The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 111

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 111

Chapter Title: My Spirit Queen

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“Contracted with a spirit, and part of your body mutated? Is that always the case? Then the Rubaenu Duke wasn't originally black-haired either?”

Randell propped himself up halfway and fired off questions. Nina waved her hand.

“No, I think I'm a special case. Hmm. It might be hard to believe, but hear me out.”

Nina briefly explained what had happened back then, and Randell listened intently. He tossed in a few questions midway, but when she got to the part where she had summoned the Sun, he let out a sigh.

“You really...”

“It's all in the past now, and I've been punished plenty, so can we just move on?”

“I'm not the one who punished you.”

“You don't have the right to punish that version of me from back then.”

Nina made an X with her fingers before continuing the story, and Randell's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

“You met a spirit? Spirits actually exist?”

“If they didn't exist for real, how could I use their power?”

“It could be your own power manifesting instead of a spirit, or even if it was a spirit, it might be something different from what we imagine. Natural forces are scattered everywhere in this world...”

Randell muttered to himself before sighing.

“But you met a spirit. It wasn't just a hallucination right before you died?”

“You're jumping to conclusions because it doesn't fit your common sense. That's all theory to you, but it's reality for me.”

Nina narrowed her eyes and recounted her time with the spirits. She also explained the reorganization of her body structure.

“So that's why I have silver hair and golden eyes.”

She flashed a bright smile.

Randell gave her a strange look.

“I always thought you were strangely light... Sorry.”

Randell scooted closer, grabbed her suddenly, and hoisted her up.

“You really are light...”

“Yeah, I'm the Spirit Queen, after all.”

“Please tell me that nickname isn't something you made up because you don't know your own weight.”

“Of course not. If it were up to me, I'd go with Spirit Sword Emperor.”

Randell opened his mouth, then closed it. Even so, the words he'd almost let slip were a bit too harsh.

Nina looked down at him.

“Won't you put me down already?”

“...”

“Arms don't hurt?”

“They shouldn't hurt at this level. Even a low-stamina mage like me can lift you like this—wouldn't that put you at a disadvantage in a fight?”

Lightweight fighters always got pushed around.

“That's why my strength is so high to make up for it. To overpower me with raw power, you'd have to be a bear.”

Not Jin—a real bear.

“Right... You've lifted me before...”

Muttering what might have been a lament, Randell set her down. Then he pulled her into a tight hug.

“Ugh, Randell?”

“Thank you for staying alive.”

Eh? An odd noise escaped Nina's lips, and he let out a small chuckle.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Nina patted his back.

“Don't do anything that dangerous from now on.”

“I absolutely won't.”

She vowed it. Randell let out a long sigh.

The girl in his arms was warm and soft like a child, her body heat radiating cozily.

If Nina shoved him away, he'd go flying like a leaf, but the difference in their builds was stark—male and female—and she fit perfectly against him.

For some reason, the tension drained from his body.

“Suddenly... so sleepy...”

“Oh, looks like the medicine from the meal is finally kicking in.”

At Nina's words, he chuckled softly again.

“Nina.”

“Yeah?”

I'll stay by your side until you fall asleep?

I won't ask where you're headed after that.

But those words wouldn't come out.

“The silver hair suits you better.”

What slipped out instead was something random.

Nina let out a small laugh.

“That's a relief.”

Silver hair swirling like a blizzard, golden eyes blazing like the sun—

My Spirit Queen.

“Nina.”

He called her name again, and Nina laughed softly. Clear and bright, like the sound of a babbling brook.

“I'll stay right here, so go ahead.”

How do you always know what I want to say?

“Shall I carry you to your sleeping bag too, Great Mage?”

“I'll pass.”

Releasing Nina, Randell composed himself. As he settled into his sleeping bag, Nina dragged hers closer and lay down beside him.

“Good night, Randell.”

“Sweet dreams.”

No nightmares this time.

Nina nodded at his words.

‘Nightmares.’

Closing her eyes, Nina pondered.

Was that really a nightmare?

She couldn't quite figure out what kind of dream it was, but it didn't feel like a simple one. It seemed tied to her memories from her past life.

‘To meet once again.’

Reciting the book's title silently, Nina thought.

‘Who? Meet who?’

Was there something like that in the book?

She felt more strongly than ever that her memories weren't just from the book.

At times like this, she should reach out to those spirits she knew and get some answers...

‘Hmm?’

Come to think of it, the first night she'd had that dream.

‘I was drawn to Adrian's sword, right?’

To his spirit—the Shadow spirit.

Drawn might be more accurate than enchanted.

‘Do spirits make you have dreams like that?’

Nina glanced at her wrist. It was wrapped thickly in bandages to hide the spirit pattern.

‘It's not glowing or anything.’

Who knows.

But it didn't feel like it was trying to harm her or tamper with her memories.

‘I'll find out in time.’

Spirits wouldn't hurt her.

With that thought, Nina closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Regretting that she'd missed the important part earlier.

Nina set down her pack and surveyed the house. In just four days, it was spotless.

The roof had been repaired, the floors cleaned, and proper furniture brought in.

“You're back?”

Jack grinned as he spoke, and Nina sighed.

“I've already heard ‘How's our son doing?’ three times.”

“Three times just this morning—you're breaking records.”

Jack grinned again, so Nina crossed her arms.

They were blending into this small community nicely. Jack had even tagged along with deliveries to the castle, slipping inside Sage Castle itself.

Nina had done light work in exchange for food like this.

It turned out all the villagers were artisans. Skilled craftsmen who meticulously made experimental tools and commissioned items for the Sages.

Every one of them was talented.

But she couldn't drag them away from their home island, the Isle of Sages. Nina smacked her lips and asked.

“So, when do you go in?”

“Tonight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I've mapped the island, scoped out the villagers, got a rough idea of the merchants coming and going, measured the castle moat's depth. Even found two or three secret passages.”

Jack tossed a bundle of papers into the oven.

“Just burn them?”

“The important stuff's all up here, so it's fine.”

“Jack, you're smart.”

“You don't survive in this line of work without sharp eyes and a good memory.”

“Fair enough.”

Nina agreed. Just then, Randell came in, brushing off his clothes.

“Might be best to infiltrate tonight.”

“Yeah, the grand assembly's tonight, right?”

“How'd you know that?”

“Overheard people talking.”

“What's a grand assembly?”

As Nina asked, both men spoke at once.

“The Sages—”

“Those idiots—”

Nina tilted her head. They exchanged glances, then.

“You explain—”

“You tell it—”

“Whatever. Randell, you do it.”

Nina sorted it out, and Randell shrugged.

“Those who share all the world's worries under the name of Sages.”