Chapter 468 : Fragment (7)

“How did you find out?”

Seolrang’s ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍calm voice rang by his ear.

Alon ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍silently looked at Seolrang.

Instead ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of the usual smile that lingered on his lips, there was indifference.

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍corners of her curved eyes had settled quietly as they faced Alon, and her swaying tail hung down limply without strength.

Her ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍appearance was, without a doubt, the Seolrang Alon knew.

Her ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍golden hair.

Her eyes.

Nothing about her was different from Seolrang.

And yet, she was different from Seolrang.

“Master, how did you notice?”

Once again, Seolrang’s voice was heard.

Not her usual lively and ringing tone, but a composed and calm voice—one that felt unbearably foreign to Alon, who knew Seolrang well.

Listening to that voice, Alon thought.

‘How did I notice…?’

There were not many parts where he could detect Seolrang’s change.

Because she had been the same Seolrang he had always seen.

Her swaying tail.

Her eyes smiling as if she was enjoying herself.

Her playful grin.

There was not a single thing that wasn’t Seolrang.

In fact, even Lime and the others who had always assisted her did not recognize that Seolrang had changed.

But Alon could.

Just as Seolrang conveyed her sincerity to Alon, he too had received much from her.

And so.

“The first was your eyes.”

Alon spoke calmly.

Seolrang’s composed gaze seemed to be directed at him.

But her eyes were not precisely looking at Alon.

From the very beginning until now, her gaze had subtly avoided him and was directed elsewhere.

And Alon knew well when Seolrang couldn’t meet someone’s eyes.

“When you can’t meet someone’s eyes, it’s always when something is making you uneasy.”

“....”

“Even after dealing with the divine-blood, and even when we met afterward, you couldn’t meet my eyes.”

And when something made her uneasy like that, instead of smiling and talking, Seolrang would cling to Alon and whine.

Because Seolrang was always honest with her emotions.

“The second is your tail.”

“?”

“You’re always wagging your tail.”

Whenever Seolrang met Alon, she would always sway her tail.

Of course, not at every single moment they were together.

“Even when you were blankly staring into space in the carriage, or at crowded festivals.”

As far as Alon knew, she hated enduring boredom.

And crowds as well.

There were more pieces of evidence that Seolrang had been acting.

But.

“I see.”

Even without him finishing, Seolrang nodded as if she understood what he meant.

Far too emotionless to be the usual Seolrang.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

Alon asked carefully.

Seolrang quietly looked at him.

Before they knew it, silence settled between them.

Seolrang opened and closed her mouth several times, and instead of urging her, Alon calmly waited for her to speak first.

After a short while passed like that.

“I might not be Seolrang.”

“What?”

She spoke a single sentence.

A sudden confession.

Alon reflexively asked back.

Seolrang, now with calm eyes, continued her explanation in an even tone.

Throughout her explanation, she seemed somehow resigned, as if she had given up.

“This is what happened.”

When all the explanation ended, Alon was quite shocked.

It was the kind of story that warranted it.

“So, to summarize… your mental age had been fixed at the time when you used the essence of the Golden-Maned Tribe?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“And the power you showed before was the power you obtained after perfectly completing the trial given by that essence?”

“Yeah.”

There was no emotion on Seolrang’s face.

Alon let out a deep sigh.

He had roughly confirmed the information from Seolrang for now, but there was still something he didn’t understand.

That was the power she obtained from the final trial of the Golden-Maned Tribe’s essence—the power she used to defeat the divine-blood before—being the power of Abominable Blood.

‘What on earth is Abominable Blood…?’

But he soon shook his head.

He was very curious about Abominable Blood, but it wasn’t important right now.

What mattered to Alon at this moment was only Seolrang.

“…You’re saying there are dozens of memories in your head right now?”

“Yeah. But strictly speaking, it’s not just memories.”

“…Then?”

“Even identities and values are all mixed together. Inside me.”

“......”

“You know, Master.”

At Seolrang’s call, Alon looked at her.

Her expression was calm.

Yet somehow, it also seemed empty.

“I don’t feel anything for the guild members anymore.”

She muttered.

Still calm.

“Even if Lime worries about me, I don’t feel anything in particular.”

She muttered.

Still calm.

“Even when I think about Deus or Radan……It’s just… nothing?”

She muttered.

Still calm, but Alon could see it.

The deep emptiness contained in her eyes, and

“When I think about Rine… when I think about Yutia… now…”

the sorrow.

Drip, drip.

“Now, I feel nothing.”

Seolrang remained calm.

But in her eyes, there was clear sorrow and emptiness.

“What should I do?”

Like wandering in deep darkness.

“What on earth should I do?”

Searching for emotions that could no longer be felt, dry and gone,

“Master… I… don’t know…”

Her hands had begun trembling before she knew it, and she grabbed them herself.

“I really don’t know… what I should do…”

It was contradictory.

She was suffering because she was so dried up.

Without even knowing what she was suffering over.

Alon blankly looked at her.

He tried to say something, hesitated several times, and eventually closed his mouth.

He knew.

That she might have ended up in this kind of situation.

And he also knew that he should comfort her.

It wasn’t just something he knew.

It was something he had to do.

He had to comfort her.

He clearly recognized what he had to do.

And yet, the reason he kept his mouth shut was because he knew another truth.

