I followed Hermis to a nearby shelter near the front lines.
The landscape is desolate.
A shabby stone building, on the verge of collapse.
Makeshift tents crafted from wood and cloth.
Refugees with dirt-streaked faces and haggard looks gazed vacantly into the air.
Despite it being a sunny day, the atmosphere felt dull and dark.
“This area is dangerous, so you must stay close to me, Lord Judas.”
Hermis said, as if advising a child.
“I’m not that immature.”
I replied with a grumble, though it was quite worrying.
This place, close to the front lines.
It wasn’t the risk of encountering demons that worried me.
It was people that were the most frightening here.
The gaze that clung to me was sticky.
If I had walked alone, I would have drawn the attention of many with ill intentions.
Thanks to Hermis’s wide robe, it was hard to guess her status.
However, the longsword hanging from her waist was enough.
It proved that she was no ordinary swordsman.
I walked nervously, looking around.
No matter how adult my past life was, I found this place terrifying.
It felt like a neighborhood where I’d get stabbed if I walked alone.
Hermis chuckled as she looked down at me.
“Would you like to hold my hand?”
“No.”
I firmly rejected and matched my steps with her.
Now, we were on our way to meet Yurideke.
“Yuri will likely know the situation. Still, it’s better to meet her and convey the message.”
Before long, we arrived in front of a relatively intact building.
A fairly large four-story stone structure.
There were soldiers guarding the area.
It looked like a military facility or perhaps a place where important figures stayed.
The size resembled a goods warehouse.
“Yuri is waiting inside.”
The gatekeeper silently let us pass after seeing Hermis’s face.
As we entered the building, Hermis whispered.
“This building is operated by the Guild. Nearby, you mentioned Jericho, which Lord Judas is soon to reclaim, and the guild is providing resources for that operation.”
Since she spoke discreetly, I nodded slightly in response.
Jericho was still under the grip of the demons.
It would soon rise as an important city after being reclaimed by the Empire.
This was the first piece of information I had uncovered.
The information guild had sent their external business to use it.
“But, if it’s owned by the guild, is it necessary to speak quietly?”
“Ears are everywhere, so we must be careful.”
We ascended to the fourth floor.
Hermis knocked on the door at the end of the corridor.
“Yuri, sis….”
Before she could finish her sentence, the door swung open.
As if waiting for us to arrive.
“Hermis!”
With snow-white hair and purple eyes.
It was Yurideke, the one who had welcomed me last time.
But I couldn’t truly see her.
A mist-like smoke wafted out from the room.
A mist that smelled of peaches.
Her appearance was hazy in the fog.
Hermis frowned and waved her hand.
“Sis… how much have you been smoking?”
Yurideke was a well-known smoker.
The specially cultivated tobacco she used exuded a peach fragrance.
So, this fog was cigarette smoke.
She had been smoking when I first met her in the information guild.
After parting with Orphe, she had become reliant on cigarettes.
“I’m nervous, so what do you want me to do?”
“It’s harmful to the kid, so ventilate the room and open the door again. Put on some clothes too.”
“You’re so strict….”
Yurideke’s grumbling voice faded.
Hermis waved her hand and apologized.
“I’m sorry. But we showed Lord Judas a good representation, so please understand.”
“It’s fine, but what do you mean by good representation?”
“Didn’t you see? Yuri was only wearing her underwear.”
“I’m not curious, I don’t want to see, and it’s not a good representation.”
Hermis teased me, unable to hold back her laughter.
Her smiling face was annoying.
When I glared at her, her laughter only grew stronger.
“Is it fun to tease someone younger than you?”
Hmm.
I know it’s fun to do, but am I not older than Hermis?
I’m young in body, but… Ah. I don’t know.
Before long, the door opened again.
This time, there was no fog.
She seemed exhausted, as if she had been ventilating hard.
If there was any relief, it was that she was properly dressed.
How grateful I was not to have seen her earlier.
