Ch.55Cold rain fell (2)

Plop.

A liquid separate from the rainwater flowed down to the ground. The red liquid seeping naturally into the red carpet created a surreal scene.

It was blood. The blood of Rahilt, the dragon’s child, and no one else.

In the mental world, a large amount of blood had gushed out when the Emperor severed Rahilt’s arm, but that feat was only possible because the opponent was an anomaly who betrayed the natural order.

Originally, Serin and his companions shared the goal of stopping Rahilt. However, deep down, they didn’t expect to be able to wound him. After all, the opponent before their eyes was a living disaster who could incinerate thousands of lives with a single gesture.

‘Is it… actually possible to defeat him?’

A common hope began to rise again in their minds.

Looking back at the situation, there were numerous anomalies on their side as well.

The Emperor who had overwhelmed Rahilt—Serin, who had inherited his physical body. Then Kanarin, who wielded the cheat known as the Status Window. And finally, Luca, who had achieved enlightenment by twisting a fate that should have ended in death.

They could hardly be dismissed as an ordinary lineup.

That’s why Kanarin felt relieved inside.

‘Perhaps… I won’t need to use the final measure after all.’

Kanarin had resolved to pull out the card she had kept sealed away when faced with the crisis of total annihilation. Even if it meant being condemned as a human being and accumulating enormous resentment.

At least it would be better than the end of the world.

‘Besides… as Serin said, we’re people of justice.’

She couldn’t face Serin, who had readily shown goodwill simply because they were from the same hometown, if she gave up so easily. Therefore, Kanarin strengthened her resolve once more.

Step.

She moved her foot forward.

She repeatedly retrieved the ice spear into her inventory and summoned it again, returning it to her hand.

“Parallel Ability – Space Closure Release.”

Crash!

With those words, geometric light rays shattered like glass and scattered into particles of light.

The damage to the surroundings could be severe, but if the downpour inside continued, everyone would drown.

Therefore, Kanarin’s choice was a forced destiny.

Whoosh…

The surreal phenomenon of rain falling indoors continued.

It was cold.

Serin deliberately turned her palm upward to feel the chill of the falling raindrops.

The dark clouds stretching across the ceiling, the humid and damp air—everything seemed like the world as Rahilt saw it.

She thought that if the black dragon’s thoughts hadn’t suppressed Rahilt’s negative emotions, this is what the world he experienced would have always been like.

“Rian.”

She called out, knowing her voice wouldn’t reach him.

“Whether it’s the source of corruption or black magic… they’re really just excuses, aren’t they?”

From the beginning, suppressing negative emotions wasn’t normal. After all, it meant that for the sake of the world’s safety, one person’s deficiencies were forcibly imposed.

The peaceful daily lives of people around the world were achieved at the cost of Rahilt’s deprivation.

Despite that, he was persecuted by the world and ultimately driven to be used and discarded.

As someone whose humanity was carved out for the sake of others, Rahilt was truly the rightful avenger against this world.

“From Rian’s perspective, perhaps everything is finally falling into place.”

Everyone who had pointed fingers at him would change their attitude. They should rightfully kneel in awe, begging and pleading for mercy. Even if Rahilt were to fall into a sinister delight from this, what could the perpetrators and bystanders say?

“Still, I’m going to try to stop him somehow.”

I know what kind of person Rahilt is.

I understand better than anyone his foolishly kind and unbelievably innocent nature. If such a Rahilt were to wield the blade of vengeance against the world, what would remain at the end would be nothing but terrible emptiness.

“I’m much more selfish… than Rian might have guessed.”

That’s right.

The emotions Rahilt would feel at the end of his revenge can only be guessed at. In the end, you only know by trying.

Yet Serin acknowledged this desire to stop Rahilt as selfishness.

“I just can’t live without you.”

At first, it was sympathy for her favorite character.

Next came curiosity about the favorite character who had become reality.

Behind the curiosity was admiration.

After that, it was an obsession and stubbornness evenly mixed with those three elements.

Eventually, as time passed, the favorite character she finally faced was far too different from the fantasy she had held inside. Every moment of conversation felt unfamiliar.

Because of that, she quickly came to accept Rahilt not as part of a creative work, but as a human being.

“You probably don’t know this, but I can only breathe freely when I’m with Rian.”

Even her parents felt like part of a creative work, making her life awkward.

It was difficult to truly love two people who possessed the past she had seen and acted as she had seen them act. The exception might be her younger brother Tesser, who had a relatively minor role.

While living such a life, she met Rahilt. Him, who essentially shared only a name with the original work.

That must have been when it started. The time when she gradually began to feel that this world was real.

