Chapter 156: Oh, It Burned

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“Why did you come to the Holy City?”

“I came to be formally appointed. From now on, I’m a full-fledged holy knight.”

“Huh… You? Everyone’s growing up so fast… Feels like just yesterday you were a tiny brat bawling your eyes out.”

“Ugh. I’ve grown up too. That was ages ago.”

A woman with long, grayish hair giggles at Cedric’s nostalgic reminiscence. She’s a slender knight dressed in pristine white uniform.

“Anyway… Why are you so hurt? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking this weak before.”

“What else would hurt me? Fighting’s the only thing I do.”

“Your way of speaking hasn’t changed at all.”

Inside the infirmary, reeking of medicine, the female knight shakes her head with a bitter smile. Cedric waves his hand dismissively.

“People don’t change easily. Ah, I’m tired. You should go now. Your friend’s hospitalized too, so go see them.”

“Huh? Friend? Who?”

“Who else? Since I ended up like this in Steele, there’s only one other person.”

“…No way.”

The cheerful atmosphere suddenly stiffens. The knight’s eyes widen.

“Riley… Is he badly hurt?”

“Hurt isn’t the right word. His insides are wrecked. Anyway… He overdid it…”

Her expression darkens at his words.

“Why did something like this happen at the academy?”

“Well… You should hear it from him directly.”

Cedric dodges the question. The truth of the incident—and the deeper emotions behind it—aren’t things he should voice himself. Let them talk and listen on their own. These kinds of things are such a hassle.

The knight clenches her fist, her expression grim, but then forces a smile.

“…I should go tease him. Ask him how he plans to be useful if he’s this weak. Maybe I’ve gotten stronger than him now.”

She lets out another bright, giggling laugh.

“I’ll go see him!”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

As she turns to leave, her expression is clouded with worry.

***************

His body aches sharply, as if branded by a hot iron. One moment, it feels frozen stiff; the next, like he’s being hammered.

This is the price of pushing his limits. If he had steadily filled the pages of his grimoire and grown closer to becoming a “complete successor,” it might have been less painful.

But he never wanted to gain knowledge by killing others.

He didn’t.

He willingly accepted this suffering.

‘Are you doing well?’ Even now, his thoughts linger on just one person. He wants to see their face, hear their voice, and find solace in it.

A book floats before his eyes, glaring at him with palpable dissatisfaction.

‘Not my problem. You chose your master. Deal with it.’

As he shamelessly thinks this, his consciousness begins to drift. It’s time to wake up.

‘But my body feels weird.’

Strangely heavy. Restrained, as if bound by something.

Sleep paralysis? Or maybe his body’s just worn out lately.

Either way, he opens his eyes.

And there she is—the white-haired woman he’s been dreaming of.

“…”

“Ah… Hi…”

It’s been a while. He couldn’t see her at the academy after the incident because he’d been unconscious. By the time he arrived at the Holy City, he’d barely regained his senses.

Seeing her shyly avoiding eye contact as she greets him fills him with such warmth that he wants to hug her.

But his arms won’t move. Not just that—when he tries to call her name, something blocks his mouth, preventing sound.

“Mmph? Mmmph!”

“Yeah… You can’t speak right now. I stuffed a handkerchief in your mouth and tied it shut.”

“?”

What?

Why?

No, seriously, why?

He wonders if he misheard.

The man quickly lifts his head to assess his condition. The more he sees, the more stunned he becomes. Arms tied above his head. Sugar sitting on his stomach. And legs bound together.

“Mmmph! Mmmph!”

“Calm down… I won’t hurt you. You know I’d never hurt you.”

She gently strokes his cheek to reassure him, but that’s not the problem. It’s not about being hurt or anything like that.

“I’m glad you have some energy left, Riley. I was so worried.”

“Mmmph!”

“I… I want to take care of you while you’re in the infirmary. I’ll do anything for you while you’re hurt.”

“Mmmph! Mmmph!”

But why tie up his limbs?!

“Huh… Why do you look so upset…? Is it because of the ropes?”

That’s what you’re asking?!

He nods frantically, and Sugar tilts her head awkwardly.

“Obviously, I can’t let you leave the infirmary…”

You need to stay safe until you recover! Her whisper is light, but the emotion behind it is heavy.

The man mumbles loudly in protest.

“Ah, why did I gag you? You’re smart, so why are you asking something so obvious?”

Realizing what he’s trying to say, Sugar waves her hand dismissively.

“Gagging is the key to subduing a mage, you know.”

“Mmmph!”

His head hurts. It already did, but now it’s a different kind of pain.

“You know… You said it yourself. That you’d accept me—this selfish, clingy version of me. That it didn’t matter what I did.”

—Fine. Me too. Because it’s you, I’ll accept it.

“You’re the one who said that… So you walked into the swamp yourself, my kind but foolish friend.”

She whispers in his ear before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Riley thrashes wildly. Normally, he could snap these ropes like nothing.

“Aah… Riley’s so weak he can’t even break a single rope…”

Sugar’s heavy breathing takes on an unsettling tone as she watches his futile struggle.

“I’ll wipe your body for you… Feed you… Sing for you… Put you to sleep… And, um, even the, the bathroom—”

“MMMPH!!”

What?!

Horrified by the mental image, he unleashes a surge of magical energy. Immediately, people burst through the door.

“Emergency situation!”

“Patient! What’s wrong?!”

The infirmary staff, mistaking his struggle for pain, rush in—only to freeze at the sight before them.

