Chapter 172

It seemed like someone had called him.

The man's eyelids twitched. Strangely, opening his eyes felt extremely difficult. Not only that, but his body was also incredibly heavy. It was hard to move even a finger, as if he had turned to stone.

He wondered if moving his body had always felt like this.

Though opening his eyes was no easy task, the man finally managed it.

And as soon as he opened his eyes, he was startled as if his heart had plummeted. This was because there was a beautiful man he had never seen before right in front of him.

The man, who had frozen in astonishment at the beautiful sight, belatedly wondered.

Why is he crying?

Though he didn't know the reason for the tears, strangely, seeing him cry made a part of his chest sink. That was why he unconsciously reached out to wipe away the tears.

"Gasp!"

However, the man soon regretted his action. As if his gesture had been some kind of signal, thick arms tightened around him as if they would break his bones. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt, but it was bewildering.

But there was something even more bewildering.

He couldn't remember anything.

It felt as if a white fog had settled in his mind. Where was this dark and unpleasant place, and why was he here? Moreover, he couldn't even remember who he was.

Finally, the man asked the person who seemed to know him well.

"Is 'Your Highness' my name?"

"......"

As soon as he heard his words, the beautiful face turned deathly pale. As if he had been frightened.

No, shouldn't he be the one who was frightened, not remembering anything?

But he couldn't confront the pale face like that. It looked as if the other might fall into a panic at any moment, and seeing someone more discomposed than himself made him feel calmer instead.

What should he say then?

'Do you know me?'

That was an inappropriate question. The other was clearly acting as if he knew him.

'Why are you so frightened? And why were you crying earlier?'

This seemed like a useless question, though he was curious.

In the end, the man asked the most neutral question.

"Who are you?"

But what he thought was neutral seemed to be purely his misconception.

"No, why are you crying?"

Sighing, the man reached out once more to wipe away the tears wetting the white cheeks.

"Stop crying. Your eyes will hurt."

"Your Highness, do you really... really not remember me?"

"Hmm."

The man smiled awkwardly.

"I can't even remember my own name, how could I remember someone else?"

At the man's answer, the other's eyes wavered as if disturbed.

The eyes are different colors.

One was black, and one was gold. The gold eye in particular reminded him of a jewel he had seen somewhere.

What was the name of that jewel again?

While thinking thoughts that didn't match the situation, a trembling voice reached his ear.

"Your Highness, I am your..."

The stammering lips closed again. Though he was curious about what the other had been about to say, he didn't ask, not wanting to make him cry more with unnecessary words. He didn't particularly want to see that silver-haired beauty cry. It wasn't so much that he felt sympathy, but rather that the stinging feeling in his chest whenever the other cried was quite unpleasant.

Just then, a low voice was heard from above.

"I didn't expect this outcome."

The man's eyes widened momentarily as he looked up toward the voice.

"Uh... those ears..."

Though he couldn't remember anything, for some reason he knew that a person with animal ears on their head wasn't normal.

The man with ears shrugged and answered.

"'I' am also of the tailed tribe."

"Tailed tribe? What's that?"

"You already know."

It was an unfriendly explanation, but as he stared at the twitching ears, something flashed through his mind. Something like several fox tails.

At that moment, a word he didn't even realize he had recalled slipped from the man's lips.

"Spi...rit?"

The moment he uttered that word, the man also remembered a few things about spirits. Spirits were generally the same as humans but differed in characteristic aspects. For example, the animal-like ears on the head of this brown-haired man.

"You are a spirit."

At the more confident statement, the man with ears smiled lightly.

"Correct but incorrect."

"What does that..."

"It seems your memories aren't completely gone. Perhaps because your soul is in an unstable state."

After muttering incomprehensible words, he suddenly said.

"Mate, wish to Asad to revive you."

"What?"

In the direction his finger pointed was the silver-haired beauty.

Is that man's name Asad?

No, more than that, it was absurd to suddenly be told to make a wish. And the content of the wish was even more so.

"...I don't understand what you're saying. I'm already alive."

"What if you were already dead?"

"What? What do you..."

The man couldn't finish his sentence. The focus in his black eyes blurred, and the expression on his face disappeared like melting snow. As if he had returned to being a doll.

Having grasped the situation, Maira clicked his tongue.

This won't work.

As expected, this soul was too unstable. The moment it recognized the fact that it was dead, it would scatter.

Fortunately, Kinaine regained consciousness after a while. His face was bewildered, as if he didn't know what had happened to him.

"Um, what were you saying just now?"

Maira cast a glance at Asad. His expression was dark, as if he too understood the situation. Maira looked back at Kinaine.

"Don't think too deeply and just do as I say. Wish to Asad to revive you. Then all your current questions will be answered."

"I don't understand what you're saying. Suddenly talking about wishes, why should I do that? Above all, I'm already alive."

Maira hoped that Kinaine would move according to his will, but Kinaine acted exactly the same as before. He expressed doubt at Maira's abrupt words and didn't move a step.

They needed to persuade Kinaine to make him wish, but if they told him the truth, his soul would scatter. It was truly a dilemma.

"Your Highness..."

Asad's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but for some reason, he closed them again and just gazed at Kinaine with desperate eyes.

But surprisingly, Kinaine's shoulders twitched slightly upon receiving that gaze.

"No, even if you look at me like that, I still don't understand this situation."

He even blurted out as if making an excuse, seemingly finding it difficult to ignore Asad's gaze.

He didn't budge even when I said a hundred words?

Maira felt slightly annoyed at Kinaine, but he couldn't miss this opportunity.

Knowing why Asad couldn't speak about the wish, Maira stepped forward directly, just as he had done a moment ago.

"I understand your doubt, but try to believe us. We have no intention of harming you."

Kinaine, who had been stubbornly keeping his lips sealed, finally let out a long sigh. It was a sign of surrender.

"...It's not just because I'm suspicious. Though I do think this is suspicious."

"Then what's the problem?"

A confused emotion briefly flashed in Kinaine's eyes. After a moment, a calm voice flowed from his lips, as if he were talking about someone else.

"I just... don't want to do it."

Don't want to do it? Maira's eyes widened at the unexpected answer. Kinaine rubbed the back of his neck and made an embarrassed expression, however he had interpreted Maira's reaction.

"I know. My words must sound strange. But it's true. I just tried to make a wish, but the words wouldn't come out. It's as if my mind keeps saying it doesn't want to."

"...I see. You're saying you don't desire it."

A wish means something desired. At this rate, it would be meaningless even if they forced him to say it. Even if Kinaine shook off the resistance in his heart and did as Maira said, if he didn't truly desire it, it wouldn't be accepted as a wish and wouldn't be fulfilled.

Maira nodded toward Asad.

"Asad, let's talk for a moment."

Asad, who had draped his outer garment over Kinaine, rose to his feet. Only then did Kinaine seem to realize that showing his naked body to others was embarrassing, as he blushed and wrapped the garment around himself.

"Ah, thank you."

Black eyes that held his image, eyes curved like crescent moons, flushed cheeks.

Slowly taking these in, Asad suddenly lowered his body, which he had half raised.

"Why, why are you..."

Though Kinaine's voice was heard muttering in confusion, Asad didn't let go, holding him in an embrace.

Indeed, he couldn't let this person go.

Whether from death, or from himself.