Chapter 221: A Wooden Pocket Watch (1)
…Epherene was thinking of the Emperor’s assassination. The perpetrator was among the thirty knights invited by Her Majesty.
“And they made public what they have done.”
The Emperor’s critical condition couldn’t be hastily disclosed by the Imperial family. Her Majesty was the most important person on this continent, so the most basic rule was to prepare at least a dozen future countermeasures.
“It was very elaborate.”
However, while the Imperial family was in chaos, the Altar took their chance. They revealed the Emperor’s death to the media, and the news spread like wildfire. The plan created by the Altar was to collapse the system all at once.
“That’s how they brought the professor into the Imperial Palace.”
If he heard that the Emperor was in an urgent condition, the professor would surely come to the palace as well.
“…Were they intending to target even the professor from the start?”
These were the words of Delric, who clenched his teeth in anger. Epherene nodded.
“Professor must have been vaguely aware of it from the moment he came to the Palace.”
Immediately after the incident, there were many outsiders in the Imperial Palace. Eyes were scattered everywhere, and there was someone from the Altar among them.
“And…”
After a moment’s pause, Epherene looked back at Sylvia. Droplets of water-soaked her clothes under the robe, and her eyes were empty. She was limp like a doll, unseeing and unhearing.
“…Sylvia.”
Epherene called Sylvia’s name.
“There is a way to turn it back.”
Sylvia raised her face. Her messy blonde hair was scattered across her face.
“So, help me. Don’t stand there like a fool.”
“…And do you think that will make the dead come back to life?”
Hoarse voice, purple lips. Epherene felt pity for her but nodded.
“Yeah. It will.”
“…”
“Now, these memories will disappear like a nightmare. And then, I’m going to throw a counter at our enemies.”
Sylvia’s eyes narrowed as if she found it ridiculous. She shook her head and murmured in a low voice.
“Stupid Epherene.”
“…You’re helping, right?”
“…”
Sylvia kept her mouth shut, but her silence was an affirmation.
“Delric, shall we go now?”
“Okay. We have already sent out reconnaissance with five people we can trust.”
At Delric’s words, Epherene frowned. Delric laughed softly.
“Don’t worry. I’m not stupid either. I gave all five of them the wrong destination.”
“…Yes?”
“I don’t know exactly where the Altar is, but if it’s a group capable of attacking Her Majesty, at least it means that a spy has already infiltrated the palace.”
Delric explained as he put on a coat.
“If one of the five is the spy, they will call the Altar to the wrong destination, and even if they aren’t, it will surely attract the attention of the Altar. Either way, it’s a good way to distract them.”
“Aha…”
Epherene was amazed. Delric chuckled and pointed to Sylvia.
“Then let’s go now. There, your friend too.”
Sylvia raised her head.
“We’re not friends.”
“…Hmm? Aren’t you friends?”
Epherene responded instead.
“She was a classmate, a college classmate.”
“If you’re classmates, you’re friends… wait. Didn’t you just say you’re Sylvia?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Delric suddenly looked to Sylvia with wide-open eyes. Sylvia snorted.
“Sylvia from Iliade.”
* * *
Sylva created an airship and flew in the sky with Epherene and Delric. The three of them arrived at Yukline’s mansion in that manner.
“…Wait. Wait here; I will go in alone.”
“Yell if you are in danger.”
“Yes.”
A full moon was rising overhead. She was used to this place since she stayed here for a while, but for some reason, the house’s garden had become unfamiliar and cold. After disembarking from the airship, Epherene approached the back door.
Creek-
The door slowly opened, and she sneaked up the stairs to Professor Deculein’s office. Security magic was set in place, but Epherene submitted a drop of her blood to be exempted.
“…”
The inside was, as usual, tidy. Even if the professor wasn’t here, it seemed that someone was cleaning for him. Was it Miss Yeriel?
“A drawer…”
A cold breeze suddenly brushed against the back of Epherene’s neck as she approached the desk.
Rustle-
It was cold and filled with a killing aura.
“!”
Epherene looked back to see someone suspicious in a robe and a sharp blade flashing toward her heart.
“Ugh!”
…The moment it was about to pierce her chest, the floor where Epherene was standing suddenly became distorted, and she found herself moved three steps back.
“Careful.”
And then, another voice came from behind. Epherene’s eyes nearly rolled from their sockets.
“…A, Al, A, Al-“
“Shh.”
Allen stood behind her with a serious face.
“…”
Epherene swallowed hard. The professor died, and Allen came back to life? What was going on?
“…What the?”
“Yes. I know, right.”
Allen, answering softly, reached out to the robed man on the other side. He moved towards the window as if to escape, but his torso split in half before he could make it two steps.
Swoosh-
The upper and lower parts of his body separated and slid away from each other.
“…”
Epherene’s jaw dropped. Such a quick murder was as surprising as Allen’s rebirth.
“What did you come here for?”
“…Eh?”
Epherene looked at Allen, leaning in close to make sure it was him. It was Allen.
“Huh.”
Epherene felt a shock similar to when she first returned, but Allen explained as if it weren’t a big deal.
“He’s the last watchman left here. He was watching to see if you would come here, and I watched him.”
“…”
“So, what did you come here for, Epherene?”
“That… um…”
Epherene hesitantly pointed to Deculein’s drawer. The place where the split corpse was laid out.
“Oh.”
Allen removed the body and the blood with a single gesture. She didn’t know where it had disappeared to; it just disappeared.
“Yes. What are you looking for?”
Epherene first approached and opened Deculein’s drawer.
Rattle-
“…This.”
