[19] (EP-321.2) Three And Two Finally One #1
321 – Three And Two Finally One #1
"That was amazing, Theo-kun. Let's take a shower together."
After a few rounds, I finished the shower with a much clearer head.
"Theo-kun, blow your nose too. Go on, —huff!"
"Stella-nim, I can handle that myself."
After we were done, Stella and I naturally returned to our usual roles. The excited us and the ordinary us. Maintaining this wall and gap was key to keeping our relationship healthy. Ṟ𝔞ꞐΟ𝐁Ęş
Sometimes, the gap would be too wide that it left me feeling uneasy—at the same time, it made things more thrilling.
"Theo-kun, did you wash behind your ears and around your neck properly?"
Once her desires were satisfied, Stella always liked to take care of me like a kind older sister or mother. I guess she found me unreliable, like a child who needed constant attention.
As she dried herself with a towel, her skin seemed to glow even more than before.
Then, I slowly opened my mouth.
"No, it's just… I was wondering if you knew any local legends or folktales?"
"Oh? So, you're interested in that sort of thing too, Theo-kun? If it's something like that, I saw a library next to this building. They might have some books on the topic. It's late, but I think there's a librarian on duty."
"Anything else you wanted to say?"
There was so much I wanted to say to Stella, but when it came down to it, the words never seemed to come out. So I often missed opportunities .
If I tell Stella that I see her as something like a friend's aunt…
It's hard to predict how our current dynamic, which I find quite enjoyable, might change. Let's deepen our relationship first and take things slow.
"Then see you tomorrow, Theo-kun."
After Stella entered her bedroom, I wandered the wide corridors of the annex alone. Somewhere, a window must have been left open because a chilly breeze drifted through.
As I passed by my room, I checked Narmi and Mirna's room as well. They had left earlier, saying they had something to talk about after getting off the carriage.
Even after the imps' boisterous dinner and my passionate time with Stella, they still hadn't returned.
I don't know what they were talking about, but it left me slightly anxious.
In this state, I doubted I'd get much sleep. So, I picked up a lamp and decided to visit the library in the adjacent building.
When I knocked at the entrance, a young female librarian on duty opened the door.
"You must be Sir Theo. How can I assist you?"
"I'd like to borrow some books. Do you have any books about local legends or stories about fairies trapped in lamps?"
The librarian quickly fetched two books. Each appeared to be about 300 pages.
"One is a book written by the Church Father Diogenes, and the other is a collection of stories written by Sandora's renowned author, Dexte."
With the night stretching long ahead of me, I decided to return to my quarters and read both books from the beginning.
Here's what I discovered:
The sacred Mount Bilfos was home to many pagan altars and vile idols. Among them, the worst was said to be a fairy named Jinnoi.
"A fairy that grants wishes, but demands a wicked price in return, earning the ire of many—eventually, she was hunted and sealed by devout paladins."
I read the intriguing passage aloud.
The wish-granting fairy Jinnoi.
Could it be the same fairy I encountered? I could only think so for now. Curiosity piqued, I opened the other book.
While the previous book was a record written by theologians of the church, this one was a collection of folklore compiled by a local.
From it, I found another story that caught my attention.
"The beautiful fairy, possessing wondrous abilities, was revered as a goddess. However, those who envied her betrayed the fairy. The church's paladins sealed her away, burying her in a deep cave—."
The narratives between the two texts had differing perspectives.
The church branded the lamp fairy as heretical, while the local author, Dexte, portrayed her in a much friendlier light.
While it's impossible to determine which account was true, considering that history was often written from the victor's perspective, the latter might hold some merit.
"A clash between the expanding Gwangyeom Church and the existing native beliefs…"
I borrowed more books and continued reading.
Delving into older records, I discovered that the Gwangyeom God was initially rejected as a false god. It was also noted that he was the patron god of David Angmar, the continent's first mage.
A far more ominous name than I had anticipated.
It must have been given with fear.
The primordial era when spirits, fairies, and colossal beasts roamed. The belief in one god must have seemed utterly alien and terrifying.
Even the ancient angels' statues were fearsome…
Then, it suddenly struck me—a vague memory of having seen that dreadful form somewhere before. Where was it? It felt as elusive as trying to remember a dream after waking up.
"Was it… beyond the door?"
The door of truth, leading to the pinnacle of great magic. A powerful and enigmatic presence that lay beyond it was beginning to surface in my mind.
Someone knocked on my door.
━Sir Theo, are you awake?
[T/N: There's some wordplay used in God of Magic (마법의 신) and demon god (마신). *just remove 법의 from the former]