Chapter 28. It won’t be peaceful at all (5)
Winters in northern Kairis are harsh.
Hatsuara built a city in the north of that large continent for the snow-loving Sispanians. At this point, it could be seen that Sispanian was a vicious dragon who had taken a human man as his favor, but in reality, this was not the case.
Sispanian had only said once that the snow falling from the sky was beautiful, and it was Hatsuara who remembered it and made the cold region north of Kairis his capital. It must have been astounding that he was a great man who built such a huge palace after being told straight away that he would never marry you because the place where humans live was so cramped and stuffy.
anyway.
That cold place is Kairisis. So in the middle of winter, the Seneu River literally freezes over.
If you touch the Senegang with a tap, will it rupture?
If you step on a frozen rock, will it break?
Of course not. No matter how cold the temperature is, frozen rivers and rocks do not freeze rapidly and at extremely low temperatures enough to break into pieces.
“What the hell is this…”
Margrave Gray Briesen, who had unconsciously uttered words of shock as he looked at the shattered marble table, quickly shut his mouth. There would be no benefit to myself if I let out a surprised voice in the current situation.
“You destroyed it because you knew how much it was worth!”
So, I pretended to be natural like this. I thought it would be better to be a narrow-minded person who cares about things rather than a person who is afraid. And when I saw Arsene’s miserable eyes as he returned, I regretted it for a moment.
“Please answer me, Margrave.”
Arsene said this without even mentioning the price of the marble table and the unusually high-quality teacup, which could be seen at a glance as a craftsman’s hand.
When he was claiming to be Kalian’s subordinate, he sold Kalyan’s name and salary, but the current job was not something Kalyan could handle. Of course, it was impossible to deduct anything from the salary, which was reduced to 1 florin.
Gray, who knew from the time he exploded his carriage that he was not a normal bastard, but had no idea it would be to this extent, was drooling. Arsene, who had been silently waiting for Gray’s answer, opened his mouth again.
“As you know, this will be your last chance. It won’t be long before the First Prince turns 20.”
It won’t be long before the crown prince’s position is decided, but if things remain like this, there will be nothing for Gray to return no matter who becomes the crown prince. Even if Plantz ascends to the crown, it will only be good for Evan and has nothing to do with Gray. So, even now, you have to put a spoon somewhere to create a path to the capital.
“I’ll think about it first.”
Even when Silike or Randel called, Gray was worried for at least three days. He was stupid, but he didn’t live his life acting spontaneously. Even when he faced Kalian, wasn’t he quite patient in his own way?
“How much time can I give you?”
“It will take three days.”
Gray said he would give it three days, the same amount of time he had given it before. Arsene readily nodded his head and answered.
“Then I’ll come back tomorrow.”
I had no intention of complying with Gray’s request whatsoever. This is because Arsene himself had to take the initiative.
Well, it’s not like a day or two that wizards are impatient, so if Gray understands, there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s okay because if you have a wizard in front of you who can freeze Gray at any time instead of the table, you will gain a sense of understanding that you didn’t have before.
Of course, from Arsene’s point of view, it was okay, so Gray, who was not that okay, frowned and opened his mouth.
“You asked for three days, right?”
“Why waste time? I think the conclusion has been reached anyway.”
It was just as Arsene said. Anyway, Gray would never be able to refuse Arsene’s words. Gray would know better than ever that this was his last chance.
“Tomorrow. I will come back.”
After finishing what he had to say, Arsene stood up. Then he bowed slightly and went out. Since the conversation was over, I didn’t even ask for permission to leave.
* * *
As it becomes lighter, it becomes heavier.
That is the sword and that is what a sword should be.
The dark red sword caught between Kyrie and Planz was slightly twisted. It wasn’t a big movement, but Kyrie’s sword Calian slid in the intended direction and fell toward the floor.
Planz, who was standing behind Calian, sheathed his sword without saying a word. On the outside, there was no significant change in his expression, but in his mind, the events from just moments ago were repeating over and over again.
‘It was different.’
