Chapter 478
Eeeek!
Viviana, who was steeping tea leaves, turned her head toward the window. She had heard the sound of the carriage arriving. The long-awaited, precious guests from the far end of Bariel! Viviana wrapped an arm around her daughter Vivi’s shoulder and gestured for her to come along.
Throwing open the door, their eyes met those of a radiant blonde woman—the dear friend Viviana had been forced to send away in such a hurry ten years ago. Overwhelmed with joy, Viviana couldn’t help but let out a scream.
“Madam!”
“Viviana!”
“My goodness, it’s been so long! You must have had a hard journey. Somehow, you haven’t changed a bit. I’m the only one aging, it seems.”
“Viviana, you’re just the same. The mansion too—nothing’s changed from what I remember. It’s wonderful.”
“Nersarn! Please, come in. Oh my, so this is Roel. Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Viviana.”
“Thank you for your warm welcome, madam.”
When Viviana greeted her, Roel responded politely and formally. They said she was an Ian woman, but it wasn’t just about looks—the whole aura was a perfect match.
Unable to hold back her smile, Viviana brought her daughter Vivi over to Roel. It was their first meeting. Vivi blushed deeply, shyly hunching her shoulders.
Philia waved her hands helplessly, unsure what to do.
“That little baby has grown up so much! I’m so proud and amazed. Nice to meet you, Vivi. I’m Philia.”
“Ah, hello!”
“This is my daughter Roel. She’s a year younger than Vivi. I always hoped they’d meet someday, and today that wish came true.”
Vivi smiled brightly and reached out her hand to Roel. Though it was their first encounter, the long stories their parents had told them over many nights, and the letters they’d exchanged, had already built a strong bond.
Roel noticed Vivi’s eyes sparkling a little too much and glanced discreetly at Philia and Nersarn. Given the atmosphere, they couldn’t help but shake hands.
“…Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, Roel!”
As Vivi leaned in to greet Roel with a cheek kiss, Roel firmly raised her hand to block it.
“I’m not used to the imperial greeting.”
“Oh! Sorry, sorry! Want to come inside? I’ll show you around. My room’s on this floor. While you’re here, you can sleep in my room. Do you like books? Paintings? Oh, I have a collection of flower petals—want to go see them?”
Vivi bounced excitedly, grabbing Roel’s hand and pulling her along. Roel sent a silent plea for help to her mother and father, but both were too busy laughing and chatting with Viviana to notice.
‘Sigh, guess I have no choice.’
As Vivi dragged her along, Roel’s eyes caught sight of something—a flash of red hair.
“Ah.”
Though she’d never seen it before, she recognized it instantly. The wild, tangled hair; the unpleasant glare; the smirking mouth; and the scars covering the skin.
“…Uncle Beric?”
“Uncle Beric?! Where, where?”
Beric was entering the mansion alongside Romandro. More precisely, Romandro was pushing Beric, who was stubbornly resisting.
“Ah, seriously, what’s your problem? I’m busy.”
“Does it matter if I’m an hour or two late?”
“Of course it does! Romandro can’t go far because his legs are short, but I have long legs—I can pass three villages in a couple of hours!”
“You? You’re just playing around! Your speed’s from magic, not leg length. Oh, looks like we’ve arrived. Hey!”
Romandro grabbed Beric’s collar tightly, waving his hand. Roel thought the scene looked familiar—it was exactly like Vivi’s behavior.
‘That must be Romandro.’
“Ah! Paa!”
When Vivi ran over, Philia and Nersarn also turned toward Romandro. It had truly been a long time. Romandro and Beric hadn’t changed a bit. Philia felt tears welling up unexpectedly. In that brief moment, memories of the hardships they’d shared ten years ago flooded back.
While Romandro and Philia embraced, sharing their joy at the reunion, Beric scratched his head and frowned.
“Romandro! How have you been? I hope you’re well.”
“Oh, madam, what’s there to say?”
“Exactly. No need to say anything. You’ve gained weight.”
“I haven’t!”
“Beric, you’ve grown so tall. But you’re still the same. I’m so glad to see you. How have you been? Come here, let me hold your hand.”
Philia gently stroked the back of Beric’s hand, her expression indescribable—part admiration, part joy, and part sorrow.
If only Ian hadn’t disappeared, Beric would surely have grown up alongside him. Beric’s growth reminded her of Ian’s.
“Ah, really.”
Beric muttered, brushing his hair back, clearly embarrassed. Just as Philia saw Ian when she looked at him, Beric couldn’t help but see Ian when he looked at Philia. The blonde hair so radiant, the green eyes so deep.
“Roel. This way.”
At Philia’s call, Roel walked over slowly. Romandro covered his mouth in surprise at the child’s presence, which was far more striking than he’d imagined.
Beric, on the other hand, looked down at Roel with a blank expression. The two silently studied each other until Beric finally broke the ice.
“John… she’s definitely Ian.”
Then Roel replied.
“…A brat.”
Philia, watching this, was secretly surprised. How many people could casually say Ian’s name like that? But her surprise was brief before she burst out laughing and hugged Beric.
“Where are you headed? From what I heard earlier, you’re going outside the capital. The prince’s coming-of-age ceremony is soon, so you’re not going far, right?”
“To Tolrun.”
“Tolrun? Why all the way out there?”
