Chapter 15: Spring Day (2)
Isoel takes a half-step forward.
Anyone observing noticed a clear tightening of her posture toward Cain. It was only reasonable, given their recent confrontation.
Cain gazed at Isoel, then asked.
“I know it’s a bit late to ask, but does that knight know the full extent of the situation?”
Isoel nodded under her protective helmet.
Her training had definitely been adequate to render weight irrelevant.
Oleciren, who had come a little closer, looked back at Isoel with warm eyes and nodded.
“I need at least one person on my side.”
“Good choice.”
Oleciren seems shocked by Cain’s praise.
“The knight nearest to you should know everything. That’s what it means to be together, and that’s the knight’s loyalty.”
His words were strangely mature.
Oleciren narrowed her eyes.
Her deep gray eyes looked at him with suspicion.
Cain Ethelred, seventeen, a name that fit the description of a precocious child.
“You truly are an unfathomable young man.”
“As are you, Gypsum Flower, hiding behind that alias.”
If there was a mirror, the other side would reflect the opposite person.
The two, who looked alike and distinct, exchanged knowing smiles.
Isoel, who had been silently observing the situation, exhibited her determination.
“If it comes down to it, I will say I am a witch.”
“As long as they don’t catch you in the act of using your powers, the Inquisitors won’t be able to pinpoint you?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Oleciren intervened, shaking her head.
“It won’t come to that. Even if becoming a witch is unavoidable, I will absolutely not use my powers.”
“It’s just in case.”
Isoel responded firmly.
Oleciren was reminded once more that she couldn’t stop this girl, who was willing to face dishonor and even die for her.
She pledged to herself that even if she became a witch, she would never live like one.
Cain chuckled.
‘It’s the same as before.’
Princess Oleciren was alone, with only one knight by her side; Isoel followed her. Cain had expected the two of them to be closer than he had imagined.
“I will definitely keep you alive. As long as you follow my instructions, we will all live. Little Mother, and the Princess.”
He kept his last name to himself.
‘And Vanderbilt too.’
He intended to change what had transpired.
Correcting the past
Rewriting the present
And influencing the future.
He would demolish the past of Masked Snowfield King Cain Lord East and create a new one as the ordinary Cain Ethelred.
‘Abel, I will save you.’
He was glad that he could fulfill his pledge to the hero Abel a little earlier than expected.
Cain made his decision.
At that moment,.
+
『Annihilator of Destruction Ⅱ』
‘Cain Ethelred’ hopes to rescue countless lives in this new timeline.
Nothing is as heavy as the line between life and death, and nothing is as beautiful.
However, the ‘horizon’ is far away, and nothing can be obtained without surrendering something.
Please repair the branching point of fate and safeguard this new timeline.
World Line Fixation: 5.5%
Clear Conditions: Vanderbilt’s survival, Arna’s salvation, and Oleciren’s awakening.
Success: Four Seasons, Increased World Line Fixation, ‘?’
Failure: Death.
+
Cain read it repeatedly.
The most startling aspect was the consequence of failing.
‘Return canceled’ has been changed to ‘death’.
Both were failures, but the outcomes differed.
He assumed it was because the timeline had been adjusted somewhat, or for another reason, and continued with the meeting.
🔹🔹🔹
Spring came to Ethelred.
Winter had swept through and removed the weeds, and spring had trickled in through the crevices.
In the land, in the sky, and among the people.
“Young Master.”
Arna called Cain in a cautious voice.
Cain, who had been in Edmund’s office, turned to discover Arna standing there, smiling and smeared in flour.
“I made some pies. Do you want to try them?”
Her citrus hair complemented the aromatic aroma of flour, which smelled like a warm oven.
“……Thank you.”
Nevertheless, Cain couldn’t help but smile wryly.
It seemed weird to imagine that he’d eat this bland apple pie again.
But even as he considered tasting it again, he couldn’t help but wonder if it might be better to leave memories alone.
Crunch━.
From the outside, everything appeared to be in order.
However, the sugar had not been spread evenly, so some areas were sweet while others were sour.
And because it was removed too quickly, the dough became soggy.
Cain, however, chewed and swallowed silently.
Arna, who was watching him, mumbled to herself.
“Those who have a stomachache don’t want to eat it and frown, but why does Young Master eat it so well?”
“Because Little Mother made it.”
“……”
Arna was puzzled by his lack of expression.
She could not fathom Cain, not as someone’s wife or mother, but as a mercenary of ‘Flash’.
But that was fine.
In a world where everything seemed predetermined, Cain stood out, which gave her hope.
“Witches are all unpredictable women.”
Arna said what she planned to say before going to visit Cain.
She hadn’t wanted to talk about her mercenary days before giving birth to Abel, but the situation was such that she had no choice.
“To be a witch, you must have something broken within you. Princess Oleciren may be fine on the outside, but━.
“Little Mother.”
Cain interrupted Arna.
Then he pointed to himself and Arna, and said.
“Aren’t we also broken in some way?”
“That’s……”
“You’re worried about the Witch of the Horizon, aren’t you?”
Arna blinked a few times as her thoughts were revealed, then nodded deeply.
“Honestly, it’s reckless. Meeting a potential witch is relatively easy. It’s a matter of probability. But how are you going to convince a witch who has gone mad after living for hundreds of years?”
