CH 26

Chapter 26: The Season of Blooming Flowers

Entangled and restless spirits rushed toward each other, screaming in agony. It was as if they had been waiting only for this dawn to unleash their anger.

Now, all that remained was the instinct to vent their emotions, with no clear target in sight.

It was a chaotic feast of devouring and being devoured.

At the center of it all was a blue flame, wildly pouring out its own emotions.

The figure of the girl had already disappeared, replaced solely by the sight of flames sweeping through the spirits over and over again.

"..."

The spectacle that seemed like it would continue indefinitely was slowly starting to show its end.

"The dawn is approaching."

The sunlight, preparing to extend its head beyond the mountain range, couldn't hide its grandeur and brilliantly illuminated the sky.

Though the light had not yet reached the earth, I knew it would soon.

I could only close my eyes and hope that their hearts would be relieved… even if slightly.

The day was beginning to be bright, calming down the excitement that had risen.

I settled my body, which became disheveled in the chaos.

The festival cannot continue forever. It's time to tidy up the cluttered surroundings.

"[Dieeee!]"

"[I curse you! I curse you to the end!]"

"[Kiiieeeeek!]"

The spirits, still unwilling to give up, continued to thrash about, but Emily's flames suppressed them.

A circular shape peeked beyond the mountain range.

As the sunlight gradually began to reach the ground, the spirits around, held back by the Gocheolsang crew members, began to retreat first.

When the warm light touched the cemetery, those who were excitedly throwing a fit gradually came to a stop.

Now that the morning sun had risen, it was time to sleep.

"I understand. Your grudges and grievances won't be resolved anytime soon."

But now you will realize.

It's something that can't be undone.

Revenge is exhilarating and thrilling, but you can't go back to the past.

Because.

You're all dead.

"You tore each other apart, thrashed each other, and struggled so hard. But in the end, there's nothing left."

The ones who were crazed and rampaging slowly turned their heads toward me. They had complex emotions towards the one who created today's time.

"So now, I hope you will embrace the truth and fall asleep."

Without saying a word, they slowly started to disappear, closing their eyes.

Even their feelings for me were something they had to carry in their arms.

"Please, I only wish for you to find eternal peace."

They vanished as if blurring.

Slowly, they all began to sink into the deep sleep they should have experienced long ago.

"[...Thank you.]"

Remaining rational until the end, ultimately achieving all revenge but gaining nothing in return… Emily could only bid farewell to me, who responded with a smile.

Normally, my nose would sting in the morning’s cold air, but today, the scent of blossoms that bloomed early greeted me.

February is known as the time when the cold of the north cannot cross the high mountain range and remains trapped.

But the lingering cold starts to melt naturally as the days become warmer.

It melts in such a way that the frozen cold instantly disappears, and the temperature starts to rise rapidly. 

From now on, it was the busiest time in North Whedon.

"Spring has come."

The cold is melting away.

Even in North Whedon, the time for flowers to bloom has arrived.

For a girl who loves flowers, it was a suitable time to fall asleep with a smile.

***

"Huff! Huff!"

The dean had never liked the Northern region. It wasn't because of any specific bad memories or anything like that.

He simply tended to dislike cold places.

And mountains?

Contrary to his bear-like appearance, he despised mountain climbing.

"Huff! Huff!"

Watching the dean, who was opening his mouth wide and exhaling as if he were about to vomit, Professor Karen, who had accompanied him, frowned and made a sarcastic remark.

"You should exercise. You have abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes, right? Especially judging from how you eat, you consume a lot of salty food."

"..."

Glancing at Karen, the dean responded with a scowl.

"So, you really were a health professor?"

"Well, what did you think?"

"Ahem."

Until now, she hadn't shown such a side, so the dean had considered her nothing more than a mere mercenary.

"But I can barely patch up wounds with a bandage. So, don't come looking for me if you ever collapse."

Karen, grumbling, stuck her hands deep into her coat pockets. 

As they crossed the mountain, the city of North Whedon came into view.

The two of them kept moving their feet, finding solace in the sight of their destination, and eventually managed to arrive before sunset.

“Hey, are you tourists?”

A robust man with a hefty build stood like a wanderer at the entrance of North Whedon and, upon spotting the two, ran towards them.

"No need for a guide."

