Ch.59Loss (4)

Over the past few days, Melina had been living with a strange sense of déjà vu. The incident began on the very day she met with Duke Kiel.

A feeling of memories being cut off abruptly.

The situation was too coincidental to be simple amnesia. It was as if someone was erasing only memories related to ‘Olivia’.

‘I didn’t just forget.’

There’s no way she could have forgotten. A Grandmaster’s memory far transcends that of ordinary people.

Melina had spent days trying to figure out the cause.

The first hypothesis that came to mind was Olivia’s disappearance. Not just a simple disappearance, but the erasure of her very existence.

But…

That didn’t make sense.

Olivia must have paid an enormous price to cross the timeline. So enormous that Melina, who hadn’t yet reached the truth, couldn’t even imagine it.

Even so, the complete erasure of her existence seemed excessive.

Before even debating whether it was excessive or not, Olivia would never have allowed it.

‘More than anything else, she’s a child who would fear being forgotten in my memories.’

If all her efforts resulted in being forgotten, she wouldn’t have crossed the timeline in the first place.

Unless someone else was deliberately erasing Olivia’s existence.

This hypothesis seemed most plausible at the moment.

But who, who on earth would do such a thing?

The pencil in Melina’s hand shattered into pieces. She was genuinely furious right now.

Was Olivia someone who would incur anyone’s resentment?

No, absolutely not.

Anyone who spoke with Olivia for just three minutes would know what kind of person she was.

Warm, considerate, dedicated, and humble.

She was goodness itself.

This wasn’t just Melina’s opinion. Other mages of the Golden Tower would think the same.

Over the past two years, the atmosphere of the Golden Tower had changed 180 degrees. When the Master’s temperament became gentle, those below her were influenced and became softer as well.

It was so noticeable that Masters from other towers would stick out their tongues in disbelief whenever they visited the Golden Tower.

‘All thanks to my disciple.’

A person’s disposition doesn’t change easily. The more knowledgeable and older the person, the more pronounced this trait becomes. And the Golden Tower was famously filled with the most stubborn individuals.

An extremely individualistic, selfish, and narrow-minded tower.

There was a saying that even the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom couldn’t reform the Golden Tower—its mages were that hopeless.

Yet Olivia had changed such a tower in just two years.

Melina found it increasingly incomprehensible.

How malicious must someone be to decide to erase such a lovable child?

[Master.]

The crystal ball rang.

[Something urgent has come up. I think you need to come down for a moment.]

The lower floor was noisy. The high elders, known for their reluctance to move, were running around with tools in a manner unbefitting their dignity.

“Bring the crowbar!”

“Hammer! Hammeeer!”

A commotion reminiscent of a marketplace. But the moment Melina confirmed where they were gathered, she could no longer remain still.

The room they were pounding on was clearly Olivia’s laboratory.

“What is all this commotion about!”

The corridor fell silent at Melina’s rebuke. Melina pointed at the 4th Elder, who seemed to be maintaining some semblance of sanity.

“4th Elder, explain to me right now what’s going on…”

Melina’s words trailed off.

‘…!’

The moment she took a step, her head spun.

Just like that time.

The 4th Elder approached and explained the situation, but Melina couldn’t hear a word.

They were disappearing.

Memories that shouldn’t be forgotten were vanishing in an instant.

‘…Ugh.’

Melina struggled with all her might.

Because she didn’t want to lose them, because she couldn’t lose them.

Like clutching at straws, she held on desperately.

‘My beloved disciple.’

‘The disciple who gave up everything for me.’

‘The disciple who taught me the truth.’

But the speed of forgetting was faster than the speed of remembering.

Melina hurriedly took out the paper Olivia had left. She stared intently, reading and rereading what was written on it.

One, two, three, four… eight.

She read it. Even interpreting what it meant was challenging, but she kept reading.

One, two, three…

The legacy Olivia left behind.

One, two…

Olivia.

Legacy.

One…

So.

‘…Olivia?’

Melina frowned. Her gaze was no longer directed at the paper.

“What did you just say? What about our Olivia?”

“Duke Kiel dragged Olivia into the laboratory, locked the door, and is barricading himself inside.”

