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Chapter 50

Staggering, saying he couldn't go on, but not wanting to be left behind, Philip kept moving his feet.

"Really, huff, my heart is going to burst, ugh..."

"Your heart won't burst from that. It's fine. Come on, cheer up! Fighting! Philip! You can do it! Look at Kali over there. Walking so composedly and quietly! Just follow him a little longer!"

"If it's hard, just go back down. Tch. Not only are you weak and a braggart, but you give up so quickly too."

At Kali's provocation—or non-provocation—Philip's face flushed with anger as he put more strength into his steps. I gave the carrots, Kali gave the whip, and we gradually dragged Philip toward the lakeside.

"What are you going to do with that kind of stamina? If you don't think you can keep up, just give up. It's easier, isn't it?"

"Philip! Look over there! Once we get there, it's the lake!"

"Feels like your heart's going to burst, right? Just stop moving your feet. It's simple."

"Steel your resolve! Just give it a try!"

"What's the point of building stamina? Magic is all you need."

Philip's sweat-drenched face began to look increasingly haggard. A drop of sweat fell from his parched lips.

"The moment you faint, you can't use magic either! Stamina is mental strength, and mental strength is mana!"

"If you have strong magic, you can get by in life just fine. But you don't seem to have particularly strong mana."

"If you lack mana, you have to make up for it with physical strength!"

"G-gweh! S-stop it, you crazy bastards...!!"

A liquid—whether sweat or tears—trickled down Philip's cheeks. Still, he didn't give up, staggering up with trembling legs. Somehow, I felt moved.

You may be weak, but you've got spirit, you bastard!

Finally, a blue gleam began to appear. The sunlight shining over the vast lake sparkled like crushed jewels.

Philip stared blankly at the gentle waves rippling in the wind, then collapsed to his knees.

"The, the lake."

"Good job, Philip!"

"The lake...!! The lake!!! The lake!!!"

Throwing his arms up and crying out to the lake like a lover's name—I couldn't help but clap.

Clap... Clap, clap, clap, clap!!

I heard multiple clapping sounds, like auditory hallucinations from somewhere. Kali still had his usual indifferent expression, so it couldn't have been him. It must have been the shadows who had been following and watching us.

Wiping my nose with my finger, I proudly headed toward the lakeside. Philip, who had practically crawled to the lake, peered into the water. It was beautifully clear.

"The lake... is truly a beautiful place."

"Surely this isn't your first time seeing a lake? Especially since animals frequent them."

"Ah? Ha, haha! Of course not! I've seen plenty! Lakes!"

I took a step back from Philip, who was cupping the clear water in his hands and splashing his face.

"So, Kali? Isn't it more beautiful than the lake at the villa?"

"It's just bigger and looks the same."

"What? That's your entire review?"

"Hmm. It's pretty."

I met Kali's green eyes. The wind tousled his hair, which tickled his forehead.

As I stared blankly at his face, the image of the adult Kali overlapped. He'd look like that when he grew up a little more. He's handsome even now, but that face is even more...

Suddenly aware of the silence, I hurriedly fixed Kali's messy hair and spoke.

"W-well, at least we don't have to worry about you setting trees on fire anymore! Right!"

The texture of his soft hair slipped through my fingers. Kali didn't complain, letting me fuss with his hair.

"So what are we supposed to do here?"

Philip, who had recovered, suddenly popped up. Having cleaned himself up, he stood with his hands behind his back and chest puffed out.

It made me want to make him crawl on the ground again, just to humble him.

"Drink tea, take a nap, read a book, practice mana control—whatever you want!"

"But we didn't bring anything up the mountain."

"Ta-da!"

I spread my palms and pointed to the right. Under the shade of a large tree, everything I'd mentioned was prepared—tea, a place to nap, books to read!

"What?! How?!"

"I told Father we were coming to the lake before we left."

"But we were the only ones who climbed the mountain!"

"See that? It's a rest area. A caretaker visits occasionally, so most things are already there. Plus, while you were taking your sweet time climbing, the shadows got here first and set things up."

Though all they really did was take things out and lay them out.

I walked over to the shade, spread out a mat, and pulled out a tea set from a basket.

"I'm not great at brewing tea, though. Still want some?"

"I'll brew it."

"Oh. You will?"

I watched Philip brew tea without any hesitation, completely natural. Kali, who had been walking around the lake, approached us.

"Are you really an ordinary hunter's son?"

Philip's hands, steeping the tea, stopped at Kali's question.

"Father is the hunter. I'm just a hunter's son."

"Is that so? You brew tea quite well. Just like a noble."

"I learned well from my father."

Philip didn't stop his hands, as if he'd never been flustered. I accepted the teacup filled with pinkish black tea.

"Oh! It's delicious!"

"I'm glad."

Philip sat across from me with perfect posture, sipping his tea with impeccable etiquette.

"Kali, aren't you having any?"

"Drink hot tea in this weather? No thanks."

Kali lay sprawled on the mat, looking up at the sky, and nudged me.

"Hurry up and drink. I'll spar with you."

At Kali's words, my head whipped around. I stared at him. Not throwing fire—sparring? He meant hand-to-hand combat?

Kali, who never agreed to spar when I practiced self-defense, suddenly offered. What got into him?

"Right now! You can stay here and enjoy the lake, Philip!"

Philip's gaze was still fixed on the lake even as he sipped his tea.

I jumped up excitedly. Good thing I'd worn comfortable clothes for the hike.

"What made you want to spar with me?"

"To teach you."

"What?"

"Let's say I lose my mind and go wild. And there's no Duke, no Sier, no Irein around. Only you. Then you'd naturally try to stop me, right?"

"Of course! Just say the word and I'll stop you!"

"You won't listen, so I won't say it."

This guy knows too much about me.

"So I'm going to teach you. How to subdue me."

I scratched my cheek awkwardly. To be honest, I had thought about how to subdue Kali.

The family had returned to the ducal estate at this time to attend the Founding Festival. A huge number of nobles would gather, and among them would be the Czerban Grand Duke—Isaac. If I was the only one who could stop Kali in that situation...

What else is there to say? I only have my club—I'd have to swing it. Just like I did to that man in the dream.

"You only thought about hitting me with your club, right? But you're slow. You know it too."

"I'm still growing..."

"Even if I lose my mind and go berserk... I probably wouldn't attack you. No—I hope I wouldn't. But just in case, we should prepare. Come on."

My pride was hurt. He'd never beaten me at arm wrestling when we were younger.

Slightly offended, I lunged at Kali. He caught my fist immediately and spoke.

"You were going to knee me in the side, weren't you?"

"You can't dodge even if you know it's coming?"

"...That's not it."

Kali pulled my fist toward him. With a serious expression, he whispered in a very small voice.

"When I'm not in my right mind, never touch me."

"What?"

"You saw it then."

I met Kali's gaze. His face was colder than ever, but his eyes were trembling slightly.

Kali's second ability—Corrosion. The insane unique magic that reduces everything it touches to nothing.

A chill ran down my spine. I knew he'd never use his unique magic against me unless he was out of his mind. But the image of that man's head corroding and vanishing flashed through my mind.

Even though I knew it wasn't directed at me, my heart raced.

But back then, you said you could never kill me. Not that you wouldn't—that you couldn't.

"You'd never do that to me. Your magic, toward me..."

"That's why I said it! When I'm not in my right mind!"

Kali snapped back sharply.

It's good to worry and prepare for the future. But why does it always sound to me like you're saying that one day you'll definitely lose your mind?

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