Chapter 81: The Value of What’s Precious (3)

[81] 12. The Value of What’s Precious (3)

The witch opened the door with a miserable expression.

“…This is my home.”

Rem carefully laid Rosalia, whom he had been carrying, down on a nearby bed. He stroked her hair and tucked her in.

Meanwhile, the witch took out some ointment from a cabinet, sat down, and started to apply it to her cheeks.

Every time her fingers touched the swollen flesh, she winced and made a pained expression.

“I guess you can’t use healing magic, huh.”

The witch glared at Rem, who had claimed a rocking chair. Rem raised an eyebrow and said,

“What?”

“…Hitting a woman’s face like that, you’ll be punished for that someday.”

“You’re one to talk, who told you to mess with people’s memories?”

“I-I told you! That wasn’t magic I cast, It was a kind of trial that my ancestor’s ancestor set up…! I had no such intention!”

“Then should I go dig up your ancestor’s ancestor’s grave and desecrate it?”

A pitiful look appeared on the witch’s face. She lowered her head and mumbled softly,

‘That punk… How did he escape from the illusion so quickly in the first place…’

Though Rem heard that mumbling, he decided to let it slide. He was starting to feel a little guilty.

A full swing right hook with a metal fist was a bit much, I guess.

“Ugh… It hurts…”

The witch, after finishing the first aid, stood up, groaning.

Then, suddenly, she turned her back to Rem, and after taking a deep breath, turned back to him, wearing a seductive expression.

“In any case, you have come well. O one who possesses a desire strong enough to overcome even illusions. I am the all-knowing (Omniscient) witch, Skuld.”

Skuld extended her hand toward Rem.

“Now, seeker of answers, ask me your question. But be warned. I can only answer a single question…”

“…Your nose is bleeding.”

“Huh?”

Skuld touched her nose and confirmed that blood was indeed coming out. A tearful look immediately appeared on her face.

“It’s all ruined…!”

She pinched her nose with a handkerchief and said in a nasal voice.

“A visitor finally came after all this time, so I practiced my lines really hard… I even put effort into dressing up today… but why did it have to be someone like this…”

Skuld held her head and crouched on the floor. Seeing her, Rem couldn’t help but feel a surge of doubt.

*This woman. Is she really the all-knowing witch?*

*The one who knows how to fix the Dragon King’s Essence?*

What follows doubt is anxiety.

Rem began to think that coming all the way here was all for nothing.

“…Sniff, okay, let’s just get this over with.”

The witch wiped away her tears and plopped down in the chair opposite Rem.

“You know the gist of it, right? You can ask me one question, just one. It doesn’t matter what it is. From how to become the king of the world to the recipe for the most delicious cherry pie, ask me anything.”

…And now she’s even speaking halfheartedly.

It was hard to believe her. But there’s nothing to lose.

Rem swallowed a sigh and asked,

“Tell me how to fix the broken Dragon King’s Essence.”

“Really?”

Taken aback by her unexpected counter question, Rem raised an eyebrow. The witch slumped in her chair and continued.

“Don’t you have a question you’d like to ask more than that? For example…”

The witch’s finger moved as if searching for something in the air. Then it stopped at a single spot.

“…How to return to your original world?”

Rem unknowingly jumped to his feet. Pulling out a magic tool, his face twisted in anger.

“Who are you?”

“I told you, I’m the all-knowing witch.”

The witch said with an indifferent look on her face.

“Oh, and I’ll make an exception for that question just now. Since it seems you’re not familiar with the rules yet.”

The witch raised one finger.

“Remember, you can only ask me one question. Just one, in your entire life.”

Only then did Rem begin to see the woman before him as a witch.

A being that’s beyond human comprehension. A human and simultaneously not quite a human.

Rem’s eyes darted the sleeping Rosalia.

“She won’t be waking up anytime soon.”

Rem, his shoulders trembling, looked back at the witch.

“Unlike you, who woke up from the illusion right away, she’s still lost in a sweet dream. And if left like that, she’ll probably dream forever.”

“Wait, don’t tell me…”

“Don’t worry. She’ll wake up as soon as she leaves this forest. And this is a warning. I’ve told you repeatedly, you can only ask me *one* question.”

The witch narrowed her eyes, pouting.

But Rem didn’t see it. Or rather, his eyes were only focused on his own thoughts.

One chance.

And the countless questions he’d been holding back his entire life.

Words, uncontrolled, came to the tip of his tongue, only to fall back down, again and again.

His contemplation finally ended with a sigh.

Rem sat himself back down on his chair and asked in a tired voice,

“…Tell me how to fix the Dragon King’s Essence.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“I told you, you can only ask me *once*, in your entire life. And you’re going to waste it on something as trivial as…”

Rem rubbed his eyes.

“I don’t care about trivial things anymore.”

To be precise, it’s more that he was tired.

His 20 years of life hadn’t been easy. And it wasn’t just because he was always hungry. There were times that were beautiful, and those times had turned into deep scars.

Thus, Rem no longer had any desire for life. He simply wanted to live without struggling.

