episode_0113

In that moment, Agnes once again reflected on what was engraved on her retina.

The scenery felt oddly different, the slightly taller Delta man, and the clothes that were heavily soiled even though they were obviously bought yesterday.

It didn’t take long to tie it all together and come to one conclusion.

Agnes was quick-witted and second to none, so there was something she knew right away.

‘You’ve skipped time.’

This place must be deceiving.

If it is an illusion, it explains that time does not flow at the same speed or with the same mechanism as in the original world.

This is because the illusions that Agnes knows only show scenes necessary for a single purpose.

Perhaps this scene focuses on showing young Deltans growing up at a rapid pace.

The moment Agnes realized it all, she continued to worry.

-Where have you been?

That was what the young Deltan said just before, and since he couldn’t just stand still, he had to answer.

But there was nothing to reply to Agnes.

After all, even though she didn’t go anywhere, didn’t time pass this much alone?

So there was only one policy Agnes could take.

Avoiding difficult questions.

“Why is it like that?”

Agnes turned around.

Deltan’s face became a little blank.

“… Huh.”

He laughs as if it is absurd.

The expression was a little more fierce than the previous day, but to Agnes, it looked almost like a full-grown Deltan.

“Why are you doing that?”

Deltan asked back.

Immediately after, a change occurred in his expression.

The face is frowned with anger.

The eyes filled with anger burned intensely, but soon became watery and sparkled like glass beads.

My shoulders were shaking. A breath came out, broken by a trembling chin, and it was in little pieces.

The last thing that settled on the face of anger, sadness, and blessings was the same resentment as the first.

“How do you ask that? Sister?”

Agnes’ fingertips trembled.

It was a reaction that came to mind as it was clear that it was resentment for disappearing that night.

‘… Welcome.’

I tried to say this to myself, but I couldn’t help but feel frustrated when I thought about the fact that this was not just fiction, but an illusion based on fact.

Anyway, isn’t it true that something bad happened to Deltan in his younger days and he was left sitting on the street looking ugly?

How can I feel at ease when all of that resentment comes out of nowhere?

Agnes pursed her lips and suddenly took a step forward.

Then Deltan hesitated and retreated.

“… .”

Agnes’ eyes trembled slightly.

Rejection, or even rejection due to a broken heart.

That image reminded me of something.

For some reason, Agnes felt the image of herself on the day she lost her mother overlap with the image of the young Deltan.

Even Agnes could not understand the reason.

No, can I say that I don’t know?

It was like that if you look at the heart that was turning away just a little bit.

‘I am… .’

How did you treat those who came after your mother left?

I was so hurt by the thought that I might lose him again that I didn’t try to approach him.

Perhaps, the young Deltans of today would be like that too.

That made Agnes infinitely cautious.

‘… I want to know.’

What kind of life did the young Delta man live?

Why are you walking around the streets like that?

And what made you decide to leave this country?

Perhaps the purpose of this illusion is also connected to it.

If you think about it that way, there was no reason to avoid the situation.

Agnes made eye contact with Deltan.

Deltan’s eyes became a little more fierce.

Agnes gazed into his eyes, then walked towards the Deltan at a very slow and brisk pace.

I was taking steps to express my determination not to hurt you.

Sabak –

The moment the snow is stepped on, Deltan flinches.

Also, when she stepped on the snow, Agnes hesitated, and Agnes stopped walking when she did that.

It gives you time to get used to the previous step before taking the next step.

The Deltans began to soften.

Agnes slowly approached, feeling extremely grateful, and eventually arrived in front of him.

A small child who can barely fit around the waist.

How could a child like this be out on the streets alone?

Agnes knelt down and was eye level with Deltan.

He folded his hand over Deltan’s clenched fist.

The ice-cold hands seemed to represent how dry the child’s heart was.

“… Won’t you tell me? What happened.”

That’s because I want to help you.

That’s because I want to know why you’re sick.

Agnes did not turn her head away from the gaze she was facing, wondering if it would reach her if she conveyed the warmth.

Deltan’s eyes trembled at that.

It was a dangerous vibration.

The vibration must have stimulated something that had been suppressed, and tears soon began to flow from the corners of Deltan’s eyes.

“Tell me.”

Agnes hugged the Deltan.

He patted his back and then kissed his cheek.

As hot as the tears were, I felt a ray of warmth on my cold cheeks.

“Huh?”

After making a soft fuss, Deltan opened his mouth.

“… My sister.”

“Me?”

“After my sister left… .”

The words come out in a tearful voice.

Agnes listened quietly to the whole story.

That was the story I heard.

When Deltan woke up in the morning and realized he was gone, he went out onto the street, returned to this street, and waited for himself here for several days.

When I got tired of it, I got caught by bad-tempered kids in the back alley, got beaten up, and almost got caught by a gunman.

