Chapter 154: Epherene’s Time. (2) (1/2)

Epherene opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the wooden ceiling, magic lights dangling down above her.

“…Haaaaaaaaa”

Epherene vacantly blinked and opened her mouth wide in a yawn, shaking the sleep away.

“Gaaaaah…”

“That’s been going on for a while.”

At that moment, Epherene stiffened. With a creak, she turned her head to follow the voice. It came from Deculein, as expected.

“Ah… my dream-“

“It wasn’t a dream.”

Deculein put down the book that he was reading. Then, he looked at her with strangely kind eyes. Epherene was afraid of his new display of thoughtfulness. It wasn’t like him.

“Why… no, are you the Professor?”

“That’s right.”

Deculein answered calmly.

“Aren’t you a monster?”

“What?”

“No, no. Where am I? Why is the kid suddenly big and the village….”

“You are caught up in a magical phenomenon.”

Was it because of the pond in the middle of the forest? No, she just touched the water for half a second. Was it so wrong that it twisted the scales of time? Deculein explained the reason as she wracked her brain.

“Because you are a special existence.”

“…What?”

“You’ll find out about the rest gradually. Follow me.”

Deculein stood, and Epherene clambered out of bed to follow. The two came out into the village assembly hall first.

“Oh.”

The landscape of the North with its sharp winds. But, people were coming and going, their expressions filled with energy. The accommodations present before, shops, market, restaurants, pubs… Epherene was speechless to see the steadily growing village sprawled around her.

“…How many years has it been?”

“I’m not sure.”

“What? Ah, so even the Professor doesn’t know how many years has passed.”

Deculein stalked forward. Epherene struggled to keep up with his pace.

“No, Professor, more than that… how can this kind of magical phenomenon be possible? Isn’t time-traveling impossible?”

“It is for ordinary wizards. But you’re not ordinary.”

Was that a compliment or a curse? Epherene looked up at Deculein then set her gaze on the road behind them. A delicious scent wafted past them, hinting at heavily seasoned chicken skewers.

“…gulp.”

Deculein smiled.

“Are you hungry?”

“*slurp*. Oh, no… but, what do you mean not ordinary?”

“It’s because of your origin.”

Epherene tilted her head, making her confusion obvious.

“Origin?”

“You’ll find out later on.”

“…What.”

She thoughtlessly glared at Deculein but then glanced away for fear of being scolded. But, the Professor didn’t seem to be in a bad mood. Seriously, what was this? A big question mark floated above Epherene’s head.

“Of course. Anyway, this is the future.”

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“Right.”

“How do I go back? Back to the present?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is that so… WHAT?”

Epherene grew flustered as she asked back. She thought that Deculein would know. What she should do, how to do this… he would naturally tell her all the answers.

“This is the future. The connection between the present and the past and the future is not a simple thing.”

“Then, how…?”

“You should wait. Until the path opens again.”

“…The path?”

“Yeah.”

Deculein nodded. Then, he handed a skewer over to Epherene using Psychokinesis.

“How does the path open?”

“Maybe, on the day the second comet falls.”

“Aha…”

Epherene belatedly recalled the words of the village people. About two days ago, a meteor fell in the forest so she should be careful.

“When would that be?”

Nom—

She took a bite of the chicken skewer.

Nom, nom, nom—

The first bite was so delicious, so she picked up speed eating.

“We don’t know that, either. It could be in three days, a week, a month, or maybe even a year.”

“!”

At that moment, Epherene suddenly stopped chewing. She looked up at Deculein with startled eyes, feeling like a deer in the headlights. Deculein let out a low laugh.

“Don’t worry.”

“…”

But, this was both strange and interesting. When she listened to him, even just his words, all her worries and anxieties disappeared. That was what happened when she was next to Deculein. He never changed, always remaining consistent. He was always calm, no matter how ridiculous the situation was.

‘I just trust and rely on him.’

…But.

“I’ll be by your side until then.”

“Yes… what?”

Her heart fluttered a little, and she felt light-headed. Epherene was lost for words for a while. She blinked, then shifted her gaze somewhere else, looking for anything or anyone to focus on.

“Wow! Look at that person! Is that real tiger leather?”

She hurriedly pointed at a person with tiger skin all over his body like armor.

*****

…Epherene disappeared. The last eyewitness account from the villagers was two days ago; a meteor fell into the forest.

“What should I do, Professor? Epherene might have been eaten by bears or tigers….”

Allen and Drent felt restless, but I wasn’t really worried. I knew at least that there was no death awaiting Epherene in her future.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Let’s start the mission; I’ll assign a task for each of you.”

I wrote an official letter for mobilizing cooperation. It was a document asking soldiers from the nearby fortress to help with the mission.

“Allen, take this and collect soil near the unclaimed land along with a soldier escort.”

“…Yes.”

Allen nodded, pouting.

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“Drent, you…”

Thud—!