Chapter 236 – Serr the Mage (3)

Chapter 236 – Serr the Mage (3)

Rubia’s fingers, her hand, her arms, her whole body, trembling violently as they intertwined with mine.

Does she remember everything that happened until now? I don’t know. Right now, I don’t want to think about it.

I just want both of us, Rubia and me, to think only of each other.

I swallowed a shaky breath. I released our clasped hands and wrapped my arms around Rubia’s waist.

Not a flower resembling Rubia’s scent, but the real scent of Rubia filled my nose.

Still, it wasn’t enough.

“…More.”

I buried my face deep in Rubia’s chest.

“Hug me tighter… So tight it could break me, tighter… ugh…”

Before I even finished speaking, her arms tightened around me. My heels lifted. I could hardly breathe. The overwhelming scent, the warmth, the fierce heartbeat filled my whole being to the point of dizziness.

For a long while, 

Droplets fell, dripping onto the top of my head. I forced my head up from where it was buried in Rubia’s chest.

Rubia was crying.

Tears tangled with all kinds of emotions.

Above all, what I felt most was guilt.

I let go of her waist.

I carefully loosened Rubia’s arms, which had been clinging to me as if to devour me, and gently wiped the tears flowing down her cheeks.

“D-Don’t cry…”

“Noah, you’re crying too… Who are you to wipe my tears… huh, huh…”

Rubia’s cold hand traced my cheek.

Then she hugged me again, her arms trembling as she squeezed me as tightly as she could.

Her soft, yielding chest pressed firmly against my face.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Noah… I, I…”

“Mmph… mmmph…”

With my head completely pinned and unable to speak or move, I shook it as hard as I could. My nose was getting squashed and hurt, but I held back.

Even so, Rubia kept apologizing and sobbing. I wanted to stay in her arms longer, but I had no choice but to push her away a bit more firmly.

“Rubia, it wasn’t you… So don’t cry. Don’t apologize.”

I wiped her tears once more, then pressed her nose with my finger.

“I’ll fix everything somehow. Rubia… just smile. You trust me, right?”

At that, Rubia’s face twisted even more.

Not quite a smile, not quite tears.

Her face was all scrunched up, with tears smeared and her nose flushed red.

“…Yes.”

She was beautiful. So much.

More than the Rubia I’d sensed with my [Heightened Senses].

More than the Rubia I’d felt with my fingertips.

More than the Rubia I’d seen in trials.

More than the Rubia I’d seen in Sirin’s memories.

The Rubia before me now, the real Rubia I could see, was a hundred times more beautiful.

Rubia crying with her nose wrinkled was beautiful.

Rubia biting her lips, holding back tears, was beautiful.

There were so many things I wanted to say to Rubia, so many words I wanted to give her, but I forgot them all.

So, I just said what came to mind.

“…Kiss me.”

“Huh…?”

Rubia’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected those words, and she just stared at me.

…Why is she just looking, making me so embarrassed.

I slowly raised my arms and put them around Rubia’s neck.

It was a bit high, my arms hurt, and I was embarrassed.

I hurriedly pulled her neck down and said,

“…Hurry.”

As soon as I finished, those beautifully curved eyes drew close. Her tongue slipped between slightly parted lips, traced inside my mouth, gently swept under my tongue, caressed it softly. She pressed my palate and entwined her tongue with mine.

Even then, those blue eyes, hidden behind gentle curves, looked straight at me.

Her smiling eyes were so pretty, her blue eyes so beautiful, I couldn’t close mine either.

“Haa…”

It was only after Rubia’s tongue left my mouth, after she’d teased me for a long time, that I could finally exhale.

Rubia deeply inhaled the sigh I let out and then let her body fall away from me.

“Ha… Are you satisfied?”

That breathless, slightly elated voice, and the dizzying scent with it, drew closer. To avoid it, to hide my blushing ears and face, I buried myself in Rubia’s arms.

Thump thump.

Was it my heartbeat, or Rubia’s? Our tangled heartbeats pounded against my forehead.

Thump.

Should I ask her to do it again?

Thump.

Would that be okay?

Thump.

It was a little short just now…

Thump thump thump thump! 

It should… be fine, right?!

After convincing myself, just as I was about to ask for another, 

“…I tried not to interrupt, but since I can’t see, the sounds are very stimulating. So, if you’re going to kiss, please keep it down.”

Serr, eyes closed and back turned, sighed as she spoke.

“I’ll try.”

Rubia’s hand wrapped around my waist. Covered my head.

“So, Noah… you try, too.”

With that, Rubia’s breathing, heavier than before, touched my lips.

Her breath was hot. Her lips were hot.

The feelings coursing through me were hot.

So hot, so warm I thought I’d go crazy.

