Chapter 14. Something I Have To

When the crimson droplets hit the surface, the smooth, porcelain-like jar began to glow. The white light grew so intense I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Squinting wasn’t enough, and I had to turn my head away.

Yona, however, stood with his arms crossed, staring directly into the blazing light.

“Mages really are something else,” I thought.

“Damn it, why’s it so loud and dramatic?” he muttered, his grumpy tone adding a touch of annoyance.

The light faded quickly.

“…”

Outwardly, the jar looked the same, but Yona seemed oddly energized, as if he’d sensed a shift.

“You know it only replicates inanimate objects, right?” I said, half-joking, worried he might stick his head into the jar out of excitement. Yona scoffed.

Instead of diving in himself, he pulled out a deep blue sapphire earring and dropped it into the jar. A less blinding, yet still noticeable flash of light emanated from within. Before it had even fully subsided, Yona thrust his arm into the jar.

“Interesting.”

He pulled out not one but two identical sapphire earrings.

“No one’s skilled enough to fool me with a trick this clever.”

I got the impression Yona thought of all humans as inherently inferior to him.

The arrogant mage dangled the earrings, letting them clink softly, before putting them back on with an expression of satisfaction.

“Flawless.”

“Is that so?”

“These aren’t just ordinary accessories. They’re enchanted with a blast spell capable of leveling a building in one go… Ahem, anyway, it means the jar replicated their magical properties too.”

It seemed he had only just remembered the law prohibiting possession of items with high-grade magical enchantments. It didn’t matter to me whether the mage breaking laws was the same one who had chided me about legality.

I decided to move to the main point.

“Now then, shall we start the bidding at five vectars? As I said, there’s also the favor to consider.”

“First, who are you?”

“That’s precisely the problem I want to solve.”

Yona’s thick eyebrows arched skeptically. He shoved aside cursed goose dolls, music boxes with spinning ballerinas, and what I guessed were magical staves, clearing enough space on what I assumed was a sofa.

“Take a seat.”

“Thanks for the courtesy,” I replied, sitting down.

“This isn’t some existential crisis, is it?”

“I need a new identity.”

“Ah. So you really are a criminal. Planning to stash some cash and flee the country?”

His snide tone hadn’t changed, but I figured it was more of a lingering grudge from the auction combined with his abrasive personality. The best approach was to ignore his meaningless remarks.

“I also need a few documents. It shouldn’t be too hard for someone like you.”

“What if I report you to the government?”

‘Government’—his choice of words piqued my curiosity. People who referred to the regime as “the military” were usually aligned with those who called the military revolution a “coup.”

“They’d punish me, of course. Everything I own would be confiscated.”

“Heh. You think I wouldn’t report you.”

“You want more blood.”

“Those words imply…”

I revealed the card I’d been itching to play all along.

“I can get more of it for you.”

❖　❖　❖

‘What on earth is this woman saying?’

Yona stared at the woman in front of him, his feelings shifting from confusion to sheer disbelief. Her hair was the kind of dull blonde seen everywhere, but her pale, reddish eyes were rare and captivating. Beyond that, her fair and beautiful face, paired with her upright demeanor, made her seem like she could be from a wealthy family. And yet…

‘Those hands belong to someone who’s done hard labor.’

Her rough, calloused hands made it impossible to see her as a noble lady.

And then there was the faint trace of magic about her—too weak to notice at the auction, but unmistakable now.

‘Probably just some minor tricks.’

Yona felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He had given her the treasure, assuming she was a non-mage, but now he realized the truth too late.

Still, Yona reminded himself not to get swept up by her, as he had during the black-market auction. The woman, who had introduced herself as Myrda, was desperate about something. She was beautiful, undeniably so, with a face that could rival the infamous femme fatale, Mine Molière, who had led the country to ruin.

‘Damn it. I really need to stop letting a pretty face get to me.’

Ultimately, Yona admitted to himself that he had been enchanted by this “witch”—and really, what else could he call her?—like any other man would be.

“Truthfully, I could even provide a regular supply if it’s not too large a quantity. But since there isn’t enough trust between us yet, let’s do a few transactions first and see how it goes.”

“Hah.”

Not only had this “witch” just wrung five vectars out of him, but now she was dangling the prospect of becoming his supply line. A formidable woman indeed. Testing the waters, Yona asked cautiously:

“And how am I supposed to trust you?”

