Relentless Pursuit (2)
As I stood before the mansion, the old gate began to swing open with a loud, grating screech.
“Welcome back, my lord.”
“...Yeah.”
Passing through the gate and stepping into the entrance hall, I found Diana waiting for me just as she always did. The only difference was that instead of her usual knight’s uniform, she wore simple, comfortable civilian clothes.
At that moment, Merlin—who had followed me in—let out a derisive snort.
“She only opens the door now?”
“May I ask what brings you here?”
“Hah. Do I need some grand reason to enter my own house?”
“I was merely following my lord’s orders.”
I had left instructions to guard the mansion and to allow no one inside. Still, I never imagined she would turn away even Merlin, the actual owner.
Merlin glared at Diana with an expression that said, Is this woman for real?
“Have you no flexibility at all? If your master ordered you to die, would you slit your own throat on the spot?”
“...Isn’t that obvious?”
“...Never mind.”
Yes. That was exactly like Diana. Simply seeing that same unchanging, stoic face somehow made the mountain of stress I’d accumulated at the imperial palace feel insignificant.
The conversation ended in Diana’s complete victory. I guided the grumbling Merlin to a seat near a suitable chair.
Since only the two of us lived in the mansion, there were naturally no maids or servants to attend us. Conscious of that, Diana rose from her seat, saying she would brew the tea herself.
Once she had relaxed, Merlin finally brought up the real reason for her visit.
“What did you reap from your trip to the imperial palace?”
“Is that why you came?”
“Obviously. I help you cross dimensions. You take me to your world. That was the contract from the beginning, wasn’t it?”
Merlin flashed a sly, theatrical smile.
She was right. In the end, our goals were the same.
I opened my mouth slowly.
“There was a harvest. I met the princess and saw the Rosario around her neck with my own eyes.”
“And?”
I pulled out the pendant the emperor had given me. It was a kind of identification proving one was an alchemist affiliated with the imperial family. In the corner, alongside the imperial crest, the name Kyle Winfred was engraved in elegant cursive.
This single item granted unrestricted access to the imperial palace.
“And where exactly did you get that?”
“You don’t need to know.”
“Fair enough. The process doesn’t really matter.”
A deceptively innocent smile bloomed on Merlin’s lips.
“Then it’s simple. We just kidnap the princess when the chance appears.”
If only it were that easy. The already wary Rudine Eckhart even knew I had regressed. The idea of catching a villainess who could read people perfectly and excelled at schemes off-guard at the ideal moment and successfully abducting her... This trash game truly had no equal.
Merlin produced a small bottle from within her robes. Inside, densely packed sparkling white powder glittered.
“What’s that?”
“Hypnotic powder. A special blend that induces powerful hallucinations and forces sleep upon inhalation. Most monsters would lose consciousness after a single spray. If an opening appears, throw it straight into the princess’s face. It works even in the most critical moments.”
Hypnotic powder. The name was familiar. One of the highest-grade consumable items capable of inflicting powerful status ailments. Just how much was a quantity like this worth?
Without hesitation, I snatched the glass bottle.
Merlin continued in a detached tone, as if the matter were trivial.
“Simply obtaining the Holy Relic isn’t the end. To cross dimensions, you must draw out the relic’s full potential.”
“Potential?”
“Was that unclear? It means you have to activate the Holy Relic once you possess it.”
“And how do I do that?”
“Crossing dimensions ultimately means shattering the laws of this world entirely, doesn’t it?”
She was right. This world was a game where every person’s fate had already been decided.
The moment I crossed dimensions, every scenario would tangle into chaos, and the world itself would plunge into an inescapable abyss.
“The instant you completely break free from the flow of fate the world has dictated, causality will seize you. Crossing dimensions is, in itself, a denial of the world’s causality.”
“...”
“There’s no need to worry. The method is surprisingly simple.”
Merlin gave a soft laugh.
Then she spoke words I could scarcely believe.
“You simply need to destroy fate itself.”
“Destroy... fate...?”
“Exactly.”
Merlin quietly raised a finger.
“The god who created this world.”
Her finger pointed toward the ceiling—more precisely, toward the sky beyond.
“You just need to smash that wretched bastard.”
A bone-chilling cold crawled up the back of my neck. A low groan slipped from my parted lips.
Smashing a god? How could something like that possibly be simple? Yet Merlin’s expression remained utterly calm.
“You think that’s actually possible?”
“No need to look so shocked. A so-called god is nothing more than a mindless aggregate of causality, a cluster formed from accumulated drifting faith.”
