Meanwhile, Kinemia walked past the alchemists and approached a man brewing a white potion. She listened to an explanation about the potion, nodding and grinning.
'Again.'
She's smiling again in front of that foolish alchemist.
She only gave me an awkward smile once, apologizing for bumping into me earlier.
‘…….’
Ayan narrowed his eyes, looking annoyed.
From what that idiot was saying, it sounded like most external injuries could be healed with a potion as long as you were still breathing.
'I can't just let this go.'
Ayan immediately sent a telepathic message to the alchemist.
Hey.
The alchemist looked around, and Ayan waved, giving him a big smile.
“……!”
He spoke gently to the flustered alchemist.
I'm talking directly into your mind, so nobody else can hear. Keep talking to the Grand Duchess and listen to me.
The alchemist, after rolling his eyes, quickly nodded. Ayan smiled, satisfied.
Good. Let's start with introductions. I'm Ayan Kroetz, and from now on, I've got you on a leash.
"Yes?!"
“……?”
The alchemist jerked his head up, and Kinemia, confused, asked, "What's wrong?"
I told you I'm talking directly into your mind. You better shut your mouth if you don't want to look like a fool.
"Ah… No, it's nothing…"
The alchemist shook his head and his hands at Kinemia, who was looking at him with a confused expression.
'So he's a mage...!'
There are mages on the East Continent, too. He knew a little about magic since he had a mage in his family.
Magic usually requires spells, complex calculations, and a lot of magical power.
But being able to send a telepathic message like this, out of the blue, meant he was a top-tier mage, even among the best.
And this supremely powerful mage was sending him telepathic messages, threatening his life.
'What kind of bad luck is this...!'
The alchemist broke out in a cold sweat, and Ayan started playing with Kinemia's hair. He twirled the ends of her hair around his fingers and glared at the alchemist.
The Grand Duchess is really worried, and she's going to ask you to make a potion for my wound. Tell her you can't make one. Say it's an unhealable wound.
“……!”
The alchemist, who was already freaking out, went wide-eyed at the word 'unhealable.'
That would totally crush his pride as an alchemist. He couldn't just say that.
'And... shouldn't I be happy they're going to heal my wound?'
But the evil mage just kept grinning, like he had some other plan.
Finally, the alchemist swallowed hard and shook his head, signaling 'no.'
Heung.
Then Ayan gave him a sickly sweet smile.
Who did I say I was?
"Ay…"
The alchemist was about to answer without thinking, but his mouth suddenly clamped shut. It was like something was blocking it. Ayan put a finger to his lips.
Shh, you shouldn't answer. Blink if you understand.
The alchemist, his mouth blocked, blinked once.
Cold sweat was already flowing down the alchemist's neck and forehead. He felt like a mouse being toyed with by a beast.
While the alchemist was being tormented by 'that psycho, Ayan,' Kinemia brought Ayan over to the alchemist.
"Ayan, show him your wound."
"Okay."
Ayan answered softly and unwrapped the bandage.
"I want this healed."
Kinemia said to the alchemist.
"Ah…"
The alchemist, finally able to speak, let out a small groan.
'What on earth is this…?'
Ayan's side was a mess of torn flesh. There didn't seem to be any damage to his organs, but...
'What kind of trick is this?'
The alchemist wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead.
No matter how he looked at it, it was a wound that kept getting ripped open while it was trying to heal.
He didn't know why, but it was obvious this evil mage had been deliberately messing with the wound.
'Is he crazy?'
He suddenly remembered what Shen Tien had said earlier.
"There's someone even crazier than Singkakan hanging around Little Fairy."
He was right. Even that total nutjob Singkakan wouldn't do something like this.
The alchemist hesitated, and Ayan sent another telepathic message.
Need me to introduce myself again? I'm Ayan Kroetz, the guy who's going to kill you.
The alchemist, already tense, flinched. Pitch-black eyes stared at him, smiling.
Blink if you understand.
The alchemist blinked his eyes, lengthening the blink.
Good. Say that no one can make the medicine.
"Um... Little Fairy. This...can't be healed with a potion."
"Huh? Why? Last time, I saw you heal all the wounds from the monsters."
You want to know why? Because that psycho doesn't want it healed.
But the alchemist couldn't say that out loud.
Say it's cursed with a wicked curse.
"It's...it's got a nasty curse on it."
The alchemist answered, thinking the nasty curse was the mage, not the wound.
"Really?"
Kinemia's face fell, looking disappointed.
Ayan grinned at the alchemist.
Good job. You should've done that right away. Wouldn't want us to have a falling out, would we?
What did he mean, their relationship getting worse? He'd done everything he was told! The alchemist's face went pale, and he started trembling, but Kinemia comforted him, saying it was okay even if the wound couldn't be healed.
"Master, when did you get here?"
Rowe, who was carrying medicinal herbs, asked, noticing Shen Tien looking somewhere.
"Just now."
"You should've told me you were here."
Rowe glanced at him, and Shen Tien hid the liquor bottle at his waist behind his back.
"When are you going to find something you're actually good at?"
"I belong here, Master. Anyway, let me see that bottle."
"Ah, it's nothing!"
"Isn't it alcohol? Show me."
"None of your business!"
Shen Tien shouted and then glanced sideways again.
"What are you staring at?"
"I'm watching someone's pathetic struggle."
Shen Tien's gaze was fixed on Kinemia, Ayan, and the alchemist.
'I knew it.'
Otherwise, our proud alchemist would never say he couldn't heal a wound.
Shen Tien muttered, 'That guy's completely nuts,' and opened his liquor bottle.
"Oh, is that Little Fairy?"
Rowe spotted Kinemia and dashed over to her.
“……?!”
"Little Fairy, you're here!"
What's he doing?! Shen Tien almost spat out his liquor at Rowe's stupidity and quickly wiped his mouth.
'Hasn't this idiot learned anything from last time?!'
He's been swinging a sword since he was born; maybe he's just not that bright?
Anyway, Rowe skipped over to Kinemia.
And before he could reach her, Ayan, of course, made the first move.
Snap-
“……!”
But Rowe, sensing something, reacted instantly.
Whoosh-
Rowe, skidding to a halt, looked up. His eyes met Ayan's.
'He dodged it?'
Ayan frowned, and Rowe, having dodged the magic, flitted over to Kinemia like a butterfly.
"Fairy!"
"*Heung*-"
Ayan hummed, intrigued.
Warp magic works by calculating the target's coordinates and the destination's coordinates, then moving the target.
So, if the target moves before the magic activates, the warp fails.
At least, that's the theory...
Ayan was a Ricasha. He could activate magic unbelievably fast.
Only a handful of knights on the entire continent could dodge magic that fast.
Did he know any knights that fast? Ayan racked his brain.
