Raezel had faced gods, warriors, and creatures that could turn mountains to dust with a whisper.
And yet, at that moment, he found himself completely caught off guard—by a mortal girl.
She stood before him in the bustling marketplace, arms crossed, head tilted, amber eyes filled with something he rarely saw from mortals: audacity.
"Are you new?" she asked, her voice sharp and cutting clean through the noise and chatter like a blade.
Raezel blinked.
Before he could respond—
"And are you a merchant?"
Her tone was absurdly casual, as if she were questioning some wandering rug dealer.
Raezel parted his lips to reply—
"No, you're not," she declared flatly, slicing through his silence before a single syllable could form.
Somewhere nearby, a basket of apples hit the ground with a thud.
A noblewoman swayed on her feet, barely catching herself.
Nihaga stiffened, his instincts already stirring—then turned to glance at Raezel, waiting.
Raezel tilted his head slightly, intrigued.
Most mortals barely breathed in his presence. This girl wasn't just breathing—she was interrupting him.
"Is that so?" he murmured, eyeing her with growing amusement.
She nodded, eyes narrowing in inspection. "Yeah. There's something off about you."
Raezel smirked. "Oh? And what makes me look... 'off'?"
She didn't hesitate.
"For starters," she said, jabbing a finger at him, "you're too pretty."
Nihaga choked beside him.
Raezel's smirk faltered. "...Pretty?"
"Not in a delicate way," she clarified, waving vaguely at him. "More like... you look like the kind of royal jerk who exists just to make other people feel average. You've got sharp cheekbones, annoying posture—like you were born to stand on balconies and judge peasants."
Raezel let out a quiet laugh. "You have a colorful vocabulary."
But she wasn't finished.
"And then there are your eyes."
She pointed at them—pointed—as if he were a specimen on display.
"Green. Way too green. They don't look at people—they cut through them. It's like you already know what someone's thinking before they speak."
Raezel raised an eyebrow. "And that makes me not normal?"
"Not even close," she replied. "And don't get me started on your hair."
Raezel blinked. "My... hair?"
"Yeah." She leaned in slightly, squinting. "Dark, sure, but those green streaks? They shimmer when you move. I swear they're alive."
Raezel's eyes flicked to Nihaga.
The silent general's expression was composed—but the corner of his mouth twitched suspiciously.
"And your ears," she added, pointing again. "Just barely pointed—like... suspiciously elegant forest criminal."
Raezel exhaled. "I see."
She tilted her head. "See what?"
"That you speak before you think."
She shrugged. "Thinking takes time."
Nihaga coughed to hide his laugh.
Without warning, she changed topics entirely.
"Hey, do you know what happened to Velmor?" she asked, eyes brightening.
Raezel tilted his head. "What?"
She beamed. "Velmor became strong. That's what my father says. And the elders too."
"Your father?" Raezel asked.
She puffed out her chest, beaming with pride. "He's a commander in Velmor's army!"
The statement hung in the air—completely unaware that she had just bragged about her father's title to the Son of Queen Medusa himself.
Raezel glanced sidelong at Nihaga, whose face remained unreadable—but Raezel could feel the restrained mirth.
Then, Nyra abruptly lifted the collar of her shirt, revealing a coiling mark along her neck.
A snake. The Mark of Medusa.
"Everyone in Velmor got these," she said, but her voice... wavered. Just slightly.
Raezel caught the subtle shift instantly.
There was confidence in her tone—but also dissatisfaction.
"You don't like it," he said plainly.
She hesitated. Then, without shame, she admitted—
"Hmm… I don't like snakes."
She scrunched her nose. "I like rabbits."
Raezel blinked.
Nihaga stared.
The entire marketplace, still frozen in place, hung on her every word with horrified fascination.
This girl had just casually dismissed the blessing of Queen Medusa... because she preferred rabbits.
Raezel stepped closer.
Before Nyra could move, his fingers brushed her neck, tracing the mark with a light touch.
She stiffened.
Her face flushed. "W-What are you—?"
"You like rabbits," he repeated softly.
Nyra nodded, startled.
Raezel snapped his fingers.
Before her eyes, the snake mark shimmered, uncoiling—reforming.
Into a rabbit.
Nyra stared.
And then—a grin broke across her face like sunrise.
"I knew it!" she declared triumphantly. "You're a magician!"
Raezel chuckled, quietly.
Nihaga, however, choked violently.
"But you came to the wrong nation," Nyra continued, utterly serious. "People here can maybe give you bread and old blankets. Velmor is broke. You want real money, try Arathis. They have fountains."
Nihaga froze.
He pictured it.
Raezel. Cloak flapping. Performing party tricks for bread.
The Son of Queen Medusa—juggling fireballs for scraps and compliments.
It was too much.
Nihaga collapsed, wheezing with laughter.
Raezel sighed. "Really, Nihaga?"
Nyra watched him on the ground, eyebrows raised. "Is he okay?"
"Unfortunately," Raezel muttered, "yes."
As the group began walking again, Raezel noticed Nyra scanning the crowd.
"Are you looking for someone?"
She nodded. "Yeah. A giant snake."
Raezel and Nihaga both froze.
"...A what?"
Nyra turned, brows knitting. "The being who gave us these marks! The one who made Velmor strong! I heard she left her son here to live with us. I want to meet him."
Raezel opened his mouth—
And Nihaga lost it again.
He dropped to his knees, cackling hysterically.
"She—she thinks you're a—" He pounded the ground, tears streaming down his face. "A giant snake monster! Hahahahaha!"
Raezel deadpanned. "Excuse me?"
Nihaga could barely breathe. "You... son of Queen Medusa... prince of Thaimera... terror of the divine order—reduced to giant snake boy!"
Raezel rubbed his face. "You are enjoying this far too much."
Nyra looked between them, unimpressed. "Is he having a seizure?"
Raezel sighed. "No. He's just broken."
Finally regaining control, Nihaga stood and with dramatic flair, gestured at Raezel.
"The Son of Queen Medusa," he declared, "stands before you!"
Nyra looked Raezel up and down.
Then her eyes flicked to his hair.
She squinted.
"...Well," she said slowly.
"That explains the hair."