Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 505

My mind went ice cold. The Crown Prince, who had fallen in an awkward position, belatedly noticed the guardian charm and his eyes widened. However, he didn’t seem to feel a great threat; he looked at me with an amused gaze.

“You have an interesting item. What did you just do to me?”

“That’s what I want to ask. Why did it activate?”

“What are you talking about…”

“This is a protective spell that only reacts to specific powers. It usually doesn’t activate.”

“……”

The Crown Prince, caught off guard, closed his mouth. A fierce energy seemed to flow through his relaxed gaze, and then, in the next moment, he muttered something. A creepy feeling washed over me, and once again, a wave rippled around us.

When I blinked in surprise, a new guardian charm was already shining before my eyes. The Crown Prince had used black magic again. The two guardian charms I received from Sibelius disappeared instantly. As I stared with a hardened face, the Crown Prince’s lips curled up.

“Indeed. It seems it really reacts to this power. How many do you have? I hope you’ve prepared a lot. I want to test how long you can last.”

“……”

‘Is this guy really crazy?’ I tried to tell him to be careful, but he’s acting even more confidently. I don’t know what kind of grudge he’s held against me.

” 시퀀스 [Sequence, likely meaning ‘begin’].”

As the Water Wolf responded to my call and appeared, the Crown Prince wore an even more delighted expression. He was certain of my identity and realized that I no longer had any guardian charms. The more he smiled, the more nervous I became. I hadn’t noticed either of his previous two attacks. He’s casting faster than I thought. Can I block it?

I glanced around and saw that the Crown Prince’s knights had already secured the area, and there was no one else around. Or so I thought, until I heard a voice.

“It stinks around here.”

“……!”

Surprised, I looked up and saw a face watching us. Someone was sitting leisurely on a ladder placed in front of the bookshelf. Beneath the softly flowing dark black hair, dazzling golden eyes shone as if bewitched.

트웰 [Twel, likely a name].

Relieved, I waved my hand without realizing it, and he laughed, looking dumbfounded.

“Who are you?” the Crown Prince asked, faltering. He was composed even in front of a high-level spirit, but he seemed quite embarrassed by this unexpected situation. Twel, upon hearing the question, tilted his head slightly and looked at me.

“I’m her brother.”

My heart seemed to stop at those words. As I gasped, Twel smiled and looked at the Crown Prince.

“So, what business do you have with my sister?”

His tone was light, but the presence of the one asking was not. The Crown Prince’s face turned blue instantly. He seemed unable to believe that he was trembling without even realizing it. He bit his lip with a sharp expression.

“Brother, where are you? Are you really here, brother?”

At that moment, a high-pitched girl’s voice was heard from outside. The Crown Prince flinched, revealing a sense of dismay. It seemed that someone he knew had appeared. He glared at me and Twel alternately, brushed off his clothes, and turned around.

“I’m here, Anais.”

“Ah, brother! Where did you go without saying anything? I’ve been looking for you for a while.”

“Just stay there, and I’ll find you on my own.”

I wondered if he was really retreating, but soon I heard him talking to the girl. Judging from the fading sounds, it seemed he was indeed leaving. When I went outside, I saw a group already quite far away. The Crown Prince’s back was visible among the surrounding knights. A woman in a salmon-colored dress was walking arm in arm with him. Seeing that they had the same hair color, it was clear that she was the princess who had come to study abroad.

“You’re never boring. Not a single day passes by normally.”

I quickly came to my senses at the voice beside me. Twel was also looking at the departing group. The gaze shadowed by his hair was colder than usual. I wondered if it was because he used black magic, but he seemed to be watching the princess more intently than the Crown Prince.

“Twel, thank you for helping me.”

“……It’s funny how these connections are made.”

“Huh?”

“I just meant you’re unique in many ways. But try not to run into him again.”

Twel turned to me and said, averting his gaze. I couldn’t readily agree, as it wasn’t like I wanted to run into him. When I mumbled that I would try my best, Twel shook his head lightly, as if he didn’t expect it anyway.

“Just don’t kill him.”

“Huh?”

