Little Mouse Ramon (3)
Without a sound, snow fell.
“Ramon… sir.”
The season that devours all. To preserve the cycle and balance of everything in the world, Father Nature has once again unsheathed his blade without fail. The only hole Ramon had frequented to gather fruits was now tightly sealed by piled snow, and icicles dangled from the ceiling where water dripped. But what was most unbearable was the cruel cold that sucked the warmth of life dry without leaving a trace.
“Ramon… sir, are you there…?”
The girl's fingers brushed against his cheek.
Ramon forced his dimming eyes open.
[Here it is.]
The hazy golden eyes looked quietly in this direction.
“Just a little more, closer, come… please.”
[No.]
The girl was offering the last remnant of life’s warmth, as small as a mouse’s tail. Ramon had already instinctively known he could not survive. If he was to die anyway, and if there was even the slightest chance for the girl to live— he could not accept this warmth now.
“Ramon… sir…”
[I am fine.]
“W-what… don’t say that.”
The girl's palm faintly glowing. Ramon tried to stop it, but he couldn't even twitch his frozen toes.
“Ho…?”
What manifested was an unknown miracle.
The grace of the World Tree, mother, thought forgotten.
[You promised me! That you wouldn't use that power again!]
“This time… it might be the last one.”
But that warmth and life force wasn't gushing from the air, but dividing the user's own. This is the love and tolerance taught by the mother World Tree to her priests under the law of Father Nature, guardian of balance.
“…Hoo, Ramon-ssi also… lies. I lied too… so… once each….”
[Is this a joke now!]
“I’m sorry….”
He showed his first expression of anger since they met.
“Live, please, Ramon-ssi. Ramon-ssi can leave here.”
[No! I will be with you.]
How many miracles had this been? The girl's life force was fading moment by moment. Ramon bitterly regretted his bold promise to protect the girl. It would have been better to have left for a while.
“Thank you. If it weren't for you, Ramon-ssi… I wouldn't have been able to endure the loneliness…”
A powerless smile.
Blue-tinged lips trembling dangerously.
“So, this… my last request…”
Words like a will.
The girl had already given up everything.
“When I die… until spring comes, my blood and flesh…”
[Don't say any more, I won't listen.]
“I’m sorry… Ramon……”
Ah, wise owl-nim.
I, the foolish one, have finally realized.
[Child, please don't close your eyes. You must not close your eyes!]
If I have a mission, or if one was given—
It would surely be to save this kind child before me.
—From the little mouse's embrace, a faint light sparkled.
Mother, even if you punish me for belatedly understanding your will.
If I truly chose this lowly and selfish thing.
If your omnipotent power still reaches.
I offer the root of my existence,
I earnestly pray.
𐂂
Like white snow on the frozen ground.
White Yuxalis flowers bloomed all at once.
𐂂
Astaria Empire Imperial Capital.
Near the underground prison 'Ina Abisa'.
“Hey, Duncan Knight Commander.”
“Ah, Prime Minister Andarlef?!”
An untimely visit from the national prime minister.
The knight commander, directing demolition work, hastily bowed.
“Spare the stiff formality; I've come for a formal inspection.”
“Prepare the unit—!”
With a resounding shout, the imperial knights aligned in perfect formation. Despite Andarlef's protest, he called all knights working on the task. What shimmered subtly on their armor was the manifested aura. The realm of Expert, which only the elite knights of the empire can boast.
“Reporting to Prime Minister! As Her Majesty commanded, three hundred senior knights are conducting demolition work in rotation!”
Considering the harsh cold, the empress excluded ordinary soldiers from the work and ordered three hundred senior knights who could protect their entire bodies with aura to accelerate the demolition of the imperial palace.
“…By the way, fully armed, is this also Her Majesty's command?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, due to not showing satisfactory results in the previous duel with Her Majesty.”
“Hoho, you all have worked hard. Will she truly be satisfied someday?”
“Only Prime Minister Andarlef understands our hardships.”
