Chapter 209: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (2)
Chapter 209: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (2)
Before I knew it, I had become the man in the dream.
My head throbbed. A deluge of unknown memories and emotions poured into me.
"In this world, there exists something called the 'Flow.' It is an absolute order that neither matter, nor spirit, nor anything else can escape. The truth of the world I have realized lies within it."
The hand axe, which had been hovering in the air, reached its zenith. Beneath it lay a segment of a branch from the World Tree. The axe blade was aimed at that stubborn wood, which had refused to split no matter what was done to it.
In the next moment, a sense of incongruity washed over me regarding the axe.
Suddenly, the axe seemed to be highlighted within my vision; my five senses sharpened all at once, screaming a warning.
That hand axe was dangerous.
"To establish oneself before that flow—that is 'Binding.'"
And then, in the next instant.
A streak of pure white light plummeted from the sky.
The power itself wasn't overwhelming. However, watching that vertical trajectory, a single thought took hold of me.
It felt as if the world itself were being split apart.
"And to delve into that flow—that is 'Unbinding.'"
With her arms crossed, the Great Witch bit down on her pipe again.
The woman, who until moments ago had looked young, now seemed infinitely towering. It was an instinctive realization.
This person was strong.
If she set her mind to it, tearing this world asunder would not be impossible.
"…It is the technique you must master from now on."
As I inhaled the exhaled tobacco smoke, my mind grew hazy once more.
Only then did a buzzing noise begin to ring in my ears.
"…Wake up."
What was being said? The voice echoing from far away was faint.
I wanted nothing more than to just pass out like this.
Just as I closed my eyes, intending to sink to the very bottom of my consciousness.
Cr-crack.
A powerful hand gripped my shoulder. The grip was so fierce I momentarily thought my bone had snapped.
Suppressing a scream, I turned my head back.
There, I saw burning golden eyes.
"I told you… to wake up!"
As if throwing me away, he hurled me out of the dream.
It was around then that I opened my eyes with a sharp intake of breath.
Gasping, I fumbled quickly for my canteen. I poured cold water down my throat in gulps and surveyed my surroundings.
It was as I expected.
The dates on the calendar had flipped forward on their own, and a strange envelope sat on the bedside table.
A headache, much like a hangover, assaulted my brain.
The pain was so intense that I wanted to go back to sleep immediately. However, my curiosity about the newly arrived letter was greater.
With a sigh, my hand tore open the envelope without hesitation.
Inside was a long letter written in a round, bubbly script.
---
To. My beloved Ian Percus,
My dear Master, I am writing this letter just as you asked.
It’s been a while since I’ve held a pen, so it feels a bit strange and even a little scary. I’ve never had a talent for writing since I was a child. Because of that, I’m worried I won't be able to properly convey the things I want to say or the feelings I want to share with you.
Hmm, what should I write in a letter?
I feel like I’ve already said "I love you" so many times, but I wonder if those feelings can be truly conveyed through written words.
Can a letter ever be as poignant as the words I whisper while in your arms?
I don't think it can.
Sincerity is always revealed through the body, after all. My true heart is best conveyed when my expressions, my eyes, my voice, and every sense directed toward you are speaking of love. So, today, I think I’ll write about some more mundane things.
My younger brother, Lupin, visited recently, and we had a meal together.
Oh, Lupin is working at the Magic Bureau of the Imperial Household. He’s not in a combat role; he joined as a researcher, but apparently, he’s been working overtime every single day lately.
He thought there would be freedom after graduating from the Magic Department's graduate school, but the truth is, it was already too late the moment he enrolled.
There is no such thing as freedom for a researcher. The only way out is to go back to graduate school, get a doctorate, and become a professor.
But seeing him wailing that he never wants to go back there was quite a sight to behold.
He’s still such a pathetic and cute little brother, isn't he? My only concern is that he still acts somewhat insolently toward you, Master. If he does it again, I’m planning to fry his spine to a crisp.
No matter what anyone says, you are my precious Master.
Even if he is my brother, he isn't as precious as you. I decided long ago that from that day forward, the first place in my life would always belong to you.
Not by anyone else's will, but by my own.
Also, Lupin asked if we had any plans to have children. I waved him off, asking how that could be possible when we aren't even married yet, but… well.
My mind is made up.
