191. Season in the sun
[It’s kind of funny when you think about it.]
I looked up at the strangely shaped tower as if it were not of this world.
At first glance, it looked like a white pillar. A crude, unsightly, gigantic pillar, as if a huge structure hewn out of ivory had been erected as it was.
However, the fact that it was built in the middle of the Imperial Road supported the specialness of this building. There is such a thing, but the fact that related rumors do not spread itself.
[Why does no one know that there is such a thing?]
[Because the Library of Seasons only opens its doors to those who want to enter. Many things are forgotten in the flow of time, and the story of this tower has also been erased.]
Well, I heard about the Tower of the Four Seasons hundreds of years ago, and that wasn’t detailed information, it was just a rumor that there was such a thing.
As I got closer, I could feel the ambiguous status of the Four Seasons Pagoda. It’s not something that spans space, and it’s not like it’s not. Only the roots are firmly rooted in reality, so I really woke up.
Besides, I don’t think the materials that make up this tower are anything out of the ordinary. It’s similar to Solium, but even I couldn’t figure out its origin.
[So, how do I get in?]
Besides, even the law of ‘never break’ protects this tower. It’s similar to that of the holy sword, but considering the size of the tower… Ooh, I don’t even want to count.
Moreover, the bigger problem was that it was only a tower in name, and it was just a big white pillar. It can’t be broken, and it doesn’t make sense to climb on this smooth surface.
To my words, Muffin answered as if sneering.
[Oh, haven’t you learned what to do when going to someone else’s house?]
[Is that a house? Who lives inside?]
It doesn’t even look like a building, let alone a house. However, as Cream approached the pagoda, it tapped the surface of the pagoda. With light movements, as if visiting a friend’s house.
Even though it didn’t look like she gave much effort, ripples spread throughout the tower riding on her slapping. Soon, the white surface fluctuated, and a certain pattern emerged between them.
No, it’s not a pattern, it’s a letter. It was a strange language that I had never seen before in my life, but strangely, the moment I saw it, it was reassembled into a language I could recognize.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen Hangeul. It looks like Korean to me, but to the other party, I saw each person reading and nodding their heads to see if it was in the language that suited their eyes.
If you come across an odd phrase like this during your exploration, it’s likely a riddle. Occasionally I pretended to be a riddle and saw cases where there were only traps, but they were rarely as vicious as mine.
[But there is no hint…]
“What, hint?”
[At first glance, it looks like a riddle.]
But, as I said earlier, this is in the middle of the Imperial Road. People didn’t come and go, but of course there were no special structures or devices besides that.
The Tower of the Four Seasons was also just a white pillar that was smooth except for the part that Cream had touched, so there was no clue at all.
“Don’t think hard.”
[Huh?]
Did Cream already know the answer? No, you know I ran all the way here from a kingdom far away to see this.
“Just, as written, as it is. Karbal, what, season, is good?”
No, really that simple? However, before I could answer, the other people next to me intercepted my words.
“I fall! That’s when the prey are the fattest.”
[I like winter. Because then you can’t go to war.]
Answers from Choco and Holy Sword, respectively. It was a response like theirs, so I laughed.
[I spring.]
“Then, I, summer.”
[Why?]
“Because spring is the closest, closest, season.”
The moment Cream finished speaking, colors were overlaid on the letters engraved on the tower. And between the letters, a ray of light began to reach us.
I have black spring, cream is white summer, chocolate is brown autumn, and Aries is golden winter.
In the next moment, a certain force that started from the continuous beam of light began to pull us into it.
[Huh?]
[There is nothing to resist. Because the tower invites you.]
I looked at the muffins, the only one of us who didn’t answer the question of which season we liked. Perhaps feeling my doubts, Muffin lightly added an explanation.
[I am·······. Isn’t the location a bit special? I’ll go first and wait for you.]
No, if you look at it that way, I’m a rookie too! I couldn’t really be sad to lose my power. With that thought in mind, I was dragged into the white tower.
*
I opened my eyes.
“Oh.”
Something feels different. The imperial road and the huge white pillars I was standing on just a moment ago seemed like a dream, or as if this moment was just a dream.
