Chapter Twenty-Five: Warmth

"... Until I break his curse, you shouldn't bring Helix to the capital."

Seth solemnly looked at Kai.

Unable to say anything, Kai subconsciously nodded his head in response. 'Helix… is in pain?' Kai knows that Helix at least knew about this before he went with him to the capital. Once he entered the barrier as well, he should've felt the pain Seth is talking about.

Why did Helix act like it was nothing while he was walking around the street with him?

Thinking about it, Kai's head started to hurt.

"How reckless…!" He furrowed his eyebrows and clenched his hands. The feeling of frustration of not knowing about this, Kai is extremely upset as he recalled the face Helix made as he glared at him back in the hall earlier. He turned his head to Seth and hurriedly said, "Since you can bring me here, could you bring me back to the inn as well?" The other, ignoring the informalities Kai had made, nods his head. "But, I would like you to come back to the castle tomorrow morning."

"You just said that I should leave the capital with him as soon as possible."

"It's the king's order. So it's not possible for you to leave yet."

"..."

Reading this person as a character in a novel and talking to him as a person in front of him truly feels different. 'Since earlier, this guy has been talking quite a lot… Even when he was in the novel where he is the main character, he rarely spoke long sentences…'

This time, while Kai was busy comparing this Seth and his novel counterpart, this said person took something out of his spatial space yet again, just like how he did earlier with his sword. He stared at the object for a moment before looking at Kai who was blanking out and immersed in his own thoughts.

"Kai Zein," he called out.

Kai snapped out of his thoughts and saw a white, small bottle heading towards him immediately. He managed to catch it with his reflex but he was perplexed anyways. "What…"

Seth looked at the bottle and then at Kai before calmly explaining, "Have Helix take that medicine. It can numb his pain at the very least. That way, you won't have to worry much about his condition until you leave the capital." he paused for a moment before he continued on, "It's a different story if Helix leaves before you do though." Kai held on to the bottle. He looked at Seth's face and lowered his head to look at the object.

"If you are worried about it being something that will harm him, you can check it out yourself. I believe that you are someone who knows a lot about this kind of thing."

Kai's face turned into one of confusion. "What?"

Seth lightly tapped his nose as he narrowed his eyes slightly. "... The smell of medicine and herbs is quite… strong around you. 'Ah…'

Ever since Kai came to this world, Kai was either practicing magic, fixing the castle, or concocting pills and medicines. Though, most of the time he spent was in the library learning and studying the herbs stored and grown in the castle. Moreover, the original Kai Zein also used to spend most of his time in the concocting room. It's not like the two of them had anywhere else to go except for those places.

So the strong smell of herbs lingered around him for so long that it had practically become his scent.

'Hm…' Kai's lips twitched so slightly as he thought, 'So Helix has always smelled me with this scent?'

Anyway, Kai tightly holds on to the glass bottle and nods his head. "I think we're done here. Can you bring me back to the inn already?"

But the other, Seth, only stared at him. As if he is in deep thought, he gloomily stares at Kai, who was taken aback by this unusual behavior. "What is it…?" He asked hesitantly. Seth looked at the air yet again, then he narrowed his eyes fiercely.

"That's dumb."

"Huh?"

Seth looked at Kai skeptically, "It's nothing." He approached Kai, held his arm and a white-gold magic circle appeared beneath their feet. It happened all so suddenly but amidst the white light that temporarily blinded Kai, he heard Seth's whisper.

"You are Kai Zein…"

'Seriously, what is he saying… Isn't it obvious that in this world, I am Kai Zein?'

The familiar feeling of traveling through space calmed Kai and he closed his eyes to stop himself from going blind because of the bright white light. He slowly felt the hand holding him disappear and his feet are finally touching solid ground.

Kai opened his eyes. Seth was nowhere around him and Kai is standing inside the room he is currently staying at in the inn. He briefly recalled what the old sage told him a few minutes back and immediately left the room with the glass bottle in hand. 'That person isn't someone who would bring harm to Helix…' Kai decided to believe in that for now. He stood in front of Helix's door, sweating slightly.

The thought of Helix being tormented with the pain every second while he is here in the capital brings Kai a sense of urgency. He grabbed the knob of the door and said, "I'm coming in Helix."

Helix, who noticed Kai's arrival in front of his door just now was startled. He was not even given any time to answer as the door opened and the light from the hallway entered the room and slightly illuminated the dark room. Kai could faintly see the red linings of Helix's black robes and his figure sitting on the floor and leaning on the bed.

Helix's eyes had a mysterious glow as he looked back at Kai hazily.

He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes, "Why… Why did you enter? I didn't allow you…!"

Though Helix's words reached Kai's ears, he was more distracted by the heat inside the room. It felt like he was being steamed. "What the…" Kai furrowed his eyebrows and walked towards the other, completely ignoring the angered expression on his face.

"Why are still staying in this room? You can even cool this heat with your magic!" Kai clenched his hands as he stared at the messy appearance of this person. His body is drenched with sweat to the point of his robes stick to his body. Even his hair earlier during banquet hall which looked fine and proper earlier is sticking out of place. Even his single braid has been undone.

Not only that, there were small wounds and even blood all over him.

Kai pursed his lips and held back all the words he wish to say and instead grabbed Helix's hand, which startled the other. Kai used his other hand to open the bottle and drop the pill on Helix's palm. "What…?" Helix wanted to observe the mysterious pill in his hand but Kai started to ask, "It's a small pill but, can you drink it without water?"

"No… In your condition, you probably need it. You might choke after all."

Helix stared at Kai with a complicated expression before looking back at the pill. He can sense the power of a powerful person in this pill. The same person who made the pill he gave Kai before… 'The saintess…'

How did Kai get this on his hands?

Though it's faint, Helix could feel Seth's lingering magic around Kai.

He lowered his head and clenched his hands. 'What is he plotting this time…' He even involved this person in front of him twice. Helix swore to not leave that person unscathed the next time he sees a single strand of silver hair around him and Kai.

"I know you are aware that this pill must've been concocted by the saintess of Urigel Holy Empire and that it was given to me by Seth, your opponent earlier," Kai whispered softly, looking down at Helix's face calmly.

Of course, he also felt the same power from the pill he consumed before and from this pill as well. He sighed quietly and continued, "For now, it doesn't matter if it came from that person… Your condition matters more. So please don't refuse this, I guarantee that it will not bring you any harm." Kai moved his hand slightly, and instead of holding Helix's wrist, Kai's hand now supported Helix's. The lavender-colored eyes slowly raised and watched Kai.

Those eyes are cold and indifferent but Kai found within the deepness of those irises, there is a small warmth.

Helix weakly raised the hand that held the pill and brought it up to his lips. The pill rolled off his palm and entered his mouth. Helix closed his eyes and sighed quietly.

"Let's go back to your castle once you settle all your matters in the capital, Kai."