Deculein was gone, but he left many traces. The fairy vocabulary, magic theory, the math homework notebook, and the memories in Sylvia’s mind. Each was unforgettable.
There were no actual traces of him left. Whether it was the hem of his robe, his hair, or the seams. It was as if he had been burned whole. No, fire at least left ashes. He melted like paint washed away by the sea.
“…”
Sylvia left alone, placed a finger to her lips.
Tap, tap –
She tapped her mouth as the scene replayed.
“…Stupid.”
Her regrets were deep. However, that was the only trace left. It wasn’t bad, considering he left at least one.
Tick-tock-
Sylvia stood. She went to the window and opened it.
“Deculein is dead.”
Under the lighthouse, she spoke to the scarecrow hiding in the middle of the forest. Then, the scarecrow looked up, turned, and went somewhere. Sylvia closed the window.
Then, she leaned her body against the wall and slid down to the floor. She tried to stand up again, but there was no strength in her body. Sylvia felt dizzy as if she had run dry of mana. Her head was sore; her eyelids were heavy. She felt sleepy.
“…”
Sylvia quietly closed her eyes. In that darkness, Deculein rose. He accepted the betrayal of the woman he loved the most. Saying he was okay, he said he could handle it and didn’t run away. And he died like that.
Sylvia touched her lips again. The feeling had already evaporated, and trails of water ran down her cheeks. That naughty bastard went beyond her knowledge and made her cry.
“…Idnik.”
She called out to Idnik quietly. Now, Sylvia had work to do. With the fake dead, it was time to recreate him.
…No.
Creek-
Idnik opened the door and entered with a frown.
“…Bastard. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You can’t eavesdrop on someone else’s wounds.”
“You’re the one to talk after developing magic for spying on Deculein.”
“…I have the right to do so. He’s the one who killed my mother.”
Sylvia turned, holding her hand out to Idnik.
“Give it. Crystal ball.”
“Are you planning on making him again right away?”
“…No.”
She shook her head.
“I’m going to break it.”
Sylvia was thinking. Perhaps, Deculein was right. A fake death was also death. This parting was also real. So…
“Are you going to break the contract?”
“…”
At Idnik’s words, Sylvia frowned. Idnik handed her the crystal ball, however.
“The Professor is the only one who can complete who you are now.”
“…He is also the only one who can break me.”
“What’s the difference?”
“…”
Sylvia’s face hardened. Idnik smiled softly.
“Sylvia. What you will complete is the walls that trap you, and what you’ll break is also the walls that trap you. Whether you complete it or destroy it, in the end, you will be you. You are the one you choose.”
Either she became Sylvia trapped in the cage of the three primary colors, or Sylvia left her prison. The consequences were ultimately hers to choose.
* * *
“…Is it?”
At the guild room. After Zukaken heard what Arlos had to report, he groaned and nodded.
“I guess the Professor’s life span is about two weeks, right?”
Arlos went silent. She sat quietly in the chair. On the desk, she looked over the things that Deculein had left behind. A bunch of magic theories, Sylvia’s Tutor Employment Contract, and a boring drawing.
“…Ohoho. Why are you feeling lonely?”
Zukaken, watching Arlos act like that, asked sarcastically. Arlos didn’t pay him any attention.
“Did you finish your job?”
“I dug the frame, the biggest circle in the magic circle. But, you know. If Deculein is dead…”
Arlos squinted at him.
“What about Deculein’s pay?”
After all, he was a guy who only coveted coin. Zukaken shrugged, and Arlos felt exhausted.
“You’re such a fucking bastard, too.”
“I mean~ if we have it. We can decorate this guild room better… So this could be beneficial to the next Deculein as well. In this dirty place, oh, of course, he’ll say that even a garbage dump is beautiful with you there, but it’s better to decorate it anyway, right?”
“Don’t you know about the prices going up? Three coins for one board.”
“So?”
“…”
Arlos picked up the coins. These coins were complete currency. She didn’t know where it came from, but it wasn’t from the Voice. It wasn’t Sylvia’s. Therefore, the Voice borrowed this complete currency. Given that fact, everything bought with these coins was genuine.
“Anyway, we were left these.”
Arlos pocketed the coin.
“I mean… it was for you, not ‘us’.”
“…”
She looked back at Zukaken. He bought a log with five coins.
“Is there anyone other than you that the Professor treated like a person? Well, of course, Gerek and I don’t treat each other as humans either.”
Seeing him trying to make a desk out of wood, Arlos asked.
“…Zukaken. You fucker.”
“Why are you cursing, crazy bitch?”
“Who do you trust?”
“Who?”
“Between the Altar and the Professor.”
Zukaken’s brow furrowed. Then, he bought a toolbox with the coins. He consumed hundreds of them. Arlos was terrified.
“You fucking bastard. You spent a month’s-“
“I believe in myself.”
“…”
“And, why trust someone else? Do you have a reason to rate a maniac on promises? In the eyes of criminals like us, the Altar and the Professor are the same. Well, of course, the handsome Deculein is better, ha.”
Arlos sighed and buried herself in her chair. Suddenly, the drawings that Deculein had left caught her eye.
“But again, the Professor is addictive. I miss him. I didn’t know when I bumped into him in the dark streets. Is it because he has changed a lot since then? At the time, he was a real son of a bitch.”
Arlos. No, Cynthia. It was a picture of herself. The artist’s signature was laid underneath it.
—To Arlos.
Seek your faith.
(Sefern 5:15)
“He’s quoting a gospel verse. He doesn’t even believe in religion.”
“By the way, Zukaken.”
…However, this sentence provoked contemplation from Arlos. If she betrayed Deculein and returned to the Altar with his head, or, according to the will of Deculein, if she raised a force against the Altar. What would be the outcome of those two choices?
