I Grabbed The Leash Of The Blind Beast

Elysia had a dream. 

It was a childhood dream. 

Elysia looked very small among the stone buildings of Hadunsha. 

Everything was so much bigger than her, often following in the footsteps of her priest brothers and sisters. 

Plants with large leaves that hang in the bright sunlight grow beautifully. 

Hadunsha doctrinal classes were often held in open spaces in a sunny garden. 

Also on that day, young Elysia listened to the priest’s passionate doctrinal teaching.

「“Fate is like a book. It’s like a book in which everything is written and cannot be changed, and must be read as it is.”」

The priest made eye contact with the still young priests one by one.

「“We are nothing more than God’s chess pieces. You must obey the destiny given to you.”」

Elysia was skeptical upon hearing about it. 

Her mother taught Elysia about the ‘book’ from a very young age. 

Her mom was overjoyed when Elysia talked about the ‘book‘. 

And thanks to her mom, Elysia was able to memorize it fast.

But the more she listened to the teachings of the priests in Hadunsha, the more she did not understand.

‘I decide my own future.’

Here, it is said that the future, tomorrow, and destiny are all decided. 

But Elysia thought it was different.

‘I’m the one who decides who to play with and what to say.’

It was also Elysia herself who decided where she would go outside of doctrinal study and prayer time. 

Does fate really exist?

Elysia couldn’t believe that someone had determined how long she had left to live.

But no one seemed to doubt it except little Elysia. 

All the priests knew that this is the world in the book <The Flower of the Blind Beast>. 

Among them, Elysia felt lonely.

‘I want to go home.’

She misses her kind mother, who always smelled good. 

She also misses the library, which was full of big books, where she always piled them up and played with them like stairs, and her father, who didn’t leave the library all day.

After the doctrinal study, everyone was hungry and screaming and running to the dining room, but Elysia was riding alone on a swing tied to a tree.

「“Elysia.”」

High Priest Alejandro, the only one who had all of his hair bleached white, approached her.

「“Your Excellency. May the blessings of the five gods and Oder be with you.”」

Alejandro nodded and smiled at the cute little child’s greeting.

「“Why didn’t you go to the dining hall? What are you thinking?」

「“I was thinking about what I learned in class.”」

「“Oh. that’s very commendable. What is today’s doctrine about?”」

Elysia hesitated before speaking.

「“Fate is like a book.”」

「“Looks like you’ve finished learning the basic doctrine and moved on to the intermediate doctrine.”」

As Alejandro said, it was the story of the first chapter of the new Intermediate Doctrine.

「“But you must be hungry, what were you doing here alone?”」

Elysia hesitated again before asking Alejandro.

「“You see, the thing is, can’t we really change our fate?”」

It was a question that directly contradicted their beliefs.

「“I decide whether to play with Baran or Ahel.”」

Actually, this is something her mother said she should never say. 

She also said she would get kicked out of Hadunsha if she asked about it. 

But the child’s curiosity exceeded her parents’ request.

「“I decide whether to play in the garden or go to the library.”」

She missed her mom and dad that day. 

She also wanted to eat a big cake topped with cream made by a skilled chef at home.

‘Isn’t it nice to be able to go back home after being expelled?’

She had that thought impulsively. 

Though her mother would be sad. She was happy when Elysia joined Hadunsha.

「“That’s what I was thinking.”」　

But Alejandro was not angry at all, contrary to what her mother had said. 

Instead, he stroked Elysia’s hair once, then grabbed her hand and pulled her off the swing.

「“It’s easy for anyone to think that they are deciding their future.”」　

While holding Elysia’s hand, Alejandro began to walk slowly towards the dining hall.

「“But the truth is, fate is already decided. Just as you know that this is the world of a book.”」

Elysia was reluctant, but she nodded. 

The doctrine is only learned for overseas missionary work that will maintain the legacy of Hadunsha. 

Since everyone who became a priest is a transmigrator, she accepted that this is a world where the ending will be met according to the prophecy of <The Flower of the Blind Beast>. 

Everyone was waiting for the ending, hoping to return to the real world.

However, High Priest Alejandro who taught the doctrine seemed like someone who really believed it to be the truth.

「What’s on the menu for dinner tonight? I want tomato soup. But tonight’s menu is potato stew.”」

As they approached the dining hall, the smell of potato stew with sausages wafted through.

「“This is what fate is. It’s like a set menu. It is set in advance and cannot be changed.”」

Alejandro grabbed a tray of food and seated Elysia at a quiet table.

「“You and I are going to have potato stew for dinner tonight.”」

He spoke clearly.

「“Fate cannot be changed. It may still be a difficult story for Elysia.”」

Elysia reluctantly nodded, holding a piece of bread and a spoon in her hand, and Alejandro smiled kindly, then turned around.

「“…. cannot be changed?”」

Little Elysia stared at her meal for a long time. 

After a moment she put down the spoon and lowered her hand holding the bread under the table, and began to smash it. 

Broken pieces of bread secretly began to fall onto the stone floor.

