By Zephyria 
It felt like ages ago that Aska and I had been transported to the Ruins. It hadn’t been that long, but so much had happened in between.
I started by recounting the story from when I formed the expedition and headed to the Rollai Mountains. The situation in Pukara village, the soldiers disguised as hunters we met by the lake, and the Ruins that only reacted to Aska and me for some reason…
Even with the abridged version, it took quite a while to tell everything. Mahir listened intently with a serious expression, then furrowed his brow.
“You were transported to the Ruins?”
“Yeah, just by stepping on the ground. Maybe there was a magic circle there? I don’t know why it didn’t react to anyone else.”
At my words, Mahir let out a long breath and leaned back against the sofa.
“Since the Rift incident, we’ve been investigating related matters and discovered Ruins without entrances all over the world. They all emit Mana waves of a specific frequency, but no matter how much we investigate the surrounding area, we can’t find an entrance.”
“So, no one has been able to enter?”
Mahir nodded at my question. I let out a sigh of relief and opened my mouth.
“Maybe it’s a good thing. I encountered a Magical creature there that I’d never seen before. If anyone could enter, the casualties would be severe. It wasn’t the kind of thing you could just stab a few times with a knife to kill.”
“Is that why you summoned Almas?”
I nodded.
“My memories were already jumbled before that, but after that, almost all of them came back.”
Mahir said with a subtle expression, a beat late.
“I expected you weren’t dead, but I was worried. I wondered dozens of times if my fervent hope was clouding my judgment. That’s why I was even happier when I found out Almas had disappeared. It was the first time I had confirmation that you were alive somewhere.”
Was he watching over it all that time? For five years?
I hesitated, unsure how to react, and Mahir sighed.
“I always thought that if you ever wanted to contact me, you would naturally use Almas. I knew you wouldn’t send a letter, given your personality. So, I was just glad, but I didn’t know it was such a dangerous situation.”
“It wasn’t that dangerous.”
I reflexively spoke before Mahir could finish, and Aska, who had been quietly listening, interjected.
“It was a dangerous situation.”
I frowned and turned my head.
“If it had been an ordinary human, they wouldn’t have lasted a moment and would have died. The Magical creature’s aggression was strong, and the way it attacked was so unique that it was impossible to predict. We were also badly injured.”
“…”
Hearing him say that, I had nothing to say. Mahir seemed to trust Aska more than his own brother, and he looked at him and asked, “The treatment?”
“It’s all done well. I fixed Kyle up nicely too.”
“Was the Magical creature covered in fur?”
“No, it was similar to a giant earthworm. It could also fly and spit something like needles…”
Aska described the Magical creature’s characteristics in great detail. I looked back and forth between Aska and Mahir, unable to hide my bewilderment. Aska was spilling everything, even things that didn’t need to be said.
“My condition also worsened a bit, so I attacked Kyle.”
“You did?”
“The injuries Kyle sustained from me were probably worse than those from the Magical creature.”
Mahir’s already serious expression hardened even further. He stood up and said, “This won’t do. Let’s go see the Royal Physician together. No, let’s just call him here… Tarik.”
He didn’t call out in a loud voice, but a guard entered. While the two were talking, I glared at Aska and asked quietly, “Why did you say that?”
“Why? It was dangerous, wasn’t it?”
I didn’t understand why he had to say that he had attacked me. I could concede that it was dangerous, but why did he have to say that he had injured me? It wasn’t intentional, and it was just because he was hungry.
I was worried that this would make them think of Aska as a dangerous person with high aggression. Of course, I didn’t think Mahir would think that way, but there was always a chance.
“You have to say you’re hurt when you’re hurt. How else would they know if you don’t say anything?”
Aska grumbled beside me.
“It’s the same with dangerous or difficult situations.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden? What does that have to do with this?”
“You think those things are nothing and always handle them alone…”
What did Aska being hungry have to do with that?
I couldn’t understand, and my brow furrowed. Then, Mahir said to us, “I’ve told them to bring the Royal Physician…”
I suddenly saw Mahir’s guard turning around. An idea flashed through my mind, and I hurriedly stood up.
“Wait!”
The guard stopped and looked back at me. I looked at Mahir and said, “Why call him? Let’s just go.”
“All the way there?”
“I want to see the sights. Right? You want to see them, don’t you?”
Without much thought, Aska nodded.
“I want to see the sights too.”
He was quick to catch on and listen at times like this. Mahir had a reluctant expression. But I didn’t give in and continued to stare at him with an innocent face until he finally sighed.
“Then let’s go together.”
