The magical smile

Magical Smile

As soon as we returned to the palace, we began discussing how we could capture the Ganel.

> “Why didn't you ask for my permission before you went hunting for the Ganel?” Tanzan demanded, coming over to where we were gathered.

> “I don't necessarily have to ask for your approval every time I want to do something good,” Menkir replied firmly.

> “I will not allow anything to happen in my territory that is beyond my control,” Tanzan said.

> “Did I do something wrong? I don't understand why you're acting like this. Do you realize that every day you're becoming more and more like a tyrannical king?” Menkir said, glaring at Tanzan.

> “How dare you insult your king by calling him a tyrant?” Tanzan said angrily.

> “To me, you're my brother, not my king,” Menkir replied.

> “As long as you're in this territory, I'm your king as well. I don't want to see the same kind of arrogance from you that Almiris once showed me,” Tanzan said.

> “All right, brother,” Menkir replied humbly.

> “Henok! Tell Emu to bring me Kose's flute. Because if Kose's flute falls into the hands of our enemies, it will mean our destruction,” Tanzan said as he headed back in the direction from which he had come.

> “I don't understand why he got so angry,” Menkir said, looking in my direction.

> “He probably felt as though I'd stolen his wife,” he said, then left me and entered the palace.

As soon as Menkir went inside, Oksi suddenly appeared. She noticed me from a distance, gave me her magical smile, and disappeared from my sight.

******************************************

Kose's Flute

I was thinking about Oksi's magical smile. Her smile was exactly like the smile I used when I wanted to persuade people to do something for me.

But where had she gotten that magical smile? There had to be some natural connection between the two of us.

What if, without knowing it, nature had already brought us together? What if Oksi was the woman who had been created for me? As I thought about this, Oksi's lips appeared vividly in my mind, as though whispering, “Kiss me, kiss me.”

If merely thinking about her could make me feel this way, what would happen if we actually experienced love together in person? What would the feeling do to me?

With all these thoughts running through my mind, I still didn't want to admit that I had fallen in love with Oksi. Or perhaps what I felt for her was only temporary? Sometimes, you can become obsessed with thinking about a woman over and over again, almost like a passing fixation. And most of the time, that temporary feeling disappears completely after you become intimate with the girl. I would actually be happy if my feelings for Oksi disappeared just as quickly.

But what kind of spell had she cast on me that made my mind keep repeating, Oksi, Oksi, over and over? Was this feeling really natural? Or had some kind of magic wrapped itself around me? Surely I wouldn't be like this if I were in my right mind.

While thoughts revolving around Oksi continued spinning through my mind, Emu opened the door to our bedroom and entered.

> “You're still awake?” she asked, walking over to where I was lying down and kissing me on the forehead.

> “The king has ordered you to bring him Kose's flute,” I told her, relaying the king's command.

Her expression suddenly changed.

> “Kose's flute isn't with me,” she said.

> “What?! How can that be? Weren't you the one who summoned the Ganelos?” I asked in surprise.

> “After you summoned the Ganelos, I didn't see any need for the flute anymore, so I left it there and came back,” she said.

> “We absolutely have to find the flute. Because if it falls into the hands of our enemies, it will mean our destruction,” I told her.

> “How can we find it?” she asked in alarm.

> “At the place where you left it, of course!” I answered lightly.

> “But what if it's not there?” she asked.

> “Why would you think it wouldn't be there? Is there something you've been hiding from me?”

As I said this, I think my suspicion showed clearly on my face, because I caught her eyes avoiding mine.

> “Who knows? It's been a long time since I dropped the flute. Besides, I don't remember where I left it,” she said.

> “How can you not remember?” I asked, anger becoming evident in my voice.

> “How could I remember?! I was terrified and running for my life when the Ganelos came out of the lake,” she said.

For the first time, I thought about what it must have been like to stand face-to-face with a Ganel. I smiled.

But the Ganelos we encountered were not terrifying creatures as they are described in legends. Instead, they were extraordinarily attractive and beautiful.

> “All right. You probably dropped it somewhere while you were running away,” I said, nodding thoughtfully and pretending to look like a man deep in thought.

> “Probably,” she replied.

I thought I detected a sense of relief on her face.

> “So that means if we search the area around the lake, we'll find it,” I said.

Then I pulled her toward the bed and made her lie down.