Chapter 208

Chapter 208

Still, it was a precious relationship I had cultivated while living in the willow house, full of happy memories, so I slapped Azel on the back.

“If there’s anything you need, just let me know. I’ll help you as the lord. You helped me a lot in Sharatan.”

“Th-thank you…!” Azel stuttered as she bowed deeply, her face turning red. I waved lightly at her and then left the plaza with Kaichen.

As we walked, familiar sights and memories came flooding back to me. The meeting with Azel had been sudden, but it had also made me realize something. The people of Acrab didn’t have memories of time magic, but for me, it was something that existed and was an experience.

What troubled me wasn’t the incident itself, as it had never happened, but the guilt and shame that I had done something so terrible. Those terrible things weren’t something that just anyone could do.

“It isn’t much different from the beginning,” I said to myself, but I felt greatly comforted and my noisy mind was at ease.

“I accept it,” I said, the words heavy. However, time, experience, and guilt were all mine to bear.

I lacked the determination to bear this heavy heart. I wanted to erase the terrible memories and deny it all. But I knew that since I was the one who had sinned, I had to bear the consequences. I was scared, afraid, and always tried to avoid it.

But in the end, it wasn’t much different from what I had done during that time.

Yes, nothing much had changed. I was still isolated, as if I were trapped in that time.

“Master,” I said.

Kaichen, who had been standing next to me, leaned on the bridge over the stream and silently looked at me as I stared blankly at the flowing water.

“I have something to tell you,” I said, my voice trembling slightly.

I knew I could rely on Kaichen to accept whatever I had to say. I had to accept my memories, accept that time, and accept that experience if I wanted to move on. I couldn’t do it alone, which was why I had been avoiding this conversation.

Even though I may feel like a coward – Dalia, the coward – I mustered up the courage to speak. Because now, I’m not alone anymore.

*

Kaichen leaned on the bridge and looked at Dalia blankly.

There wasn’t anything in the smoothly flowing stream, but Dalia’s gaze was different, as if she was searching for something in the water.

Kaichen noticed that Dalia seemed a little different today. After confirming the piece of land they had to cultivate, he had gone to the plaza instead of the mansion because he wanted to spend time with her outside of work. Recently, she had gotten busy and they didn’t spend much leisure time together, so he was a little greedy for her company. Many people came up to Dalia to say hello, but two years ago, he would have immediately blocked their way and chased them away. But now, he had no reason to stop Dalia.

When he hesitated on whether or not to forcefully whisk her away to another place, his hands became stiff with tension, but Dalia held his hand tighter and smiled broadly. Seeing her like that, he knew immediately that she would do something.

‘You did that a few times before… it surprised me,’ Kaichen thought. ‘Would you believe me if I said I fell in love with you again?’

It hadn’t been long since she spit out the words, saying she would become stronger. It was something anyone could easily say. How many people could actually put that into practice?

But Dalia began to make efforts to grow faster than anyone else, and it was admirable. It was a path that was going to be painful, but she didn’t hesitate. She tried to escape her trauma by taking a step forward.

Kaichen was a little envious of her.

Could one be strong if they did this? She laughed innocently, spouted out lies casually, and spoke embarrassingly well with her shameless face. The honest Dalia was trying to be honest with herself.

Was that why? Watching her dazed in her thoughts, he suddenly remembered the first time he met her.

‘I too… should be honest.’ he thought to himself.

Kaichen met Dalia for the first time when she was still seven years old.

Kaichen, who had never gone out of the Mage Tower since he was born, went out for the first time with his master, Hamal. At the time, his teacher, Hamal, who was studying ancient documents, said that he had found something, and that it was in Acrab.

It bothered him a little to leave Julius, who insisted on going with him, but he remembered how Julius teased him all the time saying he didn’t know anything, so he decided to learn about the outside world.

***

‘Kaichen, if you dig through the mine on the other end, you’ll see the continental path that you discovered.’ Hamal said to him.

‘Can I say that I found a path that was originally there? All I did was read some ancient documents.’ Kaichen thought to himself.

‘Reading an ancient document that no one can decipher is a great discovery. You even found out that this continent was originally called Teramedeo.’ Hamal replied.

‘Master, being the only one who can decipher something no one else can means I may have lied.’ Kaichen said

‘No, no it doesn’t. It must be true because you don’t lie. But… like you said, not everyone will believe it.’ Hamal reassured him.

Hamal smiled bitterly and stroked Kaichen’s head, saying that it would be best to keep it a secret until there was evidence that people would fully believe.

Kaichen thought it didn’t matter. Rather than looking at the dingy, undeveloped mine, he wanted to find the “game” that Julius had been talking about. It wasn’t easy being treated like a fool who didn’t even know what a “game” was by Julius. He had been a fool for eight years already.