336 Fight to the Future (6)

“Can you come back tomorrow? What do you mean?”

Amelia averted her gaze at my question.

“I’m not quite sure, but there was one thing I had to point out from the start.”

“From the beginning… … ?”

For a moment, my head went blank.

‘Is that why he made an awkward expression every time he talked about how to get back?’

I realized that the discomfort I felt in the previous conversation was not an illusion, but there was still something I didn’t understand.

“If there was something you pointed out from the beginning, why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”

As I stared, Amelia glanced at me once more and avoided her gaze.

In the end, I had no choice but to ask directly.

“Perhaps… Do you not want to go back?”

“that… … .”

Amelia, who had a shaky tail, shook her head.

“It is absolutely not. I just thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stay here a little longer… … .”

“What? why?”

Without realizing it, I tilted my head, but when I thought about it from Amelia’s point of view, I understood.

“That, that—”

“Oh, that’s right. i get it.”

“You know… … ?”

“Isn’t it heartbreaking to leave you behind?”

If we leave, Laura will have to live alone for the next 20 years.

It is natural that he wanted to help behind the scenes so that he could live a better life, and at least he wanted to check what kind of life he would lead and leave.

“I wish I could have just been honest. I didn’t know I couldn’t give you that much confidence.”

“ah… … .”

“Aren’t we colleagues? Just say that.”

“… That’s right, I’ll tell you in advance next time.”

“okay.”

Having quickly resolved the misunderstanding between us, I moved on to the next issue.

That may be the most important thing in the current conversation.

“So, what was it that you were pointing out, so you were confident that you could go back even tomorrow?”

“Ah, that’s it.”

Amelia came to my senses to my question and explained how to do it, and I nodded while listening to some questions in the middle.

‘Um, sure… … .’

It was a plausible story.

No, to be honest, as soon as I heard it, the feeling came right through my intuition.

yes it was this

The last role we have left.

***

the next morning.

After checking out early, we headed to a nearby restaurant.

Amelia said there was a place she wanted to go.

Well, it was me who wanted to finish my work quickly and go back… … .

“It’s a restaurant that will disappear after 20 years… … . Oh, of course, if you think it’s going to be difficult, you can just go right away.

How come you don’t say that?

‘Well, when I go back, I won’t have time to rest. He used to go around every day because he was just working.’

Even when Amelia asked for a favor, she looked shy. Perhaps it was embarrassing to show such a common desire… … .

It was a positive change worth cheering for.

Doesn’t that mean that bonds have been built up enough to make such a request?

“If there is anything else you want to do, tell me.”

“then… Would it be okay if I stopped by the Arandesee Museum in the 9th district?”

“… Art gallery?”

“I have a picture I want to see. that… I wanted to see it, but I couldn’t see it even if I went back later. It seemed to have been sold to a wealthy nobleman.”

Anyway, for this reason, after eating, we headed to the museum. Amelia looked at the painting without saying a word for over 30 minutes in front of the painting she wanted to see.

and… … .

“… Would you mind looking at something else?”

“Of course.”

After that, I visited the art museum and admired other paintings and statues.

To be honest, I was a little surprised.

‘I didn’t know there was such a hobby.’

Just by looking at his eyes, you can tell that he is genuinely happy.

Well, that’s it and this is this.

“Amelia, it’s nice to see, but I’m starting to feel hungry… … .”

It was already midday while I was looking around, so I had lunch at a nearby restaurant.

and… … .

“Yandel, can I stop by one last time?”

At Amelia’s request, she rode the carriage again.

The place we arrived at was the Orphanage of the Reatlas Church.

The same place where Dwalkie as a child stayed.

‘This is a strangely deep relationship.’

We did not enter the building, but sat on the bench across from it and watched Laura through the window.

After recovering from the hospital bed, she was sitting at a desk doing paperwork.

Did you get a job at an orphanage through the introduction of the priest?

“I thought I was helping with chores, but seeing the paperwork, it seems like I’m already reading the text.”

I wondered if the memory had not been completely erased, so I tried to tell Amelia, but she only smiled bitterly and shook her head.

“It will not be.”

“How are you so sure?”

“My sister… Because I couldn’t read.”

“… What?”

So, what you learned from a priest in just a few weeks was enough to get you into administrative work?

It was surprising, but it wasn’t something that I couldn’t understand.

Because there are some people like that in the world.

“… He was a genius.”

“I didn’t even know it would be like this. I knew that my sister’s memory was exceptional, but… … .”

“The priest? Didn’t the priest who taught you to write look strange?”

“She thought it was just a process of returning memories. My sister thinks so too.”

Perhaps the real talent of these sisters was nothing like killing people.

