"I didn't do any magic." Kresi tells him with a straight face, "I can't do magic. My channels are broken. I can't make a contract with a spirit either. Why do you accuse me of something that I can't do?"
"That… I saw with my own eyes." He points at his brother's little back. The symbol from the paper has disappeared. He takes the vial from her hand and sniffs. It smells like ehr. "What is this?"There's a faint smile on her red lips. "What do you think?"
"Is it what I think it is?" He narrows his eyes dangerously.
"How would I know what you are thinking?" She can't help but tease him. It's part of her habit to play with the prey before she butchers them. She frowns at the thought. Why did she think of bully this dumb prince? But it sort of feels like he's asking for a beating.
"If it is what I think it is, you are committing a grave crime." He corks the vial. Has she learned nothing? "You received a new life. Don't squander the Renasir's efforts like this."
Kresi exhales. She doesn't want to use her energy arguing with this dumb prince. "You are scared of me. Then, why did you come to my room?"
How did she find out? Aren hides his surprise under the mask of anger. "Who said that I am afraid of you?"
"Ah… I was wrong then." She tilts her head, studying him. "Then, let me ask in another way. Why did you come to my room when you should be waiting for me outside? I am still a woman. I could have been in the middle of changing."
"..." Woman? He gives her a look over. The girl only reaches to his chest. Her face is thin and pale, but her eyes are as deep as the ocean, making people feel secure in a way. He realizes his mistake. She's still a girl. But he won't admit it. "I don't see a woman in this room."
She clicks her tongue. "Taking a blind man with me is going to be quite a trouble."
"Do you want me to treat you like a woman then?" He crosses his arms and stares at her. "Does the harbinger like me?"
"This cripple doesn't dare to," She replies with a flat voice, unaffected by his attempt at making her flustered. "Whether you see me as a man, woman, halfling, god, spirit, or something else, you must always knock before you enter my room if you don't want to lose your useless eyes."
Aren huffs at her. "I don't plan to stay with you for long."
"If my guess is right, you are going to stay until your brother gets his true name." Kresi turns her gaze at the kid, sensing his animosity. "I blocked your abilities because you might be tempted to use your abilities again. It would harm the Renasir too. Her debt to her is also dangerous for her."
He can't use his abilities anymore. Little Ai looks at her glumly. Couldn't she tell him before doing that to him?
Kresi shrugs. "Also, don't trust people like me."
Aren knits his brows together. She did some forbidden magic. The preserved ehr was used to activate the rune. But what kind of magic was that? He had never heard of someone with broken channels being able to do magic. "Little Brother, are you feeling okay?"
The little boy gives him a nod. This sister is already on her bad list. His brother is a little better, but he's always arguing with this sister. Little Ai hasn't been to have some quiet time ever since he came here. Someone is always trying to start a conversation with him, although they know that they can't hear his voice. Now, he's forced to wear these kinds of clothes over his robe. Only he knows the discomfort of wearing too many layers.
It's time to leave. She shoves her bag in Aren's arms. "This cripple trusts that his royal highness' arms are kind enough to carry this."
He clenches his teeth when the weight of the bag hits him. What the hell is she carrying inside it? She takes Little Ai's bag and puts it over her bag in Aren's arms. "His royal highness is a gentleman."
"..." At first, she didn't want him to come with her, and now she's using him as a servant.
"Let's go, kid." Kresi grabs Little Ai's gloved hand, dragging him along with her while Ai continues to glare her back. He has a little choice than follow her lead since she sealed her abilities like that. He should have just left earlier instead of being a good child and listen to this sister. He's going to complain about this sister to his Pretty Sister.
Kresi has no idea what this little boy is thinking and she doesn't care either. After they reached the living room, Gabriel is surprised to see the toddler beside her. "Is he...?"
"Yes." Kresi replies, "I didn't know if it would work. His body is still invisible, but the clothes from this world aren't."
"Kresi, you are a genius," Pebby presses her palms together and cries in joy. "All of us can see him now."
"Only the clothes, not him." She glances at Pebby. "Why are you still here? You should be on your way."
"We were planning to leave with you." Mirai lowers his eyes when she grimaces at him. "What I mean is that we won't travel together… We can accompany you as long as we can…"
Their tactics are rather lame. She didn't get dumber after her death. There's no way that she would take these two with her.
The trial has revealed her identity. As much as possible, she doesn't want to be seen with innocent ones. Surely, there are people who sympathize with her. There are also those who hate her with guts. If Ari is the saviour, she's definitely the annihilator. Renasir will be treated with the utmost respect. She will only bring prejudice to the people around her. After Ai receives his name, she plans to go somewhere far away from these people who aren't 'cursed children' anymore.
She's someone with no future. She has no home. She has no heart to accept anyone's love and care.
"Gabriel, don't be late," She tells Gabriel. Aren follows her out of the house. They head toward the stables. Aren shoves the bags on the brown horse's back and releases his breath. Did she pack the entire room? By the way, why is he even carrying her bags?
When she reaches for Little Ai, he waddles toward his elder brother and grabs his brother's hand. Sitting with his brother is better than being with this unpredictable sister. Kresi shrugs her shoulders and climbs the horse, riding it toward the south.
Aren quickly climbs the horse and helps his brother sit with him. When he reaches up to her, he grabs her arm. "Hey, where are you going?"
She jerks his hand off with a frown. "Shortcut."
"It's the opposite direction." Aren yells at her, "You are heading toward Mahuna's lands."
"Shortcut," Kresi mumbles again, already at a limit of her patience.
"What shortcut?" He scowls at her back. "The landscapes have changed since the gods fixed this world. I am sure that your shortcut doesn't exist anymore."
She looks over her head with deep lines on her forehead, clearly annoyed by his constant doubts. "If you say another word, I am going to stuff your mouth with mud."
"Hmph!" He harrumphs. As if that would scare him! However, not another word is heard from the former prince.
Kresi looks ahead. The corner of her vermillion lips rises. Her eyes twinkle, amused by the former prince's reaction. The saffron rays of the sun descend on the outstretched land. Little Ai leans back, resting the back of his head on Aren's chest. The little boy blinks his eyes slowly until he falls asleep. Aren wraps his one arm around his little brother, holding his body steady as he continues to seethe in silence.
"If I am wrong about the shortcut, his royal highness will help this cripple finding the right direction."
After hearing that, he calms down a bit. Perhaps, this girl is not that bad.
"If this cripple is right, one hopes that the chosen one doesn't open his giant mouth for the rest of the way."
She continues to call herself a cripple. "Can you stop calling yourself a cripple?"
"Am I not?" She chuckles. It's easy to poke this prince into speaking.
"Broken channels can be healed." Aren squeezes the horse's side with his legs, loosening the reins. He reaches to her side. "I am a living example of that."
"It's funny that you want my channels healed." She looks at him with a quiet gaze. "You close your mouth when I threaten you, but you want me to feel magic again. Are you not afraid that I might hurt you if I receive my magic back?"