Particles of magic scattered through the air, sparkling like starlight. These were fragments of Locralen, which could not resist the "miracle" incarnate.
The scene before her was so breathtakingly beautiful, so surreal, that Epherene felt as if she were still trapped in a dream. Tears brimmed in her eyes, too heavy to hold back.
These 15 months would forever remain in her heart. She would cherish every day spent by his side.
Clutching her diary tightly, Epherene lowered her head.
And as she stood there like that, a lot of emotions were awakened in her that couldn't be expressed in words alone. Her throat felt parched, her chest heavy with pain. She was hurt and sad just thinking about him.
No matter how desperately she wished or how hard she tried, she would never see him again. Even if she became the greatest archmage to ever live, she could no longer reach Deculein.
* * *
The largest city in the north was Freyden.
After the incident with the Altar, the northern fortress of the Empire regained its former status as a holy place for knights. Every month, thousands of knights visited the lord's castle, called the Winter Castle, as if on a pilgrimage.
Thanks to cooperation with Yukline, even the province of Freyden, which seemed harsh, barren and backward, began to prosper.
– Hm…
In a workshop where wooden blocks were randomly laid out, as well as various metals such as copper, silver and gold, Julie made sculptures.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled broadly as she looked at her new creation.
In a way, swordsmanship and sculpting were very similar. Both require refined movements, concentration and soul investment.
Ding!
While Julie was enjoying the results of her labor, someone opened the door.
Julie winced.
"Someone entered my workshop? Nobody knows that this is my workshop, right?
Julie tilted her head and looked at the visitor.
– Hm?
A man in a black robe stood at the entrance, his face obscured in shadow. He stepped inside, carefully examining her work. Though his appearance might have seemed suspicious at first glance, the way he examined the sculptures gave the impression of a seasoned connoisseur. He soon nodded, as if satisfied.
Curious, Julie broke the silence and asked:
– Who are you?
He turned his head. Because of the hood of his robe, she could only see the lower part of his face.
– A visitor.
Even his voice was unfamiliar to her.
– Can I buy this? he asked, pointing his finger at the figurine.
– Hm?
Seeing where he was pointing, Julie flinched and shook her head.
It was an alabaster figurine of Julie von Deya-Freyden, shrouded in eternal ice, with a sword in her hand. A woman who made all her wishes come true.
– Not for sale.
-…
Suddenly he turned to her. Even as a knight, Julie, who had reached the level of a master, shuddered slightly.
"I still want to buy it," he insisted.
– I'm sorry but I do not wish to sell it…
Julie politely turned him down.
He laugh before saying in a low voice:
– It's a pity. Have you decided to put down your sword and take up sculpture?
– I didn't put down the sword.
The Julie that everyone on the continent knew was no more. Therefore, this Julie had no choice but to pretend that she knew those who had been associated with the Julie of the past.
Julie cleared her throat in embarrassment. It was difficult for her to deal with people who knew her past. She mimicked her old age with Josephine's makeup technique.
– So, you decided to do both?
– Yes.
– Well, good luck with that.
And then he turned around without saying anything else. Without even asking a few questions, he simply opened the workshop door and walked out.
Clap!
Looking at the closed door, Julie blinked. He left as quickly as he came.
She was confused for a moment, wondering who it was but when she turned around, a scream left her throat.
– What?!
The corner of the display case where the figurine of Julie used to be was empty.
– Tch!
This guest turned out to be a thief.
Julie rushed outside, but nobody was there. Just cold skies and stale air.
– Where's this son of a...
Julie almost swore for the first time in her life, but she suppressed her anger and returned to the workshop.
She was about to call the police but suddenly noticed something. There was a small note on the table.
A very short and simple sentence.
[Let's think of this as belated tuition.]
Julie, reading the note three times, suddenly felt goosebumps all over her body.
– Could it be be… Deculein?
Julie glanced back at the thought, but the cold wind blew past the hastily opened door.
* * *
The snowy peaks of the mountains, where a strong icy wind blew.
Lia climbed the crest of a snow-covered mountain. As an adventurer hired by the Empress, and as a gambler who wanted answers to her questions, she wandered around in search of the "villain of the era."
Finally, she reached the summit of Aksan, the steepest and highest mountain in the province of Freyden.
Lia looked into the distance and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.
She was accompanied by Yeriel and Ellie.
– Over there! The chimney of the hut sticks out a little, said Lia while pointing at a small, dark object in the distance. It was difficult to see it, because it was covered with snow, and only the smoke coming from it betrayed it.
– I see it! I see it! Yeriel screamed with wide eyes.
She started biting her nails and breathing faster, as if in anticipation.
– Let's go! Quickly!
However, Yeriel was stopped in her momentum by Lia who grabbed her by the hem.
–What are you doing? Let me go! exclaimed Yeriel.
She threw her a very displeased and intimidating look, but Lia just shook her head.
"I'm sorry… but could you wait a bit?"
-…
Yeriel blinked.
–Why?
It was so strange that she didn't even get angry. They finally found him. He was right in front of their noses, but now for some reason they had to wait?
Lia scratched the back of her head.
– There is something I want to tell him in private. It will not take long.
– You want to talk to him ALONE?
At that moment, Yeriel began to boil. She seemed ready to pierce Lia with her gaze.