“It would be awkward if a missing Emperor suddenly appeared, so Aska and I will just be attendants… No, Aska will be an attendant, and I’ll be a guard knight.”
That way, I could carry a sword.
Feeling a little guilty, I added,
“I hate wearing a hood, it’s stuffy. It would be better to get a mask that can cover my face. The reason for wearing the mask is that I got burned while trying to save my lord from danger.”
Mahir’s expression turned strange, as if he thought my story was absurd. But he soon smiled and shook his head.
And so, Aska and I headed to the Calderia Imperial Palace.
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In fact, this detailed background wasn’t necessary. Who would doubt someone brought by the Emperor of Actan?
The pure white mask that covered the entire upper part of my face looked like something from a play, but it couldn’t be helped since it was obtained in a hurry. After changing into the clothes and wearing a sword at my waist, I looked like the Emperor’s guard knight himself.
“How is it?”
I asked, slightly spreading my arms in front of Aska.
“Pretty.”
Isn’t it supposed to be cool, not pretty? Anyway, that wasn’t the important thing.
“Do I look like a knight?”
“No, you look like someone of high status.”
“…”
“At least a noble.”
It was a difficult situation, but there was nothing I could do. The Emperor’s guard knight couldn’t wear ragged clothes. Since no one would say anything anyway, I gave up on what I could and sat down next to Aska.
Mahir would change his clothes and come here with the Royal Physician. I took off the mask and put it on the table and asked, “But have you ever been examined? Is it okay for you to be examined?”
“No.”
“They wouldn’t be able to tell you’re not human just by taking your pulse, would they?”
The person Mahir brought was trustworthy, but I didn’t like it. Of course, it wouldn’t be bad to check my body condition once in a while… The problem was that the number of people who knew Aska wasn’t human was increasing.
The perception of Magical creatures wasn’t good, and I was worried that some might covet Aska as a test subject or a collectible.
“I can mimic a human pulse, so it’s okay. And I’m perfectly fine without any pain in the first place.”
My face brightened at Aska’s words. But I became gloomy again. I didn’t want him to be examined if I could help it. But I also wanted to have a third party confirm that he was okay.
He might be saying he’s okay when he’s not.
“But if the purpose is an examination, there’s not much point in mimicking a human. It would be better not to get examined at all.”
That was also true.
I felt uneasy for some reason, but there wasn’t a better opportunity than this. Where could I find someone more trustworthy than the person Mahir brought?
I just had to keep a close eye on him and make sure he didn’t do anything unnecessary.
“How are you feeling?”
To change the mood, I massaged Aska’s hands and asked. I was worried because he probably didn’t have any good memories of the Imperial Palace. But Aska tilted his head.
“Why, how should I be feeling?”
“You were bullied here when you were young.”
“Bullying?”
Aska laughed as if something was wrong with my choice of words. Even that laugh was so pitiful that I kept stroking Aska’s body.
“It would be a lie to say I forgot… Actually, I remember everything, but I’m really okay. It was hard back then, but I don’t care now.”
Aska, who was speaking calmly, narrowed his eyes and suddenly attacked me.
“I don’t say I’m okay when I’m not, like you do.”
“Suddenly? There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“I think it’s become a bit of a habit for you.”
Aska pressed my forehead with his finger. I tried to resist being pushed back, but Aska suddenly removed his hand, and my body leaned forward.
Aska hugged me, buried his face in my neck, and lightly rubbed his cheek. My waist tingled every time my skin rubbed against his.
Why is he suddenly acting cute? The moment I was about to fill my mouth with the flesh that was shaking in front of me as if tempting me, there was a knock on the door as if it were a lie.
I felt like I had been robbed of a delicious fruit just as I was about to take a bite. Annoyance soared, but there was no time for that. I hurriedly kissed Aska’s neck, cheeks, and lips as if headbutting him, grabbed his cute cheeks tightly, and rubbed them quickly.
Finally, I licked his slightly reddened eyes and kissed him several times before finally letting go. Aska looked up at me, who had been in such a hurry.
“…”
“…”
His flushed face and moist eyes looked as if he were begging me to do something to him. I had to get him examined right away, but my insides were boiling. I quickly put on his hood to hide him and smoothed out the wrinkles in his robe.
“Don’t say anything and stay still. Don’t take off your hood either.”
“I have to get examined? I have to answer if they ask about my condition.”
“It’s okay, just stay still. Your voice is too wet right now, it won’t work.”
“How can a voice be wet? It’s not a towel.”
“Be quiet.”
There was another knock. I sighed and walked to the door. Before opening the door, I looked back, and Aska was sitting quietly on the sofa.
Not a single strand of hair was visible, but I was still uneasy.