, whom she had met a week ago from then, had cleaned up every grain of dust.

    The spiral staircase going up to the second-floor bedroom; the tightly closed, locked, and meticulously curtained windows; even the shawl folded into a perfect rectangle and neatly ced on the sofa.

    It looked just the way she remembered. She unconsciously took new steps. As she¡¯d been living here for about two years, she still remembered the entire basic manual vividly.

    She pped her fingers twice. p. p. The lights hanging from the ceiling responded to her signal. Warm yellow-orange light bulbs brightened the living room.

    Then, when she wiggled her finger, the curtains hanging on the walls rustled by themselves. It was as if they were saying ¡°hello, wee back¡±.

    Her tiny voice burst through her blocked throat.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m back.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until she said that that she realized that she¡¯d ended the most dramatic journey of her life and she was back in her haven.

    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡±

    Muell jumped onto the sofa and rolled around with the shawl wrapped around his body. Looking back, Kyle, who had just stepped into the house, was putting his luggage down by the front door.

    He lifted his head. Their gazes met.

    Before she knew it, his purple eyes warped kindly. Striding to the living room after setting the bags down he lifted her chin. He made eye contact up close and asked in a drowsy, mischievous voice,

    ¡°Do I have to say ¡®I¡¯m back¡¯ too?¡±

    ¡°You have to since Muell and I did. Please greet this house. So it knows we¡¯ve returned safely.¡±

    ¡°Anyway.¡±

    Kyle grinned as he kissed her. Thest greeting came in between his slightly parted lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±

    Their lips pressed deeply. The air surrounding them was filled with the scent of well-dried cloth and the heat of early summer, and the deep kiss was like sweet honey candy that had been heated and melted.

    Noah closed her eyes as she felt a dreamlike sensation.

    Finally, she was back in the ce that had kept her cozy for the past two years and will continue to be her beloved home. This time, she won''t take over other people''s bodies but will be herself alongside the people she loved.

    She was the same person as when she¡¯d left but different; somehow no one had gotten injured between them, and they¡¯d returned safely from Sorrent. Noah was finally able tough happily for the first time without a shadow of a doubt.

    The journey was over.

 Chapter 291: (Epilogue)

    The sunset in Seoul on top of a distant skyscraper.

    There was a child who sat with his legs stretched out in a ce where he could feel chills just by looking down.

    No, now it was hard to see him as a child. Those cheeks were almost free of baby fat; his eyes were definitely sharper than when he¡¯d been a child, and his nose sharper. By human standards, he was about 12 or 13. Was he around that age?

    A dragon¡¯s growth was iparably faster than a human. Even more, since it was after he¡¯d been imprinted.

    Had he been imprinted normally he would have grown into a young boy as soon as the imprinting began. His growth only seemed slow because the imprinting with Noah had been phased out over several stages.

    However, even the iplete imprinting had found a perfect orbit by the time they had left Noviscosha.

    The ck curly hair fluttered in the sizzling wind. Hisnguid eyes radiated a mood that Noah was his favorite human in the whole wide world. Noah''s unique insensitive eyes shifted to the boy''s dark red eyes.

    Muell¡¯s legs shook over the edge of the building; then he pulled them up, hugged them with both arms, and rested his chin in the middle of his gathered knees.

    ¡°Perri.¡±

    At the low calling, the yellow fairy, twirling over the red-colored city, reacted. The butterflynded on the boy¡¯s shoulder and gently rested its wings.

    ¡°Early, on top of the brochure.¡±

    The boy¡¯s voice still sounded very young. The way he spoke was not much different from when he had been a child. This was natural since he still looked like a young dragon that¡¯d barely hatched out of an egg less than six months ago.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about that ¡®exit¡¯¡­¡±

    A web of dimensions hanging over a brochure of Maobiana. As he passed over it the boy discovered the entrance to his ¡®original¡¯ world by chance.