“…What?”

When she came to her senses, she was barging through the laboratory door.

And she witnessed Olivia collapsing.

She doesn’t remember much after that.

But she was certain she lost her composure.

She drove Kiel out. She picked up the collapsed Olivia and laid her on the sofa. She might have shouted for a healing priest to be called.

Melina firmly held both of Olivia’s hands. She felt that if she let go, she would lose her again.

‘…Again?’

Melina paused.

Again?

She had never lost Olivia before. Melina pondered, still holding Olivia’s hands.

“…Master? What’s wrong?”

Until warmth returned to Olivia’s hands.

“Did I collapse?”

“…Don’t you remember?”

It was strange. She was clearly asking Olivia, but oddly, her heart fluttered.

“Duke Kiel harmed you.”

“…Duke Kiel?”

“Yes.”

She was angry. Angry at Kiel for harming Olivia.

And angry at herself.

‘…Why?’

It was strange. Everything was strange, from beginning to end.

Why was she angry at herself? Because she couldn’t protect Olivia? Because she wasn’t by her side when she was hurt?

She couldn’t understand anything, but she knew the answer wasn’t among the reasons she just thought of.

‘What on earth…’

Melina reflexively continued speaking. Somehow, it felt like she had to.

“Olivia, one can never truly know what’s in a person’s heart.”

“No, Duke Kiel could never harm me. Never.”

“In this world, the word ‘never’…”

“Exists.”

Olivia moved closer. Her lips whispered.

“You, Master, could never hurt me.”

“…”

Melina was inexplicably at a loss for words.

‘Never’? What an arrogant statement.

It wasn’t wrong. In Melina’s heart, the share Olivia occupied had long ago grown larger than the truth itself.

However.

‘My disciple wouldn’t speak like that.’

For some reason, Olivia seemed unfamiliar.

“I’m right, aren’t I?”

“…”

Melina didn’t refute. More accurately, she couldn’t.

Someone whispered from deep within her heart.

That this child was all that remained. That if she lost this child too, it would be irreversible.

So.

“If you don’t allow it, I’ll no longer call you Master.”

She didn’t resist.

“If you prevent me from seeing Duke Kiel, I’ll be truly sad. I might cry every night. And whoever makes me feel that way, I’ll…”

“…”

The Olivia that Melina remembered wasn’t someone who would threaten others. But the Olivia before her was clearly intimidating her master.

Even smiling as if certain of victory.

“You’ll allow it, won’t you?”

*****

Several days passed since then.

“Master, I’m going out for a while.”

At some point, Olivia began spending more days outside the tower than inside.

“I’m going to meet Duke Kiel. Master.”

A few more weeks passed.

“I’m sorry, Master. I have an appointment with Duke Kiel today. I’ll be back soon.”

And then months.

Melina found Olivia increasingly unfamiliar.

She recalled the memory of that day, the day Olivia collapsed.

Arrogance and intimidation.

Those words clearly didn’t suit ‘Olivia’.

‘…Could it be.’

A terrible possibility crossed her mind, but she dismissed it.

It was just a youthful mistake.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was rationalizing, but now wasn’t the time to consider such terrible possibilities.

The fact that she had forgotten again was important.

– I’ll definitely tell you, Master.

She might forget again at any moment.

Suddenly, she felt afraid. At this rate, all memories related to ‘Olivia’ might disappear.

To be forgotten by the very master for whom she had given up everything.

‘…That can’t happen.’

If that were to happen, she felt she could never forgive herself, even in death.

Melina unfolded the fragment. Since Olivia was absent more often, she could fully immerse herself in the truth.

“Master…”

“Ah, yes. Go ahead.”

A year passed. ‘Olivia’ still hadn’t returned, and there was no progress with the truth.

Two years passed. Nothing had changed, but neither had Melina’s initial determination.

Three years went by.

And then.

“Ah…”

Melina’s voice trembled. She clasped her hands tightly, curling up as if in prayer.

“…My disciple.”

Melina was smiling through her tears.

“…Just a little, wait just a little longer.”

Four years had passed to this point.

She had finally realized it.

It was the ninth fragment.