༺ S2. Resentment Wished Upon The Stars – 4 ༻
After burying the cat’s corpse in the front yard, the three of them gathered around a blood-stained box placed in the middle.
A chilling warning. The announced attack caused a state of continuous tension. It was like guerilla tactics to prevent the enemy from resting during a war.
Therefore, the most certain method was to find and deal with it first. Bennett looked at the warning and spoke.
“Can we track the sender?”
[If we get a bit more information. With what we have currently, it’s still insufficient. I analyzed the footsteps coming and going in front of the mansion, but it seems like it was a different person each time. And they all appear to have a certain level of physicality.]
“To summarize, it mentions a God and seems to be an organization capable of commanding multiple people. But it fits so perfectly that it’s actually suspicious.”
Bennett fell into thought upon hearing Niolle’s analysis and Tara, sitting next to him, banged the table and vented her anger.
“It’s definitely those guys from the Order of the Silver Twilight or whatever!”
“Do not jump to conclusions. The Order of the Silver Twilight has no reason to interfere with the research. Abraham’s research, which calculates the speed at which a cosmic disaster is approaching, does not appear to have any religious implications. This religious message might be a disguise.”
“Then who else could it be?!”
“Abraham said he was a professor, a scholar. It might be a dispute with another scholar. It is the most likely reason for stealing or obstructing research.”
[But if a rival scholar orchestrated this…….would they go to such chilling lengths? Putting surveillance around the mansion and even mentioning a God seems unnecessary.]
Niolle’s opinion was valid. Bennett nodded in agreement, then summarized his conclusion.
“I won’t deny that the Order of the Silver Twilight is suspicious. However, we should make conclusions after we find solid evidence. After all, there is a chance of making a mistake.”
As Bennett pronounced ‘mistake’, he looked pointedly at Tara. Niolle’s sense of justice was definitely excessive, but so far, there had been no particular need for concern; unlike Tara, who clearly had a strong attachment to Abraham.
However, Bennett’s gaze was not noticed by her. All Tara was doing was biting her nails, thinking about whoever sent this malicious parcel to Abraham.
“I swear, if I catch whichever punk did this, I won’t let them off easily!”
“……Lower your voice, Tara.”
“Are you not even angry?!”
“It is not worth getting so upset about. After all, he is not one of us.”
And someone who we had only met four days prior. Bennet swallowed the latter part of his words.
Moreover, Abraham was from another world. In the end, getting attached only led to loss. In addition, there were suspicious circumstances around Abraham. What was so important about this research to the old man that he continued despite such threats?
“We should focus on something else. I’m talking about the Shining Trapezohedron. We need to find out what it is, how it looks, and who has it.”
[But how should we go about investigating that?]
“The Crazy…….. Wizard mentioned it in his report. That means the wizard was able to obtain information about the Shining Trapezohedron. There must be clues somewhere.”
[⋯⋯⋯⋯.]
Niolle pulled her knees up and thought deeply, before quickly writing something on the whiteboard as if she had an idea.
[Maybe the Academy, no, the Uni-versity has information?]
“The University……..Miskatonic? The place where Abraham is a professor?”
[Yes. I heard it’s an educational institution with many books. If it exists in this world, it would be recorded, so maybe the library of Miskatonic University……]
“That’s right! We need to protect Abraham for the investigation, right? Since Abraham is a professor! He could take us to the university”
Before Niolle could even finish writing her sentence, Tara interjected with sparkling eyes. Bennett clicked his tongue at her blatantly transparent motive.
They were at a crossroads. Whether to continue the search while leaving Tara’s emotions as an unstable factor or to point it out and criticize her for it. Was it something to be solved or tolerated?
Bennett weighed various aspects on a scale. The insane professor sending students to an otherworld under the guise of an academic subject. The search with guaranteed safety. The goodwill towards the kind-hearted Abraham and the risks that were becoming increasingly apparent.
And the rising irritation.
Bennett impulsively came to a conclusion.
“Or let’s ask Abraham to look into it. He knows a lot, so he’ll definitely.…..”
Bang!
Bennett slammed his fist on the table, cutting off Tara’s words. Then, he spat out with a low voice, full of venom.
“You seem to be misunderstanding something important.”
“What……?”
