The Doppelganger's Revelation
"I know where the Saintess is. I was once connected to the girl." That was what the Holy Sword had said while Ashtain was desperately searching for Aria. He stopped Azazel for a moment and pressed the Holy Sword, Karelin.
"You know?"
—Indeed.
"Why didn't you say anything earlier? What are you scheming now…?"
—The girl resonated with you several times, yet you ignored it all in your frenzy.
Thinking back, it was true. Ashtain felt a wave of shame at how completely he had lost his reason, unable to spare even a moment's composure. Perhaps his anxiety had grown sharper precisely because she was so precious to him, because he could not bear to lose her.
"Where is she?"
—Heh, you truly have no manners, boy. Shouldn't an apology come first?
"I'm sorry. So, where is she?"
Faced with a glare that promised disaster if left unanswered, Karelin could only sigh in disbelief. Aria often acted as though she could not live without Ashtain, but from Karelin's perspective, Ashtain was far worse. It was devotion at its purest—or, less kindly, obsession. Not that Karelin had any right to condemn him for it. She was no different.
—I shall guide you.
"If you're lying, I won't let it slide."
It was a hollow threat. Karelin hid a smirk as she replied.
—What would I gain from falsehood?
Azazel, watching Ashtain mutter to himself, asked curiously, "Hey, why are you suddenly mumbling to yourself? Did the sword actually talk to you?"
She had meant it as a lighthearted joke to ease the tension, but it was, absurdly, the truth.
"It did."
Azazel stared at him, momentarily stunned, then frowned. "The sword really spoke?"
"Seems like it only speaks to me."
"……Well, if it's a sentient weapon, I suppose that's possible. Hmm."
After a brief exchange, they agreed it would be best to follow the Holy Sword's guidance. Searching for someone in the capital of Gallia was like finding a needle in a desert. But if they had a magnet that could locate that needle, there was no need to sift through the sand aimlessly.
Karelin led them to a shabby inn. Ashtain's heart pounded with unease. Was Aria really here? Had something terrible happened to her? The winter air bit into his lungs, yet it did nothing to cool the fire raging inside him. If anything, the oxygen only made the flames burn hotter. His chest seethed.
Aria. Please, just be all right.
"Azazel."
"Yeah?"
Ashtain pointed at the inn wall with his finger. "Break it."
"……You really do whatever you want, don't you?"
Ku-ku-kung! A crimson explosion erupted. Azazel had adjusted the spell's power so the building itself remained standing while the wall collapsed cleanly. The sudden blast drew some attention from passersby, but Ashtain did not care. As the dust settled, he saw the person he had been searching for all this time.
Aria. And she was with Prince Leon.
What? It was a bizarre combination. Ashtain pressed his thumb and forefinger against his eyebrows. How had things gone so wrong that Leon was here? Hadn't they just been talking at the mansion? Why would the busy prince be with Aria? It made no sense. The timing alone was impossible—unless there were two Leons.
Leon’s face had gone pale as he stared at them. "……I never imagined he would send you as well."
The prince muttered something incomprehensible. Ashtain stepped through the ruined wall and approached them.
"Who sent whom? I came here of my own will."
"I see."
Leon did not lower his guard. If anything, he grew even more tense, raising his sword. Azazel twirled her finger in the air, pointing at him.
"Ashtain, what are we doing about him?"
"……What do you mean, 'doing about him'? Talking comes first. Lower your sword, Leon."
"……Have you not come to harm me?"
It was nonsense. "Why would I? I only came to find my person."
Leon glanced between Ashtain and Aria. "You mean Lady Aria?"
"I told you earlier. I have a lover now."
"……This is the first I've heard of it from her."
"Enough. The one I need to speak with is Aria."
Ashtain's gaze turned to her. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground like a child caught misbehaving, saying nothing.
Why won't you look at me? Look here. I thought something had happened to you. I'm just glad you're safe. I was worried. Terribly worried.
Instead, what came out was a sharp interrogation.
"Why are you here? Did the prince drag you here by force?"
Leon spoke up, perhaps trying to defend her. "Actually, I asked for her help……"
"Leon."
A gaze sharp as a blade pierced through him.
"I wasn't asking you."
It was the first time Ashtain, the Hero, had ever looked so furious.
"Aria. Answer me."
"……No, Leon didn't force me. It was my own choice."
Her own choice. A vein throbbed on Ashtain's forehead.
"Then you could have at least left a letter or a note saying you'd be away, couldn't you?"