There was a clear change in Kirie’s eyes.
After that, the swords rushed in at a speed that Plantz couldn’t keep up with, and when he tried to block, Calian was already standing in front of Plantz.
He probably would have been stabbed in the heart if Calian hadn’t intervened, but he didn’t feel any great emotion about having almost died just moments ago. Anyway, since Kali An was there, I thought he would have taken care of it and kept it alive no matter what happened. In reality, he is not dead, so it may not be an exaggerated belief.
Anyway, Plantz didn’t know exactly what happened to Kyrie. However, something in Kyrie changed during the sparring and Kalian congratulated him, so he was thinking that he had definitely achieved a level of growth.
“……Kiri.”
However, the atmosphere was a little different from usual.
Kirie did not respond to Calian’s joking words. From the beginning, Kalian did not want an apology for feeling murderous towards Plantz to the point of intervening. Still, he was so quiet that he wasn’t a guy and didn’t respond to anything Calian said.
Moreover, even though the sparring was over, he did not sheath his sword. Above all, my desire to live did not subside.
– Sigh
As if to show that Planz’s thoughts were correct, Calian moved slightly further to the side. That means he moved a little more to the side and completely blocked Plantz’s path.
That would mean that Kirie was still in a dangerous state.
‘I guess I hated it quite a bit.’
Plantz chuckled at this thought. Calian, who did not see it, still looked in front of him and opened his mouth.
“Kiri.”
Calian, who called her name again, looked at Kyrie in silence for a moment. Then he sighed briefly and struck Kyrie’s sword with his own sword. The sound of blades clashing was briefly heard.
Kyrie, who was looking ahead with that sound but also seeing something else, turned her gaze towards Calian.
“Kiri.”
“yes.”
Only then does the answer come back.
Kalian opened his mouth. He smiled with the same face as before and said the same thing as before.
“I said congratulations. I gave it to you.”
“ah…….”
The answer didn’t come right away. An expression appeared on Kirie’s face, as if she had seen something difficult to believe, or as if she had something else on her mind.
“Thank you, prince.”
It was only after a while that a belated thank you came back. Kalian nodded his head briefly and then looked into Kyrie’s eyes and spoke.
“I know what I see.”
It was a phenomenon that Bern experienced before embarking on the path of the sword, but not everyone saw it. So, after listening to Bern’s explanation, Chase gave it the name ‘Garm’. I decided to call it that because it is the line that separates life and death that can definitely end one’s life.
In the past, Kirie had seen Garm just a few months before her death. So he is now facing it at a much earlier time than before. So of course Calian was overjoyed right now, but he couldn’t just celebrate.
Because I knew how important and dangerous this moment was.
“I want you to put the sword in first, Kirie.”
Calian said this while pointing at the sword still in his hand. To Kirie, who still can’t erase her life.
“…… sorry.”
Only then did Kirie briefly apologize and put the sword into its sheath. Calian’s eyes quietly watched the process. The sword finally disappeared from Calian’s hand when he saw that the sword was fully sheathed.
Plants didn’t know yet, but Kalian did. That life right now wasn’t just for Plants.
There was only Plantz in front of him, but after Calian blocked Plantz, the same energy reached Calian. So, a little while ago, Kirie was trying to inflict death without distinction of opponent.
“Give me the sword, Kirie.”
Kalian held out his hand towards Kyrie’s sword.
He asked me to return the sword he had taken down. Kirie did not know what it meant to take the sword away from the swordsman. It meant that he would not be able to hold the sword.
“yes.”
Even though he knew that, Kirie answered like this. And he handed Calian the sword in its scabbard. It was an action without any hesitation or question. Kalian asked him to return it, so he gave it back.
“Let’s go somewhere for a moment.”
Calian, holding the sword, said this and smiled softly.
* * *
Euria’s pretty forehead frowned slightly.
Four beers.
No, how can a person get drunk after drinking four glasses of beer?
