April 5, 2021
"She gave you your name?"
"Mom said I had to keep it a secret until I became an adult, but I know it’s okay to tell you. You’re on my side, after all."
The small hand clenched slightly. Cabelenus unconsciously tightened his arms around Mikael in response.
"...I think I understand now why your name is what it is."
"What’s wrong with my name?"
Mikael tilted his head in confusion, but no answer came. Cabelenus simply stared at the signature in the book.
"Uncle? So, what’s so strange about my name?"
"It’s a special name."
"Special? How?"
"Give me your hand."
Once again, instead of the answer he wanted, Mikael received a different response. But rather than argue, he obediently stretched out his hand. Cabelenus slowly traced letters onto Mikael’s palm.
"This is how your name is spelled, right?"
"Yeah. How did you know?"
"I just had a feeling."
"Oh, come on, that’s not an answer."
The Blanche Empire had always revered warriors, and it was common for surnames to be derived from the names of past heroes. The most famous of them all, the first hero, Sepnus, had become the origin of many noble family names. The surname Nus alone was one of the most widespread in the empire. However, before Sepnus was a hero, he had been the empire’s first emperor. The royal family wanted to use his name but also desired a distinction unique to themselves. That was why the spellings of imperial names differed from the standard language of the empire.
Cabelenus pressed his fingers against his temple, his thoughts growing more tangled.
"...I’ve received more than I ever expected."
"What did you receive?"
"The things most precious to me."
His gaze shifted from Mikael to Alicia. It was a familiar scene, but not quite the same as before.
"...I said I’d see it through to the end."
He knew there was no way to repay the dead. Death was final, and even the promise of watching over from the highest mountain of Schwarhan was meaningless. But just once, he wanted to believe that a final wish could be fulfilled. This time, he would never lose them again. This time, he would protect them perfectly, for all to see.
The way they had been wanted—exactly as they were.
"......."
That was when Alicia’s eyelids trembled.
"Alicia!"
Noticing her change in an instant, Cabelenus lunged toward the bed. The mattress dipped sharply under the sudden pressure of his weight. Alicia, jolted awake, blinked up at the mismatched eyes staring down at her in shock.
"Mom!"
"Are you alright? Are you in pain? Should I call a doctor?"
"......."
"Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you feeling worse?"
Before she could even speak, Cabelenus placed a hand on her forehead. Alicia, about to answer, sighed as a small body burrowed into her arms.
"...Mom, were you really worried?"
"Mommy... hic... waaaah...!"
"I’m sorry, my love."
Alicia held Mikael close, soothing him, and then turned to Cabelenus with a soft smile. He wasn’t crying, but his reddened eyes spoke volumes.
***
"The monsters have surrounded the fortress walls?"
"Yes. You succeeded."
Cabelenus spoke with a faint smile, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of Alicia’s hair behind her ear. Finally, Alicia let out a sigh of relief, covering her face with both hands.
"Thank goodness. I met them in my dreams, but it was just a dream, after all. I was afraid that once I woke up, none of it would have been real."
"That won’t happen."
"That’s a relief."
Nodding, Alicia moved to sit up. Cabelenus quickly reached out, wrapping an arm around her waist to support her.
"Don’t push yourself. You only just woke up."
"But the monsters are at the walls. I can’t just stay here. Everyone must be uneasy."
"I don’t raise soldiers who fear mere monsters."
"There are still things I need to say to them."
"......."
"I won’t overdo it."
Nothing could match the unwavering determination in her eyes. In the end, Cabelenus let out a deep breath and nodded.
"...Fine. But I’ll carry you myself."
"Mom! I want to come too!"
Just as Cabelenus was about to take off his coat, Mikael shouted.
"You’re staying here."
"No!"
The perceptive child quickly wrapped his arms around Alicia’s waist.
"I’ll be right back, Mikael. Stay here, okay?"
"But you’re going, Uncle!"
"You and I are different."
Cabelenus cut him off firmly and draped his coat over Alicia’s shoulders. The size difference between them was so vast that it swallowed up her frame without any effort.
"I’m not leaving Mom ever again."
"Mikael."
At the low warning in Cabelenus’s voice, Mikael instinctively flinched. But even so, his grip on Alicia didn’t loosen. Alicia raised her hand to stop Cabelenus and gently stroked Mikael’s head.
"Can’t you do this for me, sweetheart?"
"......."
"If you wait here, I’ll bring you some delicious cookies."
"I don’t want cookies anymore."
"Even if I bake them myself?"
"I love you more than cookies!"
Mikael’s eyes were stubbornly wide as he declared his stance.
"Mikael. Mommy is okay now."
"Liar! You always say you’re okay!"
"Mikael..."
"I’m going to protect you now! I’ll stay by your side so you won’t collapse again! I’ll protect you, Mom!"
Mikael shouted with all his might, but his eyes trembled. Alicia didn’t know what to say. At some point, tears had started streaming down his little cheeks.
"You don’t have to protect me, sweetheart."
"Why? Because I’m weak? Or because I—"
His eyes filled with unshed tears. He thought he was okay. But when he saw his mother, pale and unconscious, one memory had come rushing back.
"Never forget. If your mother is unhappy, it’s all because of you."
The cruel words still lingered in his mind.
"It’s just because you’re still small. That’s all."
Cabelenus placed his hand over Alicia’s. Mikael swallowed hard at the weight of both their hands on his head. Not all his memories were tainted with cruelty.