    It was the time when he had still been inside the egg. When he hadn''t even achieved the right shape, let alone established his intelligence. So, more than having been in an egg, it was a ce where he¡¯d spent a lot of time. A world of dragon roots.

    What Muell had discovered was the entrance leading to the dragon world.

    ¡°You called me, right?¡±

    [Child, you¡¯re right. I called you since you¡¯re the only dragon left on thend. Though you must know who I am.]

    ¡°Liza Berjenure?¡±

    [You¡¯re the ck dragon that was named ¡®Liza Berjenure¡¯. I think there was a green one named Seyerel, too.]

    There were quite a several ways to open the path connecting this world to the dragon world. For tens of thousands of years, very few dragons that¡¯d crossed the state of transcendence had forced open the door and invaded other dimensions.

    However, rtively young dragons, who were only thousands or hundreds of years old, had crossed the door through a different, more special sophisticated process.

    The imprint with the intellectual body that existed in the world he was trying to pass into was a medium to open the door. The ancient dragons that¡¯d stepped on the continent of Muett had either lowered their symbols directly to the second world or set foot on continentalnd in response to the usible summons drawn by some brilliant humans. And as evidence of imprinting, they had shared the dragon''s magic and the imprints, and they were named by them.

    And when they returned to the dragon world, they took the power from humans and abandoned the name they had received from them.

    That act meant the copse of imprinting. The dragons, who no longer needed to stay in the second world, or whose intention to stay had disappeared, opened the path of dimension by abandoning their names and returned to their original world.

    Muell recalled the voice he had heard in the of the dimension. The firstnguage he heard after hatching from the egg was so familiar it shocked him. It was a proverb engraved on instinct, so it was nothing new to him.

    [Child. How long will you stay?]

    [Tell me when you are about to leave. Then I¡¯ll open the path for you.]

    To be totally frank, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯tpletely care about what kind of ce the dragon world was.

    But to cross over the dimension and return required a much moreplex process than the ancient dragons.

    Muell, the ck dragon that had appeared on the human continent after 500 years, was different from the ancient dragons in many ways. He was the first dragon to ever be born not in the dragon world but the second world.

    Since his root is in the dragon world, it was the same that the continent could be properly modernized only through imprinting with humans, but the problem was that it was time to go back.

    Since he¡¯d already gotten a name on another continent, his ¡®name¡¯ alone was not the right medium to open the way back. In addition to cutting off his rtionship with his imprinter, it was possible only when other supreme beings across the door opened it.

    Of course Muell never intended to return right away. Because this child was happy next to Noah every single day.

    But the thought of the beings across the door seemed to be a bit different.

    [You¡¯ll be lonely soon.]

 Chapter 292: (Epilogue)

    Muell didn''t understand exactly what it meant when he just heard the voice. A fairy whispered in a low voice.

    [All the dragons that have crossed over into the human world were lonely. The more they learn human emotions.]

    ¡°Muell is not lonely. I have Noah and Mister Kyle.¡±

    [Child, you still don¡¯t know. That human life is ridiculously short. That¡¯s what it means.]

    Dragons are more like immortals, and humans arepletely mortal. The gap between thousands and as many as tens of thousands of years was doomed to be insurmountable by any surreal force

    [That there is inevitable.]

    So he just had to let go of one side. The dead lost all of their memories and left for the world of souls, but the living must continue to live with only longing and painful memories. Dragons were always thetter.

    That''s why they would always return to their own world without staying long in the royalties

    But it was very hard for Muell to understand everything now.

    ¡°..what you said is right. I am not sure.¡±

    The boy ced one cheek on his knee as he shifted his gaze down. There were square sections, tightly intertwined roads, thousands of glittering electronic boards and traffic lights, and in the middle of thend covered with headlights was a red hat with beautifully shiny brown hair underneath.

    Muell could hear the imprinter calling his name.

    ¡°Muell, where are you?¡±

    At that voice, Muell unhooked his arms from his knees and stood straight up. Recalling her request to grow slowly, he shrunk his body in half and immediately went down.

