That Day's Me, Today's You, Our Changed Selves. #31.
That Day's Me, Today's You, Our Changed Selves. #31.
What the hell is this all of a sudden? I had to doubt my own ears. Me... conspiring in treason? Me, who had been planning a wonderful trip once we returned home, accused of plotting treason...?
Ah, no... Biela, you promised we'd go on that trip together. Why are you all doing this out of nowhere...?
"Uahaha! See? I told you there was a sinister glint hidden in that bitch's innocent eyes!"
King Brikal cackled viciously, pointing at me. Ah... none of this felt real. Was I having a nightmare? Why was everything suddenly going wrong like this?
All the nobles and soldiers I'd thought had gathered to welcome me heroically turned their weapons on me in unison. Swordsmen raised their blades, mages ignited their spells. And the scribes gripped their pencils, ready to record the hero's downfall.
A surprise event? That's what this was, right?
"B-Biela. Why are you doing this...! We were supposed to go on that trip...!"
"W-When did I ever say that?!"
Biela looked flustered, as if she'd never heard such a thing, her arrow tip trained on me. What? Was I imagining things?
The sudden betrayal made my hands and feet tremble so badly I could barely stand. What the hell was going on? It made no sense.
Biela?
"W-what are you talking about... We agreed to travel to your territory together, eat all the delicious food, soak in the hot springs...!"
In the end, an agitated shout burst from my lips. In this unfair situation where I was made to look like a fool, tears welled up unbidden.
Yet Daltan, still aiming his sword at me, and Gleon, with his magic staff pointed my way, didn't waver. Still, Biela's gaze on me seemed somehow different. But in the end, even she had betrayed me.
"W-what nonsense is this! Your Majesty! It's a blatant lie...!"
"B-Biela...!"
Why...! Why are you denying our promise...?!
On the way to defeat the Demon King, you showed me the paths, told me about famous foods and sights in the territories along our route. You said there was so much to tell me since it was my first time in this world...!
You were jealous of Daltan and Gleon admiring me, but you still kindly shared it all...! How could you... how could you do this to me!
Was your jealousy really that bad? Is that why you betrayed me like this!
Whoosh!
In an instant, uncontrollable mana flared in my left hand—a crimson flame flower. And that flame blazed fiercely enough to scorch the blade in my right hand.
Brikal looked down at me and laughed savagely again.
"Uahaha! See?! The Saintess's prophecy was right! To think you'd betray even me, who was about to reward you?!"
You're the ones betraying me...!
Rage boiled up to my throat, but the eyes of my comrades blocking my path filled me with sorrow greater than fury, choking my voice.
"When... when did you all decide to betray me? From the very beginning?!"
My question flew toward Biela. Daltan and Gleon? I could believe it from them—they always put their own safety first in crises. But you... we fought back-to-back!
"D-don't look at me like that! It's life or death! I don't want to die as a traitor!"
Why? We all fought with our lives on the line against the Demon King—why won't you fight with me now with your life on the line!?
"We fought with our lives on the line the whole journey...! H-how could you abandon me...!?"
"B-because you're a traitor! The Saintess's oracle said so!"
My gaze followed where Biela pointed. There stood Saintess Yuria beside the throne, looking down at me.
The Saintess who communed with the gods to summon me here. The one who always spoke only truth, relaying the divine words of the holy god.
But... why are you lying?
"...."
Yuria's sky-blue eyes trembled violently at my gaze, then she looked away.
You know it's not true. You, of all people, know better than anyone that I'm no traitor...!
"Why... why are you all doing this to meee!!"
A scream like a roar finally erupted, and I unleashed all my mana.
Whoosh!
The surging mana spewed fierce flames once more.
"You're all too much... You're all really too much... How could you do this to me... I just wanted a wonderful trip...! Why are you all doing thiiis!!"
It was a cry close to a wail. No one in the vast throne room heeded it.