If you want it, Master, I am ready to have your child at any time.
How happy would that be?
I feel lonely now because you aren't here, but I think things would be different if there were children. Even if you weren't around, I could find happiness by pouring my love into them.
Since they would be the children of you and me, I’m sure they would be adorable and lovely.
Also, if we have a child, we should stop by the Percus Territory, shouldn't we? I caused a lot of trouble for the Percus Territory that summer. Even so, I am nothing but grateful to my parents-in-law for still doting on me.
That was a terrifying incident.
The people disappearing one after another, the Dark Priest, and that Agent of the Evil God we’d only ever seen in myths.
To be honest, there was a time when I thought it was the end. If you hadn't shown your resourcefulness back then, Master, we might have all ended up as test subjects.
I learned so many truths that summer.
About the Percus family, about the Dark Cult, and about you.
Sometimes the weight of those secrets felt heavy, but in the end, I was able to overcome it because you were there. So, thank you once again, Master.
No—my love, Ian.
Actually, I was scared and it was hard. I always pretended to be strong, but I was just a weak and cowardly girl. That’s why, on that day, I just wanted to run away.
From my family, from the Agent of the Evil God, from everywhere.
But I am here because you are here.
That alone is reason enough to dedicate my entire life to you.
Thank you for helping me reclaim my life, Master.
I promise you my unchanging love and devotion from here on out.
Oh, you’re coming home tomorrow, right?
If so, please think about it one more time before then.
About our children!
I’ll end it here. Woof.
P.S. 1: I heard that obsessive girl left for Arancote? She’s probably already screaming about how much she misses you. What an idiot.
P.S. 2: I heard that crazy bitch from the Holy Kingdom is coming soon. I will protect you no matter what, Master. So don't leave the house!
P.S. 3: I heard you’ve been visiting the Imperial Palace frequently lately. Of course, I don't want to name names, but what a shameless woman she is. To think she’s still acting like that after what she did to you in the past? I almost gagged while laughing. If I see her next time, I won't let her off easy.
From. Your loyal dog, lover, and only love.
On the 30th day of the Month of the Staff, Imperial Calendar Year 571.
---
"…'Master,' my foot."
Just hearing that title was enough to guess who the letter was from, and I couldn't help but let out a deep sigh. Just how many women was my future self involved with?
My weary eyes scanned the calendar. One thing stood out today.
Only three days had passed.
In other words, the period for which I had lost my memory was only two days. Compared to the usual week of missing memories, it was a very short time.
What had happened?
I couldn't know yet. However, judging by the contents of the letter, it seemed the next incident would take place in my hometown, the Percus Territory.
Thinking that made me even more anxious.
Like anyone else, I had a special place in my heart for the Percus Territory, where my family lived. And now, a Dark Priest and an Agent of the Evil God were going to descend upon it.
I was dying to start gathering information immediately.
My complaints about being sent letters without even a moment's rest had long since vanished.
I had to move right away. That was the only way to minimize the impact of the incident.
But as I was about to take a step forward, a single scribbled sentence caught my eye.
As always, it was a brief line.
‘Discard what must be discarded.’
It was short but powerful advice.
The words were pressed so firmly into the paper that I almost hallucinated the scent of blood and sweat clinging to them. Was it the blood the man had shed, or was it what I was destined to shed from now on?
Perhaps it was both.
I stared at the sentence for a moment with eyes that had grown hollow and deep, then hurried my pace again. That is, until something fell out of my clothes with a soft thud.
It was a seal engraved with a unique pattern.
I tilted my head and picked up the seal. I had never loosely placed such a small object in my pocket to begin with, and it was an item I had never seen before in my life.
However, the moment I confirmed the pattern on the seal, I had no choice but to fall silent once again.
It was a dragon.
In the entire continent, there was only one place that could use the dragon as its symbol.
No other group, even if they were related to dragons, would dare use it as their emblem.
That was how powerful the entity that claimed it was.
The Imperial Household.
Only then did I recall a memory I had forgotten.
I had been told someone would visit.
A high-ranking official from the Imperial Household, before long.
If so, there was only one conclusion.
My future self had met the person dispatched from the Imperial Household.
However, one point still bothered me.
"…Why is there blood on the seal?"
It seemed I would first need to find out the details of the situation.