“Episode 66”
“So, what’s the situation now? I heard about the royal family planting human cultists to rescue the duchess from the dark magic, and the saint performing purification rituals. Has Evan woken up? I wonder if Yoon is not messing around with him, that’s what I’m curious about.”
Unable to hide her anxiety, Yuriana clasped hands tightly. The sparrow, about to speak about its crooked beak, trembled with guilt. After dropping the walnut it was eating, it finally spoke cautiously.
“Well, nobody can enter the duchy. The cultists have set up a sacred barrier, and Yoon is residing in the mansion, healing the duchess. So, externally, that’s the story.”
“Yeah, externally, that’s probably it.”
Yuriana, murmuring gloomily, eventually opened her eyes narrowly. Then, she sharply addressed the sparrow.
“What will happen to him after I die? Huh? He’s your psycho friend. Speak properly.”
Responding to Yuriana’s sharp inquiry, the sparrow spread its wings and flew onto the statue of her grandmother.
The tiny sparrow, seemingly devoid of energy despite having consumed so much grain and walnut, cautiously expressed its opinion.
“Yoon is expending so much vitality that he may not be able to return to reality. He might meet his end. Without regard for the original plot or the coherence of his own story, he’ll do as he pleases. So sticking close to the mansion like that…”
“Aargh!”
“Eek?!”
Yuriana, who had been silently listening, suddenly jumped up, clutching her head, and reached out towards the sparrow.
The sparrow, about to fly away swiftly, was caught without resistance. Yuriana, screaming, relentlessly threw the sparrow she had caught.
“Why did you release that psycho into a world that was functioning fine on its own! Even before I knew I was reincarnated as a savior, he just wanted to control and manipulate everything here! He just wanted to die! And how am I supposed to save him? I won’t! Do you know how many people have suffered and died because of that chuunibyou kid? It’s all because of you! You psycho’s friend!”
“Eek!”
Nodding in agreement with Yuriana’s angry words, the sparrow trembled with shock.
“Sorry…”
Apologizing, the sparrow cried.
Yuriana, feeling pity, anger, and frustration towards the sparrow who wanted to show a different world for her friend, burst into tears.
“You’re all just burdens. You bad things.”
“Chirp…”
As the sparrow cried, it nodded its head as if agreeing.
After holding the sparrow and crying for a while, Yuriana took a deep breath. After a slightly awkward silence, she spoke.
“…In summary, Yoon is doing whatever he wants right now. It’s obvious he’ll attack Evan however he likes. He’s a psycho who enjoys watching others suffer, with zero empathy.”
“Eek…”
The sparrow expressed shock at Yuriana’s harsh words. Ignoring the sparrow’s cold reaction, Yuriana continued.
“Well then, I’ll have to do things my way.”
“Chirp…”
The sparrow, with its cheek pressed against Yuriana’s grip, cried weakly. And with courage, it asked.
“W-What are you thinking?”
“We have to break the cultists’ barrier and get inside.”
“…But the cultists are reinforcing the barrier continuously. No matter how skilled a mage you are, if you break through, the cultists will swarm in. Without them voluntarily releasing the barrier, there’s no way in.”
As the sparrow calmly repeated what it already knew, Yuriana, frustrated, said harshly.
“If you know that well, then why don’t you help? You’re the one who created this world, right? And you can’t even do that?”
The sparrow, hurt by Yuriana’s blunt words, sobbed.
“Sorry…”
Yuriana sighed heavily.
All she could do was some spying and sneaking, and perhaps some petty thievery. This creature, barely a handful, seemed pathetic and pitiful.
Yuriana, glaring at the sparrow, said calmly.
“‘Almost’? So you still have some power left?”
“Chirp?”
“I’m going to do something rather reckless from now on.”
“W-What are you going to do?”
Terrified by Yuriana’s sudden determination, the sparrow asked, swallowing nervously. Without even hesitating, Yuriana replied.
“I’m going to kidnap the Empress Mama. So cooperate with me. Got it
Ereyna realized that she often forgot things she should remember as she passed through restless sleep. But sometimes, when she woke up with a dazed look, her kind husband would be looking down at her. He had been with her for a long time.
Lucian cooked, fed, and cared for her, and on sunny days, they would take walks together.
At times, Ereyna felt happy during those moments, but at the same time, she was in great pain. It was for the same reason. She was becoming more and more of a fool in her own eyes.
