Rohakan's Words (2)

The trait's description is simple. Nothing much to ponder. The sensation is faint yet vivid.

The world is clearing up.

At least, that's how it feels to me.

"Will you be entering alone, Professor?"

Premien asked. I nodded without a word.

"Shouldn't we wait for reinforcements...?"

"No need."

The vineyard had transformed in an instant into a magical space. Vines and trees undulating like living creatures. Above all, the mana density had surged by at least 1%.

Considering that even the holiest famous mountains barely reached 0.1%, it wasn't an exaggeration to say the interior was utterly divorced from reality.

"No need? How disappointing, my lord~"

The click of high heels clashing against the vineyard soil. A refined, affected laugh.

Yuseffin, sweeping back the hair at her nape as she approached.

"Zeit, the family head, will arrive soon too. Just wait a little longer, won't you~?"

I shook my head without sparing her a glance.

"Even Count Phairden won't be able to do anything about it."

"...My, what a thing to say. Master Zeit would be delighted to hear it~"

Of course, Zeit was a perfect knight. But when it came to magic—or this space's trial of mental fortitude—he wasn't superior to me.

"This space cannot be shattered by force. Without knowledge of magic, he'd only be a hindrance."

"You're the only one who calls our master a hindrance~"

"I am sufficient alone. No—better alone. This is Her Majesty's direct imperial decree to me."

"Mm... Don't die on us, okay~?"

I advanced alone.

The vineyard had already become a forest, its colossal trees devouring the sky. The eerie landscape was enough to stir primal human terror, but I paid it no mind.

One step.

Two steps.

I simply walked on, unhurried.

"......"

Tree branches casting dark shadows. Mana winds licking at my robes.

The unique aura of a magical space brushed my mind, and fog rose around my footsteps. That dim mist soon projected memories onto a silver screen.

I walked the vineyard paths, watching the scenes unfold.

"Yes. I'm fine."

Julie raced through the dark underground. Fatally wounded, yet carrying Deculein on her back.

─"Don't worry. The exit is close."

She transported him while vomiting blood. Desperate in her efforts.

And yet.

─"...It's your fault."

Deculein blamed her.

To those words, Julie replied.

─"Yes. I'm sorry. It's all my fault."

─"......"

Deculein then lost consciousness, and time rewound a little further.

A cold, sterile sickbed.

Deculein lay upon it, Dikailen looking down at him.

A memory I had never seen.

─"Tch. Useless fool."

To his father's scorn, Deculein closed his eyes gently.

─"I never trusted you to begin with... but Phairden is trouble."

─"...Phairden."

A low murmur from Deculein, met with another pitying gaze.

─"Indeed. The one who ambushed you in Mariq was Phairden. I told you from the start they'd interfere."

─"......"

─"Phairden's bloodkin? You thought that would be fine? Hmph. For a frontier count's great house, already blessed with a monster like Zeit, to welcome the child born from his wife's death? Take this."

Dikailen tossed an object casually.

─"Igiris gave it to his daughter. She accepted it gladly, but they used it to track and ambush you."

The bracelet Julie had worn in Mariq. The trinket she cherished so oddly.

Corroded black by demonic energy, Deculein stared at it silently.

─"Phairden's mad dog is the problem. Setting aside how he charged in to abandon his own daughter in Mariq, he's cornered psychologically now. He could confess everything to the palace at any moment."

─"...Father."

To Dikailen, who ranted alone, Deculein asked one thing.

What his father had never asked his son.

─"Are you relieved I didn't die?"

Silence fell over the sickroom. Dikailen looked down at Deculein, who gazed up at him.

At last... a sigh like disappointment.

─"Idiot. You're the first Yukline to collapse in Mariq."

Dikailen shook his head and departed.

─"......"

At that moment, Deculein made a vow.

He steeled himself. He even smiled faintly.

Indifferent to his blood dying or killing his blood.

