At that moment, Karina, who was wandering in the darkness of her dream, was overwhelmed by the presence of a dragon that suddenly appeared before her eyes.
'Wow!'
She opened her eyes wide and was amazed.
'Is it a real dragon?'
Karina couldn't figure out why a dragon appeared in her dream. She didn't believe in the existence of dragons. She thought the founding myth of the empire where dragons appeared was just an 'old tale'. Then, out of nowhere, a dragon appeared in her dream. Even though it was a dream, the dragon's appearance was quite specific and detailed, down to its eyelids and scales.
'It seems too real?'
Soon, the dragon that had been curled up and sleeping slowly opened its eyes. Then, the clear golden pupils inside it were revealed. Their gazes met for a moment.
'Human being?'
The golden eyes that found Karina flashed, and at the same time, the intense gaze pierced through her soul.
'Huh!'
Her body felt like it was going to shatter into pieces as if she had been hit by a fierce storm. She was out of breath. Her body collapsed helplessly under the unbearable pressure. At that moment.
"Found it. Karina."
Someone hugged her from behind as she fell.
'Who?'
As she was held in his arms, the pressure that had been weighing her down disappeared. It felt familiar and comfortable. She realized that it was the same familiarity she had felt with the dragon. Karina turned her head to see who was holding her. And she was surprised.
'Jeremiah?'
She looked at him with wide eyes in surprise.
'Why is this person here?'
After Dragon, now Jeremiah. She guesses dreams don't only show Karina what she wants.
"I finally found you."
Jeremiah turned Karina around and hugged her, burying his head deep in the nape of her neck.
“At las...”
His voice was trembling slightly as if he had been searching for her for a long time. No. It wasn't just his voice. His body, which was tightly holding her, was also trembling slightly as if he was scared. Karina was extremely embarrassed by this situation.
Why are you here?"
"..."
The question went unanswered.
"Let's put this aside for now..."
Karina tried to push Jeremiah away, but the more she pushed, the more desperately he held her. She could feel his strong determination not to let go.
"I saw something so horrible. It was so absurd... It was so vivid..."
His voice broke off here and there as he struggled to continue speaking. It was the first time she had seen Jeremiah like this. Karina hesitated for a moment, flustered, and then gently patted his trembling back. Then Jeremiah raised his head as if he had calmed down a little.
"...!"
Karina was startled when she met his gaze. His eyes, which were always firm, were shaking anxiously. It was clear that he was emotionally unstable.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Karina asked without realizing it when she saw those eyes.
"I think I'll go crazy if I stay here any longer. Let's go out together quickly."
His voice was urgent. She was taken aback by the sudden words, and then a thought suddenly occurred to her.
'No way. What he saw wasn't the memory from the past that I saw earlier, was it?'
Karina recalled the memories she had seen over and over again. Jeremiah goes to the temple, meets the Saintess, and receives lavender. And him getting angry at her for trampling on the lavender, and her miserable appearance. Karina's heart, which had been surprised, grew cold again.
"If..."
Karina was about to ask him if what he saw was what she thought it was, but she soon stopped herself.
'Is this just my dream?'
When she realized that, she realized that asking such questions would be meaningless.
'There's no way he's the real Jeremiah.'
There was no way the real Jeremiah would show her such a pitiful look and expression. And if by any chance he was really Jeremiah, there was no reason for him to be so shaken even if he had seen her past memories.
'Because he doesn't love me.'
He didn't care what happened to her or how she was treated. It was clear that it was an Illusion she had created. Karina smiled in vain and quickly wiped the emotion from her face. Then she looked at Jeremiah with calm eyes.
'Have I always wanted to see this person like this?'
Did I ever wish to see him looking at me with such a yearning face? Is that why I see him like this, even in my dreams?
'I thought I had already burned all my feelings for him without a trace.'
Bitterness washed over me along with self-mockery. At that time.
'Contractor.'
"...?"
"...!"
The voice of the dragon that was watching the two people echoed directly in their heads. Jeremiah, who had been completely focused on Karina, finally paid attention to the dragon. He showed a sharp reaction and hugged Karina more deeply into his arms as if protecting her. However, unlike before, the dragon did not show a wary attitude. Instead.
'You broke the condition.'
The dragon raised his head and continued speaking solemnly.
'I will receive a corresponding price.'
"What did you say?"
Karina reacted in bewilderment. Contractor, conditions, corresponding price. It was a story she couldn't understand at all. However, she suddenly remembered the legend about dragons that she had heard from Mikhail before.
'If you wander around here and there, you'll hear a lot of stories related to dragons.'
'Meeting a dragon cured all my illnesses... Obtaining the dragon's tears made my wish come true.'
When Karina heard those words, she remembered the wishing potion she had drunk in her last moments before returning.
'No way.'
This dragon might have something to do with the wishing potion. And her regression. How did she regress? Why did she return? And what should she do next?
"Just a moment!"