She smiled awkwardly.
“Ahaha…. Sorry for making you wait. It’s been a while since we last met. Would you like to come in?”
The room was spacious and luxurious.
It resembled a hotel suite.
A large window was wide open.
Hermis and I sat down side by side in the spot that was the best ventilated.
Yurideke sat across from us and spoke.
“First of all, thank you for coming to help.”
“Not at all.”
“How much of the conversation have you heard?”
Yurideke’s real name.
The relationship between her, Orphe, and Hermis.
“I heard what I needed to.”
I didn’t hear about her being the Guild Master.
But that information wasn’t necessary to resolve this matter.
Just knowing it alone was enough.
“I see….”
“I promise to keep it a secret, so you have nothing to worry about.”
“More than that…. Isn’t it a bit embarrassing to ask someone so much younger for help?”
How quickly she seemed to get embarrassed!
“Besides me, there’s no one else you can ask for help, right?”
“Yes….”
“Since it has come to this, you should act shamelessly. Would you act differently in front of your husband?”
“…….”
Yurideke blushed and lowered her head.
“It feels like you’re overflowing with confidence… it’s as if I’m looking at a professional.”
Hermis said in admiration.
Professional, huh? I have no experience or knowledge!
My plan is simple.
Orphe wants to meet Yurideke, and Yurideke feels the same.
So, I just need to make them meet.
I plan to drag them together.
After that, they should manage on their own.
“Please tell me where Orphe is. I will take care of the rest.”
*
“Orphe? It’s been a while.”
I barged into a tent.
Before my eyes was a blond man.
His stubble was short and scraggly.
‘A faint smell of alcohol…. The wife smokes, and the husband drinks. This couple is quite something.’
A youth who would be indistinguishable from a beggar if only he was dressed in rags looked at me.
“Who… are you?”
“My name is Judas.”
He scratched his head as he regarded my face.
“Yeah. It’s a first time seeing your face, but have I seen you somewhere?”
“I received help quite a while ago. You probably don’t remember.”
After parting with Yurideke, he had traversed dangerous places, helping people.
It was a form of penance and self-reproach.
By helping others, he turned away from the misunderstandings and mistakes built with Yurideke.
He inherently liked helping people.
Orphe laughed, looking somewhat embarrassed.
“I’m sorry. I don’t remember at all.”
It’s not surprising that he wouldn’t recall, considering he’d helped many.
“It’s all right. I didn’t come here to ask you to remember. Actually, there’s someone who wants to meet you.”
“Me? Who?”
“I don’t really know.”
I couldn’t lie.
But I could pull off a short performance pretending I didn’t know.
“I’m just here to deliver the request.”
“Umm….”
Orphe groaned, appearing troubled.
He was a strong man who roamed the front lines alone.
There were a few who recognized his value and approached him.
However, he turned them down every time.
Thinking he couldn’t dare do so.
Still, I was confident I could coax him along.
‘He has a weak spot for kids.’
“She said just seeing you for a moment would be fine. She’s not a strange person, but she probably asked me to bring you instead, worrying you might feel pressured if you approached her directly.”
I kept pressing him.
Orphe begrudgingly nodded.
“Alright. Lead the way.”
*
The scene I saw when I brought Orphe to the meeting place was, in many ways, quite embarrassing.
It’s a skill for someone not even close to me to evoke empathy.
“Hermis! Let go of this! Hurry! I can just come back later, alright?!”
“Stay still!”
Yurideke was thrashing about, unprepared to meet Orphe, while Hermis held her down.
“…….”
I felt humiliated.
I turned my head and pretended not to see.
Orphe couldn’t do that.
“How….”
His voice trembled.
I explained.
“It was that person who wanted to meet you.”
“Don’t tell me… that’s absurd….”
“…….”
While Orphe was bewildered, Yurideke also discovered us.
She froze, locking gazes with Orphe.
An almost sigh-like moan escaped from her slightly parted lips.