The man sighed as if the ground had opened beneath him.
The only four Sword Masters on the continent.
One of them, Empress Astaria Edgelgard.
She had another title: 'Knight King.'
“How is the demolition work progressing?”
“Yes, as you can see, with this weather… it has taken an enormous amount of time just for snow removal.”
“This winter is particularly heavy.”
Snow pouring endlessly as if there were holes in the sky. To demolish all the luxurious statues placed in the courtyard of the imperial palace, snow removal was essential.
“However, Prime Minister, what business in such cold weather…?”
“Her Majesty said her dreams are fierce lately, so I came to check.”
“Her Majesty? But that is the reason for her coming here—”
“She said she had dreams about the imperial palace.”
The knight commander's face showed concern.
“That's interesting. The one who slept well even on battlefields where blood and flesh burned… is it a nightmare?”
“It is a bit different. To be precise, it's not exactly a nightmare.”
His expression became even more puzzled.
“She said it was a dream about a specific place. She told me there was a dark place where no light entered, filled with ominous aura… like a prison. Endless fragments of images that couldn't be understood passed by, and when I came to, I was awake from sleep.”
Clear scenes as if borrowing someone's gaze. At first, the empress thought it was neither a bad dream nor a good one, but a mere dream. But as the frequency increased, she couldn't dismiss it so simply.
‘After that owl and the eyes met.’
That day, the owl staring fearlessly into the empress's eyes in broad daylight. Even if one doesn't want to associate a mere beast with dreams, it couldn't be ignored. After averting the blatant gaze, the owl flew in the direction of the imperial palace. Moreover, the owl was a good omen warning of the appearance of assassins in the empire. Was there something the owl wanted to convey to Her Majesty?
“Hmm, underground… prison… underground prison…?”
“Commander. If that's the case, could it be the underground prison 'Ina Abisa' of the imperial palace?”
The deputy commander, listening to the conversation, said suggestively.
“'Ina Abisa'? Ah! Your words are right! It could be.”
“Ina Abisa? Was there such a place in the imperial palace?”
“Yes, Prime Minister. It is the underground prison of the imperial palace scheduled for demolition.”
An ominous name.
‘Must die to see the light.’
A place never heard of.
“By the way, Prime Minister, you probably don't know. Since the data is insufficient and no formal report has been made… may I explain on behalf of Commander?”
“Please, tell me.”
“Do you know 'Degal Imaian'?”
“…I do.”
Degal Imaian.
The name of a corrupt knight who served the previous emperor.
I never thought I'd hear that creepy name again here.
“Ina Abisa is the underground prison he built with the previous emperor's permission. According to content retrieved from documents burned to erase evidence by nobles who led the empire's dark ages, he raped the wives and daughters of Winter's vassals and didn't give them even a drop of water until he died. And this is content contained in only one side of over thirteen hundred documents.”
The prime minister's expression darkened rapidly.
“Continue.”
“After the previous reign of Empress Aria, Duke Winter, who personally dealt with Degal Imaian, ordered permanent sealing and prohibition of this facility. Since then, this place has been forgotten until Her Majesty's demolition order.”
“What if there were survivors? Why would she make such hasty decisions.”
“Ah, don't worry. It is said that life reactions inside the prison were confirmed by the tower last time.”
“Even so! Why didn't Winter's family report this important matter to Her Majesty first!”
“It was a history they didn't want to recall again, for them.”
The Winter family is a founding merit family located in the northern part of the empire.
Moreover, Duke Winter was the swordsmanship teacher of Empress Aria.
It was because they didn't want to bear unnecessary worries.
“I will personally report this to Her Majesty.”
“We will also convey all the materials to Your Highness as prepared.”
“Thank you. Then I shall take my leave…?”
At that moment.
An anomaly occurred on the ground where the knights were lined up.
“What… what is this…?”
Without a moment's delay, between the white snow.
It bloomed chaotically, filling the ground beneath.
The Yuxalis flower, one that could be seen on a battlefield in midsummer.