episode_0027

Drip, drip, the water running down Belka’s hair was dyed red, gathered at the ends, then became clear and repeatedly dropped. Her dark red dress, soaked with water, clung to the girl’s skin, faintly revealing her bare skin and drawing soft curves. Because Belka’s face had been in the water for a long time, it looked pale beyond just white. Nevertheless, her beauty did not diminish, only adding a desolate charm, as if she might fade away.

“I’m sorry. Belka, we were in there too long.”

Usher, who had been lost for a long time in the sight of the lake, which seemed to have transported the ground itself, only noticed the girl’s pale complexion after a significant amount of time had passed, and groped his way up the surface where the boundary between water and land was even ambiguous. It was because he had been distracted by the sight of large and small fish flying around the lush green trees and moving between them, a scene so unique and beautiful that it was incomparable to any strange and beautiful sights he had seen in this forest.

“Don’t you want to see more?”

At his apology, Belka shook her head and asked. For a moment, his gaze was stolen by the swaying redness following her nod and the water droplets scattering from their ends.

“I, I’m okay.”

Usher, far from being scared, still saw the image of the fish poking at their clothes and skin as they came close, and the light of the green reflecting blue in the water, lingering in his eyes, but he tried to deny it. But did it show?

“….”

Belka began to stare at him with an expressionless face. It was the girl’s usual expression, but the sight of her just staring without a word made Usher break out in a cold sweat. It felt as if the calm golden light reflecting the sunlight was interrogating him, asking if that was truly the case.

“…I want to look around a little more. Just a little bit.”

In the end, unable to withstand the girl’s gaze, he confessed. Nevertheless, the words he added were a small act of defiance.

“If you want to see it, tell me. I’ll take you again.”

Only then, seeming satisfied, Belka led him ashore. The green grass beneath the transparent water extended to the land, making the boundary between water and land ambiguous, but as they moved, the water rippled, revealing the boundary. Instead of the touch of cold water that brushed his feet with every step, he distinctly felt the touch of the ground and grass leaves, warmly heated by the afternoon sun. They had completely come ashore. As the warmth of the sunlight, taken away by the cold water, touched his skin, he finally felt the reality of having left the cave. Happy about it for a moment.

“You have passed through the cave. Eras.”

Usher’s body stiffened at the voice heard near his ear. Looking subtly in the direction the voice came from, he saw the form of the old wolf. The wolf was looking at him with unknown eyes, as if proud or perhaps regrettable. Usher found his gaze uncomfortable. Although he hadn’t directly done such things, because he had entered the cave, he had almost died or been trapped inside the cave forever. Taking his test was his own decision, but did this wolf truly not know that he might go through such things inside the cave? With such thoughts, Usher ended up avoiding the wolf’s gaze. Just then, the girl pulled him into her arms, as if to protect him.

“Usher took your test and passed. If you interfere again just because you want to test something else, I won’t stand by anymore.”

The old wolf, who had been looking at the girl warning that there wouldn’t be a second time with cloudy eyes, said with a look of resignation.

“You don’t need to worry. Having passed the test, there must be a reward commensurate with it.”

At the old wolf’s words, Usher felt curious and cautiously looked at him. And their gazes met, along with a hint of guilt. It was still the wolf’s eyes that made him feel a sense of rejection, but he did not avoid the gaze and looked directly at him with confidence. Was it because he had already passed the wolf’s test? Or was it because there was nothing he felt inferior about anymore when he was with Belka?

“Eras. Can you spare a moment? To talk about the reward. To tell you why the test was like that. And its meaning.”

Usher quietly nodded at the wolf’s words. Belka looked a little displeased, but when he said he really wanted to listen.

“Haa. Alright.”

She sighed softly and released Usher from her arms. And so, he was now walking inside the cave with the old wolf. When Belka and Usher first arrived here. It was the very cave the old wolf had come out of. The cave where those bizarre creatures were came to mind, making him scared, but this cave felt different. If that cave had looked sticky and damp, as if the stones had melted, this cave, made of giant rocks, had a plain and rough appearance. Holding the torch he had received from a wolf before entering and slowly walking behind him, the pictures carved on the cave walls came into view.

All those pictures depicted unique forms. At first, there were scenes of people holding axes heading somewhere, and scenes of them felling trees. Following this, wolves are depicted surrounding those who were smoothly felling trees, and the wolves attacking the people. But they began to flee into the forest, and the wolves continued to chase and hunt them thoroughly. However, they ended up missing just one person. There were many other pictures besides these, but all Usher could recognize was up to this point. But he felt like he knew what story these murals contained.

“This is…”

Isn’t this the story said to be the reason the Mascapir festival is held in the village?

“These pictures are what our ancestors prophesied.”

The old wolf opened his mouth, perhaps noticing that he was looking at the pictures carved on the wall. His steps were still slow enough for Usher to catch up even when walking slowly, ever since they entered the cave.

“How?”

