Chapter 228: The Witch’s Song (4)
「He looked up at the sky full of twinkling stars. In his dark eyes, the stars of the black night sky seemed to descend.
Whoosh.
He raised his hand, the hand holding the holy sword, ‘Summer’, towards the universe.
A cold wind brushed his cheek, tickling his hand, but he remained still as if frozen.
“Procyon, Sirius, Betelgeuse.”
The Last Saintess approached him. The names John Doe muttered were unfamiliar to her.
Therefore, she knew instantly.
That it was the language of the world he came from.
“Are those someone’s names?”
“……Names of stars.”
John Doe’s jet-black eyes scanned the sky.
Not a single constellation he had observed through a telescope and gazed at for hours in the planetarium was visible.
In cheap novels, they would claim it’s a different world because there are two moons in the sky, but this world only had one.
And it was the exact same size as the Earth’s moon.
“Every time I look up at the night sky, I’m taken aback. The moon is so identical to the one from where I used to live.”
As if governed by some formula, the environment here closely resembled Earth’s.
When he first saw the sky, his imagination ran wild, wondering if this world was the future or the past of the world he came from. There was no other way it could be so similar.
However, every time John Doe looked at the universe, not just the moon, he realized.
“But now I know. The stars I know don’t exist in this world. This is a terrifyingly unfamiliar universe.”
In the past, he couldn’t fathom why he bothered memorizing the names of stars. But now, John Doe had to live by recalling those painstakingly memorized names.
That land he could never return to.
This land where he couldn’t even leave his own name behind, destined to die once the hunt ordained by God was over.
He lowered his hand, acutely aware of the fact that he was an outsider.
“The universe may be unfamiliar, but the people living in it are the same.”
He looked back at the Saintess.
As befitting the title of the Last Saintess, directly appointed by God, she still had the youthful appearance of someone in her mid-twenties.
However, he was different.
Age etched itself onto his face.
One might expect the power of the transcendental sword to delay aging, but as if to remind him it wasn’t truly his, aging progressed with ruthless accuracy, proportional to the passage of time.
As if the time of the star he originally lived on was being projected onto him.
“It may be a different world, starting with the universe itself, but if the people are the same, there’s something we can do.”
Fwoosh.
He covered himself with his brown cloak.
The chilly winter wind, attempting to seep into any opening, was repelled.
“…….”
To the Saintess, John Doe seemed like a hedgehog in that moment.
His heart’s door was tightly shut, refusing to share his true feelings with anyone.
The innocent John Doe she first met was gone.
An old man, whose inner thoughts were difficult to discern, had taken his place.
“Freedom.”
“The sage said that such a thing is difficult to spread in this world where mysteries and miracles exist.”
“Yes, it is difficult. That’s why I aim to first create a world where freedom can flourish.”
“Create a world……”
The Saintess pondered over John Doe’s words. She didn’t know how, but one thing was certain: it was a task that would take more than a lifetime, even if he strived for it until his dying breath.
However, the Saintess remained silent.
She couldn’t bring herself to speak, knowing the hero, who had even lost his own name, had something he wanted to accomplish.
Swoosh
The night sea surged in from afar. The starlight reflecting on the water’s surface created the illusion of being adrift in the vastness of space.
A pleasant coolness gently caressed the feet of the two standing on the sandy beach.
A sense of tranquility unique to the ‘Yunseul Beach’ of Lesbos.
“Thank you. For not asking.”
John Doe knew her silence was a gesture of consideration.
So he nodded slightly and started walking in a different direction.
The Last Saintess silently made the sign of the cross towards John Doe’s retreating figure.
A prayer for the hero who had saved the world from the immortal Demon King, and a question directed at God who had been too cruel to him. 」
🔹🔹🔹
The Second Prince of the Empire, Estilt Kreuz.
He was strolling through Mytilene, wearing a ring identical to the recognition-inhibiting ring worn by Elena.
It was a ‘freedom’ he could never enjoy if he returned to the Imperial Capital, Loengreen.
However, he came to a halt.
He was unsure whether the ‘freedom’ he had just thought of was real or fake, a mere fleeting indulgence.
“Cain…”
Estilt murmured the name of the black-haired hero.
Until then, he had never doubted himself.
But after meeting Cain, conversing with him, and witnessing the true faces of the Seven Wise Men revealed through Cain’s words and actions, Estilt found himself struggling.
Values that shouldn’t have wavered were shaken.
The very values he had dedicated his entire life to attaining now seemed questionable.
Doubts arose, questioning whether his comrades, who were supposed to achieve a great cause together, had ulterior motives all along.
As he walked through the still-bustling Bloom Street of the auction house, experiencing this ambiguous freedom,
Thud.
Someone placed a hand on Estilt’s shoulder and greeted him familiarly.
“Well, well, if it isn’t our ‘Til’. Long time no see! It’s been five years since we last met at the Empire, hasn’t it?”
He appeared to be an ordinary merchant.
His face and tone were brazen, but Estilt could feel the hand on his shoulder trembling.
As if seeing a friend he hadn’t met in five years, just as the man had said, Estilt spoke casually.
“Hey, five years? What are you talking about? We met at Carl’s wedding before that!”
“……!”
The man’s eyes widened as if he hadn’t expected Estilt to respond so smoothly. However, he quickly regained his composure and chuckled, withdrawing his hand.
“That’s right. I forgot about that. It’s strange to see you here at the Mytilene auction house. How about we grab a drink?”
Meanwhile, Estilt’s eyes narrowed.
Someone who knew he was a prince was trying to lure him away from the bustling street and into a secluded area.
