CH 33

Chapter 33 – The Alchemist of the Outer Wall

Helkainis, who went to pick up a friend who lived far away, didn’t come back right away for some reason. She asked Callan about Helka, but he also seemed puzzled.

Still, since no one came to her immediately with contact, Jiwoo spent a few days without thinking much about it.

No, to be more precise, Jiwoo was taking a proper break after such a long while.

When she was still being dispatched by the temple to many foreign places, she had to be called here and there, and she practically shed blood and sweat with how much she worked, whereas they weren’t asking any of that from Jiwoo here.

As a matter of fact, they were determined not to make her work—that’s the kind of treatment she’s getting from the location she was sent to, which was in the farthest and most barren land of the empire.

It’s only natural for her to be sick and bedridden for a few days after fulfilling her duties as the Akarna, but that wasn’t the case here. Further, she even became anxious because she had no work at all, perhaps because she was so used to being so busy for several years now.

So Jiwoo, who felt uncomfortable, asked Callan if there was anything she could do here.

“Excuse me, Callan. Are there any injured or infected people here?”

“Hm? Why are you asking that?”

“Because that’s what I can do.”

“Nonsense! You want to work here now?”

Callan looked rather shocked at those words. Every time he saw Jiwoo, his friendly expression changed to a stern one.

“Have you forgotten that you are sick?”

“Ah…”

Right. In the temple, even if the Akarna was sick, she never treated her as a patient who needed to recover quickly. Rather, she would get worried every time about whether they would kill her or not if was too sick to work.

“Besides, you are our guest, right? Furthermore…”

“…….”

“Did you forget that we’re courting you with marriage in mind?”

“That’s it, that’s…”

“Let’s talk a little bit.”

During the leisurely time when she had no duties or anything, Jiwoo would always chat with Callan. And Callan always came to this conclusion.

“You need more rest.”

So, during the day, Jiwoo spent most of her time lying sprawled under an old tree decorated in the likeness of Elandos. She fell asleep while looking at the birds flying and the leaves that were so thick that they blocked out the light.

Still, in the meantime, if she were to just stay still, the crown prince kept coming to mind. The memories were painful, and thinking about how he was now engaged and about all the things that had happened between them tormented her. She felt frustrated just thinking about the temple forcing her on schedules she didn’t want to. So she tried to get away from it, but surprisingly, that seemed to be the correct answer.

Sunlight filtering through the leaves softened the lump that had hardened like a stone in her heart. At the unreal sight, she didn’t even think about it, as if she had just fallen into a distant world.

Furthermore…

“Why don’t you think about who to marry and when?”

Callandein said it like a joke, showing a smile that was brighter than the green-gold sunlight of this place. Even if she could think of something else, her mind could only think of the courtship.

Callan also suggested that if Jiwoo didn’t want to think about it just yet, she should instead try memorizing the names of all the people in this village. Jiwoo thought it was that easy. Of course, Callan didn’t make such a proposal without a grain of salt.

Anyway, Jiwoo was able to memorize about ten more people’s names in the meantime.

She ignored Callan’s heeding of not to do anything, and looked after the wounds of some people in the village. It was unclear whether this was an occupational disease because she’s been doing it several years, or whether it was Jiwoo’s way of distancing herself from the place.

Of course, Lanceil and Callandein were upset when they found out.

“Jiwoo, you shouldn’t do anything here.”

Lanceil frowned and was concerned, while Callandein seemed to be contemplating something else.

“Alright. I will suggest something else.”

And Callandein only gave an answer.

“Before you do something to someone, ask for a reward first.”

“Okay.”

“You didn’t even receive the reward we prepared for you last time. If you are not comfortable here, in turn, we will also be rather uncomfortable.”

In the end, it was the last words that convinced Jiwoo properly.

One more thing she got to know was their personalities. Lanceil was the overprotective type, while Calandlaine was the nagging type.