– Miss Yeriel?
However, Ellie interrupted her. She approached with a smile and cupped her hands.
– If it will not take long as she said, why not letting her?
– Yes. 10 minutes, no, let me 3 minutes with him please.
– But…
"We found the professor thanks to Lia, right?"
-When did you suddenly rally together?
Yeriel looked at Ellie and Lia alternately.
To her, this situation was absurd and unfair, but the expressions on the faces of these women were strangely serious.
Looks like no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't convince the two of them.
"Fine, but be quick," said Yeriel through clenched teeth.
Lia bowed.
– Thank you. Thank you.
– Leave before I change my mind.
Lia immediately rushed off.
She slid down the crest of the mountain faster than human speed, soon reaching the door of the hut.
It was a moment that made her more nervous than she thought.
As she opened the wooden door of the hut, she was greeted by the crackling and warmth of the fire in the fireplace.
– You've come?
Lia turned her head and looked at Deculein with her hand on her chest.
He was sitting in a rocking chair near the fireplace and looking at her, with his usual relaxed expression.
His appearance was no different from before, but Lia could feel that something had changed.
"You're dying," Lia said bluntly.
Deculein raised his eyebrows.
– Why are you saying something everyone knows?
– I read the diary.
"I see," Deculein answered indifferently.
– I have read it countless times. But it didn't have anything interesting in it.
Lia took out the diary, which was already worn out. The contents was not at all what she expected. It was just "proof", evidence that made Deculein the villain. And nothing more. She felt like a fool for trying to find any hidden meaning there.
However, she realized something later:
"I knew someone who did something similar to me in the past."
It was quite a long time ago. He gave her a letter before they started dating, that is, before they confirmed each other's feelings. A letter with nothing. A letter in which he described random things that had happened to him in recent days.
– He also gave me a diary. My thought were about the same: What was the hidden meaning? I analyzed it for hours, but in the end, I didn't find anything. I figured it out later: it was a joke. It was a naughty joke from that guy.
– Haha.
A mischievous grin fell from Deculein's lips. Lia narrowed her eyes.
– Yes. There was no hidden meaning in the diary. But it could be used as proof of my sins.
-… and you have no regrets? Lia asked.
Deculein replied with a smile on his face:
"…I'm not sure if I don't have any regrets, or if I've been designed to not have any regrets."
Lia couldn't figure out who that soft voice belonged to. Kim Woojin or Deculein?
"But I am not afraid of this death."
"I have a ticket," Lia said.
She didn't have much time. After the promised three minutes, they won't be able to be alone. She took out a sheet of paper from her inner pocket. The final reward for the main quest. Although this paper was smaller than her palm, she was practically sure that it was a ticket that brought the player back to reality.
– With this, you can survive.
By this point, Lia was already convinced that this man who was looking at her was Kim Woojin.
– You can go back...
– Yoo Ara, he gently interrupted her, it is yours.
– Why?
– Can you come closer for a second? My body is not moving.
He beckoned her.
As she drew closer, he whispered to her:
– Because I love you.
Without any rhetoric, he bluntly said that he loved her. However, his tone was full of sadness.
– If I'm alone there, it won't make sense.
-…
Was that his excuse?
"You know…", Yoo Ara said in a trembling voice while putting her hand on the pitiful boy's cheek, "You were my world".
– No.
He shook his head.
Yoo Ara narrowed her eyes again. This guy wanted to spoil the atmosphere to the very end.
– Your world is everything you see, hear and feel.
He tilted his head and pressed his forehead against hers.
– It's not just me. You know it.
The warmth of his voice spread through her body. Her heart fluttered like a fire in a fireplace.
At this point, their 180 seconds came to an end. At the promised moment, the door swung open.
Yeriel and Ellie appeared at the door.
– Brother!
As soon as Yeriel saw Deculein, she threw herself into his arms. Looking at the two of them, Lia stepped back. Ellie next to her smiled softly and put her hand on Lia's shoulder.
"Miss Sylvia is on her way here too."
Lia nodded without saying a word. Now she couldn't say anything. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her lips were swollen from biting them too often.
Ellie added:
"Thank you for your efforts, adventurer Lia."
These words sounded like "Game Over".
Whether she won or lost, the game was over anyway.
With a slightly confused but calmer expression, she looked at Deculein and said:
– We all went through a lot.
Deculein nodded while caressing his sister's hair.
- Why were you hiding? asked Yeriel.
She tried to hold back her tears, but her voice trembled.
"I wasn't hiding," Deculein replied. "I was waiting for you."
Each of his words warmed her like the sun.
– Did you watch me?
"Yes. I'm proud of you. You're worthy of being a Yukline."
Yeriel bit her lip and wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall with the hem of her sleeve. Then she buried her face into Deculein's chest. She did not want to waste the last moments of his life only on sadness, so she decided to let out everything that was in her heart all these years, leaving no regrets behind:
– I love you. I'm glad you're my brother.
At that moment, Deculein smiled warmly and replied:
"Thank you, Yeriel."
These were his last words. His body, whose heart had stopped, had already reached its limit and was just waiting for Yeriel to release it. Accepting his own death, which he had long sought, Deculein slowly closed his eyes.
Finally, Yeriel couldn't restrain herself, her wailing and crying resounded inside the hut.