Chapter 7 — Suspicion

"Jump in." 

"N-No way. . ."

Entering the cave alone appears almost like a test of courage for Tristan who has never been familiar with such darkness and the terror it brings. Now as per the lady's demand, he must take another step towards uncertainty, which she disguises as an alluring shortcut towards his most sought objective. 

There is not enough light to make the path in front of him clearer to begin with, but the chilling breeze from below his feet petrifying his entire body tells him of the dreadful fate that awaits him soon as he decide to move forward. 

It is a huge, black hole on the ground, just a foot away from him. 

"I-I'm going back—"

"No, you're not."

"You said I could always—"

"You said you want to serve the country," she brought up.

"This has nothing to do with that!"

"It's for the sake of everyone, believe me."

When she said she would help him earn a place on the Selection, was it just a bait?

'It indeed is,' his mind whispered to him, as if mocking him of the big mistake he just blindly accepted. 

Tristan, at the state of panic, turn to meet her face to face. . just to regret doing it as he came to realize he was only an inch away from her. The lady, though a little shorter than his height, made him feel towered over. With her hood down, he completely got to see the dim glow of her emerald orbs staring directly at his brown ones. 

"W-Who are you. . .?"

"Does it matter? I believe you should throw that question back to yourself. Who are you, Tristan Miramond?"

Simply her mentioning his complete name sent chill down his spine, his chest started to get heavier and he felt colder with all the sweat that his skin produces so quick.

Letting that statement sink in to his mind, two questions disturbed him as much as her presence alone do. 

'Did I ever mention my name to her?'

'Why does she insist I do not know myself?'

"This place, is the graveyard of the three infamous witches who once devastated this country."

'What the hell? Could this be any more frightening than it already is?' he internally cried. 

Walking past his position, the lady continues to speak.

"Once you go in there, your physical body, soul and mana energy will fall apart due to the nature of the barrier set in there. . ."

He gulped.

"You carry the same residue that gives strength to the Beasts — a mixture of the original corruption and the Witch's blessing. The latter can be extracted and supply them with the life force that they once had. So, once I push you in there, the mana flowing in you will be attracted to the closest compatible vessel. . ."

With his instinct telling him he's now fighting a battle with his life in line, he argued, "W-Why are you telling me this. .? You told me yourself that my mana energy is poor and—"

"Far from ordinary, enough to revive one of them," she interrupts. 

"It has been years since cases of Beast attacks abnormally rose in the neighboring countries. And among those incidents, something unusual came into light, residue of the mana energy alike to that of a Witch's was evident on the victim's wounds," the lady added.

What she just said were all but facts. Although Tristan, like the other ordinary citizens, are not at all oblivious of the current war happening between the beasts and humans outside the country, they never expect it to be currently at the extent wherein it is deemed as a security crisis for the foreign lands. Even so, the count of such cases in Londevé is kept at minimum due to the competence of the Noble Paladins and with the aid of the Queen Regent herself. To sum it up, their safety was never threatened at the very least. 

"H-How does it concern me. . ."

"You were never attacked by a beast, yet I sense the same residue mixed with your mana energy."

"T-there's no way that could be possible! There must have been a mistake, believe me, I have no ill intention against anyone, I-I. . ." he could no longer say anything to defend himself. For what reason though? Is he now doubting himself at the woman's influence?

"I never mentioned you do, but there is no harm in choosing to be sure."

'No harm, really, now?'

Being overwhelmed by the extreme fear he feels and the longing for his two siblings waiting for him at home, his mind was too occupied and blank at the same time to even think of anything to save himself. 

Until a thought crossed his mind, "W-Wait, you said throwing m-me there will revive one of the Witches, d-do you plan to make that happen?" 

She took a step towards him, even with an aura that shouts 'murder', as how he sees it, it is still undeniable how elegant and swift her every move is. 

What he just spoke of, was it a bad decision to voice it out, after all?

"Exactly."

"D-Don't come any closer. . please, my siblings are still young and they depend on me for living, so please. . we can still talk it over, right?" he pleaded. 

With a blink of eye, the woman's expression suddenly became darker as her red lips curved into a terrifying smirk. 

"We're here now. Why not try a free fall. . ."

Tristan's life flashed through his eyes as he felt the tip of the woman's index finger gently touched the light-cloth covering his left shoulder. 

***

As the clacking sound of the horse's feet reached the ear of the helplessly perturbed children standing outside the wooden fences, their heads automatically turned its way. 

"Yo! Haven't seen you in a day, kids!"

It was Anne, who never appeared in their sight the entire day. Much to their disappointment, it is not the brother they expected to see, though knowing he won't even show up aboard a horse. 

Rolling his eye in disappointment, Johann made a remark, "We don't need to see you—"

"Err shut up, brat. Hey Thea, Sister Anne missed you so much!" 

