“No one can make me do anything, really.”

Nikolas casually brings out a piece of cloth and cleans the blood from an ornate pocket knife. He continues, “Your Guildmaster just wants to make sure…that I’m not going to do something that I shouldn’t be doing. So, I just went along with it. That way, I can also make sure that he keeps his deal.”

I stare at how nonchalant the red-haired boy tries to be. How…absurd!

Is…this kid…truly the same Nikolas Redfield that I’ve heard of in my past life?

While the guy wasn’t the top of the Obsidian ladder, not many wanted to pick a bone with Nikolas either. He was said to be an unpredictable storm, an unstoppable force. Silent and deadly like poison to friends and enemies alike. At the next second, a monster to those deemed to be ‘unworthy’—even if they were his superiors.

Lastly, he did not make deals with the enemy. No compromises. Only one will leave the room alive—and it’s going to be him.

Nikolas Redfield…was a demon.

“Hey!” Ignoring Nikolas’ protest, I soon grab hold of the cloth that he was using and carefully place the knife back into its leather sheath. “I can do it myself, you know!”

At once, the boy flinches from the touch of my hand. He furrows his brows and glances up at me while I wipe the red rivlets from his wrist. Thankfully, the cut is not too deep. I tie the thin piece of cloth around Nikolas’ wrist. There is a small bow.

“I could’ve just casted a healing spell on us two, Ellen.” Cedric laughs. “There’s no need to be so protective of your friend!”

The man snaps his fingers, and the glowing array underneath our feet disappears. His fluttering hair gradually falls back to place. The same with his outer robe.

“Qin Yang.” Nikolas averts his attention to me and seizes my hand from the bow. His hold is firm. His voice is faint. “...You need to rest.”

I blink at the boy. “...Huh?”

From the edge of my peripheral, I catch Alastair glaring upon Nikolas’ grip on my small hand. I hear him inquire, “Why do you keep calling her by that name?”

Right away, I yank it from the other’s hold. I retreat from the bedside, only to feel the unbearable heat from not just my face—but also, from my body.

My vision blurs.

I look down at my sweaty, open palm.

Am I…?

“Ellen?” The Guildmaster calls out. “Hey, you don’t look so good…”

So hot.

“It’s none of your busi—” Nikolas’ breath contracts.

So hot.

My body feels light.

Someone’s cold hand…reaches toward me.

“QIN YANG!” A boy shouts out for me.

It’s followed by Cedric yelling, “ELLEN!”

“ELLEN!” Alastair exclaims, racing over to my side. “Hey! She has a fever….”

For a moment, their panicked voices blend together. Then, as my vision fades to black, the words mute and trail off to the distance…

Around this time after the patrol, I think…I also developed a fever in my previous life.

When my fever broke though and I woke up, Cedric…was gone.

The doctors had thought he was inflicted by a rare type of poison and ran tests on him.

But they never found out what it was that plagued our Guildmaster.

And it wasn’t until four years later, after I turned fourteen, when Moon Flower discovered that Cedric was Cursed.

But how did we find out? I forget how…

Suddenly, sleep overtakes me. My worries and questions vanish to the back of my mind.

☆*:・ﾟ・:* ☆

By the time when my eyes open, I feel the cool, soft blanket embrace my entire self. I flip over to my side, feeling my left cheek compress against the silk pillow. Gold sunlight shines through the vast translucent curtain that encompasses the canopy of my large bed. The curtains of my windows are slightly drawn open.

And…there is someone standing by the tall glass window, closest to my bedside.

“Are you feeling a bit better now?”

“Yes, Guildmaster…” My voice is hoarse. I blink back the hot tears in my eyes. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s not your fault. Still, you gave us a scare there, including…Cole.” The fair man then murmurs something like “...especially Cole…” but I don’t know for sure.

“Is he still here?” I ask, laying in the bed.

“Hmm… Yes, although he should be resting his leg more. Kid is restless in this place.” Cedric pauses to think over what is said. “But I don’t blame him, given that he’s probably spent his whole life in that dark alley…and in a place like that… To be suddenly placed in a safe, stable environment…must be jarring for Cole.”

