I had a sad dream. It was a dream in which a girl with light blue hair, buried in a tomb of memories, waved her hand affectionately.
“Sabu, Sabu!”
My footsteps in that direction stopped without me noticing. Because another voice came from the other side of the intersection.
“Ah-boo!”
My lifelong benefactor, Arakish, was looking at me with Akirea in his arms, a sad look on his face.
Aki.
Yes, Aki.
I desperately called out that name, but my voice didn’t come out… … Instead, the consciousness immersed in the depths of the dream rose rapidly to the surface.
“Hmm, it’s definitely because the soul of Jinryong dwells, so recovery is quick.”
As I struggled to lift my eyelids, I heard a voice.
“No, in this case I should have died unconditionally, but it would be more correct to say that I came to life.”
“I am… … .”
“Even if I wanted to move, I wouldn’t be able to. You have needles all over your body right now. You can think of it as healing the wounds inflicted by the Changmyeong Psalm.”
It was under the blinding light. I tried to look around with my eyes wide open, but there was nothing I could move except my eyes.
What I could roughly recognize was that I was lying on an operating table and that needles the size of a handful were stuck all over my body. Strangely, there was no pain.
Then I saw a woman sitting on a chair without a backrest with a pipe in her mouth. He almost gasped for a moment and shouted Turaina’s name, but upon closer inspection, it was different.
“The power of the Changmyeong Psalm binds everything of the bound object as a concept. Even the power to move muscles or the simple power to circulate mana, and even basic metabolic abilities such as heartbeat to circulate blood.”
The pure white robe she wore was a color only allowed for shamans, along with Friede’s pure black robe.
“I’m restoring it right now, so it’s better to stay still.”
Wearing a pure white conical hat and robe, the shaman’s pipe was also white, probably made by carving a spirit tree, but her face was engraved with countless wrinkles of long years of experience.
“Originally, once a human body is tied to it, it dies unconditionally, and even if it miraculously survives, it is confirmed that it is a brain-dead lung, but to wake up in half a day… … You are surprised.”
In addition, she wore a sacred scroll, the symbol of a shaman, and a book of psalms on her waist, and on the other side of her waist, she wore three scrolls of manifestos, meaning three chapter witches.
“The power bestowed by Jinryong’s soul is amazing. Is this a super-regeneration ability?”
“Where are you… … Who are you… … ?”
“This is a safe place from Tureina’s pupils thanks to my barrier, and I am Yuliana. The nickname given to her by a human who once followed her as a teacher is ‘Witch of the Stars’.”
It’s Yuliana… … .
The last disciple of Turaina… … .
Even the vocal cords were paralyzed, and even breathing out and rolling the tongue to produce a voice required constant effort.
“You me… … ?”
“No, I wasn’t the one who saved you. Strictly speaking, he is my priest, but in this case should I call him a defector? They said they knew each other well, so they said they would greet each other later.”
“turncoat… … ?”
From noble mtl dot com
“Tell me thank you when I see you later. If he had intervened just a little too late, your companion and the sun parakeet would have been dead. Hmm, first of all, the current situation and the situation you are in are more important than that.”
Yuliana gently exhaled the cigarette smoke she had inhaled deep into my face.
Then I felt the wet wool fill my head, and suddenly everything in the world disappeared and turned to pure white.
And me too… … The body moved normally. There were no needles stuck all over the body, and there was no problem with vocalization.
“This is inside the hallucinatory world. I had no choice but to bring it here to facilitate the explanation.”
It was then that I felt something was missing. It’s as if my soul is missing somewhere… … .
Aki.
I soon realized the identity of that sensation, and my breathing was disrupted to the point of panic.
“Aki, where is Aki—”
“—It’s safe, so far. In order to answer the impatience on your face right now, I need to know what the situation is like.”
As Yuliana lightly waved the smoking pipe half a turn, the pure white space swayed and soon turned into a blurry image.
No, it was my tears that made my vision blurry for an instant.
In the image formed there, there was a shadow of the past that I missed so much. Perhaps it was part of Yuliana’s memory, she could see Tureina teaching a young girl magic.
