Chapter 225: Wooden Pocket Watch (4)

“... It has been a long time, child of Luna,” Decalane said.

In the depths of the dream’s darkness, Deculein’s father—Decalane, a specter of the past—appeared. Fear gripped Epherene at first, but only for a brief moment.

I don’t shake in fear anymore, and I’m not afraid to back down. I’ve learned to see myself for who I really am. My properties are Curios and Origin—talents so rare that most people would be lucky to have even one. Running away in fear would just be a waste of my potential,

Epherene thought.

“Come at me,” Epherene said, taunting as she took a stance for a magical battle.

Pzzt— Pzzzzzzt—

Sparks of mana crackled in the air.

"You have changed. However, child, I have no desire to engage in a fight with you," Decalane replied with a faint smile.

“Bullshit...”

"Why don't we sit for a moment?”

From the void of darkness, two chairs took shape, appearing as if they had always been there.

"Sit," Decalane said as he stepped forward and lowered himself onto one of the chairs, then, with a simple gesture, he motioned to the seat across from him.

“... What?" Epherene muttered, momentarily caught off guard.

But Decalane remained calm, merely nodding as if to assure her that everything was fine.

“... What kind of trick is this?”

"This is no trick. I merely wish to have a conversation with you," Decalane said.

“A conversation?”

"Come, sit. I will tell you everything you do not know—about my son, and about your father as well."

The relationship between Deculein and her father—Epherene found Decalane difficult to trust, yet the offer was tempting nonetheless.

“... All of a sudden?” Epherene asked suspiciously.

"It is not sudden. I have long wished to tell you, but certain obstacles... stood in the way," Decalane replied with a smile. Then, with a slight motion of his hand, he used

Telekinesis

to pull out a chair for her. "Will you listen, or will you leave? The choice is yours."

A wave of curiosity and doubt welled up from deep within her, tangled with the heavy burden of her father’s and Deculein’s dark past. Unable to hold it back any longer, Epherene slowly took a seat, her eyes narrowing into a glare as she focused on Decalane.

"What is it that you wish to know, child?" Decalane asked with a gentle smile.

"Your purpose. Why, how, and for what reason do you keep coming into my mind?" Epherene asked.

"It is simple. My intention was to implant myself within your body."

“W-Within my body?”

"Indeed. You may not have realized it, but a remnant of that attempt remains within you, allowing me to take form by your side like this."

“... You are crazy!” Epherene said, glaring at Decalane with pure disgust. “Absolutely disgusting—”

"It was your father’s proposal," Decalane interrupted with a faint smile.

“... What?” Epherene muttered, her brows knitting in disbelief at the incomprehensible words.

"Child, I have told you before—Kagan Luna never loved you."

At that moment, Epherene's face stiffened.

"A long time ago, your mother gave birth to you and then ran away," Decalane said with a faint smile, his fingers tapping on the table.

“... Mother? My mom?”

“Indeed.”

Epherene had never seen her mother’s face, as there were no portraits, no photographs—only a name carved on a gravestone in her homeland.

“What do you mean by that?”

"Iliade offered her a fortune to give up the Luna name. Without hesitation, she accepted—abandoning both you and Kagan."

Epherene's lips parted slightly in silence.

"As a result, Kagan came to resent Iliade, his heart consumed by hatred for your mother, and because you bore her likeness, he loathed you as well. In the end, the only thing left in his life was magic, which he held onto with a desperate obsession, living like a man lost in his own madness..."

A single chess piece appeared on the table before Decalane—a pawn, the smallest soldier on the board.

"However, lost in his own obsession and paranoia, your father, Kagan.”

Behind it, a massive king piece placed itself onto the table.

“Eventually found his way to me."

Epherene clenched her fists tightly.

"He came to me while I was preoccupied with matters of succession and proposed offering you in exchange. In return, he wanted me to help him exact his revenge—to bring down Iliade and find his wife, only to kill her with his own hands. That man was far from sane," Decalane concluded, a smile forming on his lips.

“S-Stop spewing that bullshit—!” Epherene yelled, unable to bear it any longer, her outburst sending the chess pieces on the table—the king and the pawn—tumbling over. “Y-You have no proof! My father would never—”

“Proof.”

