A Perilous Journey (1)

When we returned, only a cold silence hung over the cabin. Not even the wind blew, leaving a chilling, eerie stillness in its wake. I hadn't expected it to be lively like yesterday. We had been through too much for that. We had simply hoped that Hena was taking some time to gather her thoughts in peace.

But the space was far too quiet. Sirien and I felt a creeping sense of dread, and that dread quickly became reality.

Had the grief been too much to bear? Hena had chosen to end her life. It appeared she had taken a sword rolling on the floor and plunged it into her own heart. The blade was buried deep within her collapsed body.

Perhaps it was a mercy, but she did not seem to have suffered. Hena's expression was remarkably peaceful. A faint, serene smile lingered on her lips, as if she had finally awakened from a nightmare and drifted into a deep, sweet sleep.

Even as her life ebbed away, she had tried to keep Therion in her sight. Her vacant, unfocused eyes remained fixed on his face.

After offering a brief, silent prayer, we wiped away Hena's blood. To the bewildered Sirien, I explained the feelings Hena had harbored all this time. It turned into a long story of unrequited love.

Sirien listened in silence before suggesting that we cremate them together.

We carried them outside and laid them side by side on a white cloth. Believing it was what they would have wanted, we joined their hands. Lying there together, they looked almost like a young, newlywed couple. Would Hena have been happy to hear that? I knew her suicide was a resolve to be with him, if only in death. Though it was a tragic end, we chose to respect her choice. We had no other option. Besides, Therion had always cherished Hena in life. He wouldn't have minded.

The weather felt exceptionally cold today. It felt like the spite of a lingering winter, or perhaps the weeping of an approaching spring. The wind sweeping across the snowfields sang a melancholy dirge. In the darkness of the night, the leaves rustled with a lonely shiver.

"Should I light it?"

"Yes."

I stacked firewood tightly around them and lit the flame. Funerals in the Illencia Grand Duchy were always solemn and quiet. While the bodies of the deceased burned to ascend to the heavens, it was customary for the living to close their eyes in silence and reflect on their memories of the departed.

It was believed that the gods of heaven would read those memories and guide the dead. If one recalled happy memories, the gods would lead them to a blessed place; if one recalled sad memories, the gods would comfort the departed alongside them.

I chose to believe those words. The gods of this world were not mere concepts; they were very real. They bestowed power directly upon their believers and expressed their will through divine revelations. If they possessed even a shred of conscience, they would not treat Therion and Hena coldly.

Though only the two of us attended this funeral, our shared moments were dense with emotion. The last time we had lit a fire here, we had been so happy. We had eaten delicious food by the bonfire, laughing, dancing, and singing. Now, Sirien couldn't even shed a tear, only biting her lip in silent agony.

We remained silent as the flames consumed them both. By the time the cremation was complete, our thoughts were perfectly aligned.

"We have to leave this place."

We had to leave. The cabin was no longer safe. Count Roxen's betrayal was now an undeniable fact. Since we had killed all of his men, no report would reach him. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠It wouldn't be long before the Count sent stronger forces—and they wouldn't be trash like the ones we just faced. He would send a force capable of ensuring our deaths. It was clear that my current strength wouldn't be enough to handle them. For now, we had to run.

The problem was that we didn't know exactly where this cabin was located. When we first arrived, we had discussed it, but our only guess was that it lay somewhere in the northwestern region of the Empire. In other words, we were about to embark on a journey where we had to run blindly without even knowing the way.

We had relied on Count Roxen for far more than we realized. Now that he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was our enemy, Sirien and I were essentially thrown into a death trap empty-handed. Even the things the Count had told us could no longer be trusted. Was it true that the Grand Duke ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and Duchess were safe? What about my father's death? Who was the traitor who had aided the invasion of Demon King Eligos in the first place? Did such a traitor even exist? Or was Count Roxen himself the traitor? The questions were endless once I started digging, and none of them had answers. Sirien and I decided to focus on survival first.

The immediate priority was deciding on a destination. A crudely drawn map of the Empire lay spread out before us.

"I think we should head northeast. It's the opposite direction of where they'd come from the Grand Duchy."

"My thoughts exactly. If pursuers come, they'll likely start from that direction. Is there anywhere in the northeast we can turn to for help?"

"Yes. It's quite far, right at the edge of the territory, but the Elloran Marquisate is there. Grandfather... I mean, Marquis Eloran, has always been on good terms with our family. He will definitely help us."

