Chapter 153

"I feel like we've had this conversation before. If Lord Asad attacks the king, the guardian spirit will try to protect him due to the 'promise.' And the guardian spirit won't be able to overcome Lord Asad's power."

If Asad's magic and the guardian spirit's protective power collided, it would be the guardian spirit that would suffer damage. No matter how long-lived a spirit beast was, it couldn't remain unharmed in a direct confrontation with a dragon.

"Didn't Lord Asad say so yourself? That if that happens, the guardian spirit could be severely injured, or in the worst case, could even be extinguished. I want to rescue the guardian spirit safely."

Asad sighed.

"I don't understand why you have to do this. Even if the guardian spirit is extinguished, why do you, who aren't even from the horned tribe, care about it? You seem to be under some misunderstanding, but you're just a mere human."

Kinaine agreed with Asad's words. It was ridiculous for a human who couldn't even save himself to try to save something else.

But nevertheless, there was a reason why Kinaine couldn't abandon this plan.

"I didn't take you to the spirit realm because your physical condition wasn't good. But as soon as you got a little better, you started overexerting yourself. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have helped with your plan."

"This much isn't overexertion..."

"I wish you knew how much restraint I'm exercising to avoid binding or confining you. If it weren't for the promise, you wouldn't have been able to take a single step outside the room."

The low voice almost sounded like a growl. Kinaine closed his mouth without continuing his words.

From the beginning, Asad hadn't liked his plan. But Kinaine's plan couldn't be realized without Asad's help. To persuade Asad, Kinaine eventually had to compromise.

"You remember what you promised me, right?"

"...Yes."

"After safely recovering the guardian spirit according to the plan, you'll go to the spirit realm and become my bride."

That was the only way to persuade Asad.

Because that was all Asad wanted from him.

"As long as you remember. But if you abuse your body like this again, then regardless of promises or whatever, we'll just go straight to the spirit realm and hold the wedding ceremony. Understand?"

Despite confirming it multiple times, Asad still seemed quite uneasy. It couldn't be helped. Considering how Kinaine had deceived Asad all this time, it was natural that he couldn't inspire trust.

Kinaine smiled bitterly to himself.

"I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for? Don't tell me you're planning to break your promise!"

"No, that's not it..."

Kinaine swallowed his words. An awkward silence followed briefly.

Kinaine knew it was right to send Asad away now. Judging by how he had entered without opening the door, he must have used magic to move, so no one would have caught him, but if he stayed here longer, it might arouse suspicion.

But even knowing that was what he should do, Kinaine unconsciously spoke up.

"Um, have you found Shinsurial?"

Asad was pretending to stay at the separate palace, claiming the tournament was boring, while actually moving between the spirit realm and the human realm. This was to track Shinsurial's movements.

"No, not yet. But I found traces of black magic on the scaled tribe's bride candidate. She seemed to be controlled. If I trace it back, something might come up."

"So it was like that after all."

Considering how black magic had been cast on the winged tribe's twin servant, Rahu, in an attempt to kill him, Kinaine had thought the same might be true for Biche's case.

But to use even one's own kind as tools... What on earth was Shinsurial's purpose?

"That one had the highest possibility of becoming my bride, so it could have been a disaster."

Though he said it could have been a disaster, Asad didn't seem to feel particularly threatened. More precisely, he seemed to be thinking about something else. Kinaine soon realized what it was.

"More importantly, I brought this."

What Asad placed on the table was a snow-white bottle. Asad brought all sorts of medicines every time he went to the spirit realm, and with their temporary effects, Kinaine was able to muster enough strength to participate in the dueling tournament. Of course, the biggest reason was that he no longer used black magic.

So naturally, he thought that what Asad had brought this time was also medicine, but strangely, it looked familiar. It was as if he had seen it somewhere...

"Is this the alcohol you received at your birthday?"

"That's right."

When Asad opened the bottle, an indescribably fragrant aroma spread.

"I had completely forgotten about it, but suddenly remembered. The alcohol made by the tailed tribe is almost like medicine. It will also help with wound recovery."

Asad poured the alcohol into a glass on the table and handed it to Kinaine.

"Does it have such effects?"