    As soon as the crying Noah saw him she hugged him tightly in her arms. He didn''t like Noah crying, so he wanted to hug her like Kyle did, but this time he was hugged.

    ¡°Stay with me from now on.¡±

    Muell thought while being embraced in Noah¡¯s arms. He could understand roughly in his head what the fairy had said.

    That he would just stay with Noah, but Noah couldn¡¯t always stay with him; that went the same for his second parent Kyle.

    If so, he would be lonely someday just like they¡¯d said he would.

    [That there is inevitable.]

    In fact, Muell had not yet understood exactly the pain that ¡®someday¡¯ caused. He didn¡¯t know what loss was and didn¡¯t know what loneliness was like. He was still way too young to imagine the pain.

    But he had decided on one thing.

    To make this sort of rtionship with another human if Noah disappeared sometime.

    Because he didn¡¯t want another name. Because he liked his name Muell, his nickname Mu.

    So, Noah would be his only imprinter. That fact rekindled the child''s mood.

    Instead of painting a bad future, Muell embraced with his tiny hands his first and only imprinter, and whispered affectionately,

    ¡°I am going to stay by your side forever, Noah. Because Noah is the best in the world!¡±

    Noah cried for a long time instead of replying. Mu thought as he felt her tears wetting his shoulders and Kyle''s hand on his head.

    I am not going back now. Not while I am with Noah and Mister Kyle.

    The yellow fairy flew into the sunset sky. Muell stared for a long time at the powdery lights trailing from its flight path. Until Noah stopped sniffling and crying atst.

    In a world where there was no going back, it happened behind the back of the two humans who knew the dragon best.

    ***

    If you go down the steep mountain path from the two-story house located halfway up the mountain outside Sorrent, you will find argeke called Fairy Lake.

    Normally, it was supposed to consist of cold valley water pouring from the valley, but recently, it was emitting hot steam everywhere. Despite there being no generators around to supply that much heat.

    But the bizarre phenomenon in Sorrent had to do with people living in two-story houses with white yellow roofs. And considering their nature, it was not surprising that the coldke suddenly had turned into a boiling hot spring bath.

    Kyle whispered cautiously after seeing the steam covering the entireke.

    ¡°The water seems a bit hot.¡±

    ¡°Hot springs are normally supposed to be hot. You have to immerse yourself to see.¡±

    Noah, hugging a thick towel, answered determinedly. There was a look in her eyes that showed her willingness to take a hot spring bath today.

    ¡°There is a reason why I asked Muell to heat up this ce. It¡¯s going to relieve all my fatigue that may umte in the future.¡±

    Kyleughed sarcastically at Noah¡¯s brazen words. After returning to Sorrent she just rolled around the house for a month and ate whatever he cooked, so what fatigue did she have?

    Of course, Kyle didn''t realize that he was the one who did everything she asked for and didn''t ask for and helped herziness soar.

    Anyway, Noah had no cause for her fatigue. She really wasn¡¯t so weak that she needed to beplimented every time she opened her eyes in the morning.

    Kyle thought that, but something else came out of his mouth.

    ¡°¡­can I ask why you feel so fatigued? Have you done something arduous recently, or¡­¡±

    Noah nced at him with pointy eyes.

    ¡°You should know more than I do why I am so tired.¡±

    ¡°What do I¡­¡±

    Kyle''s voice, which responded reflexively, faded away. Noah had recently caught one case that could very effectively shut down his nagging.

 Chapter 293: (Epilogue)

    When Kyle shut his mouth because he had noeback, Noah, perhaps excited that she¡¯d shut him up for the first time in a long time, grinned.

    ¡°So, stop disturbing me ande to the hot springs with me.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go bring a gown. With my clothes on¡­¡± muttered Kyle.

    ¡°I¡¯ll dry you down when we get out anyway, so what¡¯s the fuss about? I brought towels, too.¡±

    For someone shameless, Noah wasn¡¯t the type to ask for something that she¡¯d never asked from him before. It was because she liked familiarity and didn''t have much desire, and it was also because she was shy in unfamiliar ces.