“Ah….”
The two were rooted in place, like statues.
I couldn’t let them remain like that forever, so I nudged Orphe’s back.
Hermis did the same with Yurideke.
The two, caught off guard, stumbled forward, barely managing to stop in front of each other.
A long silence followed.
They just exchanged glances, lips twitching as if wanting to speak.
Finally, Yurideke broke the silence first.
“…Orphe.”
With an emotion stuffed down, her voice came out almost painfully.
She was crying.
After crossing the long misunderstanding, the two lovers met again.
*
While Yurideke and Orphe conversed, Hermis and I stood some distance away.
We were far enough that while I couldn’t hear their conversation, I could see them.
Hermis said.
“Thank you, Lord Judas.”
The smile looking at them was filled with warmth and pride.
“To think they finally met…. From start to finish, it wouldn’t have been possible without Lord Judas.”
“Well, it’s nothing special….”
“I will never forget this moment.”
Hermis’s voice suddenly took on a serious tone.
“I’m not the only one. Yurideke will remember this day, too, and she will be grateful for it for her whole life. I can’t go into details, but considering the suffering she underwent… It’s no exaggeration to say that you saved Yurideke’s life.”
That wasn’t entirely incorrect.
In the future I knew, Yurideke would reunite with Orphe in a different form.
A meeting with the corpse of Orphe.
After that, Yurideke goes missing, later found as a corpse herself.
Hermis would be left alone, struggling to carry on the legacy of the information guild.
Because of this event, that future likely wouldn’t come to pass.
“It would be appreciated if you remember this. There will be many requests in the future.”
If I wanted to escape, I needed to utilize the information guild as much as possible.
For me, gaining their goodwill was a win.
Rather, it’d be useful.
“I will do my best to serve.”
Hermis smiled reliably.
As we exchanged smiles, Orphe and Yurideke hugged.
From their trembling shoulders, it appeared they were crying.
“Um… as nice as it is to share memories, shouldn’t they be thanking Lord Judas first?”
“It’s fine. Just leave them be.”
“Thank you for your understanding. There must be a lot built up over the years. Leaving misunderstandings piled up due to lack of communication….”
Most problems arise precisely because of that.
The absence of communication.
It’s so simple to just share honest feelings.
But that moment of honesty is what becomes difficult, giving way to misunderstandings and misconceptions.
Fearing the truth in the other person, the gaps in communication widen, and eventually, the misunderstandings become solitary convictions.
“Most problems stem from that.”
“Have you experienced this firsthand?”
Hmm.
I haven’t particularly experienced those misunderstandings between genders.
Absence of communication can occur not just between men and women.
“You don’t necessarily have to experience them….”
I couldn’t finish my sentence because Hermis suddenly glared sharply towards one side.
Yurideke and Orphe were still huddled together, speaking.
I followed Hermis’s gaze.
An old man stood there.
Wearing a shabby hood deeply pulled down.
His scraggly beard was displayed underneath.
“What business do you have?”
Hermis asked cautiously.
The old man’s beard shifted.
His lips curled into a smile.
He politely greeted us and said.
“I apologize if I startled you.”
His voice was aged but firm.
‘…?’
The gentle yet strong voice felt somehow strange.
It was difficult to pinpoint exactly why.
Somehow familiar.
Though kind, it also reminded me of a scolding voice.
I couldn’t quite grasp it.
‘Could it be someone Judas knows?’
But he behaved as if he didn’t recognize me.
“As a child of the Light who shines in the darkness, I am Spenta on a pilgrimage.”
The man who called himself Spenta pulled something from his robe.
A thin, platinum chain.
At the end dangled an ivory circle resembling a full moon.
It was a sacred item of the Molsin Church.
A pendulum in the form of the moon.
Shining in the darkness refers to the moon.
Being a child of that indicates he is a believer of the Molsin Church.
“I see you’re a pilgrim. My apologies.”