I would understand if it were a large glass, but I let out an annoyed voice as I looked at the ice wizard who had become drunk after four glasses of beer that were barely bigger than a glass of water.
She said, “I should have looked when I looked for alcohol.”
I didn’t know that Arsene was weak at drinking. Nevertheless, when she came out from meeting Gray, he said that her mouth was rotten and that there was something on her tongue. In the end, it was Euria’s fault for not stopping her when she tried to drink.
Euria, still unharmed after emptying her bottle of premium Himolica, opened her mouth.
“Hey Kid.”
“Hey, president of the association.”
Her voice returned, her tongue half twisted at Euria’s call. And it started.
“I didn’t intend to do this, President. I did it because the prince told me to do it. I hated that guy so much, President. But in front of that guy, I asked to stand on the side of the vice commander, who is the prince’s older brother. President, I didn’t intend to do that. President of the Association. Still, I did it because you asked me to. I just hate it when you said that, Chairman of the Association.”
“Oh yeah.”
Arsene didn’t care about Euria’s insincere words.
Arsene placed the french fries he had ordered for her in her hand. Then, the French fries that touched his hand froze slightly and hardened.
Arsene, who saw this, said in amazement.
“Oh, it’s frozen.”
“You froze it.”
Euria held back.
She still had unfrozen french fries left.
“By the way, President of the Association.”
“Oh yeah.”
Her hand, trying to grab her unfrozen french fries, kept freezing new ones. As the deep wrinkles between Euria’s eyebrows increased, so did her frozen potatoes.
“When I think about it, I’m just annoyed that the vice commander, who is the prince’s older brother, is involved with people from that kind of family, president of the association. I know that the vice commander is not a bad guy, but our prince keeps taking care of the vice commander. Chairman of the association. That’s the vice commander. “I know it’s not my fault, but it’s still annoying and I hate it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, everything is frozen.”
“You froze it.”
Arsene poured the rest of his beer into her mouth and opened her mouth again. After he confirmed that there were no more french fries to eat.
“It’s all because of that damn family, Chairman. Our prince. What a good person you are, Chairman. Oh, I don’t know what I’m talking about, Chairman. I took you in a carriage, said you did a good job, destroyed a building, and then gave you a raise. Chairman.” .”
“I think the point where you think he’s a good person is a little strange.”
“No, I’m not sure. He’s just as good a person as you, Master.”
I listened to this point and just gave up.
Since she couldn’t listen to Arsene’s ramblings with the silence on, Euria just turned off the silence and put her to sleep.
– Slurp!
Only then did it become a little quiet.
Eurya, who had turned Arsene’s head while he was sleeping with his nose on the wooden table to keep him from dying, picked up one of the frozen French fries and tried to chew it, but gave up and threw it away.
Euria, who had placed all the frozen French fries next to the blue mage, looked at Arsene, who was sleeping face down on the table, for a moment and smiled.
Anyway, the rain stopped and the moon brightened outside the window. What should she do when the weak ice mage is asleep next to her and the table in front of her is full of frozen french fries?
“Here’s a bottle of Himolica and some fried chicken.”
Black stone, red power, politics, etc.
I guess I should just drink today.
* * *
Around that time, Kalyan’s crazy Takkari was freezing French fries.
The two horses carrying Calian and Kyrie entered the forest.
Kalian said nothing as he went. Kirie, who was sitting next to her, was also following Kalian without saying another word.
Because it had rained so much, the forest still smelled like rain. After inhaling the good scent to her heart’s content, Kalian opened her mouth.
“how is it?”
Kirie, who seemed to have calmed down a bit more than before, answered quietly.
“It’s a peaceful place.”
“Maybe it won’t be peaceful at all for a little while.”
Calian responded like this and laughed quietly.
It was as he said.
Kirie entered the area where there was a rock filled with moonlight and looked around with a surprised face. Excavated dirt all over, cut down trees, small rocks, and even traces that were clearly scorched by fire. There was no mess.
Calian’s laughter, who was quietly watching this, grew a little louder. He knew full well that this mess was caused by him.
