Life (5)

A blinding glare had encircled the mountain cavity.

Despite the hour being early enough that the sun had yet to rise, it was bright enough that even the city of Citren, which was a 2-day journey away on horseback, could be seen in the distance.

The people who had remained outside, and watched Calian enter the cavity couldn't hide their surprise as a phenomenon that had never occurred before, took place before their eyes.

Even so, they could tell it wasn't an ominous light.

Despite understanding that, it was difficult for the party that had accompanied Calian and stood waiting under the rocky mountain to relax.

Yan was the most restless, watching the entrance with concern until someone approached him with habitually silent steps. A hand reached out and ruffled Yan's blonde curls roughly.

"Are you worried about your little kid?"

In a place crawling with knights and not only that, it was a place full of Calian's people, including Arsen. In such a place, of course it was only Slayman who could refer to Calian in that way.

Yan ducked away, reaching to fix his tangled hair and looked at Slayman with a shocked gaze. It was far too early for him to have arrived.

"I thought you were going on an inspection?"

The western section of the territory that Slayman had left to inspect was half-a-day away. Even if he had left the evening before, it was far too quick for him to have finished the inspection and returned.

Slayman stepped away to the side and answered,

"I was lucky enough to run into some friendly faces, so I came back early."

At that, Yan turned his head to the person who had been hidden by Slayman's large frame up until then and was even more shocked.

Two people he had never met, but looking at the girl who looked to be about the same age as him, Yan could immediately figure out who they were.

"My name is Veronica Manasil, it's a pleasure."

Hair that became deeper red the further down it went.

It was Alan Manasil's granddaughter.

—

The soft rustle of a breeze as it fluttered through blades of grass.

It carried with it, the smell of wild flowers in a meadow.

Calian stood on a field, but that field was an island with nothing around it. There was no land or sea in sight. It was a small peaceful island floating in the endless expanse of clear skies.

Calian couldn't tell if this was still Kyris. In fact, he wasn't even sure if this was the world of humans at all.

"I offer my greetings to the Almighty Sispanian, the Empire's Greatest."

Sispanian did not respond to Calian's attempt at a greeting.

Instead, the mana that seemed to ooze around him, filling every breath with terror, seemed to ease and Calian could breathe again.

It was as though the initial intimidating aura he had encountered in the beginning had never existed to begin with.

When he saw the figure standing before him, Calian bowed his head for a moment, relieved because it seemed Sispanian was someone who was willing to talk.

Sispanian watched Calian's action with her sharp red gaze, then turned her back without saying a word. She walked slowly, the edge of the small island meadow, the long black hair swayed in the wind as she walked.

It was then, that her voice reached Calian's ears.

"I had wondered why it was, that a child who should not exist, came looking for me."

She was curious about Calian.

"I had wondered what had happened, for a being to have memories of living in another time."

She seemed to know about Calian having Bern's memories.

"I wanted to know why my blessing had sharpened into the balde of a knife."

She had felt the way the magic in Calian's heart, which had inherited Sispanian's blessing, was different from other peoples.

Sispanian, who was standing at the very edge of the meadow, turned her head and looked back at Calian. She spoke once again, in that mysterious voice, that sounded in his ears, as though she was speaking while standing right next to him.

"That is why I called you here."

Only then did Calian fully understand why Sisipanian had appeared before him herself and not just as a remnant of her will.

She was curious about the unique existence that Calian was, which was why she had made the decision to meet him in person.

'Does that mean Randell and Franz never met the real Sispanian?'

Could he even consider this being lucky?

Calian smiled bitterly.

Sispanian moved, as if to take a step, and within a blink, or perhaps it took less time than that, she was stood right in front of Calian. It had happened so instantaneously and so naturally, that Calain didn't even have the time to flinch, he just stood there, blankly.

"I shall watch."

There was no explanation as to what she would be watching for.

Sisipanian wasn't exactly someone who would explain herself or her actions, she simply gazed into Calian's eyes with that piercing gaze, so similar to his own. She did not move for some time.

After a moment, Calian sighed and smiled slightly,.

'So you're looking at my memories.'

It was just as Calian's had guessed. Sispanian was gazing directly at Calian's life and all of his memories.

If it had been anyone else, to unexpectedly rifle through his memories like that, without even asking for permission, might have offended him, but Sispanian wasn't an existence that needed anyone's permission or care if she offended someone.

And he didn't exactly feel the need to hide anything from her either.

So time passed as Sispanian patiently watched his life.

And eventually, moved her eyes away from him.

"I understand."

Just those two words.

Far from being surprised that Bern had resurrected in the form of Calian, she didn't even seem to have any questions or doubts. It was simply a reaction to learning information she was mildly curious about.

Calian almost laughed aloud unconsciously. But Sispanian had not finished speaking.

"It seems they have done something unreasonable again." She closed her eyes.

She had certainly spoken out loud, but the words she spoke did not reach Calian's ears.

Despite her being stood directly in front of him, Calian could not hear the sound. He saw the way her lips moved as she spoke, but couldn't understand what was being said, and it was like even the movement of her lips as she said those words, were erased from his memories.