She should have. If she had thought calmly, she could have spared him the worry.
"……You're right. I was thoughtless."
"And why didn't you listen? I told you to stay put. Was that so difficult?"
"……I, I……"
Aria stammered, trying to speak, but Ashtain could not bring himself to listen. His heart simply would not allow it.
"Did my words mean nothing to you?"
Thud. Aria's eyes trembled. Her body shook.
"N-no, Ashtain. That's not it……"
"Then you shouldn't have left on your own. Do you know how worried I was?"
Aria could not say a word. The fact that she had worried him over something so trivial—out of mere boredom—pained her. She hated herself for making him angry. She should have listened. She should have thought things through. What had she been thinking? Was she just an idiot with no sense at all?
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Why are you apologizing? Your body is your responsibility too. Not just mine."
His tone was scathing. Aria's face twisted in distress, as though she could barely breathe. She clutched her chest in pain.
"……I'm sorry."
"That's not what I want to hear. What if something dangerous had happened to you? Did you have a plan? Or did you just move without thinking? Stupidly? Do you even understand what danger is?"
Every word was true. Every word made sense. That was why it hurt. Aria remained silent, her expression growing worse.
"Did you want to make me worry? If so, you succeeded spectacularly. I thought I was going insane. Do you know what I was thinking every second? That you were suffering, that you might be dead—nothing but those awful thoughts."
"Ashtain."
Azazel stepped in front of him, unable to listen any longer. Flames sparked in her red eyes.
"Aren't you being too hard on her?"
"What's so hard about it? Did I insult her? Did I mock her character? I'm just asking what grand reason she had for acting on her own."
The air, already cold, grew even colder with their confrontation. Aria felt her chest tighten.
"Are you treating her like a child?"
"What?"
"That's exactly what you're doing. Why can we go out freely, but she can't?"
"Aria is weak."
"So you're controlling her actions too? Telling her not to go out? By that logic, most people should just lock themselves in their rooms."
"That wasn't my intention, but it could have been dangerous."
"I know, I know. But we found her, didn't we? That's what matters. You were worried. Now stop. Wouldn't it be better to talk to her gently? What do you gain by pushing her like this? I get that you're angry, but maybe calm down a little."
"I am talking. Did I hit her?"
"You did. With your words."
"Azazel."
Azazel flinched but stood her ground. "Don't make that scary face. Have you even looked at Aria's expression?"
Only then did Ashtain look at Aria's face. It was a mess. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she covered her mouth with both hands, desperately holding back sobs. His heart nearly stopped at the sight. He had hurt her with his words. He had been foolish, stupidly relentless. If she was safe, that should have been enough.
Ashtain let out a long sigh. His head throbbed. His emotions were swinging wildly, beyond his control. It was because she had gone off on her own again, putting herself in danger. Because he had thought he lost her. Because he thought he had missed her again.
Crash. He clenched his fist and slammed it into the wall. The already unstable structure could not withstand the force and collapsed with a rumble. Ashtain exhaled deeply, as though the ground itself might cave in beneath him.
"You're right. I need to cool my head."
He strode over and took Aria's hand. Her trembling passed through their joined fingers. It hurt. His heart ached.
"Let's go."
"……Yes."
As Ashtain turned to leave, Leon stepped in front of him.
"Sir Ashtain, she has done nothing wrong. I am the one who insisted."
"……Move."
He pushed past Leon and kept walking—until a sorrowful cry rang out behind him.
"She had no choice if she wanted to save Edelis! She was doing the right thing!"
Ashtain stopped and turned his head. Edelis Bride. Why was Leon de Gallia's knight being mentioned now?
"Didn't you say Edelis left you?"
Leon's blue eyes widened at the word "left."
"……It seems you have met him, Sir Ashtain."
"……Him?"
Leon grimaced as though he had swallowed bitter coffee. "My original."
Original? Ashtain stared at the prince in shock.
"……Leon, what do you mean……"
This world was filled with monsters. Some spewed acid that melted people, others wielded powerful magic. But the most troublesome ones, in Ashtain's experience, were different.
Doppelgangers. Rare, elusive monsters that perfectly copied a person's appearance, memories, and personality—becoming that person in every way.
"Yes. I am the doppelganger of Leon de Gallia."
The sudden confession hung in the air. A hollow winter wind blew past.
The doppelganger spoke again. "Have you come to your senses now, Sir Ashtain?"
"……Let's change locations. This conversation is going to take a while."