If it hadn’t been for his promise with Amy…

Rem stopped those thoughts. He looked at the witch and said,

“So tell me. How do I fix the Dragon King’s Essence?”

“…Hold on a moment.”

Skuld stood up and started rummaging through her piled-up books. Eventually, she pulled out one book.

It was a book with a strange title: .

“Dragon King’s Essence… Dragon King’s Essence… Ah, here it is. Hmm…”

Skuld hummed through her nose as she read through the book. Then, suddenly closing the book, she opened her mouth.

A song, in a strange rhythm, flowed from her lips.

Where the winter is harsh, at the edge of the mountain,

Lies a valley where the Dragon King slumbers.

The stone that hears wishes

Will seek its master’s light.

Offer the box that holds the world,

And the dew that holds life,

As a sacrifice to the master,

And your wish will be heard once more.

Rem stared blankly at the witch and frowned.

“What?”

“I’m sorry, it’s a witch formality thing. We have to speak in riddles at least once.”

“…What?”

“It’s nothing. Forget about it.”

The witch shook her head and pulled out a map from the pile of books. Pointing at a single spot with her finger, she said,

“What you’re looking for is the Dragon King’s corpse. It’s hidden somewhere near Mount Essier.”

“…And how do I find it?”

“Can’t tell you that.”

Rem’s sharp gaze turned towards the witch. But the witch, who had somehow regained her confidence, retorted grumpily.

“I told you, one question per lifetime. You’ve already gotten your…”

Rem silently raised his metal fist.

“…But since it’s been a while since I’ve had a visitor, I’ll, I’ll be generous…! Haha…”

Even an all-knowing witch is powerless before violence. The witch, with a tearful look on her face, started rummaging through her books again.

Soon, after skimming through several books, she suddenly made an ambiguous expression.

“What? Don’t tell me you don’t know?”

“No, it’s just that…”

The witch scratched her cheek.

“It seems like everything will work out if you just go there?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. Everything will be resolved when you arrive at Mount Essier.”

Rem raised his fist again. But the witch didn’t back down this time.

“Th-That’s really all I can tell you…! P-Please don’t hit me…!”

…Well, to be precise, she was being cowardly in a different way.

Rem let out a deep sigh and pointed at Rosalia with his thumb.

“She’ll wake up as soon as we leave the forest, right?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Alright, thanks.”

Rem nodded and then hoisted Rosalia back over his shoulder.

“…You’re leaving?”

“What, should I stay here for the night?”

“N-No! That wasn’t what I meant…”

A troubled look appeared on Skuld’s face. Then, she suddenly let out a sigh and spoke,

“…Since your question was so trivial, I’ll tell you this as a bonus.”

“…?”

Skuld took a deep breath and looked at Rem with serious eyes.

“Your hand, your eyes, and your voice. They weren’t taken from you by coincidence.”

“What are you talking about?”

Rem said with an indifferent expression.

“Of course it wasn’t a coincidence. I chose to…”

“I’m saying that your misfortune wasn’t originally supposed to be yours.”

Skuld hunched her shoulders as if revealing a big secret.

“There’s always a price to pay for defying fate. And sometimes that price is paid by someone else.”

Confusion appeared on Rem’s face.

“That…”

“Be careful. And if possible, don’t do anything.”

Skuld whispered with a pale face.

“Because the forgotten goddess has her eyes on you.”

***

Rosalia stared blankly at the burning village.

It was a place where everything was perfect, until yesterday.

That house, its roof collapsing now, was where her best friend, Emily, lived. A girl with a face full of freckles who always smiled.

The house with a charred corpse sprawled out by the entrance was Mr. Girsch’s house. Mr. Girsch would always slip her a sweet candy when his wife wasn’t looking.

The house with screams still coming from it was where Brother Kyle and Sister Selene lived. They had just gotten married and always had the happiest smiles on their faces.

But now, all that remained were bright red flames.

The greedy flames devoured all the beautiful things Rosalia knew, leaving behind only pitch-black holes.

Rosalia couldn’t even cry, It was too cruel to be real.

Her mind, unable to accept reality, wandered aimlessly.

But not for long.

Beyond the burning street, came a group of horsemen. On their armor, blood and reflected light were indistinguishable.

Especially because blood was dripping from their heads, drop by drop.

Rosalia’s eyes turned to the pole they were holding; her gaze traveled along it to its tip…

…where the mutilated corpses of her parents were impaled.

Rosalia woke up with a start.

“You’re up quick.”

A sarcastic voice. Rosalia turned her eyes towards Rem. Without taking his eyes off the book he was reading, Rem continued.

“You have no idea what once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I missed because of you…”

Tears welled up in Rosalia’s eyes,

and then soft sobs followed.

Rem’s face was full of bewilderment as he heard her cry.

“Hey, wait, why are you suddenly…”

Rosalia buried her face in her hands. It didn’t take long for her shoulders to start trembling and hiccuping sounds to come out.

Soon, Rosalia began to cry loudly.

“Hey, hey! Wait, this makes me look like an asshole…! No, that’s not it… Damn it, oh Alain…”

It was a way to bury those wounds she had tried so desperately to hide.

