Liya had gently bent her knees, looking into my eyes. Her golden eyes burned like the sun.
“Brother, we promised to spend our lives together, just the two of us. So what is this? The rumors I’m hearing are strange… Why does it feel like you’re constantly looking away?”
“What are you talking about…”
“Don’t worry too much, Brother.”
Blowing sweet breaths into my ear, Liya smiled softly.
“I’m not greedy… all I need is proof that we are connected. Yes, undeniable proof… even if the world doesn’t recognize it, I have no choice but to acknowledge it.”
It was then that I realized the burning nature deep within her golden eyes.
Madness, obsession, affection.
Call it whatever you wish. One thing was clear: Liya was not in her right mind.
It couldn’t be ‘greed’; it was ‘Liya’ who was resorting to such extreme measures.
‘Vampire’s Barrier.’
Its influence was not limited to just the academy students. It affected everyone who remained in this area.
This contained a despairing truth.
I couldn’t believe it.
I shouldn’t believe it.
No one, not even my precious people, could escape the power of that barrier.
Look at me now.
Am I not paying the price for a moment of negligence?
“Celin…”
In a final desperate attempt, I uttered in a faint voice.
“I need to find Celin… she has been kidnapped…”
“Do you know, Brother?”
Despite my plea, Liya’s expression remained unfazed.
Rather, she even managed to erase her smile and show a cold expression.
The temperature difference was astonishing.
“Actually, I’ve never liked Sister Celin. For a very long time…”
That was the end.
I felt as if I had seen a shadow of a person in the last moment.
With such vague intuition, I closed my eyes.
“…You visit often.”
The dry voice echoed in my mind.
I was startled and quickly regained my composure. As I looked around, my body was amidst the black and dark void.
This was a place I had visited several times before.
Cracks were occurring throughout the void. Beyond them, the scenery reflecting was that of a man’s memory.
There was no ground. But as I stood firm, a solid feel transmitted from my soles.
Was this how it felt to step on glass that cannot reflect light?
At the end of my gaze stood a familiar back.
With arms crossed, he gazed into the cracks of the void, his figure appeared rather lonely.
Soon, his emotionless golden eyes flickered and glanced back at me.
“How much more of this pathetic sight do you need to satisfy yourself?”
Faced with that cold taunt, I couldn’t find the words for a while.
A hollow laugh escaped my throat. I wanted to argue, but I couldn’t.
To be outdone by my younger sister.
And yet, the opponent was simply an ordinary person without any martial skills. Something must have been used, but it wasn’t an excuse for a high expert knight to faint.
In the end, I found myself crumpled on the ground.
“…You’re right. I let my guard down.”
“Just because your personal power has grown doesn’t mean everything is solved.”
The man’s tone remained harsh.
Not a trace of mercy could be felt in his voice, it felt like that of a strict instructor teaching soldiers.
“There are countless means that could put you in danger: drugs, hostages, or unidentified magic. You were too arrogant.”
“…I fell for all three.”
It was a rare complaint I revealed.
I didn’t really understand why, but I could have been feeling a strange closeness to this man.
So, isn’t it natural that I continued my lament that I couldn’t share with anyone?
What surprised me was that the man did not intentionally stop my complaints.
In the past, I would have been scolded with something like, ‘Stop whining.’
Nevertheless, it felt good. Because now I didn’t really know what I should do.
I couldn’t accept help from anyone.
This plain sentence approached me with terror. Although I pretended otherwise, I had received much help from my comrades until now.
Not just in power or strategy.
Facing this horrifying trial, how much comfort it brought me to know I was not alone.
But now I couldn’t trust anyone.
Even Liya had fallen to that state. I didn’t even want to imagine what the remaining party members might look like.
“Fainted due to drugs, my childhood friend kidnapped with no trace… and on top of that, I was caught by the vampire’s magic because I let my guard down? Haha, heh…”
As I dragged my hands down my face like that.
“Damn it!”
I began to curse with all my might.
“What the hell is going on?! I haven’t found any clues yet…!”
The man neither was surprised nor did he sympathize with me.