Should he follow or not?
“Sure! Lead the way to a nice, cool pub!”
Estilt decided to follow the man.
They headed towards an alley branching off Bloom Street, and after walking for a while, they came across a rundown-looking pub.
Hum-
Estilt sensed it.
As they approached the pub, he felt a magical barrier.
It seemed to be a soundproofing barrier, not overly powerful, but still present. Nevertheless, they sat down at a table placed outside the shabby pub without any further reaction.
“Hahaha! Innkeeper.”
Estilt called out casually, and unlike the dilapidated pub, a neat middle-aged man emerged with a menu.
“Your Highness, you don’t have to worry about our conversation being overheard from here.”
He then presented the menu to Estilt and began pointing at each item with his finger.
What was written wasn’t a menu.
「Purple has disappeared.」
「Yesterday, Mytilene auction house fell into chaos with Nicholas’s arrest, yet Purple is nowhere to be seen.」
「And the airfield is rumored to……」
BOOOOOM!
Startled by the explosion in the distance, Estilt abruptly stood up.
Red flames and black smoke were rising from the airfield where the airships were docked!
「……rumored to explode. It seems the objective is to burn Nicholas alive, but it feels like they’re aiming for something more.」
He hurriedly glanced down at the menu and finished reading the words that seemed to foretell the current situation.
“…….”
The other two also had their mouths agape, seemingly caught off guard by the unfolding events.
「Refrain from traveling alone from now on. There’s no telling what the frenzied Seven Wise Men and Purple might do.」
The message on the menu ended with a short piece of advice.
“Who are you?”
Estilt asked, lightly placing his hand on the table.
“Your Highness, not all new aristocrats are connected to the Seven Wise Men.”
“……!”
“There are those who were truly moved by Your Highness’s ideals and wished to join your cause. Prince Victor intends to use this opportunity to eliminate even those innocent individuals.”
Estilt felt as if the fog clouding his mind was clearing.
The new aristocrats who genuinely supported him.
Even if they were a minority, they were prepared to fight for the same ideals, and they were the ones who had come forward for him now.
“For now, you must return to Loengreen alive. His Majesty the Emperor has awakened from his eternal slumber, so this is our only chance.”
“……Indeed.”
Estilt rose from his seat.
Further conversation was unnecessary.
The man who had handed him the menu tucked it back under his arm and spoke.
“Nicholas has likely been roasted alive in that fire, so the road ahead will be challenging.”
The Empire had numerous ways to extract the truth from anyone, as long as they were alive.
That was why Nicholas’s existence was crucial.
Proof of the Commons’ existence.
A witness to the Seven Wise Men’s deeds.
He hadn’t anticipated them going as far as blowing up the airfield to eliminate Nicholas, but it wasn’t impossible.
Estilt nodded, glancing at his supporters one by one.
“The path may be arduous, but with you by my side, we shall persevere.”
“Please, prevent that psycho Victor from becoming Emperor.”
And so, the three exchanged vows with fervent gazes.
🔹🔹🔹
Estilt returned to his ship.
“Nice ship you’ve got here.”
It was Cain.
As expected of the Second Prince, he had arrived on a luxurious vessel. It was naturally opulent and impressive, and Cain was already making himself comfortable.
“I’m rather particular about my choice of transportation.”
Ships, carriages, horses, and even the recently invented automobiles.
Estilt loved traveling at high speeds, so the mode of transportation was important to him. Moreover, it was something he entrusted his life to.
“That’s a relief. So, you wouldn’t mind a few more passengers?”
Cain’s brazen remark.
Estilt ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. At that moment, Cain’s gaze shifted subtly.
The image of Cain plastered on the front page of today’s newspaper, apprehended as a suspect, flashed through Estilt’s mind, prompting him to speak.
“Suspect apprehended?”
“…….”
“Ashamed, are we?”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
“You finally look your age. You usually just seem like a worn-out mercenary.”
Cain gave a wry smile.
Even if one were worn out from battles and aged, embarrassment was still embarrassment. It was something Estilt didn’t seem to grasp yet.
Unable to explain, Cain could only chuckle.
“I was going to tell you anyway, since His Majesty instructed us to move together, and the Imperial Navy is sending an escort.”
Estilt would rather have them board his ship than just any random airship.
“That’s good to hear. But we also have some uninvited guests. Is that alright?”
“…….”
Estilt shot Cain a sharp look.
The hero who had single-handedly brought down Purple, the mastermind behind the ‘Summer Auction’ and the de facto ruler of the merchant city of 〈Delft〉 for the past few decades, with just his words.
His nerves on edge due to the events orchestrated by this very man, Estilt let out a humorless laugh and shook his head.
He was already involved; what was the point of being wary now?
He might as well have them tag along.
“What uninvited guests are we talking about?”
Cain descended, seemingly familiar with the ship’s layout.
Estilt followed without much thought and his jaw dropped.
“We have a witch here.”
Inside a golden water tank, Atillina floated, her consciousness clouded by Wiseman’s sleep spell.
They decided to take her to the Empire’s magic tower in this state, as Wiseman advised against waking her prematurely.
“And we have a criminal caught red-handed.”
It was Nicholas.
Needless to say, Estilt was dumbfounded to find Nicholas, who should have been on the airship they had just escaped from, here.
“Why is someone who should be on a burning airship here?”
“He said it was more comfortable here.”
Cain smirked.
Estilt, bewildered, stared at Cain, who had somehow managed to transfer these individuals without his knowledge.
Their shared laughter marked the end of their time on Lesbos Island.
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