April 15, 2021
"I’ve actually been thinking about something ever since I found the writings in the hidden room."
"Thinking about what?"
"One or two coincidences might be just that—coincidences. But when small coincidences start piling up, it stops being a coincidence."
Alicia's gaze sharpened. When she connected the troubling details, an entirely new story emerged.
"I think Schwarhan might be the paradise from which the Prime was exiled."
"But the writings you interpreted said it was a land of abundance—free from cold and hunger."
"The monster said so itself. That the Prime was banished from this place. Isn't that right?"
As Alicia turned her gaze, the monster nodded in response. It was a short, simple motion, but it was enough to give her courage.
"Even so, a frozen wasteland hardly fits the description of paradise."
"It could have changed."
"Changed?"
"Even if it wasn’t intentional, the Prime was the one who killed the true god, wasn’t he?"
Alicia unconsciously ran her fingers over her arm. Just recalling the words etched into the wall sent shivers down her spine. The overwhelming hatred, guilt, and fury—the emotions woven into those words were enough to stir something deep inside her.
"Do you remember Schwarhan’s epithet?"
"The Land Abandoned by God?"
Cabelenus furrowed his brow slightly. Alicia smoothed out the wrinkles on his forehead with her palm, shaking her head.
"Not that one. There’s another."
"The Land Untouched by God’s Blessing?"
Gajev, who had been silently listening to the conversation, interjected.
"That’s right. You told me about it before."
"Then are you saying paradise disappeared because God disappeared?"
"We need to hear more from the monster, but piecing together what we know so far, that seems likely."
Alicia glanced at the monster, concerned that she might be mistaken. But the creature remained silent. That meant she was right.
"Then, if the god returns, could the frozen land thaw?"
Gajev, lost in thought, raised a hand slightly. His cheeks were faintly flushed with excitement.
"That might be possible, but we don’t have the luxury to focus on that right now."
Cabelenus shook his head firmly. The thought of Schwarhan’s ice melting was appealing, but there were more pressing matters at hand.
"Don’t be so cold to him. Even if it’s not possible now, if the opportunity arises later—"
[That’s impossible.]
The monster, standing beside them, bit the edge of Alicia’s sleeve and shook its head. It was a firm rejection.
"Impossible?"
[The day he was exiled, he took you.]
"What do you mean, ‘took me’?"
[...]
For a brief moment, the monster’s luminous pupils wavered. Alicia tilted her head at the creature’s raised tail.
"Why?"
[It might be possible.]
"Possible? What is?"
[Fixing your vessel.]
"...What?"
Alicia doubted her own ears for a moment.
"What did you just say? Did you just say my vessel can be fixed?"
[I don’t know if it’s possible. But there is a chance.]
"Then tell me. Please."
Alicia took a deep breath and locked eyes with the monster. It slowly exhaled against the back of her hand, its cold nose brushing her skin.
[He might know how.]
"By ‘he’... you mean the Prime?"
[You disappeared, and he was exiled. But before leaving, he made us a promise.]
"A promise?"
Alicia instinctively fidgeted with her hands. The beast’s breath against her fingers tickled slightly.
[He said he would return you.]
"What does that mean?"
[I don’t know. But he clearly knew something. The proof is that you, who had disappeared, reappeared.]
"......."
[If he was the one who returned you, then he must know the way.]
The answer was vague, but even that uncertainty felt like a lifeline. Alicia clenched her fists, determination flashing in her eyes.
"Then, where can I find the Prime?"
[I don’t know. We’ve been here too long. We don’t know the outside world anymore.]
"Then..."
"What's wrong? Is there a problem? Is... fixing you an issue?"
Cabelenus, who had been anxiously waiting for the conversation to end, finally lost his patience and lowered himself beside her. No matter how hard he listened, he couldn’t understand the monster’s words without Alicia interpreting them.
"Can we find the ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) Prime?"
"The Prime?"
"The Prime might know how to fix me."
"Then we’ll find him."
The answer came without hesitation. It was far too confident, as if he were talking about tracking down a neighbor’s missing dog.
"Have you ever met the Prime before?"
"Of course not. I’ve only ever heard of him as a myth—I’ve never actually seen him."
"Then..."
"That doesn’t matter. Whether we can find him or not isn’t the issue. We have to find him."
Cabelenus straightened his back. He had never once lost sight of a prey he set his eyes on. Now that his path was clear, there was no reason to hesitate any longer.
"But—"
[It’s fine. You can find him.]
"You can? Is there a way to track him down?"
[I can’t. But he can.]
The monster’s unwavering gaze shifted from Alicia to Cabelenus. Alicia followed suit, looking at the man beside her.
[He carries the same blood.]
"......."
[Blood calls to blood. It’s instinct. If he seeks, he will find.]
The meaning of those words settled heavily in Alicia’s mind.
"The monster seems to be talking about you," she said, turning to Cabelenus.
