Chapter 109
Roina felt the flow of spatial magic she had sensed when she first entered this space. The golden currents that enveloped the place like a song. She severed that irregular yet rhythmic flow.
‘Open the path.’
At her command, the mana initially bristled in resistance, but in an instant, they quieted down and obeyed her like docile lambs.
It was as if they had met their master, like cats finally finding their owner. Though the mana possessed an unusually free-spirited nature, under her guidance, they eventually settled into order.
At that moment, Roina caught a presence that had been watching them.
“Lutan!”
Golden eyes, a refreshing, blue-tinged aura. It was Lutan. Roina joyfully grasped his hand.
His hand was warm and large. Though they had only been apart for a short while, the sight of him filled her with overwhelming joy. His distinct aura, as if mirroring her emotions, spread toward her in shared happiness.
It happened in an instant.
From that space where time and dimension were beautifully suspended, they all escaped. Starting with Maili and Roina, then Quies, and the girls who had been unconscious but were beginning to wake one by one.
The place where they came to their senses was before the Goddess’s Cliff—or perhaps, the place known as the Tomb. The cold winter forest air brushed against their cheeks, replacing the unseasonably gentle winds, pulling them back into reality.
‘We’re back.’
Roina pressed down on her pounding heart. The girls had been rescued safely. And yet…
‘Rager is gone.’
“Ugh… hic… Ruda has disappeared.”
At that, Quies broke into endless sobs, deeply disheartened. She sat atop the white fur mantle she had once declared as her true form. The one who had worn that cloak was now gone.
“What… happens to him now?”
“Hic… the contract can no longer be upheld, and all conditions have been broken. He spent countless years as my familiar, so he’s no longer human. He will vanish along with the contract.”
As she explained, Quies let out a loud wail. Losing someone she would never see again was unbearably sorrowful.
“How selfish.”
At that moment, Maili’s mocking voice slipped between them.
“Do you even have the right to cry? Humans all die. You were the one who trampled on the sanctity of that death and denied him a fitting farewell and mourning. How long will you keep blaming others? How long will you wallow in your own misery?”
It seemed Maili had decided to let loose. She continued her sharp words without pause. It was reminiscent of when they had first met after a long time.
“Even if you don’t know for sure, you must have lived for at least a few hundred years. Have you never reflected or thought about things on your own? Do you have to be taught everything? Why don’t you understand something you could see just by looking around? The truth is, you only ever cared about yourself. As long as you were happy, it didn’t matter what happened. Did you think that just because you were happy, those around you were happy too? You’re nothing but an utterly arrogant and selfish disgrace.”
Quies looked utterly shocked. Tears welled up in her eyes as she opened her mouth, but no words came out—she only gaped soundlessly.
“Am I… really like that?”
She looked around. But there was no one to deny it, no one to tell her she wasn’t at fault, no one to comfort her. Quies had never once considered such a thing, but when Maili said those words, it was as if she had been struck over the head with a blunt weapon.
No one had ever bluntly told her she was wrong. No one had ever pointed out that she was selfish and arrogant.
She had thought her small, sheltered world had already shattered once before, but now, with those words, she felt it breaking apart completely.
“You can’t take back what’s already happened. There are people here who have suffered because of you, so take responsibility and atone for it directly.”
“H-How…?”
“You should at least think for yourself about that much. If you want to stand trial, of course, that can be arranged.”
I wonder if we should apply our territory’s laws to someone who isn’t human. Maili muttered coldly, snorting. Hmph.
Leaving the panicked Quies behind, Maili began to handle the aftermath. She gave a brief explanation to the confused women, reassuring them that they would be reunited with their families once they returned to the territory.
The women who recognized Maili as the lord’s daughter immediately relaxed and repeatedly thanked her. However, some of them did not recognize her. Many of them had gone missing years ago—some even decades—and had been asleep within the Garden of Time. It was only natural.
The lord they remembered was not Maili’s father, but her grandmother or great-grandfather.
As expected, the commotion continued for quite some time.
Lutan released something small and white, like a tiny bird, into the sky. As it dissolved into the air, it was clear that it was a magical messenger.
“Lutan.”
“Roina.”
He pulled her into a tight embrace without hesitation. It was almost suffocating, and Roina had to tap his arm lightly.
Softly, as if whispering, Lutan murmured,
“I was worried.”
“I’m fine. Nothing happened.”
“……”
Roina’s words seemed unbelievable to him, as he remained silent. Instead, as if reclaiming something precious, he pressed his lips firmly against the crown of her head.
“Is that the fragment of the North?”
Lutan referred to it simply as ‘that.’ Though Quies had gained intelligence, she had originally been a cloak, making Roina hesitate before nodding ambiguously.
“She’s caused quite a disaster.”
With a sigh, he exhaled lightly. His gaze toward Quies was anything but kind.
Perhaps truly attempting to “think for herself,” Quies remained buried in the white-furred cloak, lost in thought.
A while later, the knights of Amasto Territory arrived. Though the terrain was rough, they had traveled this path once before, so the journey seemed easier this time.
During the process of verifying identities to reunite the victims with their families, another wave of commotion ensued. Many had been separated from their families decades ago, and by now, their loved ones had either passed away or built new families of their own, leaving the victims in a difficult predicament.
Administratively, handling their situations would likely become a significant issue for some time.
At that moment, Quies suddenly tugged at Roina.
“Lutan is a good child.”
“Let’s talk privately for a moment.”
When she said that, Lutan looked extremely displeased, but out of respect for Roina’s words, he stopped mid-step and refrained from following her.
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