Chapter 42
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Chapter 42
"Are you coming in or not?"
"If you honor the purpose you mentioned, yes."
"What about Cadet Alice Winterbell?"
"I'll join as well."
"Yes, yes! Finally! Thank you so much, Cadet Echinacea Loaz, Cadet Alice Winterbell! I'll do great!"
Fatima bounced with delight and pulled two sheets of paper from her pocket—club application forms. With her braided hair swaying, she rushed over to Echinacea's nearby desk and retrieved a quill and ink bottle. Her hurried movements betrayed her fear that they might change their minds before signing.
"You carry application forms with you?"
"It's essential, absolutely essential! Come on, read it carefully and sign quickly!"
Fatima eagerly extended the quill. Echinacea and Alice each took an application form. The terms of the club were written out—just as Fatima had said, a simple agreement with no special rules beyond a weekly meeting. As they scanned the documents, Fatima suddenly remembered something she'd forgotten to mention.
"Oh, I started telling you about big news earlier. On May 30th, the day of the overall cadet rankings tournament, there will be a Cadet Representative election."
"That's only natural. The Cadet Representative position has become vacant."
Alice tilted her head in confusion. Fatima wagged her finger as if to say there was more.
"Right, that's not actually big news. There are some strange rumors attached to it, but it's still just passing gossip. The real shocking news is something else entirely."
"Strange rumors?"
"Well, um, it's about the previous Cadet Representative. Nothing good, really. They found things when cleaning out his room—quite a bit of evidence that he did some unsavory things. Apparently it's pretty serious stuff. Better not to know the details. It's still under investigation, nothing confirmed yet."
Alice's eyes widened in shock while Echinacea clicked her tongue. Remembering how Ian Peletro had brought that scoundrel to her, she could imagine what sort of misconduct it might be. Fatima laughed awkwardly and clapped her hands as if to clear the air.
"Anyway, now for the truly, truly astounding news."
"What news is that?"
Alice handed over her signed application form as she asked. Fatima answered with barely contained excitement.
"Don't be shocked, but the Commander is getting married soon! His fiancée is arriving in Agenka very soon!"
Echinacea's hand slipped as she was signing the application. The quill's ink smeared messily across the paper. She looked up blankly.
"Who's getting married? Which commander?"
"Is there another commander in Agenka? Of course it's Yurien de Harden Kirie, Commander of the Changtian Knights!"
Her mind went white. While she sat there in a daze, Alice and Fatima continued their conversation.
"That's quite remarkable news. When will his fiancée arrive?"
"Tomorrow, apparently. She's coming specifically for the betrothal ceremony."
"Wait, then she's not his fiancée yet, is she?"
"Well, she's coming to get betrothed, so she's basically his fiancée. When will the wedding be, I wonder? It'll be magnificent, won't it?"
"Before being Commander of the Changtian Knights, he is a prince of the Empire, so it will certainly be grand. And what sort of person is this fiancée?"
"Um... I definitely heard it, Dia, Dia, Dia, something with that surname..."
"Could it be Diasant?"
"Yes! Diasant! The Diasant Princess, they said."
Diasant. The most powerful duchy in the current Kirie Empire. And the family that had produced an empress. Hearing a familiar name, I finally regained my senses. I handed the signed application form to Fatima. She gasped when she saw the ink smeared all over it.
"Oh no! It's all ruined! Here, sign this new one instead."
"Yes, of course."
I quickly signed the new application form and handed it over. Then I spoke to Fatima and Alice.
"I'm sorry, Alice, Senior Fatima. I'm feeling rather tired..."
"Oh, I've been talking too much in front of a patient. Yes, get some rest."
"I'll be back around evening, so don't worry and just rest, Echinacea."
"Thank you all."
They exchanged brief farewells and departed. Alice even carried out the stew tray with her. The moment their presences faded completely, I bolted upright from the bed. Dizziness threatened to topple me midway, but I steadied myself with mana. I settled at the desk and pulled over a blank parchment and quill.
[Hey, was Yurien de Harden Kirie married before? In the previous timeline?]
"No, that never happened before."
I pressed my throbbing temples. Before I turned back time, Yurien de Harden Kirie had never even been engaged, let alone married. Even at the point of his death in the previous timeline—three years from now—nothing of the sort had occurred.
Not a single scandal had ever touched him. It wasn't for nothing that countless imperial ladies spun romantic fantasies about him. The aloof commander of the Changtian Knights, who had never kept anyone close, naturally drew such admiration.
But an engagement? A marriage? A groan escaped my lips unbidden. My chest ached with a sharp, bittersweet pain, and my thoughts spiraled into chaos. I bit my lower lip and gripped the quill tightly.
[Master, what are you trying to do? Write a letter?]
"No. I need to organize my thoughts."
[Huh? Organize what?]
"The events from before I turned back time, and what's happening now."
Something was changing. I needed to understand what was causing it and how the transformation was unfolding.
Changes born from my regression. The Lakia Giosa that might chase after the changes caused by Kairosgiosa, and the Nodules that might emerge as a result. Even the last shred of strength in my already exhausted body seemed to drain away.
'First, let me just write it down. From the beginning, up to the point when Yurien de Harden Kirie died.'
I moved the quill across the parchment, beginning to record the erased past and the altered present side by side.