“What in the—?!”

“What are you doing to a patient who needs rest?!”

“Get her out of here, now!”

Sugar desperately protests, but no one listens.

“No! No! I was just trying to stay close and protect him—!”

The nurses—who are more muscular than most men—drag her out unceremoniously.

…

…

“Sniff… Hic…”

Hunched over and sniffling, Sugar flinches as Ian pinches the bridge of her nose with a sigh.

After Sugar kept trying to sneak back into the infirmary, they had to call her guardian—Her Holiness herself. She had been napping, relaxed after returning to her hometown for the first time in ages, but hurriedly wrapped her bandages and rushed over.

“There’s no one else who’d dare… make me run errands like this…”

“I’m sorry… But I just… I was thinking of Riley…”

“You’re too intense, Sugar.”

“The bathroom thing was too much…” —At Ian’s muttering, Sugar hangs her head.

“But… I care about him the most…”

How could she not take care of him when he’s hurt? How could she hold back when he risked his life for her?

After all, Sugar had already offered her life once for him.

He’s that precious to her. She doesn’t know how else to express these feelings.

She couldn’t just sit still, so her body moved on its own. And now, she’s left with this bitter outcome.

“Stop crying. Let’s go back together. They won’t kick you out this time. But absolutely no weird behavior. Just a normal visit with flowers or something.”

“That’s too plain…”

“Sugar.”

The slightly stern tone makes her shut her mouth immediately.

“Throwing yourself into devotion isn’t the only way to show love. You need to learn where to draw the line.”

“A line…”

“For the other person’s sake, but also for your own.”

“I don’t care what happens to me—”

“Sugar.”

“…”

Draw the line.

It’s something Riley once told her, and she had tried to follow it—when it came to their usual playful teasing. But she never thought about it in terms of devotion, service, or expressions of love.

She wants to care for him as much as she adores him. She wants to pour out her heart without restraint.

But maybe… she needs to hold back just a little.

A Deep, Dark, and Sticky Sea of Emotions

Since the incident in the dream, the waves had grown even fiercer. The winds were too strong for the waters to ever truly calm. A truly dangerous place.

This is why I didn’t want to know.

“…”

Someone was stroking the silent woman’s hair, comforting her.

“You don’t have to go that far. Riley already knows how you feel…”

It didn’t quite resonate.

Would he, really?

How could he possibly understand feelings she herself barely acknowledged?

A part of her grew frustrated, her thoughts twisting bitterly.

Ian didn’t mean it like that. She knew that it was just a general remark about affection.

General.

Universal.

The more she dwelled on it, the tighter her chest grew. Deep down, Sugar knew she wasn’t normal.

And yet, hearing him say he’d accept even this version of her had made her giddy.

But that’s impossible.

“…I get it.”

Sugar lifted her head and looked forward. Only forward. Once again, she turned her back on her own emotions and distanced herself.

‘I went too far. I should reflect.’

She couldn’t trouble the man who had promised to accept her. That much, she understood deeply.

Not just him—she had to consider the people around her too. If she had to name someone precious to her after Riley, it would be Ian. Her dear childhood friend. She didn’t want to disappoint her.

Sugar tightly gripped Ian’s hand and headed to the flower shop. She bought a bouquet of sweet-smelling white blossoms tinged with pink, then made her way back to the infirmary.

Given that they were in the Holy City, the place was massive. The infirmary was an annex beside the grand cathedral, and she tiptoed inside.

“Riley’s room is…”

“One more floor up.”

A nurse who recognized Sugar moved to block her, but a subtle glance from Ian made her step aside. Sugar, still clutching the bouquet, bowed her head meekly.

‘First, I’ll apologize as soon as I see him. Then, I’ll give him the flowers and catch him up on things…’

No more accidents this time. She couldn’t force her feelings and make things difficult for everyone. Now that she’d stopped crying, she could finally think straight.

Even now, a small part of her still felt unsatisfied. But even so, this was enough. She could be content with things as they were.

She steeled herself with a sense of responsibility. Last time was a mess, so this time, I’ll do things properly.

‘I’ll tell him… I was really, really worried. And that I’m grateful.’

Hugging the bouquet as if it were the man himself, she stopped in front of the door.

‘…Huh?’

[…Hey. What the hell—]

A voice leaked from inside.

[You look like this after all this time… What happened? Is security at that school even decent?]

[It’s not like the school’s at fault. This much is whatever.]

[No, but you’re not some dime-a-dozen mage. For you of all people to get hurt like this… I am worried, you know.]

[I’m just still lacking.]

If she listened closely, two people were talking.

One was a familiar male voice—of course, since it was his room.

The other belonged to a woman she didn’t know.

Sugar stared holes into the door, still hugging the bouquet as if she could see right through it.

Beside her, Ian silently checked the petition in her pocket. Thankfully, it was still there.

[…You should go. I want to rest.]

[Wow. For you to say that…]

[Just leave already.]

[Yeah, yeah. I’m going. Ungrateful bastard… Hm? Hey, I think someone’s outside.]

The man’s voice was impatient; the woman’s, carefree.

The stark contrast was because Sugar wasn’t even trying to hide her presence.

Thud. Thud. Footsteps approached from inside.

The door opened, revealing the woman.

“Oh, coming in?”

A female knight in pristine white holy knight attire, with deep gray hair and a lively voice. And a faint trace of perfume—one Sugar had smelled before.

Looking at her, Sugar smiled quietly.