A dreamy and mysterious world was unfolding.
I was standing in a huge forest. However, this place was neither a dense forest of a monster-infested kingdom, nor a bundle of trees in an empire that was embarrassing to even call it a forest.
A place that seems to have drawn the most dreamy and fairytale scenery as it is when you think of the background of ‘forest’. The leaves were thousands of green, each in a different light, and the birds flew about without the slightest fear, chirping over the beauty of the world.
In the river where herbivores and carnivores play in harmony, and it is so transparent that it captures the blue sky and clouds as it is, fish with scales like jewels flowed.
“How many guests do you have? It is truly a blessing.”
And in the center of the forest, the sunlight of the world was shining towards a man as if he were the main character.
I turned to him. What came out of his mouth was a natural upbringing.
“Who are you?”
Yes, that was the biggest proof.
That this world is not real, but inside the mind.
From noble mtl dot com
“I am the book keeper of the Tower of the Four Seasons. I am here to guide you now.”
The man was young, with shiny, silver hair covering his silver hair. A pair of elongated ears reminiscent of a rabbit rather than the triangular ears of a typical beastman.
My grandfather lacked cat ears, and now I have rabbit ears as a young man. Why does this world impose such terrible trials on me!
“Book Keeper? Not a librarian?”
“We are just protecting books. It is not our role to read or organize books.”
He’s a guy who only talks about things I can’t understand. I put my thoughts together for a while, ignoring the young man with a gentle smile.
We wanted to enter the Tower of the Four Seasons. Actually I don’t know the exact reason. Only Cream knows. Anyway, since the surrounding scenery is spring, it seems that the question we asked before entering was the trigger.
I can’t feel the presence of the others, and since Cream’s soul bond is faint, it seems that the other party members are also assigned to different seasonal flower gardens, just like me. Alright, tidying up.
Oh, I almost forgot. This is the mental world, but it doesn’t seem to be the mental world of any particular person. There’s no way an existence’s mental world could be this vast, and most of all, I couldn’t feel the owner’s presence.
“This place is really beautiful. What are you doing?”
“hahahaha. This is the passage that connects reality and the Four Seasons Tower. It seems that there are so many people who get lost and wander without a guide.”
The situation became clearer when the bookkeeper didn’t notice and still had a nice smile on his face. He and I are just equal guests in this place.
“Then shall we depart? Oh, before that, can I ask you a question? It’s my personal curiosity, so you don’t have to answer if it’s considered rude.”
“What is it?”
And, under the same conditions, I have the confidence that I will not be defeated by anyone in the mental world.
“Why did you choose spring? Unlike the others, I didn’t hear the reason…”
“Ah, that’s right.”
Were you even eavesdropping from inside? More irritating. I can’t. I can’t keep a monstrosity like this Bunny Boy in my eyes anymore, so you are the death penalty.
“It is said that spring is the season when all things sprout. Yes?”
“Yes. I think I’ve seen those words before.”
“Then doesn’t that mean that spring is the season with the most things to break and trample?”
In reality, I’m just weak, but in the spirit world, I’m really like a god. While he didn’t notice, the abyss of unconsciousness was swallowing up this spring flower garden little by little.
On the outside, nothing has changed. But inside, everything has changed. Thousands of green leaves were unified in dull black, and birds and fish capsized and died.
Beasts that not long ago played idyllicly slaughter and devour each other. The fusion of a beast with a deer’s horns, a tiger’s head, and a water buffalo’s hooves instantly grew in size.
“That’s why I like spring.”
“What is this…! Why are you doing this!”
A solar eclipse occurred and the sun was covered, and the warm and gentle sunlight turned into a cool breeze and spread strange whispers throughout the forest. A long shadow came out and fell over the bookkeeper.
The bookkeeper turned pale and took a step back. I suddenly became curious. How will I look to him now? How does my mental body define itself?
But I decided not to ask. I took a step towards him, opening my mouth with rows of saw-toothed teeth and a wide grin.
“Why?”
Because I can. I am strong and you are weak.
What else do you need a reason for?