Chapter 27. If it were now (6)
The Sispanian space I visited for the second time would be even sadder.
For some reason, I felt that way. Perhaps it was because the person accompanying him was different. Calian tried to think about Alan for a moment.
“This is the place.”
And after calmly mentioning this obvious fact to Plantz, who was following him, he walked briskly and stood in front of the fragment of the axis of time. Plantz, who walked without saying a word, stopped next to Calian.
Planz’s green eyes were seen scanning the fragments of the shaft for a moment. It seemed like he had no idea what this was. It’s natural.
Calian turned his gaze away from Plantz and closed his eyes for a moment without explaining anything.
Bern.
The only complete memory of a person who is no longer there. It was to widen the deep window that contained it.
And I opened my eyes as Bern, who had lived his whole life to protect, lived and fought to protect, and eventually died without being able to protect.
He looked at the golden ring in front of him with his eyes and opened his mouth.
“……The axis of time.”
Will it be poisonous for Kalian and Plantz? Or whether it would be medicine, I still didn’t know. Without realizing it, I started taking them out one by one.
“It was originally in Secretia, and even in the ‘now’ time frame, it was still in Secretia until last year. Then, I heard that it suddenly disappeared, but not long ago, it was found here with only a part of it remaining.”
Like someone’s old story that comes out of nowhere, like an exaggerated experience I heard this morning, like a quite believable folktale in a book.
The words continued to come out of my mouth as if it were none of my business.
“It is an item known to have the ability to turn back time only once. I thought it might be a new product, but nothing has been revealed exactly.”
Bern, who had said that much, turned his red eyes that did not suit him and stood towards Plantz. In that state, I opened my mouth again. It wasn’t resentment, but he had a slightly curious look on his face.
The question is, why did that happen?
“One day, over this, a war broke out between Secretia and Kyris.”
Verne and Chase were trying to protect it from Plantz. I didn’t say that. There was no reason to hurt anyone by saying that.
If you look closely, it is a tragedy that someone has experienced and is still unable to recover from. But from afar, it is just a war between two countries. A simple war with clear causes and consequences. This is the kind of war that has always existed.
Someone won and someone lost.
Some people died and some survived.
Bern now understood that that was all.
So, I chose words so that Plantz could see it at least from a step away. That was the maximum consideration Bern could give.
“under.”
Nevertheless, a sound that sounded like a sigh or a self-mocking sneer came out of Plantz’s mouth.
Plantz was smart.
Ignoring Bern’s consideration, I walked closer and listened to Bern’s words. I realized that one day, Planz had started a war to take that away and that many people had suffered tragedy.
“At best.”
Hidden here.
Even Plantz couldn’t have guessed how much weight the secret he urged everyone to know had.
“Let’s just take that away.”
The voice that says that is already shaking.
Plantz may have thought that what was hidden here was something related to Bern’s secrets, and because of that, he would have wanted to know about the events of Bern that Calian was keeping secret. Bern thought so.
I would never have thought that I would see with my own eyes the cause that directly caused Bern’s death and Secretia’s destruction.
“Yes. Just this.”
After responding like this, Bern took a deep breath.
Still breathing. Since Plantz is also breathing, they both know that it is still worth living. So I opened my mouth without stopping. Rather than letting you think for a long time, it would be better to tell you something else.
“The messenger did not come. It was written on a letter tied to the ankle of a hawk. I don’t know how he knew, but he asked for this. It was a request without even a proper reason, so I refused.”
Bern said that and smiled unconsciously.
It was a short letter without explanation or reason. Looking back on it, I laughed because I thought it was an extremely Plants-like behavior.
I laughed for a moment because it occurred to me that Plantz, who was so lazy to talk, would have gotten away with sending such a letter.
I laughed so hard it hurt.
The day I first told Alan about Bern’s past. Alan said, ‘Chase and Vern both came to me for something related to the axis of time, so I guess they are brothers.’
He smiled painfully, similar to the one he made at Alan’s words at that time, but with a much different meaning.
“If it were now, would I have recognized your brief words?”
I thought that if it had been now, I would have been able to find out what the crazy king had in mind when he wrote the letter before thinking that he was making a ridiculous request. I wondered if I understood everything that was not written.
“Well, anyway, it’s already too late. That’s enough. Anyway.”
I did not recall the contents of the letter and think about it.
I hope I can find out and understand it. Because it’s funny and scary.
Bern, who turned his gaze from Planz, who was standing silently, to the fragments of the shaft, pointed out one by one the unknown letters written on the edge of the ring. It was because there was no place to place my eyes.
“The war started less than a month after sending the bird back.”
As soon as those words were finished, Plantz’s head turned towards Bern. Bern stood silently for a moment and then Plantz spoke.
“That’s strange.”
It’s definitely strange.
Khairesis and Secretia are not that close. But the bird flew away again and war broke out less than a month later.
“You think it’s strange too. We must have been appalled.”