Anne immediately ran towards the little girl as she jumped down the horse, throwing herself to hug her. 

"Sister Anne, why are you here?" Thea asked, her severe worry over her brother's whereabout still evident in her low-spirited voice. 

"I just thought I had a free time to spend, but how about you guys? It's dark already. And where's your brother by the way?" Anne turns her head sideways, seeking to find a trace of her 'best friend's' existence from where she stands. 

"About that, he still hasn't come home yet," it was Johann who broke it on her. 

***

"Tristan! Tristan, where did you go, you troublemaker!?"

It has been almost half an hour since Anne went through the forest riding her horse look for him. With only a lamp on her hand to light her way, she followed every sign of human activity to search for him, be it being nearly impossible at this hour. 

"Tristan! Please, Thea and Johann's worried for you! How could you leave them alone?"

Anne fully knows the danger of the forest, much more now that the night's getting deeper and darker. However, with every step forward, her desperation only grows, notwithstanding the possible peril she might encounter later on. 

"Tristan! Tristan! Tris. . ."

Somewhere not far from her location, a rustling sound of bushes caught her attention. 

"Oh what now?"

The strange aound intensifies, causing her heart to grow more nervous than determined. But with that much loudness, she perceived its source to be just behind her. There she saw tall bushes decorated with gold lights produced by the glow of fireflies. 

Out of curiousity and amazement, she chose to swallow her fear and follow the possible signal of fate shown before her. 

The round pair of eyes of the Princess widen even more at the discovery she caught sight of as she took the path her instinct told her to. 

"Tristan, thank heavens, Tristan! What are you thinking, laying down here of all places, you freak. . ." she cried out of joy and distress. 

It was him, without the need to check his vital signs, Anne pulled his sleeping, filthy body into a tight embrace. 

***

Meanwhile at the Queen Regent's chamber. . .

"You really have the edge on luring anyone to your trap, darling. Uh, if not for our pact, I'd long since tied you on my side."

Illuminated on the surface of a mirror is the image of an man of undeniable charm. His long, platinum-white hair flows down his shoulder in a very neat style. Even with his skin being pale, his manly features still stood out; his electric blue eyes housed by hooded lids, tall pointed nose, chiseled jawline all came together to bring forth such an ethereal beauty — as if the hand of a divinity themselves worked to create this masterpiece of a creature. 

At first glance, it is indeed difficult to believe that a person who also walks atop the earth could be this gorgeous, but what could even be more unimaginable than him being able to reshape himself alike those huge, frightening creatures known as 'Dragons'?

"You never did because you're not capable enough to."

"How sure are you, darling? Try me," he provoked, lips curved into a devilish smirk.

"Tch. As if that would entertain me," Serina turned the idea down. 

"Ugh, okay. What am I worrying for anyway, our marriage is fast approaching and there is no way a village boy who knows no single incantation would amuse you. Just do hope there won't be any delay, because I'd be wiping off a portion of human race for every hour—"

"I do find him interesting though. . ."

Felix's teasing expression quickly shifted into a mixture of disgusted, unbelieving and betrayed look. ". . ?"

"He's determined to be a Paladin, yet he never considered using magic."

"And?" his brow raised at displeasure. 

"His raw mana energy is poor, and so do his activation points and routes," the lady added. 

"What's so special about that?"

Noticing his senseless annoyance, Serina breathed a sigh of misbelief. 'How childish could this old man be?' she thought. 

"Set that unreasonable insecurity aside, Felix. I think something is off with this child."

"Of course, that's all the reason you went that far to torture him, right?" Back to his usual composure, Felix delivered those words with a wicked laugh.

"He's completely fine."

"You literally messed his head up, darling . . brutally," he proudly reminded her of her deed. 

"Tch. He'll recover. Anyway, I initially thought he could be an artificial creation, carrying an even amount of the residue and all, but he seem completely vulnerable. The Witch's energy in those Beasts could mean one of the other Three who disappeared might have been behind this. And that boy. . I am sure the residue was intentionally inflicted upon him, perhaps to do what I just tried to," she said.

"And how does bringing another Witch back to life would benefit them? I've never met anyone so determined to revive those devils as you do."

"That does not matter, it is clear to me that boy has a purpose to serve. Whatever it is, I must execute my plans on him first," she rested her chin on the back of her connected hands, fingers intertwined together. 

"You've loosen your grip of him already, so what's your next move?" Felix crossed his arm and leaned closer to the mirror where he could see the current doing of his beloved fiancée. 

It is a simple trick mages and witches of higher level of skill make use of to communicate with other capable magic users. By linking their mana energy to a particular distant person whom they previously interacted on and voluntarily gave any object that carries enough amount of their mana, that one could use any medium to manifest the image of the link sender. Whereas, a mirror is indeed the best choice. 

Plastering a smug expression on her face, she once again spoke, "Worry not, I have it all arranged in detail."