“This must be the Turaina you know. As seen in the book, a shaman among shamans who is benevolent, caring, and takes care of the hungry and sick without cost. He was also my teacher.”
“… … .”
“But this is only an external appearance of Turaina. Beneath that goodwill lies a wicked obsession. This is the true face of Turaina.”
With those words, the reversed award… … I couldn’t even open my eyes and look at it.
A brutal massacre, in the middle of the bloody road, he was there. He was on top of all kinds of taboo research groups drawn with blood. The guy who laughed so innocently… … .
Yuliana spoke to me as I blankly watched them without even closing my eyes.
“This is the real Turaina. I don’t know for sure, but one thing is certain: Turaina, at some point, began to work for a singular purpose.”
“A single purpose?”
“The resurrection of Archmage Rin.”
I didn’t express it, but the pain stabbing my heart was so severe that I couldn’t breathe.
I was trying to laugh.
I was trying not to be funny.
However, it was undeniable that the moment the assumption was accepted as ‘true’, many mysteries were solved at once.
– The vessel made to receive Rin’s soul is me!
Liveni, who had the look she had when I was forcibly dressed as a woman by Friede, and Ribadin, who was wearing my face and my self-dressing kite.
“… … .”
But it makes no sense. Think about it, it is. There’s no way Turaina could have become such a villain. And if it did, Yoshar would have told me… … .
– I cannot answer that question. Because your soul is not yet mature enough to face the truth.
In the midst of the terrible logic that swirled in my head at the moment my heart beat once, I had no choice but to shut my mouth in a daze.
“I wonder if that point was after Friede-sama’s death or before she was alive… … The timing doesn’t matter. However, it is certain that Turaina joined hands with Abyss.”
“How do you say that? Could it be a fake Turaina? Yes, it’s reverse magic. Is it reverse engineering? I imitate the face with it—”
“——Before Turaina was engulfed in the abyss, Gwangryong rejected the thawing plan of Turaina’s Suggestions.”
yes, that’s a lie There’s no way Turaina touched the abyss.
It’s Xernix. That bastard who impersonated Zernix is now pretending to be Yuliana and deceiving me.
As if it didn’t matter what my expression was or not, Yuliana continued her explanation in a low voice.
“Tureina believed that since the Juryo Sub-Gyeban was an incomplete spell, if he added the newly developed one, Rin’s ice would melt.”
“… … !”
“But Kwangryong disapproved of the proposal, rather than a request. Did you say that the reason was because the soul had already left the body?”
my soul.
I felt my heart soar rapidly.
“The dragons don’t lie. Turaina, who must have known that better than anyone else, couldn’t believe it. Maybe he didn’t want to believe it.”
A grinning voice echoed frantically in my ears.
– I offered to teach him how to wake the frozen kid, and he rolled his eyes and learned black magic… … .
It got to the point where I couldn’t even breathe, let alone swallow.
“Tureina thought that if Gwangryong didn’t help, she would bring Rin back to life by borrowing the power of the abyss. Fate is often funny. Join hands with the abyss to save the teacher who died while fighting the abyss?”
“… … .”
“The Lord of Time controls time. The same goes for those of his clan. Turaina woke up the time lord who was sealed in the Imperial Palace, and tried to return Rin’s body to the state before freezing. That is the whole story of the sunspot event that brought down the Yellow Dragon Corps.”
don’t believe I can not believe it.
I can’t.
What did I teach him, what kind of life did Friede, Lista, and Kies show him.
“The abyss feeds on the yin energy in the human heart, the sadness and longing that comes from affection. He cleverly seduces them and leads them to corruption.”
“stop… … .”
“Turaina must be well aware of that. So, you must be thinking that you are using the abyss instead. But what about the consequences?”
The prize this time was the Red Mountains.
The mountain villages were devastated without a human being, crows flew around, the forests that colored the mountains beautifully were all dried up, and the lakes rotted and turned into swamps.
Death was everywhere, calamity was everywhere.
“Turaina is unleashing disaster on the world. You are ruining the world for your own desires.”
“No, no… … .”
