178 Ch. 178: Memories [12]
"…Ian?" Nathaniel's eyes widened as he mumbled. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and without uttering a word, Adrian pivoted his horse and rode off into the darkness. "Adrian, wait!" Acting instinctively, Nathaniel urged his horse and chased his brother.
"Your Highness!" the Marquis bellowed amidst his fierce battle with the undead. Spotting Nathaniel in pursuit, he swiftly dispatched a monster threatening his horse, then prompted the steed toward him. However, the horse abruptly neighed, bucked, and reared in agony as a dagger plunged into its left eye, violently throwing the Marquis to the ground.
Quickly rising to his feet and standing on guard, the Marquis surveyed the area and his gaze settled on a masked man, dressed in black, perched on a nearby tree branch. The mysterious figure hurled a barrage of daggers at his direction but the Marquis deftly deflected them.
As he was busily parrying the blades, seizing the opportunity, Ferdinand vanished and reappeared behind the Marquis, his dagger poised to attack. But just as it was about to strike, the old man turned around and blocked the attack, sending sparks of metal to burst into the air.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Nathaniel spurred his horse, urging it to gallop faster to catch up with his brother. "Adrian, please stop!" Nathaniel desperately called out.
Yet, Adrian seemed deaf to his pleas, continuing on his path. Engaged in a tense chase, they ultimately reached a clearing where Adrian eventually halted. Climbing down from his horse, Adrian took out an apple and offered it to his weary steed while waiting for his brother.
Nathaniel, finally catching up, dismounted as well, bombarding him with a flurry of questions. "Adrian, where have you been? Why didn't you send any word? Why aren't you returning? Your father—His Majesty, is waiting for you." Instead of providing answers, Adrian smacked the horse's hindquarters, causing it to bolt into the wilderness and leave them behind. Turning to face Nathaniel, Adrian's expression softened, a hint of smile playing on his lips. "It's been a while." "Ah…" Nathaniel felt the rage within him subside, replaced by a flood of emotions he struggled to contain. Vulnerability seeped into his voice, "Yeah, it's... been a while." Adrian's smile grew wider as he playfully remarked, "You haven't changed a bit in the past 13 months."
Just as Nathaniel was about to respond, a sudden whizzing sound rushed past his hand, followed by the shattering of glass. Startled, he looked down to see the fragments of his Telespere strewn on the ground.
Confusion and anger welled up within him, "What's the meaning of this?" Adrian shrugged and replied dismissively, "Nothing."
"What are you up to?" Nathaniel pressed further, unable to comprehend Adrian's motives. 'Is he trying to isolate me from the others? But why is he destroying his own too?'
Yet, Adrian just smiled and immediately a sword made of ice materialized in his grasp, "Let's fight to the death, brother." A Magic Circle materialized behind him, unleashing a bolley of wind bullets towards Nathaniel.
—Pft!
The screen went blank once again, and he had a hunch that Adrian would die in the process. However, something didn't make sense. The book clearly stated that it would take one or more years for someone to harness the Sacred Orb's power before they could wield it. Yet, out of the blue, Adrian could instantly wield its power? How could this be possible? Was there something he missed? Something he didn't know?
Furthermore, considering the fact that Adrian had become an Endless, how could he possibly lose to his brother, a mere normal human? Or perhaps... Nathaniel used Chrono's Blessing to counteract Adrian's Sacred Orb's power?
"Huh?" But before he could delve deeper, his vision began to distort, and darkness swiftly enveloped everything.
.
.
.
In the dimly lit room, a black-haired boy sat on a cushioned chair beside a spacious bed. The bed held a white-haired boy, his body motionless, lost in unconsciousness. Dark circles hung beneath Nathaniel's closed eyes, evidence of the sleep he had been deprived of.