It’s just the environment that made it that way.

How would Amelia grow up if she had been born into an ordinary family? It sounds like you like drawing, but maybe you became famous that way—

“What are those eyes?”

Oh, did you stare too hard?

“… It is nothing. How long before that? I think your sister is leaving work now.”

“now… I will go.”

We stood up as Laura finished her paperwork and put on her coat.

and… … .

cut profit.

I picked up the lock on the locked sewer and stepped under it.

That’s because there’s only one way to Noark.

“I never thought I would go there again. Something’s going to happen, right?”

“It will probably be fine. Even if it’s not a graveyard, there’s one more way to sneak in.”

In the past, I had to enter the country through a broker because I needed Noark’s status, but now I don’t need it, so I smuggled into the country through the way Amelia knew.

Is it the road connected to the city of Yeongju?

“But what will happen to Noark?”

While we were going, we talked about the topic of Noark.

Still, the royal family, the lord of Orculis, and the fourth force, us, had a big incident, so I was curious about the situation after that.

“If it’s a Noark, the next generation Seongju must be in full swing by now.”

“Remediation?”

Of course, I know that the result will be fixed somehow, but I was curious about the process.

“First, we held hands with the royal family and made a surprise attack, and then we lost, how can we make a comeback?”

“Yeah, Orculis needs this city too.”

I wondered if it would be okay to have it in my hand, but after hearing about it, there was a reason.

“In order to open the portal to the labyrinth in Noakre, you need the bloodline of the Seongju family.”

So, as soon as Seong-ju, the second generation, recognized his father’s death, he killed all of his family’s blood lines except for himself.

They feared that they would rule the city by turning their frail brother into a puppet… … .

‘I’m a guy. That’s where you make that judgment.’

After that, the next generation Seongju led a ceasefire by yielding a certain portion to Orculis, and gradually stabilized the city.

This is the end of this city for the next 20 years.

“You have arrived.”

Soon after passing through the sewer, we arrived at Yeongju Castle and escaped from the castle by moving secretly, avoiding the eyes of the guards. And passed through the still-smelling city streets and arrived in front of a small mansion.

“Yandel, can you wait a minute? I will go alone.”

“I do.”

It was Amelia’s house.

***

Cleverly, there was no reason to knock and knock.

Because he didn’t lock the door at this time.

It was a feeling of desperation to make things happen.

profit-

Amelia opened the door and entered the house and looked around. It was in the form of only basic furniture in the early days, but it was more familiar.

Because this house, provided by the alchemist’s grandfather, has always been this way.

Until I became an adult and left this house.

“… … .”

The girl, who had been crouching against the wall, looked up and looked at herself.

“Emily… … ?”

Ichae appeared in the achromatic pupil.

Although Amelia had no mind-reading skills, she could clearly see what she was thinking because she was her former self.

“Hey, maybe… … .”

any expectation.

That kind of expectation that my sister might be alive.

“Your sister is dead.”

“ah… … .”

Amelia cut her head off and the girl shook her head.

The Lee Chae that appeared in the girl’s eyes suddenly disappeared.

However, Amelia forced the girl to stand up.

And he said unilaterally.

“You will soon enter the labyrinth again. And living a life like a gutter like before, meeting and killing many people.”

“… … So.”

Whether the provocative words worked, the empty doll-like girl raised her head in repulsion, and Amelia stretched out her hand toward her.

“Promise me you won’t kill only barbarians.”

“… … Why do I have to do that?”

Amelia answered without question.

“The day will come when you think that keeping this promise was the greatest luck of your life.”

At that, the girl kept her mouth shut.

There was no expression on the outside, but Amelia knew.

When I was young, I heard this and thought.

I don’t know why you’re saying this, at least.

I don’t think this person is lying.

No, it’s like he’s giving advice for me sincere.

Like a sister who is no longer there… … .

wow.

Amelia took the girl’s hand and interlocked it. Then, I repeated the clenching and opening three times.

It was the act of their sisters when they made a promise.

“This… How do you… … .”

Amelia did not answer the girl’s question.

He just released his hand and turned his back to walk towards the door.

thump, thump.

Soon, as Amelia stood in front of the door, the girl opened her mouth and let out a tired voice.

“If the… … .”

“… … .”

“What if I didn’t kill the barbarian, if there was a threat to my life? Do I still have to keep that promise?”

It was my own childhood question.

Even thinking about my sister who taught me the importance of promises countless times, I will not make any promises that I cannot keep.

But Amelia said confidently.

“Then you can do whatever you want.”

Because it won’t happen anyway.

Soon Amelia opened the door and went out.

and… … .