I had briefly met Marquis Eloran once before. He was a gentle old man, so to speak. Though he was said to have had a fiery temper in his youth, he turned into a doting grandfather whenever he was around Sirien. Marquis Eloran would certainly not turn a blind eye to Sirien's plight. With that, our destination was set.

We packed as much as we could. The knowledge I had gained from the knighthood proved useful. However, since our bodies weren't fit to carry heavy packs for long periods, we couldn't take much.

"The problem is the journey before we reach the Elloran Marquisate... The north has lawless zones and barbarian tribes. There are too many dangerous areas."

"Just getting out of this forest is going to be a challenge. You've seen them occasionally too—the monsters that live here."

"Ugh... I didn't want to think about that."

We had spent quite a long time at this cabin. Just as Count Roxen had said, the hideout itself was well-protected, so we had never been directly attacked. However, this coniferous forest was teeming with dangerous beasts. Whenever we ran near the snowfields or looked around at night, we would occasionally spot massive predators or monsters.

Now, we had to break through a forest crawling with such creatures, without even knowing how vast it was or where the exit lay.

"Are you all packed?"

"Yes, I've double-checked everything. What about you, Rajen?"

"I've packed everything I need as well. Let's get some early sleep and set off as soon as the sun rises tomorrow."

"Alright."

Our attic room wasn't very messy, as the fight had taken place on the first floor. The second-floor attic was in relatively good condition. Feeling uneasy, we had already dragged the enemies' corpses outside. Now, we were truly the only ones left in the cabin.

As we lay in our respective beds, the absence of Hena and Therion weighed heavily on us once more. Empty spaces gaped between the four beds. Therion had terrible sleeping habits and tossed and turned constantly. Even when Hena made his bed pristine, it would be ruined in no time. Seeing his neat, undisturbed bed made it feel as though he would walk in and lie down at any moment.

Amidst the heavy silence of their absence, a soft voice called out.

"Rajen, are you asleep?"

"No. What's wrong?"

"Can I sleep ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with you tonight?"

I almost asked, Are you scared? but stopped myself. Just uttering those words might shake her fragile composure.

"Sure. Come on over if you'd like."

"Thank you. I'm having trouble falling asleep."

"Should I sing you a lullaby?"

"Do you think I'm a child...? Actually, yes, please. Just for tonight."

"Alright."

I patted her back gently and began to sing. It was a lullaby Sirien used to love, a song the maids had sung to her when she was small. As she grew older, she no longer needed lullabies, but on a night like tonight, it felt right.

As I sang, I suddenly felt a dampness against my chest, accompanied by the trembling of her small frame. A memory from not too long ago came back to me. The words Sirien had spoken while comforting me. It had been on this very bed.

Sirien didn't sob out loud, nor did she completely soak my shirt. But I knew she would find comfort in being held and having her back patted like this. Her slender arms wrapped tightly around my waist.

"You know, Rajen."

"Yeah, I'm listening."

"I'm going to get revenge. I will absolutely avenge them, so I can stand proudly before my brother and Hena. I don't care at all about my uncle's reasons. Even if I heard them, I'm sure they'd be utterly pathetic."

Her voice trembled as if it might break at any moment, yet Sirien's declaration carried a heavy, chilling weight.

"I will never forgive him. I won't listen to a single word he has to say. Since he made my brother and Hena die in a place like this, I'm going to make sure my uncle dies in a place where no one will ever find him."

"So that no one in the world will ever know?"

"Yes. I'll make it as if he never existed from the very beginning. And everyone he holds dear, too. I will erase them all completely."

"Let's do that. Everything will happen exactly as you say."

Because I will make absolutely sure of it.

"I'll help you."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes, I promise. I swear on my name that I will keep this vow."

In the novel I knew, there was no mention of Count Roxen. There were absolutely no records concerning him, and no one ever spoke his name. Perhaps Sirien had succeeded. We must have killed Roxen and buried the entire truth in the shadows. Just as Therion and Hena had died in obscurity, Roxen too must have met a lonely, forgotten end. The only difference would be that Roxen was left with absolutely nothing to his name. This burning rage and sorrow could never be appeased otherwise. While we would cherish the memories of Hena and Therion until the very end, Roxen would have no one to mourn him.

"Thank you, Rajen. You're my everything now. So... please don't ever leave me."