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“Then what about you? Going to a place where he might die means you could die.”
“Who would mourn over a broken sword?”
Ramos had a knack for saying heavy words lightly. He seemed to have gotten used to being treated as a tool. How could that be? Nadon and Ramos looked identical and were the same height. Their personalities and grades were almost the same. Nevertheless, one might become king, and the other might die for someone who might become king. It was a terrible story.
When I asked if there was really no problem with me knowing Miss Proctor’s true identity and such an important secret, Ramos laughed lightly. He said that I can tell them apart anyway, so what’s the use of hiding something that I could quickly discern.
It wasn’t wrong. But there was also no chance that I, a foreigner, would see an event attended by the heir to the throne of Nadon.
So I thought about it and wondered if he just wanted to confide in someone about his misfortune.
Misfortune is like a stone in the track. No matter how small, it was bound to completely change the course of the game. Holding it alone would be like putting salt on a wound.
They say that sharing happiness doubles it and sharing unhappiness halves it, but when I hear about someone’s happiness, in most cases, it doesn’t double; instead, I get envious. But this time, I hoped that Ramos’ misfortune would be halved because of me.
As I walked with Ramos, I came up with 3-4 embarrassing words that might make him a little happier. I couldn’t stand the seriousness of the atmosphere, so I tried putting them on my tongue, which took a great deal of effort.
In the meantime, our destination, the women’s dormitory building, was almost within reach. I couldn’t hold back any longer, so I looked at Ramos. I suddenly saw something suspicious over his shoulder.
A short, crooked line was drawn between the stars. It was black with an uneven thickness. It looked as if someone had ripped open the sky and revealed its black flesh. After looking briefly in the direction I was pointing at, Ramos said lightly.
“Witch’s Path?”
Looking back at the continent’s history, witches were considered evil because they were skilled in black magic and curses and powerful enough to threaten the power of an emperor. So, even after war broke out and most humans could use magic, no one could claim to be a witch themselves, and only stories were passed down that they were hiding in the depths of the continent and dreaming of revenge.
According to legend, becoming a witch requires a lot of luck and effort, unlike becoming a wizard. What appeared here was the ‘Witch’s Path’. In an unusual place on the continent, the road to the witch’s lair opens, and the moment you step into it and walk a hundred steps, you’ll become a witch. But instead of gaining strength, your hair would turn gray, your nose and waist will get bent, and you’ll be seized with endless hatred.
But even so, it was just a legend. Items related to witches were always in high demand due to their symbolism, and, as a future merchant, I was very familiar with various information about them, but I had never heard of a rumor that someone had disappeared beyond the ‘Witch’s Path’.
After I said that, Ramos nodded. “I don’t know either.”
Unlike me, he seemed to feel nothing in the mysteriously dark and ominous rift.
Suddenly, an overwhelming uneasiness came over me. I couldn’t stop imagining the charred sky engulfing me. I hurriedly ran toward my room, saying goodbye to Ramos, who looked at me curiously.
***
Alyssa Dalton and Rohan Dalton have arrived at Fitzsimmons along with Lilu, the bravest cat in the world. I certainly told them that there was no need for the whole family to go out and that doing so would only embarrass me, but it was clear that they didn’t listen.
Looking at my father’s overly decorated short-sleeved shirt and my mother’s wide-brimmed hat, it seemed that my career counseling was not the sole purpose of their visit.
My parents handed me Lilu and two chests full of magic locks and went to Professor Humphreys’ office. Then they disappeared without any contact. It was as expected, so I wasn’t too upset.
Having lived in the Dalton estate, where 300 days of the year are cloudy, the two never miss an opportunity to travel, and in early April, they would go south together and enjoy the sunny southern Milua until the end of the parent counseling week.
Brianna had to suffer because of the unexpected situation. She had a mild phobia of cats, so poor Lilu had to be kept under my covers while Bree was in the room to not provoke her.
Because I had an obligation as an owner who cared about Lilu the most, I soothed her by walking her around Fitzsimmons when I had no classes. Showing off her cuteness to strangers was Lilu’s favorite activity.
Brennan and Kyle’s magic locks stand in the square was very crowded. In front of the colorful hand-painted sign board, first-year students who seemed to have been robbed of the pocket money they had brought to establish themselves as aristocrats were gathered.
While Kyle was doing what he did best, stealing someone’s soul with his words, Brennan sloppily gave locks with his hand and snatched gold coins with the other one. His limbs, admirably, worked well together.
“Is the business going well?”
“Of course. Who is this all thanks to?”
The corners of Brennan’s mouth hung over his ears. They seemed to be generating a lot of revenue. When Kyle saw Lilu in my arms, he flipped the sign over that said ” Magic Locks That Boast the Best Security: Keep Your Pocket Money from the Evil Leprechauns!” and it became “Magic Locks That Boast the Best Security: Contact Kyle Villard and Brennan Stokes of Fifth Grade!’
Recognizing the approaching Kyle, Lilu began to meow and struggle. Putting her down, Lilu quickly ran to Kyle and rubbed her head and her body against him. Her tail was upright.
“She still loves me more than you.”
“Good for you.”
“You should have been nice to Lilu.”
I’ve been good enough to Lilu. I only brought her snacks that she was crazy about and used to play with her until my arms hurt, and I never raised my hand when ordering her to clean for fear of leaving an unpleasant impression.
Nevertheless, Lilu, who will win if a ‘most ungrateful cat contest’ gets held, followed Kyle much more. I still couldn’t figure out the reason at all.
Kyle tapped her hips rhythmically, and Lilu purred as if she liked it very much. Meanwhile, Brennan tried to touch the soles of Lilu’s feet but ended up handing over the back of his hand to her merciless fingernails.
I was quite taken aback, but seeing the tattered back of Brennan’s hand made me feel a little better. Lilu didn’t hate me, she just liked Kyle. Perhaps.
“What’s over there?”
There was a huge crowd across the street. When I asked, Kyle and Brennan shrugged their shoulders as if they knew nothing. I stepped on my toes and looked over, but there were so many people that all I could see was the colorful back of their heads.
“Do you want a piggyback ride, Little Ari?”
“No thanks.”
Kyle bent his legs and stuck out his back as if he were being generous. I slapped his nasty back and stood on top of the box where they keep the money.
Then I saw someone emerge from the colorful back of the heads. Oh my God. I inhaled sharply. Kaitlyn the Great, whom I had only seen in continental history textbooks, was there.
Kaitlyn the Great was tall; her shoulders broad, and her posture very upright. Overall, she had a fleshy figure, which made her look like a retired knight who made significant achievements on the harsh battlefield.
She was dressed in the same voluminous robes as in textbooks and newspapers, accompanied by a dozen of attendants. Among them were the detestable Adam Walsh and his father. Marquess Walsh was regarded as Kaitlyn the Great’s overt paramour in Holy Illestia, and it was no surprise that Adam Walsh was very proud of it.
Kaitlyn the Great was an exceptionally brilliant person who achieved a splendid feat when she was called the “Great Emperor”, a title usually given to those who have already passed even though she is a living emperor. Professor Chapman, who teaches medicine, would always recount an anecdote in her class about how Kaitlyn the Great healed hundreds of people at once by unleashing her divine powers in the middle of the barracks for the wounded.
In the tactics class, she was praised for her ingenious tactics used in the Eastern Unification War, and the politics class raved about how skillfully she had neutralized her opponents. But more than anything else, there was a legend about her that made her a person worthy of being called the ‘Great Emperor’.
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