“Cough! cough! cough!” 

There was something strange about Shakiro’s coughing. A lump of dark blood would come out whenever he coughed, and it was quite difficult to say he was fine since the skin on Shakiro’s neck looked dark for some reason.

“Shakiro-nim, I think you should go to the temple—” Siegfried suggested. By temple, he meant the temple of the Goddess of Healing.

However, Shakiro cut him off and waved his hand. “It’s nothing serious. It’s just an illness I’ve had for quite a while now, so you don’t need to be worried about it.”

“But, still… you do not look so good…”

“I know my illness the best, so don’t worry.”

“…”

“I’ll have to tidy myself a bit,” Shakiro said as he gently pushed Siegfried away and retrieved a dark handkerchief to wipe the blood off of his mouth.

“Anyway, you are truly a genius. I’m certain of it,” Shakiro said.

“I’m not,” Siegfried retorted.

“No, you are a genius.”

“I said, I’m not…”

“Who can be called a genius if you aren’t?”

“Who knows… anyway, I am not a genius.”

“Your humbleness is starting to sound like you’re mocking me right now.”

“No… That is not what I meant…”

“Let’s drop it,” Shakiro said. He stared intently at Siegfried with his blue eyes before adding, “It’s difficult to listen to a genius mocking me.”

“Ah…” Siegfried sighed in resignation.

“Anyway, you saw through my intentions. On...