“…That’s quite a funny question.”

The corners of her pale lips curled up. It was the kind of comment that could’ve irritated her, but she showed no signs of rushing or anger. Calm and deliberate, she spoke in a voice as soft as a peach blossom landing on water.

“You can tell when someone is lying, can’t you?”

“…”

“Or am I wrong?”

Yona’s tightly shut mouth opened.

“How do you…?”

“A new identity, a few documents. It shouldn’t be difficult for you. And introduce me to Ralpido.”

Ralpido.

Yona’s astonishment turned to outright shock.

He had thought himself lucky to acquire the Jar of Desire, but that was clearly not the case. The witch had him completely under her thumb. When was the last time he had felt so cornered?

Yona’s heart pounded violently, driven by a mix of pride, anticipation, and insatiable curiosity.

❖　❖　❖

After finishing my business at Arabek Appraisal Center, I headed straight to the pawnshop to reclaim my dagger.

“Miss, wouldn’t you consider selling that dagger to me? I’ll give you a great price for it.”

“It’s a meaningful item to me, so I don’t think I can sell it,” I replied.

It must have sounded ridiculous—calling it meaningful after pawning it out of desperation. But I meant every word. The pawnbroker sighed wistfully but congratulated me on sorting things out and wished me well. Perhaps this city was warmer than I’d thought.

Though I’d spent quite some time with Yona, there was still plenty of daylight left. I went to a real estate agent to find a place where a woman could live alone.

I had 5,000 etars on hand. Yona had the ability—and the inclination—to pay the entire five vectars in cash, but without access to a bank, having such a massive sum all at once would’ve been a burden.

‘So you’re basically using me as your personal vault?’

Though he grumbled, Yona agreed to hold the remainder for now, casually mentioning that some of it would eventually go to Ralpido anyway.

‘And what’s this about Ralpido? Ugh, forget it. Suspicious witch.’

It seemed Yona had officially decided to call me a “witch.” I didn’t mind. Having taken over a lifeless body like a scavenger, being called a witch was hardly an insult. If anything, Yona had unwittingly hit upon the truth. Perhaps that was the mark of a skilled mage.

“District Five isn’t ideal. It’s packed with bars, and let’s not even talk about the nights,” said the real estate agent as we looked at various locations.

“But it’s cheap.”

“You’d be better off spending a little more for a safer area. I wasn’t going to bring this up, but…”

The agent lowered their voice, leaning in like a spy sharing secrets.

“I’ve heard there are a lot of ‘undesirables’ in that area. It’s just hearsay, but better safe than sorry.”

“‘Undesirables’?”

“People who refuse to accept the new government. They cause trouble everywhere they go. You’ll find both men and women mingling and stirring up mischief.”

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“Let’s look for something closer to the main streets, shall we?”

“…Please, within my budget.”

After viewing three places, the afternoon was nearly over. I inspected windows, checked for mold, and tested the water pressure in each house. Eventually, I settled on a small house just outside the district the agent had warned me about.

Big financial decisions were exhausting—so many factors to consider, so much mental energy required. I returned to my inn completely drained.

As I prepared to wash up and lie down, my eyes caught a glass container on the table. It was small, round, and flat, and when opened, it released a soft rose fragrance. It was the salve Nexiard had given me without explanation.

I opened the creaking window to let the cold night air fill the room and scooped a generous amount of the salve, spreading it over the back of my hand.

Was it like petroleum jelly? It had a similar texture and seemed to offer the same effect. The clear ointment absorbed smoothly into my dry, cracked skin, leaving it soft. Somehow, even my weary spirit felt a bit soothed.

What had Nexiard been thinking when he bought this?

I recalled those first few days after waking up in that rickety cabin bed. Nexiard had followed me around like a hatchling chasing its mother bird, eager to repay his debt and looking for ways to help. It had been so endearing and amusing.

Truly, Nexiard Yul… I should’ve given birth to you myself. Or maybe I already did, in my heart. I let that silly thought burn away alongside the flickering candlelight.

“Let’s not meet again, Myrda.”

I slipped the dagger he’d given me under my pillow.

“Until we meet again, Nexiard.”

I murmured, letting sleep overtake me. Tomorrow, I would meet Yona early in the morning.