That his clumsy comfort could end up poisoning Seolrang instead.

……

Seolrang had lost something precious.

Some might dismiss it as mere memories and values, but Alon knew.

That for Seolrang, it was something that couldn’t be replaced by anything.

Alon had never lost something precious.

So he couldn’t know how deeply such a wound would remain.

That made it all the more frightening.

That a few careless words of comfort might worsen her wounds.

But he couldn’t do nothing either, so Alon approached Seolrang and quietly held her hand.

Countless words of comfort formed and disappeared in his mind.

Some were extremely formal, some were utterly hypocritical.

None of them satisfied him.

So.

“Seolrang.”

Alon decided to simply speak the sincerity that came to mind.

“You were acting at first, weren’t you?”

“…”

“Why was that?”

“That was—”

“Wasn’t it because you wanted to hide it from me? Because you didn’t want me to know you had changed.”

Seolrang did not answer.

But Alon continued speaking in a low voice.

“In that case, doesn’t that mean I still remain?”

“…Master?”

“Yes. The fact that you tried to hide what happened to you means it was to avoid me noticing. Because you didn’t want me to worry.”

It was less comfort and more of a forced interpretation.

Even he thought it was a poor inference, and perhaps all of Alon’s assumptions were wrong.

“So, I must still remain. For you.”

Even so.

Alon hoped Seolrang would accept this clumsy reasoning.

He hoped that even a little sincerity would be conveyed through his insignificant words.

“And if I remain, then the others must remain inside you as well.”

“……”

“You’re just confused right now. You had to go through too many things all at once.”

“Is that really true?”

At Seolrang’s tearful murmur, Alon stayed silent for a moment before speaking.

“Even if… even if that’s not the case, it’s still okay.”

“.....”

“We weren’t in this kind of relationship from the beginning anyway.”

“.....”

“Relationships can always be made again.”

“.....”

“As much as Seolrang values her relationship with me, I feel the same. We can rebuild it anytime, as many times as needed. From the beginning, one by one.”

Seolrang did not answer Alon’s words.

She simply hugged him a little tighter.

For Alon, that was enough.

For a long while, Alon patted Seolrang’s back.

“Do you feel a bit better now?”

“…Yeah. Thank you, Master.”

Seolrang looked up at Alon and smiled faintly.

Only then did she seem to regain some stability.

Her face, with a bit of the earlier confusion and emptiness gone, looked better than before.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“You’re leaving already…?”

“If you want, I can stay a bit longer.”

At that, Seolrang seemed to think quietly before shaking her head.

“No, it’s okay.”

“…Really? If you need anything, tell me.”

“Yeah, I will. Master.”

Calm, yet with a faint smile, Seolrang replied.

After watching her for a moment, Alon left with a short farewell.

And after the door closed,

Seolrang’s smiling face—

“It would have been better if you hadn’t noticed.”

returned to indifference.

Listening to the gradually fading footsteps, Seolrang brushed her hair back.

‘Relationships can always be made again.’

Alon’s words passed through her mind.

Alon’s words were not wrong.

If Seolrang tried, and if Alon tried, someday they might be able to build a relationship like before.

But.

Could a relationship built like that truly be the same as before?

Alon already knew that Seolrang had changed.

That she was no longer the Seolrang she used to be.

That she was now a completely different person wearing Seolrang’s appearance.

And a relationship built on top of that? It could never be the same as before.

Alon surely knew that as well.

That relationship would not be with ‘Seolrang’.

But with ‘the one who gathers and uses the remnants of Seolrang’.

Seolrang knew he was a kind person.

And that he would never show it.

But that didn’t change the truth.

Seolrang sat in place, hugged her knees, and buried her head.

It was a chilly autumn, but somehow, it felt unbearably cold.

***

“Phew.”

Returning to his room, Alon let out a light sigh.

He had expected it, but Seolrang’s situation was worse than he thought.

‘Yeah. Thank you, Master.’

Alon recalled Seolrang’s earlier farewell.

It had clearly sounded much more relaxed than before, but even so, Alon could sense the emptiness hidden within.

And because of that, he could still realize.

That while his comfort might have helped, it was not a complete solution.

Alon ran his hand over his face.

His mind was complicated.

But at the same time, he thought it was rather fortunate.

Having already anticipated Seolrang’s condition, Alon had already been creating a spell for her,

“…Just a little more.”

Now, just a little more, and he could complete it.

A spell that could return her to her original state.

Up to that thought, Alon instinctively raised his mana.

It was somewhat risky without Penia, and he was slightly tired from going around the festival, but even so, Alon did not stop casting the spell.

For some reason, he felt like doing it.

A small light leaked out through the window of the inn room.

***

At that time, in the Eastern Empire.

Those called the latecomers of Star Root, and currently in a heated competition(?) with Burned Vegetation, saw him recruiting divine-blood and, burning with rivalry, had come all the way here to recruit newcomers themselves—the Darkness-Devouring Sword.

[……Really, the Star Eater is participating in the subjugation as a divine-blood?]

[It seems so. It looks like they’ve already started moving as well.]

[Burned Vegetation too?]

[.....]

Upon hearing the report from the divine-blood,

[At last, I will be able to serve by his side.]

He smiled deeply, as if an opportunity had arrived.