“I didn’t believe it until I saw it myself. He created the human body with a technique used to treat the sick, and ordered them to be slaughtered for his own purposes.”
shut that mouth
I almost shouted like that.
“Looking at such a double life track, I realized the obvious truth.”
That guy is your teacher.
How can you sell so decisively? Don’t you even suspect that it’s fake? What is the possibility that the body was stolen?
“What is Turaina’s goal in life? end of the world? If that’s the case, you can openly hate it.”
“stop… … .”
“It’s a pitiful, pitiful love. Everything Tureina has done in her life is nothing more than a manifestation of her desire to see Rin again.”
Unpleasant perspiration trickled down my back, and hyperventilation prevented any thoughts from forming in my head.
What you can see and hear is the bloody chaos that Yuliana projected into the hallucinatory world. Walking in the middle of it, the shrine maiden with a hat, Tureina.
My consciousness was gradually becoming vague, and when I came to my senses, I was screaming like crazy.
“How can you believe something like that! Impossible, Tureina, what kind of person is Turaina! Everyone, everyone said that he was a great person who lived a life respected by everyone! I, in the book, in the book—”
“—In the first place, the truth is hard to believe.”
“shut up! This kind of brainwashing! I think I’m going to get hit! Bell, Bell Curie… … Belle Curious!”
“Calm down, the main point I want to talk about starts now—”
“—Don’t come close to me, go over there! I don’t believe in such sophistry! Do you believe it! Xernix, you motherf*cker! Oops, with these cowardly tricks, I, I… … !”
Despite being in a hallucinatory world, when I couldn’t breathe, I ended up on the ground, gasping for breath repeatedly before passing out.
The dream smelled of old books.
On the day I saved the red city in the ＜Shriganacus＞ rotation, I fell asleep while reading an old book I wanted to read in the Chengdu Great Library where the southern moonlight was coldly shining down.
At that moment, the hat that had been covered over his face was suddenly lifted, and a blue-haired little boy smiled shyly.
– Sabu, sleep in the bed.
Memories of a sad and faint summer day, interposed between the exhausting, rough and arduous journey.
Maybe it’s because of the voice in that memory… … Is it because of the smile… … As if lying on a cozy blanket, the sleep of consciousness subsided calmly.
My mind was at peace and my mind was clear. Intense pain soon turned into a quiet sorrow that drenched the soul.
When she opened her eyes again, the needles stuck all over her body were gone, and instead Ceresia was covered over her body like a blanket.
It didn’t take much effort to turn the head. Yuliana, who was sitting on the bedside chair and holding a smoking pipe, was clearly recognized.
“How much time has passed?”
Perhaps it was surprising that I had calmed down my voice, unlike earlier.
“It was dawn when he brought you guys here, and now it’s dusk. It’s been about half a day.”
It was late at night when I faced him in ＜Aurelinople＞… … Did he use space-time magic?
“What I said earlier… … Everything must be true.”
“I must first apologize. Originally, I didn’t tell the story of Tureina directly. Until it’s time to accept the truth.”
“Why?”
“Because it is dangerous. can’t accept To wizards and witches alike, Turaina is an idol. I had to do it though. There is not much time, either for me or for you.”
The shock that came to me was something deeper and sadder than disillusionment, but… … You wouldn’t have to say that.
Instead, he got up while moaning at the pain that ran through his entire body. Then he tumbled under the hospital bed, but crawled forward, crawling on his elbows.
“You can’t beat Turaina if you go with that body. As a result, Jinryong’s body could not be obtained. This is a sanctuary at the foot of the Red Mountains. Closer to the location of consciousness.”
There were a couple of grievances to find. One is Tureina and the other is Aki. A child whom the lifesaver trusted and entrusted to me.
“The ceremony begins when the new day comes. As much as it has to be offered as a living sacrifice, until then, Jinryong’s body is safe. Most of all, we need reinforcements to stop the wide-area ritual. I can’t do anything by myself.”
“I have to go, right now… … .”
“I thought wizards were rational beings, but are you going to blow up all your chances of winning by being swept away by your emotions?”
