Noah buried her face in Kyle’s shirt and muttered in a pitiful voice, “I think I’m in the early stages of depression.”

“Depression? Why? For what reasons?”

At Noah’s words, Kyle’s lukewarm tone changed at once. He pulled Noah off of him but her grip around his waist only tightened. Wrapped in Kyle’s embrace, his warmth, along with his rigid torso, provided Noah the comfort she longingly sought. Kyle flinched a little as he felt Noah inhale his scent, but didn’t push her away. Instead, he asked, “What makes you depressed?”

“There’s such a thing. It’s still a secret to you,” replied Noah in a muffled voice.

“You tell me so I can know.”

Now that I’m sick, I’m getting a little sweetness from him… Do you like it when I don’t usually rebel? Noah let out a contented groan. “Oh… good.” His affection seemed to lift her spirits a little from the woe that weighed her down. Noah’s heart then began to beat in a pleasant melody.

On the other hand, Kyle heaved a deep sigh, his fingers tenderly stroking her hair. “You don’t seem to want to talk. Sometimes, I want to look inside Noah’s head.” His gestures contrasted his earlier behavior where he avoided Noah the entire day. Noticing so, Noah tried to take advantage of the opportunity to ask, “Why would you avoid me?”

“I didn’t avoid you.”

“You avoided me. You’re obviously in front of me, but you’re only speaking through Mu. You don’t even make eye contact. You don’t even touch me unless you really need to.”

“Don’t you think you’re pushing it too far. And you don’t think that you’ve been pushing me beyond what you normally need…”“Don’t change the subject. Sir Leonard, am I unfamiliar?” No matter how hard she thought about it, Kyle had only one reason to suddenly avoid her. Noah looked up and stared deep into the pair of violet eyes close to her. “Or are you shy now? Are you ashamed that you don’t know the woman in front of you?”

“If you’re going to keep talking nonsense, I’ll leave you alone.”

“Huh? No, I don’t like that.” Noah hugged Kyle tighter as he was about to tear himself away. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re not doing anything wrong. You can… You can stop doing that, too.”

The collapse of the investigator’s iron wall seemed to be no longer. Kyle pulled himself away as if he had already given enough, and turned his back against Noah before she could even catch a glimpse of his expression. However, Noah chased after Kyle, struggling to see his face.

“I hugged you, so don’t come too close now,” he demanded.

“Really? Not this much?”

“Yes. For the time being.”

A cold-hearted person… Still, Noah found it fortunate that he didn’t seem to dislike her appearance. If it was indeed the case, she might have gone straight to the end of depression, not the beginning.

When they came out of the post office, Muell, who had been rolling around on his back around the truck, stood up excitedly, painting a wide smile on his lips, which revealed stems of grass between his teeth. “Noah!”

Noah created translucent steps in the air and climbed up the carriage without difficulty. The yellow fairies fluttered their wings and clung to her.

Ever since Noah recovered her body, she finally realized what Adrian meant when he said she ought to feel the mana individually. The sensation of mana flowing through the every cell of her body, which she had never perceived before, was vivid. In other words, it was now possible to use the dragon’s magic whenever she desired to. Finally, there was perfect resonance between them. Noah was now as powerful as Muell.

All the problems she encountered since she imprinted with Muell were solved at once. No more restrictive chains were needed, and the same was true for the little boy. Muell, who had been undeliberately restrained by his careless master, would no longer suffer from unwanted frustrations. Since Noah returned to her body, the little child could only smile wide. Now that she had complete control of her power, capable of performing magical spells that were called ancient miracles, the boy said, “I have been writing down magic tricks here and there all day long.”

“Wow, is this possible now? This magic would be really useful.”

“Yes! Noah, practice magic with me!”When the two of them busied themselves in scribbling magical spells while the carriage marched forward, Kyle’s voice bellowed from below. “You two, come down here. What are you doing on the carriage?” But only to be ignored.

Noah rested on her back on the seat and gazed towards the sky that scattered soft clouds, brightened by the yellow sun, across its vast canvas.

“A little further away, we’ll enter the tangent city. If you lie there like that, you’ll see… You’re not listening.” Kyle ceased his nagging and sighed without saying another word. He sat on the horseback and kicked the man next to him. “Get off. We’ll arrive in town before sunset.”

The horseman that would lead them to Tauren was the captured member of the Yulem. Albeit dazed, the man managed to move his wrist and pulled the reins. The horse hooted wildly and the carriage began to traverse along the unpaved road, causing tremendous rattle. However, with Muell’s magic, the vibration disappeared in a blink.

Noah tilted her head and looked down at Kyle, who, like a ghost, noticed without even looking at her. “Why, Miss Noah.”

“Don’t worry. I’m just thinking about why you’re suddenly shy.”

“I’m not shy.” Kyle looked up at her with a glare, then turned his head back again quickly.

What’s wrong with him? What could it be? I hope it’s the reason I think. Well, that can’t be the cold-hearted investigator. Even so, I’d like you to be more friendly. Don’t remind me of my mom.

“Noah, look at this! This is the lightning magic formula!”

Her blank trance was interrupted by Muell’s enthusiastic voice, who was asking for a compliment for his wonderfully-drawn magic circle.