Hermis relaxed upon his introduction and bowed her head.
Pilgrims are respected figures, regardless of their religion.
I followed her lead and offered a slight salute.
“I understand. This is indeed a place rife with danger, where the bountiful giver must also fear.”
The old man smiled kindly.
“If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask for a favor?”
This meant he was asking for food or money to procure food.
The purpose of a pilgrim is to fill their hearts solely with faith.
They should always come empty-handed.
Thus, they should have no possessions of their own.
This principle applies regardless of the religion.
As a result, they rely on others for lodging and meals.
‘Isn’t it similar to the alms or donations in Buddhism?’
In any case, it has a similar concept.
One slight difference is that in this world, pilgrims are not ordinary figures.
Their divine power is something the average person wouldn’t be able to witness in their lifetime.
Most people willingly give to pilgrims and often seek help through prayer and divine powers.
“Of course. I have no food on me, but I can share some coin.”
Hermis searched her pockets and asked.
“Are you residing here as a military priest?”
“Yes indeed. It’s difficult to ignore those in pain.”
“You deserve all respect.”
She handed him several gold coins.
Three Florins.
It’s enough for one meal.
It’s also inappropriate to give a pilgrim more than needed.
His gaze shifted toward me.
I scratched my cheek, feeling awkward.
“I… I’m sorry. I just don’t have anything in my pockets….”
The old man continued to gaze at me and smiled warmly.
“The act of seeking favor from the poor is akin to a thief. There’s no need to apologize.”
What’s with this person?
He’s excessively kind.
Similar to that priest Aquinas I saw last time.
Too kind and virtuous, making me feel like an utterly wicked person….
“I thank you for your grace. May you walk a bright path ahead.”
He offered a short prayer, blessing us, and then departed.
Watching the old man leave, Hermis nodded.
“That’s a rare sight these days. A person who deserves respect, regardless of their faith.”
“Indeed….”
That’s true.
Yet, for some reason, deep down, something in me rebelled against that statement.
‘What’s going on…?’
I couldn’t understand my feelings upon encountering that old man.
Suddenly, Hermis looked up at the sky.
“I think it’s going to rain.”
It was still bright daylight.
The sky was clear.
Dark clouds resembling a flock of sheep gathered in the distance.
Just as she said.
It felt as if it would rain soon.
—
As the pilgrim examined the boy…
He felt the chill of a prophecy.
That sensation, similar to divine power, was something he hadn’t sensed before.
That’s why it felt so strange.
The boy didn’t recognize him.
Only observing the stranger from a distance.
The boy had failed to fulfill his duties.
There’s but one conclusion.
‘Eliya’s Magic…’
The bastard child of the Balak family.
Unluckily, this child had inherited an ancient talent and recently awakened her original powers.
What if Eliya had cast mind-altering magic on him?
Perhaps it involved erasing his memories or something.
It was a plausible theory.
Magic that meddles with the mind is difficult to procure, but she might have used unknown methods or routes.
There may even be a small chance she utilized the same means as he did.
But what could be the reason for such action? What are her objectives?
Questions remained.
What of the malevolent aura felt from the boy?
It was so fine and faint that those keen to holy power and magic would struggle to feel it, yet it was undeniably chillingly clear.
The pilgrim, gazing down at the pendulum, set aside his complex thoughts and simplified the current situation.
Eliya had spared the child of prophecy.
The second attempt was hastily sent and was expected to fail, which it did.
Eliya would be pursuing this trail.
It was uncertain when he would catch up to the child.
For now, what mattered was that The Child of Prophecy was alive.
As long as that child lived, the mission would be achievable in some form.
Since Eliya had awakened, the existing operation must be discarded.
It was time to consult with the imperial family and change plans.
First.
He must erase his own memories.
The pilgrim, Angra, decided so.
*
The glass shattered as if it had exploded, scattering shards everywhere.
The sharp sound filled the cramped bedroom.
