CH 59

‘These beasts are under the influence of magic. They won’t eat me, because they are on the side of witches. From the beginning, this sea was not a threat to me. Rather, they helped me because I…’

Rosen stretched out her hand and murmured a spell she had known for a long time.

“One blood.”

‘The blood of Hindley Haworth.’

“One wish.”

‘The wish I made in front of the cake Ian Kerner gave me.’

-Give me strength, Walpurg.

“Some magic… ”

‘I have satisfied both conditions. I don’t know if I’ve ever used magic, but anyway, I’ve already become a witch. That’s why this beast followed me.’

‘I can escape.’

‘I can meet Emily.’

‘I can go to Walpurgis Island.’

Hope welled up. She didn’t know where it had been hiding all this time.

Rosen was on the verge of tears.

She pulled tight the chains that bound her hands. She thought of Emily, who seemed weak but always helped her at decisive moments.

-What was the first spell that Emily cast after becoming a witch?

-…I made a cake.

-That’s really boring.

-Rosen, the first spell is always boring.

Even an escaped prisoner needs trivial magic. 

She didn’t need anything fancy. Simply unlocking chains and prison doors was fine. She murmured, staring at her hands, which were still cold and damp.

“Please let me do something good, even if it’s small. I don’t want to give up like this. Somehow I… ”

Rosen clenched her fists and murmured, as if praying. She didn’t know if it was for Walpurg or for herself.

“Please.”

The chains vibrated. Surprised, her eyes burst open. The marine beast growled beside her as if encouraging her. She gritted her teeth and tried to focus on breaking the chains. She didn’t know exactly how to use magic, but she could do better than this if the chain could be moved just because she desperately wanted it.

She was confident that she would not lose to anyone in desperation.

“Please.”

At that moment, the chain broke with a thud. 

Her hands were free.

Rosen froze for a moment, unable to believe what she had accomplished, but then she started bouncing in excitement. Her hands didn’t glow blue like Emily’s, and it wasn’t a monumental spell, but it was definitely magic.

It was magic she cast.

She unchained herself.

She was a witch.

“Maria, did you see that?”

“…Yes, I saw.”

“I’m a witch! A witch! You’ve been saying that I am a witch all this time! I was actually a real witch! I can use magic!”

Rosen thought she knew why witches danced and celebrated on Walpurgis Night. Being able to use magic was such a wonderful thing. She kicked the chain that fell to the floor and jumped up from her seat.

She grabbed the beast and held it in her arms. She figured out who had sent this ugly beast to her. The dream in which Emily appeared was not meaningless. Emily was really alive. 

Emily, who arrived safely on Walpurgis Island, came to save her after 8 years.

‘To take me to Walpurgis Island.’

“Emily sent it. Now I’m going to the witches’ island! I can really run away!”

The beast in her arms made a squeak and jumped through the bars, winking as if directing her. She courageously wiped away the tears from her face and reached for the prison lock.

She paused. Maria was looking at her. She thought that she should release Maria’s chains and leave together, but Maria shook her head as if she had read Rosen’s thoughts.

“Walker, don’t waste your energy.”

“I can’t go alone. Let me break your chains and open the door.”

“No. You go alone.”

“If you get caught like this and go to Monte Island, you’ll die. I will-”

It wasn’t that she was pretending to be nice. She could not have escaped Al Capez without Maria’s help. This was the bare minimum of loyalty and courtesy of one human to another. But Maria adamantly refused.

“I’m going to Monte Island.”

“Maria, are you crazy? Everyone dies there. No one can survive… ”

“Then I must be the first.”

“…”

“I’ve been in prison all my life. I ruled and lived as a king. You want me to get out now? That’s funny.”

Maria laughed heartily. In the face of that maddening noise, Rosen realized that the honor of being the witch of Al Capez was too much for her. No matter how she thought about it, it was the title Maria should have. Maria grinned in the dark, and she spoke again.

“I don’t know what you think, but I liked you quite a bit, Walker. Do you know why?”

“… Because I am a prisoner?”

“No, because you’re a f*cking liar like me and a really mean b!tch.”

“Is that a curse or a compliment?”

“Rosen Walker. Listen carefully. When I become a good b!tch, I will go to heaven. But I won’t. Bad b!tches like me… I’m not going anywhere.”

“…”

“Do you want to go to heaven after you die?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Then don’t look back. Stunning from behind and running away is your speciality. Go where you want to go.”

It was only then that she realized what Maria was trying to say and smiled mischievously. She was right. 

They had thrown away their ticket to Heaven and jumped into the fires of Hell. That’s why they were here.

She took a deep breath and reached for the lock again.

The iron door opened with a rattling sound. A tall shadow entered the solitary cell. The beast hid in the shadows like a frightened cat. She held her breath.

***

“Rosen Walker, come out.”

Henry was standing in front of her. Rosen hurriedly hid her unchained hands behind her back, but Henry seemed too distracted to notice. He breathed heavily as if he had been running, and was constantly looking around.

Rosen stared blankly at him as he removed a key from his belt and unlocked the prison door.

“Walker, follow me quickly.”

“…Why are you releasing me all of a sudden?”

“You need to see Sir Kerner.”

Henry didn’t explain further. He grabbed her hand and pulled her.

“Where are we going? His cabin?”

“I told you. To our proud Commander who fell in love with you.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know either! Don’t ask! No time! Let’s hurry.”

Henry turned away and pulled her. The marine beast crept out and followed them, watching Henry. Rosen didn’t know why, but she followed where he led her and asked again.

“Are you proud of this?”

“Wouldn’t that be an honorable thing? People kept me locked up the whole time, saying I must be possessed by a witch too. I barely managed to open the door and get you.”

He laughed and whispered. Rosen squeezed his hand and climbed the stairs, lowering her head to walk through the still-steamy engine room door. The sound of the spinning gears drowned out all the other sounds around them, and when they reached a place where they could barely hear their own thoughts, Henry spoke normally.

“Walker. Go through that door, and you’ll find the engine room. The heart of a ship is its engine.”

“…”

“That’s where Sir Kerner is. Meet and kiss one last time or talk, whatever you want. He wants to see you.”

Rosen didn’t have to ask Henry why he got her out of prison. She could have gotten out without his help.

“Why did you do this…?”

But she did ask. It was because Henry was crying while looking at her. Henry didn’t answer, but hung his head low with his hands in his pockets.

“Walker, you are a famous prison escapee.”

“Right.”

“If I let you go like this, can you run away from here too?”

“…”

“…Will you run away? Do you want me to let you go?”

Rosen laughed. It was funny to see a large man with a weak voice looking at her with tears in his eyes.

“Why do you say that?”

“You saved Layla. I have to pay for her life with yours.”

“Did you get permission from Ian Kerner? Letting go is second, at least taking me to Sir Kerner.”

“No, but…”

“You really think Ian Kerner will let me do this? Is your boss the kind of person who will abandon his mission because of personal feelings?”

“No. He’s just been shaken for a moment. Still… ”

Henry knew Ian better than Rosen did. He muttered to himself, then shook his head. He asked.

“…Walker. Does everyone really die when they go to the island?”

“Perhaps. Unless you’re a prisoner as strong as Maria.”

“You’re a hell of a prisoner, too.”

“I’m a bit different.”