    What she usually wanted was a long night¡¯s sleep, sometimes a very light hug, and being carried from the living room to the 2nd-floor bedroom. Those trivial things ounted for 80% of her life.

    Was that it? Kyle wanted to listen to whatever it was when she asked him to do something new or asked him to join her first in something.

    ¡°¡­then I¡¯ll just check the water temperature.¡±

    He eventually lifted her with a sigh. There was a low rock sticking out of the stone wall surrounding half of theke. The water was high enough for them to submerge their feet if they sat and stretched out their legs.

    After seating her on the bedrock, he lightly jumped into theke. The water was not deep at all. The hot water sshed around his waist.

    Like Noah had said, the hot springs were the optimal way to relieve fatigue. His muscles from the waist down loosened up in the water.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, right?¡± asked Noah.

    ¡°Yes. Finer than I expected.¡± Kyle replied. The water temperature wasn¡¯t very hot despite the boiling steam, but soaking it all at once was definitely overkill. ¡°Your feet.¡±

    ¡°Not my hands?¡±

    Noah, who habitually tried to give him a hand, opened her eyes wide. Instead of replying, Kyle put his hands on her legs kicking under the bedrock. As he dug through Noah¡¯s white, thin pajama skirt, his smooth fingertips wrapped around her smooth skin.

    Noah flinched when he slid his hands down her slick, smooth calves. He said to her with slight patience, ¡°You have to start with your feet. And take your shoes off.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    Noah looked down at him with a little suspicion in her eyes. This was because she sort of guessed when and in what way small physical contacts that started casually would deepen.

    ¡°¡­well, since we¡¯re outside.¡±

    Noah tended to think she would be safe when she was outside or with Muell. Kyle didn''t bother to enlighten her that it was a very self-righteous idea.

    On top of that, when he attempted to break down her barrier by thoroughly managing his facial expressions, Noah was caught every time he allowed it.

    That went for this time as well. She made a doubtful face but let him passively put his hands on her legs and feet.

    When he took off the light sandals she was wearing, her tiny, pale feet were exposed. When his hand brushed across the sole of her foot, Noah giggled slightly from the tickly feeling.

    Not touching her feet required much effort to loosen the muscles in his hands. Kyle mumbled low while exhaling, ¡°Put them in slowly. It might be hot to you.¡±

    The woman who barely listened to him carefully dipped her feet into theke. The warm water surrounded her feet, and when Noah, shocked, retracted her feet, water sshed in the air.

    ¡°Ow. It¡¯s hot,¡± sheined.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t listen.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not hot to you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve said this, but it''s impossible to put you and me on the same line ofparison.¡±

    As Kyleughed he grabbed her legs again and sshed water on them little by little. It wasn¡¯t until Noah realized that the water was hotter than she¡¯d expected that she said worriedly, ¡°Should I only put my feet in?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m wetting them for you. If we¡¯re going to get wet, we have to get wet together.¡±

    ¡°I said I would dry you off.¡±

    "You can''t get away with it like that¡±

    ¡°What do you mean I can¡¯t¡­ Ah!¡±

    Noah freaked out when Kyle grabbed her stubborn calf and pulled it. Her body was pulled in his direction, instantly inching closer. If Noah hadn¡¯t grabbed his shoulders she would have slipped and fallen straight into the water.

    Noah growled after almost plunging into the hot water.

    ¡°Hey! Stop ying around! I almost fell in!¡±

    ¡°I caught you before you fell in.¡±

    <em>Come to think of it, he¡¯s right</em>, Noah thought. Her expression was conveyed as is. However, for a moment, she avoided looking awkwardly, perhaps recognizing the distance between them was so close.

    <em>Cute, </em>thought Kyle. He liked the strong emotions disyed on Noah¡¯s face.

