Fakes Don’t Want To Be Real Chapter 29

Chapter 29

 

“Ah, damn it! My Lady!”

 

BOOM!

 

When the soaring purple flames vanished, Psychke’s vision filled with the sight of two men, their faces deathly pale, sprinting toward her. They were Verndia and Aiden and she reflexively drew in her cursed power.

But the things that had already frozen were the problem.

As she stumbled back, the ice that hadn’t melted because it hadn’t touched the flames brushed against her feet.

 

‘Ah…’

 

The sensation that began at her toes instantly overwhelmed her mind.

Someone whispered ominous words into her ear.

 

[‘Remember, Psyche. If your ice is discovered by others—’]

 

You kill, or you are killed.

Psychke clutched the dagger, gripping it so hard the bones in her knuckles stood out white. The moment fearful blue eyes and crimson eyes tangled in the air, Verndia halted.

Simultaneously, BOOM!

A fierce explosion erupted behind Psyche.

A sudden gale whipped her silver hair wildly. Startled, Psychke turned around and couldn’t believe her eyes.

A colossal whirlwind of purple flame was swallowing everything around it.

The alley walls crumbled formlessly, the ice rolling on the ground melted instantly, and only the demon beasts that had been trapped in the ice remained, pinned under rubble, unable to move, burning and shrieking in agony.

Just as she was staring blankly at the demon beasts turning to ash…

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Aiden, who had approached without her noticing, asked. His face, flushed the same color as the flames, clearly showed shock.

 

“Are you hurt anywh— Oh my.”

 

His hand reached out toward her melted sleeve and the scars mottled with poison.

Psychke flinched and instinctively took a step back.

At the same time, ‘shhhk’, the sound of a sword being drawn, a blade slid between the two of them.

 

“Don’t touch her.” Verndia said.

 

He pushed past a startled Aiden and whispered so only Psychke could hear.

 

“He won’t have seen anything. I deliberately made the wall of flames wide.”

 

Her mind sharpened.

 

Aiden won’t have seen? Then what about him, the Duke?

Biting her lip hard, she tasted metallic blood. Swallowing that foulness, she forcibly steadied her crumbling composure.

 

“Did you see?”

“Why do you think I broke the wall?”

 

For a moment, her legs almost gave way. But Verndia, not seeing this, brushed past her.

He was going to deal with the onlookers and guards who had been drawn by the vividly visible purple flames even from afar. As he left, he warned Aiden not to approach recklessly.

However, as soon as Verndia was out of earshot, Aiden approached and spoke in a guilt-ridden voice.

 

“I’m so sorry. I was waiting for you, My lady, but something came up and I stepped away for a moment. I had no idea this would happen in that short time.”

“No, it’s fine.”

 

She didn’t know if she could trust the claim that Aiden saw nothing, but judging that panicking would arouse suspicion, she acted as nonchalantly as possible.

But her trembling legs betrayed their owner’s will and wobbled.

Aiden steadied her.

 

“When I returned, there was a strange barrier, so I hesitated about what to do… I’m sorry I was late. I should have entered immediately.”

“A strange barrier?”

“Yes. His Grace mentioned it seemed to be some kind of barrier.”

 

A barrier.

So that’s why she couldn’t sense any presence around her? Psychke lightly chewed her lip.

Aiden, frowning slightly, hesitated for a moment before hinting cautiously.

 

“And this… I’m not sure if I heard correctly, but he said it seemed like a barrier created with forbidden magic.”

 

Instantly, Psychke’s mind turned ice-cold.

Forbidden magic had been erased from history due to its disregard for life, cruelty, and the side effects of its casting.

Occasionally, cultists claiming to continue its legacy appeared, but with the lineage of that magic severed, all they could do was create demon beasts.

And even those were mere fakes, just animals with their ferocity maximized.

 

‘But, what I faced earlier…’

 

The wolves she had just encountered were clearly born of darkness. They weren’t clumsily made like the ones she’d seen at the auction.

Which meant the ones that attacked her were undoubtedly ‘real’ demon beasts.

But, before that…

 

‘Can I trust Sir Aiden’s words?’

 

It was strange enough that Verndia, who wasn’t a mage, knew about severed magic lineages. And even if he did know, it was also strange that he’d mention it to someone carelessly.

Psychke’s fine brow subtly contorted.

 

‘Who on earth am I supposed to trust?’