Could such things have been drawn by a wolf’s paw? The pictures carved in the cave were drawn so delicately that it was unbelievable. He couldn’t understand the full meaning of all the pictures, but the forms of animals and people were easily recognizable.

“Well. We didn’t draw them, so it’s something we don’t know. Until this prophecy was fulfilled. We thought of them as simple records and continued our mission without truly thinking of them as prophecies. We thought that was enough.”

Usher was curious about what the mission the wolf spoke of meant, but he couldn’t voice it. Because the old wolf’s back, slowly walking through the cave while speaking like that, looked shabby, as if he was exhausted. The conversation ultimately stopped. They simply walked through the cave in silence. Eventually, they reached the end, a space larger than the cave they had passed through so far. A cavern so large that even holding the torch higher, the light didn’t properly illuminate it. There was something noticeable at its center.

“A pile of stones?”

At first, it looked like a simple pile of stones. Only after getting closer did he realize it wasn’t that simple. He couldn’t tell what had been sculpted, but it was a collapsed stone statue. In each piece that had broken off, there were smooth and irregular shapes, as if sculpted, making it seem more than just a simple stone. It was a statue that had crumbled like puzzle pieces that could no longer be put together.

“What is this?”

When he asked about the tragic sight. The wolf looked at it with faraway eyes.

“It was something I had to protect. But it has crumbled like this.”

The old wolf, who approached the pile of statues, rummaged through the pieces with his forepaw as if looking for something, and soon took something out with his mouth.

“Here, take it.”

And the old wolf, handing it to him. What he handed over was a blue orb that seemed to have taken a piece of the night sky and contained it as it was. Even under the torchlight, the beautiful orb, centered around a vivid blue color with white and golden streaks of the Milky Way blended in, looked like a precious item at first glance.

“Eras. I am sincerely relieved that you passed through that cave.”

“What do you mean by that?”

What in the world did this old wolf want to tell him? To say he was relieved that he passed a test that Belka said he didn’t need to take, a test the wolf almost provoked him into taking.

“That cave does not allow anything impure to pass. Having passed through that cave means that you are at least not an impure being.”

As soon as he asked, he continued speaking.

“Only by passing through that cave can you gain the right to see and touch the object you are holding now.”

However, regarding the things you experienced inside the cave, I have nothing to say. If those things inflicted an indelible wound upon you, I apologize. If you wish, I will give my life, so speak whatever you desire. Usher could not say a word at the old wolf’s resolute appearance.

“Why in the world did he do that?”

Usher, who had received the orb from the old wolf, was walking out of the cave alone. The wolf who had entered with him had said he wanted to stay a bit longer, so Usher had left him behind.

“But there are really a lot.”

He slowed his steps, admiring the numerous pictures carved on the cave walls illuminated by the torch. He had caught a glimpse on the way in, but it had been impossible to examine all the murals. There were so many murals densely drawn all the way up to the ceiling. He felt he would spend days if he looked at each one, so he only examined the pictures that were particularly large and noticeable among them. A collapsing tall tower, an island that rose from the water to the sky, a picture of water turning into mist. Most of the pictures were difficult to understand the detailed meaning of, but what stood out the most to his eyes was the picture of a giant dragon lowering its head and facing a woodcutter.

Dragons, called kings among the many monsters that fly and crawl, and the only beings along with humans who can use magic. That is why many say that magic originated from dragons. The dragon depicted in this mural looked exactly like everything he knew. Except for the carapace covering its body and its eyeless appearance. Usher briefly placed his hand on the mural and brushed it, but what he felt was the texture of hard stone. He felt like he had seen this dragon’s form when he lost consciousness. He couldn’t understand why such a dragon had appeared in his dream.

Lost in thought like that, the girl who would be waiting for him came to mind, and he quickened the steps he had paused. And so, he came out of the cave. The orb he received from the wolf was beautiful when illuminated by the torchlight inside the cave, but when it caught the sunlight, it displayed an even more beautiful blue light beyond that. The golden and white streaks evenly scattered on the deep blue color, as if the high night sky had been placed inside a small orb, reminded him of stars shining far away and clouds floating in the sky. This orb gave off a strange feeling, as if it was captivating people, but Usher was more bothered by what the old wolf had said when he received this and came out of the cave.

“That stone, when you commit an irreversible mistake. Just once, it will pay the price instead.”

It was a statement whose meaning was unclear. Paying the price instead. He couldn’t properly understand what an irreversible mistake was referring to. Especially the words that followed.

“However, I would recommend keeping the existence of that stone a secret from Agapia.”

Agapia, that must be referring to Belka. Usher couldn’t understand why he was told to keep the existence of this stone a secret from her. He had been planning to ask Belka what this stone was, if necessary. Just then, the girl’s figure came into his sight. The warm and soft redness that felt somewhat inadequate to simply call red, with such hair spread out on the grass, and still wearing her wet clothes, the back of the girl sitting on a fallen log and looking at the lake, the moment he called out her name loudly.

“Belka…!”

The image of the old wolf speaking seriously came to mind again, making him let out a reedy voice.