…

…

…

Rosalia’s cries finally subsided after some time had passed.

Rosalia, who had covered herself with the blanket, felt her face heating up as she barely managed to opened her mouth.

“I’m… sorry…”

Hearing this, Rem’s sharp gaze pierced Rosalia. But only for a moment, Rem just sighed.

“It’s fine. We all have those days.”

And then, a silence descended.

It was a silence that Rosalia, who had just shown such a pathetic display, found hard to bear.

“Um, so… what happened? I remember passing out, but…”

“You’re finally aski…”

Rem stopped mid-sentence and then swallowed the words that had started to come out. He then said with an uncomfortable expression,

“It worked out. I mean…”

Rem told Rosalia about what had happened in Skuld’s forest. Of course, leaving out *that* part about himself.

“…A trial that shows you the illusion of your deepest desires… So…”

Rosalia’s face hardened as she recalled the dream she had just had.

A time when she didn’t know anything about swords, knighthood, or the schemes of the Imperial Court. A time when she’d known, despite being so young, that happiness was in her hands.

But the reason her dream ended in a tragedy was because that’s how reality was.

Though the tears had stopped, it didn’t mean that pain in her chest was gone. Still, Rosalia forced an awkward smile.

“Well, at least it’s good that you broke free from the illusion. I’m once again indebted to you.”

“It’s not a debt. It was obviously an illusion, so I just escaped.”

“It was obviously an illusion…?”

“I met someone I could never see again, even if it was only for a moment.”

Rem smiled bitterly and shrugged, then he got up from the chair.

“Well, now that I’ve confirmed that you’re awake, I’ll be going. We’ll talk about how to avoid those bounty hunters and those two bitches, and get to Essier, tomorrow.”

“I understand. Rest well.”

Rem nodded and walked towards the door. Then he suddenly stopped.

Following it came a sigh and the sound of him scratching his head.

Rosalia looked at Rem with questioning eyes.

“Well…”

Rem, turning to look at her, scratched his head. After a long hesitation, he closed his eyes tightly and spoke.

“I’m sorry for, um, acting on my own all the time.”

Rosalia’s eyes widened.

“It’s… a habit. Just a habit. I know it’s an excuse, but I’ve lived so long always having to do everything on my own.”

Rem, unable to meet her Rosalia’s gaze, stared at the floor.

“…And I was also a bit impatient. That wanted poster thing, It’s a bigger problem for me than you think… So…”

Rem managed to meet Rosalia’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, I’ll try not to do it from now on.”

Rosalia’s eyes trembled as she heard his words. Her gaze shifted to her blanket, and then, in a trembling voice, she said,

“I… I’m sorry too.”

“Huh?”

“I, um, for being stubborn. About being a knight, and about doing things the ‘right’ way…”

Rosalia felt her face heating up and hurriedly added. Gripping the blanket tightly, she continued.

“…When I was seven, bandits raided my village. The entire village was burned down, and I was the only survivor.”

“What…? I thought you were a noble…”

“I was adopted.”

Rosalia smiled painfully, then continued.

“After that day, it was as if a part of my heart had vanished. I became a knight to try and fill that void. I thought that by pursuing some greater cause and honor would make me whole again, that I wouldn’t have nightmares anymore.”

Sadness filled Rosalia’s eyes.

“But before I knew it, I ended up becoming a traitor, and the family who adopted me was killed because of that.”

To suppress the emotions welling up, Rosalia closed her eyes. But even so, tears welled up.

“So…”

Her words were stuck in her throat. It was as if they had taken root deep inside her heart, refusing to come out.

But, taking a deep breath, she forced herself to speak.

“…This mission, It’s all I have left.”

She looked at Rem, tears streaming down her face.

“So, I think that’s why I was being so stubborn. I’m sorry.”

Then she wiped away her tears and forced a smile.

“From now on, I’ll…”

“Hold on.”

Rem suddenly held his hand up to cut her off. And then, leaving behind a bewildered Rosalia, he walked out of the room.

A moment later,

“Whew…”

Rem stepped back into the room, carrying a crate. Rosalia stammered in bewilderment.

“W-What did you bring? It’s such a big crate…”

“Ta-dah!”

Rem said with a cheesy flourish as he opened the crate. Inside, there were countless bottles of alcohol. He pulled one out and grinned.

“I think there was a bit of a misunderstanding between us. Don’t you think this kind of thing should be resolved with a drink?”

***

Narrator: The next morning, Rosalia found 47 empty liquor bottles scattered around and Rem repeatedly emptying his stomach by the well. A clump of Rem’s white hair was in her hand, and the inn’s furniture was half-destroyed.

No one knows what really happened that night, no one except Rem. Many people had asked, but he never answered. All he did was repeat, “I’ll never challenge the Captain to a drinking contest ever again.”

And the truth was, it probably wasn’t that important. What was important was that, from that day on, Rem and Rosalia had taken a step closer to each other, to the point where they could even call each other friends.

…Of course, as soon as they left the inn, they started arguing about what to eat for lunch.