 

Just then, Verndia approached, frowning and reproaching Aiden.

 

“I told you not to stick around.”

 

The surroundings were filled with unrecognizable piles of ash.

The purple flames, having devoured their prey, had long since died out.

 

“My words mean nothing to you, is that it?”

 

He took Psychke from Aiden’s support, almost snatching her into his arms.

Psyche was considerably taken aback by his action, brimming with hostility. She knew the Crown Prince faction families particularly despised Hillaise, but she had only heard about it and this was her first time seeing it firsthand.

 

Aiden muttered quietly, “As I’ve said before, I do not share my family’s views.”

“And how am I to believe that? Is the Aiden you spoke of really you?”

“Your Grace!”

 

Just as Psychke tried to intervene, a man rushed over breathlessly from behind. It was Isolet, who had been dealing with the guards in Verndia’s stead until now.

 

“They need an incident report—”

“Handle it. They probably just want some repair money.”

“They need a reason for why you destroyed the wall.”

“Tell them I was bored. Do I have to explain every little thing?”

 

Despite the utterly absurd reason, Isolet merely bowed his head without a change in expression.
No wonder he had the nickname ‘Mad Dog’, he was used to this kind of cleanup by now.

Psychke realized he intended to keep not only her ability but also the very fact of the demon beasts’ appearance a secret.

But the words wouldn’t come to ask why, so she just clenched her fists.

Verndia, who had been glaring at Aiden all this time, issued a cold warning.

 

“I don’t know what scheme made you pose as a mercenary to get close, but you’d best forget about it.”

 

It was clear hostility.

The sword in his hand was even aimed at the other man’s throat.

Aiden, like Psychke, seemed surprised by Verndia’s hostility, but soon collected himself and replied calmly.

 

“It’s not what you think, Your Grace.”

“You speak as if you’ve been inside my head. Don’t touch anyone unnecessarily. Stick to Yzhar’s rear. I’ll tolerate this only once.”

 

Verndia, grinding out the words, sheathed his sword. Then he scooped Psychke up and started walking.

 

“Let’s go, My Lady.”

“Huh? Wait—!”

 

Startled, Psychke quickly looked back, but Aiden was out of sight, blocked by a broad chest.

Verndia snapped irritably.

 

“Of all people, a Hillaise? What on earth were you thinking, My Lady?”

“Huh?”

 

Psychke, who had been struggling to free herself, stopped moving.

It was a strange question.

Silkisia and Hillaise were in the same faction, in a strict lord-vassal relationship, so there was no reason not to be close.

As if not expecting her answer, Verndia continued sullenly.

 

“Though, you said he was a mercenary, so perhaps you didn’t know his family name. Neither you nor I engage in social circles, so it’s possible you didn’t recognize his face either. I understand.”

 

Despite saying he understood, he looked extremely displeased.

Thinking that the Crown Prince faction truly despised Hillaise, Psychke decided to avoid any further talk related to Aiden and changed the subject.

 

“Please put me down. I can walk.”

 

But strangely, her tongue wouldn’t obey. It felt oddly stiff, and her words came out slurred.

Wondering why, she tried to roll her tongue in her mouth when Verndia let out a sigh.

 

“Generally, demon beast venom has paralytic properties. It seems you’re not severely poisoned, fortunately.”

 

He was right.

The arm with the wound felt numb.

As she subtly tried to move her arm to regain some sensation, Verndia went on.

 

“During the fight, it probably didn’t spread because you were using your ability, but now you can’t, so—”

 

Suddenly, an incomparably stronger surge of fear than before transmitted through the ring to him.

 

‘Oh no.’

 

Verndia looked down at the woman in his arms.

Psychke was agitated enough to fumble with her injured hand toward where her dagger was.

His arms holding her tightened.

Verndia apologized with a haste that made it seem he might bite his tongue.

 

“I’m sorry. I meant to tell you sooner, but I realized it when I felt your power leaking during the fight with the mercenaries at the auction.”

 

At the words that he had known all along, Psyche’s face turned ashen.

Verndia gritted his teeth.

Judging by her reaction, she had been acting ignorant to survive, as he had guessed, and he had just carelessly blown her cover.

Getting along with her from now on seemed like a distant prospect.

However, after a long silence, what came back was a sentence beyond his expectations.

 

“Are you… going to kill me?”