“You always hold back. Those kinds of people are no fun if you end them easily, so it’s better not to touch them at all.”

……I don’t know what he’s planning to do, but I can tell that Twel is angrier than I thought. The Crown Prince’s life will definitely not end smoothly.

‘More than that, Twel really called me his brother, right?’

Moreover, he called me his sister. Not just any sister, but ‘my sister.’ It was probably just a casual remark, but a silly smile crept out. Twel shook his head again as he looked at me, when suddenly—

Pajijik!

“……!”

At that moment, something suddenly flew in and attacked Twel with electricity. As I turned around in surprise, Twel reached out and lightly grabbed what was trying to cling to his body. The thing that was trembling in his hand soon crumbled powerlessly with white smoke.

“……What is this now?”

“Twel, are you okay?”

As I quickly approached, Twel looked elsewhere instead of answering. I turned to follow his gaze and couldn’t help but be embarrassed again. Because I saw someone I didn’t expect there.

“Oh? Why are you…….”

The person who appeared was Sibelius. I didn’t know what was going on, but before I could even exchange words, he rushed at Twel. He was holding a sword that I didn’t know when he had drawn. Twel smiled, as if amused, and lightly dodged his attack, making his twitching eyes even fiercer. The passersby in the shopping district were busy fleeing from the sudden fight.

“Wait a minute! Sibelius! What are you doing!”

The chaotic fight stopped only after I belatedly came to my senses and shouted. Sibelius, startled, stopped his attack and looked back at me with a slightly embarrassed face before looking back at Twel. Twel, who received his gaze, simply shrugged. Only then did he realize that something was wrong and quickly approached me.

“Are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“……The guardian charms reacted one after another, so I thought something had happened to you.”

Oh, no. A signal must have been sent to Sibelius when there was a problem with the guardian charm. Now I understood what was going on. He must have been surprised to learn that the guardian charm had disappeared and rushed over, mistaking Twel, who was standing in front of me, for the enemy. The situation itself was absurd, but I couldn’t get angry because he was trying to help me. Besides, wasn’t it still work hours? Now that I looked at it, he was still wearing his kitchen uniform. He must have run out without thinking as soon as he received the signal.

“Sorry, I must have surprised you. As you can see, I’m fine. Something did happen, but fortunately, it was resolved.”

“Then who is that person…….”

“Ah, that’s my brother.”

I glanced at Twel as I answered, but fortunately, he didn’t show any particular reaction. I didn’t know if he didn’t care or if he was watching to see how shamelessly I would act, but I felt good anyway. Sibelius was the one who flinched.

“……Brother?”

His wide eyes shook rapidly. I’m not good at reading other people’s expressions, but I think I know what he’s thinking now. It’s not that he doubts the blood relation itself, but that he can’t believe he’s a brother instead of a sister. Anyway, he looks younger than me, so it’s understandable that he’s embarrassed. However, Sibelius quickly came to his senses and bowed stiffly to Twel.

“I have committed a great rudeness. I apologize.”

Twel shrugged and lightly accepted the greeting. It must have been quite an unpleasant situation for him, but he didn’t seem angry. Sibelius, who had been watching him for a moment, looked back at me.

“Why did you have to use the guardian charm in a place like this? Did you meet the warlock from that time?”

“Well, it just happened.”

“You used both of them? I want to give you more, but I don’t have any spares right now. I’ll make some, so come and get them later.”

“Oh, you don’t have to go that far.”

“Come and get them.”

I nodded involuntarily at the strangely forceful words. Only then did Sibelius’s hardened face relax. I couldn’t help but laugh at his proud expression, as if he had accomplished something. “Then I’ll be going now.” He turned around, as if belatedly realizing that he had come while working. His departure was as quick as his chaotic appearance.

“A Rune [A member of a magical race] who came to the human land alone…….”

As I waved at his departing figure, I heard Twel’s low voice beside me. As the Spirit King of Insight and Clairvoyance, he seemed to have recognized Sibelius’s identity at once. He looked at me with a slightly dumbfounded expression.

“You really attract all sorts of things. If you want to live out your days, you’d better be moderate.”