“Our goal is not to protect Abraham. In some cases, it might even be beneficial for us if Abraham dies. After all, it would eliminate a danger and secure us a base.”
“What? H-How can you say that………! Are you saying you’ll kill Abraham?”
Crash.
As Bennett brought up an extreme hypothesis, Tara sprang up from her seat and glared at him, causing the pushed chair to tumble over.
Bennett gritted his teeth. After quietly pushing his chair back, he stood to face Tara directly, without avoiding her gaze. He had to achieve his goal. Therefore, he could not just overlook her…playing house, which lowered the success rate of the plan.
He raised his voice.
“Listen properly. I did not say I would kill him. I said it might be beneficial for him to die in certain situations. I am telling you to be aware of this. So that you do not hesitate at a crucial moment!”
“I can’t believe it. Do you even realize how well Abraham has treated us so far?!”
Anger flared in their eyes and the veins on their necks bulged.
“He is a person from another world. This is not where you live! Did we not form a team to prevent the bloodshed that will happen at the Academy?!”
“So, are you saying it’s fine for him to die because he’s from another world?! Do you really think this place is an illusion or fake? Do I need to remind you something as obvious as how life is precious?”
A confrontation between parallel lines. And at the end of it…
“There is a hierarchy to life……!”
“Don’t you dare try to take away my family…….!!”
[STOP!]
Crash-!
Niolle threw a chair. It flew between Bennett and Tara, before making a loud noise as it rolled on the floor. Only then did both of them turn to look at Niolle.
The whiteboard she had put down was filled with phrases like, ‘Don’t fight’ and ‘How about we talk calmly’. But now, there were only traces of erasure.
Niolle took a deep breath, exhaled, and then…
[I’ll take Tara with me, Bennett. Tara. Let’s talk about this again tomorrow.]
“…….Okay.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
The situation had concluded. Niolle led Tara up to their room, and Bennett, with a throbbing headache, began to tidy the disheveled living room.
It wasn’t something he needed to raise his voice on.
There could have been a gentler way to say it and perhaps staying silent would have been the better choice.
Looking back, Bennett seemed to be angry. As he watched Tara openly share affection with anyone, he might have despised his own incapability of doing so. If so, it was truly a ridiculous situation.
After all, it was already far too late for him to go back to such a state.
Bennett thumped his head against the wall and murmured to himself. A bitter self-mockery sliced through his lips and pierced his heart.
“……Who…am I?”
Someone who would do anything to get his young sister back.
One who would cause chaos and fear at the Academy, ultimately leading many students to their death.
A Black Wizard.
===============================================================
Isaac’s room. Now, Niolle and Tara’s room.
The arrangement of furniture had slightly changed and the way the blankets were folded was different. Isaac’s traces were gradually erased from this space, being replaced by those of the two.
Tara climbed onto the bed and curled up. Heavily suppressed emotions hung in drops on the tips of her delicate eyelashes. A melancholic atmosphere persisted.
And Niolle quietly provided her silence.
Tara murmured, looking at one wall. It seemed like a monologue, but at the same time, it could have also been that she was speaking to Niolle.
“…….You think I’m weird too, right?”
[Yes. I think you’re weird. Abraham is a good person and I also want to help, but….. Tara, you already see Abraham as family, don’t you?]
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
[I think Bennett was too harsh. Sometimes, he acts as if we have to sacrifice everything to gain something. But still, Tara…… The speed at which you got attached to him seemed worryingly fast.]
Niolle sent her a worried glance. Her warm gaze seemed to melt the frozen lips of Tara, as discursive stories began to spill out drop by drop.
“…..I…don’t have a family. I had one, but they’re gone. We were really close too……”
[I’m listening.]
“Every morning we woke up and saw each other…. Mom and Dad looked at me with eyes full of happiness. I saw myself reflected in my parents’ eyes, smiling just like them. I still…miss that gaze.”
[I can imagine.]
“Sometimes, in Abraham’s eyes, I see the sunlight I saw in my parents’ eyes. When I receive that look, I remember the times I spent with my family and can momentarily immerse myself in joy…….”
[What happened?]
At that question, Tara’s eyes widened. And then, she began to recount the past. Memories of resentment that still clung to her heart like tar.
It happened on a warm summer day.
