97 – Forest (8)
She saw it.
Ever since she was young.
The sight of her coming here.
Upon hearing those words, I had to inquire immediately.
“What…?”
Well, it was such an absurd statement.
However, before I could hear the answer to that question.
Woom─
With a slight vibration, the pitch-black space began to change.
Various colors suddenly appeared in the black space, and those colors that appeared out of nowhere began to sway as they pleased in the black space.
And when I came to my senses, the surrounding space displayed an entirely different landscape.
It was a city, a country.
A highly advanced one at that.
Even the magnificent Leinberg and Elbrent, one might wonder if they possessed such grandeur.
“This is….”
“It’s the fallen ancient empire…!”
Before I could finish my sentence, El, who was beside me, exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
“….”
At her words, I once again took in the scenery around me.
And instinctively realized that El’s words were correct.
If I were to mention a clue, it would be the terrain.
The lush trees were not visible, but the current shape of the country that meets the eye, the land where the country was established, clearly resembled the topography of the forest marked on the map.
In other words, this scene truly became the sound of an ancient empire that had perished.
The appearance of the glorious days before the ancient empire perished.
“What in the world…?”
What is this, and what is this space?
Why bother leaving El and me here, and why show us this.
Without even guessing the answer, I silently gazed at the splendid sight of the ancient empire.
And the empire that had flourished beyond measure─
The next moment, it was completely desolate.
“…!”
El gasped.
The city that was overflowing with people just a while ago had completely disappeared without a trace, and the magnificent structures had all turned into ruins.
The empire’s glory, everything that symbolized its splendor, had been destroyed and ruined.
That scene was quite familiar to me.
“The… remnants of the forest.”
Yes, the remnants of the ancient empire still remaining in the forest.
That’s what was reflecting in my eyes now.
“What in the world…?”
Why show me such an image.
Feeling that question again, I glanced sideways to check El’s reaction.
However, El, who had been joyfully frolicking just a while ago, was now staring blankly into space for some reason.
“Miss?”
I called El quietly.
But she did not respond.
“Miss, are you alright?”
To suddenly show a strange reaction in a place of unknown identity is not something to be taken lightly.
With that thought, I approached her and placed my hand on her shoulder.
At that moment, her head slowly turned towards me.
Her clear green eyes were so calmly settled, unlike anything I had seen before.
The moment I met those eyes, I sensed it.
“…Who are you?”
This was not El.
“Well, you catch on quickly.”
Having heard my words… No, someone who had taken over El’s body spoke and laughed.
In response, I stiffened my expression and said,
“I may not know your intentions, but─”
“No need to worry. I’ve just borrowed her body for a moment.”
I may not know your intentions, but hand over El’s body right now.
I was about to say that, but the being in front of me, as if reading my mind, interrupted me.
“You already know anyway. That I harbor no malice.”
“……”
I didn’t like it, but it was true.
I couldn’t sense any malice from the person in front of me.
However.
“…You speak as if you know me well.”
The way they spoke as if they knew me well, especially about my intuition, really bothered me.
I’ve never told anyone that I can intuit someone’s malice.
Perhaps a hermit who has reached a similar state could understand it intuitively, but at least I have never spoken about it openly.
Yet, the being in front of me knew.
“Of course, I do.”
El affirmed my question.
And all they did was offer a soft smile on their face.
“…How do you know about me?”
In the end, I had to ask.
It was too random and specific to just be a casual remark.
It didn’t make sense to say it was just a lie to deceive me.
So, I simply asked.
However.
“Do you believe that there are people who can see the future?”
El… didn’t answer my question but suddenly threw a completely unrelated question at me.
“…I’m not sure what you’re getting at. I’d appreciate an answer to my question.”
“Don’t rush it too much. This question is all related.”
…Suddenly, the future.
As much as I wanted to question the absurdity of it all, the conversation couldn’t progress like this.
Feeling perplexed, I decided to answer the question for now.
“…Well.”
But even with the intention, answering the question was quite ambiguous.
Up until now, I would have answered without hesitation that it wasn’t true.
However, an experience I had right after leaving Agilrem and conversing with the old fortune-teller woman made me hesitate.
She was clearly different from the fortune-tellers scattered along the roadside.
She recognized my situation at a glance and told me to go to the forest.
At that time, I was skeptical, but following her advice led me to meet this person who seemed to be waiting for me.
In a way, it wouldn’t be strange to think that she really could see the future.
Or perhaps, I fell for a very well-crafted script.
But I wasn’t certain of either.
The latter had many odd and mismatched elements, and the former was just too far-fetched.
“It seems you’ve already met such a person.”
“…You seem quite sure─”
“No. You probably are. Seeing someone like you unsure is quite telling.”
El smiled again.
“In this world, there are those who can see the future. Well, if you look at it precisely, it might be a bit different… But roughly speaking, it shouldn’t be too far-fetched.”
She effortlessly spat out words that defied and shattered common sense, as if it was just an ordinary conversation.
“And even in the ancient empire that has perished and disappeared, such individuals existed.”
Her gaze turned towards the remnants of the empire.
“……”
Suddenly, a tale from the past began.
It was a story about an ancient empire that I had no particular interest in, so I refrained from getting involved.
I knew that would only complicate the story further.
“Actually, those who can see the future are not that rare. They may not be plentiful, but if you look around, they are at a level commonly found. Why, there are those who claim to have had premonitions from time to time, right? Those individuals, in a way, are also considered to be able to see the future. It’s just that their ability is very faint.”
“……”
“However, the man was different. He truly could see the future. And it was a future that was extremely vivid and certain.”
El’s gaze returned to me.
“If you could see the future, what would you do?”
At that sudden question, I found myself a bit taken aback.
From Noble mtl dot com
What would one do if they could see the future?
“…Well, perhaps I would invest where money would grow.”
“hahahaha. That’s truly a common and ordinary thought. Well, if you were truly that kind of person, you wouldn’t be standing here, would you?”
“……”
As El spoke as if she could see through my thoughts, I found myself at a loss for words.
“Well, still, many people would act as you described. Following their desires. However, that man was different. Instead of pursuing his desires, he decided to use his ability to see the future for the benefit of others.”
“…He must have been a remarkable person.”
“hahahaha. Yes, he was indeed remarkable. He had a truly kind heart. He not only spoke, but actually started using his abilities for the sake of others.”
After a small chuckle, El continued speaking.
“He foresaw and saved people from impending disasters, predicted and prepared for crises in the village, warned of famines and droughts, saving many lives. As time passed, the man became famous, and eventually, he became a close aide to the emperor.”
In a tone reminiscent of telling a bedtime story to a child, her voice continued.
“Even after reaching a position where he could command numerous people with just a finger, he did not wield his power for selfish desires. Instead, he shared his wealth with the empire’s people and helped others at any time. In such a life, he found happiness in being able to help others. To improve the lives of those who were suffering, even if only a little.”
“……”
It is easy to speak of good deeds.
However, putting them into action is difficult.
When anyone gains power, they are prone to change, with their own desires taking precedence.
But that man did not succumb to his desires; he truly acted for the sake of others.
Just that fact alone made him worthy of respect, I thought.
However.
Not all of those individuals would have a happy ending, for the world is not always so kind.
“Yet, the man’s happiness did not last forever.”