NOVEL NEXT Chapter 175
When I got back to the mansion, I found a somewhat unexpected guest waiting for me. A young man was sitting at the table — the Master of North Wind, the dude from Yellow Square. What on earth was he doing here?
I’d only seen him briefly earlier when we took down the Plague and chatted with the Square Masters. We didn’t know each other at all. Was he curious about something unresolved? Or was he actually waiting for Hong Yu-ri instead of me?
He looked at me as if he had been waiting for me.
“Did you really take that form?”
He seemed to recognize me right away, even in my puppy form. Perhaps it was because Hong Yu-ri and Fairy were right next to me. The Master of North Wind stood up immediately.
“Sorry for dropping by so late. It’s really important for me, so bear with me… um, was it Hong Yu-ri? I apologize.”
“It’s fine.”
Clearly, the Square Master knew how to keep his cool. If it were someone else, I would’ve shot back, but I chose to let it slide. It was already dark, closing in on midnight, but since I didn’t need sleep, day and night didn’t matter.
“Shall we step outside to talk?”
Thinking it over, I nodded; it made sense for him to want privacy for whatever he came to discuss.
Normally, I would’ve brought Fairy along, but since she was knocked out from too much candy, I left her behind and stepped out of the mansion. After walking a bit in the night breeze, the Master of North Wind started speaking.
“I asked if I could, but I’m almost sure here, so just give me an answer.”
“……”
“I’ve been searching for my master for quite a while.”
I already knew that. The Master of North Wind was younger than the other Square Masters for a reason. He was the successor who took over from the previous Yellow Square Master. It was the first time a Square Master had been replaced.
So, he was referring to his master, the former Yellow Square Master. And I knew who that was. I killed him.
“Not so long ago, when I heard about the Neverland raid, I became almost sure.”
In Area 2, the shadow of doubt loomed. Great Magic could be mimicked, but it could never be the same. However, there was no reason to actually mimic it, and there were only a handful of mages who could use Great Magic.
“A traitor. That was your master, right?”
He was referring to Silent Mouth. The fact that he came to ask me means he knew everything that went down in Neverland.
Including who fought against Silent Mouth.
Originally, Silent Mouth became a near-immortal monster after drinking the imitation elixir. The intensity of his power was utterly daunting once he regained his full strength. Reflecting on the carnage he unleashed makes me grateful that I managed to take him down.
He was undeniably garbage. No doubt he was someone who needed to be killed. But the Master of North Wind also knew that, so there was no need to bring it up.
He just wanted to confirm his master’s death.
I didn’t say a word, but the Master of North Wind took my silence as an answer and sighed, turning away.
“…Thank you.”
Why was he thanking me? For stopping his master’s evil deeds? Or for finally learning that his master was dead? I didn’t know how he felt, but one thing was clear—his master was not coming back.
Because the thunderous old man had died as Silent Mouth.
Without saying another word, the Master of North Wind slowly walked away.
The wolf watched him until he disappeared from sight.
***
When I returned after finishing the story, Baek So-yul was tilting her head as she cradled a sleeping Fairy.
“You’re back so soon?”
We exchanged very few words during the time I was gone, even though it felt longer. Still, it wasn’t meaningless; at least not for the Master of North Wind.
I thought he might jump me, considering I killed his master, but that didn’t happen.
While I was gone, Hong Yu-ri must have gone into her room since she wasn’t around. Baek So-yul handed me a cup of fragrant coffee, the kind Hong Yu-ri usually drank.
“……”
I took a sip from the cup, and when she didn’t say anything, I was the one to break the silence.
“Got something on your mind?”
She might have said she napped in the morning, but judging by how she was anxiously waiting for my return and her unusual demeanor, I had to think something was up. Sure enough, Baek So-yul cautiously asked.
“…Is the teacher going to be okay?”
She must have been aware enough of the severity of what Hong Yu-ri was facing since she heard the entire story. What did Baek So-yul think when she saw the red scales on the back of my neck? I wanted to say it would be fine, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that.
I couldn’t guarantee what would happen.
However, one thing I was certain of was that I was not going to sit idly by. I had some ideas popping up in my mind.
Change meant positive transformation due to external factors. If her change was due to Dragon Blood, then she needed to cultivate a power that could confront it. To put it simply, awakening Great Magic should solve the problem. While I would look for other solutions in the meantime, this was the only thing that came to mind urgently. There was no time to be picky in an emergency.
As I voiced my thoughts, Baek So-yul’s face brightened up, her smile returning.
“That’s a relief.”
Did she really believe that Hong Yu-ri could acquire Great Magic? I didn’t know where that faith came from, but I found myself staring at her, my heart at ease.
These days, I’ve been feeling it more often… I sometimes lose track of myself when it comes to her.
…….
We didn’t exchange any words until we finished our coffee. The only sounds were the clock’s ticking and Fairy’s gentle breaths while she slept.
Despite that, the atmosphere didn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable.
Her hand brushed over Fairy’s fur endlessly. Fairy yawned in her sleep. Even in her dreams, she seemed to be mouthing something.
That look of being deep in thought… I couldn’t help but ask her the same question again.
“Got anything you want to say?”
Baek So-yul’s hand trembled as she clenched the handle of her empty cup. Her surprised eyes met mine, and I realized it was kind of strange to not pick up on that.
“…Did it show too much?”