Instead of saying that he was shocked, embarrassed, and despairing at the sight of this unexpected war, Bern simply shrugged his shoulders and responded lightly, like a joke.
“Despite the distance from Cairisis to Secretia, they came so quickly. We did not know that.”
I didn’t know anything until then.
I knew nothing until I discovered numerous wizards and knights near the border.
There were so many soldiers approaching the border, but so many Sejaks did not convey any information. I wondered if they had betrayed Secretia just like now, but it was not something I could judge hastily. For as long as Bern could remember, they were nothing but loyal birds.
“Maybe all the birds are dead. Maybe someone had the same thought as me and made preparations in secret.”
The betrayal of the three people, the death of the three people, or the moving magic circle, etc.
Now, it’s just an assumption, but I couldn’t confirm whether the Sejaks didn’t deliver the news, couldn’t deliver it, or if there was another reason. Even if you could check it, wouldn’t it be useless because so many things are already wrong?
Bern’s calm voice continued.
“That’s how it started.”
It was even more so at the time. There was no time to check what the reason was. By the time I checked with the military, it was already too late and everything was over before I could check anything more.
“As you already know, Balkan was strong and could not be stopped. Moreover, you entered straight into Secreta without even touching the territory. You were so consistent that it would have been better if you had taken it easy.”
At the end of those words, Bern let out a laugh.
Even if he died, Plantz would never know how many curses Bern swore at Plantz at that time.
“The Knights of Secretia were annihilated. The master who taught me the sword, Knight Teilan Castrin. He delayed the entry into Balkan for three days. In the meantime, we made final preparations and everyone except me… died. Me too. I held out for quite a while, but I don’t remember exactly how many nights passed and how many mornings came. I probably wouldn’t have lost to my master. Then, a Balkan corps commander came forward.”
Bern chuckled again as he remembered a crazy wizard who attacked him after asking his name.
“As you already know, the result is like this.”
After saying that, Bern showed his body.
That’s how it ended.
And then it started again.
It had that kind of meaning.
That was Bern’s memory. I didn’t bother to say what the Planz I saw that day looked like. To Planz, Germany was the only certainty, so there was no reason to say it out loud.
“That’s the end of my story.”
After saying this, Bern closed his eyes once again.
I brought back memories that had become so disorganized. He gathered what he had in his hands and placed it back in the deepest part of Kalyan.
After gathering myself like that, I returned to Calian and opened my eyes. Plantz was seen taking a long, silent breath.
A subdued voice continued from Calian’s mouth.
“Like I said, time can only be turned back once, and I heard that the axis of time that was in Secretia disappeared on the day I came. But I found it again in this place. I wanted to destroy it so that it could never be used again. I did, but unfortunately.”
Calian stretched out his foot and touched the tip of his toe in the air in front of him a few times. There was a small sound of my foot hitting something.
“I’m having a hard time because I can’t express my resentment or anger.”
Calian, who refused to take the position that Plants had given him to complain about and only cursed, said this.
Plantz, who listened to everything Calian said without saying a word, opened his mouth quietly.
“okay.”
Since the words did not contain any sentiment, Calian said with a strange smile on his face.
“If you collect it, you may be able to use it. If your memories return, you may want the axis of time again.”
It also meant that the current Plantz might be able to undo the things he regrets the most, and that if the ‘past’ Plantz remembered why he wanted it, he might want to take it back.
“As soon as I finish talking, he barks.”
Plantz responded immediately.
“What should I do to make it disappear?”
And he added this and asked:
I knew very well that it was no longer an opportunity or a blessing. So what I meant was to tell you how to get rid of it.
“Not yet. I don’t know. So I’m thinking of going to see Sispanian.”
Plantz’s eyes narrowed again at the mention of meeting Sispanian, but Calian did not explain. I said I would tell you about Bern, but I didn’t say I would tell you about Calian.
“I’m going to take care of the urgent matters first and then go.”
Plantz, who knew full well that he was the one who caused the ‘urgent matter’, frowned. Soon, Calian looked around at the pieces of the stone wall and then turned towards the stairs.
“wait for a sec.”
Plants called out Kalyan’s steps.
I still had something to ask.
Calian, who was about to leave, turned his head to look at Plantz, and Plantz asked briefly.
“Your name. What is it?”
Calian did not answer right away.
With a face whose thoughts were difficult to read, I turned my head back and looked at the stairs leading outside. It wasn’t because I didn’t know that he was asking me to tell him Bern’s name. I was just dazed for a moment and just stared in silence.
“It’s not difficult to remember. Please tell me.”
If possible, it would be good if you also let us know your age.
Calian, who was standing still a little far away from Plantz, began to laugh. It was a small sound, but it clearly gave off a refreshing laugh.
“I am…”
Calian opened his mouth and showed me all the Bern he had stored inside.
“I’m Calian, brother.”
And then I walked straight into the rain that would wash away all the remaining emotions.
This time too, the age was not disclosed.
