CH 42

Normally, she would have freaked out and walked away, but she didn’t now.

She couldn’t push him away when she remembered something strange about Dillian earlier.

‘What if it goes wrong?’

With that change, Dillian’s lips drew a smooth line.

“… Yes, it hurts like it’s going to break.”

Dillian got into Ria’s arms with a dying voice.

“You are too close…”

As she noticed something strange and she tried to back down, the harder the arms held her waist.

“Miss Ria… It hurts…”

Ria flinched at the weak voice of Dillian she heard for the first time. And Dillian, the experienced hunter, didn’t miss the chance.

Dillian cuddled back into her arms as she backed away for a moment.

“I think something hit my head when I fell from the waterfall.”

“… Your head?”

Surprised, Ria asked cautiously.

“Well, do you remember anything?”

Dillian desperately holds the corners of his mouth from moving up.

He felt like he was going to burst into laughter when he looked into the restless round eyes that looked like a rabbit.

“I clearly remember that Miss Ria saved me coolly.”

Dillian laughed silently at Ria’s grim expression.

“You look fine…”

“It’s not. I’m hurt.”

“Is it an aftereffect…? What should I do? The aftereffects can’t be cured by divine power.”

Dillian held back his laughter at Ria’s muttering words.

Aftereffect, huh? He was perfectly normal.

His head is clearer than ever.

“I think it will be okay if Miss Ria pats me.”

“Li, like this?”

Ria patted Dillian on the head with an awkward touch.

Dillian nodded and buried his face in Ria’s neck.

Hiding so that she could not see his face.

The red eyes glistened insidiously, under his satisfied smile.

***

As Dillian was putting on a scheme on Ria, at the time.

There was a commotion at her house when the owner left.

“It’s morning already. Why aren’t they back yet?”

“Something must have happened. We need to find out!”

“Calm down. It hasn’t been a day yet.”

Although he was calming the fussy men, Jerry also glanced down the mountain.

“Trust His Grace. He isn’t someone who is easily attacked.”

“Well, even if His Grace is in danger, he’ll get out safely.”

“But he is losing his memory.”

Eldman’s words made the atmosphere solemn.

That tactless brat.

The fanatics who were about to run immediately managed to soothe, but soon the fire set again.

I have to go or I have to wait. When the knights were at their odds.

Harris, who is one step away from them, gazed at the mountain with a grave look on his face.

Harris also could not sleep easily because of anxiety.

But he is just worried about different things.

Dillian? Never mind. He’s someone who’s gonna laugh even when he is crawling out from hell.

The one Harris is worried about is,

‘Nathan-nim.’

It was Nathan, the divine creature who was awakened after 200 years.

‘I’m not going to worry about the divine creature, but…’

There is a saying in the temple.

[Despite worrying about divine creatures, just worry about your family, friends, or lovers.]

It meant that worrying about divine creatures was unnecessary and stupid.

Harris, who knows that fact better than anyone else, was still worried.

And Nathan wasn’t the only one he was worried about.

Ria, who went with Dillian.

‘She’s the one who woke Nathan-nim up, but she’s still suspicious.’

Right. She’s suspicious.

It’s not enough just for waking Nathan who is a divine creature, isn’t she also loved by the world?

Is that possible?

I couldn’t believe it even though I saw it with my own eyes.

That power was similar yet different from Aaron, the High Priest.

Is that really divine power?

Harris never saw such a sight.

The golden butterfly that was hovering around Ria.

The butterfly was invisible to others.

Of course. That was the flow. The flow of the world.

Because it is an ethereal power, it could never be seen unless it was a person with good eyes like Harris.

With such insanity power, Ria uses it breathlessly and naturally.

As if it was easy.

It wasn’t a power that an ordinary herbalist could have.

Harris recalled the bright light that covered the mountain last night.

It’s just speculation, but Harris is convinced that the light belongs to Ria.

‘She’s for a herbalist…’

Bang!

The door opened unannounced. Harris looked up, waking from his thoughts.

Ludo, who thought it was Dillian, opened his mouth with an excited face.

“Your Grace…!”

“Who’s Your Grace, huh?”

The voice that entered the opened door was cold as the wind and unfamiliar.

“You guys, who are you, why are you in this house?”

The blue eyes glared. The sharp eyes overlook the house as if it’s going to rip off anyone.

“The landlord can’t even be seen.”

The air is shrinking. There was a breathtaking tension.

The knights quickly put on the battle poses. The opponent’s power seems to be unordinary.

“Is everyone mute? Why don’t you talk? I’ll charge you all with trespassing?”

Kanae, who was coming out from the house, swallowed her breath looking at the intruder’s face.

“Hup.”

“Kanae? Do you know her?”

Do I know her? I know her well.

The one with the nickname, the rabid dog.

The magic tower’s loose cannon, Mayme Altran.

