May 10, 2021
[You seem anxious.]
"It’s because we’re apart."
[There is no need to worry. He is strong. He will return soon.]
"I know he’s strong, but I still worry. In the end, he’s human."
[Do you really think of him as human?]
Alicia held her breath for a moment at the gaze fixed on her.
The beast’s golden eyes were the same color as Cabelenus’s, yet unlike his, they had a faded, antique glow—like an old relic long past its prime.
"...If he isn’t human, then what is he?"
[I was the one asking the question. Do you truly believe he is human?]
"Of course."
[Then that is all that matters.]
"That’s it?"
For something that had made her tense up so much, the answer was surprisingly simple.
Alicia unconsciously relaxed her shoulders, which had been stiff with anticipation.
[That is the most important thing.]
"Why is it important?"
[Thoughts become words. Words become actions. And actions turn thoughts into reality. You taught me that.]
"Sorry, but I have no idea what you mean."
[If you think it, then it will be so.]
"...I guess that’s a nice sentiment."
Even if I don’t quite understand it.
Alicia swallowed the last part of her thought and just smiled.
The more she spoke with Pelsi, the more she realized how difficult it was to understand him completely.
It was easier to change the subject rather than struggle to decipher his words.
"Hey, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask. Can I?"
[Ask anything you like.]
Pelsi nodded without hesitation.
He had never refused her requests.
"You once told me that you can’t leave Schwarhan. That it’s part of your punishment."
[That is true.]
"Then... does that mean you’ll always have to stay here?"
[I do not know.]
"You don’t know?"
[Our punishment was to remain here until you returned.]
"Then... hasn’t your punishment already ended?"
Alicia tilted her head.
[Yet we still cannot leave. The punishment continues.]
"Why? What’s keeping it from ending?"
[Because we are not meant to be forgiven. We are hated.]
"......."
[A sin of inaction is still a sin. We realized that too late.]
Pelsi’s ears and tail drooped low.
The beast truly regretted its past mistakes.
"There must be another reason."
[Another reason?]
"You told me that this being—this ‘existence’—was always kind to you, that they cherished you."
[.......]
"If they were really that kind, they wouldn’t have kept resenting you for this long."
[.......]
"Let’s find a way together. I’ll help you look."
Alicia carefully reached out and stroked Pelsi’s head.
The beast stared blankly at her before slowly pressing its cheek into her palm.
[You are kind. That is why I worry.]
"You’re worried?"
[You always think of others first. Humans have used you for that.]
Pelsi’s ears drooped again.
"I’m not the same person I was back then."
[I know. But I want you to remember—]
[You are the greatest. You are special. Something valuable must be treated as such in order to shine.]
"......."
[Did I say something wrong?]
"Huh...?"
[You are crying.]
A startled Pelsi began pacing in circles, clearly flustered.
It wasn’t until then that Alicia realized tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"No, no, it’s not that... it’s just, I feel... happy."
She hastily wiped her face before simply giving up and smiling.
At first, she had been confused, unsure why she was crying.
But now that she had put it into words, her heart was racing.
[If you are happy, why do you cry?]
"When you first said those things, it embarrassed me. But now, it feels... comforting."
[What is comforting about it?]
"I’ve been feeling so heavy inside."
Alicia let out a bitter laugh.
Her body wasn’t the only thing that was weak—her heart had grown fragile too.
She kept wanting to lean on Cabelenus.
But she knew all too well what happened when a relationship became too one-sided.
She couldn’t just depend on him completely.
[Why does your heart feel heavy?]
"No matter how much I try to think positively, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve become a burden."
[You are not a burden.]
Pelsi responded immediately, almost indignantly.
But Alicia didn’t answer.
Because deep down, she knew better than anyone that she was useless.
If it weren’t for her, Cabelenus wouldn’t have had to take such a dangerous risk by sneaking into the temple.
"...I didn’t stop him. Even though I knew he was putting himself in danger just to save me. Because... I wanted to live, even if it was selfish."
[It is not selfish. That is what he wanted as well.]
"Even so, it doesn’t sit right with me."
She didn’t want to leave everything to Cabelenus.
If only she had the strength to do something—anything—on her own.
She wanted to protect him, just as he had protected her.
"Of course, that doesn’t mean anything will change just because I feel this way."
Alicia bit down on her lower lip.
She wanted to do something. Anything.
But no one knew better than she did that she couldn’t.
Even if she weren’t sick, she was powerless.
Rather than throwing herself into things recklessly, the smarter choice was to wait somewhere safe under Cabelenus’s protection.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
[Do not be sad.]
"I’m not sad... I just feel regretful."
She wasn’t the only one who wanted to protect him.
Alicia traced a slow arc on the windowpane with her fingertip.
Even though she was staring outside, all she could see was the endless expanse of snow stretching into the horizon.
But despite knowing that, she often found herself gazing out from Cabelenus’s room.
"...I wish I were strong too."
[You are strong enough.]
