Someone’s Life

Rotten and Lael’s figures gradually blurred, and other things began to become clearer.

As if it were a nobleman’s reception room, a huge painting in the well-decorated room boasted an overwhelming presence.

It was a painting of a warrior in white armor with wings slaughtering people with winged people with a sword.

As Rotten observed the painting, someone opened the door behind him and entered the room.

,It’s a painting called ‘Evil for Good.’ It’s also my favorite painting.”

At the voice he heard, Rotten turned around and bowed his head.

“I received a call that you were looking for me, Sir Owell, Master of the Magic Tower-nim.”

Sir Owell, wearing a green robe, patted him on the shoulder.

“I wanted to meet you, the genius of our Magic Tower, once. I haven’t had time for personal interviews because I’ve been busy.”

When Sir Owell sat down, Rotten sat in the empty seat opposite him.

“I heard you’re researching the theory of amplifying the growth of vines with magic?”

“Yes, I thought that if I used the amplification of magic, I could quickly grow not only vines but also herbs and other plants.”

Rotten’s slightly nervous appearance felt very unfamiliar.

“You graduated from the Academy and came to the Magic Tower, so you’re 24 years old?”

“Yes. I’m 24 years old.”

“When I was your age, it was hard enough just learning the magic in the Magic Tower… I’m ashamed that I was once called a genius.”

“No. The senior magicians paved the way well, so I just walked comfortably.”

Sir Owell smiled contentedly, as if he liked Rotten’s words.

“I have very high expectations for you. As the Green Magic Tower Master and as a senior, I thought it was important to help you become the best in our Magic Tower.”

Rotten couldn’t hide his happy expression at Sir Owell’s words.

“Thank you, Magic Tower Master-nim.”

“I’ll give you full support so you can focus only on magic.”

As Sir Owell finished speaking, the surroundings blurred again, and the background changed back to where I had first seen it.

“It’s so hard to meet a friend.”

Tarantula sat on the bed with a disappointed expression.

“Sorry, my teacher keeps pressuring me, saying that the end of this research is in sight… I can’t make time either.”

“I know, that’s why I think you’re amazing. To be the direct disciple of the Magic Tower Master at 28.”

At Tarantula’s words, I realized that four years had passed since I met Sir Owell.

“You’ve been so busy lately that you haven’t been able to meet Lael, right? She seemed worried about you.”

At Tarantula’s words, Rotten turned his head with surprised eyes.

“You met Lael?”

“Yeah, she was worried about you, so I told her not to worry.”

“Thank you. I’ll have time once this research is over.”

Tarantula’s expression, watching Rotten write something on the paper again, was coldly hardened.

“What’s there to thank between friends.”

With Tarantula’s mocking voice, the surroundings began to ripple.

Like a panorama, what happened to Rotten passed before my eyes.

As Sir Owell said he would give full support, the Green Magic Tower spared no support for Rotten. As much as he invested, Rotten had a genius-like talent for producing results.

The young age of 28 was plenty of time to reach Archmage. That’s why Sir Owell restricted anything that would hinder Rotten’s growth.

One of them was meeting Lael.

After Rotten’s fierce opposition, they eventually agreed to meet once a week.

Rotten felt sorry to Lael, but he worked even harder, thinking that if he became the Magic Tower Master, he could make Lael happy for the rest of his life.

Lael also knew Rotten’s sincerity and cheered him on with a happy face, saying that he had thought well.

Rotten, encouraged by Lael’s appearance of supporting him rather than resenting him, reduced his sleep and devoted himself to research, and at the age of 29, he completed his own magic theory.

It was the result of investing all his time in research, except for the time he spent meeting Lael, because of Sir Owell’s sweet offer to lift the restrictions once the magic theory was completed.

However, [Growth Through Magic Amplification] submitted by Rotten gave a great shock to the Magic Association, and when the Imperial Family also showed interest in the Green Magic Tower, Sir Owell pressured him to proceed with the next research as if he had never made such a promise.

Rotten, thinking that he could no longer make Lael wait, had a fierce argument with Magic Tower Master Sir Owell.

However, no matter how much of a genius he was, it was impossible for a Magic Tower magician to win against the Magic Tower Master, and in the end, Rotten was locked in a room in a prison-like manner and forced to continue his research.

The background changed, and Tarantula was lying on the bed.

“There are a lot of guys approaching Lael these days. With that face and being alone, do you think guys will leave her alone?”

“Shit… I can’t believe my teacher would scam his own disciple.”

Rotten, who roughly swept his face, spat out a curse.

“Honestly, as a relative, I feel sorry for Lael. Lael is waiting for you all alone.”

“Sorry, you know it’s an unavoidable situation.”

Tarantula smiled at Rotten, who was apologizing.

“Do you know what melts a woman’s heart in times like this? A flower gift.”

“Flowers…?”

Tarantula shrugged at Rotten’s question.