"Yeah—!" Epherene shouted, springing to her feet, her hands trembling as she nearly overturned the table as she glared at Decalane. "My father would never hate me! He would never—"

"Did I not already tell you?" Decalane interrupted, his voice dropping to a chilling calm, his eyes—so much like Deculein’s—locked on her. "That remnant is still a part of you."

“What do you mean by...”

At that moment, Epherene met Decalane's eyes, then followed his line of sight.

“Child of Luna.”

... It was toward her wrist—on the bracelet wrapped around it. A keepsake left by her father—or so she had believed. What she had thought was part of her very being all this time, her property, a Curios.

“That is the remnant.”

“...

Ah

.”

"Becoming a mage, entering the academy, receiving the Curios—every thought you’ve had, every choice you’ve made, all of it was controlled by him," Decalane said. "Your life was never really your own. Not even once."

Epherene fell silent, her pupils darkening as her eyes dimmed and her breath became unsteady. The more her head dipped under the weight of his words, the more Decalane’s smile deepened.

"Do you understand now? Your life has been nothing but meaningless—"

“... Then.”

But just before she could crumble under the weight of his words, Epherene clenched her teeth and braced herself, swallowing back the tears that threatened to fall.

"He knew all this time and never said a word," Epherene muttered.

“Who?”

Epherene lowered her eyes to her wrist without a word, where her father’s bracelet was placed.

“... The Professor,” Epherene muttered, lowering her eyes to her palm, where a piece of Wood Steel lay.

“...

Hmm

," Decalane murmured, leaning back in his chair as he regarded Epherene with quiet contempt.

“... So the Professor knew everything all along and let me hate him. He made me believe he killed my father."

Suddenly, Deculein’s words echoed in her mind—his chilling question of whether someone as feeble as she could ever take vengeance against the one who killed Kagan.

“... Just like how you're trying to break me now, maybe he thought I would break," Epherene added, lifting her head.

Epherene’s face was a canvas of fractured emotions, but she glared Decalane in the eyes as she placed the Wood Steel onto the table.

Bang—!

The solid, heavy Wood Steel came down, crushing both the pawn and the king beneath its weight.

“This is my knight,” Epherene said.

“...

Tch

,” Decalane murmured, shaking his head.

“I never played chess because it was too complicated for me, but this,” Epherene added through clenched teeth, pressing down as if to crush her words. “This is dozens of times stronger than any pawn or king.”

Ruuuuumble...

At that moment, the dreamscape trembled, darkness rippling around them as mana flowed into the Wood Steel and cracks spread across the ground like veins of light.

“I won’t break,” Epherene muttered, wiping the tears from her eyes, although her heart felt like it was being ripped to pieces—no, it had already shattered—but her inner strength kept her upright. “Because that’s what the Professor wants.”

Shhhateerr

—!

As the subconscious world fractured and crumbled around them, Decalane locked his eyes on Epherene, and she met them without flinching.

And...

“

Ahh

!”

As Epherene opened her eyes again, she was back in Sylvia’s cabin.

“

Ugh

!”

Epherene sprang upright, pressing a hand to her pounding chest.

Thump, thump, thump, thump—

Epherene took a trembling breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and then her eyes fell on the bracelet lying beside her bed.

“...

Oh

.”

The keepsake from her father—the magical Curios she had always worn, the one thing she treasured above all else, more than even her own life...

"It broke," Epherene muttered.

Epherene stared at the bracelet, as still and broken as a fallen star, lying beside her bed. For a long time, she stood frozen in place, unable to tear her eyes away, unable to bring herself to.

***

The next afternoon, under the bright Yuren sun, Epherene walked through the city streets alongside Sylvia and Allen. None of them spoke, and a heavy silence hung between them, weighed down by fatigue and an unspoken awkwardness.

"Bookstore," Sylvia said, pointing toward a building as they walked in silence.

In the middle of the shopping district stood a bookstore, its sign hanging alone. For a bookstore, the building was quite large.

“Y-Yeah. Let’s go,” Epherene replied, reacting first.

Allen gave a small nod and followed, and together, they stepped into the bookstore.

“

Hmm

?” Epherene murmured, her eyes widening the moment they stepped inside. “... It’s crowded.”

The bookstore was bustling with people, every corner alive with activity. Here and there, individuals stood browsing, and among them, a few mages in robes could be seen.

This isn’t the Floating Island Library... What is going on?

Epherene muttered.

