Chapter 89: Fire beyond the Balcony.

128 diamonds of various sizes and colors surround the 31.48-carat blue diamond.

Small pieces of colorless, blue, and red mixed together show colors like stained glass in a cathedral.

Depending on the direction of sunlight, the colorless diamonds will sometimes shine red, sometimes blue.

Occasionally purple, where the two colors combine. Losing their original transparency.

After confirming that the influence of the magic circle was evenly distributed even on the chain made of 46 diamonds, I closed my eyes. After finishing mana breathing, I opened my eyes again.

The fantasy shown by mana disappeared, and I returned to reality.

“I will check if the cognitive interference magic circle is working properly.”

Putting the necklace around my neck, I felt a heavy weight. The volume was also considerable.

I slowly infused magical power.

Accordingly, Philius’s expression standing in front of me changed. It seemed unavoidable displeasure was greater than surprise.

It was an expected reaction as he wasn’t pleased showing me his own appearance using a cognitive interference magic circle.

“It’s too perfect.”

Hearing words closer to a complaint than a compliment, I looked into the mirror.

I checked the dark brown hair and slightly lighter eye color first.

It was the most common color combination seen on the streets.

It was also the color the real Liberalis Sella had. The plain-looking face didn’t seem likely to remain clearly in the memory of those encountered.

The eyes, slightly upturned at the ends, which made me pay extra attention to expressions when dealing with customers, also didn’t seem to have any particularly conspicuous features.

The appearance of the necklace itself wasn’t visible either.

“It manifests properly.”

I withdrew the magical power maintaining the magic circle.

The now familiar face appeared again in the mirror. Also the necklace with the blue diamond shining splendidly.

I unclasped the necklace. Philius’s one eyebrow raised upward. I handed the necklace to him, who looked puzzled.

“This necklace is still incomplete.”

“Protection magic circle.”

“Yes. The Duke… I wish Phil would engrave it.”

“I was waiting for when you would tell me.”

He took the necklace from me.

Looking down at the necklace in his hand, he met my gaze again.

Looking alternately at the blue diamond and my eyes, which would be green, he asked me.

“Is there a reason you chose a blue diamond as the center stone?”

“…You already guessed, didn’t you?”

Designing the necklace was before hearing the news that the King was administering addictive drugs, and even before knowing about Alea’s death.

The necklace, which would have been made of sapphire if it were my original intention, will now be made of the blue diamond Philius gave me, doing the job of protecting me more firmly.

He clearly knew why I intended to use a blue gem. Yet he wanted to hear the truth from my mouth.

A gentle smile urged me. Although I hesitated several times, I eventually had no choice but to confess.

His appearance waiting for me to say it directly looked full of expectation.

“Because it’s your eye color, Phil.”

“Red too?”

“Red too.”

His lips overlapped mine admitting it.

From the beginning, his tongue invaded my mouth.

Although kissing him should be familiar by now, I was helplessly taken. As if I ended up telling him my inner thoughts eventually.

His tongue, tasting every corner of my mouth, retreated only after my breath filled up to my chin.

“Thank you.”

As if trying to make even the breath I inhaled and exhaled his own, he said without detaching his lips from mine.

” …I’m the one making the request.”

“I know you can do it all by yourself too.”

“That is also, true…”

His tongue dug into the gap between lips again.

At the touch hugging my waist and lifting me slightly, I had no choice but to raise my heels.

Due to the instability of standing only on tiptoes, I had to wrap my arms around his neck. The kiss deepened further.

“Uh, ungh…”

At the movement sharpening the tongue tip and poking under my tongue, I eventually made a sound in my throat.

I felt his clothes crumpling under my hand, but I couldn’t relax my strength.

Greed only grew bigger without ever decreasing.

Like our appearance entangled fully now. Even though things to endure are increasing that much.

Only after completely mixing with saliva in each other’s mouths could lips barely be released.

Philius released my waist only after licking up all the saliva flowing at the corner of my mouth.

Only then did I let go of his collar I had grabbed and dropped my arms slidingly.

“Hold my hand.”

He requested with lips where my trace still remained. I reached out obediently, but he grabbed my hand tight as if snatching it before I could hold his.

“Do mana breathing.”

At the following request, I started mana breathing.

“Thinking of infusing mana into me.”

He also started mana breathing.

Only then did I know that the mana breathing method he taught me was the same as his own.

A strange elation visited me.

Even doing the same breathing method, the shape his mana took couldn’t be the same as mine.

He began to engrave a magic circle on the blue diamond with magical power of a slightly different shape from his usual, as if merging two different manas into one.

I couldn’t take my eyes off for a moment.

I don’t know how this is possible. Is it because I can purify contaminated gems? Or is it because a significant part of my magical power grew by accepting his mana? Or is it just because Philius has a natural talent for handling mana?

I don’t know.

All I can know is just that the scene visible to me right now is incomparably beautiful.

The magical power flowing from his fingertips was very powerful. If he changed direction, he could destroy all magic items and magic circles installed in this workshop at once. Also the magic circle I engraved on the necklace.

But the magic circle he draws was just peaceful. Just as I could be safe without any wounds while everything broke and shattered during his first Rut I experienced after coming here. Just as he protected me even while bursting power uncontrollably.

So that I could appreciate the light scattered by diamond fragments without any wounds that day.

The movement of magical power visible to my eyes now was beautiful like the scene back then.

“It’s finished.”

When all light faded eventually, I felt regret. The flow of mana connected to each other was cut off.

As if saying the scene I just saw was all fantasy, the blue diamond remained unchanged.

“The cognitive interference magic circle and protection magic circle can operate separately.”

It was the moment I tried to pick up the necklace again. A dull thud sound resonated.

At the sound piercing the soundproof magic circle installed in the workshop, he and I looked at each other.

“Jay, the necklace.”

Holding me who almost went outside just like that, Philius put the necklace around my neck. He didn’t forget to activate the protection magic circle either.

Our steps headed to the room right next door, his room where we spend nights together, to the balcony where the main gate is visible without obstruction.

As if cutting through the completely dark night, red light rising in the sky not far away was visible.

Although I can’t pinpoint exactly where, if it’s a distance observable with the naked eye, it must be the area where nobles’ mansions are located.

Is it an accident? For a simple accident, the explosion sound piercing the soundproof magic circle installed in the workshop was unusual.

How long was I lost in thought looking at the flames? Another explosion sound rang. It was a strong sound making me cover my ears automatically. The flames soared even higher. The leaves on the tree covering the next room’s balcony shook violently in the strong wind.

“Philip.”

I looked back at Philius’s voice. Butler Philip stood in a disheveled appearance unlike usual, as if he ran urgently.

“Immediately after the first explosion, some of the guards started searching. I expect they will find out the explosion site and contact us soon.

The captain of the guard ordered to wake up all those off duty and strengthen the mansion’s security.”

Philius nodded to Philip and turned his gaze back to the sky still burning red.

“That direction looks like where Viscount Pera’s mansion is located.”

The receiving sound from the short message transmitter in the room was faster than Philip answering.

“Correct.”

Philius, interpreting the encrypted sound, frowned. At the words that Viscount Pera’s mansion burned, I also squinted my eyes.

“It’s too early to release the barrier.”

Philius, sensing my movement sensitively the moment I tried to touch the necklace, shook his head. I rechecked the leaves calmed down as the wind subsided, but I obediently lowered my hand.

Because if another explosion occurs, he seemed likely to put his own safety behind to take care of me who released the barrier.

The flames burned for a long time after that. As if they could only be extinguished after burning Viscount Pera’s mansion completely.