That was Dikailen—and Yukline itself...

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

...The first memory faded, and I continued walking the vineyard paths.

"A worldline."

No—a worldline of the man called Deculein.

Memories tangled in the fog ahead. Time flowing like a film.

All of it, Deculein's trajectory...

"...A blood pact."

I was still walking the vineyard.

Memories of Deculein I hadn't known—stretching from his youth—seeped in freely.

I sorted them with mental fortitude and my perfectionist nature.

Deculein's memories and Kim Woojin's. Strictly separated. Never to mingle in confusion.

...Then.

─"Knock knock. Professor. You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there?"

A voice echoed through this 'worldline vineyard'—bored, devoid of life's will. Red hair drawing my gaze.

I looked at her.

"Sophien."

The young emperor, Sophien.

She lay on the grass, calling for her 'professor'.

─"Professor?"

But the professor who answered...

─"Yes. I am here."

Me.

Precisely, my voice emanated from the mirror Sophien kept by her side.

─"...Really holding out longer than usual lately, huh?"

The young Sophien's mutter.

A memory unknown to me.

Neither Deculein's nor mine.

An unidentified worldline.

─"Professor. How many times have I died so far?"

─"149 times."

─"Mm... It's December 31st today, so tomorrow's January 1st."

─"Yes. If you endure until tomorrow, all will be well."

─"Hmph. As if."

I listened quietly to their exchange.

My steps through the vineyard had halted.

─"Your Majesty."

Suddenly, a voice I didn't recognize—mine—sank low. No heartbeat in its timbre or echo.

The heart was dead.

─"What?"

Sophien asked with innocent curiosity.

─"I will always watch over Your Majesty, wherever and whenever."

─"...Suddenly?"

─"Not suddenly."

─"......"

─"Even if I seem absent for a time... I will always be part of Your Majesty's journey."

In that dialogue and scene, realization dawned belatedly.

─"Professor. Are you saying you're leaving without actually leaving?"

The abruptly ended independent quest, "Devil's Mirror".

The attribute that became my origin, "Mirror".

─"...Your Majesty. May I ask one promise? Just as I once kept my promise to you."

Hearing words from a me I didn't know, I pondered.

─"From now on... no matter what, do not take your own life."

What 'turn' was this world?

"Hey~ Over here—!"

A booming voice shattered the fog, sweeping it away.

Beyond the cleared worldline stood a lone cabin, a figure waving from its porch.

"......"

I was momentarily speechless.

I knew at a glance who grinned at me, and he recognized me too.

"Deculein!"

Rohakan.

I approached him, drumming his heels on the porch steps, and asked in slight bewilderment.

"...Rohakan. You've become a boy."

I regarded him.

A youth far younger than our last encounter, bearing only traces of the old Rohakan. He grinned slyly.

"Yup."

"......"

The severity of his condition was more dire than expected, disconcerting—but the reason for his youth was simple.

"Time's short, so sit yer butt down. Let's chat. Heh heh."

His death was truly imminent.

Julie arrived at the vineyard in haste, but entry was denied. Premien and Yuseffin blocked her.

She glared at them alternately, incredulous.

"Professor Deculein entered alone?"

"Yep."

"Yes."

"Hah!"

Julie lunged with her shoulder, but Yuseffin, Premien, and even the nearby knights obstructed her.

"Why hold me back! Rohakan is inside—"

"Imperial decree."

Premien replied. Julie's words caught in her throat.

"The pursuit of Rohakan is a mission Her Majesty entrusted solely to Professor Deculein. No third party may interfere."

"......"

Imperial decree. Unless the emperor rescinded it, a knight ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had no choice.

Julie glared at the vineyard and said,

"...Do you know Yeriel, that young lady?"

"Yes, we've informed her."

"What did she say?"

"She trusts the professor. So, Knight, you should trust him too."

"I don't trust Professor Deculein. Nor do I intend to."

Boom—!

