Inheriting the Novel

Chapter 64 : One Who Dreams of the Future (3)

One Who Dreams of the Future (3)

I wondered if Rutia might keep her mouth shut in response to our questions, but fortunately, my worry was unfounded.

She hesitated for a moment, but perhaps because Maria was staring at her intently right in front of her, Rutia stammered out her explanation.

"I can see the future through my dreams."

Her explanation was exactly as described in the profile.

Rutia, from childhood, was a succubus with the special ability of precognitive dreams.

She saw Fabian through her dreams, and all she has done thus far was to help him.

"You don't know this, but a great crisis is approaching soon. And there is someone who will stop it."

"A great crisis?"

When Maria looked at her with a puzzled expression, Rutia nodded.

"We call it 'calamity'. Each one is frightening enough to bring humanity closer to ruin. I have to help the one who will stop these calamities, and overcome the crisis that will strike Eintban."

Maria, as always, sat expressionless, listening to Rutia's calm explanation.

"Is that the reason you abandoned me?"

"...... I didn't want to do that either."

Rutia gritted her teeth and shook her head.

"But I had no choice. If I don't do it, everyone will die. That's my role."

I felt a chill at Rutia muttering 'my role.'

It couldn't be, but it felt as if she were talking about a script set for her in a novel.

"Then, who is the one destined to defeat the calamity?"

"You know about the events occurring in the empire right now, right? There must have been an epidemic spreading throughout the empire. The man who will solve that incident... Fabian. He is the savior of this world."

Rutia quietly added,

"A man with blue hair. He has the strength to defeat calamity, holding the sword left behind by the gods."

Rutia's premonitory dream had more detail than I expected.

Her continued description of Fabian revealed things not even the synopsis conveyed.

'Well, there hadn't been a description of Fabian's appearance to begin with.'

Deep blue hair, black eyes.

Overall, a sharp impression and a handsome appearance.

I pictured Fabian's appearance in my mind.

"Mother."

"Hmm?"

At Maria's quiet call, Rutia looked awkward. Evidently, the word "mother" was unfamiliar to her.

"Is it true that only that man can defeat calamity?"

"Yes. He is the savior chosen by the gods for this world."

"But..."

Maria's gaze turned to me.

"To my knowledge, the one who defeated calamity was Clay."

"What?"

"Certainly, a strange incident took place in the empire not long ago. A man who transformed into smoke appeared at the imperial tournament."

"...... You said it happened? Are you saying it's already been resolved?"

"That was already two months ago."

Judging by her reaction, it seemed she hadn't been informed about the incident in the empire.

[Didn't the Thieves' Guild know about it?]

'That place deals in information, after all. Given Eintban's isolated nature, it makes sense that she wouldn't know.'

Apparently, the only information Maria had was acquired through her 'premonitory dreams'.

If not, she wouldn't have spoken so.

"It did almost turn into a major catastrophe, but the mysterious man was defeated by Clay, ending the incident. The emperor announced that being as a 'calamity'."

"Clay... I-I don't know anyone like that."

"Yes. There is no such person in the prophecy you speak of, mother. But I believe the 'calamity' you mention is the same as what the emperor announced."

Maria's gaze grew cold and cynical.

"I've never even heard the name Fabian. I do know a woman who walked away of her own accord after a mistaken prophecy."

"N-no, that's not true. I just―

Rutia, flustered, reached out toward Maria, but Maria ignored her and stood up from her seat.

"Instead of making excuses, you should have just said you left because you hated me."

With those words, Maria stood up.

She had no intention of dealing with the now-bewildered Rutia any longer.

Seeing Maria quickly leave her seat, I also stood up slowly.

"Rutia."

"Y-yes?"

Her dazed state was pitiable.

Maria wouldn't understand, but I knew how she felt.

After all, my reason for coming to Eintban was similar.

The only difference from Rutia was that I realized this world had already changed.

"Fabian is dead."

"...... What?"

I avoided Rutia's stunned gaze and followed Maria out of the tavern.

That was enough for a first meeting.

We'd meet again soon anyway.

* * *

"Not enough, not enough..."

Above the capital of Eintban, Nabez.

A boy was floating in the chilly, snow-laden air.

Blue hair, blue skin.

He wasn't human by any means, and his eyes were as alien as crystal.

A sword was strapped to his back.

"Still not enough."

Blue magic power swirled violently around the boy, spinning outward in every direction.

The magic power gradually changed into crystal-like forms, then turned into snow and fell to the ground.

The area affected was only a small part of the capital, Nabez.

