༺ The Sound Of Crying ༻
Thud.
I felt drained the moment I returned to my room. I could barely stand.
As I sat down on the bed, struggling to regain my composure, the Dark Spiritualist cautiously revealed herself.
She must have empathized with the turmoil I was experiencing, given that she had seen everything from my side.
[……]
Hence, she didn’t say a thing amidst my confusion, but continued to wait in silence.
Until I arrived at a conclusion.
Surprisingly, it didn’t take me as long as I thought it would. As always, this cursed composure followed me, making me examine the situation emotionlessly, unraveling it slowly.
As I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose to clear my disarrayed thoughts, the image of Eleanor, who kept approaching me, flashed in my mind.
“Sigh…”
Breathing out deeply, I stood up, noticing the Dark Spiritualist’s slightly astonished expression.
[You recovered so quickly?]
She remarked, implying not even five minutes had passed. But the disorientation I felt after such a long time seemed much longer than expected.
“Yes, I am fine now.”
That was it. The brief sting was fleeting, and I was back to my usual self.
[Alright. Just to make sure, the current Princess Eleanor…]
“Yes, the being from her nightmares has taken over her body.”
[……]
This much was certain; there were no differing opinions between the Dark Spiritualist and me on this matter.
The fact that Eleanor didn’t ask if this was reality the moment she saw me…
Also, the fact that she didn’t respond the way she had prepared when I brought up the code myself…
Those were the two reasons.
Now, the issue arose here.
The Dark Spiritualist asked with a hint of skepticism.
[Is there any chance that the yokai you created, called Maek, didn’t function as planned?]
“No, it worked exactly as we expected. And, it disappeared after fulfilling its role.”
Upon consuming the dream, Maek carried out its final duty I had asked mages to add and vanished.
The Dark Spiritualist gazed at me with a frown, then replied solemnly.
[Then, isn’t there only one answer? The Eleanor we originally met was the nightmare itself.]
“……”
[Honestly, it’s not that surprising. There are evil spirits who are often unable to accept their own demise, right?]
Yes, I had seen too many of such cases.
On top of that, there were indeed evil spirits that tried to possess bodies.
[She might not have been aware she was the nightmare. Ultimately, Maek did accomplish its task by consuming the nightmare. It seems that Princess Eleanor is finally free after being possessed for a long time.]
“……”
[We should be celebrating the fact that the rightful owner of the body has regained control.]
The Dark Spiritualist spoke as if urging me to accept the truth.
I stood up and headed towards the teapot.
I began to heat the tea I had prepared the day before, and then replied.
“That is not possible.”
At first, I too wondered if the once-enthusiastic Eleanor was, in fact, the nightmare.
But that was impossible.
[Excuse me? Impossible, you say?]
The teapot emitted steam. I felt warmth seep into my hand as I held it and leisurely poured the tea into a cup.
Without bothering to sit down, I took a sip right then and there, before responding.
“We would have certainly noticed if the Eleanor we met was some sort of imposter.”
Right now, the Dark Spiritualist was thinking too much from the perspective of a Necromancer.
Sadly, the problem plaguing Eleanor had almost nothing to do with necromancy.
“For that to be possible, it implies that Eleanor was under some kind of hex. But we observed no such thing.”
[Ah…]
The Dark Spiritualist and I had spoken about this before.
Nothing seemed off about Eleanor.
Even the Saintess was unable to properly pinpoint the cause.
The situation surrounding Eleanor had no external interference.
“What we should be focusing on is the nightmare.”
[The nightmare?]
“Maek consumed a nightmare. But what constitutes a nightmare? It doesn’t understand that concept.”
[…So, you’re saying a nightmare isn’t a fixed concept.]
“That is correct. And in this case, the concept would be determined according to the will of the entity being consumed.”
Again, the Maek was similar to an AI made from mana. It can only act based on the information we supply it with.
Since we, who could not properly define what dreams were, only gave Maek vague information about nightmares, we could not yet provide a clear definition.