"Tsk tsk, romance like travel is a luxury for traitors! Guards! What are you waiting for? Make that traitor kneel!"
Brikal bellowed at me. His repulsive lips curled sky-high in delight at the success of his plot. First impressions are everything—he really was as ugly inside as out.
But... how could the Saintess beside him trample me with such an angelic face...!?
"Biela! What are you doing? Full assault! Attack now!!"
"A-ah...! Got it...!"
Beyond my charging former comrades, I glared at Saintess Yuria. Her once-clear sky-blue eyes had clouded over like a storm sky.
Pity in her gaze? So you do know, Saintess? That I'm no traitor?
That I'm just a pure 23-year-old woman who wanted an amazing adventure? But... but... how could you do this to me...!?
Like rage exploding from my dantian, I swung my flaming holy sword—toward the pitying, ash-gray eyes of Saintess Yuria.
You're the worst. The absolute worst!
You said it yourself!
"[You are the hero who will save the kingdom.]"
And now you're saying I was fated to commit treason...!?
Whoooosh!
The massive flaming sword aura hurtled straight for the Saintess, but it was shattered by my master standing beside her, sword at his side.
Master Dubel. He looked at me with complex, conflicted eyes.
You know too, don't you, Master? That I was a woman full of dreams and adventure—you heard all about it over those months!
"Dubel! Deal with that bitch now!"
"...Understood, Your Majesty."
Honestly, I could have blocked attacks from Biela, Daltan, and Gleon. I was defending against them while eyeing that rotten throne.
But Master was different. And if he joined them...
I'd collapse.
Whish!Screech!Boom!
"Hngh...!"
In the end, I crumbled under the all-out assault. I wasn't a hero by raw power, but by fate—I had no way to withstand Master's sword aura.
Yet amid it, I sensed faint mercy. Like in our old sparring sessions, he deflected all blows that could have been fatal.
Coughing, I vomited blood.
"Cough...! Haa... haa... You're all too much... What did I ever do wrong...!"
Tears came in this wretched reality. Why had tragedy struck so suddenly? Where had it all gone wrong? Was hoping for happiness here the mistake?
Propping myself on my now-faded holy sword, I scanned my blurring surroundings. Master held his blade to my throat.
And I could feel it—the tip trembling faintly.
Yes, in this barren, brutal world, someone understood me. What a comfort that was...
Master.
"Enough... Surrender, Emil. It's... meaningless now."
"Hic... You're all bad... What did I do wrooong!!"
On my knees, I screamed toward the throne room ceiling, praying my voice reached the heavens' god. If it did, I'd sever that god's neck.
Why should I cry when I'm innocent? You betrayed me—why am I the traitor!
But in the end, I dropped my holy sword. And the moment I did, Grand Sage Wallock began siphoning my power, as if waiting.
Weakened. Will broken. Purpose lost.
I yielded it willingly. If I'd resisted, he couldn't have taken it. But as Master said, would it have mattered? No. In this scripted play, I'd just been a fool dancing for Brikal's amusement.
Thud.
Drained of all power, back to fragile Choi Yoon-seo, I prostrated myself as they wished—a traitor on the floor.
"Hic... hngh... Why... why..."
Tears flowed. Dreams shattered, bitter despair and regret poured out as sobs. Was this how Hero Emilia's story ended?
So much left undone... Foods to eat, things to try, sights to see... Was I dying like this...?
"Uahaha! See? Heroes are nothing special! Throw that traitor in the underground dungeon!"
And so, overnight, I was imprisoned in inescapable terror of betrayal.
**
"E-Emilia...!"
"Wh... what are you doing here, Biela."
I looked around, but Master wasn't there. Scary. Where are you, Master? Master...
Biela took a step closer, and fear swept over me—I stepped back. Those eyes of the weak might be sharpening a knife again. Once she'd stabbed me in the back, twice would be easy.
"Emilia...! I'm really sorry...! Forgive me...!"
"...Huh?"
Suddenly, Biela knelt like I had that day.