When she first met Rahilt, she admits she liked the favorite character Rahilt, not the human Rahilt.

But now she simply likes him. She likes this person whose ears turn red at the slightest action.

“So… I need to somehow pull Rian into my world.”

She doesn’t know how to push to pull.

She just keeps pulling and pulling, and won’t be satisfied until she’s pulled him close and kept him tightly by her side.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t expect this when you treated me that way. If anything, it’s all Rian’s fault.”

She takes her stance.

She focuses all her attention on Rahilt’s every small movement, preparing for what comes next.

For your sake.

As they observed Serin pouring out her heart, Kanarin and Luca simultaneously made the same assessment.

If the direction of emotions wasn’t mutual, she would certainly make a thorough spectacle of herself.

◇

In a corridor of Duke Rupenter’s Estate.

“Ugh…”

Twitch!

A little girl’s tiny fingers moved.

Once the wave of consciousness surged, the connection happened instantly.

Forcing her heavy body to awaken, Eshtiel’s eyes snapped open.

“What…?”

Ugh.

Eshtiel sat up, wobbling. She quickly glanced around.

In the distance, several servants had collapsed as a group. And right beside her, Arhan, who had been playing with her, had lost consciousness and fallen.

Eshtiel became frightened.

It felt as if the ghosts that had only been rumors might actually appear and take her away. Just like Rodrick who had tried to kidnap her brother.

So Eshtiel gently shook Arhan, who was at least somewhat reliable, trying to wake him.

“Wake up… hmm? Wake up…”

After poking him for quite some time, Arhan’s eyebrows twitched. Eshtiel’s face brightened momentarily, but it was a false hope.

Maybe she should slap his cheek.

But that would be bad. Her brother said you shouldn’t hit people. He said if there was ever a need to hit someone, he would do it for her.

“Hnnng…”

So Eshtiel abandoned her decision to avoid disappointing Rahilt. Instead, she decided to search the mansion to see if anyone else had woken up.

There was no one to stop Eshtiel as she pattered about without manners. That’s because she was the only person moving normally in the mansion she was roaming.

Soon tired and giving up, Eshtiel expanded her search range to the outside.

“These stairs are too many…”

At least that’s how it felt to Eshtiel as she ran down them. She had to be careful going down because the stairs were quite high.

A moment later, after descending the stairs with extra caution, Eshtiel discovered an old butler collapsed near the front door.

She should leave him alone since waking him would be useless. But Eshtiel’s steps soon came to a halt.

That’s because he had given her five candies this morning. Five candies, when her brother only allowed two per day!

This was a major issue for Eshtiel, who completely ignored her brother’s advice that too many sweets were bad for her.

“Mister.”

So Eshtiel tiptoed over and shook the old butler’s body.

“If you sleep on the floor, your back will hurt. When I sleep on the floor, it’s cold and hurts too.”

Oh, what else was there?

“Your mouth will get crooked too.”

She shook his body with all her might, but again, no miracle occurred. The old butler still showed no signs of waking from his sleep.

“Hmph… nothing I can do.”

For nutritional supplementation, Eshtiel put her soft hand into the old butler’s pocket and rummaged around. She felt the touch of three or four hard little objects.

“These are my payment for trying to wake you up.”

The identity of the objects she had seized from his pocket was candy. It was an item that the old butler, who had fallen for the cuteness of the little guest staying at the Duke’s estate, always carried.

Eshtiel immediately unwrapped and ate one of her seized candies. Now she felt like she was getting some nutrition.

Energized by the sugar, Eshtiel pushed open the front door of the Duke’s estate with all her might.

“Huff… there…!”

Indeed, the power of candy was amazing, allowing her to easily push open the heavy door. However, as the saying goes, there’s always another mountain to climb—the trial given to her wasn’t just stairs and doors.

Whoosh…

Rain was falling.

The raindrops were quite thick, far beyond the level where one could avoid getting wet by running quickly.

“What should I do…?”

As she looked up at the sky, resentful of the rain.

Eshtiel’s gaze shifted toward the direction where clouds were gathering.

The palace.

That was the place where clouds were unnaturally gathering.

Eshtiel had witnessed such a phenomenon before.

“Rahilt brother?”

Yes. It was certain.

She was sure he was there.

Her brother could do anything. Surely he would be able to solve this strange phenomenon in no time.

Gulp.

Eshtiel swallowed hard.

Looking at the slightly weakened raindrops due to the clouds gathering over the palace, she made a bold decision.

Eshtiel then put all three remaining candies in her mouth, rustling their wrappers. It was the best energy charging she knew how to do.

“Let’s go, I can do this.”

Now her preparations were complete.

Let’s go.

Through the rain.

To that place where her brother is.