"He told me the same thing, but honestly, I don’t know. I don’t feel strong at all."
[Strange. You are generous with others, yet harsh on yourself. Your standards are severe.]
"I’m just stating facts."
Alicia shook her head firmly.
[Strength is not only what can be seen. There are far greater strengths in this world. And you possess them.]
"......."
[Yet, you refuse to acknowledge your own strength. That is why, though it belongs to you, you cannot use it.]
"You’re just seeing me in a better light than I deserve—"
[I told you. Something valuable must be treated as such in order to shine.]
"...When you say things like that, it makes me feel like I really am special."
[It is not a matter of ‘feeling like it.’ You truly are special.]
Pelsi’s reply came without hesitation, full of unwavering certainty.
Alicia swallowed back the emotions rising in her throat and wrapped her arms around herself as if trying to hold herself together.
"I’ve always hated that about myself... My so-called ‘specialness.’ I just wanted to live an ordinary life."
[Why?]
"Because I thought my misfortune came from it."
[It was never your fault.]
At that, a small smile tugged at Alicia’s lips.
She had heard those words before—spoken by a man she remembered all too well.
"...You’re right. It’s not my fault. And being special isn’t a crime either."
Gently, she stroked the beast’s face, the same golden eyes staring back at her, so similar to the ones she remembered.
"To be honest, I never wanted to just sit and wait like this."
[I know. You have felt that way from the start.]
"If I could, I would have gone with him. I don’t want to leave him alone."
[If you wish for it, then do it.]
"I can’t. Just because you want something doesn’t mean you can do it."
[Is that so...]
Pelsi murmured, his voice subdued.
"But... that doesn’t mean I have to do nothing, either."
[You mean...?]
Pelsi’s tail, which had been drooping, suddenly perked up and swayed lightly.
"I won’t just sit here and wait. I’ll do what I can."
Alicia wiped away her tears and straightened her back.
Now that she had made up her mind, her eyes no longer wavered.
***
"This smell... I still can’t get used to it."
Cabelenus grimaced but kept moving swiftly.
By now, the other temple knights would have discovered the corpses and begun their pursuit.
There was also a high chance that Jerpeneus had gotten involved due to the commotion at the temple.
The best approach was to complete his objective quickly and slip away while Hermann and Jerpeneus were too busy dealing with each other.
"I’m close now, but I still don’t see anything... Strange."
His golden eyes narrowed, glowing like a predator’s in the darkness, scanning for his target.
"Either they’re being extremely cautious, or they’re restrained and unable to move. In a place like this, the latter seems more likely."
Without slowing his pace, Cabelenus assessed his surroundings.
The pitch-black darkness mixed with the low howls of lurking beasts, creating an eerie atmosphere.
But that wasn’t what was bothering him.
"...This place feels oddly familiar."
It was unsettling.
Perhaps it was because of the overpowering stench of the creatures, or maybe it was the instinctive pull of similar blood, as Pelsi had described.
Either way, he couldn’t shake the strange sense of déjà vu.
He was certain he had never been here before, yet it felt like he had.
"I hope it’s just my imagination..."
Cabelenus rubbed the back of his stiff neck.
Familiarity should have brought comfort, yet being here only made his body feel heavier.
It was as if the humid air brushing against his skin carried the sensation of insects crawling all over him.
And in his experience, whenever he felt this way, something bad always happened.
Still, turning back was never an option.
The repulsive stench filling the air was unmistakably from a living beast.
A dead monster no longer emitted a scent.
And since living beasts couldn’t leave Schwarhan, the only thing that could carry this smell here... was Prime.
He knew this, and yet he still hesitated for a fraction of a second.
But Alicia needed Prime to survive.
"I cannot afford a mistake. This has to end here."
Hermann was just as skilled as Jerpeneus when it came to cutting loose ends.
Now that the temple had been disturbed, there was no guarantee it would remain intact for long.
If he missed this opportunity, it would take a long time to track Prime down again—time that Alicia didn’t have.
He knew that all too well.
And so, even though it meant risking everything, he had come to the capital.
Then, all at once—
Cabelenus’s silent, swift footsteps halted.
A faint presence.
There was someone at the end of the underground passage.
Cabelenus’s fingers instinctively brushed the hilt of his sword, confirming its position.
It wasn’t just one person.
There were multiple figures ahead.
Lowering his footsteps even further, he advanced carefully.
Even from a distance, he could make out their silhouettes.
They weren’t ordinary people.
The rounded edges of their armor marked them unmistakably as temple knights.
Hermann, always quick-witted, had already taken action.
"That snake moves fast."
Clicking his tongue, Cabelenus drew his sword without hesitation.
The knights’ skill levels were predictable.
Their numbers weren’t overwhelming.
Clearing them out wouldn’t be difficult.
That is... if it weren’t for that.
Clang—!
For the first time, Cabelenus’s sword wavered.
The hesitation lasted less than a heartbeat.
But that moment was all his enemies needed.
In an instant, their blades surged ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) toward him.
