"What?"
Lucia tried to change the subject by pretending not to know.
"You say that even though you know what I'm talking about."
Emil didn't give in easily.
"Please, Emil. I've been using all my strength the whole way here and I'm so tired. Can we not talk about this?"
The Saintess made a request, joking as if she was complaining. But...
"... I still don't feel like it. Why do you, a Saintess, have to do this?"
As Emil continued speaking in a dejected voice, Lucia sighed as if she had no choice but to answer.
"I am the one and only Saintess of the empire."
"So what I'm saying is, why do you, a Saintess... have to go that far?"
"..."
"I want you to think again."
There was a strong sense of wanting to dissuade the Saintess from Emil's voice.
"Emil, it's no use trying to stop me. I have to do it this way."
Emil looked embarrassed at Lucia's firm attitude.
"If you keep doing this, I won't be able to see Emil. Just let me do what I want. Yes?"
"..."
"You said you'd always be on my side."
At Lucia's last words, Emile was unable to speak any further.
"That's right. I'm always on Lucia's side."
Lucia smiled brightly at that answer. Emil swallowed a deep sigh and smiled bitterly, waiting for the next time.
***
"Karina, come with me to a nice place."
"Now?"
Mikhail suddenly insisted on going out for a walk to change the mood.
"Weren't you going back to Magic Tower today?"
Mikhail and Pavel decided to return to the Magic Tower to find a way to keep Karina from dying.
"That's important, of course... I've been so busy lately that I haven't had much time to spend with Karіпа."
Mikhail said with a sullen expression.
"Come to think of it."
'I feel like I've been taking advantage of you too much because of work.'
Karina felt a little sorry for Mikhail, And...
'I was so exhausted!'
She felt that Mikhail was deliberately trying to take her out because he was concerned about her feelings. In fact, when she first heard the story, she was very embarrassed and hopeless. But at some point, she became calm.
'What can I do, I already died once anyway?'
Somehow, it felt like she already knew in a corner of her heart that she wouldn't live long. Feeling wronged and denying it wouldn't change anything. Karina came to her senses and decided to face reality. She shook off the thoughts that came to her mind and answered bravely.
"Yes. Let's go."
When she gave her permission, Mikhail smiled brightly, took Karina's hand, and pulled her towards him.
"Then I will move right away!"
Light burst out from his hand.
Swoosh!
Karina moved from place to place in the blink of an eye.
"Uh?"
Karina looked around and was shocked. She was on top of a tall spire with nowhere to grab onto.
"Ugh!"
Mikhail held her tightly as she struggled in surprise.
"I feel like I'm going to fall!"
Mikhail told Karina, who was shouting urgently, to be at ease.
"It's okay. I'm holding on to you well. You won't fall off."
As he said that, she stretched her legs into the air. It was clearly empty air, but it felt as stable as if she was stepping on the ground. Karina followed Mikhail, who was holding her.
"How is it? You're not scared anymore, are you?"
At first, she was a little scared because she thought she would fall, but she quickly got used to being with him. Karina nodded with a surprised expression.
"Now, look over there."
Mikhail pointed somewhere with his finger. Where he pointed, a vast expanse of sea appeared.
"Wow!"
Karina let out an exclamation. The sight of the open space made her feel refreshed. Even looking at the endless blue sea from a high place without any obstruction, all her worries felt insignificant.
"Could this be..."
"Yes, that's right. It's the Wellen area."
When Karina turned her head, she saw that diamond mining was in full swing on the other side. She heard from Pavel that they would process the diamonds on the tower and turn them into artifacts. She signed a formal contract and listened to Mikhail's additional explanation.
"I'll show you that too. Looking at the ocean makes me feel good."
On one side was a mine, and on the other was the sea. It was an odd combination, but it made her smile and feel good. The wind that blew was also warm. When Mikhail waved his finger once, colorful flower petals mixed in the wind and circled around her. Butterflies made of flower petals danced one after another, fluttering as if they wanted to please her. It was a strange experience. Karina watched the butterflies made of flower petals flying around with sparkling eyes.
"Pretty."
Mikhail couldn't take his eyes off Karina. After a while, when Karina had finished looking around.
"How are you feeling?"
As expected, Mikhail came out to cheer her up.
"Thanks, I feel much better. I'm fine, so don't worry too much."
Karina didn't want to worry him, so she smiled and answered more nonchalantly.
"I will definitely come to you. So please trust me and wait for me. Yes?"
Karina nodded vigorously, saying she understood.
"Should we go back now?"
The blue sky was turning orange as the sunset began to fade. It seemed like more time had passed than expected. Mikhail hugged Karina gently again.
"..."
She thought he would move right away, but as time passed, Mikhail didn't seem to have any intention of using movement magic.
"Mikhail?"
"Just a moment. Just a moment... I'll stay like this."
He spoke with his face buried in Karina's shoulder. His voice was the same as usual, but he felt depressed for some reason. He seemed more hurt and shocked by the news of her death. Karina raised her hand and hugged him warmly.