He simply kept a silent gaze directed at me.
It was rather good.
That way, I felt more at ease.
“Not a single clue about the royal family’s secrets, Celin’s whereabouts, or the vampire’s conspiracy infiltrating the academy… and I’ve been blindsided already?! It’s just pathetic…!”
“Is it frustrating?”
That was an unexpected question.
I pursed my lips, sending him a look of what he meant.
The man’s golden eyes remained indifferent. No trace of emotion could be gleaned, making it impossible to discern his intent.
“Everyone makes mistakes while living. God has not allowed humanity to be perfect… I call that a ‘limit.’ Every human has limits. If you don’t acknowledge that, eventually, you will crumble and fail.”
His calm tone carried no inflection, yet I instinctively realized.
How much pain and injury this man must have endured to reach such a conclusion.
So, I merely moved my lips, but I couldn’t open my mouth carelessly.
“It’s not just me… it was everyone. The apprentice, the Lady Virgin Saint, even my teacher… but did you truly think you would be the exception? That’s incredibly arrogant.”
“That’s…!”
“Kid, either recognize your limits or continue to jump around like a thunderbird… the choice is yours. This world is your world, not mine.”
I couldn’t hide my emotions flaring at that cold mockery.
My body, which had been slumped down, shot back up. It would take just a few more seconds of silence as I bit my lip and struggled to find words.
“…Then what about your ‘apprentice’?”
Startled.
The man’s relaxed demeanor cracked. His gaze flicked back for a moment.
Those eyes, worn and devoid of even a trace of dust.
But for some reason.
I felt a vague emotion swirling within.
“Your ‘apprentice’ is not my ‘apprentice’… so isn’t this your problem to bear? Why are you trying to avoid it?”
“…Do I have an obligation to explain?”
“You want to see.”
It was a straightforward remark.
At that, a visible crack began to form on the man’s face. His eyebrows twitched, revealing discomfort.
But he had started this conversation.
I had no duty to stop first.
“Of course, you want to see her. You broke up like that… naturally, you’d want to see her! So why lie to yourself?”
“…Such foolish talk.”
Even in response to my sharp point, the man quickly regained his composure.
He scoffed, trying to dismiss my reasoning.
“Kid, it seems you’ve become overconfident just by catching a glimpse of my memories… the path I’ve walked is many times rougher and longer than that. Speculation is free, but don’t presume to gauge my feelings carelessly…”
“I know the most.”
But even that was only for a moment.
With my voice once again pouring out, the man had to remain silent.
“The memories of that day, the feelings of that day… those who haven’t experienced it can never understand. Right?”
He opened and closed his lips.
Eventually, the man exhaled a long sigh and closed his eyes.
“…Fine, let’s both consider it a mistake. This story ends here.”
It was a declaration of surrender.
Still, I wanted to say something out of regret, but I soon fell silent.
The man had offered advice that he couldn’t ignore.
“Think a little more simply.”
“…What?”
With that out-of-the-blue remark, I could only express a brief sense of doubt.
The man added dryly, as if he had expected this reaction.
“Every incident is connected. And if you’ve lost your ally, finding a new one is all you need. For example, yes… those powerful beings that cannot be controlled even by the vampire’s barrier.”
“Who are you talking about…?”
“You’re here.”
And then, a bang echoed.
A strong tremor shook the world. I groaned, feeling a breaking headache.
I had no more leeway to continue the conversation.
As the man saw me suffering, he left behind a lonely remark.
“…Take care of her.”
The end of the dream.
My consciousness suddenly surfaced, gasping as I opened my eyes, the scent of medicine filling my lungs.
My body lay on the shaded grassy field.
Mysterious smoke coiled and proceeded across my retina. As I tried to find its source, I ended up locking eyes with it.
Blood-soaked, greenish eyes.
As soon as I saw that murky hue, I couldn’t help but harbor a single thought.
Masters and their apprentices tend to resemble one another.
“…Are you awake?”
The national history of the Southern Kingdoms.
Guardian of the Great Forest, and ruler of the five elements.
The ‘Great Witch’ was looking down at me.