“Usher?”

Did she sense something strange in the voice calling her? The girl turned around to look at him with a puzzled expression.

“What happened?”

“Uh, nothing.”

As the worried golden light turned towards him. Usher, feeling his resolve weaken, wondered if the stone he was holding would be discovered. He mumbled and hid it by clenching his fist. Belka stared at him for a moment, then without a word, she patted the spot beside her with her hand. At the gesture inviting him to sit together, he slowly approached, avoiding the neatly placed white funeral robe and mask, and sat beside her, his toes touching the cold water.

“The water came up this far.”

Because the water was so transparent, he was slow to realize that the girl had her feet in the water. It was also because of the grass and wildflowers that grew without distinguishing the boundary between land and water. At the sight, Usher tried to dispel the awkward feeling and atmosphere by using a curiosity that had just arisen.

“Usually, isn’t it true that this kind of grass doesn’t grow inside lakes? Why do grass and trees grow inside the lake here?”

Belka quietly looked at him at Usher’s words. Because of this, he became anxious, wondering if the stone he was holding had been discovered, but.

“Grass and trees don’t grow inside the lake.”

Fortunately, she closed her eyes once, then turned her gaze towards the transparent lake and replied. And then, strange words followed.

“Because this wasn’t originally a lake.”

“Not originally a lake? No matter how I look at it, it’s a lake?”

Usher recalled the fish he had seen in the water there. It was a beautiful sight, enough to feel like a fantasy, but calling the fish that poked at his skin when he got close a fantasy felt strange.

“It is a lake. But it wasn’t this big originally. Since this area is low-lying, water flows in from the surroundings only during this season, increasing the water level to areas that weren’t lakes before.”

Listening to Belka’s words, he looked at the large lake again. This forest was truly beautiful yet full of unknowns. The cave too. As soon as he thought of the cave, the images of the strange fish and merfolk that came to mind with it made him frown. Thinking of that sight still made his body ache and that place hurt. There was a faint but familiar touch that pulled him towards her.

“Ah.”

And the golden light shining upon him. The soft touch on the back of his head let him know that the girl had offered him her lap. His heart, which had been pounding quickly, slowly resonated, and the pain he had been feeling rapidly subsided.

“It was hard, wasn’t it.”

“…Yeah.”

With tears welling up and his throat constricted, Usher’s voice trembled as he replied to her. Despite that, the reason he ultimately didn’t cry was because a guilt, about to fall at any moment, was forming and about to drop in the girl’s golden eyes looking at him. He felt that if he were to cry, her guilt would only deepen.

“I’m sorry. While you were going through that. I couldn’t do anything.”

At Belka’s words like that, Usher felt he could understand why, when she had been violated by Mac, she had told him she was okay and hadn’t shown it. Perhaps when Belka was violated too. He must have been making a similar expression. He didn’t want to burden her with heavy guilt. Because the girl was so precious that the sadness she felt affected him more profoundly than the pain he was feeling himself. So.

“It’s okay.”

At his words, the golden light flickered, and then the girl closed her eyes as if to hide her emotions. Feeling a slight regret at the vanished golden light, Usher still watched her. They spent time like that in silence. Until the sad and painful emotions subsided and they no longer felt pain. In the silence, the sound of birds chirping and the sound of grass and trees swaying in the wind stayed by their side. Usher still couldn’t understand why the time that flowed endlessly was regrettable when this moment with the girl was so happy.

-Grrr

Then, at the rumbling sound from his stomach, he realized it had been quite a while since he had eaten. The one who reacted first was not Usher, the owner of the sound, but Belka, who had offered him her lap.

“I’ll bring something to eat.”

He could only stare blankly with regret at the back of the girl walking away somewhere, after she carefully raised him, who had been resting on her lap, and told him to wait. Then, feeling someone’s presence behind him, he turned around.

“You passed the test safely.”

The one waiting there was the gray wolf called Hillis.

“What meaning did that test ultimately have?”

Seeing her, he asked, feeling it was good timing. Although the old wolf had said something, Usher honestly couldn’t understand his words.

“Perhaps the Chief was worried about the owner of the forest.”

“Belka?”

“I am not the Chief, so I cannot answer definitively.”

The gray wolf’s words were unexpected. He was sure they had said they met for the first time when they came here. Were they close enough to be worried about each other? She said that unless one was a sub-chief, one wouldn’t truly know the Chief’s intentions. Then the image of the silver wolf whose eyes he met when he came out of the cave came to mind.

“Are you perhaps talking about that silver wolf?”

“Yes, he is called Velichye.”

“I thought that wolf was the leader.”

First of all, he was the largest among the wolves and had the most magnificent fur color, so at first, he had certainly thought that wolf was the leader. Until he saw him bowing his head to the old wolf.

“Hoho, he is indeed the most outstanding warrior born so far.”

The gray wolf actually said that the silver wolf was scheduled to be the next chief, so he hadn’t been completely wrong. Moreover, the wolf who was the current chief looked too old and tired.