However, as they were concerned, Akarna’s work that Jiwoo had been doing for several days had a big impact. On the surface, at least. Like a person suffering from workaholism, the things Jiwoo did for a short time actually earned the favor of the people here.

Even if Jiwoo was sitting still, the people here greeted her affectionately and handed her something like a snack.

“How about settling down?”

Callandein’s proposal and the cautious attitude of the people here were gradually taking over Jiwoo’s heart. She didn’t even feel burdened at all whenever they constantly mentioned it.

‘Would it be okay?’

She realized this: she wasn’t yearning for the Crown Prince’s love. In fact Jiwoo’s heart was melting now because she missed the warmth of other people.

After adapting and living like that for a few days, Helkainis returned a few days later than expected.

A commotion came at the entrance of the village. Tevon came to pick up Jiwoo, who was lying down lazily.

“What happened?”

“Helka is back. Let’s go.”

She could see Helkainis even if she only walked a small distance. Even among the children of Elandos, Helka stood out more because of his unique height.

He was holding someone’s back in one hand. The man who was dragged by the tail like a cat was probably the alchemist Helka had picked up.

Seeing them from a distance reminded her of something Tevon had said.

“Hey, Tevon. Is that the person who was said to be the most handsome?”

There was a feeling that he was handsome like the other children of Elandos, but it was difficult to confirm clearly because his whole body was tightly wrapped. He had a big coat and even gloves as if he was experiencing winter alone. His one eye was also covered with an eyepatch. An eyepatch covered half of his face, so there was no way she could see his appearance.

However, he didn’t look good, as if he had been forcibly dragged back, and at first it was enough to give the impression that he was like a stray cat.

Over the past few days, Jiwoo knows a little about the way they communicate through their ears.

With his ears like that now, it must mean that he’s feeling very uncomfortable.

“Tevon?”

As always, when there was no answer right away, Jiwoo looked up at Tevon, puzzled.

“…….”

Tevon was covering his ears with both hands and opening his mouth in surprise. His face was even dyed red.

‘Oh right. That’s what I said.’

It’s been a few days since she has been living here, and she felt apologetic for repeating this mistake again and again.

As Tevon was puffing and losing his words.

“Seo Jiwoo.”

Helkainis spotted Jiwoo and quickly approached her. The alchemist he was carrying was thrown to the ground.

Wearing an ink-colored robe and even a hood to cover most of his body, he looked more like a reaper than a child of Elandos. The long black hair that hung down the robe hood still looked good.

Even though she had slept with Helkainis, this was the first time she had ever seen him standing upright like this.

“How have you been?”

His voice, heard in broad daylight, was much drier and more pitchless than she remembered.

Coming closer, he grabbed Jiwoo’s hand and knelt down to meet her gaze.

“I wanted to return right away, but it was later than planned because someone was uncooperative. Forgive me.”

“It’s, it’s okay.”

His lips were pressed against the back of her hand, and unlike his dry voice, his eyes blazed passionately. She thought his pupils were so black that she couldn’t even tell anything apart, but somehow they looked like flames burning black.

“After disappearing for several days, I come back and immediately have to say this. I apologize. I just have a favor to ask of you.”

“A favor?”

After hearing the word favor, Jiwoo immediately recalled her duties as the Akarna as a habit.

Callan said ‘reward’ in a mouthful from far behind Jiwoo. She smiled lightly at the warmth that seemed to keep caring for her.

“Will you give me a… reward?”

“Of course.”

Hellkainis glanced at the man he had brought with him. The blazing eyes when he looked at Jiwoo, turned surprisingly cold. As if the emotions disappeared in an instant.

And again he looked at Jiwoo with eyes full of heat.

“I will send you back to your hometown.”

Was he talking about the empire?

But Hellkainis immediately continued.

“I will send you to the place where you belong, the world before you become the Akarna.”

It was a rather surprising statement.

However… Why did he think she would want to go back?