Chapter 328
Chapter 328
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 328
Chapter Title: Signs of the Apostles & A Wavering Heart
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***
In the northern part of the Empire, in the city of Frostfall, relatively close to the capital.
A long, well-paved thoroughfare stretched out. The various shops and buildings clustered along it painted Frostfall in many colors, and the streets were vibrant with countless people.
"The finest leather bags from the eastern Reclian region! Selling for just 90 silver!"
"The quality of the meat that came in today is excellent! You folks passing by…"
Hawkers trying to catch people's attention were also thriving.
"Have you heard the news about Apostles appearing in the imperial capital lately?"
"I have. Good grief, what is the world coming to... For an Apostle to appear within the Empire, and not on the front lines, does that even make sense?"
The conversations of passersby were filled with the latest rumors. The expressions on their faces were all cautious, as if they sensed danger.
Clack, rustle.
Amidst them, two figures were walking cautiously.
Thump!
Then, a young boy, running brightly, bumped into them and quickly offered an apology.
"Ah, I'm sorry!"
"...It's nothing. I'm fine."
When one of the women who had been hit answered nonchalantly, the boy inadvertently peered into her pitch-black robe.
The first thing he saw was pure white, silver hair.
Although her entire body was covered by the black robe, from the boy's upward glance, her face was clearly visible.
She still looked too young to be considered an adult, yet there was a girl with a hint of maturity about her.
“……”
The boy let out a dazed gasp of admiration at her extreme beauty, which couldn't be concealed despite her utterly indifferent expression.
"Wow…"
The woman merely glanced at his pure admiration before continuing on her way.
Rustle.
As the child stared blankly at the woman disappearing with silent steps.
"Be careful from now on."
"Ah, I will."
When the woman beside her followed up with a word, the boy nodded blankly.
…….
Click.
Upon opening the door and entering the inn, the two women naturally removed the robes that had been hiding them.
"Hoo."
The silver-haired girl, Yusillia, let out a sigh with a dazed frown. Azazel, who had taken off her robe behind her, let out a soft laugh.
"Why are you sighing like that?"
"It's just... I'm still not used to being among humans."
"You'll get used to it eventually. Besides, it's been a while since you've acted so directly, so it's bound to feel unfamiliar."
As Azazel spoke leisurely, sweeping a hand through her long black hair, Yusillia stared at her and threw out a comment.
"Azazel. You seem quite accustomed to humans."
"I suppose I would. I've grown used to being human itself."
"Does getting used to it make your hatred for humans disappear?"
At her blunt question, Azazel burst into a laugh as if it were absurd.
"Don't be silly. Of course not."
“……”
But even at her reaction, Yusillia watched her intently.
The Azazel she saw now had a distinctly different aura from the one she knew before entering the human empire.
Her demeanor had become unnaturally gentle.
Even if she was deliberately acting that way among humans, that very naturalness gave Yusillia a strange sense of dissonance.
*To the point where Azazel felt almost truly human….*
"By the way, Yusillia. Do you see any other futures right now?"
At Azazel's subsequent question, Yusillia cleared her thoughts and lightly shook her head.
"No. There won't be any anomalies."
"I see... Well, that's a relief."
"There's nothing to be relieved about. I'm accompanying you precisely to erase even the smallest anomaly."
At Yusillia's complete lack of hesitation or wavering, Azazel stared at her and nodded.
"...Right, of course. Still, I wanted to check."
As she said that, Azazel found herself thinking.
Of the human she had trapped in her domain, the one she felt must be killed, the one who almost certainly harbored the light that would become the cornerstone.
*Han Cheon-seong….*
She even remembered his name, and a strange anxiety settled in a corner of her heart.
*A miracle.*
Looking back, that moment felt like a miracle.
With her own eyes, she had witnessed the miracle of how much a human could grow and how brightly their light could shine. For the past few days, she couldn't stop thinking about him.
The potential of a human who awakened a skill and wielded an incomprehensible power...
"Three days from now."
"Three days…"
"The human who will become the cornerstone dies then."
As Yusillia spoke calmly and slowly lay down on the inn's bed, Azazel nodded.
Yusillia's words were like a confirmed sentence.
An unchangeable future. There would surely be no complications.