Karen gestured for the man to go away, wondering if tourists were coming to a remote rural area like North Whedon. But the man chuckled.

"We don't charge. We're helpers who assist people separately, paid by the lord."

"Helpers?"

As the dean wiped away sweat with a handkerchief and asked, the man nodded vigorously.

"Yes, so you don't have to worry. If you're really uncomfortable, I can just tell you the location and let you go."

Upon hearing that, Karen opened her mouth.

"Where is the Verdi family?"

"Hmm? You're a guest of the Count? But why didn't you use the carriage road?"

“Eh, the carriage road?”

They purposely walked because carriages couldn't cross the mountain path, so they wondered what the man was talking about.

The man laughed heartily and continued explaining.

"There's a separate carriage road in the back. You do have to take a detour around the mountain path, but it's much faster than crossing the mountain. If you're from nearby, you must know all about it, right?"

“… … Our coachman said this is his first trip.”

"Oh, I see. You've been through a lot."

Being a member of the Academy, Karen was naturally unaware of hidden paths in North Whedon. In a hurry, without considering the surroundings, they crossed over directly.

Karen had no issues, but the dean was in a pitiful state, resenting the world.

"Let's go for now. There's still some distance to cover."

Upon hearing that they had to walk further, the dean let out a sigh as if deflating, but Karen pretended not to notice and followed behind the ‘helper’.

The city was quite bustling. When one thinks of the northern region, one tends to imagine a cold and quiet city, but North Whedon was quite lively. People rubbing shoulders and the friction between them seemed to even ward off the cold.

And Just like this man, there were other ‘helpers’ wandering around and assisting the citizens in various places.

‘It's fascinating.’

The snow-covered scenery was beautiful, but for those living within it, there was nothing more inconvenient. But even without considering the challenging environment, this city was filled with vitality.

"Well, here we are."

"Huff! Huff! I almost died."

"Take a moment to catch your breath before going in. If you go in like that, you'll only invite ridicule."

"Y-yeah. Right."

"I'll take my leave now."

The dean caught his breath in front of the mansion, while the man left without accepting any money. Karen offered to give him a tip, but he refused, saying he couldn't accept anything.

As Karen watched him leave, she spoke to the dean.

"That man, he's from the Republic."

"What?"

The dean, wiping his forehead once again with a soaked handkerchief, looked at the path where the man had walked with a bewildered expression.

"And not just that. All seven people who greeted us as the man passed by were from the Republic."

"C-Clark Republic? You mean immigrants?"

"Yes."

Their distinct accent and unique scent hadn't faded yet. They must have recently settled in North Whedon.

"Hmm."

A disciplined body, natural reluctance to reveal his name, quick wit…

"Resistance, perhaps."

Given the number of rebel groups in the Clark Republic, he could be one of them.

"Tsk."

Furthermore, Karen, who had received a request from the Republic during her mercenary days and subdued the resistance, felt an uncomfortable taste in her mouth for no reason as she turned her body towards the mansion.

"Let's go inside. We need to return quickly."

"Yes, that's right."

The dean, who had been half-sitting, also gathered strength and stood up.

It was already March. The Roberen Academy had started its new term, but the evil spirits were still causing trouble.

Although they had asked several priests to assist, it was uncertain if it would have any effect.

They entered the mansion and were guided by the servants.

Meeting Deus turned out to be surprisingly straightforward. It seemed like they were prepared, as the dean and Karen were immediately guided to Deus' office. 

The door swung open, revealing a sight that immediately caught their attention: a magnificent red carpet extending all the way to an imposing desk.

Beside the desk stood an intimidating burly man, and on the opposite side stood a petite black-haired woman with her arms crossed.

It was Darius Verdi and Deia Verdi.

And sitting in a large chair, casually crossing his legs, was a black-haired man glancing at them.

Deus Verdi opened his mouth as he investigated them with his eyes.

"Long time no see."

The moment Karen saw that she was certain. They had already been informed of their arrival.

Since when?

‘It must have been those helpers.’

The colleagues who had greeted their guide several times during their passage must have been the ones to let Deus know that they had arrived at the mansion.

The guide might have purposefully chosen a longer route, ensuring the information reached Deus before they arrived.

Karen could already feel a headache coming.

It seemed that the negotiation to rehire Deus Verdi…

…would not be easy at all.