“……It’s not like I want to attract them.”

“Well, if you knew how to protect yourself, it would be a little less.”

I’m already protecting myself enough. Isn’t it a problem that I’m protecting myself too much? I tilted my head, not knowing what more I should be protecting myself from, and Twel clicked his tongue briefly.

“Anyway, don’t get too close to that one.”

I was momentarily puzzled by the words that followed, but I blinked when I realized who he was referring to. Considering the direction he gestured and the situation, there was only one person he could be referring to.

“Are you talking about Sibelius? Why?”

“I don’t need to know his name. I just don’t like him.”

“Ah…… Was his first impression bad because he attacked so suddenly? He was worried about me. He’s a good guy. He helped me a lot, even though he doesn’t know me well. He’s even trying to take care of me now.”

“That’s exactly why.”

Why?

I looked at him in confusion, and Twel met my gaze with strange eyes.

“Unicorns of that age are very competitive. They are not kind to non-sibling males, nor do they give without expecting something in return.”

“……Um? He just gave it to me.”

“Why do you think he did that?”

“Does he think of me as a brother?”

“……Are you really not understanding, or are you escaping reality?”

I silently raised both hands at his exasperated tone and wiped my dry face. Of course, it was the latter. Now that I think about it, I think I heard it before. When I mentioned the past 엘 [likely referring to a past event or person], he briefly mistook me for a woman. Until then, I had never thought of applying that 엘 to myself, so I had completely forgotten about it.

“The reason why they are not kind to males is…….”

“Because their race usually mates with the opposite sex. They tend to be generous to their romantic interests, right?”

Oh, Lord.

I washed my face again. I wish I hadn’t asked. I felt a cold sweat as I heard the explicit words. It felt like I had unknowingly touched a terrifying hornet’s nest.

“As much as he has shown you affection, he will think he was deceived when the truth is revealed later.”

“D, doesn’t he know now? I openly called Twel my brother earlier.”

“Then I wouldn’t have said these words in the first place, right? Originally, unicorns call all older siblings, regardless of gender, ‘brother.'”

“헐 [Korean slang expressing disbelief or shock]…….”

No, how can this be? There are older sisters too, so why brother? What is this development that seems to be tailored to cause misunderstandings! The hope that was like a speck of dust collapsed before it could even bloom. My mind was complicated with all sorts of thoughts.

“……Twel. I think I need to cut my hair.”

While I’m at it, I should dye it too. Dye it black to completely eliminate the bright elements from this appearance. Wouldn’t that prevent these misunderstandings in the first place? As I quietly solidified my resolve, Twel looked at me with a dumbfounded expression and clicked his tongue briefly.

“I don’t know why you’re trying to do unnecessary work.”

I pretended not to hear his muttering voice. Life was bitter today.

“More than that, follow me. There’s something I want to show you.”

I barely gathered my senses at the words that followed and raised my head. Something he wanted to show me? As I looked at him with a questioning expression, Twel gestured lightly and began to walk ahead. How long did I follow him? I paused slightly at the sight that soon appeared. Among the groups of knights, I saw a man and a woman with silver-gray hair. It was Prince Luciel’s party, who had disappeared from sight a long time ago.

“Twel?”

“Just wait.”

I couldn’t ask any more at his low voice and quietly closed my mouth. The Crown Prince’s party was leisurely spending time in the square. It was a nice sunny day after a long time, so there were many people out to enjoy themselves besides them. Then, a child nearby started crying. It seemed that the toy kite he was flying had gotten caught in a tree and couldn’t move. Unlike the Crown Prince, who didn’t care, the princess seemed to have a kind heart and approached the child to have a conversation. Then, she suddenly took off her shoes and started climbing the tree where the kite was caught. The horrified guards quickly tried to stop her, but the princess acted faster.

“Anais! What are you doing! Come down now! Don’t do anything dangerous!”

“It’s okay, brother. You know I’m good at climbing trees.”

Despite the words, the princess climbed up the tree and took out the kite caught on the branch. A bright smile was on her face as she looked down at the stiff people.