    Normally, her peculiarnguid, insensitive expression rarely broke. And on days when she got really angry or smiled brightly or cried sadly, he was either there by her side or came looking for her 10 out of 10 times. That¡¯s why she liked him. Because those were expressions only he knew.

    But if he had to choose one, it was best to see her smile because of him. Or cry¡­ for a very different reason.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Really. When my mind is ready, I¡¯ll get in myself,¡± Noah said.

    ¡°Will it be less hot if you have a bit of a fever?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Before she could even ask back, he rolled up the white hem of her skirt and then pressed his lips onto her bare knee.

    Her leg trembled. Kyle twisted his head along her still unwet flesh. His lips went up, tapping her pale skin. His ck hair rubbed gently against the thin lining of her skirt and made a rustling sound.

    Noah let out a small cry of pain.

    ¡°Ow¡­ Hold on.¡±

    ¡°Push me if you don¡¯t like it. If you say only one word I can¡¯t know if you¡¯re telling me to stop.¡±

    ¡°¡­if you bite like that.¡±

    She, who lifted her eyes, had that face that made him just lose his senses; the one that barely pushed down her surging sensation. Noah muttered, moistening her lips, ¡°Now you know how I¡¯m going to respond. Don¡¯t ask what you already know.¡±

    After tasting it a little bit, he changed his mind. As expected, it was clear that Noah had learned from somewhere how to cut off his reason.

    When he released his lips from her thigh, Noah let out a breath of air that was either a sigh or a sign of pity.

    ¡°Hey, I think I¡¯m going to fa.. Hold on. Let go of me.¡±

    She scooted her body back to catch her bnce again. Her butt had been barely hanging off the edge because of Kyle¡¯s tugging earlier. But even that attempt fell through when Kyle pressed her back and clung close to her.

 Chapter 294: (Epilogue)

    This time, the truly surprised Noah wrapped his neck in her arms. And then she beat his shoulders with her fists out of anger.

    ¡°I told you not to do this.¡±

    ¡°I have to hold you so you don¡¯t fall in.¡±

    ¡°Wow, people are so mean!¡±

    Noah had always had the upper hand when he was called a butler, but things were different when she was next to him as a lover. Kyle swept the back of her head as he became wrapped in her legs. Their two bodies naturally became one.

    ¡°I''m not kidding, let me kiss you.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that an awful shameless request?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be held responsible if I provoked you with your own words?¡±

    Noah turned her head to avoid him before eventually surrendering. She knew that if she didn''t kiss him as much as he wanted at a time like this anyway, he would be persistent until she became tired first. When she stopped rebelling he immediately nted his hot lips on her lips.

    Noah¡¯s open thighs, Kyle¡¯s hard body touching her calves, and even the rubbing of their opened lips created a higher intensity than usual. Her white skirt that stuck to his wet shirt started to be transparent.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    The deep kiss didn¡¯t end until after Noah¡¯s white skirt had fallen below her chest. Her pale cheeks turned red before she knew it.

    It was unclear whether it was because of her unstable posture, which put half her weight on him, or because of the stimulus that tickled her whole body by secretly pressing their skin.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ It was a bad idea to tell you toe here together,¡± mumbled Noah, catching her breath. Her exhaling breath tickled Kyle¡¯s chin. He, lowering his eyes and fixating them on her lips, suddenly opened his mouth.

    ¡°The teleportation portal. Summon it.¡±

    ¡°Tele¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to go short distances now?¡±

    It was a tant enough request. Instead of replying right away, Noah stared at him for a moment.

    Theyer of rxation lifting from those purple eyes was always apanied by a numb feeling of satisfaction in her fingertips. There was a hint of vague thirst and weak hesitation on her face.

    ¡°The hot springs¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do thatter when Muell wakes up.¡±

    The time of anguish, which had felt terribly slow for Kyle, was finally over. Atst, Noah¡¯s hands moved hesitantly.

