Ch.80Love’s Happiness

# 1.

Time continued to flow.

A span of years, neither too short nor too long, during which little Ruby grew into a young girl and the once-struggling village became more established.

Throughout that time, the only one who remained unchanged was the Great Prophet of the Red Clan,

“You’ve come, Ruby.”

Rose Red alone.

Ruby, who had grown considerably since their first meeting, walked over with measured steps and sat beside Rose.

“You don’t age at all, sister. I’m jealous.”

“That’s what people generally say to immortals. But Ruby…”

“I know, it’s a curse for you.”

…Squeeze.

Though she had grown, her still-small hand grasped the unchanging woman’s hand in comfort.

“But you still have me.”

“…Yes, I have you.”

The red child’s sparkling eyes gazed directly at the faded woman.

“I love you, sister.”

“…Me too.”

“I’ll bring you more flowers later.”

“…Don’t leave.”

This was a scene from one lazy afternoon.

# 2.

The man pursued freedom.

Turning his back on heavy burdens like the destiny of a sword saint or the fate of his family.

“Hmm… it should be around here?”

He had finally reached the freedom he had dreamed of his entire life and stretched his hand beyond it.

But there was nothing.

Only shadows cast by blue-green undergrowth and towering trees lined his path.

The woman of destiny who would grant him freedom was not there, just as she hadn’t been anywhere else.

“…I should rest for a bit.”

Crack.

Dallan cut down a suitable tree to make a stump and plopped himself down.

“Tch. That charlatan bastard clearly said she’d be in some forest somewhere.”

The words of a prophet who had extracted a gold coin from him years ago when he was wandering aimlessly.

-In a forest full of vegetation, your destined woman awaits; you shall love her, unbound by time!

To put it bluntly,

“Bullshit, what crap.”

He had already delayed his already-late marriage age by several more years of wandering, but all that welcomed Dallan were vegetation and insects.

“It’s not like I’m dying to experience love, but still… Tch, how many forests is this now? That bastard. He could have at least given me a proper location.”

As he had said, Dallan wasn’t particularly interested in marriage or love.

Rather, if given a binary choice of whether to pursue it or not, he would choose not to—that’s how little he cared.

But following a prophet’s prediction, finding love at the end of that journey…

Like a fairy tale he had read as a child, he had been enchanted by the adventure tinged with romance and wandered for quite some time.

“Enough, enough. I’ll just forget about it. There are still so many places I haven’t seen. I’ve been wasting my time trudging through forests because of that guy’s words.”

Since even the prophet’s prediction was just part of the adventure for Dallan, having failed even in this blue-green forest, he dusted off his backside and stood up without regret.

“Destiny, love, prophecy… It’s all very romantic, but it just doesn’t suit me.”

Dallan chuckled and looked around.

Lush vegetation,

Fresh scents,

Vast nature.

The products of freedom, living as they flowed, without a care.

“Yes, this is what suits me.”

Being bound to something was inherently difficult for him to accept.

“Destiny and love… Come to think of it, was I still living shackled by that prophecy? Well, at least I’ve realized it now.”

The middle-aged man smiled brightly again.

That was the kind of man Dallan was.

One who pursued what he desired, but whenever he felt entangled in something, he would extricate himself and chase freedom once more.

“Let’s go back to how it was before, forget prophecies and all that nonsense, and just go wherever I want.”

Just as he was about to move toward true freedom, finally liberated from all destiny…

Rustle.

A noise came from right behind him.

‘…Suddenly?’

Something appeared without any warning, truly abruptly.

“Could it be a monster?”

Dallan quickly turned and swung his sword toward the source of the noise,

“…An arm?”

He was bewildered.

A stark white forearm protruding oddly from empty space.

“Huh…? What is…?”

Before he knew it, Dallan had resheathed his sword and, as if entranced, grabbed the hand and pulled.

Crack!

“Ack!”

“Huh?”

Thud!

A red-haired girl popped out of the empty space as if being led through.

Blink, blink, blink.

After regaining their senses, Ruby and Dallan stared at each other in silence for a while.

“Ehhh…?”

“Uhhh…?”

This was their first meeting.

# 3.

The Red Clan.

A unique race like witches or elves, centered around the Great Prophet, the only long-lived being.

After several kingdoms were destroyed under the influence of the Great Prophet’s prophecies in the past, they were isolated in the Blue-Green Forest by the Babylonian Empire.

After the first Emperor passed away, even information about them oxidized into mere legend, and now,

“It’s, it’s real!?”

Dallan had discovered them.

“…Visitor, please stop pinching my cheek.”

“Ah, I, I’m sorry.”

Startled, Dallan removed his hand from Rose’s cheek and carefully sat down.

The largest tree at the center of the Blue-Green Forest.

In the Prophet’s shelter built beneath it were only Rose, Ruby, and Dallan.

“……”

“……”

“……”

Dallan and Ruby glanced at each other while watching Rose’s reactions, and after maintaining silence for quite some time, Rose opened her eyes with a small sigh.

“Please leave.”

“…Pardon?”

“I ask that you leave the forest.”

Mysteriously glowing red eyes.