"...Why... why are you...?"
"Forgive me...! I'm sorry...! I was scared, didn't want to die—I had no choice... Sorry, really...!"
Biela apologizing to me. What had happened to make her like this? Come to think of it, I'd wondered the same that day. Why are you doing this to me?
"Why... why are you doing this...?"
"T-to survive...! You know the king's word is law...! And the oracle was so clear—I had no choice...! S-sorry...!"
Tears shimmered in Biela's apologetic eyes. Her puffy eyelids suggested she'd already cried a storm. Why?
Her tears stirred mine—tears of joy. For me, with grand dreams shattered and only nightmares left, the remorse of betrayers was joy.
"To survive...? So you killed me?"
"Wh-what? K-kill...!?"
"...That day, I died. Emilia died."
"N-no! You're alive and well right now...!?"
"Alive... and well...?"
At my murmur, Biela realized her slip, her body convulsing in panic—like someone desperate to relieve themselves. Yeah, you said it earlier. If you shit, you clean it up yourself.
"A-ah, s-sorry! I'll beg like this! Please!"
Biela clasped her hands in prayer to clean her mess. Seeing "that day's me" in her pitiful form blurred my vision with tears.
Did you all look at me that day with such eyes? No. You were crueler than the Demon King.
"...Sorry to me? For real...?"
"Y-yes! S-sorry...! Hic...! It's real! I was scared...! Didn't want to die, wanted to live! Waaah...! It's true... really true...!"
Biela finally shed rabbit-like tears. I wouldn't deny human survival instinct. Everyone lives to survive.
Knowing that, similar tears wet the floor from my eyes too.
I was glad. This apology from the one who crushed my dreams couldn't revive them, but it might scab the wound. Scabs let new flesh grow beneath.
So I was glad. Biela's remorse would spur me to overcome, as promised to Master.
I approached Biela, who had become that day's me.
"Really... truly regret it?"
"Hic... Sorry... really sorry... I was wrong..."
Like that day's me. I knelt gracefully before her, sobbing prostrate on the floor.
Biela on the cold stone. Me on the soft carpet.
Like they looked down from the throne that day, now I looked down on her.
"Forgive me... hic... I regret it so much... If only I'd fought by your side... hic..."
"I understand."
"R-really? You'll forgive me?"
Her tear-and-snot-streaked face seemed genuine. The frail expression of the weak begging mercy. I knew it best of all.
Facing the mirror of that day's me—how hard, sad, suicidal it must have felt... Fragments of memory crushed my heart again.
But they no longer cut. My healing heart, scarred and toughened per Master's words, would only grow stronger.
Just... realizing anew that one day of betrayal hurt worse than 65 days of Sregon's torture hell, turning a year of adventure into hell...
Yeah, you're all far worse than Sregon. At least he never betrayed me...
Misreading my tears, Biela brightened.
"R-really forgiving me...?"
"Forgive..."
I wiped my tears and met Biela's eyes squarely.
Forgiving Sregon was for escape. From the abyss.
But now, I don't run. Master wants that too.
Tears gone, I stared into her desperate eyes.
"...I'll never forgive you."
"Wh-what...?"
"Emilia died that day. I won't forgive any of you... ever."
Despair like that day's me filled Biela's eyes.
Yeah... feel it now. What hell is like.
Heroes dispense mercy and goodwill? You stole the hero from me.
So.
"I'll never forgive you—no, I won't."
And now I'm not Emilia. Thanks to Master, I'm newly born Isel.
No need to forgive you.
Terror like mine gleamed in Biela's eyes, as I shoved her into hell's pit myself.
"Ah... aaah... Emili..."
"...Emilia's gone now."
Tears flowed from Biela's eyes. Mine finally stopped.
Tragedies don't end in comedy, do they...?
"I'll never forgive you. Any of you."
That day's me, today's you.
...We're different now.
**
#31. That Day's Me, Today's You, Our Changed Selves —fin.