===============================================================
#0 : Tara’s Memory
There was only one thing Tara, a girl from a small city who worked at a clothing store, wished for. It was to live happily with her family. She did not dream of living luxuriously or richly like a princess in a fairy tale, just ordinarily like others.
Waking up ordinarily in the morning, straightening her back with the resolve to do her best today as well, smoothing out the wrinkles in the clothes hung up, prominently displaying the most trendy clothes, and seeing off her dad, as he went to meet the wholesalers.
Guarding the clothing store, and when the sun caught the tip of the clock tower, going out for a walk after changing shifts with her mom, and returning home around sunset……..to have a hearty meal with her mom and dad.
That was the routine she hoped would continue forever.
However, misfortune had a way of arriving all too suddenly.
In summer, when the warm sun bathed all things, it was the perfect time for bugs and maggots to thrive. Decay and pollution actively took place under the watchful eyes of the warm sunshine.
Was it the fault of the gravedigger who neglected the disposal of corpses due to the summer heat? The guards who didn’t bother to patrol the back alleys? The beggar who killed a neighbor over a piece of hard bread? Or perhaps the lord who didn’t care to look after the lower classes?
Whatever it was, a plague spread throughout the city.
Many people groaned in pain and Tara’s parents, too, could not escape from it. They gradually started to die, day by day, covered in blue spots all over their bodies.
Tara, for some reason, did not catch the plague. She went all over the city, desperately trying to save her mom and dad. First, she went to find the Priests.
The temple was filled to the brim with people. It was filled with pitiful pleas for salvation. And within that crowd, Tara was there as well.
Those with money, power, or authority received treatment, but the Priests turned away those who did not possess such qualities. Tara was driven out, chased away back to the streets.
Afterwards, she went to see an alchemist, and then a wizard.
But the answers she received were all negative. They said it was a disease they had never seen before, so it would take time. They said that the plague won’t reach the Magic Tower, so it wasn’t their concern.
Despite her desperate efforts, there was nothing she could do. Tara could only watch as her parents grew increasingly emaciated by the day. Then, a miracle happened.
The girl from the clothing store, Tara, was chosen as a Saintess Candidate.
Hope arose. A hope that she could save her family.
She pleaded with the Priests who came to her house, saying she would become a Saintess. That she would devote her life to serving the Goddess. That she just wanted one wish fulfilled in return; to please save her family.
They spoke as follows.
“If the Saintess Candidate truly becomes the Saintess, then of course, your family deserves to be treated accordingly.”
She was overjoyed. Just the fact that she could save her family made her so happy. Tara’s heart raced, as if it would burst. If she became the Saintess……. They wouldn’t be able to live together in one house like before. But still, they could live healthily and perhaps occasionally meet and share affectionate gazes.
Tara obediently did as she was told. The lengthy ritual to become the Saintess began. She rode in a beautifully decorated carriage to the Basilica of the Goddess Church. For a week, she bathed in holy water and crammed the contents of holy scriptures into her head.
She ate delicious food, took care of her hair with perfumed oils, and the Priestesses delicately filed her nails. If an anxious Tara asked when she could become the Saintess. If……all this was necessary to become one.
The reply was that it was a long-standing tradition and must be preserved.
She grew anxious. A month had already passed. Was her family okay? The Priests said they would take care of them, so they must be okay. Because…
The Priests who had once slammed the door in the face of Clothing Store Girl Tara, now served Saintess Tara with devotion. They wished for the blessing of the Saintess with blooming smiles.
Remembering their condescending gazes, Tara felt nauseous, but at the same time, she was assured.
The authority to flip the attitude of those upright Priests, as if flipping the palm of a hand, came with the title of a Saintess.
Therefore…
It couldn’t not be okay. They were the family of the Saintess, after all. Unless they were possessed by some strange conviction, it was natural to take the utmost care of them.
They must be doing well. Surely, they must be.
She repeated this to herself. Day by day, Tara’s complexion became paler and her eyes grew weary with worry. But the Priests, intoxicated with their own religion, simply rejoiced and were moved by the establishment of a Saintess.
The more the religious fervor of the order rose, the more Tara withered away.
After the long and pointless ceremonies ended… Tara was showered with flower petals decorated in gold and received a holy tiara amidst the cheers of many. She was officially recognized by the order as the Saintess.