“Hah…. Hah….”
The Duchess Narcissi, who had thrown the glass, heaved heavily.
Her insides felt burning, as if they would burst.
Smashing everything she could see didn’t seem to ease her fury.
With narrowed eyes, she glared at the cracked mirror.
The mirror was covered in cracks like spider webs.
Countless reflections of herself caught her gaze.
The once lovely and healthy blonde had turned into a frayed mess.
Dark circles formed beneath her blue eyes, shadows loomed heavily from sleepless nights.
“AAAAAH-!”
Unable to contain her rage, she punched the broken mirror.
The shards cut her hands, blood dripping without her caring.
With bloodied hands, she messed up her hair.
Exile. Exile, she thought.
Because of Eliya, she had been stuck in this desolate place for weeks.
Every day felt like hell.
She was someone who didn’t deserve such treatment.
In this place, there was nothing she could do.
Absolutely nothing.
She felt like trash.
A worthless human unable to contribute to her family.
That couldn’t be.
What about her children?
How anxious must they be?
How humiliating was this?
All because of a single bastard child, the rightful wife of the head of the house had to face exile?
This derelict villa had only the minimal retainers left.
Among commoners, it wouldn’t seem like exile but rather a vacation.
But not for her.
Moreover, those who pledged loyalty to her were gradually turning their backs on her.
It was a sign that the power duo was already shifting.
“No, I can’t let this continue….”
Narcissi mumbled as she sank to the floor.
“I can’t stay still like this. If I do, I’ll just die. I’ll only be waiting for death. That can’t happen….”
She hadn’t anticipated the incident would spiral out of control.
An assassin, for reasons she didn’t understand, had interfered with her chosen candidates, giving her the justification.
The Marquess Sardis’s interference and issue with Eliya had unleashed her powers as a magician.
With just these two events, every plan had been derailed.
She had intended gradually to find a justifiable reason to get rid of Eliya.
Watching Balak take no action made her restless.
This must not continue.
She must use any means necessary.
“It’s still… not too late. It’s not too late even now…. After all, if this continues, I’ll die. In that case… you there.”
Narcissi pointed toward the maid lurking in the shadows.
Trying to avoid punishment, maids always waited in corners.
“Yes, My Duchess.”
“Clean all this up and bring the physician and the head maid.”
The maid quickly summoned them as they waited in another room.
“My Duchess, we’ve been summoned.”
The head maid knelt before her.
As she received treatment from the physician, Narcissi spoke.
“Contact Ramek.”
Ramek.
At the mention of the Assassin Guild, the head maid’s body flinched.
The physician barely registered her surprise but pretended not to hear.
“Contact them immediately and tell them to kill Eliya. Tell them to heed my previous mistake, and they will understand.”
“My Duchess….”
“Shut up and do as I say! Or I swear I will kill you! Understand? Or should I die for my justice to be fulfilled?!”
No longer did it matter if it was revealed that she had commissioned an assassination on Eliya.
As long as Eliya was dead, everything could be resolved.
She needed to act before the child’s powers grew stronger.
Her child alone should inherit the position of head and inherit the family wealth.
Balak’s indecision.
Despite choosing to sever Eliya for the greater good, he could not cut the foolish attachments he had for her.
He was a dimwitted fool, unable to publicly express his shame.
That must not be.
This needed to be cut coldly and decisively.
She had let it continue until now, but it was no longer something she could overlook.
She would take the necessary actions as the wife.
With the death of Eliya, the peace and balance of her family could be restored.
That life would be a valuable one, even for a bastard child.
“…Understood.”
The head maid fled from Narcissi, desperate to escape.
Narcissi gritted her teeth and downed some wine.
Her insides flared hotter again, but it was bearable now.
‘I’ll make sure to have her dead for sure….’
She had indeed never sent out an assassin.
It felt so unjust.
Hence, now that the assassination truly occurred, there would be no more unjust accusations.
