『Translator: RainTL』
༺ Fate Intertwined (2) ༻
Fragments of the being who had once been the chairman fell on the ground.
Tates was staring down at the corpse of the young man… or rather the remains, when Dumnorix spoke to him from behind.
“Are you not going to chase after them?”
Dumnorix suggested that they chase after Korin Lork and his group to finish them off for good.
“No. This will do for today.”
“Hmm?”
The first to react to his words was the beautiful young man with bright blonde hair, Eochaid Bres. He said after exaggeratedly flinging his long fluttering hair with his hand.
“O King, lend me 500 shadow warriors, and I shall personally return with the head of the lady using the Domain on a plate.”
“Looks like you have taken interest in her, Eochaid.”
“How can I possibly not fall for her nectarine-like skin and unparalleled skills with the sword? Of course, everyone around that destined contender were all wonderful-looking girls.”
Eochaid Bres did not conceal his greed. Although he was the most normal in terms of outer appearance, the madness inside him was by no means less than that of the King of Beasts, Dun Scaith.
“But no. We are heading back.”
“Hah~”
He heaved out a sigh of lament. Despite being skeptical about his decision, Eochaid Bres did not put it into words out of utmost obedience.
Tates said as if to reward him for his obedience.
“Destroying the world. That Precept engraved into my body is asking for suitable foes and risk. It looks like those women had their ‘fates intertwined’ with my contender, you see.”
It would be possible for him to kill them if need be, but that would incidentally reduce the significance of the final battle. His Precepts were demanding for that final battle to be ever so magnificent and mythological.
“This time was just to say hello… Rather than a fight between warriors, it was closer to an assassination…”
The Precept related to the destruction of the world was very heavy. And its requirements were just as strong.
“There is no elegance in that.”
****
“…”
“…”
We silently stayed there in the middle of the Academy campus, at the place we were dropped off.
“Korin…”
Marie said while walking towards me with her eyes on the hole in my chest. I stopped her and said to her instead.
“Please… look after Alicia first.”
Thanks to the amplification from my Precept just then, my regeneration ability had also been enhanced significantly. My organs were in a mess but it wasn’t lethal by any means.
“Uhk… Mr. Korin. I’m sorry…”
The one in our group with the greatest amount of injuries was Alicia. It was because she had taken in the brunt of Valtazar’s attacks unguarded, and the damage was nothing to scoff at despite Hua Ran being in the middle of the two.
“How are you guys… Senior Marie and Hua Ran?”
“I, I’m fine!”
“…No problem.”
“Alright. That’s good then.”
I carefully raised Alicia, whose body was covered in bruises, and brought her to Lady Josephine.
“Professor. Please move Alicia to the infirmary first.”
“…Alright.”
Josephine looked just as grieved but she wasn’t someone who would prioritize her feelings over casualties.
“Hua Ran. You go with them.”
“I’m fi…”
“Go.”
“…”
For a long time, she stood still without saying anything back. It was highly likely that she was chatting with Ran.
“Okay.”
“…Korin. What about me?”
“Senior… Can you wait for Ren and Ron please? The kids must have been surprised.”
“N, nn…! Alright!”
They all left after I practically chased them away. With everyone gone, I dragged my powerless body towards the bench and sat myself there, without paying attention to my bloodstained shirt.
“Haa…”
I quickly went through everything that happened.
Conflict with the Tower of Mages – a terrorist attack at the Academy carried out by the Great Mage Adelene, and the mages of the Red and Black Cults. Admelech of the Red Cult was disarmed and captured with haste whereas Morushtan of the Black Cult was pretty much erased from the equation after I reported him to the New Faith.
It was unexpected that they would target the wolf siblings who were much easier targets than Marie but… none of them were hurt that badly thanks to Princess Miruam.
Ren’s poison was cleansed with the power of the Sun and Ron had gone through a surprising amount of change, even though he still looked like a young teenager.
Tates Valtazar and his subordinates appearing towards the end was… something completely unexpected but…
None of us were dead.
Marie, Alicia and Hua Ran. No one was dead nor injured beyond cure.
Even after meeting the strongest final boss of ❰Heroic Legends of Arhan❱ everyone had been able to escape with their lives intact.
We were lucky. It was a commendable feat – that’s what I wanted to tell myself but…
“Fuck…”
A complete defeat.
We were overwhelmed by one single person, Tates Valtazar.
740%
That was an unprecedented amount of increase in strength and yet even with that much support, I didn’t even stand a single chance.
All of the King’s Subjects were monsters but Tates Valtazar… was just in a completely different league.
“Huu…”
Even though I should have already been used to failures and defeats…
I might have unknowingly become arrogant and conceited by the constant victories and successes. It was just one loss and yet it was painful and difficult to bear.
I should have expected it.
After killing Fermack Daman and snatching Claiomh Solais away, I should have long known that I had already garnered his attention.
In many aspects it was a success but there was one big failure.
That was how significant the destruction of Eriu Casarr, the avatar of my Master, was to me.
****
A week went by after the Tower of Mages incident. The aftermath of the event caused by the mages of the Tower was enough to leave the Academy in chaos.