Three days had passed since their encounter with Hector, and they had returned to the Safonyx Castle. However, Adrian showed no signs of awakening, burdening Nathaniel's heart with an overwhelming sense of guilt. With a hand trembling, he reached out, his fingers intertwining with Adrian's, gripping tightly. "I'm sorry," Nathaniel whispered, his voice choked with remorse. "It's all my fault..." Nathaniel's eyes welled up with tears, tracing a path down his cheeks in silent anguish. If only he hadn't pursued Hector so recklessly, the war could have been averted, and Adrian would not have sacrificed himself. Nathaniel vowed to protect his brother, but now he realized that his actions only placed Adrian in danger. Wiping away the tears with his free hand, Nathaniel couldn't help but let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. Unlike his resilient little brother, Nathaniel had always been a crybaby. Somehow, the scene from the past, before he turned back in time, crossed his mind.
It happened when they were very young. At that time, Nathaniel discovered a new passageway from his chamber that led to the garden, so he excitedly invited Adrian to his Palace. On that day, Adrian was accompanied by Arthur.
As they traversed the secret passage, their journey was abruptly interrupted by his mother's anguished screams, followed by the shattering of glass. The heated argument between Lucia and Arthur reverberated through the narrow passageway, reaching their ears.
Sensing the tension, Adrian suggested they turn back, and he agreed. But just as they were about to leave, his mother uttered something so unbelievable that it shook his very core. Her words pierced his heart, leaving him questioning his very existence in this world.
Reacting instinctively, he bolted back to his chamber, collapsing onto his bed in tears. The memory of Adrian's gentle consolation was etched clearly in his mind, but it was marred by his cruel outburst, where he shouted hurtful things and claimed that Adrian didn't understand his feelings. Emotions overwhelmed him at that moment. Yet, his brother remained by his side, patiently waiting for his tears to subside.
Once his cries gradually diminished and he grew calmer, Adrian initiated a conversation. With a smile, Adrian recounted something that warmed his heart and he asked about its veracity. Adrian nodded in affirmation and extended his pinky finger, thus they forged a small promise between them.
The next day, he went to his mother's chamber to ask about what he had heard the previous day. However, the maids intercepted him, informing him that she was currently in a meeting with his grandfather.
He waited patiently, but as time seemed to stretch on eternity, he returned to his chamber and used the secret passageway that connected to his mother's chamber. Then, he overheard something he shouldn't have.
A resounding slap was heard, followed by his grandfather hurling venomous words at his mother. They engaged in a heated argument, reminiscent of her previous altercation with Arthur, and another slap resounded.
He silently wept there and couldn't help but long for Adrian's presence. However, his wish was short-lived, as his grandfather vowed to eliminate Adrian once and for all, sending a wave of panic and urgency through his veins.
Wasting no more time, he returned to his chamber and made his way to the stable. He requested a carriage to escort him to Adrian's Palace, but the driver refused, citing the need for his mother's permission. Driven by desperation, he hastily mounted an adult horse, only to suffer a severe injury that rendered him unconscious for days. Upon awakening, he discovered that Adrian was in critical condition and fell into a coma.
It was on that day that he swore to protect Adrian at all costs. Nonetheless, even in his first and second life, he had failed to fulfill that promise. He was… so ashamed of himself.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Nathaniel's voice trembled amidst his tears.
"Why are you crying? I'm not dead yet," a weak, throaty voice pierced Nathaniel's ears, causing his head to snap up in surprise.
There, before him, Adrian slowly regained consciousness. Overwhelmed with relief, Nathaniel's tears flowed uncontrollably. "Shut up, you... you motherfucker! I'm not crying!" Nathaniel exclaimed, hastily wiping away his tears.
Adrian couldn't help but be perplexed by his response. "Is that how you greet a person who just woke up from his coma?" His voice was filled with amusement.
"Fuck you!" Despite Nathaniel's defensive outburst, Adrian's lips curved into a smile, and he reached out to pat his brother's shoulder. He knew that his harsh words were a defense mechanism, masking his deep concern and worry for him.
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Fun trivia: Nathaniel loves to sneak out, lmao. If you re-read ch. 18 and ch. 75, you'll find out.
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