Chapter 136: Farewell (2) (1/2)

Drip… drip…

It was raining, and the cold wind shook the hem of her clothes. The drizzle that initially wet her shoulders gradually thickened and intensified. Her hair was soaked, and rainwater ran down to the road from the tip of her chin. Nevertheless, Julie remained unchanged.

She was still waiting for Deculein at the entrance to the Yukline manor.

“…”

As if signaling the end of that waiting, a car approached in the distance, through the heavy rain that fell like a veil over the world.

Screech-

The wheels stopped as Julie stared at the car. Soon, the door opened, and Deculein stepped out. He didn’t need an umbrella; the rainwater didn’t pass through his Psychokinesis.

Stomp, stomp.

Stomp, stomp.

He approached in the rain and looked down at her. His gaze was cold, with the eyes of someone looking at a tool that had run its usefulness dry.

“Julie. I should have told you that the escort mission was already over.”

Deculein’s voice was cold. His appearance from before, saying with a small smile that a month was enough and that he would change for her, was now gone.

“…Professor.”

Julie ground her teeth. She looked up at Deculein through her wet, swaying hair.

“I have heard it all.”

“What.”

“What you said to Josephine-“

“Did you always have a hobby of eavesdropping?”

Deculein wore a genuinely contemptuous expression. Julie felt a piercing pain in her heart.

“You are growing more shameful each day.”

“…”

The emotions in Julie’s eyes faded. Deculein’s derogatory glare shone upon those empty eyes.

“Really…”

Now, it was over. Julie thought so. There was no excuse.

“Was it all acting? Just a mask you wore?”

Her voice came out as little more than a whisper, hoping that this was the last time. At that trembling question, Deculein’s lips twisted.

“You were arrogant to think that only you could change me. Is that it?”

“…Oh.”

Julie’s lips parted. The words she had readied and the questions she had prepared lingered in her mind and then disappeared. Unknowingly, she laughed.

“Ha. As expected, you…”

She clenched her fists, anger welling in her heart. She was too stupid to have believed him. He’s Deculein. He’s no one else but Deculein. He was the most heinous of all and more vicious than any other…

“I will let the world know! How Veron died! Why he had to die by your hands!”

Then, Deculein’s brow furrowed. It was only a moment before he smirked.

“You will regret it.”

“It will never happen.”

“…”

“All this time, I believed in you… I feel like a moron.”

Rain ran down Julie’s eyes, hiding her tears. Deculein looked at her.

“Good. If so, you can look forward to it.”

Then he nodded with a cold, emotionless face. Deculein passed her and entered the mansion. Julie stared at his back as he walked away.

Swooooosh…

The rain pounded down on her, sharp as glass, but she did not attempt to move or hide from it.

“Please leave now. This is the master’s order.”

Then the secretary, Ren, approached. Julie turned around without answering.

“…”

Her heart was pounding, but the pain was okay. This was tolerable. No, she could overcome it…

* * *

Dawn crept upon the earth. Thanks to the regular rainy season, the sounds of nature were colorful. Raindrops that were disturbed by hitting leaves, raindrops that fell and broke upon the road’s surface, and raindrops that were whisked away by the wind… all of them had different rhythms.

I discerned each of them with the five senses of the Iron Man as I examined the Snowflake Obsidian.

「Understanding: 43.1%」

The understanding of the Snowflake Obsidian had progressed rapidly. Now the remaining time required would be about half a year. For half a year I….

— Brother. It’s ready~.

Josephine’s voice echoed around me. I looked at the crystal ball on the other side of the room.

—Just tell me when to start~. The Knights will be destroyed immediately.

“…Okay.”

—Good, brother.

“I’m no longer your brother.”

—Huhu.

After that laugh, I hung up. The more I thought about it, the more sociopathic she seemed.

“…”

I saw darkness outside the window. Now, the Knights of Freyhem would fall, and Julie would return to her hometown, Freyden. She would nurture her hate of Deculein there until she hated him more than anyone else. Continuing like that…

[Independent Quest 3333: Eternal Winter]

Eternal Winter, this was Julie’s independent scenario. The standard royal road where she could never die. I quietly closed my eyes. Until a few hours ago, I had been suffering from extreme cold and speaking with a giant, but throwing Julie away was even more painful than that.

But I could stand it. In exchange for disassembling the Ghost Castle, I gained Mental Strength. Of course, it was only +1, but one shouldn’t underestimate any addition of mental power already added to this base of superhuman mental fortitude. By analogy, it was a cup that could overflow with just one more drop. If I obtained any more now, I thought I could even survive Sophien’s return at least once.

[ Rare Attribute Catalog ]

So, for now, this rare attribute catalog was my concern. I forcibly shifted the flow of my thoughts to search for it. The most striking attribute was toughness. It was an attribute that simply increased mental strength and endurance. Would this boost my psyche enough, or should I acquire other helpful traits…?

I still needed more time to decide. It was also foolish to waste it as soon as I received the reward.

At that moment-

—Hey.

Another voice called me. This time it was Ihelm.

—Are you listening?

It was the crystal ball that Adrienne, the board chairman, handed out, saying, ‘Communicate with each other and compete in good faith.’

—I saw a strange thing on the Floating Island. Hey. Aren’t you going to answer?

I held the crystal in my hand.

“I am listening.”

—Okay.

Ihelm chuckled and continued. I didn’t know what was funny, though.

—Leaf was on the Floating Island.

“It’s not strange that a wizard went to the Floating Island.”

-No. There’s something strange about it. She said that Decalane appeared in her dream.

“…”

Just then, the moon began to ascend, full in form but covered by dark clouds. The quiet moonlight permeated through the window.

—Actually, me too. I saw Decalane on Ghost Island. It looks like Decalane hasn’t given up on Leaf. What do you think, Deculein?

Decalane. Just as Julie’s independent quest was Eternal Winter, Deculein’s independent quest was his family, which meant Decalane. Therefore, I still had work to do. I hadn’t given up yet.

Although I was running out of time to release Julie now, the route for clearing the quest would have to be two or more.

“Decalane…”

I stood from my chair and looked around. One neatly organized book focused on only one subject – pharmacology – caught my attention. Almost all grassroots herbs and elixirs in the world were collected inside. My way to heal her curse.

“…I won’t lose.”

No matter what I sacrificed, no matter how many years it required. I must…

-Haha. Really? You won’t lose? Me too. By the way, that Decalane-

“I’m hanging up.”

-What? Hey. The competition for the chairman is almost over now, but let’s cooperate…

“I’ll go up to the Floating Island soon.”

I hung up. Ihelm’s help wouldn’t change much, but there was no reason for me to throw away the guy.

“…It looks like I’ll be quite busy.”

I put my coat back on.