Merlin had nothing to say, even if he had ten mouths.
Had he not helped, who knows what kind of interrogation he would have faced in Avalon?
A small shadow’s gaze prickled the top of his head.
In the darkness, a suffocating aura pressed down—something utterly inhuman.
A child’s voice pattered closer, footsteps disappearing into the dark. The little shadow, blending seamlessly into the darkness as if absorbed by it, clicked its tongue at Merlin, who still knelt on the ground.
“How can someone who inherited half of the Demon King’s power be this stupid?”
To some, he was the Great Demon who ruled the continent.
To Merlin, he was simply his father.
💫
“Then, I’ll go see Grandfather.”
After leaving the teahouse and finishing a light meal, Galehaut awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.
Morgana smiled and asked, “Are you heading to the mountains now?”
“Yeah, I originally came down for Grandfather’s medicine and supplies. I should go check on him.”
Leaving outright felt too abrupt, but staying longer would’ve been awkward, so he hesitated before muttering while staring into space,
“Uh, come visit with the puppy sometime.”
With a stiff nod and an awkward farewell, he disappeared rigidly into the crowd.
Perhaps because he took after Pelles, his tone remained rough till the end. Stretching lightly, Morgana glanced back.
“Kellive, where do they sell teacups?”
They had caught her eye earlier, and now she was determined to buy some before returning.
‘Perfect for stocking Tir na Nog’s VIP section.’
Since magical tools were rare in Britain, the impact would be even greater. There were plenty of other items she’d eyed as well.
Counting on her fingers, Morgana listed them off.
“A poison-detecting teaspoon seems useful, and I should get a self-moving tray too. Oh, and a wardrobe that irons clothes automatically…”
The teaspoon suited quite well with the herbal-themed shop concept.
Morgana, who had been rattling off items with enthusiasm, suddenly brightened and asked again,
“By any chance, don’t you supply magical tools to the Mage Tower? If you’re just going to discard them on the streets like this, I’d love it if you could ‘discard’ them with me too!”
It was a business opportunity only she could pursue, given her ability to travel between both kingdoms.
The Mage Tower could produce more wondrous items, and she could earn money from it.
Kellive, who had been listening quietly with an amused smile, gave a light chuckle.
“Is that so?”
“Do you think the Mage Tower would agree so easily?”
“You can just ask them directly.”
“You can meet them in person? Where? I was even thinking of asking Aide about it!”
He should’ve mentioned that sooner!
As Morgana’s eyes sparkled, his smile deepened at her hushed excitement.
“Do you know why the Street of Mages is called the Street of Mages?”
What kind of question was that all of a sudden?
Morgana gave him a puzzled look before answering without hesitation.
“Because there are lots of magical tools here.”
Kellive let out a short laugh at her immediate response.
“Well, that’s not entirely wrong…”
His gaze, which had been fixed on her, turned upward toward the sky.
Following his lead, Morgana also looked up. The dark night sky was visible through the massive dome-shaped ceiling enclosing the street.
‘Wow, has that much time already passed?’
Outside, it was dark, but the street was as bright as day, so she hadn’t noticed at all.
Perhaps because of that, the atmosphere of the street had begun to shift slightly, different from the daytime.
The minstrels at the fountain, who had been playing lively music, now sang a softer melody.
Even the lighting seemed to carry a subtle illusion of tranquility.
Kellive quietly took Morgana’s hand and led her, “There’s something I want to show you.”
His strides were confident and purposeful.
Morgana, who had been following with quick steps, blinked and asked, “Won’t the shops be closed if we’re late?”
“Don’t worry. The streets of the magicians stay open till dawn.”
Honestly, some shops even switch their business entirely to nighttime.
Avalon’s days seem longer than most.
At the mouth of an alley where fewer eyes lingered, Kellive lifted his robe with one hand.
“Pardon me.”
With those brief words, his arms enveloped Morgana.
Her vision darkened momentarily under the robe—then, in contrast to the warmth of the streets, the crisp chill of the dawn wind wrapped around her.
“Now, open your eyes.”
As the robe covering her sight vanished, a world cloaked in darkness unfolded before her.
A sky swirling with violet and blue, as if stars were about to rain down.
And beneath it, the vast expanse of Avalon’s land.
“Huh?”
Avalon’s land?
Startled, Morgana glanced around. The two of them stood atop a towering clocktower.
Given that the second hand of the clock was visible over Avalon’s scenery, they must have been inside the tower.
Yet, whether by magic, there were no windows—only four pillars supporting the structure.
The pointed roof made it feel even darker than outside.
Leaning one hand against a pillar, she cautiously peeked out through narrowed eyes.
“When did we come up here?”
“Just now?”
He took a step closer, standing behind her. His large hand rested beside hers on the pillar, his body slightly bent as if embracing her.
Thanks to him blocking the wind, it was warm.
His voice murmured softly above Morgana’s head.
“Don’t be scared. See there?”
He pointed outside with his hand.
Bright lights. Faint music carried by the wind. The Mage’s Street appeared far in the distance.
Only then did the scenery come into view.
“Ah, so the street is the only thing bright at night.”
In response to Morgana’s murmur, he whispered, “No. If that were all, I wouldn’t have brought you here.”
Tick, tock—
The second hand moved, and the moment it struck the hour, the windows enclosing the Mage’s Street opened.
As if spreading from the street itself, the surroundings began to glow with light.
As the darkened world brightened, a single star fell from the sky—ping.
From the highest vantage point, he took in the entire scene. The world, shimmering in golden light—perhaps from the flames—was beautiful.
Above her head, a gentle voice spoke softly.
“The Mage’s Street is truly alive at night.”
No sooner had his words ended than the shining stars began to fall, one by one.
Trailing behind each other, the falling stars soon filled the sky beyond counting.
“Wow…”
Like a meteor shower blanketing the heavens, they streaked across.
There was no explosion, no dazzling display—just stars cascading silently through the golden-lit night sky, bursting like sparks in the quiet darkness.
Something tight in her chest suddenly loosened.
Though no sound accompanied it, the sight was magnificent.
As if the stars themselves had fallen to set the earth alight.
Morgana took a deep breath.
As the night air filled her lungs, her chest swelled with emotion.
A refreshing sensation, unlike anything she had ever felt in the vast lands of Avalon. Like a dam breaking, it spread through her, carried by the meteor shower.
“It’s beautiful.”
How long had it been since she truly felt something was beautiful?
Whether out of habit or personal taste, everything in Morgana’s sight had always had a price—teacups, magical tools, mansions, herbs.
But could this scenery ever be measured in gold?
“It’s… truly breathtaking.”
For the first time, Morgana voiced a sentiment that came purely from her heart—untainted by calculation or impurity.
Had she been unconsciously weighing and judging all this time?
It was true that, because this was a world she had entered, everything had seemed more like objects.
But the moment she beheld this beautiful sight, Morgana realized for the first time that this place was its own world.
A world she had forgotten.
A place that felt slightly unfamiliar now etched itself into her mind.
Kellive’s low voice murmured softly. A tickling breath trailed down the nape of Morgana’s neck, sending a shiver through her.
“I wanted to show you.”
“Why?”
Morgana’s heart gave a faint flutter. She couldn’t tell if it was from overwhelming emotion or simply from taking in the breathtaking scenery.
She turned to look at Kellive’s profile, bathed in light.
His golden eyes shimmered under the glow, gleaming like jewels.
As if entranced, Morgana asked again, “Why did you want to show me?”
“Because that’s how I feel every time I see you.”
Behind him, beyond the clock tower, the meteor shower still streaked across the sky.
His face, painted in contrasts of shadow and light, stood out vividly.
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