“You’ve never bought Lael flowers, have you?”

“Well… yeah, that’s right.”

“She’ll definitely like it. Give it to her as a gift.”

Rotten nodded, thanking Tarantula for his advice.

The surrounding scenery distorted, and Rotten was seen walking on a dark night road with unknown magicians on either side.

“Do I need to be watched even when I go to meet my girlfriend?”

“We’re following you for Rotten-nim’s safety.”

The magician, who answered in a stiff voice, followed Rotten silently from then on.

He tried to buy flowers as Tarantula advised, but the flower shop was closed because it was late after finishing work and leaving the Magic Tower.

Rotten was walking towards Lael’s house empty-handed when he heard a child’s cry.

“Buy flowers! We have lots of pretty flowers!”

It seemed that a child selling flowers in the village was shouting hard to sell the remaining flowers.

Rotten turned his steps and approached the child.

“Can I see the flowers?”

At Rotten’s words, the child smiled happily and handed over the pretty flowers wrapped in paper.

“I’ll give you a discount because it’s the last one!”

“Okay, they’re very pretty.”

Watching Rotten receive the flowers and pay, I forgot that this was an illusion and tried to knock down Rotten’s hand holding the flowers, but my hand only waved in the air.

Unlike me, who was in a hurry, Rotten just smelled the flowers, hoping that Lael would be happy to receive the gift.

I couldn’t help but sweep my face at the sight.

Among the beautiful flowers in Rotten’s hand… there was a Platinang flower that emitted a blue light under the moonlight.

The surrounding environment changed, and Rotten arrived in front of Lael’s house, which I had seen sometime ago.

Ignoring the magicians who were still following and watching him, Rotten knocked on the door.

“Lael, it’s me, Rotten.”

When the door opened, there was Lael, with her warm brown eyes and always beautiful smile.

“Welcome, Rotten.”

I couldn’t bear to watch Rotten’s appearance, smiling brightly as if he was happy to meet Lael after a long time.

The appearance of lovers whispering love was very beautiful and sincere, but… therefore, the sadness that the bouquet in Rotten’s hand would bring was too predictable….

The surroundings changed, and Rotten was seen in what appeared to be a hospital room, breathing heavily and shaking all over, holding Lael’s hand, which had turned to stone.

“Lael…”

Lael’s right hand had turned to stone due to petrification.

How painful it must have been to just watch the woman he loved turn to stone. Looking down at Lael with complicated emotions, Rotten’s appearance of shedding tears gave me a heavy pressure as if a large rock was pressing down on my chest.

“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry, Lael…”

Repeating the words “I’m sorry” for a long time in a voice full of self-reproach, the surroundings began to spin rapidly.

Whether time had passed or not, Rotten, who was next to Lael, whose entire right arm had turned to stone, had dark circles under his eyes and disheveled hair, as if he had stayed up all night for several days.

Tarantula, who was standing neatly dressed next to Rotten, had a sorry expression on his face.

“Rotten… I’m sorry. If I hadn’t told you to give her flowers as a gift…”

“No… who would have known… I didn’t even know there was such a thing as Stone Thorns Disease…”

Rotten gently stroked Lael’s face, who was not in her right mind.

“I’ll save you no matter what, Lael. I promise. I’ll definitely save you.”

At Rotten’s appearance of whispering in Lael’s ear as if vowing to himself, my vision blurred and I had no choice but to turn my head.

The surroundings distorted, and the appearance of the reception room I had seen before was visible.

“Rotten, unfortunately, there is no cure for Stone Thorns Disease.”

When Sir Owell shook his head as if telling him to give up, Rotten shouted as if having a seizure.

“Isn’t there any way! Are you just going to watch her die!”

“Sometimes there are things that can’t be helped.”

At Sir Owell’s cold words, Rotten kicked the chair and ran out.

The surroundings changed, and Lael’s appearance, with most of her body turned to stone, came into view.

Rotten’s appearance of desperately trying to save Lael by piling up books about Stone Thorns Disease and books about similar symptoms around Lael was shown for some time.

Although the sunlight and moonlight passed through the window several times in a row, Rotten was looking at the book without sleeping a wink.

“Ro… tten…”

If it hadn’t been for Lael’s voice, which suddenly came to my ears, Rotten would have looked at the book until he fainted.

“Lael? Lael, are you conscious…?”

Rotten, who was looking at the book, hurriedly approached Lael. Lael’s voice was so small that he had to put his ear close to hear it.

“I was able to live as Lael because I met you… I really, really love you, Rotten… so please forget me.”

“No, Lael, please. Don’t say that. I told you, you’re everything to me.”

The tears Rotten shed soaked into Lael’s petrified cheek.

Looking at Rotten with brown eyes that had lost their warmth, Lael gave a faint smile with difficulty for the last time.

“Be sure to be happy… I’ll believe that…”

“Lael, I… Lael, Lael! No, no!!!”