As she looked away while asking, I nodded slightly, and she began to speak.
“…You know?”
Even though we were indoors, I could see her breath fogging. Maybe it was from the coffee.
“I’m going to the Purple Square in two days.”
I already knew that. I stared blankly at her for a moment before nodding again. Baek So-yul fumbled with her words, opening and closing her mouth as if trying to find the right phrase. Then, her voice rose slightly, sounding like she was whining.
“…Aren’t you worried?”
The wolf tilted its head as if to say, ‘Why not?’ and Baek So-yul pouted. Was it really that hard for her to understand? In just two days, she might not see someone she has known for years… Should I keep elaborating? I realized my empty cup was already in my hand.
Just like that, was I going to let this slip away again, like that morning on the rooftop?…
Honestly, I didn’t plan on saying anything. It was disappointing, but right now, Alpha needed to be there for the teacher more than for me. How could she not be anxious about not knowing when she might change species?
So, I couldn’t say it. I knew too well that it was the teacher who needed Alpha by their side, not me. Even if it was just the last two days, I couldn’t allow myself to be greedy.
That’s why I wanted to keep quiet. I thought it would just cause unnecessary trouble. But didn’t she at least deserve me to say something? Amidst that frustration, I released a sigh I had been holding in.
Was she pretending not to know or genuinely oblivious? Or maybe she didn’t like me…
I found myself envying Fairy every time this came up. After all, Fairy would always be by my side. Furthermore, the teacher might end up with Alpha if they wanted that.
Unlike me, the teacher could do things I couldn’t. That made me quite envious. I wished I could be the one beside her. That’s why I was going to the Square, but even at the last moment…
My confusion and jealousy blended into feelings I couldn’t quite grasp. Without even thinking about it, words slipped out from my lips.
“…Now that the new year has started, good things have happened…”
I mindlessly mumbled a series of meaningless words. Hiding my whining self, I leaned over the table. …More than anyone, I knew she didn’t need such complicated thoughts.
She knew how important the tasks ahead were. If we couldn’t be together, I shouldn’t hinder her with my presence.
As Baek So-yul was about to stand, she halted as my hand brushed against her. With her eyes closed, she embraced that moment, savoring the silence between us.
“Thank you.”
“……”
“If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead.”
I gently stroked her silky hair. If Baek So-yul hadn’t been there, I would have died before fighting the Plague, possibly from a magical backlash.
The bright, pure light she brought into my life… allowed me to survive. Without that, I would have perished amidst the magical bombardment.
I could defeat the Plague because I didn’t do this alone. It was a collective victory with the mages, the familiars, and Baek So-yul’s support.
But what Baek So-yul truly wanted to hear wasn’t just my gratitude or an apology. I knew that well, but I couldn’t bring myself to say those specific words.
Because I would leave someday. This world isn’t mine. And above all, I’m not human. Maybe Baek So-yul would say she doesn’t care about those things, but even so, I couldn’t accept her feelings when I might disappear at any moment.
……Even with countless reasons in my mind, I couldn’t say a single word. I just pretended not to notice and waited for her feelings to fade away. I also couldn’t deny how I was drawn to her. The night passed quietly, without a hitch.
***
The morning Hong Yu-ri stepped out of her room, the wolf spoke to her, echoing what it had told Baek So-yul the day before. Judging by her rubbing her eyes and how tired she looked, she must have had a restless night filled with anxiety over what she could do. She probably thought that anything was better than doing nothing.
“So… you should get Great Magic.”
Hong Yu-ri looked at me, her expression utterly incredulous.
“Great Magic isn’t just a dog’s name. How easy can that be?”
As she said that, she grit her teeth. Mind you, I was standing right in front of her, and I already had Great Magic.
Wasn’t that the reason she had swallowed Dragon Blood? But telling her to get Great Magic to subdue it felt completely backward. Her gaze shot at me like daggers, but I didn’t flinch.
“You won’t know till you try.”
Her scarlet eyes met mine, filled with frustration. There was no way she hadn’t tried hard enough. After all, it was something she had spent her whole life striving for, yet I was treating it so casually. I could see her fist clenching tightly, hidden from view.
She still glanced at me with unwavering resolve. Although she didn’t say a word, I could see the question in her eyes—did she really want to do nothing?
……She was right. This was the time to grab onto any straw. The transformation due to Dragon Blood might appear to have slowed for now, but we couldn’t predict when it would surge again. We couldn’t just sit and wait for answers.
Admittedly, I hadn’t thought this through all night… but the thought of even being able to grasp Great Magic seemed too distant. I had already given up on it, though the problem had come back to haunt me. I couldn’t say it out loud; it would hurt my pride. A simple, silly reason that didn’t suit a mage, but that frustration was exactly what kept me going, and the wolf understood this better than anyone.
When I heard the next part from the wolf, I felt a vein pop in my forehead.
“Of course, if it’s difficult, you should look for other methods.”
“Wasn’t it Dorothy A Daniella? She probably got Great Magic most recently, so asking her might be a good idea.”
Her fist trembled at that painfully obvious suggestion. The sound of something cracking echoed as she grit her teeth and replied.
“Shut up! I don’t need that! All I need is to get it—Great Magic!”
Her anger was so palpable. I could tell I had hit some sort of nerve. I had known how to handle her after spending time together, and it seemed to work like a charm.
From that day on, Hong Yu-ri started her journey.