She returned in glory.
Having attained unimaginable wealth and honor, it was now time to give back to her family. To eat delicious things together and, being the family of the Saintess, to call on Priests whenever they were ill. To honor them by saying becoming the Saintess was all thanks to her parents…….
There were truly a mountain of things she wanted to do, so much she wanted to give.
Clothing Store Young Lady Tara became Saintess Tara and returned to her family’s side.
Her family suffered from the plague and died.
Saintess Tara turned crooked.
After finishing her short story, Tara murmured in a dried-up voice.
“The order didn’t grant even my single request. To save my family. Not for damned treasures or something like glory, but just that one thing…….was all I wanted.”
[⋯⋯⋯⋯.]
“You know, about that plague… It could have been cured with Divine Power. If the Priests who came to fetch me had just recited a single spell instead of yapping about their duties to accompany the Saintess to the Basilica, my family would have lived.”
There was wrath in Tara’s eyes, but her tone was flat. As if she was too tired to express rage.
“Divine Power is proof of closeness to the Goddess. They chose not to use it, wanting to fully enjoy the moment of the Saintess’s establishment with the Goddess. All for their religious joy. All while thinking that surely, someone else would handle it…….”
They were enthralled in their faith. For the sake of their religious ecstasy, they did not consider anything else as important.
So. She still harbored resentment.
Against the Priests who neglected Tara’s family in their religious fervor.
Against their behavior and actions.
Against their words, saying how she should be grateful for her dramatic rise from a mere commoner.
Against their speeches, asking how she could possibly refuse the affection of God for her personal feelings.
Against their suggestions, telling her she might as well just live with it since things had come to this anyway.
Against their dismissive criticisms, remarking how what was gone was gone and nothing could be done about it.
She deeply resented them. And this resentment spread like wildfire, eventually being directed at herself as well.
Should she not have listened to them and ran to her family instead? Why did she believe the Priests? What if at least one person had cared? While she indulged in luxury for a month, how much pain did her parents have to endure?
Her disobedience to the order’s guidelines was the greatest rebellion her conscience would allow. And she knew just how meaningless it truly was.
“I know. I know too. That doing this won’t bring back Mom and Dad……”
Tara pounded the bed with her fist. Over and Over. Then, she vented out her inner thoughts that contained the longing she held for her family.
“But, but……….Even if it is for just a moment… Even if it’s a completely different world… Doing so means I can recall those happy times………”
[⋯⋯⋯⋯.]
Niolle silently patted Tara’s back. Tara cried in Niolle’s embrace.
A pale pattern briefly shone in Niolle’s eyes, then disappeared.
That night passed quietly, occasionally disturbed by sorrowful sobs.
===============================================================
Bennett could not sleep. Was it because of the sobbing he happened upon in the corridor? Or was it the turmoil growing in his heart? Suddenly, he thought of the night sky. He climbed the stairs of the trapdoor to the rooftop.
Abraham, who was counting the stars, turned around.
“Who’s there? Ah, it’s you.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Bennett avoided the old man’s gaze.
It might be because of the guilt remaining in his heart. Even if the subject in question wasn’t around… Even if his intention was to remind Tara of her purpose…
Spatting out that it might be better to kill Abraham pricked at Bennett’s conscience. After all, the old man had treated them with such kindness.
The old man stroked his beard several times, then spoke quietly.
“Tara and Niolle haven’t been coming out of their room. Did something happen?”
“……We fought.”
“I won’t ask what about. But it seems you could use a change of scenery too. Care to sit next to me?”
“……Yes.”
Bennett dragged a round chair over and sat next to Abraham. The cool breeze and twinkling stars were pleasant. But the way the sky seemed unusually dark appeared to be a matter of his mindset.
Abraham spoke with silence as he looked through the telescope. Like casting a motionless fishing line into the sea, silence was a very good bait for conversation. In the quiet, Bennett suddenly inquired.
“We saw the parcel.”
“It is rare for youths to take an old man’s advice, after all. I understand. Since you’ve already seen it……. What did you think?”
“…….How is it that you continue your research? It does not seem like it will end with mere threats. It is not like you need a source of income either. Isn’t that so?”
“Seems like you’re curious about why this old man stakes his life on research, huh?”