It’s highly likely that Maek consumed what the subject, Eleanor, defined as a nightmare.
Squeeze.
A profound weight was felt from what was held in my very grasp.
Now, the puzzle pieces finally fit together perfectly.
I was blinded by the goal of simply resolving the problem and it caused me to slip.
But…
It was still possible to undo it.
So, I intended to steer this case back on track even though it had deviated.
I poured all of the stale tea I brewed yesterday into my mouth. Looking down at the teacup that now didn’t have a single drop left, I boiled new water.
This wasn’t about a nightmare.
This wasn’t about an incident where evil spirits or yokai were tormenting a girl.
It wasn’t a frightening, baffling ghost story.
It wasn’t an intricate riddle that needed the observant mind of a detective; nor did it demand the mythical powers of Necromancers or Saintesses.
It wasn’t some clichéd fairytale about saving a young girl from the clutches of evil.
It didn’t demand Solomon’s level of Wisdom to differentiate between the real and the fake.
This was…
* * *
The party in the Royal Gardens was more luxurious than I could have ever imagined.
All the Nobles in Graypond were invited to congratulate the Princess on her recovery.
I had wondered how the King would explain the story about the nightmare, but it was simply stated that she had recovered from an illness that had plagued her since childhood.
And naturally, the Nobles would come to learn that I was the one who cured it.
Before revealing my identity as a Necromancer later, the King was strategically laying down the groundwork.
“Only the final trial remains, but for tonight, let’s set it aside and enjoy.”
The words offered by the King, laughing towards me from behind, were quite impressionable.
It seemed I already had gained King Orpheus’s trust.
Recalling the game’s storyline, I had a rough idea of what he had prepared for the last trial, so I was confident.
Nobles, Clergy, Knights.
Today, they all set aside their usual struggles and unanimously laughed and celebrated the Princess’ recovery.
“A splendid achievement.”
I was currently with Archmage Ropelican. He seemed a bit drunk, repeatedly patting my shoulder and nudging me to consider becoming his apprentice.
“Oh dear, Master!”
“Goodness! He’s so drunk that he’s spouting nonsense!”
Trying to downplay his intoxicated prattling, the apprentices escorted him away in a hurry. Their desperate attempts to make it seem like nothing was amusing, especially since I had no intention of becoming his apprentice anyway.
[He’s my apprentice, though.]
The annoyed Dark Spiritualist complained. Despite everyone being dressed formally, her distinct look that resembled that of a fortune teller made her stand out, impossible to miss.
Luckily, I was the only one who could see her.
“Where is the Princess?”
[You will have to enter the Palace as she’s on the balcony.]
I was able to avoid unnecessary detours thanks to my prior instructions to locate Princess Eleanor.
No one seemed to realize that the star of the party had discreetly left her seat.
After all, such occasions were usually only busy at the beginning, and later on, everyone found their own way to enjoy themselves.
I headed towards the interior of the palace. Stern knights blocked the entrance as only high-ranking nobles were allowed to enter.
“You should recognize me.”
I naturally assumed that I’d be granted entry since the King had introduced me earlier, but they stood firm.
“The Princess ordered us to prevent the entry of Deus Verdi.”
“…”
Quite a direct move on her part.
I was delayed and just when I was trying to think of another way…
A heavy hand rested on my shoulder. Its firm grip was remarkable, especially considering that it was coming from someone who was hospitalized just days ago.
It was the Presiding Judge, Tyren Ol Velocus, standing steadfastly behind me.
“Let him through.”
He commanded them.
The knights were shocked, both by Tyren disobeying the Princess’ orders and his bold stance. Yet, Tyren struck his chest, stating his intent.
“I’ll take responsibility. If it comes to it, I don’t mind knocking you all down right here.”
“…”
“…”
As the knights hesitated, Tyren gave me a rough push from behind, placing himself between me and the knights.
“Lord Tyren!”