Karina spoke to the dragon urgently. She had a lot of questions to ask. But a strong glow of light emitted from the dragon's body and the space flashed white.
'Don't forget your deal with me.'
"...!"
With that voice, her and Jeremiah's consciousness returned to reality.
***
Karina woke up. When she opened her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
'Where am I...?'
Before she could come to her senses, Karina heard an unfamiliar voice.
"You're finally awake."
"...?"
It was a voice she heard for the first time.
"Are you coming to your senses?"
A middle-aged man with a beard was looking down at her from above.
"Who...?"
Karina blinked and looked up at the man she was seeing for the first time.
"It looks like the guy next to you also got back safely without getting lost."
'The guy next to you?'
When Karina looked back, Jeremiah was blinking as if he had just woken up.
'Hmm?'
Karina was embarrassed when she saw the man she had dreamed of lying right next to her.
'Why is Jeremiah lying next to me?'
Even he was looking at her with the same expression she had seen in her dream.
"..."
And then she felt someone grab her hand tightly. Karina was surprised again when she checked the hand that was being grabbed. It was Jeremiah holding her hand with his fingers interlocked.
'What... What is it?'
Karina had no idea why she and Jeremiah were sleeping in the same bed, or why they were holding hands. She tried to slowly pull her hand away, but it was no use. He didn't seem to want to let go of Karina's hand and wrapped his other hand around the back of her hand. His gaze was fixed on Karina as well.
"Uh... What happened?"
Karina cautiously asked for an explanation, asking anyone who would be willing to answer.
"Oh, I see. First, I need to explain where this place is."
The middle-aged man, scratching his chin with an embarrassed expression, added quickly.
"This is the western magic tower. I am the master of this magic tower."
"Yes?"
'The magic tower I know?'
Karina was dumbfounded by the completely unexpected words. She had clearly been inside the Grand Duke's mansion before falling asleep.
'Suddenly a magic tower?'
While Karina was flustered and unable to find the right words to say, the man continued his explanation.
"About a week ago, my disciple came to the tower with Madam. Then, a few days later, out of nowhere, this guy broke down the door and barged in, demanding that I hand over his wife."
The middle-aged man who introduced himself as the owner of the tower glared at Jeremiah with an expression of displeasure and clicked his tongue.
"He is just ignorantly cutting a door that was meant to be opened with a knife."
It seemed like he was quite dissatisfied with that. But his grumbling did not reach Karina's ears.
'Jeremiah came here looking for me?'
It was hard to believe. It was the same. when she was taken to the Cursed Forest last time, and it was the same this time.
'Why him... me?'
The middle-aged man continued speaking without giving me time to clear up her doubts.
"Since the moment Madam arrived at the top of the tower, you had been sleeping without regaining consciousness. He regained consciousness and found Madam and brought you back."
Karina was even more perplexed by his explanation.
'Jeremiah came into my consciousness to find me when I didn't wake up? What you're saying now is...'
She was shocked to discover that it was Jeremiah, who had hugged her and trembled as soon as he saw her in her dream, who was real.
'Then why did you react like that?'
But now it was more than just a matter of curiosity; it was suspicious. There was no good reason for him to come looking for her like that.
'Why did this man come looking for me? Did he really receive an order from His Majesty the Emperor this time?'
It was understandable that the Emperor or the Marquis would have known that she was gone. To them, she was still a useful pawn, and to Jeremiah, she was still his wife before their divorce. In a situation where the divorce was not finalized, it was still Jeremiah's job to protect her when she was in danger.
She glanced at Jeremiah, who was still looking at her.
'You didn't come here because you were worried about me, so why are you making that face? It keeps confusing me.'
An annoyed Karina bit her lower lip to keep herself from getting teased. But Jeremiah noticed and raised his hand to brush her lips.
"...!"
Karina, startled by the sudden touch, opened her eyes wide and looked at him.
"Don't do that. You'll hurt your lips."
"..."
'Is Jeremiah still half asleep?'
Karina looked at him with a serious expression. At that time.
"Karina!"
Mikhail heard the news that she had woken up and came running.
"Mikhail?"
'Was the disciple of the magician who brought me here Mikhail?'
Karina was secretly surprised. As soon as he saw Karina, he tried to hug her tightly. However, Jeremiah, who was next to her, stopped him. Mikhail, who had been growling at him fiercely, smiled gently again and turned his gaze towards Karina.
"I'm so glad you woke up. I was so worried because you hadn't come to your senses for a week!"
He must have been really worried because half of his face was gone.
"Thank you for your concern, Mikhail."
But he couldn't avoid Karina's scolding.
"I just heard the explanation from the Lord of the Tower."
It was not a matter to be taken lightly that he had brought her to the Magic Tower secretly, ignoring her wishes.
"Don't ever do this again."
"Yes."
Mikhail answered with a sullen face. Of course.
'But that won't work if Karina is in danger.'
Mikhail swallowed those words.
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