I watch the Guildmaster grab his white chair, and he plops down on the seat with grace. Brushing back his platinum bangs, the handsome person beams at me. His blue eyes soften.

“Alastair…is in complete distress over your condition.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? Did you get into a fight with him recently?”

“No, we didn’t…but he’s been really fussy over me. It’s weird.”

To my surprise, Cedric cocks his head and folds his arms. He thinks for a moment, blinks those long lashes of his, and nods. “I noticed that as well…” He smiles. “But it wasn’t too long ago when you fell out of the tower and nearly met your end, right?”

“It’s…true.” I don’t want to admit it. However, the Guildmaster seems to be onto something here… That incident does sort of make sense in relation to Alastair’s sudden change of behavior. I add, “And…I was kidnapped. He was also worried about me during the funeral preparations.”

“Because you blame yourself.”

“If I had been more aware of my surroundings, then…they wouldn’t have died. We all would have been there for them.”

“We cannot always prepare for what the future brings us, Qin Yang.” I feel my breath shorten when the man says my true name. He sighs and goes on, “It’s nice…that someone has taken it upon themselves to honor your background and your identity. Right?”

“Yes…” I answer, clasping my small hands together. “It actually feels nice.”

It’s been too long since someone has called me by ‘Qin Yang’ in such a sincere way.

The Guildmaster continues, “What happened…to our comrades isn’t something that you could’ve stopped. It’s the same for the Shan Qing sect back then. And what happened to you and the other children afterward.”

I clutch the pale pink blanket and its quilted squares.

“If we were all there in the marketplace, everyone, including me, might have died.” Cedric explains, gently. “None of all this is your fault. Sometimes, it’s okay to not have all the answers. You, Davyd, Lavi, Alastair, and I are fine. Not even I would be able to protect everyone.”

The Guildmaster has a point there.

“...Then, I must ask this…” I see that I have his full attention. “Why are you allowing Cole to stay here despite having to form a blood pact? It doesn’t make sense to have someone whom you can’t trust to be among those you love and care for.”

Cedric’s eyes light up. “So, you’ve noticed that too!”

I wait for his reply and narrow my brows.

“Hmm…” Leaning against the back of his chair, the man begins, “I guess…it’s because I want to have a gamble with the best kind of magic.”

“And what’s that?”

“Hope.”

I feel my eyes grow large. “Hope…?”

“Nikolas Redfield…is an Inmundus and a recent recruit of Obsidian, one of our many enemies.” Cedric goes on, playing with a few long strands of his white-blond hair. “But…he is still a child and a victim of unfortunate circumstances due to Nobilis Apricus’ history, the stigma against Inmundus people, poverty, and other factors.”

So, Cedric knew from the start.

I listen keenly to what the Guildmaster has to say. My interest is piqued by the man who should be dead and is not.

The man goes on, “He is a prodigy of all types of magic.” Like Cedric himself. “Not just dark magic. It’s incredible…”

Oh… So, the Guildmaster sees a part of himself in the boy.

“And…while he can’t leave the dark guild, Cole is a good kid. He has potential to overcome these obstacles in his life and become…one of the nation’s greatest sorcerers, no, one of history’s greatest sorcerers.” Cedric adds. “Just before Cole gets there, he can eliminate Obsidian to take his freedom back.”

He pinches the area between his brows. “...That is, if he learns to use his talent for good. And I just sort of figure that maybe I can be that guide for Cole.”

“...Are you adopting another kid, Guildmaster?”

Nikolas, a good kid…

“N-No, I’m not—I wish I could! I guess? Anyway, your friend’s…grown on me.”

Wait. Why, though?

Cole has been nothing but rude toward Cedric this entire time!

They even exchanged ice and fire magic attacks in the underground slums!

Yet, it takes a lot to leave a good impression on a Grand Star Sorcerer named Cedric Santo Stellae.

Whatever Nikolas did…impressed our Guildmaster so much, he was willing to bet his life and…the future on the kid.

“So, what are you plan—” I hear the door creak open and look toward the entryway where Nikolas is standing, with his right ankle bandaged up. His hair is caramel brown again. His eyes are dark. “Cole?”

