“How dare you sneak into a noble’s house and try to get close to my daughter.”

“Gah!”

A huge hand grabbed the magician by the neck. The magician’s feet kicked in the air.

“This is so disrespectful, I could deal with you right now and no one would blame me... What do you think?”

A low voice that felt like it scraped against his ears.

The air around “the Fourth” was so dark and terrifying that his eyes shook with fear.

“Answer me, magician.”

Leviathan let out a long laugh.

Leviathan really hadn’t planned to draw his sword at first.

He thought he would just test the magician, and only if there was even the slightest threat to his child would he draw his weapon.

He had come at night and snuck in, but it wasn’t because he had ruled out the chance of overhearing something important.

‘Looks like the local magician is being threatened.’

Leviathan listened to their conversation, keeping calm. But finally—

“I guess I’ll have to sneak into the house. If I find the young lady alone...”

At that moment, something snapped inside him.

When he came to his senses, his sword was already out.

Still, thanks to a shred of reason, he didn’t cut the magician’s neck right away.

“What are you... what are you doing!”

The magician struggled.

He could hardly breathe, but Leviathan shifted his grip each time so he wouldn’t die.

The magician’s mind flickered in and out—he couldn’t even use magic. A magician without magic was powerless.

“That’s what I want to ask.”

Leviathan smiled coldly.

“Why are you so interested in my daughter?”

His hand tightened.

“Gah... Let go...! Drukan!”

The magician looked at Asha with bloodshot eyes. But she just slipped behind a tree.

“Y-you know I can’t use attack magic...”

“You... you trash!”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m trash and just a sidekick...”

‘The Fourth’ cursed inwardly. When he nearly fainted, air suddenly rushed back into his lungs.

“Huff, huff.”

“If you realized you lost, you should have run away. Why are you still after my daughter?”

“That brat... she’s not even your real daughter...!”

‘The Fourth’ laughed like he had given up.

“Where did you find her? Was it Eosia? That’s the closest country to the Kanalon Canyon... You know that, right?”

“Who do you think you’re lecturing?”

Leviathan’s grip didn’t waver at all.

“You even searched the clerk’s room and read the adoption papers. Your imperial language is pretty bad.”

“How did you...?”

The magician’s face went pale.

Even before this, Leviathan had known the magician had snuck into the clerk’s room and secretly read Rubian’s adoption papers.

Of course, the Emperor had been tricked into leaving them out on purpose.

But now, Leviathan was certain—the magician was still watching Rubian. There was no reason to hold back anymore.

“Ha. From the south of Bamilon? You... if I search those papers—”

“The only one getting searched is you.”

Leviathan shot Asha Drukan a look.

“Go call the guards.”

“Y-yes, yes.”

“Wait—her face!”

The magician shouted quickly.

“What?”

“Just let me see her face once...! Everything will be clear!”

Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

“As a magician... I’m trying to help you.”

Leviathan’s face turned cold and fearsome.

“Help me?”

“Just imagine...”

“...”

“If that child really was a magician—the kind you hate so much... «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» Isn’t that terrifying?”

A laugh escaped him.

“What nonsense.”

“Kuh!”

“You’re truly an idiot. The magician I hate so much...”

“...”

“Is right in front of me now.”

‘The Fourth’s eyes looked like they were about to burst. He was about to die!

“If... if you hurt me, you’ll regret it. This is an act against the kingdom...!”

He made one last effort to argue. Then, suddenly, his lips pressed tight.

There was something strange in his eyes—like he had remembered something.

“Right... I need to... ask my father for help...”

Just then, the muttering magician coughed up blood.

‘What’s that?’

Between his bloody teeth, a small bead could be seen.

A blue glowing ball—maybe a magic item?

“Those who stand against our king... will pay a harsh price...”

Leviathan, frowning, instinctively swung his sword.

But the smiling magician moved his jaw faster.

The bead shattered at the same time.

BOOM! <

‘Please, please!’

I rode Khalid’s wolf-dog, racing forward.

‘Dad is in danger!’

The wind slapped my face, and the world rushed by so fast I couldn’t make everything out.

“Ruby, hold on tight!”

I bit my lip and clung to Khal’s clothes. The wolf-dog sped through empty, dark alleyways.

“Those who stand against our king will pay a harsh price.”

That voice kept echoing in my mind.

“Khal, faster!”

The wolf-dog ran even faster.

Now I was almost sure. All the clues pointed to “the Fourth” being the magician from the original story.

‘If only I’d gone to meet “the Fourth” yesterday instead of coming back to the house!’

Why do I always regret things after something happens? 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

I should’ve gone to find him, not come home!

‘How could I have felt safe just because Dad and “the Fourth” hadn’t met yet?’

I hated myself for being so careless.

When we turned behind the palace villa, I saw the fence leading to the garden.

The wolf-dog jumped over it without hesitation.

We took a shortcut to the distant building. The dark garden was right there.

“Over there!”

I squinted against the wind.

Between the eerie trees, I saw two figures.

“Dad!”

I shouted as loudly as I could, but it looked like they didn’t hear me. The two figures were getting closer.

Dad had one hand around the magician’s neck and his sword raised in the other.

Right then—

The magician coughed something up.

“What’s that...?”

It was a dark night, with only faint moonlight.

But even from far away, I recognized that blue glow.

My eyes turned red, and the magic item’s structure suddenly appeared in my mind.

This is...

“No!”

A strong sense of déjà vu washed over me.

A dark night. The magician in priest robes. Leviathan facing him.

“Those who stand against our king... will pay a harsh price...”

I heard that line just like in my dream. Even if the words were a little different, I didn’t care.

I jumped off the beast’s back. Khal shouted, but I couldn’t look back.

“Rubian!”

Far away, Asha saw me and looked terrified. I shouted to her quickly.

“Asha, shield!”

The man rolled a bead around in his mouth and bit down. Before anyone could stop him, the magic item shattered.

“Dad, get back!”

BOOM! <

My magic surged forward to block the blast.