༺ Anomaly (1) ༻
Watching things unfold beyond his control was not particularly pleasant for Vera, especially if it was related to something currently occupying his thoughts.
“Alright, let’s hear it.”
“I will not inform Brother’s existence to the Holy Kingdom. Instead, could you lend me your strength just once when I need it?”
“…Is that all?”
“Yes, isn’t it very simple?”
There were so many things he was curious about.
The reason Renee offered this deal, how she found him, and aside from all that, what she wanted from him.
However, Vera had no way to intervene in something that had already happened in the past and ask questions, so he tried to swallow all the questions that came to his mind and listened to the continuing conversation.
“…Well, I can think of a simpler way. Something like burying you and your nasty-looking friend here.”
“I know you won’t do that.”
“Really?”
“I’m sure Brother wants to avoid unnecessary trouble, right?”
“It’s better than leaving risk factors alone.”
“Hm, should I try using my power then?”
Renee’s appearance as she ended her words with a gentle smile was serene and ethereal, unlike the present Renee.
The conversation continued even while his whole gaze was fixed on it.
Vera tried to move his body and ask the question he wanted, but he couldn’t.
Any attempt to resist only seemed to drain his mental strength.
It wasn’t until Renee and Rohan were about to leave the room after finishing their conversation that Vera gave up the fight.
The two went further away. At the same time, Vera’s vision slowly began to blur. Rather than feeling his eyes closing… it was as if the world’s colors were fading.
It took a long time for the lights to fade and the distinction between objects to blur. Vera was only able to wake from the dream when the world had gone completely black.
‘Ah…’
As he stared blankly at the black brick ceiling of the old castle that made his vision dizzy, Vera organized the memories that came to his mind.
He repeated the contents of his dream for a long time, trying to find something more. Then he remembered the day before, when he had summoned his past self from his memory.
In the midst of his contemplation, laughter suddenly escaped Vera’s lips.
‘…It’s different.’
It was because of the thought that the other Renee and the current Renee were too different, as he expected.
It wasn’t about who was good or bad.
They were just different.
That was the end.
Besides, if Vera had to choose, he could say that he was more satisfied with the present Renee.
This was why Renee of the first lapse, who seemed to be philosophically mature, could be an object of respect but felt too distant to be an object of love.
Vera cleared his mind and slowly raised his body.
‘…What should I do?’
What should he do with Renee, who had recently become violent? What should he nag about?
Such a long worry went on, but… Vera knew it too.
No matter how much he pondered like this, he knew that he would never complain to Renee.
His whole head would go blank just by facing her, and he would just be dragged around.
Renee would probably act indifferent and clasp his hand in silence, then sigh as if she couldn’t help it and complain childishly again.
Vera changed clothes and fastened a sword to his waist, and as those thoughts flowed through his mind, a deep smile formed on his face.
***
Things were going so-so at the Cradle. They could be called smooth, but they could also be called sluggish.
As for things related to the original purpose of the ‘Crown’, Vera continued to spar with Hodrick, while Renee, who had grown much closer to Jenny lately, sorted out things related to the unexpected meeting with Jenny.
However, regarding the matter concerning Annalise… For now, Annalise remained silent. But for some reason, her demeanor seemed different than before. Assuming that something would change in her state of mind, they continued to wait.
In the midst of these ongoing tasks, an unexpected guest arrived along with their new predicament.
“It’s been a while, strong one!”
In the old castle’s reception room.
Vera looked at Valak, the blond orc sitting across from him, with a subtle expression on his face.
Of course, it was a reaction that came about because he remembered what Valak did when they came into the Cradle. He spoke as if he would be with them, but ran away without caring about the group.
“…It’s been a while. But, what brings you here?”
It had been a few weeks since they had entered the Cradle.
When asked why he had come now, Valak replied with his usual broad smile.
“I got lost!”
Vera’s fists clenched.
“…That’s it?”
“Uhm! I felt an energy that I had never felt before in the meadow, so I followed it and came to this place before I knew it! And when I arrived, I saw strong one!”
Listening to Valak’s story while suppressing his anger, Vera suddenly narrowed his eyes at the words that followed.
“An unknown energy?”
“That’s right!”
Valak gave a big nod. Then, with his crossed arms unfastened and draped over his knees, Valak continued with an expression that did not suit him, as if he were in a bad mood.
“It was an energy that I didn’t know if it was strong or not! I thought I was going to win with one hit, but when I thought about it again, I felt like I was going to lose!”
It was a speech that would make people’s insides explode if they listened to it, but despite that, Vera was able to extract meaningful information from Valak’s words.
‘…Is it an intruder?’
Valak said he came here in search of an unknown energy. He said that this was the place where the energy was cut off.
And that energy was a power Valak could not fathom.
“Hmm…”
Vera tapped his knee with his fingertips and continued to think, then asked.
“Did you tell the residents of the castle?”
“I didn’t! I forgot!”
“…”
What the hell was he doing?
Such a thought crossed Vera’s mind.
Vera sighed for a moment at Valak’s actions, then stood and spoke to him.
“I’ll go to inform the residents of the castle. I don’t think it’s right to overlook this matter when we owe them by staying here.”
“A’ight!”
Valak, who had been blinking, nodded and waved his hand thoughtlessly, while Vera ignored him and walked out.
***
The first place Vera went was none other than the front of the castle gate, where Hodrick was.