"Not enough."

The winter spirit, Sior, stared down at the ground with cool eyes.

Many humans walked the streets of Nabez, and some of them collapsed after being touched by a snow crystal made by Sior, sometimes before even taking a few steps.

They were not dead. They had only fallen asleep.

That was Sior's strength.

The strength symbolizing winter's silence and loneliness.

It was a very special ability that belonged to Sior, the winter spirit.

"The next time you sleep, it will be even deeper..."

Sior slowly drew the sword on his back and swung it through empty air.

A fine line appeared in the void, cracking it open.

"I must make more people sleep."

The more humans that fell asleep, the stronger Sior's power became.

At least until he could send everyone in the capital to sleep at once, he had to wait, silently.

At least until then, he had to remain quiet.

Sssss.

Sior's form vanished into the black gap torn into the empty air.

Into the gap of space that no one could find.

* * *

Night comes quickly in Eintban.

When the sun begins to set, the moon is already hanging in the sky.

Since Eintban is always winter, it's only natural.

And in the case of Lintrea, public safety isn't good, so wandering at night is a good way to get into trouble. Maria and I had found and checked into an inn early.

"... I'm sorry."

As I ate the dinner brought by the innkeeper, Maria suddenly apologized out of nowhere.

"For what?"

"For acting so emotionally. It seemed like you had business with Mother as well..."

Sharp as ever, Maria must have noticed I had some business with Rutia.

"That can wait till later, don't worry about it."

"But..."

"If I were in your position, I would've acted the same way."

"... Thank you."

Maria bowed her head to me, then silently picked at the stew in front of her.

She didn't say another word during the meal after that.

"Hoo."

The inn room wasn't very spacious, but it was warm—pleasant enough. Maria's room was right next door.

[So what are you going to do now?]

As soon as I lay down after washing up, Grancesia asked, as if she'd been waiting.

"First, I need to find out where that Sior guy is."

[And then?]

"I need to think about the demonkin... Once I've gathered my thoughts, I plan to meet Rutia again."

It was almost certain that her succubus abilities would be useful for overcoming the dreamlike calamity.

To defeat the calamity, I would have to win her over.

'The real problem is the demonkin.'

Count of Crimson Flames, Margal.

He's the one who drove Rutia Timmons to death, appearing the moment Fabian took up the Sword of Boundary Solaris.

If I was to change Rutia's doomed future, I had to do something about him.

But honestly, it was daunting to consider fighting an enemy even Fabian couldn't handle.

'I'd better sleep and think it over.'

With that, I quietly closed my eyes.

There was no rush, so I didn't need to force myself to hurry.

* * *

'...... Huh?'

When I opened my eyes, I saw a world of pure white. No matter where I looked, nothing but a blank, white emptiness.

"Where is this?"

I was sure I'd fallen asleep at the inn—why had I ended up in a place like this?

As I wandered, searching my surroundings, I spotted something in the distance.

"That's..."

As I got closer, I realized it was a person.

There was also something familiar about her.

'Why?'

I could only see her from behind.

But with her long, shimmering blonde hair that reached her waist, and her gentle curves, it was obvious she was a woman.

"...?"

Perhaps sensing my gaze, the woman slowly turned around.

Her golden hair sparkled like the sun, and her golden eyes shone brightly as she looked back at me.

"......!"

Then I realized who she was.

Yes, I'd seen her only once before.

When Michelle gave me the Eye of Shimosha.

When the Coffin of the Saint opened, I saw her.

"... Grancesia?"

I unconsciously muttered the name.

The one who had lain in the Coffin of the Saint, as if asleep, was now standing before me.

She, too, stiffened the moment she saw me, her red lips parting slightly.

The Grancesia now standing before me was completely different from the one I'd seen before.

The Grancesia sleeping in the coffin had been beautiful, deserving her title of Saintess, but she couldn't compare to the one now before me.

It wasn't simply because of her physical beauty.

She was the sun itself.

Damian always used to say it.

That Grancesia was a woman like the sun. So dazzling, it hurt to even look at her.

Only now did I understand what Damian meant.

"How... are you here?"

It was Grancesia's bewildered voice that roused me from my daze.

"You're Grancesia, aren't you?"

"I am. But how on earth did you get in here?!"

Grancesia's gentle eyes narrowed like a cat's as she strode toward me.

"What is this place?"

"What do you mean 'what'? It's the Eye of Shimosha."

At Grancesia's words, I looked around.

A world of pure white.

This place was the Eye of Shimosha, where Grancesia's soul resided.