…On the dark road of the Voice, I walked while watching Deculein's back. He was upright as always like nothing had happened.
I didn't know much about Deculein. It hadn't even been a year that we've been together, and I spent most of that hating him. I don't think I even tried to get to know him. Yet I was curious about Deculein now. What was he thinking? What was he feeling?
Then, I realized my feelings a little late. I was sad over Deculein as I looked back on his life as I knew it. A father who didn't trust him. Family pressure and conflict. The only woman he had ever loved died in vain. The love that the demon's letter took away. Kagan Luna's crucial role in robbing him of that love.
His daughter, me. Now, I understand. For Deculein, it wouldn't be strange if he hated me enough to kill me. Just because I am Kegan's daughter, he had the right to hate me.
…But even so. He made me his disciple. He understood my betrayal in siding with Ihelm and forgave my father. He recorded his name as the co-author on his thesis. His reason… I don't know.
I don't know. The more that I got to know this person. The more we were together. The more time passed by. The more I didn't know him.
I'm becoming a fool. Why did he make me his disciple? Why didn't he reject me? I don't hate Deculein anymore; I'm just worried.
If he reunited with his lover who had been brought back to life as a demon, and if he killed her, if he destroyed her with his own hands. If that happened… what would remain in his heart? A wasteland where not even a strand of grass could grow, where only ashes were left…
"Epherene."
Deculein called me. I cringed and answered back loudly.
"Yeeees—!"
"…Are you crazy?"
"Ah, no… why, what's wrong?"
"Go back."
He pointed somewhere with his chin. I looked up in that direction to a huge signboard.
"…Hotel?!"
*****
The hotel that I arrived at with Epherene was simply a safe point. When you enter the Voice, you will open your eyes in a random place, but you could choose to start using a hotel or a house.
[Room 303]
"O-open this?"
"Open it."
Epherene opened the door with her key. After a moment of hesitation, she walked inside.
"…Tsk."
There was a musty smell wafting out. The wallpaper was moldy, and the bedding was disgusting and dirty.
"Wait."
I used Encryption to place clean furniture using the Mana Code in my head, then cleaned everything using Cleanse.
"Wow… that's amazing."
"Go and sit anywhere."
Epherene sat down and looked around.
"Okay. By the way, Professor, why here?"
"Let me explain the Voice in detail first."
"Oh, okay."
"This is a fake world. It is made by a demon. This is a world of waves, different from reality. There are things here that can't happen in reality and things that cannot exist. Also…"
I closed my eyes for a moment. Using Understanding, I recalled the blueprint of the map of the Voice that I had seen before. Kim Woo-Jin was a game designer originally, so it wasn't too difficult. I transferred what I remembered onto paper.
"Familiarize yourself with this. The structure of the Voice is a concentric circle."
A set of circles with the same center but different radii. Therefore, the Voice widened toward the outside and narrowed toward the inside.
"The two demons are probably at the center."
A wide circle that spread out like a ripple in the water. Their targets would be at the center.
"…"
Epherene appeared to be interested in other things. She was looking at me like she had something to say, her lips wriggling. I frowned.
"Do you have something to say?"
"Uhm… you see… are you going to kill her? Personally?"
"That's right."
I nodded. Epherene wore her sorrow. I didn't know why she was acting like this, but I explained what should be done for now.
"It's something I should do myself. It is the Yukline's responsibility to exterminate demons."
"That… but still… even so…."
Epherene stuttered. Certainly, this kid still lacked the cool-headedness of a wizard.
…No. Rather, I might be lacking something as a human.
"Isn't it hard… we can look for another to…."
Surprisingly, I didn't hate this kind of Epherene or the way she worried about me, wriggling from her spot sitting on the bed.
"It could be hard."
Epherene suddenly raised her head at my response. Yoo Ara… killing a demon that resembled her may be a little difficult.
"But, I'm not hesitating. I won't run away."
"…Why?"
"Because killing demons is what I have to do; it is what's right for me."
"…"
Epherene's eyes shook. She looked down for a while before meeting my gaze again.
"…Professor. Then, uhm… I am curious about something."
"What is it?"
"That… uhm… why… did you make me your disciple…?"
It was a trivial question. But, Epherene continued to talk with such a serious expression.
"Well, just as I hated the Professor, it's only natural that the Professor hates me. Because-"
"If you were nothing special."
I cut her off, giving her a gentle look.
"I would have just left you alone if you were nothing but trash. Trash isn't worth hating nor worth my attention."
Epherene shivered.
"But… Epherene. Listen carefully. I don't lie."
Epherene swallowed. I twisted my lips, though I don't know if it could be considered a smile.
"You are a talent that will change this era."
I knew this kid's talent. Beyond being a Named, her actual growth that I had seen through Vision was notable and assured me of her future as an Archmage.
"You will be a part of the continent's future."
Her cheeks flushed.
"That talent, it's different from everything that I hate. I found out about your talent and thought I could develop it. That is all. Nothing more, nothing less."
That was how I ended it. Epherene nodded slowly but then muttered softly as if something I said bothered her.
"Professor hated… everything about me?"
I didn't like nor hate her. However, based on Deculein's memories, hating her seemed more appropriate. And it would be a lie to say that I felt no envy or jealousy at all.
"How much do you hate the things you do hate…?"
Epherene was still speaking, but I stood.
"Go to sleep. You can sleep here more comfortably than in the North, and you can also eat more."
Then, she replied coyly.