To grasp the time slipping away without catching it in her grasp, Ereyna sometimes asked Lucian about the aftermath of the trial of the duchess and the incident of the duchy’s sacrifice when she regained consciousness. However, the words she heard were all scripted. A Yahrzeit shaman had sneaked into the duchy and cursed the people there, the duchy was injured, and even the duchess died from the shock…
It was a story from the ducal family that was hard to believe.
So Ereyna tried to find out more about the follow-up measures taken at the duchy. However, Lucian only gently mentioned the related measures.
Tonight, rain had poured heavily, and it was still raining tonight. Ereyna lay with her face on the pillow, listening to the rain hitting the window.
Once again, she asked the same question today.
“Empress. Her Majesty is still weak. The saint and the cultists are healing the duchess and completing the purification ritual, so don’t worry.”
And her husband’s response was similar to before.
Lucian, with a gentle look, got up from his seat. Unable to grasp him, Ereyna bit her lip.
But perhaps due to the lingering effects of her long sleep, she felt her consciousness dulling as she closed her eyes.
Today, too, unwelcome sleep engulfed her.
—
It became a deep night when the rain sparsely hit the window.
Ereyna, sleeping like that, was awakened from a confused sleep by someone’s presence. No, someone was waking her up.
“Your Majesty…?”
Ereyna smiled weakly. Her cheeks felt numb, and the tip of her nose twitched faintly. Confirming her harmless smile, Yurliana cursed openly.
“…?”
Ereyna blinked her eyebrows at the familiar yet unfamiliar voice.
As soon as she barely opened her eyes, she briefly opened her mouth. That was the only expression of surprise Ereyna Walter could make.
“L-Lady…?”
“Empress Mama. Pull yourself together.”
Yurliana said bluntly. And she dispelled the sleep magic surrounding her.
Ereyna frowned. As the magic that made her feel hazy and made her surroundings blurry dissipated, the world became bright. Ereyna felt painful as if she were an infant just opening her eyes, and she cried out.
“Ugh…!”
“That damned emperor!”
“Uh…?”
Yurliana couldn’t hold back her anger and muttered. Then, she wiped Ereyna’s tear-streaked cheek.
“I know it’s painful. But, it couldn’t be helped.”
“Your… Your Majesty. I-I said I would go out for the trial, but… I couldn’t go out. I don’t know why I couldn’t go out. I clearly tried to go out…”
Ereyna stammered.
She kept grasping the faintly spreading memories. Yes, she had tried to go to the trial. But, the emperor had…
The temporarily blurred memory returned to her, and Empress Ereyna’s face stiffened. Trembling, she got up from her seat.
“W-What happened? The palace people and Your Majesty said the duchess had passed away, but…”
Breathing heavily as if tired, Ereyna pressed her forehead against the bedpost. It had been a very tiring day. Feeling like she was about to burst into tears, she bit her lip tightly.
However, Lady Yurliana, with sharp eyes, only guarded her surroundings without saying anything in response. Ereyna reached out towards Lady Yurliana, who seemed like a dream.
“L-Lady. Am I dreaming? Why did Your Majesty forcefully put me to sleep? Why did Lady pretend to be dead? I don’t understand.”
Ereyna reached out her hand towards Lady Yurliana, who held her hand. Lady Yurliana whispered. It might not be the answer Ereyna wanted, but there was no choice.
“Empress Mama. I think I need to be a bit rude.”
“Uh, alright?”
“I think I understand why you couldn’t go to the trial now. His Majesty couldn’t bear to see you begging like that because he was afraid of that saint threatening him.”
“W-What are you going to do?”
The duchess’s expressionless face spoke calmly. Somehow, it was a terrifyingly ghostly impression.
Her pale skin and lips tinged with the color of red blood made it so. A very beautiful ghost. It felt like she could steal a person’s soul and put it in her belly in an instant.
Perhaps that was why.
Ereyna Walter seemed to be dreaming. She nestled in the arms of Lady Yurliana, embracing herself. Ereyna blinked her eyes, even more dazedly. The more she did, the more she felt like all the sense of reality was slipping away.
“…Surely His Majesty told me not to go to the duchess’s trial. It’s dangerous. Is that saint threatening the emperor? But, I don’t know. I don’t know….”
And so, they flew into the sky through the window.