Those mages that were here for research, had not only tried to capture students to use as test subjects, but they even ambushed Senior Professor Josephine Clara and murdered Chairman Eriu Casarr.
The death of the chairman was a great shock to not only the Academy but also to the whole kingdom.
However, the Tower of Mages officially denied their involvement in the matter. They refused to admit the terrorist attacks of the Red and the Black Cults, marking a long start to debates and discussions.
That was the same as the original plot of the game, and was exactly why the Tower of Mages was able to buy a year’s worth of time despite doing something as ridiculous as attacking the Academy.
My plan was to defeat Lord Adelene of the Tower of Mages to change this line of future but I couldn’t find Lord Adelene until the very end.
There wasn’t anything much happening after that.
We had a funeral for Chairman Eriu, who was officially proclaimed dead, which was attended by all the representatives of each year level.
Marie was the representative of the 3rd year students whereas I was the representative of the 2nd years. We read the pre-prepared lines in memory of Chairman Eriu Casarr and threw flowers into the coffin.
“K, Korin…!”
We were leaving after the funeral when Marie called my name after rushing her way across.
“What are you running for?”
“Mhmm…! N, nothing much…! I was just wondering if you wanted to have something to eat…”
For the past week or so, there hadn’t been much conversation between us. There were a bunch of things to discuss with her including what to do in the future, the directions we had to take, preparations for the enemy and how to deal with the captured mages, but for now…
“Later. Not right now.”
For now, for just a little bit, I wanted to take a rest.
“Okay… I’ll see you later.”
Despite her dejectedly walking away, I couldn’t think of a single thing to say to cheer her up.
“Student Korin.”
After staying there by myself for who knows how long, a familiar voice echoed from behind. Speaking up to me was Josephine Clara, who had been attending the funeral until now.
She walked up until she was right next to me. Constantly, she threw a glance at the black suit I was wearing for the funeral – or rather at my chest – which had been penetrated by the Spear of Light.
“I’m fine. The hole’s been closed, and my internal organs are almost done healing back up.”
“But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt anymore, does it?”
“I’m used to it.”
“…She wants to see you.”
What she said next… was a bit unexpected. On the outside, I was still known as a disciple of Valtazar so it was hard to understand why she would want to see me face-to-face.
“…”
Following Josephine into the crack in dimension she opened, I walked out and saw a large palace.
There was nothing nearby. The cold and lonely world had nothing but darkness and void, and the enormous palace was the only thing worth noting.
Shadow Palace.
The palace that had once been the banquet hall of the gods; the palace of the King of Gods, Ard Ri… the Ruler of Paradise.
Josephine, the only outsider allowed to enter the palace, moved her hand once as the large gates of the palace started to open out wide.
“Let’s go in.”
We walked past the dried gardens and broken pavements of cobblestone.
The only source of light leading us to the end was the fluorescent stones engraved into the surrounding walls, lighting up the red carpet beneath.
On the way down the long path, Josephine remarked.
“100 years ago, the world was in greater chaos than it is now.”
She then started talking to herself. Recalling the old memories of the past, she started her story.
“The Old Faith after modifying the doctrine as they pleased, started hunting witches and putting them on scaffolds.
“My Master… My oldest friend, who used to visit the village of witches to tell stories of her hunting monsters and magic, tried to save us.
“And Tates Valtazar – he helped us alongside Master.
“We defeated the inquisitors of the Old Faith and crushed the evil mages that were looking for human test subjects.”
That was one of the events recorded in history.
The Witch Hunt, followed by the Revolution of Witches; the Religious Revolution and the fall of the Tower’s monopoly over magic education and the foundation of the Guardian Academy.
“We were heroes. We saved many people and killed legendary monsters. I thought that we would stay together as heroes forever.”
However, she was betrayed.
By her senior brother whom she had been believing in the most.
And Erin, by the disciple whom she had been trying to inherit everything in her possession to.
“80 years ago, we defeated the traitor and for a very long time… was under the belief that he was dead. That was until you told us.”
However, he really wasn’t dead – he had been waiting for the right opportunity for 80 long years.
Soon, we arrived before the audience chamber of the palace, where my Master would be waiting for me.
“From here… you can go by yourself.”
“…Is that okay?”
“I said no, but she was very firm with her will.”
It seemed that I had gained more trust than necessary. But still, I couldn’t believe how undoubting and believing she still was despite everything that she went through.
“Korin Lork.”
Right as I was about to enter the audience chamber, Josephine’s voice stopped me on my tracks from behind.
“Please don’t betray her. Having that happen twice… would be way too cruel.”
At the end of the red carpet, sitting on the throne of the audience chamber with only a hint of its past glory was her.
Crystal clear aqua-marine eyes and lustrous hair that seemed to have been woven by melted silver. Waiting on the throne was my benevolent and beautiful master, Erin Danua.
“…You are here.”
The Queen looked exactly the same as the Erin I saw in Nazrea, but she appeared rather lethargic due to having stayed exiled for far too long.
