341. The Immortal and the Mortal (10)
[There is a guest seeking you, Fernandez.]
Lavirata suddenly raised her head and spoke. The Wraith Sovereign could see the entire city as if it were her own eyes. To be precise, like the eyes of the dead she had summoned.
As Lavirata raised her hand, the maids stopped fanning.
[So, why not let go of your stubbornness now?]
“Stubbornness…?”
[You are as obstinate as an eighty-year-old man now.]
“I can’t deny that.”
After the incident at the Sun Plaza, Fernandez began training his body. Officially, it was to adapt more quickly to this new body, but both he and Lavirata knew that such adjustment was unnecessary.
After all, his body was directly crafted from the soul’s form into the Material World. The bond between soul and body was even stronger than before. Yet, Fernandez had been relentlessly pushing his body to the limit for almost a week now.
This was a form of protest. A statement that he was in perfect condition and could leave the city at any time. However, it was Lavirata who had saved him, and leaving the city without her permission would be ungrateful.
Beyond mere etiquette, this was more of a political calculation. Ibalis was located on a major trade route between Kirzat and the Empire. To exaggerate, her wrath could spark a new 50-year war.
[I concede. Did you want to hear that so badly?]
“I was sincerely grateful for your grace.”
Except for the statue at the Sun Plaza, perhaps. As Fernandez spoke bluntly, Lavirata burst into clear laughter.
[In truth, it was I who was being stubborn. Very well, your condition is perfect. My selfish desire to keep you here has caused you trouble, and any further greed would be rude.]
Lavirata wished he wouldn’t leave. Though nowhere in this world could guarantee safety, from her position of literally ‘directly’ controlling all the dead in the city, the world outside Ibalis was nothing but danger.
She couldn’t keep him forever, but she wanted to give this man some rest, even if just for a while. That was Lavirata’s wish, and Fernandez respected her feelings and waited.
But even so, a week without news from the outside was too long.
Now that someone from the outside had entered the city seeking him, Lavirata decided to admit it cleanly. She could no longer detain him.
[It’s someone who knows you well, but you must be cautious. Your survival is completely unknown to the outside world. If they still came looking for you…]
“Either an idealist wandering for a sliver of hope or an independent information entity. I had anticipated this.”
As soon as he heard that a guest seeking him had arrived, Fernandez could form these two hypotheses.
If it were the former, perhaps Abel. He couldn’t be sure. Given Abel’s personality, she was likely to have chosen seclusion after his death. But Kirhas and Rene wouldn’t be. They had too many responsibilities.
If it were the latter, perhaps Piel. Orcis had neither the reason nor the means to look for him, so the only ‘prophet’ who knew him well was her.
‘If Faijashi were here, he would have said something.’
He thought with a bitter smile. For some reason, all the people who came to mind were women, and he couldn’t understand how his life had turned out this way.
[They will be here soon, so prepare your attire. The farewell will be modest.]
“Thank you.”
[Are you so eager to leave?]
“I am grateful for all your grace. Not just for the past, but even for this moment.”
As Fernandez found and put on his coat, Lavirata, who had been silent for a while, burst into laughter.
[Your many troubles with women are not just due to your luck. Though I am not among the living, I advise you from their perspective—listen like it’s gold. Your troubles with women come not from your looks but from your tongue. It would be wise to be cautious in your future conduct.]
“…I will consider it.”
[Then, I’ll be waiting.]
Lavirata chuckled and stepped aside. Fernandez glanced at her back, then dressed and tied his greatsword to the saddle. The living horse Lavirata had brought snorted roughly at the sudden weight of the two greatswords.
* * *
Zephis wished this was a dream. Of course, he had come to the City of the Dead thinking Fernandez might still be alive, but the sight before him was something that shouldn’t exist in reality.
As the city’s scenery began to appear beyond the horizon, he couldn’t help but mutter blankly.
“Hmm. The mirage has a rather peculiar form.”
His brother’s face was visible outside the city like a mirage. It was an overly morbid mirage for someone merely missing a brother thought to be dead. Having only a face visible beyond the walls was, first of all, not a pleasant sight.
“The mirage is quite realistic…”
As Ibalis’s towering outer walls drew closer, the mirage also seemed to approach in proportion.
By then, Zephis instinctively realized that this was no mere mirage. He was Diemonica, and his sense of distance transcended human limits.
That’s not a mirage or a phantom, but a real, existing statue. His instincts calmly analyzed it as such.
“I can only hope my brother isn’t in this city.”
Given Fernandez’s personality, he would rather bite his tongue than be seen like that. He urged his horse toward the outer gate, muttering. Soon, the guards at the gate noticed him.
[Halt, stranger. You are approaching the great City of the Sun. State your purpose and destination.]
“I am Albert. I’ve come to this city to find my brother.”
[There are no living in this city, mortal.]
A well-armored wraith spoke in a dry voice. Zephis sighed and pondered from atop his horse. Even entering the city won’t be easy. But having seen that statue, he had to head inside to find at least some clues.
-Screech!!
At that moment, a hawk flew in from the direction of the city center and perched on the military flag behind the soldier. The soldiers knelt in unison, bowing their heads toward the flag.
The soldier speaking to Zephis knelt on one knee and waited quietly. The hawk pecked at a golden ornament with its beak, looking down at the soldier.
-Flap!
After a moment, the hawk flapped its wings and disappeared beyond the sky. The soldier bowed deeply toward the city center, then rose and headed toward the main avenue.
He stepped aside.
[Follow the main road towards the direction where the palace is visible, and head straight to the Sun Plaza. The King of Kings of Ibalis awaits you.]
Zephis gazed at the dazzling palace visible through the densely packed buildings beyond the avenue as he urged his horse forward.
* * *
[Ah, your guest has arrived.]
