There was no need to search for a way to return. The moment he grasped the red earring in his hand, an intensely brilliant light that prevented him from opening his eyes swallowed Anya. Anya soon entered a pitch-black space of nothingness where nothing existed.
The scenery changed once more, and the red earring in his hand blazed up. Sparks rippled in all directions.
《Anya.》
The large and small sparks gathered and gathered, becoming a collective as huge as the beacon fire atop a mountain ridge. It circled around and around in front of Anya, then soon flew beyond. Anya chased after it frantically. They were calling him. Anya could clearly hear them whispering.
“…….”
How far had he gone? Some kind of barrier blocked Anya.
‘The flame definitely passed through here….’
The barrier was peculiar. It wasn’t made of bricks but composed of thousands of thick, hard scales. He’d never seen anything like this in his life. Anya caressed the barrier, then hastily withdrew his hand. The barrier was breathing. Like breathing, the barrier swelled up and then deflated with a hiss.
《Anya.》
Then the Dragcals’ voice echoed from above. Anya looked up at the void swallowed by darkness. Something was descending, cutting through the wind.
《The one who awakened me.》
It was… a beast’s face.
《I shall give you my everything.》
Anya soon faced enormous golden eyes that shone brilliantly even in the darkness. The golden pupils expanded vertically and elongated. Like a reptile’s pupils.
The breath it exhaled from its nose each time it spoke made Anya’s hair flutter. Anya was so surprised he couldn’t close his mouth. Not even a scream came out.
What occupied the darkness wasn’t a barrier, but a coiled… dragon.
《We shall give you our heart.》
From the opposite side, another head suddenly approached smoothly and flashed its eyes red. Anya flinched and twisted his body to the side. The dragon had two heads.
When the dragon raised its body, the vicinity began to rumble as if thunder was roaring. Anya put strength into his tiptoes to steady his swaying body. The dragon stretched its neck long and roared. Then a tremendous pillar of flame spouted up into the void. Chilling goosebumps rose all over his body and Anya hugged himself.
‘This can’t be… the Dragcals’ true identity was a dragon.’
《Swallow it.》
《This is the proof of our contract.》
The dragon spread its wings fully and lowered its body, opening its mouth toward Anya. Past dozens of sharp teeth that seemed like they would crush and pierce an opponent in one blow, past the pitch-black throat, inside it something round wrapped in hot heat floated up. Anya received it in his hands. It was heavy and, strangely enough, not hot at all.
“…Wh-, what is this?”
Anya’s voice was completely hoarse before this wondrous life form. The Dragcals answered slowly.
《Our heart.》
Its heart beat vigorously within the flames. Somehow Anya thought it was a movement so poignant and desperate it could bring tears.
《Swallow it.》
《Our hearts are now one.》
But Anya didn’t shed tears in the end. Since making his vow to Ronan at Northernmost, Anya had decided not to cry anymore. He swallowed the Dragcals’ heart without hesitation.
* * *
Sabelli muttered and paced near the lake all night. It was already the fifth day since Anya had thrown himself into the lake. In other words, today was the day he’d promised to return to Evernight.
At this point, it would be reasonable to judge that the boy had died, but Sabelli absolutely couldn’t move his steps. Since Evernight, Anya was the first to carry out his training in such a short period. No, actually Anya had been faster than Evernight. Anya’s determination and will were far more tenacious and strong than Sabelli had thought.
‘Is this truly the end?’
Sabelli looked at the surface of the quiet ice lake. By now, at Tildyen Rock, they would have finished all preparations to depart for Maneregia.
Sabelli tore his clothes with a dagger and made wounds with magic. Before it was too late, he had to return to the castle and confess to Evernight as they’d agreed.
That Tildyen’s mistress had been captured by bandits and his life or death was unknown.
‘By the way, that medicine that boy Riario gave….’
Sabelli suddenly recalled the green medicine bottle he’d seen a few days ago. It was made by boiling silphium herbs that women used to forcibly prevent conception. And Evernight extremely abhorred having relations with anyone. A sigh flowed from Sabelli’s mouth.
‘A mere lowly human shouldn’t interfere with fate….’
The medicine Sabelli had given to Anya was a functional potion that briefly heightened all the body’s senses. Though obtaining the ingredients was tricky, requiring him to wander the forest for days and nights.
‘Spiritus root was also effective for conception….’
The main ingredient of that potion was spiritus root. A precious herb traded at high prices secretly among noble ladies with cold bodies, as it had both excellent efficacy for restoring vitality and outstanding effects in aiding conception.
‘But what use is all that if he doesn’t return alive.’
Today especially, the sunlight was thick, and the ground beneath his feet was muddy with melted snow. Each step was heavy, like pulling his feet out of a swamp.