As he said, a black bracelet was covered by a soft veil. Allen asked.
“Is that all?”
“…Yes. No. More importantly, Professor Allen! What happened to you? Are you a ghost?!”
“No… I just… but, what does that matter now?”
Allen shook his head expressionlessly. Then, he leaned against the wall.
“…The professor is dead.”
For some reason, his voice was resigned.
“The Emperor is also dead.”
Epherene stared blankly at him. Allen gave her a small smile and closed his eyes.
“Yes… there’s no answer now. This world is ruined.”
“No!”
Epherene responded quickly.
“It’s not over yet.”
Allen blinked.
“We can still turn things back.”
Looking at Epherene’s hardened face and feeling her confidence, Allen thought for a moment.
“…Aha.”
He produced a little letter from his pocket.
“Here. Take this, Epherene.”
“What… is this?”
“I was the first to find the professor’s body.”
“What?!”
“The professor was also strong. The Altar barely managed to escape. If he had endured a bit until I arrived…”
Allen’s expression darkened for a moment, but he soon smiled again.
“The professor left a letter before he died. For me, he said, ‘Pass the letter to other people, and stay in this office.'”
“…”
“He knew in advance that you would come here and that the Altar would watch over it.”
Epherene took the letter. On the corner, her name was written.
“How far ahead was the professor? One step? Two steps? Three steps? …But the most important person, himself, died.”
“No.”
Epherene responded as she put the letter into her robe.
“He didn’t die. I can revive him. So, come with me.”
“…”
Allen looked silently at Epherene. To be honest, he was looking at her like she was crazy. Epherene clenched her teeth.
“I cried a lot when you died, you know? I cried.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t give me just a ‘yes’!”
She yelled. Allen glanced down.
“Oh, I’m sorry… I also had a problem…”
“…If you’re sorry.”
Epherene placed a hand on Allen’s shoulder.
“Come with me.”
The doorknob to the office rattled at that moment. Epherene was startled, but Allen pulled her between the bookshelves.
─…Who’s there?
The voice echoing out was familiar. Yeriel.
─…Well. There’s no way someone’s there.
Epherene’s expression sank as Yeriel’s figure could be seen through the bookshelves.
─I’m here. But you’re not, brother.
She smiled sadly and sat in the professor’s chair. She laid down on the desk, stroking this and that and letting out a small breath. Then, she wept.
For a long time.
* * *
One late night in March, in Knight Deya’s Office of Reccordak.
“…”
Julie was looking over Reccordak outside the window. The bright stars and the moon illuminated the pure white earth, but the scenery was far from her mind. The attempt to assassinate the Emperor lay heavily upon her. Her Majesty’s health, which everyone had been waiting to learn more about, was still uncertain, while the news of Deculein’s death had become so clear that it filled the continent.
It disturbed Julie.
Knock, Knock— Knock, knock—
Julie glanced back.
“Who is it?”
—It’s Epherene.
“Hmm?”
Deculein’s disciple, Epherene. Julie approached with surprise and opened the door.
“Epherene…”
However, her guest wasn’t alone. No, she didn’t even know it was Epherene at first because of the thick robes they were wearing.
“Yes. I’m Epherene.”
Epherene pulled off her hood, and the two behind them showed their faces one after another: Sylvia and Delric. Julie grew even more puzzled.
“Knight Delric?”
“Shh. It’s a secret that I’m here. For now, we’ll be escorting you outside, so talk to Epherene.”
The sudden visit was a surprise, but Julie nodded.
“Okay.”
…Five minutes later.
“It’s hard to believe it completely.”
Facing each other, Julie spoke. Epherene understood why.
“So, to sum it up. Epherene, are you saying that you have now returned?”
“Yes.”
“…That is hard to believe.”
Returning from the future to the past. It wasn’t easy to believe. No, it would be strange to believe. Even for a wizard, that was something on par with an Archmage.
“However, I can agree that one of those thirty is a suspect. I was thinking so too. Behind one of them, there must be a great darkness.”
The thirty candidates for the Guardian Knight were directly summoned by Her Majesty. All thirty were top knights from the continent, so any one of them could’ve attacked the Emperor and killed Deculein.
“…Yes. The professor said before he died to ask you for help.”
“You mean… me?”
Julie frowned. That was also hard to believe, maybe even more than the return. Epherene smiled softly.
“Yes. The professor said that Knight Julie is the most sincere person on this continent.”
“…”
The most sincere person.
…The most sincere person. Of course, she didn’t live a lie, but there was no way Deculein would have said that…
“And.”
While Julie was thinking, Epherene continued.
“The professor doesn’t hate you.”
Those words made Julie even more confused. For a moment, her temples throbbed. However, she quickly understood that was a lie.
“It’s fine. I’m not going to say that I won’t help you because of my bad feelings for the professor-“
“No. It’s not like that.”
After interrupting her, Epherene looked inside her pocket.
“The professor doesn’t hate you.”
“…!”
At that moment, Julie’s eyes widened at the item Epherene produced.
“T-This is…”
The bracelet, her father’s first and last gift to her. Julie’s eyes were colored with astonishment, and Epherene smiled bitterly.
“The professor kept this with him. Maybe he was aiming to give it to you someday. Maybe on your wedding day.”
“…”
“If he hated you, there’s no way he would keep this, right?”
Epherene placed the bracelet on the desk. Julie grabbed it almost instinctively.
“Rather, the professor is still….”
Julie looked at Epherene again. The bracelet, as black as coal, softened her heart. Epherene smiled.
“Maybe he’s still in love with you.”