「“I can change it.”」　

Alejandro said he would have potato stew for dinner, but she didn’t. 

Contrary to the High Priest’s words, Elysia changed her own destiny. 

That night, lying on the hard bed, Elysia cried. 

Why did she cry?

She couldn’t remember if it was because she missed her Mom and Dad, or if it was because of hunger. 

* * * * *

Elysia was crying when she woke up in the morning.

Children’s emotions were pure, but they were not as clear as adults’. 

She didn’t know why she was crying. 

Maybe it was because she felt sorry for the little girl. 

She had a hard time waking up after dreaming about Elysia and assimilating her feelings.

“Sob.”

She tried to calm down.

“Why are you crying?”

Eleon’s voice could be heard from a distance.

“I had another dream.”

Eleon hugged her tightly. 

As the warm body temperature enveloped her body, Elysia gradually calmed down.

“You said that yesterday. What was your dream today?”

“It was just a childhood dream, so I’m not sure.”

He gently brushed Elysia’s hair.

“Didn’t you lose your memory?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I dreamed of something that really happened a long time ago, or maybe it’s just a dream.”

However, it seemed that Elysia was somehow dreaming of the ‘memories of the real Elysia’. 

She doesn’t know the details other than this is the world in the book Flower of the Blind Beast. 

It’s because, after transmigrating, she mostly stayed in the Grand Duchy.

She was so happy to be able to earn money and live in a comfortable and warm place. 

But there were always real-life details in her dreams. 

In today’s dream, it was as vivid as if she could trace the location of the plants and large trees planted in the garden. 

And the emotions.

She used to feel a vague feeling as if water was filling up her chest.

     Aren’t they all sad memories?

Is it because those emotions are intense and impressive? 

Ever since she possessed Elysia’s body, she had never dreamed of happy times. 

     High Priest Alejandro. 

Why do I think that person looked after Elysia? 

In her dream, Elysia was confident that she would be expelled if she asked why fate was determined.

“You don’t have to worry too much about what you can’t remember.”

Seeing that Elysia couldn’t get her hands off her throbbing head due to a headache, Eleon wrapped his hand around her.

Eleon’s fingers dug into her hair. 

As he slowly pressed his large hand to her head, the strange sensation of pain seemed to disappear. 

Elysia closed her eyes again happily. 

Come to think of it, last night, until she went to sleep, she was in pain as if her bones and muscles were pulling apart.

“You’re my cure for everything.”

Elysia rested her head on his chest and hugged his waist, Eleon frozen as if she had pressed the stop button.

“You’re not afraid.”

“Should I be afraid? Afraid of you?”

“I told you to run away if you thought I was going to attack you.”

“Then you’re more than welcome.”

Eleon was stunned seeing Elysia giggle and laugh in his arms. 

She was doing it on purpose, believing that he would never do it recklessly.

It was really spiteful. To the extent that it seems that Eleon is the only one who yearns for the moment when the two become one.

“I want to turn back time. I shouldn’t have said that to the Duchess.”

“If you can’t keep the promise you made to my mother, I’ll keep it a secret.”

“Thank you for thinking about it.”

Elysia’s smile was dazzlingly beautiful. 

Eleon stopped breathing for a moment as his heart ached.

“Why aren’t you breathing?”

The provider of the cause asked.

“Because you’re so beautiful.”

“Breathe. We must live together for a long time.”

     Together.

Eleon was out of breath again.

* * * * *

In the afternoon, Elysia followed Eleon to the back garden. And she was amazed. 

The back of the Grand Duke’s residence was directly connected to a small hill, so there were no fences or walls. 

There is a fairly dense forest between the palace and the mountain. It was a peaceful environment.

“Wow, what is all this?”

A tent was modestly pitched among the tall trees.

     There is also a tent here.

The tent, built of long wooden poles and ropes, was lit up by dotted lamps.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen something like this.”

Eleon answered.

“It’s a tent.”

     Ah, tent. 

The same classic word was used here as well.

“It’s rare to see young aristocrats using them. It’s rare to see tents like this, even at hunting festivals, where they use it to protect themselves from the sun.”

“I know, right. What about you? When did you use something like this?”

“On the battlefield.”

“Ah.”

It was only then that it occurred to her that he had wandered the battlefield for seven years. 

He had to keep moving along the front line, so she wondered if he had been living in tents the whole time.

“Wasn’t it uncomfortable?”

“I can not complain.”

Eleon was an aristocratic man to the bone. 

His simple act of walking and shaking hands was so graceful.

It was hard to imagine him wandering through the battlefield with his sword and in dust-covered armor.

     Oh, no. I saw him in a dream once.

It was a dream in which she saw the moment he lost his sight.

     If it wasn’t a dream, it would match his memory.

However, Elysia’s dream is said to be a memory that remains in her body, and she doesn’t know what Eleon’s loss of sight is about.

     I have never met him before. It’s really strange to see him on the battlefield having him by my side.

Elysia was lost in her thoughts.

“What are you thinking about?”

Eleon’s red eyes were right in front of her.

“You are having other thoughts in front of me.”