DYLAN'S POINT OF VIEW
Once I got far enough and hid behind a tree, I couldn't stop myself from laughing. My companion, on the other hand, still looked nervous.
"H-h-hey, Dylan, we're dead meat if Princess Rona finds out what you just did! We'll be punished! Remember what she told us last time we saw her? She'll lock us up in her light cage and torture us!"
I smirked. "You actually believe that? She can't even defeat me," I said proudly. "Besides, we have a law that says you can't harm the extinct."
"That law is for animals." He paused for a moment, then gave me a sly grin. "Well… now that I think about it, you really are an animal."
"Oh, is that so?" I shot him a glare. This bird's getting better at provoking me with each passing day. "You know, I'm actually hungry. I'm in the mood for roasted bird… or maybe fried pracien. Which one sounds better?"
He gave a fake laugh, clearly trying to hide his fear. "Just kidding, of course. You're far too handsome to be an animal." His expression shifted back to worry. "But seriously, you're in big trouble now. You've kissed the princess's neck twice already."
The smirk faded from my lips as I looked at my pracien. "I did it for her own good."
"Her power is too aggressive. It will gradually consume her. I slowed down its flow inside her body."
"Then why did you have to kiss her just now? Admit it—you like Princess Rhein, don't you?"
I sighed. This bird could out-interrogate and out-gossip anyone I knew. "I didn't expect her to be so desperate to see my face. Kissing her was the only way to shock her enough so she wouldn't see my entire face. Or… do you want to ask why it had to be on her neck?"
He nodded eagerly. "Exactly."
"Uh, you're hopeless, Tyler." I shook my head. "You saw me back there—I panicked too. I couldn't think straight at the time."
"Fine, fine. I'll accept your explanation."
At last, he let it go. I tilted my head toward the cloudy sky, breathing in the cool breeze. A secret grin tugged at my lips as her image crossed my mind again.
She's quick-witted. Even that shocked, adorable face of hers managed to impress me.
RHEIN'S POINT OF VIEW
"My neck isn't innocent anymore, Forelody," I said tearfully to my pracien after telling her what happened earlier. Frustrated, I punched the air. "I'll beat him to a pulp next time!"
"I don't think so. You probably want it to happen again," she teased. "Your cheeks are still red even now. It's obvious you're flustered."
I shot her a death glare, and she immediately flew away, putting some distance between us.
"I'm blushing because I'm angry, not because I'm flustered!" I snapped. "Ugh! I don't even have a boyfriend, and this is how I lose both my first and second neck kisses!"
"K-k-keep calm, p-partner. D-don't take your anger out on me."
I automatically stopped walking when I heard the trembling in Forelody's voice. Turning around, I saw her wrapped in the vines of a tree we'd just passed. She was struggling to break free, but the vines were clearly stronger than her.
"R-Rhein…"
I scratched my cheek and smiled. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath to calm myself. When I opened them again, Forelody had already broken free, flying back to perch on my right shoulder. She looked half-dead, fanning herself with one wing, breathing heavily, and blinking rapidly.
"I'm sorry," I said, laughing. "That guy really pissed me off. I didn't mean to take it out on you."
She gave me a sharp look but eventually just sighed. "Let's stop talking about him. If your temper flares again, I might not survive."
We continued our journey.
As we walked, my mind kept wandering to that guy. I couldn't help it—he knew me, yet I didn't know him. And what did he mean about following orders from someone else? Why was he tailing me?
I reached out with my senses, searching for his presence. Nothing. It seemed he'd finally stopped following us.
"Partner Rhein, do you still have any apples in your backpack?"
I laughed when I heard Forelody's stomach growl. "Nope. You ate the last one earlier. I told you to pace yourself, but you ate like someone who hasn't seen food in days."
"I'm starving. Have pity on me. Please."
"Alright, alright." I smiled and gently patted her beak.
I leapt to the branch of a nearby apple tree I spotted. But it didn't have a single fruit yet.
Forelody eyed me curiously. "Rhein, you're improving way too fast. You just became a mnarillaza yesterday."
I shrugged and grinned. "I don't know why either. I just feel like I get better every time I use magic."
I touched a leaf in front of me, letting my magic flow into it until it spread through the entire tree. Within minutes, the branches were heavy with ripe, red apples.
"There. Pick all you want." But she didn't move from my shoulder, so I glanced at her. My brow furrowed when I saw the serious look on her face. "What is it, Forelody?"
"Rhein, you're not even tired from using mnarill?" she asked.
I took a moment to check myself before shaking my head. "Not at all. Why?"
"You're still a beginner… yet you're not exhausted. That's… unusual."
I raised a brow and shrugged. Shouldn't she be impressed? "Don't you like it? You've got an amazing partner like me."
"Arrogant."
We both laughed before starting to pick the fruit. We decided to have our snack under the tree. But just as I jumped down and my feet touched the grassy ground, it suddenly gave way, opening into a massive pit beneath us.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!"
Luckily, I moved quickly. I managed to steady my weight just in time for a clean landing on the ground.
"Crap! Who's the lunatic that put a trap here?!" I shouted in frustration.
By my estimate, the gaping pit was about ten feet deep.
I glanced up at Forelody, who was hovering above, watching my position. Relief washed over me when I saw she was fine—she had managed to take flight before I fell in.
"Rhein!"
My eyes widened at the sight of countless black snakes slithering toward me. They were as thick as my legs. The shock froze me in place, and before I could climb out, they all lunged at once, coiling tightly around me. I kept struggling, but damn it—my strength wasn't enough to break free.