“Do you mean that there is no intruder?”
[Yes. I have not moved a single step from this castle gate for the past two days, and no outsider has ever approached the castle except the orc who previously arrived.]
“That’s…”
Vera’s brow furrowed.
This was the answer that came back when he said that there might be an intruder, so doubt began to fill his insides.
‘Is it a mistake?’
Was Valak mistaken about it?
‘No.’
Vera immediately pushed away the thoughts that came to his mind.
It was none other than Valak.
Even though he was weaker than Vera’s, he was someone who had risen to the realm of ‘Intention’ only through his fighting spirit.
There was no way someone like that was going this deep into the Cradle with just a misunderstanding.
Of course, Hodrick also reached the realm of Intention. But since Vera was convinced that Valak was superior to Hodrick in his ability to find enemies, he uttered such words.
“…Could you reinforce the lookout in case something happens? Somehow, it bothered me that the King of Orcs came all the way here alone.”
[Hm, let’s do that. After hearing the story, I also felt suspicious. Knowing that orc isn’t one who moves without any conviction…]
As Hodrick’s head nodded up and down with a clunking iron sound, Vera left him behind and headed for Renee.
‘…Something is strange.’
The moment he heard Hodrick’s words, a feeling of uneasiness rose in him.
He could just dismiss it as a mistake and move on, and he wondered if he was overreacting to simple words. But even when he thought of such things, his insides didn’t stop churning.
Furthermore, this sense of uneasiness felt oddly familiar to him.
His steps became faster.
Vera felt an urgent need to head to Renee’s side immediately.
***
In the Royal Palace of the Old Castle.
Maleus was sitting on a luxuriously decorated throne, staring blankly into space, when he lowered his head.
[…Should I welcome you?]
He let out such sarcastic words.
A woman who seemed to be made of the warmest spring stood before him.
Beneath the beautiful pink hair, the delicate corners of her eyes curved gently downwards.
A white dress, as if woven by collecting all the innocence in the world, fluttered as she giggled.
It was Alaysia.
In the center of this already ravaged land, Maleus felt a sense of dissonance at the sight of her figure shining alone in this dark and gloomy palace.
“Hi?”
The woman’s clear and beautiful voice, like the chirping of a bird, spread through the room and was then drowned out by Maleus’ voice.
[You bitch, why do you think you can just crawl in wherever you like?]
“Why? We’re friends. Aru said that friends can meet whenever they want…”
[You filthy whore. Why should I be friends with a bitch like you? Don’t you know best what you have done?]
“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The woman, Alaysia, tilted her head.
Maleus’ body twitched involuntarily.
Above the skeletal hand, the few strands of muscle still attached to it tensed, and the sound of bones clashing could be heard.
The hatred born of resentment and regret shook his insides.
The transcendent being who had thought all his emotions had dissolved was now faced with an incredibly unpleasant situation of confronting the immature emotions of the past.
[…Tell me your business.]
“Huh? Ah! That’s right, duh.”
Returning with an answer that lacked any indication of having sensed the thick hatred in the message, she cheerfully replied.
Alaysia looked directly at Maleus and extended her hands. Holding out her palms together, she said.
“The Crown of Rebirth! Lend it to me!”
Her attitude implied a certainty that he would naturally comply, a behavior that could be called shameless.
Ghostly lights burned in Maleus’ empty eye sockets.
[Leave. I have nothing for you.]
“Huh?”
[It is not something I kept all this time to give to you.]
“Ah! It’s not for me. It’s for Aru, though?”
[How can someone who is already dead use it?]
Alaysia tilted her head again.
“Maleus only says strange things all the time. That’s why Gor hates you.”
[Well, I think even that stupid whale will agree with me on this one.]
Maleus leaned his upper body forward.
The vocal cords hanging from the neck bones trembled. Again, the words he spoke were thick with loathing.
Facing the evil that had destroyed all the nostalgic and beautiful moments of the past that would never again be seen on this land, Maleus spoke with hatred.
[Ardain is dead. The Crown is not something that brings the dead back to life. Bitch, you’re now chasing after the sins of the dead.]
Silence fell.
The air in the room froze.
Meanwhile, the expression on Alaysia’s face vanished suddenly.
The intonation in her voice disappeared.
“…He’s not.”
All of her elements, which had been praised as the most beautiful spring, suddenly changed.
“Aru is not dead. He’s sleeping.”
[He’s dead. You killed him. No, we killed him. That guy stupidly burned away his life believing that a bitch like you could change.]
“He’s not dead. I saw it. Aru will awaken again.”
[…]
Maleus closed his mouth.
He looked at Alaysia for a long time, deep in thought.
How far would this evil being fall?
What kind of plan did the Parent have to just let this evil run amok?
As for Orgus…
The moment he thought that far, Maleus realized that now was the time to resolve the question he had been harboring all along.
[…Let me ask.]
After erasing all the thoughts that came to his mind, he asked.
[How many times is it now?]
It was about the situation involving Orgus intervening. It was a question Maleus asked because he knew how meticulously Orgus moved.
Alaysia’s body, which had been stopped as if stuck in time, moved.
Light returned to her eyes. It wasn’t the same light as before. It was a light reminiscent of the infinitely dark, dreary depths of the abyss.
“Ah…”
Alaysia’s mouth ripped open into a sinister smile.
“…What’s this? So, you knew as well?”
She spat out those words as if she was dying of delight.
