The Village (5)

"That child is not the Emperor."

It was difficult to comprehend what she meant.

The compass Louie had given me clearly indicated this place as the Emperor's hometown. Given the circumstances, it was certain the Emperor had been born and raised here. Yet the old woman claimed that child wasn't the Emperor.

What could she possibly mean by that?

The old woman pulled a towel from her sleeve and wiped the blood streaming down her cheek. Even as the towel became soaked crimson, the bleeding showed no signs of stopping.

I reached out and cast Stop Bleeding Magic.

A red magic circle unfolded around the old woman, and soon the blood flowing from her eyes ceased.

Slightly startled by this, she looked at me and then smiled faintly.

"Thank ye kindly. These old eyes just keep weeping more with age..."

Those vivid streaks of red could never be mere tears. Yet I couldn't bring myself to press further.

I had no way of knowing what price the old woman might pay if I dug deeper.

Naturally, I became cautious in choosing my next words.

Seeing my expression, she muttered "Hmm..." as if something had occurred to her, then slowly spoke.

"Come to think of it, there is something left in the house."

With great effort, she rose to her feet and picked up the staff resting on the table.

Lily hurried after her, blocking the old woman's path with an awkward smile.

"Um, if you could just tell me where it is, I'll bring it for you."

"Hmm? No need for that. A host ought to serve their guests personally."

"Oh no, it's perfectly fine since I'm a maid—"

The old woman shook her head firmly.

"Tsk, nonsense. Ye're a guest in my home first and a maid second."

Faced with her stubborn refusal, Lily had no choice but to step aside.

Leaning heavily on her staff, the old woman slowly made her way toward the cupboard.

Her unsteady movements made both Lily and I visibly anxious.

When she reached what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠appeared to be the kitchen, she opened a drawer. After rummaging through it, she pulled out a single tea leaf.

"A rare treasure obtained long ago from the Eastern Kingdom. Though it's grown rather old by now..."

"Wait."

Evan, who had cut her off mid-sentence, moved his hand to his scabbard.

His rapidly darting eyes suddenly froze in place.

His pupils dilated slightly as he exhaled sharply.

"It's a raid."

Shiiiing.

With a clear metallic ring, he drew his sword. Lily, seemingly frightened, quickly moved closer to me.

I could feel her trembling through the arm she held.

In stark contrast, the old woman's expression remained utterly serene—as if she had been expecting this all along.

Somehow, her face looked bitterly resigned.

"Can't even spare time to serve my guests properly... what a world."

"Do you know what they are?"

"If ye've come this far, young'uns like ye should already know."

The Emperor's Hand.

The term burned itself vividly into my mind.

Without realizing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it, I clenched my fists tightly. Memories of being killed by those very creatures in the library flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern.

Though my body trembled slightly, I steadied myself with repeated deep breaths. The trembling from Lily grew more pronounced.

Gently, I stroked her hair as she shook with fear.

"Lady Adel?"

"Don't worry. Evan and I will handle this somehow."

"Stay as close to me as possible, milady. You too, grandmother."

I nodded and moved to Evan's side.

After a brief hesitation, the old woman sighed and followed suit, positioning herself behind him.

Craaaash.

At ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠least five windows shattered simultaneously. Beyond them, clusters of crimson-glowing eyeballs began staring at us like hungry ghosts.

An intense killing intent radiated from those eyes.

Unconsciously, I gulped.

Perhaps it was because they had been raised as nothing but slaughter weapons since birth. Just meeting their gaze made my limbs go numb with dread.

Whooosh.

Evan raised his sword and stood before me, murmuring like a declaration:

"I won't let them get past me."

Suddenly, blue aura erupted into flames. His eyes flashed brilliantly as a azure slash tore through the air.

The aura-laden strike cleanly severed their necks. Blood gushed forth like a fountain, spraying in all directions.

Their headless bodies crumpled to their knees.

"Huuuk."

With a sharp inhale, Evan's sword flashed again. A single swing felled at least five more.

Yet the way they kept charging forward without hesitation felt eerily unnatural.

"...Where do you think you're going?"

I layered Shield Magic solely over my fist. Using the same method I'd employed in the library, I sent one of the creatures flying as it tried to slip through.

