Ominous Signs
A full day had passed since he rejected the First Princess’s proposal. Contrary to her warning that he would regret it, Hwian was spending relatively peaceful hours.
“Hmm…”
He rose with the morning light and swung his sword in a quiet corner of the training grounds. Once he had eaten enough to fuel his body, he spent the time while it digested shuttling back and forth to the library, filling the gaps in his knowledge. The days unfolded in an almost suspiciously ordinary rhythm, nothing like the swift retaliation he had expected.
As usual, he was preparing to leave the palace when a lingering question drifted through his mind. With a sigh, he leaned back in his chair.
…Why…
Why had the First Princess’s offer displeased him so intensely? It was not regret, merely a simple question that had taken root. Looking back now, the proposal had not been so terrible. Her arrogant tone still grated on him, yet the terms themselves had not warranted such a sharp refusal.
Submit, and I shall share power with you… It was an exceptionally bold condition. Of course, no matter how much authority she granted him, it held little meaning for a man who would soon depart the palace. But the reverse was also true: if he remained here a while longer, that same power could be turned to countless purposes.
He could pressure merchants and blacksmiths to craft him the finest equipment. He could gather mages and push their research into return magic even further. Or he could amass a fortune and organize his own expedition against the Demon King. This was no half-hearted authority; it was power offered by a princess of the realm. Had he wished it, the applications would have been limitless.
Yet the moment he heard her words, he had frowned as though he had stumbled upon something filthy. He had overturned his teacup and spat out his rejection like venom.
Why?
A day later, the question finally rose in his mind. It was a question aimed at his own emotions. He had felt genuine fury while listening to the First Princess. His mind had gone coldly calm amid the boiling rage. No matter how incompetent or arrogant she was, those traits warranted contempt, not anger. So why had he been so enraged?
He closed his eyes and recalled her exact words. When understanding dawned, a small, bitter smile curved his lips.
The First Princess had looked upon her half-sister with open disdain.
She had voiced her hatred without hesitation.
She had wanted Serena removed from the palace entirely. That was the part that had ignited Hwian’s fury. In his eyes, Serena was someone who lived with genuine effort. Hearing the First Princess insult her had been unbearable.
“I’ve grown soft,” he murmured, glancing down at the book in his hands. This volume, too, was something Serena had scoured the old wing of the library to find for him.
When he had first seen her, his only emotion had been hatred. Rage at being summoned to this wretched world. Unbearable fury toward the girl who had ultimately caused his death. Only later had he learned of her position within the palace and how fragile a royal could truly be.
…
Her body carried the traces of abuse. Through the translucent fabric of her clothes, he had glimpsed the faint marks of repeated violence. How could he have directed any more anger at someone like her? How could he have raised his voice against a girl who already wept, insisting that everything was her own fault and that she was sorry?
For the first time, Hwian had felt pity. The girl who had dragged him into this hell suddenly seemed pitiable.
“After that… well.”
He had made a deal with her, hoping to ease even a little of her guilt. In truth, he had needed an ally. Serena, crushed beneath her own sense of sin, would undoubtedly work hard for him; a darker calculation had lurked in the corner of his mind, intending to use her. The result, however, had far exceeded his expectations. She devoted herself to him with startling sincerity.
Whenever he trained his body, she appeared without fail to offer water and snacks. When he sought information, she would scamper off to the library and return with armfuls of necessary books. She even cooked for him with clumsy hands and presented the results like a gift. When he reluctantly told her it was delicious, her small face would bloom into the brightest smile, as innocent as a child.
That unconditional, unexpected goodwill left him unsure how to treat her.
“Serion told me to get along with her, but…”
Did she want him to become her friend? Or did she hope he would serve as a shield to protect her in this palace where she had no allies? Both possibilities seemed plausible, yet both felt slightly off the mark. He suspected what she truly wanted was something else entirely.
…It was only when his thoughts reached that point that he realized the truth.
