Chapter 99

“Long ago, whether noble or commoner, if someone was revealed to be a magician, they would immediately lose their status and have to live their life as a slave.”

I chose to listen for a moment, curious about how far this would go.

The story he was telling, despite his calm voice, had many cruel aspects.

“Magicians who became slaves were sacrificed and killed for having wicked powers, or they ended up being exploited for their strength by royalty or nobles until they died.”

Considering the treatment magicians receive today as national dignitaries and objects of admiration, it was hard to believe such a tale.

However, Jess’s serious expression made me question whether it could actually be true.

“One day, there was a woman who stepped forward for the magicians. Of course, she was also a magician.”

At that time, most people believed that magicians with wicked powers couldn’t even set foot in the sacred temple.

Just as it is difficult to change a prejudice once it has formed, the perception of magicians was similarly entrenched.

The woman voluntarily locked herself in the underground of the temple, insisting that they watch her to see if she was truly wicked.

“What do you think happened to her?”

Jess, who had been narrating the story, suddenly posed a question to me.

“Nothing happened.”

“That’s correct. The woman remained perfectly fine in the temple.”

Nodding absentmindedly at the obvious outcome, I found myself pausing at Jess’s next words.

“However, people’s doubts ran deep, and the woman had to stay trapped in the darkness without a single ray of light until they acknowledged her. For her entire life, until her death.”

I was deeply shocked by the story of the woman who was trapped in one place until her dying day.

Whether his words were true or false, it was an incredibly cruel fate for a single life.

“After the woman’s death, people began to shed their prejudices one by one, and from that point, changes slowly started to occur.”

With the heartbreaking sacrifice of one magician, those who had been oppressed unleashed the anger they had endured for so long and mercilessly killed their former masters.

And they demanded it.

They asked to be treated just like everyone else.

With no more justification to refuse and fearing the anger of the magicians inside, the royalty and nobles accepted the magicians’ demands.

Thus, the era in which magicians are treated as precious has arrived.

Jess concluded his story neatly, saying it was my freedom to believe it or not.

“I’ve never seen such records in any history book.”

Caught up in his tale, I finally regained my senses at the end.

While his story was interesting, distorting history could lead to punishment.

“Hmm, was it not interesting?”

At my reaction, Jess looked disappointed, as if deflated.

Soon, a bright smile spread across his face.

“Actually, I don’t know if it’s true since it’s just a story I heard.”

After vividly recounting his tale as if he had experienced it himself, Jess finished as if reading the last line of a fairy tale.

‘Of course.’

Feeling like I had wasted too much time on a story with no evidence or credibility, I sighed deeply.

“Yeah. It did seem like a lie from the beginning. No matter what, people can’t be that cruel to each other…”

“Haha, my lady.”

Before I could finish my sentence, Jess burst into laughter.

Then he leaned slightly forward and whispered to me in a low voice.

“Humans are more cruel and ugly than you might think. And you… of all people, should know that well.”

His previously soft gaze suddenly sharpened in an instant.

Looking directly into his eyes, I quickly realized what Jess was hinting at.

It was an eye that knew about the curse on my body and the numerous times I had nearly died.

“You…!”

Creak!

Thinking he was finally revealing his true colors, I shot up from my seat and glared at him as if I wanted to kill him.

“As a thank you for listening to my story today, I will answer one question, whatever it may be.”

Jess, who seemed to have a lot to say to me, added with a smile, adopting a posture of waiting for my response.

However, as I stood there, tense and silent for a while, he shrugged and turned his body.

“I guess it can’t be helped. Then I’ll take my leave…”

“You.”

Just before he was about to leave, a question I had wanted to ask him for a long time came to mind.

“Are you on Delos’s side?”

At my question, Jess opened his eyes wide, as if he had heard an unexpected query.

He could have asked why I would ask such an obvious question, given that he already had Delos and the Empress’s trust, but I had been very curious about his true identity all along.

‘Among those by Delos’s side, he was the only one who was different.’

Those around Delos were all incompetent, just like him, and even as the country was collapsing, they were busy flattering him.

Among such people, Jess was the only one who didn’t even utter the common flattery.

Recalling Jess from that time, I suddenly became curious.

What was it that he wanted, a man who wielded power without exploiting others or coveting wealth?

What was he guarding Delos’s side for?

“That’s quite a difficult question.”

Upon hearing my question, Jess let out a low hum and seemed to ponder for a moment, slowly stroking his chin.

I wondered how long I had waited.

When he returned with a calm smile, he made a small gesture towards me.

Judging that if this continued, we would be in a standoff until sunset, I ultimately decided to comply with Jess’s request.

“Fine.”

As I leaned slightly toward him, Jess finally seemed willing to respond, slowly bowing his head and bringing his face close to my ear.

“I am indeed on Delos’s side.”

His answer followed, and I felt my heart sink as I realized there was no twist in his response.

After all, it would be strange for him to say otherwise here.

As I let out a small sigh inwardly, I was about to pull away from him when he suddenly came close again and whispered in a low voice once more in my ear.

“However, it wouldn’t matter much if Delos were to meet an untimely end somewhere.”

“What do you mean…?”

Frowning at his contradictory words, I looked at him, and Jess stepped back, saying he was done answering my question.

“Oh, right.”

At that moment, as Jess was turning away from me, he seemed to recall something he had forgotten and said something ambiguous.

“I’m glad to see you’re still alive.”

Taken aback by his sudden comment, I asked what he meant by that.

Then, Jess, who was closely examining my face, replied with a meaningful smile.

“I would appreciate it if you could send my regards to the magician beside your lady. I really didn’t expect to confirm your well-being in this way.”

“……”

“Well, I really must be going. It’s dangerous to be away for too long.”

“Wait! What did you just mean by that!”

As I chased after Jess and turned the corner into the alley, Caelan spotted me from the opposite alley of the teahouse and rushed over.

“Gasp, there you are! My lady!”

“I was really surprised when you suddenly disappeared. What were you doing here all alone?”

“Huh? Alone?”

At Caelan’s words, I looked around the alley with a puzzled expression.

I had been trying to find Jess, but the empty alleyway had only me and the knights.

Left alone in the suddenly deserted alley, I stood there for a while, lost in thought.

‘How does Jess know about Joy…?’

After all, the fact that Joy is a magician is something only Evan and I know.