Under that gaze that seemed to pierce through one’s essence, Dallan opened his mouth as if entranced and answered.

“I refuse.”

“…What? This is the Red Clan’s territory guaranteed by the first Emperor!”

“Then I’ll become part of the Red Clan too.”

“What…? What kind of unreasonable demand is that!?”

“…I wonder that myself.”

Dallan knew.

That his current words and actions were as stubborn as a child’s tantrum.

But he couldn’t help it.

Dallan, who had shed everything to become a free man, had only one strand of destiny still attached to him.

That was,

-In a forest full of vegetation, your destined woman awaits; you shall love her, unbound by time!

Love.

So for the first time since becoming a free man, Dallan,

“Do you wish for me to leave?”

“…Yes, I do.”

“Then I’ll leave and come back again. Tomorrow at noon, if that’s convenient for you?”

“…What?”

Threw himself bodily toward destiny.

“Do you always stay in that spot?”

“Go away.”

“Yes, today was enjoyable too.”

One day,

“I brought some cookies, would you like to try them? The innkeeper is quite skilled.”

“…Go away.”

“Today was enjoyable too.”

One month,

“You know, in the bright yellow desert? There’s a snake that swims through sand, and would you believe…”

“…Go away.”

“I’ll continue the story tomorrow. Today was enjoyable too, Miss Rose.”

One year.

How many years did these brief rendezvous continue without missing a single day?

“Grandpa!”

“Hey, Ruby. …I told you to call me uncle, you little rascal.”

“Huh? Dallan is middle-aged at best!”

“Damn, time is cruel. I need to rejuvenate somehow.”

“Hot pot? Sounds delicious!”

“…Sure, let’s have hot pot today.”

“Yay!!”

He became close friends with the once-distant Ruby,

“How many years have you been coming here… Aren’t you tired yet?”

“Four years is nothing.”

“Haha! I like how manly you are, blinded by love! But Dallan, do you know how old our Great Prophet is?”

“I look older than her on the outside, so it’s fine. Besides, what does age matter in love?”

“My, such sweet words are unlike you!”

By the time even the villagers who had been wary of Dallan began to welcome his visits,

“…Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

“D-Dallan! Be-behind you…!!”

“Behind me? ……Huh?”

Rose, who had never left her tree,

“…It’s noon, but you didn’t come.”

Came down to the village for the first time.

“Wh-what…?”

A surprised Dallan,

“Hey Dallan!! What are you standing there stupidly for?”

“Are you going to keep the Great Prophet waiting?!”

“Go and embrace her passionately!”

Villagers cheering him on,

“I, um, that is… No. Please go back today too, Dallan.”

Rose turning away with a blushing face, fidgeting under the gaze of many.

“…In a forest full of vegetation, your destined woman awaits; you shall love her, unbound by time.”

Muttering this unconsciously, Dallan disobeyed her words for the first time and rushed to her in one breath, embracing her slender body.

“I love you, Rose.”

“…Yes.”

“Ah, ahhh…!!!”

Their eyes met.

“Ha, hahaha!!!”

“Eek?”

Dallan lifted her up and kissed her lips in front of everyone.

A kiss under the blue-green foliage,

Cheering villagers,

The Great Prophet Rose finally smiling.

Watching all this, Ruby clasped her small hands together and whispered,

“See? Love is a good thing.”

# 4.

The love of Dallan and Rose.

Their love brought great changes to the once-closed Red Clan.

“The Red Clan actually exists?!”

“Not only that, they’ve requested trade. They have plenty of quality paper and rubber.”

“Wh-what?!”

Their self-sufficient lifestyle that had barely sustained them became more abundant,

“A mercenary? You mean outside this forest, one can have professions other than farming?”

“My friend! There are not just mercenaries! Artists, merchants, knights, wizards…! As long as you have the ability, you can become whatever you want!”

The Red Clan members who had lived in confinement found opportunities to pursue new dreams,

“D-Dallan! Teach me swordsmanship!”

“Tell me how to become a merchant!”

“Haha, to see these gloomy folks with such sparkling eyes! You’re a blessing indeed!”

Everyone was happy.

Rose, the representative of the now-open Red village, and Dallan, representing its visitors.

The two were always together, both officially and privately, nurturing their love,

“…Dallan. I’m so happy, but I fear the prophecy I told you about will come to pass.”

And as their happiness grew, so did Rose’s anxiety,

“It’s alright, Rose. My specialty is defying prophecies and fate.”

“…Okay. I’m counting on you.”

“Anything for you, my love.”

The two were in love.

Dallan was confident.

Having chosen freedom his entire life, he wasn’t afraid of any approaching destiny.

But Dallan had forgotten.

That all the happiness he was now enjoying,

-In a forest full of vegetation, your destined woman awaits; you shall love her, unbound by time!

Was obtained precisely because he had, for the first time, become entangled in and submitted to destiny.

Then, a few days later.

“Please help us, Dallan!!”

“…? Village chief? What brings you here in the middle of the night?”

“Ru-Ruby… Ruby has disappeared!!!”

“What?!!”

The price of being entangled in destiny began to approach.