“Well, I’ll be heading back to my office now!” Taking this cue to leave, the Guildmaster’s lips tug into a wider smile. A soft shine flits through his blue eyes. “It’s Cole’s turn to take care of you.”

Immediately, heat returns to my entire face.

“You’re making this weird.” Cole says, crossing his arms.

Quickly, I see that the boy was given a new set of clothes. All black. But he still wears a plain long-sleeved shirt of high-quality fabric and a long, clean pair of pants with tall leather boots to match. His hair is also clean and well-washed, looking all soft. No longer sticky and shiny with oil.

Nikolas stiffly walks closer to the bed and stops at the foot of it.

As soon as the Guildmaster leaves the bedroom, I ask, “Why don’t we go out to the back garden of Moon Flower?”

I’m tired of being cooped up inside. I also haven’t revisited many locations yet.

Besides, I need to talk to Nikolas about a private matter.

“...The maze garden?” asks the boy.

I blink a few times, realizing that, perhaps, Nikolas has already been there. Which is rather strange because it is a place that should be accessible to guild members only.

Normally, there are roaming guards across the estate. They would stop the child if they see that he is not one of our own.

Ah, there is the boy’s leg too.

“I snuck in there last night when I couldn’t sleep.” the boy explains, meeting my perplexed gaze. He points to his bandaged ankle. “Don’t worry. It only hurts a bit now.”

It wouldn’t be surprising if Nikolas didn’t get caught.

Alastair would never let him into the garden either.

“Anyway, you were saying…that you want us two to go there?” Nikolas asks, arching a brow.

To be honest, the maze garden is my top favorite place among all of Moon Flower’s properties. Though some people may oppose me on bringing Nikolas along, I feel that maybe the Guildmaster is right. Because of that, I want to have a gamble with ‘the best kind of magic’ too.

After all, the Nikolas Redfield before me…right now, is a child.

While I should be afraid of him and hate him for causing my death in the past, surprisingly, I feel the opposite. Perhaps, it is empathy…

The future is going to be different, and, well, Nikolas hasn’t done anything yet, right?

I nod. “Let me put on a warm cloak first.”

“...Here.” The boy is quick, gesturing to the air for a second. Dark threads of magic manifest there, and—out of nowhere comes the long, fluffy cloak with rabbit ears. “Got it.”

Ah, is his leg really that well-recovered?

“Thank...you.” I begin to wonder how he’d know where I keep my warm outdoor garments.

“Someone told me that you have a tendency to sit in the garden with books and pointed to me where you keep your cloaks.”

“Why would someone tell you—”

Oh, Nikolas…is still using my yellow ribbon for his ponytail.

“Are we going or not?!” The boy comes closer to my bedside and hands over the adorable lavender cloak.

I glower at the boy before taking the garment. “Of course!”

“You’re pouting.” Once I hear this remark of his, I stop putting my arm through the cloak’s sleeve and turn to Nikolas. Only to catch him avert his gaze away. “Hurry…up.”

Before long, I finish putting on the bunny-eared cloak and follow Nikolas out of the bedroom.

☆*:・ﾟ・:* ☆

At first glance, the maze garden of Moon Flower may look like any other maze garden out there. But it may as well rival the royal palace’s once one can walk past the front entrance gates and venture through the first wall of green bushes. For—inside this garden of ours is a flourishing wonderland of magnificent flowers from every part of the world and in an amazing variety of lovely colors. All handpicked by our Guildmaster when he was a young adventurer.

Since the area receives further nourishment from Cedric’s Eternal Spring array, the garden never withers nor does it need any help in soil nutrients or water. It mainly takes care of itself for as long as the spell is recast once a week.

Though the skies are mostly overcast from yesterday’s rain, there is still enough light for people to appreciate the delicate dew drops on leaves and the vibrant colors of flowers.

“Good morning, Miss Ellen!”

“Good morning!” I nod to the maid who helped save my life the other day, with Old Greg the butler.

As Nikolas and I walk toward the giant maze’s entrance, Camelia hurries back from the gate and yells, “Miss Ellen, where are you going?”