Lingering Memories
The scenery flew past the window in a rapid blur. Inside the carriage, an unnatural silence hung between us—a young man and woman in the prime of life, engaged to be married, no less. It felt almost eerie.
I shifted my gaze from the passing landscape and stole a glance at Scadia. Instead of her usual academy uniform, she wore an extravagant, high-end blue dress. She looked breathtaking, the kind of beauty that would make any man do a double take.
The girl who once looked at me with sky-blue eyes like that was gone now. Scadia's eyes had become as cold and frigid as the perpetual snow that never melts on the mountain peaks.
She scanned her magic tome with a blank expression, then seemed to sense my stare and spoke.
“Do you have something to say?”
“...No.”
“Then I'd appreciate it if you looked somewhere else. You're making it hard for me to focus on my reading.”
“I only looked for a second. Read as much as you want.”
Perhaps because of the dream I'd had at dawn, the usual harsh words refused to leave my mouth. Scadia, who had probably expected some delinquent outburst from me, tilted her head slightly at my unusually tame response. Of course, she quickly lost interest and immersed herself back in her tome as if it made no difference.
'It's been three years, huh?'
Marquis Ainz Maryland had not visited the Priulri territory once in the eight years since his wife's death. Though time had gradually helped him recover and he had begun appearing in public again, by then his relationship with Scadia had already become hopelessly tangled. Since the original Luan Priulri had shown no interest in meeting him either, their encounters had grown rare. The only time they'd met in the last three years was at the imperial palace, during the engagement ceremony between the Crown Prince and Remian Herana—practically a forced meeting.
I wondered what kind of reaction he would have when he saw me.
'Please, just let this pass without any trouble.'
With that worry in mind, the carriage rolled on and on until we finally reached our destination. As we passed through the main gate and approached the mansion entrance, I saw a long line of servants standing at attention, with a gentle-looking man positioned at their center. He appeared far too youthful to have a twenty-year-old daughter.
'As expected of a high-ranking mage.'
Powerful mana had a way of defying even the passage of time. Feeling the majestic flow of energy through my senses, I stepped down from the carriage alongside Scadia.
“Hahaha, Luan. It's been a long time. Welcome.”
“Thank you for the invitation, Count Maryland.”
“That title sounds much too stiff. You can call me Uncle like before.”
The hand that clapped my shoulder and the look in his eyes both carried genuine goodwill toward me. Nothing had changed from three years ago. Even though he must have known about every wicked act the original Luan Priulri had committed, he still offered his steadfast support.
When I quietly bowed my head, Scadia, standing beside me, interjected.
“Father. Let's continue this inside. It's difficult to talk out here.”
“Of course, my dear. Follow me. I've prepared a meal for us.”
“Then please excuse us.”
After offering a polite bow, I followed behind Count Ainz with Scadia. The mansion interior had an air of classical elegance. The floors were marble, and art pieces such as ceramics and paintings were tastefully arranged at regular intervals, adding to the beauty.
While admiring the interior, our group soon arrived at the dining room. We took our seats as directed and placed napkins on our laps. As if they had been waiting for this moment, the maids brought out trays laden with food. The appetizer was mushroom soup.
“You must be hungry, so eat first. We can talk slowly afterward.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
And so the meal began. Despite three people moving their utensils, not a single sound disturbed the room. It was suffocating, but this was the etiquette of nobility. I had struggled quite a bit learning it as a child. Of course, since I had transmigrated into this body, I was basically winging it completely.
'This is stifling.'
Count Ainz wasn't scolding me or anything, but simply being in his presence created an immense sense of pressure. The only saving grace was that the food was exceptionally delicious, which helped distract me.
A short while later, after I had eaten about half my soup, Count Ainz opened the conversation.
“So. How is life at the academy?”
“It's quite good. Moderately enjoyable and moderately challenging. We're allowed to go out freely on weekends, so it doesn't feel confining. Lately, I've been focusing on training every day.”
“Haha, is that so? I remember you had given up on swordsmanship, but it seems things have worked out well. Your father will be pleased.”
“...He probably will.”