***

How long do I have to stay like this?

I’m patting him because he says his head is hurt…

But is this really going to make the pain go away?

‘Mom’s hands are such medicine, something like that?’

Even though I was wondering, my hand was steadily stroking his head.

‘It’s soft.’

I’m sure he is using the same soap, but Dillian’s hair is as soft as silk.

As I was caressing his hair, Dillian raised his head and asked.

“Do you like it?”

“What do you think?”

“I think you like it. Surely.”

Dillian smiled confidently, slightly raising the corners of his mouth. And I agree with it.

“That’s right. Even sir Dillian’s hair is good. What is your weakness actually?”

“Miss Ria’s love?”

Ah, really. I burst out laughing.

Anyway, as he woke up, he was saying nonsense.

“Looking at you joking around, you seem normal.”

I stroked his head for the last time then pushed Dillian away. Dillian’s eyes, which were gently pushed out, were filled with regret.

‘Huh?’

I looked up at the unfamiliar feeling that I feel for the first time.

“What’s wrong?”

“Something feels different.”

Is it an illusion? The atmosphere seems to have changed.

However, I felt an indescribable sense of incompatibility.

“I will let you know.”

Is he telling me without hesitation? The surprise is that I even listened to Dillian.

“It’s often said. If you survive death, the world will look different.”

“That’s true.”

When I nodded and said yes, Dillian continued with a serious face.

“You will feel different. As the world looks different, you will realize the feelings you didn’t know.”

Wait, something is wrong.

“You must have realized your love for me.”

“I don’t know about anything else, but I know for sure that you are crazy.”

Do you have to explain it so long?

Feel different, what do you mean? Dillian is the same.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“So, it doesn’t work.”

It was annoying to see him smiling as if saying ‘it’s too bad’.

Dillian shrugged as he put on a serious look.

“Just put your chin here. It’s swollen.”

As I reached for Dillian, he wrapped his hand around mine.

“Miss Ria, I have something to say about divine power.”

Dillian grabbed me with a serious look on his face.

“Usually, divine power didn’t work on me.”

“Huh? But my divine power worked though.”

I’ve cured him countless times and put his curse to rest.

“I’ve heard from Harris that I’m much more divine resistance than others.”

“Divine resistance?”

I knew there were people born with divine resistance, but it was the first time I saw it with my own eyes.

“Yes. That’s why divine power never works on me. Harris actually tested it.”

“How was it…?”

Dillian shook his head at my trembling question.

“It rejected Harris forcefully. And I felt a little bit of pain. Harris also felt the same pain as I did.”

No way. In 〈Saintess, Aina〉, there was no description that divine power didn’t work on Dillian.

Reflecting on the information I knew, I hesitated.

‘Then otherwise, was there a narrative that Dillian accepted the divine power?’

No. There wasn’t.

Then did he ever go to the temple?

Never.

Physical contact with the saintess?

Never.

Dillian had no contact with anyone who has divine power until the end of the story.

What Dillian said was likely true.

Then here’s the question.

‘Why is mine the only one that works?’

The power I use is obviously divine power.

The difference is that it comes from nature, not from the body, this is definitely divine power.

“But miss Ria’s divine power makes me feel secure and comfortable.”

What’s the difference? What the hell is that?

No. But more importantly, what if I was the only one who could reach out to Dillian who couldn’t accept divine power?

‘… Crazy.’

Didn’t I put off the flag* properly? Can’t I get away from that possessive and obsessive mastermind forever?

*Like a signal for something (usually bad) might happen.

As soon as my legs start to tremble, warm and soft flesh touch my palms.

It was Dillian’s cheek. While my mind was out for a while, he brought my hands to his cheek.

“Ha, do you really want to be like this in this situation? Put it down.”

“My head hurts.”

“Sir Dillian’s head must be stuck on the cheek.”

“Miss Ria, bigotry is a bad thing.”

… You’re such a good talker, huh? Even though it was crap, Dillian has a skill to make such nonsense sound plausible.

I can’t beat him in a talking fight. I finally gave up and sighed.

“Anyways, it’s fine with me, right?”

Dillian nodded.

‘Let’s check it out. Am I really the one who is fine?’

I infused divine power on him.

Dillian inflated his chest and exhaled a sweet breath.

“How is it?”

I asked carefully, Dillian turned his head and kissed my palm.

Smooch.

The hot, soft lips pressed down on my palm.

My face burned at the loud sound in the quiet cottage.

Dillian folded his eyes when he saw my red face.

He said with his lips still on my palm.

“It’s good.”

What is so good…? What is that?!

Screaming inwardly, I quickly shook off my hand.

“Sir Dillian, you really! Don’t do things like this. Do you like it when I rub my lips on your palm?”

I meant to change perspective and think about it, but Dillian’s reaction was unusual.

He raised his hand to cover my mouth.

“Do you want to try it?”