―1. March 17, 1629, dawn. Demonic Sword discovered in the Kitchen of Loaz Estate.
: Same time, only an empty bundle found.
―2. Demon from Demonic Sword emerges, mass slaughter begins in Loaz Family and surrounding territories.
: Demon from Demonic Sword does not appear, no casualties.
―3. Spring 1629, Changtian Knights monster subjugation, Specter ambush incident, multiple casualties including Squire Baraha Islaf's death.
: Specter dealt with in advance, Nodule appears in Camp, Ian Peletro dies, Baraha Islaf survives, no other casualties.
After writing up to that point, I took a deep breath. I left the first line of item four blank—it was an event that didn't exist in the past at all. Below that, I wrote today's incident: 'Yurien de Harden Kirie, betrothal pending with Diasant Princess.' My handwriting wavered, reflecting my turbulent emotions.
I stared at those shaky letters for a long moment. Who was the Diasant Princess again? I knew the Diasant Duchy had produced the current Crown Princess, but did they have another daughter? My memory was hazy.
The twenty-year-old Echinacea Loaz before I turned back time, as a countess's daughter, had been quite knowledgeable about high society. But the current Echinacea Loaz had spent fifteen years completely removed from that world. The high society information that hadn't mattered in that life had long since faded from memory.
'...The distinguished guest Nicole mentioned escorting is likely the Diasant Princess based on the circumstances. I can just ask her about it. Yes, let's do that.'
I tapped the quill against that name a few times before finally tearing my gaze away. There was no point staring at it when nothing came to mind. I wrote the number five on the next line.
―5. Discovery of Elgiosa (Saintess Murder Incident).
From here on, since it hasn't happened yet in the present, it might unfold differently than before. Just as the previous events have changed.
The incident where Elgiosa, one of three missing Giosa, was discovered. One of the other three was the Divine Sword Lakia Giosa, whose whereabouts no one knew. The third was Bardegiosa, currently clinging to my right hand.
Elgiosa was discovered by the Changtian Knights during the period when I was being controlled by the Demonic Sword—around this very time. It was an unfortunate and tragic incident where the owner was killed before the Giosa was found. Elgiosa's owner was the weakest among all Giosa owners and couldn't defend themselves.
Since I wasn't affiliated with Changtian, I didn't know the exact timing of that incident, where it was discovered, or the details of what happened. I only knew that such an event had occurred. So I don't currently know where Elgiosa is at this moment.
Once the Saintess Murder Incident occurs, the Changtian Knights will recover Elgiosa and store it in Giosa Hall. After that, Elgiosa's whereabouts become clear. That's how the Echinacea before my regression was able to locate Elgiosa.
If I had known where Elgiosa was at this point in time, I would have searched for it before coming to Agenka.
'No, that's not it. Elgiosa is a Giosa I can't use anyway. Finding it early would be meaningless. I don't even know how to prevent the Saintess Murder Incident since I know nothing about it.'
A bitter smile crossed my lips.
Elgiosa, the Healing Sword forged from human compassion and adorned with human love, chooses its owner regardless of swordsmanship. That blade could only be wielded by someone who had never harbored hatred toward anyone in their entire life.
With Elgiosa, one cannot kill or injure anyone. Even if you pierce the heart with that blade, it won't wound. Only Elgiosa's owner can be cut by Elgiosa. A sword that cannot harm anyone but itself, a blade of benevolence that loves and heals all humanity.
It was a Giosa I couldn't even hold. I lingered on the Saintess Murder Incident for a moment, then shook my head and wrote the following events below.
―6. Winter 1631, formation of the Empire's Demon Suppression Unit, all members annihilated by the Demonic Sword's demon.
―7. Autumn 1632, Agenka annihilated by the Demonic Sword's demon, all Giosa owners dead (Yurien de Harden Kirie dies).
Both were events that had occurred in the past but would not occur in the present. Because Echinacea Loaz was no longer the demon of the Demonic Sword.
The quill lingered long at the final letter of the final line. The character for "death." Beneath that simple word lay something so profound. Where the nib touched the parchment, ink bloomed like drops of blood.
She set down the quill and exhaled deeply. Considering only up to the point of Yurien de Harden Kirie's death, the major events that came to mind were limited to this. So much had already changed. Which of these transformations had triggered this incomprehensible event—Yurien's betrothal? There were too many variables; I couldn't grasp the pattern.
Or perhaps Yurien's betrothal wasn't a butterfly effect born from the altered events, but rather....
'Since Yurien also remembers the erased past, it might be because of that. For instance, perhaps there was someone he loved but never confessed to, and he regretted it as he died. So this time, he confessed immediately and became betrothed....'
As the thought spiraled, the dizziness intensified. A dull ache pooled in my chest and spilled downward. It must be the fever. It had to be the fever. With a healthy body and a sound mind, the thoughts would scatter differently.
Echinacea set down the quill, rolled up the parchment, and hid it where it couldn't be seen. Then she returned to bed and lay down again. Her body seemed to sink beneath the plush down. Like falling deeper into dark water. She exhaled thinly and closed her eyes.
Behind her closed eyelids, his expression from when she emerged from the Nodule surfaced. The look of someone witnessing a beloved they thought dead return to life. A face full of love for her.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org