"…But there's nothing to eat."
"I'll go buy something."
"What? No, no. That's not what I meant. I'll go instead-"
"Just stay there."
I left Epherene in the room and walked into an area swarming with people and street vendors. The heavy scent of food lingered in the air.
"…"
Standing there, I looked into my mind for a moment. Yoo Ara. I had lived forgetting about Kim Woojin for a while, so to suddenly imagine her face made it feel like I was being stabbed.
"…?"
I was catching my breath, then suddenly-
I found a familiar face between the stalls. She looked at me, too. Our eyes met.
"…Professor."
Julie. She was holding hotdogs in both hands, and beside her was the boy named Leo.
"Oh! It's Professor Deculein!"
Leo pointed at me.
"…You're here too?"
I glanced behind them. The half-blood, Carlos, was who I searched for. Leo spoke.
"Carlos isn't here."
"I can see that."
In the first place, if Carlos were nearby, my blood would react first. At that time, Julie cut in.
"Professor, why are you looking for Carlos?"
"This Professor is trying to harm Carlos."
Leo spoke calmly, though his voice wasn't one of blame.
"What… Professor, is that true? Are you trying to hurt a child? Carlos isn't even thirteen."
"…Have you gotten close already? You're quite friendly, huh?"
Julie's expression grew cold at my sarcasm. Then, she glared at me like she was asking for an explanation. I nodded.
"That's right. It's better for the world if he dies. He's worse than the Demon Blood."
"…NO!"
Julie suddenly shouted.
"How low can you become?!"
The dams broke, and venom spilled from her.
"Not just Veron, Rockfell, and my knights! The dozens of Demon Blood that you buried alive-"
"Are you defending the Demon Blood?"
"That's not what I meant."
Julie was gasping and panting.
"…Forget it."
She clenched her teeth and shook her head, her anger fading as she gave up.
"Julie, you hate me, right?"
"Yes."
An answer without even a little bit of hesitation.
"I hate you."
…That was correct.
"I loathe you."
It was a very welcome emotion. As expected, my heart hurt to hear it, though, because I loved this woman.
"…Good. But, I'll give you a piece of advice."
I looked at Julie. This much hate wasn't good enough. If she were to get better, to survive, and become a full knight, she still had a long way to go.
"If you're going to hate someone, hate them sincerely. Hate them enough to kill them."
"…"
"Nothing will change if you remain indecisive. No, rather, you could die."
Julie clenched her fist.
"Is that a threat?"
"It's advice."
Julie closed her mouth tightly, and my eyes moved elsewhere to a street stall that sold whole chicken. I went there and bought two for Epherene, meanwhile ignoring Julie's murderous gaze.
"I'll be going now. Someone is waiting for me."
Just like that, I returned to the hotel.
[Room 303]
I opened the door.
Zzzz… zzzz…
Epherene was lying on the bed, sleeping, and drooling. But, when I put down the food, her nose twitched. With just one whiff, she woke up like she was bewitched and reached out for the chicken.
"…Professor, aren't you going to eat?"
I shook my head.
"Go ahead and eat."
"Well, you don't eat cheap things like this…."
Epherene tore off the chicken legs.
Whiiiiiiing—
"Hurry up, Epherene. We're going back to the North soon."
"Oh, yes, yes…"
*****
…A night where the red moon scattered red fog through the sky. The heart of the Empire, the Imperial Palace, was filled with a strange moonlight.
Tik tok— tik tok—
The most private part of the Palace, the Emperor's bedroom, where only the sound of the clock could be heard. Sophien slowly opened her eyes, shining bright red in the darkness.
"Hmm…"
When she, who had been to the Voice, breathed out.
Thud—
There was a presence nearby. Suddenly, the veins in her temple bulged.
"…You?"
Beyond the darkness, someone dared to enter a bedroom where no one was allowed. A man Sophien knew well was standing there. She was speechless at his boldness.
"Why you…"
"It has been a while, Your Majesty."
"Don't call me with that dirty mouth, Rohakan."
An idle man completely different from Deculein, the Empress killer, Rohakan. Sophien sat down.
"Did you seriously come here looking for me? In the bedroom where the empress that you killed slept?"
Rohakan replied with a nod.
"I also didn't want to come, but I recently heard rumors that you're exchanging letters with Deculein. That is quite unusual. Your Majesty has shared a personal letter with someone. I thought it didn't make sense… but it's true."
Sophien now stood up. Her almost infinite mana raged around her. Everyone in the Imperial Palace woke up, and knights were dispatched after becoming aware of the trespasser.
"Your Majesty."
While enduring that enormous mana… Rohakan asked her.
"Don't tell me; you have feelings for Deculein?"
Tak—
Sophien's mana faded. She squinted at Rohakan.
"Why are you asking such a thing? No, did you break into this place just to ask that?"
"It's not like that. It's very important."
His serious tone bothered Sophien.
"You, you're such a fool."
"Your Majesty, I can partially see the future."
The future. It was a miracle to see the future, but Rohakan's power grew clearer the shorter his life remaining was. He continued in a low voice.
"…Among them, I saw a fragmentary and a very important scene related to your future."
"If you want to commit suicide, I will gladly-"
"In that future."
Dadadadada—
The knights were coming closer. Sophien released her mana, reciting the rune language to tie up Rohakan. Now he couldn't run away, but Rohakan continued to speak.
"You confessed your love to Deculein."
"…?"
At that moment, time seemed to stop.