Who was it that sent the assassin to Eliya back then?
Ramek probably wasn’t behind it.
If they were, failure wouldn’t be an option.
Curiosity nagged, but it didn’t matter now.
Everything would be resolved once Eliya was dead.
Despite not knowing what troubles may lie ahead, Narcissi firmly believed that.
‘If I send a true assassin for the sake of old grievances… they will surely deliver unlike those failures.’
Narcissi downed her wine again, gazing out the window.
It started to rain.
Just like the day Eliya’s biological mother died.
‘What a good day to kill.’
Soon enough, Narcissi was smiling.
*
As the time caring for the Moon Deer came to an end, Eliya suddenly asked.
“Judas, where did you go earlier today?”
In regards to that, Hermis had already prepared a reason.
I conveyed it as it was.
“I went near the demon world with Lady Hermis. It was a sort of field trip.”
“Just the two of you?”
“Yes? Ah, yes.”
“…….”
Eliya stared at me intently.
While she consistently wore a similar blank expression, there was noticeable change — subtle but definitely there.
And right now, Eliya was…
‘… upset?’
She wrinkled her forehead slightly and pouted her lips.
‘What, what’s going on?’
Eliya approached me.
With a displeased gaze, she looked up at me and then, bam! she bumped her forehead against my chest.
“Ah, milady?”
It didn’t hurt.
It was like how a kitten would playfully headbutt.
Though, I was bewildered as to why she was behaving this way.
“A punishment.”
“What did I do…?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Eliya seemed unwilling to explain further and turned her body away.
I rubbed my chest, staring at her dumbfounded.
As she strutted away with indifference, she stopped at the entrance.
‘What’s up with her?’
Suddenly frozen like a malfunctioning doll, Eliya paused as she looked outside and sighed softly.
“Rain….”
It was raining.
Quite heavily.
Eliya looked up at the sky.
She caught raindrops in her palms.
And then, she stood still.
For a long while, it felt awkwardly quiet.
Ria, watching her, frowned, lowering her head.
She looked somewhat distressed, perhaps.
“…I’m going now.”
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Eliya spoke.
Unlike her previous displeasure, she smiled lightly.
Though it wasn’t a joyful smile.
It felt somewhat lonely and sorrowful.
Does she hate the rain?
“See you next time.”
“Yes, milady.”
Ria held the umbrella for her, and Eliya walked away beneath it.
Soon, her figure became obscured by the curtain of rain.
See you next time.
For some reason, those words felt fragile, breaking apart like the raindrops crashing down.
*
“……”
I woke up, feeling a strange sensation.
It shouldn’t be, but I felt warm and cozy.
Something soft was pressing against me, exuding sweetness.
I felt a sense of déjà vu.
Opening weary eyes, I found Eliya by my side.
Just like that incident on her birthday.
She had sneaked into my bed while I was sleeping.
‘Her skills are impressive…. Ugh. But I can’t exactly wake her up and tell her to leave….’
Every time she pulls a stunt like this, I worry about whether it’s my execution that’s approaching.
It’s only the second time, but still.
“Uuuugh….”
It seemed like Eliya was moaning in her sleep, perhaps trapped in an unpleasant dream.
“Mama… No, you shouldn’t go….”
Her hand gripped my clothing, whining softly.
Those thin fingers trembled as if she was afraid of something.
If I looked closer, I saw her whole body was quaking.
What was she dreaming about?
Her biological mother?
I didn’t know who she was, having never seen her.
But from the glimpses I got from Eliya’s sleep talking, I gathered that…
“Mama, mama… don’t go….”
In the end, she sniffled, on the verge of tears.
I internally sighed.
Wrapping the blanket up to her shoulders, I embraced her and gently patted her back.
I whispered comforting words silently.
‘It’s alright, it’s alright.’
What was okay, I didn’t know, but I wanted to say it.
…Now, I really don’t know.
Whether she woke up or not.
If she did, what would I even do?