"I told you, protecting them is my responsibility."
"......."
"Children should act like children. That suits you best."
"I’m not /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ a kid."
"Throwing a tantrum because you don’t want to be apart from your mom makes you a kid."
"......."
Cabelenus flicked his thumb against Mikael’s forehead. Mikael puffed out his cheeks in frustration, glaring up at him, but said nothing more. In the end, he only jutted his lips out in a pout and buried himself in Alicia’s arms.
"I won’t follow you. But you have to come back quickly. Promise?"
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
"Yes. I’ll be back soon."
Alicia brushed a hand over Mikael’s tear-streaked face. No matter how much he tried to act mature, the soft, chubby cheeks were still those of a child.
***
"Be careful."
"I’ll be fine."
"I won’t, and that’s the problem."
Cabelenus spoke firmly, adjusting her coat once more. Alicia considered protesting but gave up, simply smiling instead. Though she could see how tightly he had wrapped the coat around her—determined to let not even a whisper of wind pass through—his eyes still restlessly searched for any missed gaps.
"If you feel the slightest strain, tell me immediately."
"Alright."
"If the monsters make any unreasonable demands, refuse them at once."
"Alright."
"And if anything—"
Cabelenus suddenly halted mid-step. A piercing wail rang through the air, sharp enough to make one's ears sting.
"It’s alright. They’re not trying to threaten us. They’re just excited."
"That’s their way of showing excitement?"
"Yes. They’re saying they’re happy to see me."
Even after Alicia’s explanation, the crease in Cabelenus’s brow did not smooth out. No matter how hard he listened, all he could hear was the savage howling of beasts.
"You trust me, don’t you?"
"...With words like that, I have no choice."
With a sigh, Cabelenus resumed walking. Alicia, still in his arms, gazed ahead at the mass of monsters waiting for them. The closer they drew, the louder their voices became.
[We have been waiting.]
[It’s more obvious up close.]
[You are broken.]
[Dangerous.]
"Wait...!"
As the distance between them rapidly closed, Alicia instinctively bit her lip. The voices, which had already been deafening, suddenly surged all at once, making her head spin.
"Are you alright?"
"I was just startled by all the voices speaking at once. I’m fine."
The moment Alicia exhaled shakily, the monsters’ voices quieted. Taking a deep breath, she looked at them. They seemed just as flustered by her reaction as she was.
"I know you don’t mean to harm me."
[We do not harm.]
[We cannot.]
[We are on your side.]
Their disjointed reassurances only made Alicia’s head throb more. Before they could overwhelm her again, she quickly spoke up.
"There are too many of you speaking at once. It’s hard for me to understand."
[Difficult?]
[Humans are weak.]
[We must be careful.]
It seemed they understood her words because the area soon fell into silence. Only then did Alicia finally exhale in relief, observing them. Despite their grotesque appearances, the eyes staring at her were filled with nothing but innocence.
"As you can see, I’m not in the best condition right now. If possible, could just one of you speak on behalf of the others?"
[One?]
"Hmm, I mean... one creature? One being?"
Alicia pulled her hand from the folds of her coat and held up a single finger. She wasn’t sure if they even understood numbers, but she didn’t have any better way to explain. The creatures tilted their heads in unison before one finally nodded.
[Understood. One. I will speak.]
From the mass of creatures, one stepped forward—noticeably larger than the others.
"And I’d like the rest of you to move back, please."
[Do you dislike us?]
"It’s not that. The others will feel threatened if you surround the fortress."
[We understand that as well.]
The lead monster nodded, and the rest of the creatures swiftly withdrew from the fortress walls. Their movements were so synchronized that they resembled a well-trained army.
"They’re obedient to an unnerving degree."
"That’s because they don’t mean any harm."
Alicia smiled slightly and tugged at the edge of Cabelenus’s coat. He did not bother hiding his distaste but still set her down without protest. As Alicia stepped forward at a steady, unhurried pace, the oversized coat trailed behind her, leaving a path in the snow.
"This is our first time meeting like this."
The large creature, which had remained still while she approached, nodded slowly. Even in that moment, it never took its eyes off her.
"I already felt it in my dreams, but you really are huge."
[Does that bother you?]
"Only because I have to crane my neck to look up at you."
[Then I will shrink. I do not like causing you discomfort.]
The moment the words left its mouth, the creature’s massive form began to shrink. In a short span of time, its once towering height had adjusted to match hers. Alicia blinked, struggling to process what had just happened.
"You can change your size at will?"
[There are no fixed rules. If we desire it, it happens.]
"...Then can you change your appearance, too?"
[If you wish it.]
"Then why have you always looked like this?"
The greatest reason monsters were feared was their horrifying appearance. Their grotesque forms were terrifying and naturally instilled fear. If they had looked different, perhaps they wouldn’t have been so reviled.
[The form does not matter. It is not real.]
"Not real?"
[You lost something. Because of that, we lost our true form.]
Alicia fell silent. She had seen the other form of the monsters before, hidden away in that secret chamber. Perhaps that was what they meant by their true form.
"Can you tell me more about that?"
[It is not difficult. But there is a problem.]
"What problem?"
The creature’s gaze darkened.
[Your vessel.]
"......."
[It is breaking. At this rate, it will not last much longer. Soon, it will shatter completely.]