“Ah, one last thing.”

“… … .”

“Lock the door and go.”

Amelia quietly closed the door and turned her back.

He saw a barbarian waiting for him in an alley a little away.

“Are we finished talking?”

“okay.”

The promise will be kept.

Even if we don’t know our intentions, and we couldn’t prevent my sister from dying.

It’s true that we got help.

Because my sister taught me to pay back when someone helped me.

“Amelia. But from a while ago, a blond kid was looking at me from afar… … . Shouldn’t it be resolved?”

Amelia turned her head to follow the barbarian’s gaze.

Then he saw a boy with a familiar face.

“Ah, I wondered why he’s so familiar, is that Guardweaver Drows?”

“Yeah, that guy is right. The real name is different.”

Even though Amelia said that, she felt unfamiliar.

The boy later informs her of the existence of a treasure called a fragment of a record. And just before taking over, he betrays him and runs away alone and turns into an enemy.

I also had a scar left on my ear at that time.

It was for this reason that he made an oath with the lord that he could not commit murder in Noark. Well, since there was an exact period from when to when, it didn’t work in this era.

Anyway, that’s not what’s important.

‘I don’t feel strangely at all.’

Even looking at that face doesn’t make me angry.

It was as if the old feelings of anger and hatred had disappeared from the heart.

“Aren’t you supposed to do something?”

At his worried question, Amelia realized the cause of this calming feeling.

“No, it doesn’t matter. Leave it alone.”

“Are you going to leave me alone?”

In the end, it was a process.

Even the pain he suffered as he got entangled with him.

To meet this man later.

“… … What, why are you laughing all of a sudden?”

“I didn’t laugh.”

“Did you laugh?”

“… … .”

Amelia walked forward, completely ignoring the persistent Barbarian’s question.

Then the barbarian hurried to catch up.

“Hey, but why doesn’t this work?”

“Well, it will work soon.”

“No, what if it still doesn’t work?”

“Then the two of us will have no choice but to live here. I don’t mind anyway.”

“uh… That’s a bit… … . No, it’s not that I don’t like you at all… … .”

The barbarian’s tail twitched as if in trouble.

Amelia smiled again without realizing it.

A real laugh, not an awkward laugh in front of a mirror.

swish.

As Amelia stopped walking and turned her back, the body collided with the barbarian who was following from behind and overlapped.

And that moment.

flash-!

The world was dyed with pure white light.

***

‘The iron mask… … ?’

It was completely coincidental that the blond boy found them. They came into his eyes as he wandered around the street to see if there was a drunken person to confide in.

He wasn’t wearing an iron helmet as rumored, but… … .

There was no human in this city with such a formidable physique. No, I thought there would be only a few on the whole earth.

I don’t know if it’s a barbarian.

‘More than anything else, the red-haired woman next to me… … .’

It was the famous Iron Mask and Emily.

After the boy saw the woman entering the house, he hid himself and observed them.

Not long after, a woman came out of the house and joined the iron mask.

But did you feel this gaze?

“… … !”

The boy shrugged, feeling as if his eyes were making eye contact with them.

That was the moment.

A brilliant light bursting out brightly colored this dark underground city.

flash-!

A flash that seemed like a fleeting moment.

As the flash faded, chaos set in on the deserted street. The drunkards jumped up to their feet, and those in the building hurriedly opened the windows.

“What, what! Just that light!”

“… … Magic?”

“Isn’t there something wrong with my body?”

Everyone was confused and found the cause of the situation.

However, the blonde boy hiding in the alley was different.

‘The iron mask is gone… … .’

They disappeared.

Hana boy did not question the reason.

The boy, who had to survive in Noark from the moment he was born, ran away just surrendering himself to his instincts.

and… … .

‘… … this stone! Light came from this stone.’

The boy picked up a stone that had fallen on his clothes, put it in his bosom, and quickly hid into the alley.

and how much has passed

“there! A light bursts out of there!”

“I looked out of that window over there, and the light went out and the person disappeared?”

The guards who came to the noise at night began to listen to the situation, and realized the identity of the man and woman in the center of the light.

“A man who looks like a barbarian and a woman with red hair?”

“Iron Mask! It’s an iron mask! The very person the Lord was looking for! Investigate the remaining traces!”

“Identification card! There is an identity card between the clothes!”

“Level 6 Explorer, Nibels Enche… … . Is this the real name of the iron mask? What is the woman’s identity card?”

“Unfortunately, it was not found!”

“Captain, some kid said he stole something from here.”

“What? Where did you say you went?”

Soon, the guards rushed to the alley where the boy had disappeared, but could not find the boy who had already disappeared.