~Chapter 121~
“Uncle Gideon said to thank you.”
At Penny’s grumbling words, I tilted my head.
“For taking me along on the trip. You saw it too, right? I’ve never been a bother to Uncle, not even once.”
“Haha…”
Apparently, Gideon thought Penny and I were just going on a carefree trip together.
〈Ah, Tyrannian? That’s a good place for a change of scenery. Have a good trip.〉
Even though I hinted that Idette might appear there, he didn’t really believe it. Well, of course—since I didn’t explain in detail. To make it convincing, I’d have to bring up the original story itself.
But how could I say that? I’d just be branded as insane. Better to be seen as pathetic than crazy.
I sighed inwardly and pulled my hood lower. Penny immediately copied me.
“You don’t need to do that.”
“You know you’re the last person who can say that, right?”
“…Yeah.”
Even with our disguises, I couldn’t shake off my unease.
If Idette is in danger, being near her will drag me in too.
Tyrannian was a place untouched by civilization, known as the “Village Trapped in Heavy Fog.” Still, on the night of the Lantern Festival, the fog lifted. Midnight was approaching, yet the whole town glowed with bright lanterns.
At that moment, on the altar, a sheep was thrown into the fire.
Fwoosh!
The ritual had already begun.
“…Poor thing.”
I gasped, quickly pressing my finger to my lips to silence Penny. She whispered in a deflated tone,
“The Lantern Festival in the capital was nothing like this…”
Of course not. The capital no longer feared winter, so the festival there would’ve been more like a celebration than a ritual.
It was there that Erkisian and Idette realized their love in the original story.
I gave a bitter smile and pulled Penny along. But just then, someone running by slammed into my shoulder.
“Watch where you’re going!”
“Unnie!”
Penny called out in alarm. The man brushed off his arm, as if my touch had dirtied him.
“Ugh, unlucky…”
“You’re the one who wasn’t looking!”
I stopped Penny from exploding further and just dipped my head in apology. Making a scene wouldn’t help.
That’s when it happened. The candle he held suddenly flared blue.
“….”
The eerie glow in the dark sent a chill through me. Penny, sensing the same, tugged nervously at my hand.
“You two, wait.” The man’s voice was cold.
“Are you outsiders?”
A strange question. Outsiders were allowed at the Lantern Festival.
“And if we are?” I replied.
Penny swallowed loudly beside me. Her unusual nervousness gave me a bad feeling.
The man glanced at her.
“Ah, no problem. Any guest who comes for Tyrannian’s peace is welcome.”
Then why act so intimidating?
“Of course, that only applies when the candle doesn’t react.”
He jerked his head toward us.
“Stand apart. We need to see who it responded to.”
“Is this how you treat guests?”
“In Tyrannian, you follow Tyrannian’s rules.”
Rules, my foot.
I narrowed my eyes.
“Why did the flame change color? Shouldn’t we at least know the reason if you want us to explain?”
Ignoring me, the man brought the candle close. As the flame wavered near us, it shifted back to red.
“…!”
He tried again, waving it between me and Penny, but the color stayed red.
“Then the misunderstanding’s cleared, isn’t it?”
“S-strange. This shouldn’t happen…”
Penny, frozen stiff, stumbled back with sweat streaming down her face. The man tossed aside his candle, lit a new one, but the result was the same.
His face pale, he suddenly shouted,
“A—a magician!”
“….”
“The magician has escaped!”
At his words, the lanterns around us flared to life, and chaos erupted.
“Seal the entrance! We must hurry the ritual before he arrives!”
“Where are the guards? If the candle reacted, the magician must be nearby—”
In the confusion, I tried to slip away with Penny.
“Stop!”
The man’s voice rang sharp, and people in robes rushed in, blocking every exit.
Fear wasn’t the strongest thing I felt—confusion was.
Escaped magician?
Penny whispered, trembling,
“They’re talking about the person you’re looking for, right?”
“Judging by the situation…”
But what about this “ritual”? If it was the one meant to merge Idette with Ailins, wasn’t that supposed to happen in Dremokan, not here?
“U-unnie, let’s just go back.”
“We can’t.”
“W-why not?”
“We just can’t.”
Idette was important, but right now…
“We just need to buy some time. That’s all, okay?”
“I’m sorry, but my family’s strict…”
I patted Penny’s shoulder.
“My little sister is still young. Our parents worry a lot. We really should go home early.”
***
Of course, our excuses didn’t work.
We were locked in a cell, iron bars between us and freedom.
“It’s all ruined because of Uncle! Just for talking a little, he sent me here!” Penny sulked.
“To be fair, you followed me willingly.”
“Do you think they’re really after Idette?”
“Who else could it be? The candle reacts to magic.”
Penny tugged at her hair in frustration.
“And it only reacts to the strongest magic nearby. Remember, it flickered when we passed? She must’ve been close then.”
Which meant it turned red again once she moved away.
“So, do you think she saw us?”
“Of course she did! And still she ran away!”
Penny stomped her feet furiously.
“Ugh, how infuriating!”
“As long as she saw us, that’s enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“Idette wouldn’t abandon us and just run if she really noticed us.”
Penny scowled.
“No one risks their life to save strangers.”
“Well, even if she did run, it wouldn’t be the worst thing.”
“What?!”
“Finding her was our goal, wasn’t it?”
“…I guess you’re right.”
Penny slumped down beside me with a tired sigh.
“Then we should wait a bit before leaving. Just in case we miss her. I don’t care if I have to blow this place up—I’m getting out.”
“Alright.”
I pulled out the candle the man had tossed away.
“How about twenty minutes?”
“I was thinking an hour, but twenty’s fine.”
She nodded, lit the candle again.
Time passed. The red flame flickered… then slowly turned blue.
The moment I looked up, the only light winked out completely.
