Chapter 204: Protective Mark

On Xiao Tao’s back, around his hip bone, a red line had appeared as though it had been drawn directly onto his skin. It formed a pattern resembling a flower.

"Is that a birthmark...?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? Is there something on my back!?"

Apparently, Xiao Tao had no idea what the mark was either. Starting to panic, he twisted his body, trying to see the mark on his back. However, he could not get a clear look at it, leaving him confused and frightened.

Qiu Nuoya suspected that it was something similar to the protective mark engraved on his own back, but he had no idea why such a mark had appeared on Xiao Tao.

"It’s okay! It’s okay, so calm down!"

"But..."

As though trying to erase the mark, Xiao Tao rubbed it with his palm. Naturally, that did nothing. The only result was that his skin turned red from the rubbing, while the mark itself showed no reaction whatsoever.

"Nuoya! What is this!?"

"I’m still studying this myself, so I don’t know the details yet. But I don’t think it’s anything bad. I have one too. Look."

To reassure Xiao Tao, Qiu Nuoya swept his hair to one side and partially removed his outer shirt, revealing the protective mark that extended from the nape of his neck down his back.

"Is that a tattoo...?"

"No. This is called a magical mark. Mine is a protective mark. It uses magical power to protect me."

"A protective... mark? Then, is mine the same thing?"

"I think it’s probably something similar."

Qiu Nuoya said it with enough confidence to reassure him, and Xiao Tao finally seemed to relax. He sank back into the bathtub once more.

"This mark of mine was a protective mark that Viktor drew for me. Xiao Tao, do you have any idea who might have drawn the one on your back?"

"There’s no way I could... Ah..."

"You do remember someone?"

"I can’t say for certain, but when I came to this world, the person who gave me that knife stroked around this area. At the time, I felt a little jolt, almost like static electricity. I also remember feeling uncomfortable because of the way he touched me. I’d completely forgotten about it until now."

"What was that person like?"

"Um... He was an older man with long hair. His ears were long too. Come to think of it, he might have looked a little like Viktor. I thought Viktor was scary from the moment I first met him, but maybe that’s why."

Long hair... That could practically be considered a characteristic of a mage. And if he had long ears as well, there was a good chance he was an elf.

Elves were apparently rare because of their long lifespans. Could this person perhaps have been one of Viktor’s relatives?

Qiu Nuoya thought it might be worth asking Viktor about it.

"Um, Nuoya, can I touch that protective mark of yours?"

"Hm? Sure, I don’t mind."

Xiao Tao peered over the edge of the bathtub, staring at Qiu Nuoya’s protective mark with curiosity.

"Why is the color different? I wonder if it means something. Yours is white, and it’s really beauti...ful...!?"

"Ghk...!"

The instant Xiao Tao touched the protective mark, a sharp jolt of pain shot through the nape of Qiu Nuoya’s neck.

Xiao Tao must have felt it too, because he hurriedly pulled his hand away.

Yet before even a minute had passed, Qiu Nuoya’s vision suddenly went completely black.

For a moment, Qiu Nuoya had no idea what was happening. Something forcibly pressed his head against something, making it difficult for him to breathe.

"What did you do to Qiu Nuoya!?"

"Hii!"

The voice belonged to Viktor. Hearing it, Qiu Nuoya finally realized that Viktor had teleported straight to him and was now holding him tightly in his arms.

A scream from Xiao Tao followed. Qiu Nuoya could not see anything at all, but he could tell for certain that things were not exactly peaceful.

"Wait, wait, wait! Nothing happened to me!"

"That’s impossible! There was magical interference with your protective mark. That means you were attacked!"

"No, no, no! Calm down for a moment, Viktor!"

Still held tightly in Viktor’s arms and unable to see what was happening around him, Qiu Nuoya decided this was getting dangerous. He hugged Viktor back, restraining him, and called out to Xiao Tao.

"Xiao Tao, go outside for a moment!"

He sent Xiao Tao out of the room. He could faintly hear Warren and Igor’s panicked voices from the other side of the door, so Xiao Tao was probably all right.

"Nuoya! Why are you protecting him!? You were attacked!"

"I told you, I wasn’t attacked! You really need to do something about jumping to conclusions like this, Viktor! You almost got yourself killed because of that before too!"

Qiu Nuoya would never let Viktor forget what had happened back when they were still living in Coalora. It had been the day Qiu Nuoya first learned about Mochi’s Slime Barrier. Viktor had tried to rescue him after he became trapped inside the barrier, only to hit himself with his own magic and nearly die because of it.

"You..."

"Look at me right now! Do I look injured anywhere? I’m not hurt, am I!? Your actions are nothing more than self-satisfaction. I certainly cannot compare to you when it comes to knowledge, experience, or accomplishments, but that doesn’t mean everything you believe is correct."

Even Qiu Nuoya was surprised by how cold his voice sounded.

Qiu Nuoya had always been something of a grandfather’s boy, and he had unconsciously accepted the teachings of his elders without question. The wisdom of those who came before had value, elders deserved respect, and as a younger person, he should listen to their guidance with an open mind.

But this time, he could not agree with Viktor’s stubborn position. Xiao Tao truly had not done anything to him.

If Viktor really had sensed the magic of darkness, then Qiu Nuoya believed the interference had come from someone or something other than Xiao Tao.