    A ck orb appeared. Before long, what was left in theke of hot steam was just the white towel that Noah had pushed away.

    ***

    In the end, Kyle hadn¡¯t kept his word that they would return to the hot springs when Muell woke up.

    There were several reasons, but the biggest one was that one person and one extraterrestrial being were sound asleep until sunset.

    ¡°¡­I originally had something else I was going to tell you today.¡±

    Noah, who¡¯d woken upte, rebuked him.

    ¡°I had something to say when Muell was sleeping.¡±

    Kyle handed her a cup of hot cocoa as he shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°You know?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think I knew? These days your head is full of thoughts. We¡¯ve been together all week.¡±

    ¡°¡­tell me what you guessed.¡±

    Kyle dyed answering for a moment and ran his fingers through the kid¡¯s curly ck hair. Muell blinked his sleepy eyes as he checked who was there; then he changed his posture and began to doze off again. Kyle quietly sucked his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re starting to be more like someone. You sure do sleep a lot.¡±

    Kyle continued, finally addressing the topic, ¡°I have indeed rested a lot this past month and a half, and there isn¡¯t much time left on my vacation. Our baby has to start school again soon. I think we should take him to as many ces as possible and broaden his perspective on the world. So that he can see, hear, and like many things besides you, Noah.¡±

    ¡°¡­what should I say? You sure do know me well.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t difficult to guess. I knew you were worried about Muell from the time you dered thorough neutrality at the trial.¡± Kyle, who spoke slowly, suddenly cemented his impression. ¡°Don''t get me wrong, Noah. I¡¯m not saying this because of some ominous premonition nor because it is something I am pessimistic about.¡±

    Noah nodded slowly, ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t bring it up that way either. I''m just trying to cherish the moment.¡±

    There was still so much time to spend together and so many more things that the three of them hadn¡¯t been able to do together. Life would be short if you think about the end, but if you enjoy the present and live the moment like forever, life is more than enough. Noah hoped Muell thought that way, too.

    After a brief silence, she muttered, ¡°I¡¯m strangely shaken. Thinking you''re going to leave again.¡±

    ¡°Did it bother you this time?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and even from now on, I don¡¯t think that will happen again. Come to think of it, this was a passingment, but we were supposed to go on a cruise together. A super-luxury cruise; a good one.¡±

    He hummed a few unrecognizable melodies. She seemed to have gotten better.

    A light note spread from her small voice.

    ¡°My beloved child and my beloved man¡­¡±

    But the content of that broke thenguid silence and the man¡¯s tranquility all at once. Sweeping Muell¡¯s hair, Kyle raised his head in shock.

    Had he heard her wrong?

    ¡°Noah, what did you just say¡­¡±

    Until now, Noah had never once told him she loved him. Kyle knew she wasn''t good at expressing her affection directly, so he didn''t really urge her to say it.

    Putting her arm on the window ledge and looking up at the distant night sky, she turned to him. Then she raised her eyebrows and responded casually. ¡°Did you not hear me? Suit yourself.¡±

    ¡°Wait, hold on. What did you just ca¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wow, the moon is so big.¡±

    She changed the subjectzily as if she was getting revenge for having been disturbed at the hot springs bath earlier. But the yful grin hanging on her face didn¡¯t change.

    <em>My beloved¡­ </em>Kyle nkly repeated the words over and over. The dazedness soon turned to satisfaction and then filled him plentifully.

    Noah, who dropped from the window and walked on her knees toward him, kissed Muell¡¯s cheek and lips in Kyle¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Okay, my beloved butler. Where shall we go tomorrow?¡±

    A moonlight cast on her face when she asked this cheerfully. Kyle could see the redness in her earlobes.

    Atst, a smile appeared on Kyle''s stiff mouth.

    ¡°Wherever you want to go.¡±

    At the end of the sentence was a confession with heavy feelings. The redness of Noah¡¯s earlobes was glowing on her cheeks; she smiled as if embarrassed.

    The night was deepening ahead of another journey.

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