The Innocent Mage's Spellbinding Nights - Chapter 42
Hesed often found himself becoming a fool in front of Irina without realizing it, but he wasn’t oblivious. When Irina used fatigue as an excuse to reject his nighttime visits, he realized the magic that had intertwined them, who were like oil and water to each other, had lost its effect.
Thus, he was at a crossroads.
Would he quietly revert to being Irina’s kind junior, or would he take the significant risk of pursuing a new relationship?
‘Hesed, I have just one question.’
‘Yes, I am listening.’
‘…Have you ever resented me for taking your place?’
The day she first revealed a part of her dark inner thoughts.
‘If you ask if I have ever resented you for any reason, I cannot say that I haven’t.’
‘I swear by Magia, the God of Magic, that I have never once resented you or the previous Tower Master because of it. I am content with my current position, working closely with you.’
‘Please believe me.’
Irina had relaxed as if relieved by his answer and kissed him. Sometimes, a single gesture holds more meaning than any lengthy speech. It was then that Hesed gained the courage to pursue a new relationship.
“…Will you allow me to stand by your side without any special reason?”
Boom, boom.
Fireworks continued to burst in the sky, but the beautiful flowers no longer held their attention. All they could see was each other.
“He… Hesed, I…”
“I’ve told you before,”
That even if you say you hate me,
“I’ll just love you more.”
The words he’d teasingly said on the bed were not just playful—they were sincere.
So,
“Even if you do not reciprocate my feelings, please generously allow me to be with you. I’ll love you enough for both of us.”
Hesed systematically cut off her retreat. Irina opened her lips several times but couldn’t form a complete sentence.
“This is too… sudden.”
She finally responded just before his heart could turn to ashes from anxiety.
“It’s not too long ago that we had to be entangled because of my blunder. So, you and I are both likely confused. Let’s take our time to think it over calmly.”
Although her response was ambiguous enough that more than half of ten people might consider it a roundabout rejection, Hesed felt his heart pounding.
If she still saw him only as her junior, she wouldn’t have responded that way.
A person leaning towards only one side wouldn’t feel the need to be confused.
“You are indeed cautious. I love that about you too.”
He said ‘love’ instead of ‘like’, escalating the intensity of his words, which made Irina’s face turn red. Showing such an endearing expression frequently, if she didn’t realize it would make him love her, that would be truly unfair.
“Sure. You may still not be free from the side effects, so it might be hard for you to believe my feelings. I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
Hesed deliberately pretended not to notice her condition. In their relationship, he was the one who loved more, and thus, was the weaker party. How could he let go of such a precious excuse to stay close to her while her feelings were still wavering?
“No, it’s just…”
In the end, Irina couldn’t bring herself to say that the side effects of the potion had disappeared and that he no longer needed to visit her quarters. She turned slightly to avoid his intense gaze, lowering her head a little.
Hesed understood her confusion. Instead of clinging to her side, he reached out and gently held her small hand.
Her fingers twitched momentarily but soon calmed. Anyone looking at them would see a pair of lovers just starting out. Above them, colorful fireworks burst, as if blessing their new beginning.
Although he thought she didn’t know, Irina was also aware.
The reason so many young men and women flocked to the streets during the summer festival was the superstition that a confession made under the fireworks would be blessed by the gods.
The night, hotter and more brilliant than the fireworks, passed by.
***
After the fireworks ended, many people quickly left the streets, and most of the shops and stalls closed as well.
However, a few shops remained open until the streets fell completely silent. One of them was the tent-shaped fortune-teller’s shop, where a black-haired fortune-teller resided.
“Take care. May the blessings of the deity I serve be with you as well.”
“…Yes, thank you for the consultation.”
With a somewhat dazed look, as if she were under a spell, Celsia rose from her seat and left the tent.
The black-haired fortune-teller watched her retreating figure with a satisfied gaze.
This summer festival had been beneficial for him in many ways. He had found several eyes and ears to observe the White Tower, a place he couldn’t easily infiltrate himself.
“It’s quite amusing, isn’t it? Those seemingly content and rational mages, who value logic and efficiency, flocked to my humble space in such numbers.”
He muttered as he tapped the crystal ball.
People often make foolish assumptions. They believe that those who already have much will not be as greedy, except for a few peculiar individuals.
“No, no. It’s because they are inherently greedier than others that they have so much in the first place.”
Thus, even though they might appear respectable mages within the White Tower, living lives admired by many on the outside,
They covet what isn’t theirs—whether it be someone’s heart or greater influence and power—leading them to collaborate in trapping an innocent person.
“O, my dear god, I truly look forward to it. To see how much power that vessel, mirroring my abilities, can contain.”
He would show a future that might have been his, had his body not been ruined by a horrific experiment long ago.
“Heh heh…”
A low chuckle, almost like a sob, echoed softly.
