“Child, can you hear my voice?”
Elise was startled. She had been in the room, but now she was floating in a dark void.
“Don’t be too surprised. I’ve been waiting for you for a very long time.”
“Who are you?”
“What you’re holding in your hand, that’s me.”
What am I holding in my hand?
Elise looked down in surprise and saw that the book had appeared in her previously empty hand.
It was the picture book David had gifted her.
“You mean… the book?”
“Yes, I am the book. I’ve been waiting a long time for someone to listen to my story.”
So this was the magic circle she had activated.
Some magicians often put strange devices in picture books. Making pictures pop out, or producing sounds. Devices to make the book more realistic.
So, the voice speaking to her now must be part of that device.
An illusion, or a fabricated voice.
Thinking this way, Elise felt more at ease.
“Oh, you’re a very clever child. Very intelligent.”
“Thank you for the compliment. But I’d rather hear the story than praise.”
“Right. I should tell you my story quickly. Then I can rest peacefully too! Please listen and enjoy.”
For a voice created by magic, it was remarkably rich in emotion.
Her story began.
“This is a very sad love story.”
The scenery surrounding Elise changed. A snowy landscape with a blizzard appeared.
“Uls?”
In the middle of the blizzard was a silver wolf. It looked similar to Uls at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it wasn’t.
“It’s the guardian of the dragons. Look.”
A shadow dark as night fell over the silver wolf’s head. It was Ragnaros. The silver wolf raised its head and howled long.
People hidden in the snowy mountains jumped out to try and kill Ragnaros.
Then the silver wolf lunged at the people.
The silver wolf chased, bit, and threw the people away.
The silver wolf was the symbol of Lysandro. Naturally, she thought the silver wolf would protect humans, but…
“That’s right, now it protects humans. But in the past, it didn’t. It was the leader of monsters. Even though it wasn’t a monster itself. It was a mystical animal. Ragnaros particularly cherished that wolf. Until that incident happened.”
The scenery changed once again. This time it was a field blooming with wildflowers. The season had changed from winter to spring.
A cute child reached out towards the wolf. The silver wolf bared its teeth threateningly, but the innocent child, far from being scared, laughed joyfully.
With each gust of wind, the child grew. The once cute child had now become a proper lady.
And in the lady’s hand was a sword.
“The beginning of the tragedy.”
The woman became a warrior destined to kill Ragnaros. The silver wolf had to kill the woman for Ragnaros.
The silver wolf was tormented by the fate of having to tear out the throat of the one it loved.
But it had to choose.
Because Ragnaros had declared he would completely wipe humans off this land.
There was no coexistence.
Kill or be killed.
In the end, the silver wolf sided with humans. It fought bravely against Ragnaros.
But even a spirit wolf who had lived for hundreds of years with part of Ragnaros’s power couldn’t defeat a dragon.
The silver wolf anticipated that its death was not far off.
At that time, a great magician sought out the silver wolf.
“What is your wish? If I can grant it, I will.” The silver wolf said, “I want to forget everything and spend just one day peacefully with my lover.” The magician granted that wish.
The great magician turned the silver wolf into a human.
He was given only one day.
The silver wolf went to find the woman he loved.
Of course, the woman recognized the silver wolf. The two whispered words of love all day long.
“That’s how the wolf’s descendants were born.”
“Is that the Lysandro family?”
“That’s right. The current Lysandro is a descendant of the silver wolf and possesses part of Ragnaros’s power. The story isn’t over yet.”
Ragnaros trembled with rage at the betrayal of his most cherished subordinate. He became even more ferocious.
Humans prepared for the final battle, with the silver wolf at the forefront.
The monsters cleared the way on their own. The silver wolf attacked Ragnaros with terrifying momentum.
With the desperate support of the great magician and humans, the battle was evenly matched.
One of Ragnaros’s heads fell to the ground. One of Ragnaros’s tails burned away.
But victory seemed far off.
The silver wolf grew increasingly tired. At the moment he thought it was his last and bit hard into Ragnaros’s nape, Ragnaros’s sharp claws pierced through his belly.
“Ragnaros thought he had won. Although he was seriously wounded, without the silver wolf, the humans were mere rabble. But his arrogance led to his downfall.”
Ragnaros’s raised tail fell to the ground with a thud. Then his huge body swayed back and forth.