“This is an act of rebellion!”
“You must have seen the young Princess’ distress. That man is trying to resolve it, even if it means disobeying orders.”
Tyren declared, with his chest puffed out with confidence.
“It can be seen as a twisted form of loyalty.”
I snuck a glance at him. Tyren smirked at me, and with a snort that seemed almost playful, remarked,
“Next time, I won’t lose.”
[Ugh, I never want to fight against him again.]
With the unusual support of the burly man, I climbed up the stairs.
I felt a refreshing clarity with each step I took.
The path of Life wasn’t always easy. The original Deus always took the wrong path, and Kim Shinwoo also trod more on the incorrect paths than the correct ones.
But at the moment, there was an unwavering certainty inside me.
I was unquestionably on the right path.
I arrived at a dimly lit balcony. The boisterous laughter could be heard and bright lights could be seen from below, yet, strangely, they seemed distant and unreachable from here.
Above the dazzling scene below, brighter than a star-studded sky, was a golden-haired girl gazing at the unusually dark night sky.
“I didn’t really know what to call this place. They called it a balcony but it doesn’t fit as well as I thought.”
Eleanor Luden Griffin murmured peacefully and then slowly turned her gaze to me.
“I thought you’d come, Deus. I tried to imitate the previous Eleanor, but it probably didn’t work on you.”
A voice colder than I ever heard before.
She seemed to have assumed her true identity was known and abandoned her act of imitating the previous Princess Eleanor.
In her eyes, was a blazing conviction, an intense belief in herself, and an ambition for power.
And that was the traitor of the Kingdom I saw in the game.
The ambitious one who sought to kill her own brother, King Orpheus, and usurp the throne.
The Fallen Princess,
Eleanor Luden Griffin.
“How does it feel? The Eleanor you knew is dead. She’s no longer inside here.”
Eleanor declared with a confident smile. She then burst into laughter, spreading her arms wide.
“Did you want to save her? But what can you do? In the end, I won! Me! I emerged victorious! How does it feel? The one you wanted to stop has now taken over the princess.”
Step.
“…”
Step.
“Deus Verdi, it’s your loss.”
Step.
“The princess who was once hoping to be saved by you is nowhere to be found.”
Step.
I had reached her before I realized. I stared at Eleanor silently.
She looked at me with a smug look on her face, as if challenging me to say whatever I wished.
“There is no need to keep pretending.”
I comforted her, indicating that there was no need to utter pointless words.
“I know everything.”
“What are you talking about…”
“Even if you want to complain, plead, cry, or collapse pitifully, you can’t.”
“…”
“Because this is the form of the ideal being, bearing the rights and responsibilities you’ve shouldered since birth.”
“Don’t spout nonsense.”
Eleanor gritted her teeth and tried to push me away, but there was no strength in her hands.
“You don’t need to hide behind sharp words. Even if you can’t say anything else, it is okay to remain silent.”
Tyren Ol Velocus had said this before I came here:
Even going against orders for the sake of one’s lord can be considered loyalty.
I was unable to completely agree with that opinion.
At least, what I was doing now for Eleanor, who was unable to voice her true feelings—or rather, who was made unable to—wasn’t defined by loyalty.
This was just a final attempt to rectify my own mistake.
Not circumstances taking place due to the unyielding stances of loyalty and nobility.
But due to the time spent with a student as a professor.
“I’m sorry for not realizing it sooner.”
Eleanor was still staring at me, as if she wanted to consume me in anger for humiliating her.
Yet, a very faint tear welled up in her eyes.
I didn’t miss it and reached out to gently wipe it away.
The girl’s body trembled subtly.
“Truth and falsehood. Perhaps there was no need to try to distinguish between them.”
Not nightmares, spirits, yokai, riddles, demons, incidents, or ghost stories.
It was none of those.
It was just a cry.
“Because you were Eleanor Luden Griffin as well.”
What the crying girl needed was just comfort and a hug.