“There’s information that Rutherford appeared there. I want to check if it’s true. If he’s there, there’s a good chance Ian is too.”
Ian might be there.
Philia’s eyes widened as if they might fall out. She was clearly speechless with shock. She couldn’t ask a single question, only stared at Beric’s face over and over, as if to confirm she’d heard correctly.
“And the annex will be built within this year. The time is coming. When Ian returns.”
“Um, Beric?”
“But they keep telling me to eat before I go. Honestly.”
“When will you eat again once you leave? They just want to make sure you’re well-fed before you go!”
“You know, Romandro’s the only one who worries about my meals. Everyone else keeps telling me to stop eating.”
Beric waved his hand as if to say ‘enough.’ Having seen Philia and her family’s faces, he had no reason to stay any longer. He would hurry to Tolrun, kill Rutherford if he was there, and bring Ian back. And then…
“Hm?”
Suddenly, Beric realized Roel was staring at him intently and raised an eyebrow.
“What is it?”
“You’re going to Tolrun?”
“Yeah, how do you know?”
“I know… but never mind.”
How anticlimactic. Beric stretched, turned around, and walked away down the path he’d come from, leaving without a second thought.
Philia stared blankly after him, then suddenly heard Roel mutter.
“It’s not Tolrun.”
“Huh? Roel, what did you say?”
“But it doesn’t matter. I’m going to get lost anyway.”
What did she mean? Philia tilted her head and asked, but Roel pressed her lips tightly together, clearly unwilling to say more. The girl was led back inside the mansion by Vivi’s hand, while the adults remained silent, staring long after Beric had disappeared.
Ian is coming back. What had been nothing more than a whisper on the wind now felt like it was stepping into reality—thanks to Beric, who spoke so casually about going to fetch Ian.
“Shall we go inside as well? You must be exhausted from the journey. Rest well today. Mini has cleaned your room thoroughly.”
Viviana whispered, embracing Philia, who was half-sitting down. She urged her not to stay here like this, but to come inside and share their grief, to comfort one another.
Bright light. Idgal. The waves of the Underworld God. Rutherford’s pupils.
All the visions from the abyss swirled chaotically in Ian’s mind. Setting aside the pounding headache, the stench that burned his nostrils was unbearable. Ian frowned and opened his eyes, startled by the damp sensation enveloping his back.
A roughly woven ceiling overhead… a stable?
‘What is this?’
When he moved slightly, his muscles screamed as if being torn apart. It seemed only his eyes were fully functional.
Ian slowly scanned his surroundings to figure out where he was and soon confirmed it—a warehouse once used as a stable.
“Ah.”
Sunlight filtered in through cracks, so it must be daytime. But why was he here?
Ian clearly remembered the last moments in the abyss. Every single instant when he tried to kill Rutherford, who was protected by the Underworld God.
Eventually, the bright light swallowed everything, leaving only a warm sensation behind. What was it? Just as the Underworld God protected Rutherford, had he too been under divine protection?
‘I wonder if Rutherford knows the true identity of the one he follows is the Underworld God.’
Whether he knew, or if he was completely deceived like the priests of the Karbo Temple.
In truth, neither of them held much significance for Ian. No matter what, there was a clear target that needed to be cut down and dealt with—for Bariel, and for the will of the gods.
‘At the very least, this will serve as a guide for how to handle Toorun once I get back. The Rutherford Guild apparently stayed in Toorun for a while, leaving behind traces and wielding considerable influence.’
Sighing, Ian closed his eyes to steady his breath. There was a mountain of work waiting, and he wanted to move quickly, but he didn’t even lift a finger. The only sounds were the calls of wild birds. Then—
Rustle.
‘Footsteps.’
Ian’s eyes snapped open. At the same moment, the warehouse door creaked open. Backlit, the figure was hard to make out, but it looked like a thin man in his forties. Whether he had come to check on Ian or for some other reason, he immediately let out a sharp exclamation.
“Oh, you’re awake!”
He looked human, dressed in ragged clothes that suggested a low social standing, and didn’t seem to have had much formal education.
Still, his fluent use of Bariel’s common tongue made it clear this was somewhere within Bariel’s territory. His accent was unusual, though—probably from the outskirts.
“I was worried you wouldn’t get up today either. Open your mouth.”
Ian was about to thank him for saving him and ask exactly where he was, but he stopped himself. The man’s way of speaking to someone who’d just come to after fainting was strange. Normally, wouldn’t you ask if they were okay, or who they were?
Ian narrowed his eyes warily, but the man didn’t seem to care. He held out a pale, milky liquid. It looked like warm water, not something meant to harm him, but the man’s tone was still rough.
“I said, open your mouth! What, don’t understand me? You look Barielian, don’t you?”
Bariel. Right. So he had come back after all. Ian kept his mouth shut, enduring the man’s impatience. The man scratched his head and muttered to himself.
“This is bad. If you can’t understand me, this’ll be tough. Come on—ah! Ah! Open your mouth! Like this!”
The man kindly demonstrated, gesturing with his hands and feet, even pulling his own mouth wide open.
“The master said if you don’t get up by today, he’s gonna sell you at the slave market. Sell you! You know what that means? Slave! Ugh! You better get your strength up and say hello! Otherwise, you’re getting sold!”