At the sight of Lael, who had instantly turned into a complete statue, Rotten screamed like a madman. Rotten’s sadness was so great that his tears and screams were mixed with a thick sadness that flowed down to me as tears.

“Heuaaaaaack…!!! Keueueueueuk, keueueueueuk-!”

His fingernails were broken and bleeding because he was scraping the marble floor of the ward, but Rotten couldn’t hold back his sadness and howled like a beast.

At Rotten’s scream-like howling, I leaned against the wall of the ward and wiped away my tears.

“I also have a lover like you. Like Luna.”

Now I understood Rotten’s words, who smiled bitterly as he said that.

Rotten, who had been howling for a long time, got up from the floor. Rotten, who roughly wiped his face covered in tears, saliva, and snot with his hands, approached Lael, who had become a statue.

“Even if it takes years. I’ll definitely find a way. I love you, Lael.”

As Rotten kissed Lael, the world began to spin rapidly and voices were heard.

“Rotten, get a grip! Lael is already dead! How much time do you have to waste to come to your senses? You’re a genius who will become the Magic Tower Master! Just give up!”

Rotten’s voice was heard in Tarantula’s voice.

“Lael was everything to me! I will definitely keep my promise.”

The fighting-like voices disappeared, and Sir Owell and Rotten, who looked much older, were seen as if a lot of time had passed.

Rotten’s black hair had turned gray, and his handsome face was crushed by fatigue and depression, making him look several years older than his age.

“I will withdraw from the Green Magic Tower and become a Magic Scholar.”

“…There’s no way to stop you, is there?”

Rotten slowly shook his head at Sid Owell’s words.

The surrounding scenery changed, and Rotten was seen loading Lael’s statue onto a carriage and heading somewhere.

“Lael, this time we’re going to a place called Turning Village. Platinang flowers grow in the mountains around there.”

The vision blurred, and voices began to be heard.

“Lael, do you like the place we moved to? Wait a little bit, I’ll definitely find a cure.”

Behind Rotten’s words, someone’s mocking voices were heard.

“He’s like a madman, what’s with that look?”

“Not just anyone can be a scholar.”

“He was cocky because he was a genius, but he’s collapsing like that.”

It was the voices of those who envied Rotten’s talent. The fall of a genius was always a good chew for gossips….

The vision changed, and Rotten, who looked much older, was seen hugging Lael’s statue while drunk.

“Lael, I really miss you today. I want to feel your breath, your warm body temperature…”

The sunlight and moonlight outside the window quickly alternated, and Tarantula handed something to Rotten.

“It’s a pocket watch made by asking Vice Principal Nelson. You’ll be able to see Lael in your memories with this.”

“Thank you, thank you so much, Tarantula…”

As Rotten shed tears and accepted it, Tarantula raised one corner of his mouth for a moment and quickly managed his expression.

“What’s there to thank between friends.”

As Tarantula finished speaking, time passed very quickly. The house gradually collapsed and turned into a dilapidated house, and Rotten grew older and older.

“Lael, that guy came. The guy I said I’d take as a disciple last time.”

At the sudden voice, I looked at Rotten, who I now knew as an old man with sad eyes.

“That guy. No, Ross was also investigating Stone Thorns Disease for the person he liked.”

“That’s why I want to take him as a disciple even more. Is this what you call a sense of kinship?”

Looking at Lael and smiling, I bit my lip.

The surrounding environment changed, and Rotten’s voice began to echo.

“Lael, I always love you.”

“Lael, I think I can finally keep my promise.”

“I found it, Lael! I found the cure…!!!”

“Finally… I get to keep my promise, Lael…”

With that voice, Rotten’s appearance began to be seen.

His handsome appearance was wrinkled and disappeared, and the sweet voice that whispered love to his lover had turned into a hoarse voice as if he had phlegm, but his sincerity towards Lael remained the same even after time passed.

Rotten, who wiped away his tears, paced around the room anxiously, and then a knock was heard.

When Rotten opened the door, Tarantula entered the house.

After some time, while Rotten, who had brought out tea, left his seat for a moment, Tarantula’s staff emitted a green light towards Rotten’s cup.

After a while, when Rotten vomited blood and fainted, Tarantula took out the staff from Rotten’s arms and broke it.

After that, Tarantula, who was looking around the house, found the box I had found and even used magic to try to open it, but failed.

Tarantula, who sighed, looked at Rotten with cold eyes once and then waved his staff to set the house on fire.

As the fire grew bigger and bigger, a bright light appeared and a completely white space appeared.

When I was making a puzzled expression at the appearance of the empty white space.

A voice was heard from behind.

“Ross.”

At that voice, I couldn’t hold back the soaring emotions and turned my body back with difficulty with my blurred vision.

Wiping away the tears flowing down my cheeks, I answered with difficulty.

“Grand… father.”

There was Rotten, looking at me with warm eyes.