A vibration resounded just then.

All turned toward it. Yuseffin smiled first.

"...Master, you've arrived~?"

"Yeah. Yawwwn—."

Zeit approached, yawning as if just woken.

He asked,

"Rohakan's inside?"

"Yes~ But Professor Deculein went ahead, so we're waiting outside~"

"...Yeah? Then whatever."

Zeit leaned against a nearby tree stump without protest. Julie widened her eyes and asked,

"Zeit family head. You won't enter?"

"Deculein's in there."

"Still, the opponent is Rohakan."

"Yeah, I know."

Zeit waved dismissively.

"Interrupting a duel ain't polite. Sure, a black beast like Rohakan don't deserve courtesy... And, Julie."

"Yes."

"If Professor Deculein bites it, ain't that good for you?"

"...No."

Julie shook her head firmly. Zeit grinned and pressed,

"Why not?"

"Because it's my problem to settle myself...?"

That's when they spotted a small flying vessel buzzing from the sky.

Bzzz— bzzz—

It was Sylvia, helmeted.

"Ahem. Well then, if you'll excuse me briefly."

Julie cleared her throat awkwardly a few times and slipped toward it.

Chomp chomp— chomp chomp— Rohakan munched grapes.

Eating the snow-white grapes, he continued.

"This world has fanatics. Fanatics tryin' to revive their god. But they don't know. The 'god' they're revivin' is just another fanatic."

I nodded.

Main quest late-game. The 'god' revived by the Altar was merely another god-worshipping zealot.

A final boss god-like, sure.

"Anyway. I lived to stop 'em, but the Altar bastards seemed to wait for my death on purpose."

Rohakan offered a bunch of grapes. I peeled and ate one.

He watched me eat, eyes wide with curiosity, then asked,

"Deculein. You must've seen a lot comin' here."

"Yes."

"Read my letter too, I reckon."

"......"

I nodded silently.

"As you saw, you've died once already. For Sophien. Lucked out and beat it with what folks call 'ada', but... won't happen twice."

"Is that so."

"Yup. But goin' like this, you'll die by Sophien's hand for sure. You'll say you're fine with it, o' course?"

"Yes. Death not yet come holds no fear. However... Rohakan. One curiosity lingers."

Rohakan turned to me with a small smile.

As if he already knew.

"Ask away."

"Did you truly kill the Empress?"

"......"

The reply ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠delayed; silence stretched.

Rohakan, pondering, popped a grape in his mouth. Then,

"Who else but me?"

Besides Rohakan, one other.

Someone who could kill the Empress.

"......"

But I said nothing. Rohakan chuckled at me.

"Anyway, Deculein. I'm turnin' to mana now. Gettin' close to the sky, nature, y'know."

"Yes. I sense it."

Half of Rohakan's body was already mana. Too vast and pure for human.

He said,

"Deculein."

"Yes."

"First off today, kill me."

Casual, like sending for green onions.

As I stared blankly, Rohakan chuckled and continued.

"My gift to you. Take my head to Sophi. Face is younger, but it's me, no doubt."

I'd come here not to kill Rohakan. But he'd merged with mana.

His remaining life: a week at most.

"Dunno if the kid'll like it or hate it... but it'll help you for sure."

Two core quests surfacing with his words. The former's reward: rare trait catalog. The latter: catalog enhancement and shop currency.

Mana quality elevated, unique trait acquirable.

Undeniably helpful.

"You can do it, right?"

Rohakan asked.

I didn't hesitate.

"Yes. I will kill you."

"Good—"

"However. Before that."

What I wanted now wasn't mere systemic reward.

"I have a request."

Oddly, since arriving in this world, I'd always been the teacher. From knowing nothing back then, to wandering after the unknown today.

Thus, what I craved most now was perhaps.

"...For the time remaining, once more."

The realm of archmage, a superhuman beyond.

"Be my proper master."

The teachings of one I could truly call 'master'.