43. Haeju (2)
#43
The color of the sky I saw while lying down was familiar. Ronan slowly got up. I could see the villages built at the bottom of the hill and the river winding along the village.
A low murmur escaped Ronan’s lips.
“Nimburton.”
Even if I rubbed my eyes and looked again it was the same. His hometown was Nimburton.
Ronan walked down the hill as if he were possessed by something. The feel of the blades of grass moving beneath his feet was vivid.
‘This is my imaginary world?’
The soft sound of the river and the wind tickling my nose all seemed real. Only the emptiness of the belt without La Mancha hanging on hinted that this was not reality.
Ronan who soon entered the village entrance tilted his head.
“…Has there been anything like this?”
A tall willow tree stood next to the sign with the name Nimburton. It was so tall and lush that it seemed like it could be seen from anywhere in the village.
If something like this existed there’s no way I wouldn’t remember it. Ronan shrugged his shoulders once and entered the village.
The scenery of the village was little different from what Ronan knew. The garden where Asher’s parents farmed was the same and Rumbert’s inn which was bustling every night was also the same.
The only thing that was strange was that there was no sign of popularity in the village. Ronan’s footsteps were the only thing heard in the quiet street as if all the residents had left.
“I don’t feel good….”
He was eerily calm even with the wind blowing. It was the car that Ronan was about to step into. A child’s laughter was heard from behind.
“Kyahaha!”
Ronan quickly turned his head. The flowing silver hair just turned the corner and disappeared. His light footsteps were moving away quickly. Ronan ran to where his child had disappeared as if possessed by something.
“Wait damn it!”
Ronan turned the corner. He appeared at the house where he and his sister lived. Normally I should have walked a few more minutes but I didn’t have time to worry about such contradictions.
There was nothing clinging to the exterior wall which was overgrown with ivy. At that time the child who had obviously gone ahead appeared behind Ronan.
“Heehee!”
“Fuck it’s a surprise.”
She was a girl who looked to be about four or five years old at most. Ronan frowned at her when he saw her child’s face.
“…Sister?”
“Mom!”
The child ignored Ronan and ran straight to her house. The wooden door opened and closed. Ronan stood in her place as if he had taken root at her feet.
No matter how young she is there’s no way she wouldn’t recognize that face. Large sunset-colored eyes and white-silver hair as pale as starlight. She must have been his sister in childhood.
‘Then here…’
A willow tree that I don’t remember. Buildings that are a little less old. Little sister. Ronan finally realized that she was wandering around the Nimbutton of the past.
-Oongya! Oh my!
Suddenly a baby’s cry rang out. It was a sound coming from Ronan’s house. Ronan looked around and picked up a hoe leaning against the fence.
“…It’s better than nothing.”
You must remember. This is an imaginary world created to remove the curse that was placed on me. Since the goal is to cut down the curse you should not be mistaken in thinking that this world will be kind.
With that in mind Ronan pulled the doorknob. The unlatched door opened gently.
There were three chairs placed around the table. Ronan listened to the sound of words coming from somewhere.
“Is this my brother?”
“That’s right. “This is it.”
The conversation was coming from the master bedroom where the bed was. It was the room that Iril was currently using. Ronan holding the plow walked carefully.
He hid himself in the doorway and only stuck his head out to check inside the room. Little Iril was resting her chin on her bed her eyes twinkling.
“I will protect you. “Because he is my younger brother.”
“Hehe I’m proud of you my daughter.”
In front of her a black-haired woman was lying down and stroking her Iril’s head. Ronan’s eyes widened.
Her womanly face looked exactly like Iril’s. Although he had never seen it before Ronan felt it instinctively. That her woman is her own mother.
“mom…?”
Ronan stumbled into the room. Her mother and daughter showed no reaction and continued their conversation with her.
Ronan’s appearance seemed to be invisible to their eyes. She tried to reach out and touch her mother but she passed through the air.