"I'm really okay. I'm not as scared or sad as I thought."
"..."
He didn't respond, perhaps because he didn't believe her words.
"And..."
Karina, who had been hesitating, finally opened her mouth.
"Don't feel too guilty even if you don't find a way in the end."
"...!"
At those words, Mikhail raised his head. His eyes were red. His face was distorted as if he was about to cry.
"Why can't I find it? I'll definitely find it, so don't say anything like that!"
Mikhail frowned and got angry. A corner of her heart ached knowing that he was doing this for her. Karina could only smile affectionately.
***
To some extent, Mikhail used his magic.
Swish!
They were back in the walkway of the temple building where they were in an instant. They were about to go back to their room.
"Oh, right."
As if he had just remembered something, Mikhail took something out of his bosom.
"Here. This is the artifact you asked for before."
He put a ring on Karina's hand.
"Do you always have to wear it wherever you go?"
"Yeah. Yes. Thanks."
As Karina smiled with her eyes wide open, Mikhail smiled beautifully as well.
"Is it that good, my disciple?"
"Ugh!"
Pavel appeared behind Mikhail.
"I told you not to appear behind me without making a sound!"
Mikhail shouted nervously at Pavel, who suddenly appeared from behind.
"What, what, you're a guy who never gave me a present in your lifetime."
Pavel glanced at Mikhail with cold eyes.
"Oh, I gave you enough magic stones."
"You put that on the Magic Tower, didn't you give it to me?"
"Tch."
"And that diamond. How do you have it if I never gave it to you?"
"I made this for Karina, so it doesn't matter, right?"
"But if you took it secretly, that's embezzlement, you idiot! Theft usually starts from such trivial things."
"Thef!"
Mikhail grumbled as if he was being treated unfairly.
"Don't pick a fight and find fault with things that aren't necessary."
"What? A fight? What a shameless bastard!"
Mikhail dodged the cane that Pavel was swinging at him with a familiar swipe and ran away. Then Pavel noticed Mikhail's red eyes and teased him in a playful tone.
"Huh? Did you cry?"
"Who would cry? It's just because something got in my eye."
Mikhail, who was standing far away from the cane, grumbled that it was not true and rubbed his eyes with his sleeve.
"Hmm."
Pavel, who was holding back laughter and snorting, suddenly spoke to Karina.
"I've never seen that guy care so much about someone."
"Oh. Is that so?"
Karina answered awkwardly.
"Please take good care of my disciple in the future. He may seem like a punk and a light-hearted person, but he has a deep heart."
Mikhail, who heard Pavel's words, broke the mood.
"Are you insulting me right now? Are you praising me? If you're going to do something, just do one."
"That guy is real! You go and pack your bags quickly!"
Pavel yelled that it was already too late to leave.
"Oh my, that burn. When will you ever grow up?"
'Huh? Didn't you just say he was deep?'
Pavel cleared his throat, perhaps minding Karina's gaze, and opened his mouth again.
"Anyway, we'll go and find another way, so don't be too frustrated and just wait a little."
"Of course. I am already grateful enough that the Lord of the Tower is willing to help me like this. I am fine, so don't worry."
Karina answered with a grin. Pavel smiled kindly in response and stroked her head gently.
"...!"
Karina was a little flustered for a moment in this unfamiliar situation.
"That's amazing. Now I understand a little why he likes Madam."
"..."
She didn't avoid Pavel's touch. It was unfamiliar, but it didn't feel bad.
'I've rarely had someone pat my head like this before.'
If she had a grandfather, would it be like this?
'I feel like I have some strong support.'
Karina thought about that for a moment.
"I don't know what will happen in the future, but please take good care of my son. I am an old man who lives from day to day, so no one knows what will happen tomorrow."
"Even if you can't do it, I think you'll live for hundreds of years longer. What are you talking about? Aren't you already so healthy that you're even being called a monster?"
Mikhail, who returned quickly using magic, poured cold water on him again.
"No, that guy keeps hitting the trigger while talking to people!"
"That's because the teacher talks nonsense."
"Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and come!"
Karina finally burst into laughter as she watched Mikhail running away and Pavel chasing him.
'I think it was a good thing I came out.'
Thanks to that, I feel a lot better.
'Yeah. There's no need to give up and be depressed in advance.'
Anyway, this body has already died once.
'The only thing I'll do is die.'
Her mind became calm. Pavel finally caught Mikhail and cast a teleportation spell. Mikhail shouted inside the brightly glowing magic circle.
"Karina, don't be so depressed. I'll definitely find a way. So until then, just relax and don't stress. Yes?"
"Don't worry too much, honey. I'll go back and try my best to find a way for you to survive."
Karina waved at them.
"Thank you. I am already receiving more than enough help."
"I'll be right back."
Mikhail said, without forgetting.
"Yes, have a nice trip."
With their final greetings, they disappeared.
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