The one that slammed into the wall coughed up blood but immediately staggered back to its feet. Their zombie-like resilience made Lily shriek and hide behind me.

Crunch...

The creatures charged forward with beast-like growls.

Evan swung his sword with an eerily calm expression. Even as blood splattered across his face, he didn't so much as blink, continuing the battle without pause.

But something about it felt wrong.

'What is it?'

My instincts screamed at me.

I didn't know what they were warning me about—only that this was the prelude to death.

I whipped my head around frantically, but I couldn't find anything out of place.

"Lady Adel?"

Even as Lily called out to me in confusion, I couldn't answer, my eyes darting everywhere.

There was definitely something off. I couldn't put it into words, but I was certain of it.

'Why aren't they coming from behind?'

The cabin's walls were made of logs—flimsy enough that the Emperor could smash through them with a single hand.

So why wasn't he?

The moment that question crossed my mind, a magic circle began forming on the floor.

I opened my mouth to shout—

—and then my body was shoved violently.

"Huh—?"

Squelch.

The sound of a blade slicing through flesh.

But I felt no pain. No agony, not even the sensation of being cut.

Someone had pushed me, and I tumbled across the floor several times before stopping.

'What—'

I lifted my head.

A crimson blade was embedded in the old woman's shoulder. She gritted her teeth, her breath ragged with pain.

"KYAAAH—!"

Lily's piercing scream made Evan snap his head toward us. Assessing the situation instantly, he swung his sword in a wide arc.

Blood sprayed from the attacker's back as he collapsed.

I scrambled to my feet and sprinted toward the old woman.

"Kkh—! Ggh—!"

Her condition was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dire.

The fabric around the blade was soaked red, and blood dripped from her arm, pooling on the floor.

The sight made my vision swim for a moment.

When I lifted my head slightly, I saw her eyes—fading, unfocused.

'Ah...'

I was used to my own death.

Because I could always turn back time. Even if I died without realizing it, I would automatically return to the past.

But the deaths of others were unfamiliar to me.

Especially the death of someone who had chosen to sacrifice themselves for me.

A memory flashed through my mind—Lily's first death.

She had taken an assassin's blade meant for me, biting down on his leg desperately to buy me time to escape.

That expression on her face as she died—

—it overlapped with the old woman's now.

The same resigned acceptance of death.

'I can't just let her die.'

The moment that thought struck me, I frantically dug out a Heal Magic Scroll from my pocket. It was expensive, but that didn't matter.

A human life was far more valuable.

Without hesitation, I tried tearing it open with both hands—

—but my fingers kept slipping in my panic.

'Get a grip, Adel!'

What the hell was I even doing?

I bit down on the scroll with my teeth and ripped it apart. The sensation of mana draining away filled me as a crimson magic circle materialized in the air.

Slowly, the old woman's bleeding began to stop.

Third-rank Heal Magic—a spell capable of treating even fatal wounds.

But despite the healing magic, her condition only worsened.

The bleeding had lessened, but it wouldn't stop.

"Ugh—"

I cast Stop Bleeding Magic over and over, but the blood kept flowing. The old woman, panting weakly, managed to speak.

"Kkh... You're... a kind girl... My child... was like that too, once..."

"Shut up! The bleeding won't stop!"

"Heh... Mouthy too... just like her..."

Despite her pained grimace, she chuckled weakly. I gritted my teeth and cast Stop Bleeding Magic again.

"Young lady... Can I... ask you... one favor...?"

Her voice trembled.

Even as she coughed up blood, she forced the words out.

"Please... save... that child..."

Her stuttering speech cut off mid-sentence.

'Ah.'

I couldn't save her.

I knew that, logically—but I couldn't stop casting spells.

Panic set in, making my arms shake violently. My mana, which had been plentiful before, was nearly depleted.

"Stop it! Just stop!"

Lily screamed, wrapping her arms around me from behind.

Her warmth seeped into me.

Only then did the old woman's face fully register in my vision.

Her eyes were closed—peaceful, as if she were merely asleep.

"...Again."

Tick. Tock.

The familiar sound of a clock echoed in my ears. Louie's voice whispered that Regression came with a price—but I ignored it.

If I didn't use it now, I knew I would regret it later.

Time rewound.