Ragnaros’s body gradually stiffened.
“Why? It wasn’t even a fatal blow.”
“His blood was poison to him.”
Ragnaros, who had shared his power and blood with the silver wolf. The blood that flowed out when he pierced the silver wolf’s belly seeped into Ragnaros’s wounds.
“Ragnaros fell into a very deep sleep, and just before sleeping, he placed a curse on the silver wolf’s descendants. He sealed their ability to use magic that could threaten him.”
That’s why Karan became unable to use magic.
“Now that I’ve told everything, I feel relieved.”
“Is this the end?”
“Why, do you need more?”
“Not really, but…”
“You look like you have many questions. All the answers are in the story. My role ends here.”
The voice grew fainter. Elise asked urgently.
“Tell me one thing. Who are you?”
“Me? How many people do you think could imbue a book with will for two thousand years?”
‘The great magician!’
“Indeed, you’re clever. Farewell, Elise. I hope your battle ends in victory.”
That was the final greeting.
A wind pushed Elise forcefully.
Elise’s mind snapped back to clarity.
“Miss, are you alright? Miss!”
She saw Regina holding her shoulders and crying.
Elise blinked slowly and looked around.
The familiar bed, Fiona and Ruo looking down at her worriedly, and Feu, the engraving pen in her hand… She had returned to reality.
“Throw away this damn book.”
Regina tried to snatch the book away, saying it was bad luck. Elise gripped Regina’s wrist tightly.
“No, Regina. This book is fine. It’s okay.”
“But Miss, you lost consciousness because of this book!”
“I didn’t lose consciousness, I was reading the book. Or perhaps I should say I was listening to the book. Anyway, Regina, calm down.”
As Elise calmly persuaded her, Regina’s hand lost its strength.
“And I have a request. Could everyone leave? I need to think.”
Ruo and Fiona dragged out Regina, who was reluctant to leave. After Feu left too, the room became quiet.
Elise stared at the picture book. Her gaze was quite fierce and persistent.
It was said that Ragnaros’s weakness was blood mixed with his own power.
If so, Ragnaros’s current weakness would be…
“…!”
Elise covered her mouth with her hand.
‘It can’t be, it shouldn’t be.’
Elise denied the conclusion she had reached. But no matter how much she denied it, the fact remained unchanged.
Ragnaros’s weakness was Karan’s blood.
In the end, to kill Ragnaros, Karan…had to die.
Before she could compose her emotions, tears started flowing.
Was this the price for turning back time?
It all felt like her fault.
If so, she should take responsibility for this as well.
Elise wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
For Elise, a life without Karan didn’t exist. Therefore, she was determined to save Karan no matter what.
Even if it meant sacrificing everything.
****
“Where’s Elise?”
“She went to bed early.”
Haltbin, who had gone to fetch Elise, returned alone to the dining room where Karan was waiting for her.
Karan put down the glass of water he was holding.
“Where are you going?”
“To see if she’s sleeping well.”
“She said not to let anyone in.”
“Elise did?”
“Yes.”
Karan tapped the table without blinking.
Elise had been acting a bit strange since last evening.
He thought she might have been shocked by Iris’s escape, but that reason didn’t seem quite right.
‘She was getting along well with others.’
There was a noticeable awkwardness only when dealing with him.
‘It’s like she’s avoiding me.’
He should have followed her in earlier when they each said they were going to rest, even if he had to force it.
“Your Highness. You should eat well too.”
Even young Cowett could anticipate that tomorrow’s battle would be fierce. Maintaining good condition was of utmost importance.
“Elise needs to eat too,” Karan muttered.
“Regina said she tossed and turned for a long time before falling asleep. I guess she needed sleep more than food. She hasn’t been sleeping well, after all. From Dex territory to Bedrokka.”
Events had been happening non-stop.
Karan sat down reluctantly. Haltbin could only eat after Karan did.
The warriors below would not be tense if he carried on with life as normal.
“You can see her early tomorrow, Your Highness.”
“Right. Early tomorrow. Tell Regina to contact me as soon as Elise wakes up.”
But even at dawn the next day, Karan couldn’t see Elise.
“Elise has already left?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Probably…”
“Probably what? Speak quickly.”
Haltbin squeezed his eyes shut.
“It seems she left last night.”
BANG.
Karan slammed the table.
