Chapter 28
Thud!
The monster finally collapsed with a heavy sound.
“W-we did it!”
“Hooray!”
The nobles who had been watching the three knights’ battle erupted in cheers.
But unlike them, the knights stared at me as if I were a heartless monster.
“M-Miss… So this is the Magic Tower’s top-tier potion… Truly remarkable…”
In truth, they had died over ten times during the fight. Other monsters had joined midway.
But Dovian’s modified potion refused to let them stay dead.
‘I can’t believe it healed them nonstop.’
Thanks to that, they fought like temporary zombies.
‘Though as a side effect, their hair started shedding like molting animals…’
I pretended not to notice and pocketed the remaining potion.
“Good work. You saved the nobles here.”
“Miss Ophensa…”
“It was all the potion’s doing. But why did you strike the bottle before opening it?”
“Because that’s how it opens.”
“Huh?”
At first, I tried twisting the cap normally, but it wouldn’t budge. The special container required magic infusion, not brute force.
But since I’m magic-incompatible, I couldn’t channel any.
Out of frustration, I smacked it—and it popped open.
“Anyway, move!”
I shoved past them.
“Wait! More monsters might come—give us the remaining potion!”
“What?”
“Who knows? If we meet the Deputy Tower Lord, we might praise you!”
Ungrateful leeches. They just wanted to use the potion to cozy up to the Magic Tower.
[Time remaining: 00:41:10]
I’m swamped!
I snatched an empty potion bottle off the floor and clubbed the man clinging to me.
Thwack!
“Gah!”
“Y-you dare strike me?! The Deputy Tower Lord will hear of this!”
I flipped him off and bolted. Pulling out a magic-detecting compass from my bag, I muttered,
‘To find the silver-haired man, go the opposite direction of the needle.’
His magic would be unstable now.
I crept forward, scanning my surroundings.
But I couldn’t speed up.
Grrrl…
Monsters prowled the halls. It seemed every creature from the performance hall had been unleashed.
‘I thought Lainen was holding them back. Guess it was too much for him alone.’
Suddenly, the compass needle spun wildly.
‘Surrounded!’
Monsters closed in from all sides—the needle’s speed confirmed it.
‘Why?! I avoided getting blood on me to hide my scent!’
A door stood nearby. I lunged for it.
But the moment I opened it—
“—!”
A hand shot out and yanked me inside.
Thud.
The door shut softly behind me, muffling the growls outside.
Or was that growling coming from the man before me?
His beast-like breathing made my hair stand on end. I swung a fist, but he caught my wrist effortlessly.
“How dare—!”
A familiar voice cut through the tension:
“Why are you here? I told you to hide.”
“…Lainen?”
“Haa…”
Lainen staggered, his head slumping against my shoulder.
Calipa, trying to catch Lainen, crumpled under his weight.
“Ugh—heavy! Hey, snap out of it! Where are you hurt?”
She lightly slapped his cheek.
At that moment—
The scent of magic flooded Lainen’s senses.
Thick, potent, unlike anything he’d ever known.
His hazy eyes locked onto Calipa’s wrist, gripping it like prey.
Then—
“—Hhk.”
His parched lips scraped hungrily against her palm.
“L-L-Lainen?!”
“Hah… How…?”
His straight nose pressed into the curve of her hand as Calipa froze.
“L-Lainen! What are you—?”
“Haa…”
Lainen’s brow furrowed as he fought for control. His lashes trembled, revealing cloudy gray eyes flickering like dying embers.
“L-Lainen? Are you sane?!”
“……”
His chapped lips suddenly clamped down on her slender finger, then licked upward—the hot, soft touch searing Calipa’s skin.
‘He’s completely out of it!’
Her eyes widened.
His grip was weak, trembling. She could’ve broken free but didn’t.
‘Because…’
His pristine lashes quivered as he wrestled with impulse, his agonized face unbearably beautiful.
‘His looks… are unfair.’
Without thinking, Calipa’s thumb brushed his lower lip—
“Shameless…!”
“Eep!”
She yanked her hand back.
“N-No! I didn’t—!”
“No… I’m the shameless one. Forgive me…”
Lainen nuzzled her hand again, his breath scorching.
“Your magic… I’m sorry… This is absurd…”
“Magic? From me?”
“So sweet… I’ll go mad…”
“Wait—me having magic doesn’t make sense!”
Lainen shook his head weakly—whether denying her or fighting himself was unclear.
“Haa…”
“Lain—Ah!”
His larger frame pressed into hers. His gaze sharpened, feral and starving.
Calipa’s spine prickled.
“…Just so you know, I’m not meat. Got it?”
“…….”
“Besides, I shouldn’t have detectable magic—”
Wait. If she truly lacked magic, she couldn’t have awakened her powers.
‘Does that mean…?’
She recalled a medical text she’d read while researching the silver-haired man:
«Magic is essential to life. Those with magic deficiencies instinctively seek magic-rich sources. Severe cases are called «magic thirst»…»
No way.
Her eyes bulged.
“You have magic thirst—Eek!”
Neat teeth sank into her soft hand.