“I saw that because what you learned was my sword.”
A sword that must become heavier as it becomes lighter.
The more you become familiar with the sword so that its weight is not too heavy, the more you realize that the sword is ultimately an object made to take someone’s life. As Demirea once said, the sword is ultimately a tool for murder, so isn’t knowing the principles of the sword the same as learning how to kill?
So, the lighter it became to hold the sword, the more I had to feel how heavy it was.
But for Bern, the sword was infinitely light. The lighter it was, the lighter it was.
This is because before I could protect someone with the sword I learned to protect, I had to end their life without any reason. As a result, it became infinitely lighter. I couldn’t even feel the weight of life resting on the sword.
While practicing with the lighter sword, she saw a gap.
She saw a path that would surely end the other person’s life. It was a wake-up call that was perfectly suited to Bern’s sword, which was very Bern-like.
“I know it’s not going away even now.”
But the problem is.
The point was that she could not easily escape from the world she had encountered for the first time.
“You can see above me too.”
Another problem was that there was no distinction between opponents.
Calian, who recalled seeing blood lines on Chase’s stomach in the past, quietly looked at Kyrie, who must have been confused as she saw the red line drawn towards Calian.
“You’ll be fine if you rest for a while. I’ll give it back to you when your black slit is no longer visible.”
Calian, who reassured Kyrie, looked around and let out a short sigh.
I knew that I would see the same things, not simply because I had learned Bern’s sword, but also because I had walked a similar path as Bern. I now realize that I ended up walking down the same path because I was covered in so much blood because of what Kalian told me to do.
“I’m sorry for not paying attention in advance.”
Because I forgot what it was like to cut down a person.
“I didn’t know your speed was the same as here.”
When I asked if I could do it, I got the answer that I could, so I just thought it would be okay because I always showed a peaceful exterior. I didn’t know that Kirie would become a mess because of Kalian like this forest.
“I’m sorry Kirie.”
I’m sorry for thinking it would be okay to swing the sword like that.
I’m sorry for making you carry such a big burden alone.
After the congratulatory words, Kalian expressed his apologies.
[Side Story] Black Butterfly
Reminisce about times gone by.
My memories are joyful, joyful and happy.
And it’s vague, depressing, and sad.
After that……
* * *
I opened my eyes to the sound of the wind.
It was raining and I was not in a good mood.
Why on earth did I open my eyes on a day like this?
I didn’t like that one thing. So I went outside without even guessing how long I had been asleep.
– I called you.
I hear a voice as if answering my question. The voice of someone I met after living a long time that I can’t remember.
It was the voice of one and all being, sometimes in the form of a child, sometimes in the form of a mature woman, and on one fickle day even in the form of a red bird.
“Why on a day like this? I know you hate it.”
I hate rainy days.
I know for sure that I hate days like this. Since there was nothing he didn’t know in this world, he had to know.
– It looks like it. What you don’t know. wonderment. So I called.
Until then, I didn’t think much of anything. All I could think was that there were things that both Serenti and the God who created me did not know.
‘I didn’t know’ that was the beginning.
This person, who should know nothing in this world, didn’t know either, so did he know it was me? Of course, it was too big of a problem to take comfort in, but I didn’t know it at the time.
What would come to be given the grand name of the War of the Two Gods began with Serenti’s small call that woke me up from my sleep one rainy day.
– Cispanian. Please help me.
It’s upside down.
Serenti, who was always begging for help from others, begged me for help. It was God’s language that could not be rejected, but it was clearly begging. Because the voice was more desperate than ever.
“say.”
The reality I faced from that call was by no means funny.
The evil spirit, whose name it was difficult to even utter, opened his eyes. A being that had never been seen before blindfolded Serenti and took her life.
My compatriots who intervened hastily died in vain, and I hid my younger compatriot. The continent was divided and separated, and the remaining half of the continent lost its beauty and became desolate. I have seen with my own eyes several races disappear and become legends.
The last prey of the evil spirit was the weakest human being. Some of the strongest humans gathered together to stop it. At best, I was just weak.
