"You are actually going into a change."

My brows knitted together as I looked at him questioningly. We're still walking by the way and one should always look at the front. Don't copy me, alright?

"Change? What change?"

Janus hummed. He had both his hands clasped behind him as he pretended to think.

"Hmm, how do I say this without spoiling the story..." he muttered so low I couldn't possibly hear it– "You..." he then turned his head towards me–"... you're awakening. However cliche and cheesy that might sound."

Alright. I don't get it at all.

"Awakening? What is that? Why can't you just tell it to me directly?" I uttered out of frustration.

He was going in circles and is indirectly telling me things. I don't even understand what he was trying to say.

Change? Awakening? Am I some sort of a mysterious half-breed or what? What the heck is he hinting me at?

Janus, the sadist magician who must be enjoying seeing me troubled, chuckled in amusement.

"Now where is the fun in that? I don't want to ruin the surprise," was his response.

"Well, I don't want to be surprised! I hate surprises!" I exclaimed out of frustration.

"Too bad..." replied Janus and sneered for the second time.

"Ugh! Why?!"

Seriously, why can't he just tell me?

"Nadia. It would be too boring to just spoon-feed you everything, right? Why don't you find it for yourself? The answers..." said he, his eyes glimmering like a wave of molten gold as he looked down at me. He then straightened his body, retracting his gaze off of me.

"Plus I have already taken a pact to not interfere, so I won't. I'm not going to risk destroying my master's trust."

I was still a bit mad but I did notice what he just said.

"Wait, you have a master?"

Janus Cromwell? The greatest magician alive has a master?

"I do and that's all you have to know," he abruptly answered, suddenly sounding hostile.

Sheeesh. He seems very protective of this master of his. I wonder who it was though. To be able to take on the most powerful magician in existence as their apprentice. They must be really amazing.

But wait. I am getting distracted again.

"Hey, at least tell me a clue. Just one clue."

I wasn't going to let this slide. If he didn't open his mouth and say some suspicious things, I wouldn't be pestering him like this.

The corner of his mouth quirked upward.

"Nope. Not a chance."

"Damn it!" I grumbled, clicking my tongue for effect.

This stubborn man...

"And you still have not thanked me yet so there's that too. I'm quite stingy, you know," Janus added.

My frown deepened.

"Thank you? Why?"

'Did he do something for me? He didn't even tell me the real reason about this awakening bullshit he just spouted, why is he asking for my thanks now?'

Janus looked down at me with raised brows, his golden eyes gleaming wickedly. Actually, he's sporting a look that is like asking me if I'm dumb or what. Yeah, how great of him. And it kinda confused me too.

'Why am I dumb now?'

"If I didn't come and break the spell, you would have suffered repercussions by now," he flatly replied.

"Spell? What spell are you talk– Ah!" I gasped when it dawned on me and stopped walking.

Janus let out a tired sigh.

"I am starting to wonder if my master chose the right person but that's my master we're talking about here... She's never wrong..." he mumbled to himself as he continued marching on.

"You..." I immediately ran up to him to catch up– "So that was a spell? That weird thing from earlier? Who was it?!" I rattled on in one breath.

"I have no obligation to tell you," Janus replied, completely brushing me off.

"Yes, you have! Because it involves me!" I asserted.

'He's doing it again! He's not telling me anything!'

"Ahuh. And I am free to speak or not," said Janus– "And I won't."

I felt my blood go up to my head.

"You bloody ma–" before I could even finish my words, Janus gave me a sharp side-eye that made me instantly shut my mouth. "Ahem."

"Is that how you treat your savior? Cursing him? You still haven't thanked me yet, you know," Janus clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"If I thanked you, would you tell me then?"

"Nope."

"Tch."

I will thank him for that, of course. But in other ways, because I'm still pissed at him. And to at least get back from him even for some petty method, I will.

"I am free to express my gratitude or not. Because after all, I never asked for your help," I said, pausing for effect– "And I won't."

I heard Janus snort beside me as if he found it obnoxiously funny. I too tried to stifle the smile that was about to spill from my lips. I'm still mad, I'm not supposed to be laughing right now.

For a while, we just walked before I carefully asked.

"But... was it her?"

"Hmm?"

"The spell..." I whispered and looked around for a quick second, "Did she do it?"

Janus didn't look back once at me.

"What are you talking about, Nadia?"

"You know what I'm trying to say and you definitely know who I'm talking about," I pointed out.

There's no way my intuition is wrong. I believe in my gut feeling but I just want confirmation from someone stronger.

"Hmm? Do I?" He answered in the form of a question, which doesn't equate to anything comprehensible.

"Seriously?!"

"Little Nadia," Janus halted his steps and so did I. He looked down at me with a serious gleam in his eyes– "Everything has the right moment. I only helped you earlier because it is my duty and I hate arrogant fledglings that act like they can do everything in my turf."

"This is not your turf. It's the palace," I remarked.

Janus gave me a cynical smile. That kind of smile only means bad things. Is he perhaps telling me that he can make this place his own turf if he wants to? Well, of course, he can. This is Janus we're talking about. But it kind of made me a little scared.

I hope he doesn't smile that way again. To me, at least. It gives me shivers and definitely not the pleasant ones.

"... whatever," I mumbled and averted my eyes from him.

"And I already told you, didn't I?" he continued– "Why don't you find the answers yourself?"

I turned my gaze back to him again when he said that. Janus raised his chin and started walking, waving his right hand.

"I'm off then."

And then he finally teleported, probably back to his tower, leaving me staring at the space he was just on, confused as hell.