Kinaine tilted his head but accepted the glass. He seemed to remember the tailed tribe saying something when they presented this alcohol, but he couldn't recall the details.

They sat across from each other at the table. As Asad poured alcohol into his own glass, he spoke.

"The healing effect is a common characteristic of alcohol made by the tailed tribe. What makes this alcohol special is that one sip makes you forget your worries, and two sips vividly bring back happy memories."

Ah, right. That's what they had said. Hearing Asad's words, he finally remembered.

The alcohol was so clear and transparent that the bottom of the glass was visible. Kinaine looked at his reflection in the alcohol and then shook his head.

"Even so, with a duel tomorrow, drinking alcohol seems a bit..."

"This doesn't cause a hangover, so don't worry. If you drink it and get some sleep, your shoulder will be a bit better too."

"Still..."

"I brought it specially, so why not drink it out of consideration for the gesture?"

"...Then I'll have just one glass."

Kinaine deliberated for a long time, but after hearing Asad's last words, he couldn't refuse. He also thought that he couldn't get drunk even if he tried with just one glass of alcohol.

Asad emptied his glass in one go.

Then he rested his chin on his hand and watched, as if waiting for Kinaine to drink.

Finally, Kinaine cautiously brought the glass to his lips. After swallowing one sip, the shadow on his face lightened. Though he couldn't taste it well, he felt his mind clearing somehow.

"This... is good."

"Right?"

Kinaine nodded with a brighter expression than before. Asad stared at that face for a while and then urged him again.

"Drink more."

Kinaine hesitated slightly but, seeming to believe the alcohol wasn't harmful, took another sip. Soon, a gentle smile appeared on Kinaine's face.

"It's good. I don't know how long it's been since I felt like this."

Now Kinaine's face looked joyful to anyone who saw it. It was natural since the negative thoughts that had been troubling him until now would be forgotten, and only good memories would surface.

Asad thought that this was the first time he had seen Kinaine's face so delighted. And he watched for a long time to remember this face for a long time. Only after thinking that he wouldn't forget it even after hundreds of years did he speak.

"Why not drink more?"

"I was planning to have just one glass..."

"Your glass isn't empty yet."

Kinaine looked down at his glass, thinking, "Is that so?" Indeed, there was about one sip left.

Kinaine picked up the glass and swallowed the last sip.

Not knowing that Asad was watching with one eye gleaming.

Since Asad had associated with Fei, the leader of the tailed tribe, quite often, he had occasionally picked up information about the alcohol Fei made. This alcohol had been presented by Fei at the birthday banquet because Asad had shown interest in it initially.

There was no lie in what he had told Kinaine. This alcohol made one forget worries with one sip and recall happy memories with two sips.

What he hadn't mentioned was what happened with three sips.

After confirming the completely empty glass, Asad spoke as if it were nothing special.

"By the way, there's something I want to ask."

If one drank three sips of this alcohol, from then on, one would want to speak the truth. It wasn't like a truth serum; more precisely, it was closer to making one honest about one's feelings.

Forgetting sadness, giving happiness, and making one honest about one's feelings—for these reasons, the leader of the tailed tribe had boasted that this alcohol was the true meaning of alcohol.

"What are you curious about?"

There were many things he was curious about.

Why he had his ring.

Why he had asked him not to find his memories.

How much of what the king had said was true.

But Asad had promised not to ask Kinaine anything. He had no intention of breaking that promise.

"Why did you say you were sorry to me? Were you really thinking of not keeping your promise?"

This was what was important to Asad now.

If Kinaine hadn't just responded with "I'm sorry" to his words, he would have put him to sleep after just two sips. It was Kinaine's words that had aroused Asad's anxiety.

"That's not it..."

"It's not?"

Kinaine looked at Asad and mumbled with his lips. Normally, Asad wouldn't have been able to read anything from his face.

But this time was different.

'Why is he embarrassed?'

Asad was puzzled by the unexpected reaction.

Kinaine continued speaking with embarrassment.

"When I see Lord Asad being anxious... I somehow feel reassured."

"My anxiety reassures you?"

Asad's expression became subtle. As he was confused by the unexpected answer, Kinaine hesitantly said.

"...When Lord Asad wants me, I feel like I'm a person worth living a little longer."