It was really pitiful to hear Korakseoni say things like this from his disciple’s disciple, but he couldn’t stay still.
I couldn’t stand still.
Aki, that guy starts crying after 15 seconds away from me. How long is he crying now? Will it be safe? Could it be that you were hurt? Will you sleep well? Anything to eat? Aren’t you starving?
“Tell me what you were going to say earlier. i was an orphan I was dying in a town that was falling apart. That’s when Turaina found me. He said this. ‘Come here, aren’t you hungry?’ Then they gave me something to eat and treated my wounds.”
At that remark, I felt a strange sense of wariness, and at the same time, I felt a throbbing sense of deja vu in my chest, so I stopped moving.
Come on, aren’t you hungry?
This ambassador… … It was very similar to what I did when I first met Turaina.
“And he said he would teach me witchcraft. They say that learning witchcraft will create value for people, and that they will be able to live confidently wherever they go.”
“… … .”
“Turaina had the skill and kindness to teach magic more easily than anyone else. And he had the power to change the absurdity of this land into something worthy to see. I actually helped and fixed a lot of people.”
That’s good, I thought.
I thought that what was written in the book was not a lie. I guess that guy’s life wasn’t all lies.
Yuliana helped me up and put me back on the bed. A number of silver needles were placed on the silver plate on the bedside table.
“Turaina taught me witchcraft and gave me true freedom. I didn’t give you rice cakes, but gave you the ability to buy rice cakes.”
“I heard you realized the truth earlier and became disillusioned… … .”
“The ‘Golden Children’ and the Magic League’s task force want to say that. But who could say that, who owes Turaina the lives of his or his family?”
It is also true that Turaina has committed countless evil deeds, but it is also true that she has done more good deeds than anyone who has ever existed in this world.
“After realizing the truth, I tried to kill Turaina. Once or twice a year, there were times when I got drunk and collapsed. I wanted to give you peace with my own hands before Master destroyed the world.”
“… … But why did it fail?”
“Women, unlike men, are emotional creatures. Maybe that’s why only women can become witches.”
Yuliana took out the scroll of paper she was holding dearly in her bosom and handed it to her. I took it without thinking and unfolded it, then stopped for a second.
My hands and eyes trembled.
As if scratching the heart with a thick, sharp chisel, an inescapable pain ran through my soul. I looked up blankly as I rolled the paper again.
“Turaina was asleep on the desk. I mean, I was writing that letter. The moment I saw it, I couldn’t do anything. Then Turaina, who noticed my presence, woke up and I ran away. It came out of nowhere at that time.”
Turaina’s letter… … .
The moment I saw the beautiful handwriting of “To Master,” I felt my body freeze.
“I don’t mean to ask for forgiveness for Turaina’s misdeeds. I just want some extenuating circumstances.”
“… … ?”
“If caught by the Imperial Court or the Special Affairs Division, Turaina would be burned at the stake after undergoing tremendous torture.”
Turaina’s existence right now is more like an echo of a legend.
The Imperial Court and the Special Affairs Division are also pursuing Tureina, but they do not rule out the possibility that it is a fake.
It seems that the Yellow Dragon Corps didn’t tell the truth either… … But the moment Turaina is captured, everything will come to the surface.
“I don’t want that. It’s true that we should punish him, but I think we should give him a worthy death considering the good he has done.”
“… … You are a shaman and this is a republic, so why do you ask what I want?”
“Because the water dragon gave an oracle in a dream. Leave the judgment to you. So I did my job.”
“What about Jeriserica?”
“okay. Rest as much as you can until your body is stable, and see you at the strategy meeting tomorrow morning. There is still one day left until the end of the day.”
Yuliana put her hand on my shoulder, tightened it, and left the room.
It was a beautiful night with the moon and stars above the clear sky, except for the cries of crows that blended ominously into the moderately cool night air.
I had to take a deep breath over and over again before unfolding the weight of the reality I held in my hand, this reality that I had to accept.
‘Tureina, you idiot, what the hell are you doing… … ?’
I was able to open the letter only when the moon in the east hung in the middle of the sky, feeling the pain of the cold knife point piercing my chest.