“Don’t worry━.”
“Do you think the witch will listen if you threaten to cut off a few fingers like you did with the family staff?”
“……”
Cain gazed at Arna, a little astonished. He felt a warmth in his chest as he realized she was genuinely concerned about him.
He couldn’t recall the last time he felt this way, which made it much more valuable.
Arna sighed as she gazed into Cain’s violet eyes.
“I must say that Young Master is wonderful. You’ve seized control of the family knights in one fell swoop and even changed Abel.”
“Thank you.”
“But even humans have limits. You can’t employ the same methods you’ve used in the past against a witch who is out of reach of ordinary people.”
“Is that your advice as ‘Flash’?”
Arna swallowed for a while.
She felt strange about herself, as it had been too long since she had left that part of her behind.
“Yes.”
It was so welcoming.
Despite her flour-covered appearance, Arna’s face was cool.
It was the visage of someone who would kill anyone without hesitation.
“I’m not foolish. I’ll find a method to accomplish it.”
“Young Master.”
“Yes, Little Mother.”
“I heard about when you confronted Philip. They claimed you had awoken as an expert.”
Cain closed his mouth.
The knights of Ethelred, who were inexperienced and clumsy, and Vanderbilt and Arna, who followed him, were different from the start.
“When I first met you, Young Master, you were definitely not at that level.”
“……”
“You suddenly have enormous power? It’s uncommon in this island nation but it’s common throughout the continent. Nowadays, people strike bargains with demons or witches or employ the power of relics.”
“That’s right.”
Cain responded quietly.
Arna’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
It was because he appeared to be answering not just for the sake of it but because he was knowledgeable about the continent.
However, everyone knew Cain had never left the island kingdom since his birth, so it was most likely just a gut feeling.
“Such things always come at a price.”
“That━.”
“Remember that nothing is worth losing yourself over.”
Arna turned away.
She took the remainder of the pie with her, except for the one slice she had given him earlier, implying that she had baked it just to tease Cain.
Cain smirked bitterly as he watched Arna leave.
‘Thank you. But I don’t think I can do that.’
If he lived the same life again, he would undoubtedly see many things.
However, there was nothing he could do when confronted with something truly significant.
That’s why Cain couldn’t stop.
No, he wouldn’t stop.
Even if 『Four Seasons』 engulfed him and ‘Winter’ took his entire future, he wanted to hang onto something.
‘I’m sorry.’
And far away.
Arna bent her head slightly.
It was a greeting to Princess Oleciren, who was approaching alongside Isoel and Vanderbilt.
Cain stood up from his chair as Oleciren approached.
“Rest a little longer.”
“I’ve rested enough for two days.”
Cain handed the half-eaten apple pie to Oleciren, who was sitting opposite him.
“My Little Mother made it. Do you want to try it?”
“You want me to eat what you’ve already eaten?”
“You won’t die.”
“I guess not.”
Oleciren laughed and snatched the half-eaten pie, eating it.
Cain had expected Oleciren to despise the bland pie, yet she ate it with no complaints.
Cain continued to stare blankly at her, so Oleciren tilted her head.
“What?”
“I was wondering if you liked the apple pie.”
“Yeah. It’s sweet, and the dough is fluffy.
He recalled what Arna had said before.
She claimed that a witch had to be broken someplace.
He wasn’t sure about anything else, but Oleciren’s sense of taste was clearly broken.
Cain was certain of it.
Oleciren stared at him as she swept the leftover flour off her hands.
“But why are you suddenly being so nice to me?”
She hadn’t forgotten how he had thrown barbs at her from the start.
Cain turned to look out the window.
He could see the turquoise waters of the Ethelred coast, as well as the verdant fields with sheep grazing calmly.
“Because there’s not much time left.”
“It’s like feeding a death row inmate a good meal.”
Arna chuckled.
Then she glanced at Vanderbilt, who had followed her.
He removed a heavy-looking envelope from his pocket and set it on the table.
>Urgent, Vanderbilt Arzweber.
The sun bleeds all day. Please have a look at what appears to be a frightening omen.
━Village Head: Arian
It must have been delivered attached to the leg of a bird.
Cain gazed up at Vanderbilt.
“The place where my mother and you came together from my maternal family, Arzweber Coast, right?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“It’s a fishing community with a population of around 200 people. It is right near Ethelred. Do you know anything about it, Oleciren?”
Cain asked her, and she was going to say no, but she sighed and replied.
“How do you know what I know?”
“Good.”
“You’re crazy.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
“……”
Oleciren looked at Cain and extended her hand in the air.
Whoosh━.
Black ash drifted in from somewhere and settled on her palm.
A black envelope was created.
Oleciren skillfully removed the paper from the envelope.
>The young witch of the ninety-ninth.
Come to Arzweber, where Arthuan awaits you in the darkest night.
Primundi, the Witch of the Horizon.
Cain opened his mouth and looked down at the two papers on the table.
“Vanderbilt.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Knowing what Cain had said a few days ago was about to happen, he kneeled on one knee and bowed his head.
“Prepare to move.”
“Understood.”
Whoosh━.
As he opened the door and stepped outside, the wind swept in. Cain could smell blood and tears in the wind.
He was about to raise his blade toward the night’s horizon.