– I know they are opportunities.
Serenti called humans the last chance. gave them power.
Seven humans gathered like that. And I bound the feet of the evil spirit. The simple yet grand final battle has begun.
Serenti, who was with us, revealed his will. It was better for Serenti to disappear than for everyone to die. We could not oppose and Serenti fell asleep with the evil spirit.
Four people lived.
No, four died.
And so the final battle ended.
And everyone knew that Serenti was asleep.
The confusion of those who lost God was too great. So I couldn’t fall asleep again.
* * *
Some time has passed.
We were called heroes.
Humans added the word sacrifice to the name of the dead hero. Even though they just died and disappeared in the end, their deaths were packaged so beautifully.
And forgotten. Humans praised the surviving heroes. This is because they learned that only then can they survive. Because there was too much that was lost to mourn and commemorate the death. If I were to mourn it all, I would go crazy.
“Cispanian.”
It was the same with him.
Now that the war is over, the surviving hero should have been forgotten like the dead hero, but he did not do that. He stepped forward and gathered the survivors. They buried the memories of the dead and encouraged their lives.
“You don’t like rain, but you like snow?”
And he chased after me.
A person who is definitely called a hero by some. A human with a sword sharper than any other human. A person who can control other people with just a word. The strongest human being.
He followed me around like that.
In the end, he, a human, constantly chased after me, who was not human.
“What else do you hate?”
I couldn’t understand the intention behind asking this question.
He said it was beautiful to see the world he protected, so I just said that the snow falling now is even more beautiful. I never said I didn’t like the rain or that I liked the snow.
Still, I knew it. And I’ve always been asked that. What else do you dislike?
“you.”
I hated him like that.
* * *
Did Serenti know?
How the world will change, how I will change, and how my world will change.
That it will be the beginning and end of my life.
Did you know?
Or maybe I didn’t know.
If I knew, I would resent it until the end of my life.
Did you know?
Or maybe I didn’t know.
If I didn’t know, I would resent it until the end of my life.
* * *
“I like butterflies.”
I wasn’t interested.
He didn’t care that I wasn’t interested. He came as he pleased, babbled as he pleased, and returned as he pleased.
“It’s good. It looks like flowers are blooming. So it feels like spring is coming at any time. That’s why I like it.”
Neriad, the hero who died in the final battle.
It was on the day that the news of her departure came that she was pregnant with Neriad’s child. He came to me again and talked about spring. He talked about flowers blooming.
“Secritia. They named it that.”
Keeping a secret.
Secretia, a new country with this meaning.
She loved to tell me the story of how she founded a country with that name. Neriad, who died embracing her, was happy that she had created a truly beautiful country with the sea she longed to see.
“I liked that news because it felt like a butterfly. It felt like a flower blooming. Fortunately.”
She’s lucky she’s not dead. She’s lucky she’s alive. I am glad that we gathered people together, created a country, and rose again. That’s a flower.
That’s what he said.
“Cispanian. What do you like?”
“You’re going.”
“Something other than what I know.”
“You’re not coming.”
And it was still annoying.
Unlike Siegfried, who was arbitrarily loyal to Cytros, he did not listen to what he was told.
“Anyway. I think I’ll create a country with Cytros.”
And this is how the opening declaration was made.
* * *
He kept his word.
He said he would come forward and he really brought people together.
He said he would save the world, but he actually saved everyone.
He said he would build a country, and he actually created it.
Kairis.
Where spring comes.
He founded a country with a name that suited him perfectly. A new country was created, ruled by a new hero, on top of the collapsed old kingdom and ruined old territory.
“I like you, Sispanian. I’ve probably been for quite some time.”
And then he held me like this.
I was not an ancient dragon having fun. It was not like I was passing away a piece of an extremely long period of time, imitating human life.
I was staying with my very existence. He knew it too. Even though he knew, he was being selfish.
“I am not.”
I never once called his name or said the right thing to him. I was just serving as a support for humans on behalf of Serenti.