That’s when it happened. A small sound came from behind. The surface of the ice lake began to crack. Sabelli hastily turned around and ran to the lakeside. Soon a column of water shot up toward the sky from inside the lake. Sabelli stopped walking and raised his arm to cover his face.
“…….”
His body became completely soaked. When all around became quiet again, Sabelli hesitantly lowered his hand.
“……!”
And Sabelli ended up slowly sinking down in place. An enormous dragon on the lake was looking at him.
As the snake-like vertically long golden pupils constricted and fierce breath violently scattered from its nostrils, the surrounding bare tree branches swayed helplessly. Tears flowed drip-drop down along Sabelli’s wrinkled eyes.
“…Dra… Dragcals….”
When Sabelli knelt and showed him respect, the Dragcals placed Anya before the old man with its mouth. Anya was sleeping as if dead.
“Is… is he dead?”
“…….”
Sabelli couldn’t understand the spirit’s language. The Dragcals just quietly looked at Sabelli. Soon the Dragcals, which had ascended toward the sky, circled in the air, then instantly became smaller and was sucked into Anya’s body.
At the same time, red spirit script was engraved with light above Anya’s wrist where the thread bracelet hung.
“…Tea-, Teacher-nim?”
Anya opened his eyes while frowning. A red energy briefly showed in his sensitive brown eyes, then soon disappeared smoothly.
“…My, my chest feels heavy.”
Anya, who had started to get up, touched near his chest. It was hot and heavy. Sabelli said while pulling Anya into an embrace.
“…It is the weight that the chosen one must bear.”
Sabelli was crying.
* * *
“I can wait no longer.”
Raniel Crom, wearing a huge full-helm helmet large enough to cover and spare half his face, became fiercely angry. The Golden Raven soldiers he led had been waiting in formation beneath the castle walls since early morning.
It was the same for the Black Crows. They had finished all preparations early in the morning, but there was no sign of departure even as noon approached.
“He’ll come soon. Please wait.”
At Sisou’s words, Raniel Crom scoffed.
“Try spouting that absurd talk before His Majesty the Emperor, young knight.”
Then Sisou flared up and shouted.
“I’m not young!”
Though Sisou flushed red and huffed, Evernight was indifferent.
“When the sun tilts toward the west direction of the black flag hanging on the castle wall, we’ll depart immediately. That’s what we promised from the start, so cooperate without complaint.”
Then Raniel Crom glared fiercely at Evernight.
“Northern barbarians certainly have no concept of time, ptui.”
Sisou flinched as if about to spring up at any moment, but was enduring well. For the past few days, Tildyen’s knights had received the commander’s orders to absolutely not fall for the Golden Ravens’ provocations no matter what.
Generally, Tildyen’s lower-ranking knights had strong inferiority complexes as they’d lived lives being ignored without having learned anything. But if they disobeyed Evernight’s orders, they might suffer the catastrophe of losing their heads, so whenever anger surged up, they endured by recalling this stable life they enjoyed having survived the battles beyond the barrier.
“The sun is already tilting toward the west. Ah, about one gak remains.”
Mibar took out a pocket watch from his bosom. In Maneregia, along with the temple’s great bell that informed the people of each hour, a clock tower built with sacred magic and craftsmen’s skills stood in the plaza. No matter how powerful a lord, they couldn’t possess time. Time was a grace the Emperor bestowed upon the ignorant people.
Moreover, the pocket watch that compressed all of that was a precious item that couldn’t be obtained even for a thousand gold. It required mages’ advanced magical abilities and dwarf craftsman skills, and above all, the Emperor’s permission. Raniel, standing beside him, wore a needlessly proud expression. Those Tildyen bastards had neither a temple nor even a huge bell tower in the village square.
“Since we can encounter ghoul packs at night, we must be especially careful. If the Prince doesn’t return, you’ll have to give a plausible excuse to His Majesty the Emperor, who will be greatly disappointed at not being able to meet his son.”
Mibar stroked his chin and let out a nasal snort mixed with his nose.
“His Majesty has assured us he will no longer question the responsibility for the Prince’s life or death.”
At Riario’s words, the small feet danced on the Redcoast-made carpet.
“Oh my. Isn’t that the story for when the Prince is dead? If he’s alive yet refuses the visit to Maneregia to the end, that becomes another story.”
‘If you don’t want to live as a living corpse for life, please return quickly.’
Riario chewed his lips with an anxious face.
They sank deeply into the audience room chairs without saying anything, each falling into their own thoughts. Mibar’s pocket watch ticked closer and closer to the promised time.
“Regrettably, time is up.”
Gak (一刻) – A unit of time measurement