“Then you…”
Ronan’s gaze became more subdued and turned to the bed. Between her Iril’s face and her mother’s was a tiny newborn baby wrapped in a swaddle and writhing.
“Woongnya….”
“Hehe it’s cute.”
Iril held out her hand and her baby squeezed her finger. Iril smiled and kissed her baby’s cheek. Her mother smiled softly as she looked at her two children.
‘I too… had a time like this.’
Ronan watched the harmonious family forgetting about her purpose. At that time I heard the door opening behind me.
-Good…
“…!”
At that moment a chill that she had never felt before swept over Ronan’s back. Ronan who was holding her plow as if he were going to break it turned her head.
There stood an amorphous shadow wriggling like fog that was difficult to describe. At that moment Ronan realized that this was the curse he had to break.
‘It must be cut down.’
The car was about to swing the plow. The shadow that was standing in the doorway and looking around said something.
“■…?”
Ronan’s body stiffened when he heard the sound.
“■■■ ? Like this? ■■ …■■ ■■ ■■ ?”
‘uh?’
It was a strange voice that was difficult to even recognize as words. The only thing I could understand was my sister’s name. As if the shadow was talking it wasn’t long before her mother and daughter responded warmly.
“I think ■■ has come. “Please come pick me up.”
“and! ■■ ~”
Little Iril ran out spreading her arms. A long shadow stretched out on either side of her embracing Iril.
Her shadow entered her living room holding Iril in her arms. Her mother who was lying down covered in her blanket greeted her warmly.
“How did you get the time right? I was just born yesterday. “How cute is that?”
“■ ■■■ ….”
“Ahaha I think I look more like you than me… But why is your expression like that? “Did something happen?”
“■■■ .”
The shadow put down her reel and picked up her newborn baby. Her shadow looked at her baby for a while and then turned her head towards her mother.
“■■■ . ■ ■■■ . ■■ ■■■ .”
“yes? It’s dangerous? “What is that…”
“■■■….”
“What’s wrong ■■?”
At that moment the shadow stirred as if it were boiling. Her mother and Iril fell as if asleep. Ronan’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.
“no…!”
Wow. A breaking sound came from Ronan’s mouth. The muscles of his entire body were already swollen as if they were about to explode. He was struggling to move immediately after his body froze.
“■■■ …. This is….”
The shadow stopped moving. Suddenly tears flowed from Ronan’s eyes. He didn’t know how to explain the situation but Ronan could tell that the shadow was very sad right now.
The shadow placed Iril and her baby side by side next to her mother. Then it stretched out part of its body and covered the newborn baby and Iril.
‘What kind of bullshit are you doing?’
For a split second Ronan saw the curse word that had come from his own body flickering within the shadow’s body. They also flow into the newborn baby’s body.
“■■ ■ ■■■….”
The shadow muttering something went out the door. The moment the shadow left the house the bonds that bound Ronan were released.
bang! Ronan bounced and crashed into the wall. This was because the power that had been stagnant until now was released all at once.
But there was no time to feel pain. Ronan ran straight to his family. The mother daughter and newborn were both lying dead.
“no. no…!”
He struggled and tried to help his family but they could not be caught. In the car where my vision was dark with despair I heard someone’s loud breathing.
“…ah?”
Ronan who regained his senses looked at his family. Iril’s stomach was slowly swelling and sinking. It was the same for both mother and baby. Fortunately everyone was asleep.
Iril was holding the baby tightly even in his sleep. Ronan holding the plow slowly stood up. An animal-like voice came out of his mouth.
“This…fuck you….”
Despair was quickly turning into anger. The wooden sack broke in half. Ronan looked around and picked up the black iron sword leaning in front of the entrance.
Why is the black iron sword lying here? Those facts were not as important as the fact that this was a world of images.
It was unclear whether this was simply an absurd fantasy or a memory from the past. There is only one important thing. That he did something that cannot be tolerated.
bang! Ronan kicked down the door and left the house and started running as fast as he could.