“......Hah.”
The midday sun poured through the windows and illuminated Merlin. Her deep violet hair caught the light and shimmered softly.
As I stared at her in a daze, she slowly rested her chin on her hand and fixed her gaze on me.
“How strange.”
Merlin shrugged and murmured casually.
“Translucent letters of unknown meaning floating in the air.”
“...”
“An outsider like you should be able to see them.”
Her gentle voice resonated in the quiet room.
“The true identity of the one who kidnapped your soul.”
Her eyes, locked onto mine, sparkled with hidden light.
Dong— The bell announcing noon echoed through the air.
Isabel hurried down a corridor in the imperial palace. Her steps were frantic, as though something were chasing her.
Soon she stopped abruptly before a particular door.
Creak— The moment she turned the handle, brilliant sunlight stabbed her eyes.
“Lady Isabel.”
A refined voice drifted to her ears.
Isabel turned toward the sound.
Princess Rudine Eckhart sat at a small table, enjoying a leisurely teatime.
“...I greet the Empire’s sun.”
“Please, sit down. The tea is excellent today.”
Isabel took her seat with obvious reluctance. Her face made her displeasure abundantly clear.
Why did this woman call me here…?
When she had first heard that Kyle had lost consciousness, Isabel felt as if her heart had shattered. According to the reports, he had collapsed after vomiting dark blood, every vein in his body twisted into knots. Though the empire’s finest physicians had attended him and claimed his condition was improving, Isabel could not find peace.
That was why she had wanted to remain at the side of the unconscious Kyle.
But—
—Get lost right now?
—Leave, if you don’t want to die.
Luna’s murderous warning as she guarded him had made even that impossible. At the time, Luna’s face had been utterly lifeless, like that of someone already half-dead.
Isabel swallowed a heavy sigh.
She wanted to kick her chair over and storm out, but since the Empire’s princess had personally invited her, she could not refuse.
The moment she forced down a sip of tea, her insides burning—
“You must have suffered greatly these past days. Your complexion is terribly dark.”
Rudine spoke with false concern.
“Was Kyle’s collapse such a shock to you?”
A sudden, mocking laugh slipped from Rudine’s lips.
“Disgusting.”
“...Pardon?”
“I said you’re disgusting, Lady Isabel. You.”
Rudine poured out venom in a voice laced with laughter, as if the moment were too entertaining to contain.
The abrupt shift left Isabel’s jaw trembling.
“Are you worried about Kyle? Do you miss him that much? Do you long for the Kyle who looked at you with blind devotion? Do you think that if you push just a little harder, he’ll eventually forgive you?”
“...You—”
“Lady Isabel, you killed him.”
Each word struck Isabel’s ears like thunder.
“You never even tried to have a proper conversation. You grew used to taking and taking until you had drained and twisted his heart completely. All while trapped in that vile selfishness that insisted only you could be right.”
“...”
“You killed him.”
“Stop...”
“You, who were his only support.”
“Please...”
“With those filthy hands, you killed Kyle yourself.”
Stop—!
Isabel clamped both trembling hands over her ears. In her panic she bit her lower lip too hard; droplets of blood fell, tracing thin red lines down her chin.
“Oh dear, are you all right, Lady Isabel?”
Rudine’s mouth smiled brightly. Yet her eyes continued to pierce Isabel with a gaze as sharp and cold as ice.
“It must hurt with regret, doesn’t it?”
“...”
“You want forgiveness, don’t you? But it won’t be easy. Once today passes, the only remaining connection between you and Kyle will be that ring on your finger.”
“...”
“If you were to die here, he might remember you for a fleeting moment. But that would be all. Kyle will forget you. He’ll rest in another woman’s arms, creating new memories.”
Isabel’s breathing grew ragged. Tears spilled from the corners of her eyes, mixing with the blood on her lips.
“But what if we tried this instead?”
Rudine playfully pressed a fingertip to her own lips.
“A holy trial.”
“...”
“It was a completely one-sided dissolution of the engagement, wasn’t it? Your wishes were never considered.”
“...”
“Since less than a year has passed, a holy trial is still possible. That would create more points of contact with Kyle and give you more chances to convey your true feelings, wouldn’t it?”
“...Ah.”
“I’ll help you. Seeing Lady Isabel’s sincerity makes even my heart ache.”
Isabel barely managed to lift her head, clinging to what remained of her sanity.
Under the bright lights, Rudine’s silver hair shimmered like molten gold.
After a long moment, Isabel’s tightly sealed lips finally parted.
“...You......”