Abraham laughed heartily. The old man turned away from the telescope to face Bennett. After rubbing his wrinkled hands together and gathering his thoughts…
“I am not being obstinate, just because I don’t have much time left. After all, I still wish to live long. There’s still so much I haven’t done and I haven’t reconciled with my daughter yet.
“Then, that is all the more reason to stop.”
“But you see, this research will definitely benefit humanity. Even if it leads to the worst possible outcomes……at least it would give people time to prepare. Moreover, if we are lucky and we get a few billion years of reprieve, it could provide clues to uncover the intimate secrets of the universe.”
“……But that very same humanity is threatening you, Abraham. While sending things like cat corpses.”
From what Bennett could see, the world seemed inundated with malice.
The number of times people killed others for their own purposes was uncountable. It was as numerous as the stars in the night sky. Bennett himself was one of those ominous stars.
In a harsh world, living for oneself seemed to be the only option. Why bother doing anything for others? To this question, Abraham grinned widely, showing his teeth.
“I know as well. People are shitty. They are like flies that don’t care about whose corpse they land on.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Bennett stiffened momentarily at Abraham’s aggressive language. The old man just laughed heartily and continued.
“How many people do you think I have met at my age? I already know most live while only looking a step ahead and would readily stab anyone with a knife. But if we all responded by flinging the same shit back……. Wouldn’t the world just have an even greater number of sad people? This is simply an arithmetic of gains and losses. And…….”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Isn’t contributing to a leap for humanity quite a cool thing?”
“Cool……. You say?”
“Yes. It’s what every scholar dreams of. Using the theory I created to save the world. It’s been my dream since I was young.”
Bennett looked skeptical, as if questioning whether it was merely a jest, but Abraham’s eyes were sincere and clear. The old man’s pupils sparkled like those of a boy with a dream. It might have seemed like a childish reason, but……
Bennett felt like… he somewhat understood.
It was because, like every young boy, Bennett had once dreamed of being a hero. One who carried a sword, defeated villains, and saved princesses.
The pure fragments of those days, swept away by time, shattered by circumstances, were visible in the old man’s eyes.
A dream, that is.
His purpose remained unchanged. He would do anything to save his sister, even if it meant hurting many at the Academy. However…..
If he was given even a single chance…
If the object known as the Shining Trapezohedron could show a way that needn’t harm others…. Maybe. Just maybe…….. He would want to walk that path. Bennett felt a bit of the burdensome weight lift from his shoulders.
With a somewhat lighter heart, Bennett engaged in conversation with Abraham. The old man happily joined in the young man’s dialogue. They exchanged stories.
And like that, the night deepened.
===============================================================
Morning. In the corridor, Bennett encountered Tara. An uncomfortable silence flowed between them. Behind them, Niolle wondered what she would have to throw if they fought again.
After a brief standoff, Bennett was the first to speak.
“I think my words were too extreme. I apologize, Tara.”
“……Did you eat something wrong?”
Bennet took a deep breath, organized his thoughts, and then spoke.
“My thoughts have not changed. If it comes to a situation where we absolutely have to sacrifice someone, I would choose Abraham over you two. So…….”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Let’s try our best not to let it come to that. Is this much acceptable to you?”
“………Sure, well… Eung.”
Bennett extended his hand and Tara took it. Niolle clapped in celebration of their monumental reconciliation, thinking it was finally okay to relax a tad.
The breakfast table that day was filled with warmth. Bennett, also a bit more relaxed, conversed freely with Abraham. Tara also enjoyed the atmosphere. From a distance, their interactions might have resembled those of a close-knit family.
“Shouldn’t you at least start doing the dishes by now. Niolle and I have been taking turns until now.”
“I only use two plates, but you use three. In order to be fair……”
Right then…
With a Creeeeak… The door to the mansion opened.
Clack. Clack. The sound of heels. A woman dressed in a pure white dress, her snow-white hair flowing, entered the house.
Was it because of her attire? Or was it because of the distant look in her eyes? There was an air of mystique around her, as if she belonged to another world.
Abraham’s eyes widened like never before and his mouth dropped open.
“…….Isaac.”
“It seems like the family has grown since I’ve last seen you, Father.”
Abraham’s daughter, Isaac, had returned.
