Chapter 309: Glass Flower (1)
The garden of the Imperial Palace was large. If you walked around ignorantly, you would get lost, and even if you roamed for a week, you still wouldn’t see all of it. In such a vast magical space, the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter coexisted, and in the garden of winter, Sophien was fighting a knight.
Clank, clank!
Their swords were colliding with a roar. The scattered mana was as bright as the sun, and it felt like any watchers might go blind if they looked too closely. Nevertheless, Lia kept her eyes open. She persistently followed the scene and didn’t waste a single second.
Boom-!
The two engaged in this fierce sword dance were Emperor Sophien and Keiron. It was the type of duel that nobody had ever seen before, nor could see likely ever again. Mana surged like lightning, and the ground shook with each clashing blow.
“…You are getting stronger, Your Majesty.”
Keiron said while staring down at the emperor beyond his sword. Sophien grinned. Then, she pushed Keiron’s sword back.
Claaaank-!
Steel scattered like shards across the ground.
“…”
Keiron looked at the handle of what had once been a sword in his hand.
“You said I got stronger… it seems that I’ve already transcended you.”
Sophien said so and sheathed her weapon. Lia ran to her with a towel, and Ahan held out a chilled water bottle.
“Right.”
Sophien looked at Keiron with the towel and water in hand.
“Did Deculein go to Rohakan now?”
“Yes.”
“And Julie has been healed.”
At that moment, Ahan and Lia trembled sranobes.netent, then nodded.
“Yes. Knight Julie was healed.”
Julie was freed from all her painful memories, curses, and wounds. Sophien was curious to see how much she would grow now.
“Okay.”
“However, fortunately, Knight Julie does not remember the past.”
Keiron said. However, Sophien’s reaction was surprising.
“Why is that fortunate?”
“…”
Keiron closed his mouth. He didn’t know yet if it was the emperor’s random whim, if she was joking, or if it was really sincere.
“It must be painful to him even if he doesn’t say anything. If Julie falls in love with someone random… even I don’t want to see that.”
Keiron quietly lowered his head. But inside, he smiled. The precious thing called sympathy was being taught to the emperor.
“But it’s okay. In the end, I will make it right.”
Sophien smiled a little and waved her hand.
“Now, everyone, go back. I want to rest comfortably. Lia, only you remain.”
“…Yes.”
Keiron and Ahan seemed to be jealous for some reason, and they stared at Lia with narrowed eyes as they left the garden.
“Lia.”
Sophien sat at the tea-table.
“Yes. Your Majesty.”
“I have seen and heard.”
“What… do you mean?”
“Deculein was burning Julie’s diary.”
A memory fading into consciousness. At first, the situation was murky, but as time progressed, it became fact.
“…”
Lia’s eyes widened.
“Deculein is like me.”
A smile spread across Sophien’s lips.
“He hoped that Julie would be happy since he loves her.”
She lowered her head with a pensive expression.
“…Lia. All your advice was correct. It’s strange. How can anyone know Deculein so well?”
Sophien said. Lia looked up at her quietly, and soon Sophien met her eyes.
“So I’m thinking.”
And then she whispered in a small voice.
“Yuli.”
Lia’s heart stopped. Sophien found Lia so adorable that she put her hand on her little head.
“That was you.”
* * *
I was walking through the vineyards of Rohakan with a pocket watch in one hand to keep her request.
Wooosh…
The person I was looking for appeared quickly.
“Oh, you came~.”
A child waved his arms warmly at me.
“…You got younger, Rohakan.”
Short Rohakan. I looked down at him.
“Haha.”
Rohakan laughed and picked two grapes. One for me, the other for him.
“I was doing my other disciple’s request.”
As he walked through the vineyards, Rohakan spoke. I shook my head. “You don’t have to do that. Only one meal-“
“Only? What a comfort that time must have been for that child. Even if she hadn’t asked for it, I would have done it.”
Meanwhile, we reached Rohakan’s hut.
“Sit down.”
Rohakan pointed to the living room. I sat down and pulled out Epherene’s pocket watch.
“Epherene asked me to deliver it.”
“Hmm. Just keep it with yourself.”
Rohakan shook his head.
“She won’t be able to see me anymore anyway.”
“…”
I could tell it was true by looking at Rohakan.
“The time has passed without us realizing.”
“It was short for me. I’m going, but you still have work to do, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
My discussion with Quay. However, Rohakan asked.
“What about you after that?”
“…”
I didn’t know what would happen to me after that. I already knew that this body had a short lifespan left. So, if given the option to return to Kim Woojin’s world…
“I am thinking about it.”
“Okay. Of course, you would.”
Rohakan smiled brightly.
“Well. That guy named Quay is a very pathetic ancestor.”
“Is that so?”
“The one who served God could not acknowledge the death of that God and was left alone for too long.”
Quay, the final boss. The most faithful and the most unhappy believer. What choice would he make in the end?
“Deculein.”
Rohakan turned to me. He had a serious look now.
“There’s not much left.” magic
“…Yes. I know.”
The time for the end of this world to start, the end of the main quest wasn’t far away. Rohakan smiled.
“Before that. Aren’t you going to meet Julie again?”
“No.”
“That’s a lie. You want to meet her too, right?”
“I’ll be going now.”
I stood. Even though I knew that Rohakan would die, I didn’t have much to talk about. But, Rohakan added sternly.
“Get some grapes and give her them as a gift. The white grapes are good for rehabilitation.”