As Yusillia closed her eyes on the bed, Azazel slowly began to undress, a smile escaping her lips.
"Yusillia. How about you shower before sleeping?"
"Why should I...? Any impurities will naturally leave my body anyway."
"...But the impurities get on your clothes."
Rustle.
...At Azazel's persistent words, Yusillia opened her eyes and sighed.
"Azazel. You sometimes obsess over the strangest things."
"I'm not obsessing over strange things; it's necessary. Unnecessary scents can attract the attention of humans."
“……”
Cleanliness was something she never cared about as an Apostle. In the darkness, there was no reason for scents or anything else to cling to her in the first place.
But now, as an avatar walking through the city, the grime of the city, the dirt on her body, had naturally accumulated.
Yusillia, who had been staring intently at Azazel, finally sat up from the bed.
Rustle, rustle!
She then began to strip off her robe and clothes without hesitation.
In an instant, Yusillia, her bare white body without a single thread, headed straight for the shower. Azazel, as if waiting, sat down on the bed where Yusillia had been lying.
"I wonder why she doesn't realize it herself."
Muttering to herself, Azazel's gaze fell on the clothes Yusillia had taken off.
The clothes were just a black robe and a one-piece dress of the same color.
She didn't even wear any undergarments. And frankly, the clothes she wore weren't what one would call dirty. Yet, Azazel sensed something.
"I can see humans being drawn to Yusillia."
It was all too natural.
Whether by chance or not, men were somehow trying to approach Yusillia.
Even with both of them hiding their appearances in robes, it was almost useless.
It was as if they were drawn to her almost instinctively. There was something about Yusillia that was hard to put into words.
"Perhaps her abilities aren't limited to just prophecy."
As she spoke, she felt a strange sensation.
Among the Apostles, Yusillia held more secrets than anyone. She had existed longer than any other, and her true origins were unknown.
*A mystery.*
It was another word that described Yusillia.
"...It's probably not something I need to worry about."
With that small utterance, Azazel stopped thinking about it.
***
Time passed, and back at the academy in the imperial capital.
"Good work in class today, everyone."
At Kalli's voice signaling the end of the lecture, a sense of vitality began to stir among the students again.
Free time. The complexions of most students brightened at the prospect of a proper rest. However, there were also students whose expressions did not improve.
"Hey. Are you really okay?"
"...I'm fine."
I answered David's question absently, but honestly, I was struggling.
My body was so heavy it felt like it wasn't mine. I wondered if this was what it felt like to go through a day after pulling an all-nighter; that's how bad my condition was.
And the reason was simple.
The main cause was my visit to the Magic Tower last night to see Ariya.
*You're looking pretty good, aren't you?*
The moment she saw me, her smiling voice filled me with anxiety. My anxiety became reality, rendering my thoughts of trying to win her favor pointless.
Because Ariya had increased the amount of mana she was injecting into me.
It made me feel so suffocated that I became conscious of my own breathing.
"You look like you're having a really hard time."
At his repeated words, I blankly wiped my face and shook my head.
"I'm not."
"If you say so. Anyway, get some rest."
"...Yeah."
After that brief exchange, David moved away, and I slowly gathered my things and stood up.
...Besides my body feeling this terrible, there was something else weighing on my mind.
A furtive glance.
"..."
The gazes that were unknowingly being directed at me.
Today, I truly felt the extent to which the news of Millia and me had spread. It was no exaggeration to say that practically everyone knew.
A peek.
I looked toward where Millia was, and I could see her chatting happily with Luna.
...A surge of affection was mixed with worry.
*Millia said she was fine with it, but.*
I wondered if it would really be okay. As I thought this, my gaze soon shifted elsewhere.
Toward Kalli, who was packing her teaching materials and leaving the classroom.
“……”
Just looking at her, I felt a chill.
And today, I clearly felt it in the way she treated me.
We hadn't had any private time, but I could tell she looked at me more coldly than usual. And I knew that the rampant rumors about Millia and me had, of course, reached her ears.
Rustle.
As I slowly rose from my seat... I thought I had to act properly.
*First, a conversation….*
Shouldn't I try to have a proper one?
And I felt that I needed to go find her right now and talk to her properly.