Eliya would probably shield me again if someone found out.
If she didn’t… well, if it came to that, I’d rather die.
I wouldn’t expel a child suffering at my side.
If I were to die for being cruel, then so be it.
‘I don’t know. Just do as you please.’
The strange resignation I felt in that moment amused me.
I’m much too virtuous; it’s a bother.
Friendliness towards Eliya might prove dangerous.
Occasionally, when she acted this way, it felt like my neck was on the line.
‘Grabbing onto me, and whining? What am I supposed to do?’
Slowly and gently, as I patted Eliya, she became calm.
The scowl on her face eased.
She sank into a deep sleep.
Could it be that she’s distressed like this every night?
‘Mom….’
Though I didn’t know Eliya’s family dynamics well, I had pieced together the fragments.
It was clear enough.
As a bastard child, she had likely experienced the cruelty of her family.
With this in mind, it’s no wonder she keeps seeking her mother.
Her biological mother must have been a warm and nurturing figure to Eliya.
Probably the only person for her.
The red blanket and stuffed animal she always carried with her.
She brought them along today, as she did always.
What could possibly be so special about them?
‘Seeing these, she’s just a child….’
I quietly observed Eliya, patting her to my heart’s content.
In the darkness, she looked faintly visible.
Those long eyelashes undulating in sleep.
A sweet, cherubic expression.
A round face.
She was a child who would eventually tighten her grip around my neck.
‘What on earth could yield such a scenario transpiring?’
Human behavior defines people.
Eliya, who would tighten her grip around my neck.
And sometimes, there’s Eliya, smiling and being kind to me, with an air of unpredictability.
I’m simple-minded and emotive.
Regardless of what the future holds for Eliya, if she presents me with an entirely different side now, I can’t help but waver.
Perhaps, Eliya and I growing closer could prevent such tragedies in future.
This thought was silly and naïve.
As Eliya’s brows furrowed, she stirred slightly.
She wasn’t waking up.
Seemingly restless, she sighed, letting tears escape from her corners.
‘Why does she cry while asleep?’
I gently brushed away the tears.
Then, I pulled her closer to my chest.
‘Stop crying, will you? It’s hard to watch.’
Her soft, whining sounded began to subside.
She pulled my body closer, burying her face against it.
‘As long as that future is avoided, I can at least….’
With a faint sigh, I sent frivolous thoughts spiraling away.
How meaningless that supposition was.
Only the warmth of Eliya nestled in my arms remained.
Her soft scent wafted through my nostrils.
I closed my eyes. I should sleep too.
The rhythmic sounds of Eliya’s breathing.
The crackling of firewood in the fireplace.
And the steady pattering of raindrops against the window.
It poured heavily.
So much that, at times, the other two sounds almost vanished beneath the rain.
A torrential downpour that seemed intent on breaking through winter.
Spring would surely come soon.
‘How much rain can possibly fall for it to be this loud?’
Thoughts of survival specialists began to activate.
Claiming danger loomed ahead.
How much heavier could it rain…?
‘…Wait a minute.’
From there, I felt a sense of confusion.
It was strange.
The sound from the rain wasn’t coming from beyond the closed window.
It was pounding directly against my ears.
As if the window were wide open.
‘Did Eliya climb through the window?’
That couldn’t be.
If that were the case, she would be drenched in rain.
Eliya wouldn’t find a reason to do that anyway; she could just teleport.
Did I forget to close the window before bed?
No. Anna had locked it, and I had checked again to be sure before sleeping.
‘Survival specialist wouldn’t warn against such existential threats….’
My eyes snapped open.
Chills ran down my entire body.
BAM-!
The ear-splitting thunder ripped through the air.
Lightning illuminated the room.
In that instant, as Eliya curled tighter towards me in fright, I saw it.
A shadow loomed over the bed where Eliya and I lay.
From behind me; that is, from the direction of the window.
Someone was peering down at us from there.
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