I paused for a moment and looked back. The boy, Rohakan, smiled brightly and waved.
“Bye. I will die well.”
“…Yes. Thank you for everything.”
I nodded. Rohakan gestured as he scratched the back of his neck.
“Thank you? It doesn’t suit you. Just go. Deculein, and…”
He paused for a moment and raised his eyebrows in a smirk. He was expecting me to tell him.
I granted his wish.
“Kim Woojin.”
The other soul in my body.
“…Okay. Kim Woojin.”
Rohakan must have been aware of its existence for some time.
“That’s a good name.”
* * *
Meanwhile, Idnik, Allen, and Julie returned from Time to the Empire. Their destination was Freyden.
“You have a great talent.”
They reached the foot of the mountain in Freyden with only one step. Julie looked at Allen with admiration. Allen just smiled softly without a word.
Idnik asked.
“How is your body?”
“It’s fine.”
“Okay.”
As they climbed the snowy mountain road, the two talked.
“You still don’t understand what I said?”
“Yes.”
Young Julie was confident in everything.
“Was I cursed?”
Of course, she knew roughly about that. After suffering for ten years under the curse, she was detoxified by the only way to heal her, turning back her time, just up to there.
-Yes. That’s right.
A voice echoed from elsewhere. The three flinched and turned around. Under the shade of a barren tree, the shadows formed the shape of a person.
“Hi. Julie.”
Josephine. Julie’s eyes were filled with reluctance.
“Sister…”
“Thank you.”
Josephine linked arms with Julie and looked between Idnik and Allen alternately.
“For saving Julie.”
“…It’s not us you should thank.”
“Are you talking about that child, Epherene?” Josephine smiled brightly. Idnik found the smile a bit creepy.
“…Yes. But now I can’t find her.”
“Then I’ll compensate her later.”
“I heard that Freyden is not well. Will that be possible?”
“Yes?!”
Julie let out a screeching sound.
“Are you saying Freyden is in bad shape?”
“…Shh. We’ll talk about that later.”
Josephine put her hand to her lips and pulled Julie away.
“I’ll take Julie with me now.”
“…As you please.”
Idnik nodded.
* * *
Freyden, the Winter Castle.
Julie lost her words when greeted by the harsh and cold climate.
“…An ice age?”
An ice age had arrived in Freyden, covering the land in lifeless frost.
“Yes. Freyden’s condition is not very good. Please sit down first.”
Josephine sat in the dining room and pointed across from her. Julie hesitated and sat.
“You must be hungry, right?”
“…Yes.”
Julie said. Josephine laughed softly.
“A meal will be served soon. More than that, you must have a lot of questions?”
“Of course. But our brother and father….”
“Father is dead. We even had a funeral together.”
Julie’s eyes widened.
“Our… father?”
Her eyes instantly grew wet.
“Don’t cry.”
Josephine wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.
“So Zeit is the head of our family, and now he’s off to solve this issue.”
“…”
Julie was dumbfounded. Indeed, the gap of ten years wasn’t easily narrowed. For Julie, her father, who had been fine until last night, died, and the peaceful Freyden was suffering.
“…What about me? What do I do?”
“Leave Freyden for now. Staying here won’t do you any good.”
“Yes? Then where would I go?”
“You’re still in college, right?”
At Josephine’s words, Julie nodded. Julie was indeed a college student in her memories. To be precise, she was a knight cadet affiliated with the Imperial University.
“Then you should go to college. Stay there. As you stay…”
Josephine pulled out several documents. It was the minutes of the family meeting for Freyden.
“It’s ten years of records. As you read this, you must accept the years yourself. Is that okay?”
Julie slapped her cheeks before answering.
“Yes. But, is it true that our father died and that I was cursed?”
“…Yes. It’s all in the minutes, but it’s true.”
Josephine wore her sorrow plainly as she held out another briefcase to Julie.
“Take it. Inside are your train tickets to the Empire, your ID, pocket money, and your student ID.”
“…”
“Don’t worry too much. I will be watching.”
Julie picked up her ID but tilted her head at the content.
“It has a different name.”
“…Yes. Even if you tell people you are who you were ten years ago, they won’t believe you. And if you say that, you will stand out in the eyes of the purge officers.”
“Purge officers…”
Julie quietly muttered. She had heard of them.
“Julie. You’re alive by the nonsensical magic of turning time. If so, what will the purge officers think when they see you?”
“…”
Julie understood quickly.
Just in time, the meal was served. It was wild boar meat. However, the condition was poor at a glance.
Josephine smiled bitterly at her.
“All the animals that come up to the castle are frozen wild beasts. You know Zeit. We maintain the same diet as the people.”
“Yes. It’s rather good.”
Julie nodded and dug into the wild boar’s hind legs. When she took a bite, she hesitated for a moment — it was really bad — but she chewed it anyway.
“And… Julie.”
“Yes.”
“Watch out for Deculein.”
“…Yes? If it’s Deculein, from the tower…?”
“Yes. Now he’s the chairman.”
“?!”
Julie’s eyes widened. It was more surprising news than anything else. Of course, even if he was famous as a wizard with good performance and good looks, to think he would even become the chairman…
“But why is he dangerous?”
“…You will see from the minutes of the meeting.”
Whooosh-
At that moment, a cold wind blew through the hall. Josephine continued softly as she put her hand on her chin.
“You’re his ex-fiancé. And you two broke up because of that curse.”
Gulp-
Julie’s ears were ringing.