The moment he left the house the buildings of the village dispersed like fog and disappeared. Ronan ran like crazy through the middle of Nimburton where only the road remained.
Before long the fallen willow tree and its shadow in the distance came into view. He was panting in front of the stump with part of his body drawn out like a knife.
“■■■ Lil…■■. ■■ ■■■■ ■■….”
Suddenly tears filled Ronan’s eyes. A sadness and anger several times greater and more intense than the anger that was encroaching on him began to swirl in his heart.
Ronan instinctively realized that this was what the shadow was feeling. However he did not slow down his running speed.
The distance has narrowed sufficiently. The shadow still didn’t notice Ronan. He shouted as if he were vomiting out the emotions of unknown origin that had been building up in his throat.
“Stand there! 이 개새끼야!!”
“■?!”
The shadow turned its head. At that moment Ronan’s body shot forward like a flash of light. The fastest sword strike he had ever swung rushed towards the body of the shadow.
visor! Black embers leapt out of the air.
“what?!”
“■…■■?”
The surprise attack was a failure. The black iron sword that was in contact with the shadow was flying in the air. Ronan spat on the floor and swung his sword again.
Kang! Kang! Kang! Slashes that ordinary people could not even see were fired one after another. However the shadow easily repelled all of Ronan’s attacks.
“Damn it…!”
Even though I tried to change my sword technique and attack as irregularly as possible I could only dodge or block everything. Ronan gritted his teeth. He felt like he was being played with rather than being dealt with properly.
When the sum came and went about twenty times the shadow that had always been on defense shook as if it were exploding.
“■■■■!”
“Ugh!”
The atmosphere was completely different from before. A strange sword burrowed into Ronan’s arms.
The sword strike that I could not block tore all over my body. Sigh! The split-second stab pierced Ronan’s thigh and wrist in succession.
“Huh!”
Cheonggrang. The black iron sword fell to the floor. Ronan fell to one knee. The shadow aimed the tip of its sword at Ronan’s neck. Although he was prepared for the end the shadow did nothing further.
“…”
“Huh what are you doing…? “I won’t kill Heo Eok…”
The shadow just stood still and looked at Ronan. Again desperate sadness and anger came into Ronan’s head. The shadow lifted its sword.
“■■.”
Soon the shadow that was swinging in the air like a sword turned its back and started walking. Ronan stood up limping and picked up the black iron sword with his left hand.
“Damn it…hehe stand there…!”
The shadow didn’t stop. He bowed to the willow tree he had cut down and continued walking. I really felt like I would miss it if I continued like this.
Ronan took a deep breath. He needed something to stop the shadow. There was one thing that came to mind but he really didn’t want to talk about it even if it meant dying.
Three chairs in front of the dining table. Iril smiles brightly and hugs me. My mother said that I looked more like you than me.
In his head he had already noticed but he didn’t want to admit it. I was afraid of facing the truth. The moment I said it out loud I felt like I was denying myself.
‘Fuck.’
But there was no way. The blood did not stop flowing from his legs and wrists. Ronan took a deep breath and shouted at the shadow.
“You’re still my father! “You son of a bitch!”
“…■?”
The shadow stopped. The obvious emotional turmoil was conveyed through imagery. Immediately an indescribable shiver ran through Ronan’s whole body.
‘You only get one chance.’
Ronan grabbed the hilt of his sword. Huh! Shadows swirled in place and rushed towards Ronan.
Ronan’s vision narrowed and time slowed down. Now that the opponent was agitated he had to end it with one blow. The shadow that came up to his neck pulled out his sword.
‘uh?’
At that moment something glistening caught Ronan’s eyes. It was like a stream of water or like the wind had given it color.
The worn-out black iron sword had suddenly turned into a smooth La Mancha. Ronan swung his sword at the shadow that was right in front of him. However not randomly but following a stream of water flowing in the air.
Suddenly.
The shadow split in half.
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