I was not human.
Just finding a way to bring back the sleeping Serenti, protecting my young kin from death, just understanding this world was enough for me.
“The place where humans live is so cramped and stuffy.”
It’s so cramped and stuffy. Plus, it’s loud, annoying, and rainy. I live in a cramped, stuffy, noisy, annoying, and rainy place. Humans live in such places.
Life is too short in a place like that.
“That’s why I will never marry you.”
I hated it.
I hated it so much that I wanted to immediately go back to my nest and sleep for a hundred years, even to the point where I wanted to prevent him from coming to visit me.
“Um, I understand.”
He, who always disobeyed me, somehow responded like this.
Then he began building a royal palace the size of a village.
The day I found out that fact.
I almost killed the hero who saved the world.
* * *
Most humans were narrow-minded, conceited, and weak.
He was not narrow-minded, not conceited, and strong. He was kind, thoughtful, laughed a lot, and spoke beautifully.
And it was selfish.
It was so terribly selfish.
“Eventually you will leave and eventually I will be left behind.”
I asked him why he kept holding on to me like that when he already knew it would end that way.
“Because life is everything to me. I want to be at least a part of your life. Even if it’s selfish, I want that to happen.”
He called me even though he knew I would never forget him. He called me to remember, not to remember.
“I don’t know about you, but when it snows later, one day, when it snows, you remember me bothering you, so you frown, and when you look at the sea, you remember me chasing you and being noisy, and I get annoyed. I remember me saying I liked it because it felt like flowers would bloom when I saw butterflies. Smiling. Not just remembering things, that kind of thing.”
Those are the memories, he said.
“I know it’s selfish, but I still want to do it. I can’t help it.”
The horror of it all grabbed me as I was about to leave.
“How much more can I give you…”
“i love you.”
He really is.
It was truly selfish to the point of extreme. I ended up acting selfishly.
I couldn’t shake off that hand.
Because at some point, probably for quite some time, I too have been like that.
* * *
“Sis.”
“no.”
“Fanny.”
“no.”
She became the queen of a new king in a newly created country. The humans were happy and he was happy.
And he had a child.
He was really, really bad at naming things. He acted as if he had done his job by naming the country and the capital.
“Bern.”
“no.”
An unforgettable hero.
It’s sad to not be forgotten. So I said I didn’t like it.
Human life is so short and short that I knew that he would eventually leave me. In the end, heroes are only forgotten and erased, so I knew that even after everyone else had forgotten, I would be the only one to remember. I didn’t want to give my child that name.
“Camilon.”
butterfly.
The name he said he liked came out of his mouth.
“good.”
“Ah, I’ve finally decided.”
he laughed.
He laughed and said that he decided on a name for his child even though he must have remembered that I still hadn’t called him by his name and that I hadn’t once told him that I loved him.
Time passed like that.
A child was born. I was amazed at how similar my black hair was to his green eyes, so I gave him a small blessing.
The child spoke and began to grow taller. Time passed like that. It flowed.
He was buried in that much time.
I was weak, unable to tie up time.
Time is time.
The human days given by Serenti were short.
That day was a day that I survived countless times.
It came too quickly.
* * *
Hatsuara. don’t go.
love you.
He laughed.
I cried.
* * *
The palace built for me was so big.
The tomb built for him was too small.
I visited that place every day.
I went to see you knowing that I would no longer be able to see you. I went to visit because I didn’t have time each day.
Will you come?
Maybe I should see it.
I turned into a butterfly and went to see him.
I want my child to leave and that child’s child to leave.
I became a black butterfly and went to his side.
A black butterfly circling around the dead king.
I don’t even know that people who forgot that it was me created new words.
With the hope that spring will come.
* * *
So I still reminisce about times gone by.
My recollections are still fond, still joyful, still happy.
And it’s still vague, still depressing, still sad.
It still hurts afterwards.
Because of the memory that does not know forgetting, because I now know that it is a memory.
Because I was left alone with longing.