Tears fell.

Like ice that had been frozen solid melting, all the feelings I’d held back and bottled up finally spilled out.

Over and over, endlessly.

***

“Is it over?”

Step.

Serr turned to us in the awkward silence.

Serr, eyes still closed, was smiling quietly.

“…Yeah.”

I wiped my lips and tightly held Rubia’s hand. Rubia’s fingers slipped between mine and gripped tightly.

“To be honest, I was a little surprised.”

“…Uh…”

“I expected an emotional reunion, but I never imagined you’d have such a passionate reunion right next to me. I suppose you missed each other that much?”

“Um… ahaha… sorry.”

Rubia squeezed my hand with a wry smile.

“No need to apologize. Actually, I feel good about it. It seems you both liked the special gift I prepared just for you.”

Chuckle.

Serr stepped toward us.

“I’d like to have a little tea time, but there’s not much time left, and I’ve lost my connection to the Spirit Realm, so I couldn’t prepare a tea set. So let’s get straight to the point. Do you have any questions?”

Rubia’s lips parted for a moment, then closed again. She tilted her head, looking at me.

I quietly nodded and carefully chose my words.

“…Serr.”

“Yes.”

“The scale floating behind you… that’s your unique ability, right?”

“Yes. It’s my unique ability.”

Serr swept her hand through the air. In its wake, the once-faint image of the scale became clear.

A scale with dreamy colors, reminiscent of Serr’s milky hair and purple eyes.

The pressure it radiated was on a whole different level compared to what I’d sensed with [Heightened Senses].

On each perfectly balanced pan was a magic circle. But they weren’t ordinary. Dozens, hundreds of incredibly complex magic circles were layered atop each other, no one could possibly copy them by sight alone.

The body supporting the center wasn’t inscribed with magic circles, but with characters. Those characters were just as complex and inscrutable as the circles, impossible to copy just by looking.

“To explain a bit more, I couldn’t use it when I’d lost all my mana, but once I regained it, I could use it again. The ability is simple. If I offer something I possess, I can produce a matching ‘result.’”

“…Equivalent exchange.”

“Oh, you remembered? That’s right. Equivalent exchange, the basic principle of magic. How about it? Doesn’t my unique ability seem like the very essence of magic itself?”

Serr smiled proudly.

But I couldn’t smile.

“Serr… you said you were able to use magic again by offering up the Spirit Realm as a price.”

The order felt odd.

Serr lost the ability to use magic.

But now, she could use magic again.

Because she offered the Spirit Realm as the price.

That means the scale took that price.

But Serr said she could only use the scale after regaining her magic.

Then, 

“Where… how did you pay that price?”

“Noah, you’ve gotten quite sharp.”

“…Please answer.”

Chuckle.

Serr laughed.

After a brief silence, she spoke.

“There’s no need to think too hard about it. I paid the price to the scale.”

“What? B-but… the scale, ”

“It might be a little unsightly, but I’ll show you how I summoned the scale.”

Serr raised her hand to her chest and began unbuttoning her clothes.

“Uh…?”

Rubia’s hand shot up at a speed I couldn’t even follow, covering my eyes.

For a moment, all I heard was the sound of buttons being undone.

When the sound stopped, Serr spoke.

“Look.”

“…Serr, what is that?”

Rubia’s hand slid away.

I cautiously opened my tightly shut eyes.

“…Huh?”

Serr’s pale body came into view.

And then I saw the scar.

A scar as if carved out with a blade.

Starting from her solar plexus, covering her upper body, the scar formed a pattern of thousands of overlapping magic circles.

“It’s a newly designed magic formula based on the principle of dragon hearts. By injecting mana directly into my body like this, I summoned the scale. Once I summoned it, I could’ve erased the scar, but I left it because it was more efficient than I expected.”

After finishing her explanation, Serr nonchalantly buttoned up her clothes.

“Anyway, that’s how I summoned the scale and offered up the price. That’s how I was able to use magic again.”

“The price… was the Spirit Realm, right?”

“Yes, the Spirit Realm. It took magic from me, so offering it as the price naturally brought magic back.”

After a long silence, Rubia finally spoke in a trembling voice.

“Serr. Serr, and I, we’re created beings, right?”

“Yes.”

“What sustains my body and soul is divine power. If there’s no divine power, I’ll vanish. I was made with divine power from the start.”

Rubia’s trembling eyes turned to Serr.

“What keeps your body and soul intact… isn’t it the Spirit Realm? If you offered that up, Serr, then…”

Serr smiled.

“You worry about everything. Rubia, Noah. As I’ve said again and again, I am a genius.”

That smile was just like always.

“So, don’t worry.”

Perfectly, with not a hint of hesitation.