Chapter 221
Chapter 221
This meant that Ja Yanghwa had the ability to distinguish between those who had committed crimes and those who had not, to a certain extent.
What could be more beneficial for Julius than this?
Thanks to Ja Yanghwa, Julius could accurately determine if someone was supporting him or if they were spies from Momalhaut trying to do harm.
In retrospect, if Julius had encountered Ja Yanghwa earlier, the northern relief goods might not have been stolen, and he could have filtered out the spy in advance.
Of course, Julius and Kaichen only learned of Ja Yanghwa’s ability in the original story.
“Don’t you feel pain rather than fear…?”
“It’s d-dreadful! This…this pain…”
“You need to be truthful. I’m not an evil wizard. You can feel it too.”
“Ah, no!”
Ja Yanghwa tried to escape in a panic, but the binding magic kept her in place. I could sense her fear as she struggled to get away from me.
“I really have no idea what to do with you,” I said, sounding exasperated. “I came to buy apples, not to cause trouble. The new fruit shop owner suddenly accused me of being evil, and you’re not even surprised that I’m here. It’s like you were expecting me all along. Why did you settle down in this place? Were you saved from something, or did someone trap you? And where did you get the money to buy this store?”
Ja Yanghwa’s eyes widened with fear, and she bit her lip as she struggled to come up with answers to my questions. Tears were streaming down her face, and I could tell that she felt like she was in a very precarious situation.
“Your benefactor… did he really save you, or is he on the same side as the person who trapped you?” I asked, moving closer to her.
“No! I said no!” she cried, shaking her head frantically.
I could see the fear in her eyes as I pressed her for answers. I wondered if she had been waiting for me, only to hide in fear when she saw me.
“What else did he say? Did he really tell you to avoid me if we ever met? Was there anything else he told you?” I asked, my voice soft but persistent.
“Do you truly believe that my magic is evil?” The frustration was evident in my voice.
Ja Yanghwa quaked before me, resembling a trapped animal. I could see that pushing her further wouldn’t be helpful, but I couldn’t help but wonder just how far Princess Exchetra had driven her into a corner.
Ja Yanghwa, who was incredibly sensitive to magic, couldn’t have missed feeling Asta’s power. Yet, she still supported him and referred to him as her benefactor. There must have been some reason for this.
Did Princess Exchetra put her in front of me on purpose? Could this be part of her larger plan? It was hard to guess, as her schemes were always ahead of mine, reminding me of the intricate and unpredictable plans in the north.
“No matter what, I’ll help you, Yanghwa,” I said, trying to comfort her.
Ja Yanghwa’s eyes fluttered open, and she looked as if she were about to speak. But before she could, she let out a breath and her body seized. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed, foam spilling from her mouth.
“No! Why did this happen?” I cried, rushing to catch her as she fell. But her body was limp, and she was unconscious. The pale blue hue of her skin was not a good sign.
“Ras! Ras! Over here!”
I frantically called for Ras and scooped Ja Yanghwa up in my arms, rushing back to Acrab.
No matter what Princess Exchetra’s intentions were, and whether this was a trap or not, I couldn’t let a valuable asset like Ja Yanghwa slip away from me. She could potentially pave the way for a friendly relationship between our kingdom and the Suran Empire.
Plus, I couldn’t bear the thought of witnessing such an innocent child die in front of me.
‘I promised to protect precious things.’
As soon as I arrived back at the Alshine residence, I reached out to Kaichen.
“I need you to examine someone I’ve brought back from Sharatan,” I informed him. “And if Prince Julius is on his way back, it’d be great if he could come along too.”
The two of them arrived promptly, with Kaichen eyeing Ja Yanghwa skeptically. She lay unconscious with an expression of reluctance etched onto her face.
“What happened?” Kaichen asked.
“I was in Sharatan and stumbled upon her,” I explained. “From what she told me, there’s a story surrounding Asta, Princess Exchetra’s tool. It might be a trap, but I think she’s special.”
“Your instincts are usually spot-on, so the chances are high that it’s a trap,” Julius said. “She’s definitely not a normal woman with that appearance… could she be a citizen of Suran?”
Julius listened closely to my summary and gazed intently at Ja Yanghwa’s unconscious face.
The protagonist was sharp to be able to tell that she wasn’t from the Kalhai Empire just by looking at her face. He had a keen eye for details.
“So, what’s her deal? Is she hooked on something?” Julius asked.
“Oh, come on. Not you too,” I replied with a sheepish smile.
It was true, the thought had crossed my mind as well. After traveling from Acrab to Hoiore, I had encountered various incidents both big and small, and my battle with Momalhaut taught me one thing: they had a love for poison.
There were many who were addicted to it, each producing a different yet similar effect that left everyone puzzled.