“Come here.”
“I believe you are being way too careless.”
“Am I?”
“You need to doubt more and be more cautious. Even more so now that you have lost your puppet.”
“Right… Of course. More importantly, come closer for a bit.”
“…”
What was going on? Why was looking at me with such an intimate light in her eyes? Even though I hadn’t built any rapport with her in this life?
“Quick.”
In the end, I couldn’t ignore her urging me to come closer and moved my feet. Slowly, I carried my heavy feet one at a time.
“Let me officially introduce myself. I am Erin Danua, the last Danann and Ard Ri. The Queen of Paradise.”
“I’m…”
“A disciple of Tates Valtazar. A young hero who betrayed him and vowed to save the world… You’re not exactly that, are you?”
I was… lost for words.
“Hn~”
Standing up from the throne, she modestly sat down on the carpet in front of it. She then tapped on the floor next to her, as if telling me to sit down.
Just like what she did at Nazrea.
“…”
Unconsciously, I sat next to her when Master started caressing my hair.
“You have worked hard.”
『You’ve worked hard.』
A déjà vu.
Don’t tell me…
“Tates Valtazar. Do you know him?”
“…I know he was your disciple, and that he betrayed you.”
That was the description provided in the game about their relationship, but there was more to their relationship than what could be explained by those few lines.
“He meant more to me than a disciple. I found that boy when exploring one of the lands left behind by the ancestors.”
The land of druids and the hiding place of the Spear of Light, Areadbhair, Gorias. In that place was an ark built for the Danann.
“Cold sleep… Do you understand what I mean by that? There was a baby laying asleep for a very long time and… I was very happy when I found him.”
She had found Tates when he was a toddler and had raised him up ever since like her real son. Her love for Tates was from a sense of kinship for the one and only other being of her kind.
“I gave him everything. Love, spearmanship, treasures… I would have done the same if I had an actual son.
“That made me blind. I couldn’t see it – I didn’t notice the hatred the child harbored against this world, and his resentment.
“That was my biggest mistake. The wounds and the seal he cast on me not only hurt my body but also shredded my heart to pieces.”
The current humanity was the descendants of Goidel, whereas Tates was a Danann himself. After realizing the hidden truth of history, Tates Valtazar had vowed to take his revenge.
While remembering his fall from a hero to an evil villain, Master said with a sorrowful tone of voice. She blamed herself for it in grief and self-deprecation.
“It was hard to make myself believe in anyone else after being betrayed. The disciple and one who should have inherited my throne meant so much that… I had to live with those wounds for far too long.”
Her eyes turned away from the memories of the past and started to face me.
“Child. My disciple. Young boy from the future who tries to put everything on their shoulders.”
She saw through me. The regression, which I wasn’t expecting anyone to believe and had been hiding, was seen through.
If I wasn’t a disciple of Valtazar, and if I was a disciple of the future Erin Danua like I had introduced myself as at Nazrea… A disciple whom she hadn’t taught as of yet…
Putting those clues and hints together, she must have realized that I had come from the future. And… she wasn’t an irresponsible person who could leave everything to someone who had come from the future.
Caressing my hair, she declared her thoughts.
“Just because you know the future, doesn’t mean you must shoulder it by yourself.”
“No… You can’t. I won’t let you do it.”
In the first place, I didn’t have any plans of meeting her in this lifetime. Because her life was one that always came to an end upon forming a connection with the player… because she was someone who always had to pay the price for her devotion and benevolence.
She, who always saved others, dedicated and sacrificed herself for the sake of others… always had only one future ahead of her.
“You… are the Queen – the only queen of Paradise. If the Queen is gone, Valtazar will easily take the empty throne. Just like in chess, the king needs to be under protection.”
I tried to stop anything she could potentially say with logical reasons but…
“I have never once been a king. But I have been a teacher, and I have always been a hero.”
“You can’t do it this time. I won’t let it go like it did before. You have to stay here – you won’t be able to stop him.”
Please. Just please stay here without ever leaving this castle.
In response to my desperate attempt to convey my thoughts with my eyes, she wrapped her warm hands around mine and said.
“Us meeting like this is most definitely no coincidence.
“Fate is not something that blooms when you want it to, and it is one where you inevitably turn back to no matter what you do to leave it.
“We have met like this. We have reunited and although we may treasure each other, we cannot turn away from our fate.”
“No,” I replied. “We can change it. We can control our fate. We just have to have enough preparations and change history. That’s what I have been doing till now.”
“Yes, Korin. You will do your part very well, and that is all the more a reason why I must accept my own destiny.
“Like how you are carrying the fate to save the world, I have my role in teaching, protecting, and believing in you.
“Just like what Erin Danua from 300 years ago has done and like what the future me has done, I shall also trust you and support you on your way.”
My eyes couldn’t help but shake looking at her unconditional yet firm gaze. As if she knew me very well, she stroked my forehead and came closer with a warm smile on her lips.
Her face drew near and soon, her lips landed on my forehead.
“I will protect you. That is my duty… and the choice I have made for myself.”
Like always, she made the same decision.
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