I couldn’t eat properly every time, and one day, I searched through the trash can to overcome the situation, but I ended up with an upset stomach.

The person who saved him was a beggar, but it turned out that he wasn’t rescuing him, but was trying to use the Deltans.

It is said that Deltan, who had no way to escape, lived like this for a year as the beggar’s limbs.

The reason I came here today is because it is exactly one year since we met, and it is a special holiday here called Christmas.

The whole story ended with him saying that he was surprised when he showed up, even though he had set a high possibility that he wouldn’t come.

For some reason, Agnes felt weighed down inside.

It felt like my chest was being stabbed with a very hot iron.

An unpleasant heat rose up my throat, and I was so dizzy and upset that I couldn’t hold back my words.

“… I’m sorry.”

Agnes apologized.

I apologized even though I knew that Deltan’s past was not my fault.

“… I’m sorry.”

As he said that, he hugged Deltan tighter.

“… I’m sorry.”

Deltan sobbed in his arms.

The heat of vomited sadness takes away the cold.

That moment continued for a very long time, and Agnes hugged Deltan even more tightly to take it all in.

That moment had continued for a long time.

Growling.

A sound came from the Deltan’s stomach.

Agnes raised her head and looked at Deltan.

Deltan was whimpering with a red face.

My head dropped, and shame seemed to fill the place of sadness.

Agnes said with a small smile.

“Shall we go eat first?”

Deltan nodded shyly.

*

Agnes went out with the Deltans once again to Central City, where she had come the day before.

First, I sold a jewelry ring at the treasure store I visited the day before.

When I skipped time, I found the same jewel ring in my hand again.

This time too, the price seemed ridiculously high, but Agnes didn’t complain at all as it was clear that if she skipped time, it would come back again.

The place I came in with the money was a different restaurant than the last time.

The menu was a food Agnes didn’t know called ‘pizza’, but it also had a very foreign and strong taste, so Agnes was surprised.

Still, he looked at Deltan.

Deltan had his hands full of pizza and was stuffing it all into his mouth like a glutton.

It was quite hot food, but Agnes stopped Deltan because she thought he might try it.

Of course, the Deltans didn’t listen.

I just frantically inhaled my meal as if now was the best time to go.

I wonder how they can cram so much into such a small body.

But at the same time, there was something funny about it.

“I eat all the pickles.”

Agnes laughed softly.

From then on, I thought I was a pickle eater.

Deltan was shocked and then spoke as if making an excuse.

I was looking through the trash can and ate a hot dog, but the pickles in it tasted so disgusting that I never dared to eat them again or something.

Agnes just smiled and brushed the words aside.

After finishing the meal, I left the store.

The next thing he did was buy Deltan new clothes.

And going to the inn I went to before.

This time, we used all the money left, including just one bill, to buy a place to stay for a week.

In the room that came up through the magical closed space, Agnes washed Deltan thoroughly and laid him on the bed.

Agnes, feeling like she had finally finished something, lay down next to Deltan.

The Delta man seemed quite tired as he came into the warm place after eating a full stomach, but he still had difficulty sleeping.

Perhaps he has vaguely realized that if he falls asleep now, he will disappear.

“Not sleeping?”

When I asked that, Deltan grabbed my sleeve tightly.

Agnes looked at it for a moment and held Deltan’s hand.

Then Deltan asked cautiously.

“… Are you going?”

Agnes laughed bitterly.

“Yes.”

Whether they wanted it or not, the time in this illusion was not continuous, so from the Deltan’s perspective, it could feel like it was disappearing.

Isn’t it possible to say that you will remain even if it is a lie?

Even if someone asked her that, Agnes would flatly refuse such a thing.

This is because Agnes already knows how cruelly someone’s lies to escape the present can be a cruel torture of hope.

“I can’t stay here for long.”

“You can’t go if you don’t go… ?”

“… I’m sorry.”

Agnes said this as she hugged Deltan.

“But I can promise you this. I will definitely come back to see you again.”

“When?”

“Well… .”

Knock, knock.

Agnes thought as she patted Deltan’s back.

This time, exactly one year has passed.

However, it was impossible to guarantee that this would continue to be the case in the future.

This is because there is still very little evidence to prove it.

How should I reassure my child?

After thinking for a while, Agnes continued.

“… When the new moon rises every month, please hide the note carefully at the place where we met. A note with your location written on it. If I don’t come, please take the note away. And once a year, today on Christmas, you come out there and wait for me.”

Let’s consider all the different cases.

Agnes used her own rationality to say this, and Deltan’s cheeks flushed as if he liked the rather specific plan.

Agnes was only then able to smile.

“So, you shouldn’t be too sad without me?”

Because we will definitely meet again.

When I said that, Deltan nodded his head loudly.

And with the pat on the back, I slowly fell into sleep.

“Promise… .”

I mumbled and eventually fell asleep.

Immediately after, the entire scene on Agnes’ retina changed.