He was even radiating a sinister aura as if he were about to pour the magic in his hand onto them at any moment.
I placed my hand over the magic.
“……Adrian.”
And just as my hand was about to touch that coldness, it scattered and melted away as if it had been an illusion.
My hand, which had been falling forward, ended up resting gently on his palm.
Klen softly grasped my hand.
A warm heat was transmitted to my hand, and a wave of relief washed over me.
His fingers entwined with mine as if playing a game.
The way we vied for dominance felt like a duel with our fingers.
It was so ticklish and amusing that a laugh finally escaped me.
“What will you do if they reveal everything about us?”
“Even if they speak out, no one will listen to the claim that I use magic. There are occasional rumors that I might actually be talented, but they are so faint that no one believes them. And besides…”
He brushed my cheek with his other hand.
“Regardless of ability, wouldn’t it be fine for me to be known as a husband who stops at nothing when his wife is in danger? At the very least, it will reduce the number of people brave enough to plan something like this.”
“Hmm.”
That made sense.
It seemed he intended to lean into the ‘quiet person who is terrifying when angry’ trope for his performance.
[Humans are approaching.]
Aren’s voice rang out.
It appeared that the soldiers searching for me and the kidnappers had continued through the late hours and finally reached this vicinity.
“The soldiers seem to be coming.”
We didn’t say anything more. We simply exchanged looks.
‘There’s no need to avoid them.’
Since we had gathered all the information we could, it was better to be discovered now rather than stay hidden.
[Did you hear me?]
Aren, who had rushed down as if falling from the sky, landed on my shoulder.
Klen separated the two people lying side by side.
He scattered some nearby dirt over them and nudged them with his foot to adjust their positions.
I realized what he was doing.
I pulled the sword from Heinz’s waist and tossed it nearby as if it had been dropped in a struggle.
[They aren’t quite close yet. What will you do?]
“He says they aren’t close yet.”
“Hmm…”
It looked a bit clumsy for a battle scene, but I scuffed up the ground with my feet and then looked at Klen.
He was crouching near the two captives, touching the ground.
“Aren, lead those people this way. Since they sent the ransom note via carrier pigeon, the soldiers will follow immediately if they notice anything strange. Don’t bring them too fast; take a detour. Signal us when they are close.”
[Hmph. I shall do so!]
“……”
I finally understood how these two got here without me.
Even though Klen couldn’t understand a word the bird said, he understood through context and gave orders.
And Aren followed them without complaint.
I suppose they are unexpectedly compatible.
A faint light lingered on the ground, following the graceful movement of his fingers.
The magic circle being drawn under the pouring moonlight created a mystical atmosphere.
It was a sight that made my heart flutter.
It felt as if I were peeking at something humans weren’t meant to see.
And yet, here I was, standing boldly right in front of him.
“Can you only use ice-based magic?”
Before I was swallowed by that feeling, I forced my lips to move.
The cold air still lingered, and my breath came out in white puffs.
“Not necessarily, but it is what I am most confident in. It suits me well.”
Klen, having finished the magic circle, dusted off his hands and stood up.
Only when he stood before me did it feel as if all my senses returned to reality from that hazy dream.
“Adrian. Please draw Levatein.”
Clang—
I followed his words and drew Levatein.
The clear, sharp sound hit my ears, snapping my mind into focus.
But why ask me to draw the sword?
There were no enemies nearby, and surely he wasn’t asking me to break the circle he just finished.
“Point the blade that way. No matter what happens, do not move and stay still.”
“This way?”
There was no time for questions or explanations.
I moved the sword as he directed.
[Can you hear me? I have brought them!]
Aren returned before we were perfectly settled.
The sound was still distant, but I could feel the movement of people rushing toward us, trying to stay quiet.
It was a sound so faint I wouldn’t have noticed if I weren’t concentrating.
‘Perhaps he didn’t understand the part about taking a detour?’
This little bird was so fast that no matter how much he detoured, he couldn’t arrive as late as expected.
I turned my gaze to Klen.
Even if he couldn’t understand Aren’s words, he definitely heard the chirping.
Ice began to gather in his hands.
I tightened my grip on the sword.
And then,
Clang-clang-clang!
“……?!”
Sharp ice began to erupt from the magic circle he had drawn, looking like spears stabbing into the ground at random.
Boom!
It collided with the cold energy Klen threw, exploding with a thunderous roar.
“Adrian!”
“Ugh.”
Klen called my name urgently, then hugged me as if escaping an attack and rolled to the side.
I was startled by the noise, but I held the sword tightly so my hand wouldn’t shake.
Was this why he told me to keep the sword steady?
Because if I were clumsy, I might have accidentally stabbed him.
However, rolling on the ground like that required quite a bit of bravery.
Even though I was skilled with a sword, it took immense concentration to move so that neither of us was injured.
He was essentially entrusting the outcome entirely to me—or perhaps he thought a scar or two wouldn’t matter.
The ice spreading in all directions intertwined with the marks I had made, making it look like the site of a fierce battle.
But soon after, as it shot upward and burst into shimmering ice particles, it actually created a beautiful spectacle.
“Lord Adrian!”
“Lord Adrian! Are you here?”
The sound of frantic footsteps echoed as the soldiers rushed toward us.
As soon as I saw them, I closed my eyes and let my body go limp.
My role here was clearly to be unconscious.
Klen carefully stood up.
He lightly brushed his fingertips over my eyelids as if telling me to keep them closed.
[No! What happened! Are you alright! Who on earth did this…!]
With an angry cry, Aren rushed down to me.
If he knew Klen was the one who caused this, would he pour his rage onto him?
“Lord Klen, how are you here?”
“Wait. Aren’t these the two who suddenly disappeared? There were rumors they were Rodney’s accomplices.”
“They are the ones who kidnapped Adrian.”
“What?!”
“I knew it!”