"What?" Sylvia said, narrowing her eyes in annoyance at the crowd.

"Take a look at this—they're hosting an event today," Allen said.

“An event?”

“Yes.”

Epherene followed where Allen had pointed and spotted a poster nearby.

Yuren Literary Quiz Competition! Broadcast Live on Radio!

"Live radio broadcast...? What does that mean?" Epherene asked.

"No idea," Sylvia said before walking off in search of a book.

Epherene narrowed her eyes, staring at the poster—just another ordinary moment in the flow of everyday life...

“

Oh

?”

A puzzled voice called out behind Epherene, causing both her and Allen to turn toward the sound.

“

Oh

! Wait—Ria? Is that you?” Epherene said

Ria, a member of the Red Garnet Adventure Team, stood there.

"Hello!" Ria replied, hugging a book to her chest.

"Hey, Ria. It’s been a while. What brings you here?"

"I'm here to join the Yuren Literary Quiz Competition," Ria replied.

“... The Yuren Literary Quiz Competition?”

"Yes, the prizes are really big," Ria said with a bright smile, but it quickly faded. "

Oh

, and I... also heard about the Professor passing away..."

“

Oh

, that? It’s okay.”

“... Sorry?”

“It’s okay, really. One day, we’ll be so fine that no one will even remember.”

Ria tilted her head at Epherene’s enigmatic words, but Epherene glanced toward the Literary Quiz Competition being set up in the distance.

— Everyone, make sure you’re well prepared! Her Highness herself will be participating in this quiz!

Epherene didn’t know exactly what a live radio broadcast was, but everyone certainly seemed busy preparing for something.

"What do they give the winner?" Epherene asked.

"The prize for winning is thirty thousand elne, plus an invitation to the inner castle. But... what did you mean by it’s fine?

Oh

, and—

umm

, I heard Her Majesty of the Empire is in critical condition. Is she... doing okay?" Ria asked.

“The winning prize and an invitation to the inner castle...”

“

Umm

, Epherene? Epherene?”

Ria kept asking questions, but Epherene paid her no mind, her attention focused on the platform at the center of the bookstore.

"Is the live radio broadcast ready?"

“Yes, sir!”

"Ria, can I sign up right now?" Epherene asked, her face lighting up with curiosity.

"Sorry?

Oh

, yes, you can... but,

umm

, is Her Majesty doing well?"

“Yes, she is okay.”

"

Oh

!

Whew

,

whew

,

whew...

" Ria murmured, pressing a hand to her chest in visible relief.

"Excuse me, I'd like to sign up for the competition. I'm a mage too," Epherene said, stepping past Ria and approaching the registration area.

"

Oh

, yes. Please fill out your name and the required details, then submit the form," replied one of the staff.

“Okay...”

As Epherene accepted the application form with a slight nod...

Boom—!

“

Ahhh

!”

Without warning, a sudden quake shook the ground, and in the next moment, the entire bookstore collapsed into the earth.

***

... On the outer edge of the world—a limitless, conceptual space belonging neither to the continent nor the cosmos. Immense and barren like a desert, it was untouched by any law of nature. In an infinite stretch, where only a single lake existed, a lone silhouette stood before it, staring into its depths as the lake spoke to him.

—

O Lord, what is it that you are doing?"

"I am casting my line," replied God, his voice stretching across the distant continent like a whisper upon the wind.

—

O Lord, does life exist in that place?"

"None," He replied, giving a slight flick of his fishing rod.

In the lake, where no life stirred to take the bait, fishing was nothing short of perpetual tedium.

—

My deepest apologies, O Lord. But at long last, the hour of Your descent is nearly upon us.

The priest of the Altar spoke, declaring that His body would soon be ready and that the time to set foot upon the continent once more was nearly at hand.

"So be it," He replied, nodding.

He felt no overwhelming emotion, no real joy, yet the reckoning for heresy would be inevitable.

"I shall wait."

He then reeled in his fishing line, the empty hook swaying in the air with nothing to catch. However, as he placed his hand over it, a fresh, glistening shrimp took shape, slipping neatly onto the hook.

Splash—!

“... Is casting a line into lifeless waters an act of futility, or does the mere act of doing so, by its very existence, hold meaning?” He muttered, releasing the hook into the lake once more.

Lost in thought, He reflected on the approaching day of His descent—the moment when He would once again return and set foot upon the world...