At some point, he had begun to care about Serena. He had unconsciously erased any option that involved betraying the small, fragile girl. That was why he had rejected the First Princess’s proposal without a second thought. Once he saw it clearly, the reason was surprisingly straightforward.
…
As he continued thinking with his eyes closed, he suddenly felt a faint tickle in his chest. Pity. Sympathy. A subtle gratitude toward the girl who offered him unwavering kindness. Something that had bloomed in the narrow space between love and hate.
“What should I even call this…”
It was not love. To a man who had lived a barren life soaked in blood, romantic feelings were impossibly distant. Besides, he was not so twisted as to harbor such emotions for a girl who appeared no older than fourteen or fifteen.
“Haah… It’s complicated. Carmen, what would you have said…”
Faced with a problem that offered no easy answer, Hwian murmured the name of his former comrade. In the timeline before his regression, whenever he had been lost in thought, she would appear and give him a clear reply. Now that everything had been reset, calling her name only left him feeling lonely.
“…Hm?”
A soft knock pulled him from his reverie. Then a gentle voice tickled his ear.
“Um, Hero? Are you inside? It’s nearly lunchtime, so if you haven’t eaten yet…”
She had brought something to eat. If he didn’t mind, would he share the meal with her? It was a request she had begun making often since their deal. A faint smile touched Hwian’s lips as he answered.
“Sure, that sounds good. Come in. What did you bring today?”
“Ah, yes! This time I tried making soup with fermented paste. The taste is decent, but the smell is a little strong…”
“The smell?”
A savory aroma reminiscent of light miso soup spread through the room. It seemed the fermented paste she spoke of was similar to something from his own world. A faint wave of nostalgia washed over him.
“It smells nice. Come here, let’s eat together.”
“Are you sure it’s all right…?”
“Of course. It’s nothing.”
Serena carefully carried a large tray, stepping with the caution of someone far more accustomed to the ways of commoners than royalty. Hwian helped her set the table. As he accepted the utensils and felt her slightly nervous gaze upon him, he took the first spoonful with care.
“Mm. It’s delicious.”
“Really?”
When she asked again, timidly, Hwian gave her a firm nod. Only then did her face relax into a smile. Seeing it, a smile rose to his own lips as well.
This peaceful scene would vanish once he left the palace. The thought brought a touch of regret, but it also made him want to savor the moment while it lasted. He moved his utensils slowly, letting the tranquil atmosphere fill the room.
He believed this gentle rhythm would continue for at least the next few months.
It was a gloomy day that grated on the nerves. Rain had been pouring since morning, forcing him to abandon training and focus solely on gathering information.
“She’s late.”
Inside the room where the sound of rain echoed, Hwian frowned as he ran his fingers over the cover of a finished book. Serena, who had promised to come, had not appeared. That very morning she had smiled brightly and told him she had found a book she wanted to recommend first, urging him to look forward to it. Now that the appointed time had come and gone without any sign of her, a thread of unease wound through his heart.
“Hoo…”
He picked up his outer coat and rose from his seat. Without hesitation, he stepped out of the room to look for her. She was not the sort to miss an appointment without good reason; his certainty came from everything she had shown him so far.
He walked down the corridor, listening to the rain. The air felt slightly chilly against his skin as he continued on. Before long, he found her.
“H-Hero?! Why are you all the way out here…”
Her left cheek was swollen bright red, as if someone had struck her. There, in a secluded corner of the palace, the tiny girl was secretly treating her own wounds.
“A-ahaha… Um, I’m sorry. I’m a little late, aren’t I…?”
Serena spoke cautiously, watching his reaction. But the forced smile she tried to maintain melted away the moment she saw the look on his face.
“Please don’t make that expression, Hero.”
Sadness filled her eyes as she looked at him.
“I’m fine. I’m used to this much.”
The words sent an indescribable emotion surging through his mind. Without a word, he walked over to her. Then he draped the coat he was wearing around her small shoulders.
…
“Come with me.”
He took her hand gently and led her back toward his room. Inside his chest, a resolve stronger than any he had felt before burned with fierce intensity.