To be honest, I wasn't sure. When I had searched through Luan Priulri's memories, Ian Priulri hadn't seemed particularly favorable toward his son learning the sword. It could have been due to a lack of talent, but the concern in his eyes from the very beginning suggested something more. Instead, it was Isis who had been subjected to that brutally intense training.
While I was lost in these thoughts, the conversation baton passed to Scadia.
“Scadia. How have you been lately? Have you made any progress in magic?”
“No. I'm currently stuck at a wall. If I could achieve enlightenment, I believe I could ascend to the fifth circle.”
“Haha! The fifth circle at twenty years old... You'd receive the same attention as the Magic Tower Masters as the youngest mage. Remarkable.”
Count Ainz smiled with satisfaction. Reaching the fifth circle at such a young age carried that much influence. What he failed to realize, however, was that Scadia wouldn't stop at the fifth circle. If nothing changed, she would reach the sixth circle before the year was out. The entire world would probably be thrown into an uproar then. In the game, people had even speculated she might achieve the legendary realm of Transcendence.
'Unfortunately, that proved impossible.'
Before Scadia could pioneer the path to Transcendence, Abel had slain the immortal demonic beast Leviose, triggering the ending. What would happen here remained to be seen.
“Still, it's far from enough. I can't be satisfied with merely the sixth circle.”
“That's the spirit. The first Lord of Maryland reached the ninth circle, after all. Continue striving forward.”
“Yes, Father.”
Perhaps thanks to the flowing conversation, the awkward atmosphere began to ease and the tension slowly drained away. A few more questions followed in that relaxed mood until the meal finally came to an end.
“Shall we get up then? Luan, I'll show you around the mansion.”
“Sounds good. Then please excuse me for now.”
I was about to rise and follow Scadia when—
“Wait. Luan, could you stay behind for a moment?”
Count Ainz stopped me. As Scadia and I exchanged puzzled glances, the Count continued.
“Scadia. Could you wait outside first? There's something we need to discuss, just the two of us.”
“Can't I stay?”
“Haha! There are things men need to talk about alone. I'm asking you as a favor.”
“...Understood. Please don't take too long.”
“I won't.”
Though she wore a displeased expression, Scadia left the dining room. Now only the two of us remained inside. I quietly sat back down in my chair.
“Don't be too nervous. It's nothing too serious.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I simply wanted to talk a bit about the past.”
“The past...”
The contents of the dream I'd had at dawn flashed through my mind once more. My heart stirred uneasily.
“It's about when Rukina passed away.”
“You mean the Countess?”
“That's right. At the time, I fell into deep grief. As a result, I became somewhat neglectful toward Scadia. Afterward, I became obsessed with the idea that I had to raise her well enough to make up for her mother's share, and treated her harshly. Perhaps because of that, my daughter's personality grew even colder.”
“That...”
It wasn't your fault. Listening to him, I wanted to say those words. The reason Scadia's personality had changed like this was entirely because of me. But what would change by revealing that now? Our relationship was already broken beyond repair. All I could do was listen silently.
After talking at length, Count Ainz suddenly seemed to think of Scadia and wrapped up his story.
“Haha! I went on longer than I intended. There's only one thing I want to say. Please take good care of Scadia. She may appear cold and heartless on the outside, but she's actually a delicate child inside. I know it's selfish, but could you grant this request of mine?”
“......I'll do my best.”
I deliberately gave a vague answer. I didn't want to make false promises to the Count, and more importantly, as a third party, I couldn't recklessly make such vows. Fortunately, the Count seemed satisfied even with that level of response.
“Haha! Yes, that's enough. Now go on. Scadia must be waiting.”
“Yes. I'll see you again later.”
After exchanging empty pleasantries, I left the dining room. Scadia, who had been waiting, approached me.
“I don't know what you two talked about in there, but don't pay it any mind. Understood?”
“...Yeah.”
“Then follow me. We'll walk through the garden first to aid digestion.”
As if she had no interest whatsoever in the conversation's contents, Scadia turned her back and took the lead. Soon, they arrived at the garden. With spring in full bloom, flowers of every variety were in blossom. Insects drawn by their sweet fragrance filled the air.