“What do you plan to do when the god of the Altar descends?”
“First, I’ll need to know whether God is real or fake.”
“If it’s real?”
“I have to make excuses.”
“Saying what.”
“I didn’t know you were a real God. If I had known you were a real God, I would have believed you too. A real God would be willing to forgive since they’re the real thing.”
“…”
What bullshit. Arlos muttered to herself and took the drawing. It was the first portrait she had ever received, so she didn’t want to throw it away out of pride. After that, they didn’t say anything to each other.
…Zukaken was cutting wood with a saw.
Whoosh.
Sand fell from the ceiling in time with his rhythm. In the middle of that peaceful place, Arlos sat quietly. There was nothing more to do here. It was her job to pass on the memories of the previous Deculein to the next one.
Drop—!
Zukaken finally finished sawing. Arlos glanced at him, pondered for about five minutes, and then stood. Watching her stride towards him, Zukaken asked:
“What now?”
“Let me do it too. I’m bored.”
“…Whatever.”
In fact, rather than boredom, she lacked tension. When Deculein was there, it was as if she was being dragged around with every action she took.
Snip- Snip-
Thwock- Thwock-
They both worked, waiting for someone to come back.
* * *
Boom-! Boom-!
The next day. Arlos woke to a thumping sound. She wiped the drool off the corner of her mouth.
-Hey! Bastards! It’s Deculein!
It was Idnik’s voice. Arlos, startled, quickly put on her mask. She kicked the still sleeping Zukaken.
“Ouch! What’s wrong with this bitch?!”
“Open the door. Deculein is here.”
“…Already? That was fast. Haaahm~.”
Zukaken trudged over to the door.
Creek-
Looking beyond the slowly opening door, Arlos swallowed. Deculein’s face appeared through the gap. Blue eyes without flaw, holding only confidence in himself and an unflinching arrogance.
“…”
She bit her lip.
“Deculein. That’s Zukaken, you know, right?”
“I know.”
He nodded. Zukaken grinned and waved.
“Hello~.”
“This one is Arlos.”
Idnik pointed to Arlos. Deculein frowned.
“You’re wearing a mask.”
“Yeah.”
Deculein approached one step at a time. Arlos handed him a block of papers holding his hundreds of pages of magic formulas and Sylvia’s tutoring contract.
“Take this. It’s the stuff… that the previous you left. I thought it would be too much to call them keepsakes.”
Taking it, Deculein lost himself in thought for a moment, but then his lips twisted into a smirk.
“It’s not a keepsake. The me I was before, the me I am now, are all still me.”
“…You seem different.”
“But.”
Deculein’s expression turned to one of contempt and pity after looking around.
“You’ve been living in such a garbage place? It’s too filthy to even breathe properly.”
Zukaken smiled. Idnik wore a similar smirk.
“The previous you lived here just fine. He even slept here. He didn’t sleep lying down, though.”
“You’re full of bullshit, Zukaken. Are you a moron?”
Zukaken smiled and looked back at Arlos. He meant to take off her mask, but Arlos shook her head. Idnik spoke.
“Anyway, just read that magic theory. That’s your only hope of escaping from here. Home tutoring starts tomorrow, every 3 pm, so don’t forget.”
“…”
Deculein didn’t answer. The Sixth Professor, the Sixth Deculein. He already had his eyes on the magic theory.
“Then, I’ll be going.”
Idnik left first.
Slam—
As soon as the door closed, sand fell from the roof. And…
An endless silence consumed them. One minute became ten, and ten minutes became one hour, one hour became three.
Snore… Snore…
Zukaken fell back asleep. Deculein, who was reading the theory amidst his snoring, suddenly raised his head. He looked straight at Arlos.
“…I wonder.”
Her heart sank. Arlos tilted her head.
“What do you mean?”
“The previous me wrote a message in the corner of this paper.”
“…Message?”
“Yes.”
There was disbelief and suspicion in Deculein’s voice.
“When inspiration doesn’t come easily… Arlos. It says to look at your face.”
“…What?”
Arlos felt disconcerted. But before she could even open her mouth, Deculein continued.
“And it says to trust you. He left it like a will.”
“…”
For a moment, Arlos’s face stiffened. She clenched her teeth while Deculein stared at her.
“Haah.”
After that, Arlos took a deep breath and took off her mask. Deculein’s reaction to seeing that face was simple: he just nodded.
* * *
The very next day, the sixth Deculein visited Sylvia’s house. Sylvia looked up at him silently as he held out the contract.
“Nice to see you. I’m your tutor, Deculein.”
That line was kind of funny. Was it Deculein’s humor? She guessed not.
“Yeah. Come in.”
Sylvia spoke, but she felt as if she were choking for some reason.
“Okay.”
It was strange. He didn’t remember that she touched his lips and that Yuli had betrayed him. But right now, it didn’t matter.
“Have you been studying hard?”
Deculein spoke as if he was the same person as the previous Deculein. Sylvia was a little confused. Were the 5th and 6th Deculeins the same person or different people? It was hard to distinguish, but it didn’t matter right now.
“Yeah. I worked hard. It’s only been two days.”
Sylvia responded.
“And I guess you don’t know. But if I studied hard enough.”
With one step, Sylvia jumped up into Deculein’s arms. She opened her arms wide and hugged him, burying her face in his chest.
“You said you would hug me. You said it was a reward.”
“…”
Deculein didn’t say anything. He remained still. Maybe he was stunned, or maybe he thought what she was saying was true. Whatever it was… Sylvia continued.
“I know it sounds ridiculous.”
Her voice trembled. But what could he do? He didn’t even know if it was a lie, and this memory would soon be forgotten anyway.
“But it’s true.”
Reflecting, Sylvia closed her eyes for a moment as she held him.