The man, quick-witted as ever, stepped forward.
"It says... you might be able to find the Prime."
"Me?"
"You carry the Prime’s blood. If anyone can find him, it’s you."
"I don’t know about instinct, but I do smell something foul," Cabelenus muttered, scrunching his nose.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Cabelenus scowled at the monster, wrinkling his nose. Though it mimicked Rex’s appearance, it couldn’t mask the distinct stench that clung to it—like stagnant, rotting water left undisturbed for years.
"Smell? What smell?"
"You really don’t smell anything on the monster?"
"I don’t smell anything at all."
"Neither do I."
Cabelenus’s lips twisted slightly.
"Judging by the fact that neither of you can smell it, it must be something only I can perceive."
[It is the scent of sin.]
"The scent of sin?"
[A brand imprinted upon the guilty. We smell the same scent on him.]
"But the one who sinned was the Prime, wasn’t it?"
Alicia frowned.
[We knew what he would do, yet we let it happen. He wasn’t the only one who resented humans.]
"......."
The beast lowered its head as if repenting. Alicia hesitated, her expression troubled. The ears that had been perked up to catch every word now drooped low, and its tail hung limp.
[I do not ask for forgiveness. But this time, I will not make the same mistake. We have lost everything. We do not want to see it happen again.]
I don’t want to lose you too.
The monster’s posture was so dejected that Alicia hesitated before gently resting her hand on its head.
"I’m not the god you remember, so I have no right to offer forgiveness. That’s not my place."
[...]
"But personally, I’m grateful to you. You have no idea how much reassurance you bring me."
A faint smile crossed Alicia’s lips. She still didn’t fully understand the creature, but one thing was clear—it was on her side. No matter what she asked, it answered sincerely, always trying to help her understand. If nothing else, she could at least offer it a small bit of comfort.
***
"Are you really okay with me leaving?"
"It’s fine. You’ll be back soon, and the monster promised to protect me, remember?"
"......."
Cabelenus gazed at Alicia intently. Even though he knew he wasn’t in a position to stay by her side, seeing her face made him want to.
"You look more anxious than I do."
"You’re right. I am the one who’s more anxious."
Cabelenus pulled her into his arms.
"I’ll be waiting, so don’t worry and go."
"That’s not a very comforting thing to say."
"Hmm? Why not?"
"You’ve already waited long enough. I shouldn’t make you wait any longer."
"Then should we go together?"
Alicia leaned her face against his chest, deliberately joking.
"If I could, I would."
His rough hands gripped her waist and back firmly, as if to keep her in place. Even though she had recovered slightly, her condition was still far from ideal. Traveling far in her current state was out of the question.
"Schwarhan is the safest place for me."
"I know."
Cabelenus muttered the words almost helplessly. Schwarhan was an impenetrable fortress. Its thick walls, well-trained soldiers, and even the monsters that roamed its lands would protect Alicia. He understood that logically. But reason didn’t ease his nerves. He didn’t want to be apart from her, not even for a moment.
"Hey... shall we take a trip someday?"
"...A trip?"
"Mikael always wanted to see the ocean."
"......."
"When this is all over, let’s go see the sea together. Just the three of us, as a family."
Family.
At that word, something lodged itself in Cabelenus’s throat. It felt as though he’d stuffed his mouth full of dry biscuits, leaving his tongue stinging. Yet, the sensation wasn’t entirely unpleasant. In fact, it felt... warm, like a gentle ember nestled within him.
"...Alright. Let’s do that. The three of us will go together."
Alicia slowly stroked his back. The muscles, hardened from years of wielding a sword, felt strong—solid, unlike her own. It was impressive, really. But she couldn’t simply admire it like others did.
She knew all too well how much blood had been shed to forge that body.
"You have to come back soon, okay? Because I’ll miss you a lot."
"......."
"You’re not going to answer me?"
"...I’ll miss you too."
Very much.
Cabelenus murmured the words, his head sinking into the warmth of her embrace.
***
[The child’s vessel is fine.]
"...Are you sure?"
[It is because of the mixed blood. The same thing will not happen to him.]
"That’s a relief."
Alicia gently cupped Mikael’s cheek. His soft hair, like the finest brush, slipped between her fingers, so smooth that she kept running her hand through it.
[Do you... dislike power?]
"Honestly, I never liked it."
[Why not?]
The monster tilted its head.
"Because of this power, I’ve had to endure terrible things."
[I see.]
"You do?"
[You lost everything. You were denied any chance to bask in glory.]
The monster rested its chin on the bed, gazing up at Alicia.
She was different now. The presence she once exuded was gone. A normal person wouldn’t be able to guess her true nature. But power like hers couldn’t be hidden forever.
[Your life must not have been easy.]
Alicia’s power was pure in a way that stirred human instincts. Even if they didn’t understand what she was, people subconsciously sensed that she was different.
And difference was often mistaken for something wrong.