While walking behind Scadia, I suddenly noticed a blue butterfly. It was clearly different from an ice-flower butterfly, but at first glance, it looked similar. Once again, the dream from dawn came to mind.
'How annoying.'
I wasn't sure if it was because I was synchronizing with the body, but the more strongly I recalled those memories, the more a certain emotion toward Scadia surged within me. It wasn't a powerful feeling like hatred or possessiveness, but a kind of lingering attachment that was difficult to shake off. That something had taken firm root in a corner of my heart and refused to let go.
In that moment, Scadia seemed to notice the butterfly as well. She glanced sideways at my face without a word, then casually tossed out,
“Do you miss your hometown?”
“Not at all.”
“Then why are you staring at that butterfly? It's nothing special.”
I wondered if Scadia even remembered the first time we met. The question had nothing to do with my current situation, yet I couldn't hold it back. Knowing it was a pointless action, I finally opened my mouth.
“...It reminded me of when we first met.”
At those words, Scadia's body visibly flinched. She rarely showed such clear signs of agitation. She bit her lip hard.
“What are you suddenly talking about? Why bring up the past?”
“It just came to mind. What did you do with the butterfly you took back then?”
“I don't know. I don't even remember something like that anymore.”
“That's understandable. It's been a long time.”
When I nodded in acceptance, Scadia's expression grew even more furious. The original Luan Priulri would have responded to this kind of exchange with his usual tyrannical behavior, but today's unusually mild reaction seemed to throw her off. In a reluctant voice, she finally revealed the truth.
“...The butterfly died a long time ago. It couldn't adapt to the warmer region.”
“I figured as much. No wonder you stopped talking about butterflies after that.”
“I simply forgot about it. A butterfly holds no great value anyway.”
That was a lie. When she had once visited the Priulri territory, she had always favored flower-shaped accessories, yet there was a time she proudly wore a butterfly-shaped one. It was proof that those memories held value for her as well.
“For someone who forgot, your memory seems quite detailed.”
“Are you suspecting me right now? Let me say it again—I didn't mention it because there's no value in revealing the truth. What meaning would it have? I have no desire to hear your consolation.”
“Then let's leave it at that.”
“It's not 'leaving it at that'! Haa... Fine. Let's go back. I'll explain to Father that we returned a bit early.”
Apparently deciding that continuing would only put her at a disadvantage, Scadia barely suppressed her anger and turned back toward the mansion. She was displaying a wide range of emotions that I'd never seen from her before.
Following her back to the mansion, I immediately boarded the carriage that had been called for us. As we headed back to the academy, I let out a sigh.
'Today was quite productive.'
I had discovered Scadia's reverse scale, and I had also realized that my own condition was more dangerous than I'd thought. Most people value the soul over the body. They believe the memories and ego contained within it are what define them most. In other words, people are greatly influenced by their memories.
The memories of Luan Priulri were currently changing my sense of self. I worried that if this continued, I might be completely consumed—my identity as Lee Hyun-woo would disappear, and I might even forget my desire for revenge. From now on, I needed to stay vigilant.
'I won't be swayed by mere memories.'
I closed my eyes and repeated it to myself over and over.
Time passed in the blink of an eye. I now stood in front of the warp gate installed in the grand auditorium, preparing to head to the training camp site. Around me, students buzzing with excitement chatted with their friends in line.
“Since the academy chose the place, it must be a high-class training facility, right? I'm so excited!”
“The seniors said it's better than a hotel. The program isn't that intense either. They told me to just think of it as a vacation.”
“Well, these days if you treat students like it's the old military style, the knights would throw a fit. Of course things had to change.”
Whether in this world or in Korea, the situation was the same. Training camps had gradually transformed from places that tormented students with harsh discipline into venues for enjoying various programs. Academy students spent every day training and studying, so letting them enjoy themselves for a few days made sense. It was less about avoiding controversy and more likely because it had proven more efficient.
Anyway, the important thing was that for the next few days, I could rest without complicated thoughts. Of course, there were still a few things I needed to pay attention to.
“Next group, enter!”
While I was observing the situation, the line in front of me had completely disappeared. Following Sara's instructions, I jumped into the gate. The training camp had finally begun.