Lavirata spoke while looking towards the entrance of the plaza. Fernandez stood with his back to the statue, gazing at the plaza where the midday heat shimmered. Soon, a silhouette on horseback appeared. It was clearly not a woman, but a large man in flowing robes approaching.
The eyes of the two men met. Though still at a distance, both could see each other as if they were right in front of them.
“Brother Zephis?”
“Brother…! You’re alive, truly alive!”
-Clop, clop.
The horse approached quickly. As they crossed halfway through the plaza, Zephis jumped off the saddle and ran towards him.
“Truly, the Lord has blessed us.”
[It was not your god who saved your ‘brother,’ but I.]
“That too is the Lord’s will. On behalf of the Church, I offer my gratitude.”
[Hah! A living priest offering me compliments is a first. I already like you.]
Lavirata laughed and nodded. Zephis gave her a brief nod of acknowledgment before grabbing Fernandez’s shoulders tightly.
“You’re really alive. What happened? And what was that will about?”
“It wasn’t a will, but a precautionary measure. Brother, now that I’m here, how far has the plan progressed?”
“The plan itself didn’t move forward because you had the relic, but now that you’re back, things should be easier.”
Fernandez nodded silently. He jumped onto his horse and turned to Lavirata.
“Let’s go. Lavirata.”
[On the day we meet again, I hope you will still be alive.]
“I’ll do my best.”
Fernandez and Zephis rode off together. The wraiths in the plaza, who had been watching them and the Pharaoh, knelt one by one as he passed.
No one spoke. A quiet silence fell over the desolate city. In this vast city, adorned with forgotten dyes and wool, more ancient than any other civilized city, two living beings were leaving.
It wasn’t a grand farewell. Fernandez felt that he would cherish this moment longer than the most extravagant celebration.
“The foundation of Ashit’s magic is respect….”
He bowed his head to the wraiths, whose silence was worth a thousand gold. The living have their own time. The wraiths, in their silence, respected the time of the living.
In the distance, the city gates of Ibalis stood tall beneath the high city walls. The wedge-shaped characters of the Empire of Ashit were carved on the gallery above the gate. [We are your future.] When he first saw those words in the city, he thought it was a threat.
It wasn’t. That sentence wasn’t a threat or a hint. It was, quite literally, an ancient way of saying, ‘Now is your present.’
The living left the City of the Dead. They returned to the vibrant land once more.
* * *
“The wraiths seem to like you a lot, brother.”
“It just happened that way.”
“In my lifetime, I’ve never seen such a high pedestal. Did they consider you a god?”
“……I’d rather not talk about that, brother.”
Zephis smiled contentedly as he watched Fernandez grumble quietly. The young man, who always seemed older than his age, finally looked his age. He nodded cheerfully and took the reins.
“Are you heading straight back to the Church?”
“There are a few places I need to stop by first. The Empire and the Church will be fine without me, so I should check on those who aren’t.”
“Ah, you mean your ‘wives.’”
When Zephis teased him, Fernandez glared at him for a moment. Soon, Fernandez also chuckled and spoke.
“You’ve become quite sharp lately. It’s good to see, brother.”
“I’m just happy you’re back.”
“It’s not just that. I’ve also benefited greatly from your ‘wives.’”
Zephis said nothing and pulled the reins to speed up. Fernandez laughed and followed him. It had been a long time since they had joked around like this, and Fernandez finally felt like he had truly returned to life.
It was more enjoyable than he had expected. Even he was surprised.
* * *
“Lindburm.”
Freya gently stroked the snout of the sleeping dragon. A hot breath scattered the dust on the ground. She watched as the dragon’s enormous eyes, almost as large as her own body, slowly focused on her.
“Don’t be startled. I sense his presence.”
“Judging by the location, he must have been hiding in the City of Wraiths. The life force Mumto had sealed away is blooming late, and the wraiths are unusually quiet, so I couldn’t find him. Why didn’t I think of that sooner?”
“Are you listening? Lindburm. He’s alive. And… he’s coming this way. It’s not far. Shall we go meet him?”
Freya whispered to the dragon, who had been silently staring at her for a while. The dragon stared at her for a moment longer before suddenly opening its mouth and whispering softly.
“How long… how long will it take? Until he gets here.”
“Judging by his speed… two hours should be enough.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a gust of wind swept through. Freya stumbled back a few steps. In that spot, a woman dressed in fine robes appeared. She hurriedly ran to a corner of the nest and began rummaging through something.
“What… what are you doing?”
“A sword.”
“What? A sword… why do you need a sword?”
The old belongings she had stored away scattered around the nest. After rummaging for a while, she finally pulled out a dusty longsword.
“He was alive, and yet… not a single word. Not even once did he contact us. Fernandez….”
“Maybe there was a reason…?”
Freya swallowed hard and stepped back at her fierce demeanor. Abel blew the dust off the blade and examined her reflection in the sword.
“Do I look strange? Is there something wrong with me now?”
“……Did you need a mirror……?”
“Dragons don’t need things like mirrors.”
Abel tilted her head and spoke. Soon, she smiled like a blooming flower and began tidying up the nest.
Two hours. Compared to the past few months, it’s an absurdly short time.
And compared to the decades ahead, it’s a mere blink of an eye. She is a dragon, and long-lived beings are accustomed to waiting.
Yet, those two hours felt heavier than the entire span of her long life, and Abel found it amusing as she smiled and pressed her hands to her eyes.
“If I cry now, what will I do when I see him in person, Lindburm.”
“Then… I’ll smile. Because I’ll be happy….”
“Are you crying now because you’re sad?”
“No, because I’m happy… Grateful. But I don’t want to show it.”
Old time began to flow again. Time covered in the dust of an ancient dragon. The time of the living.
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