I Killed the Player of the Academy

 ༺ Long Live the Queen (3) ༻

It was when Tates reached out toward her.

Knowing that he could kill her with his bare hands, Miruam closed her eyes and thought to herself.

 I should have asked him.

The things that Lia Fail showed her; were they really from the future…? And what about the gaze of nostalgia that he often had when looking at her…? Why was he trying so hard to stop her…?

There were many regrets in the choices she had made. She saw countless visions in her darkened sight but when nothing happened even after a while, Miruam slowly opened her eyes.

“…”

Tates Valtazar was smiling with the Lia Fail in hand.

“…Are you not going to kill me?” she asked.

“What do you…”

She was puzzled by him not killing her.

Now that she had given up on revenge, she was most definitely not an ally for Tates Valtazar and besides, she was even persuaded by his enemy, Korin Lork, which could be seen as betrayal.

Plus, there were many things she knew as his ally. 

Frost Giant, the union of the Northern Kingdom, the revival of the World Tree… knowing just one of them was supposed to warrant death. 

“Even I was surprised to see the ‘change in your destiny’. Although the path was always different, your future had always had the same ending.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Well. Just think of it as a soliloquy of a grumbling old man.”

He was acting in a clearly unorthodox way. She was pretty much going to be his enemy, so why?

“What if I…”

“You can share everything you know all you want. Korin Lork would be aware of them anyway.”

With that, he walked back out onto the terrace. It was as if retrieving Lia Fail had been his sole objective from the start.

“We will be enemies the next time we meet.”

Leaving those words behind, he vanished from the terrace as Miruam dumbfoundedly watched him disappear.

………

……

…

“Not going to kill her?” Eochaid asked.

He, who had been inspecting the “Primal Rune of T” at Merkarva until recently, was already at the royal capital sipping his glass of wine.

“Let’s leave her be as a commemoration. It was very unexpected to see her survive.”

“A story of love overcoming destiny, huh? A romantic story indeed, but she will become a fairly annoying enemy in the future.”

Tates remained silent with nothing but an indecipherable smile on his mouth. Eochaid had an idea of what this romanticist was aiming at but had more questions to ask.

“I thought it was about time to kill the youngest.”

Erin Danua.

The last King of Gods.

She had the rightful authority over Paradise, which was now concealed beyond the dimensions. All Tates could do right now was play petty tricks using Primal Runes to summon Paradise for a split moment but Erin was able to summon it without an issue as long as she wished for it.

This was the reason why Tates Valtazar needed to usurp the king’s throne through coronation.

He needed to become the rightful heir to Tir na Nog and undo the curse of Goidels hidden inside, before bringing total destruction to the world and recreating it.

That was why Erin Danua’s death was inevitable.

“That was the plan.”

“And?”

“As someone aware of my Precepts, he would have made a move at that very moment. Normally, I would have gladly taken the offer if it was anyone else but…”

Tates suddenly halted in his tracks. He then continued after turning towards Miruam’s palace.

“I want both of us to be fully ready and prepared for the final war. It will be a glorious battle.”

“Haa… I’ve fought him before, but he wasn’t on the same level as you. If he’s only that, I can deal with him myself.”

“‘This time, it will be different.”

Eochaid Bres shook his head, thinking how he was probably the only one who could see through the ambiguity of his words. 

“How frustrating it must be to know too much. If it were me, I would have killed them on the spot.”

“Not very romantic is it? For a previous God King like yourself.”

“And you have too much of it. Do you think he will come looking for you? If he takes the Prime and hides himself, it will be a hassle to find him.”

Eochaid raised his doubt.

They still didn’t have all the treasures and the Primal Runes required for the coronation. Eochaid just couldn’t understand how Tates firmly believed that they would bother looking for them. 

“He definitely will. Both he and I… are quite the romanticists.”

Tates had a firm belief in the contender that fate had chosen for him. That good-hearted and brave man would surely come to him as always.

 He will jump through all the hardships and trials and come knocking on his door.

 This time, it won’t be disappointing.

Despite Eochaid sighing from the side, Tates had no plans of changing the destiny he had decided for himself. He reached towards the sky and grasped at the rising sun in the distance. 

***

“…”

The commotion on the other side of the world settled down, away from the eyes of the common crowd. In spite of me intentionally refraining from intervening in the fight to stay ready, the morning arrived without bringing trouble with it.

“The future must have changed.”

“…I knew there was a chance this would happen.”

There was a possibility of Valtazar not showing up. 

Unlike the last iteration, he lacked a lot of manpower, and all of his supporting factions were weakened except for the Old Faith.

Dun Scaith, Fermack Daman, and the Sword Fiend were all dead. It was safe to say that he had been weakened by more than half compared to the previous iteration.

A lot had changed so it was possible that he would give up on the attack. It was a definite possibility.

“But still… This should have been the best opportunity for him.”

Tates Valtazar’s goal was the Advent of Paradise.

To achieve that, he needed the eight Primal Runes that composed Tir na Nog, and the four Danann treasures to be qualified for coronation.

Most importantly, he needed to assassinate the current King of Gods, Master.

The best chance to do all that should have been the opening of the entrance to Paradise with [Primal Rune of T] and the chaos it would create for the entire Academy…

“Is it over…?”

There was a part of me that found this anticlimactic considering the tension I had been under the whole time, but what I felt the most was definitely a deep sense of relief.

“Are you okay?”

Master concernedly asked.

It was exactly 2 years ago that she evacuated me, Park Sihu, and others.

The city was engulfed in flames and the Academy was encroached by chaos. In the end, we couldn’t fend off all the shadow demons; they poured down endlessly on the defenseless city filled with the screams of the innocent.

All I could see of Master back then, was her back.

That was my last memory of her, and I thought I would never get to see her again.

“Master.”

“What is it?”

“Can I hug you for a bit?”

“Uhht? T, that’s very sudden!?”

She appeared startled by my sudden request but I did not wait for her permission.

I wrapped my arms tightly around her. The warmth of her body and the soft touch of her cheeks… proved to me that she was still alive and breathing.

“Sorry. Can I just… stay like this for a little?”

“A, aht… Uhh…”

After threshing around for a bit, she soon wrapped her arms around my back in return.

“It’s okay… I’m here.”

“…”

I was anxious.

Despite preparing as much as I could and achieving the most favorable scenario for us, I couldn’t escape the uneasiness inside.

If I were to fail; if it wasn’t enough… then Master would most certainly sacrifice herself for me again.

Having that happen twice was unacceptable. I couldn’t fail a second time. 

If I were to lose her again despite knowing the future and experiencing that tragedy beforehand… I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.

“Even though… Even though this isn’t the end yet… I feel so relieved.”

There must be a reason why Tates Valtazar didn’t show up. We weren’t yet entirely free from danger.

“I will protect you. With everything on the line if I must.”

That also applied to Marie, Alicia, Hua Ran… everyone.

I could lose anyone at any time so I couldn’t feel relieved just yet. I had to predict his set of movements and prepare myself at all times.

“Thank you. I am always grateful and sorry at the same time.”

“Why sorry…?”

“For making you shoulder such a burden. But I’m also proud of you for trying so hard to save so many people.”

She gently pushed me behind until she could look me in the eyes. Behind her was the sun rising to the top. 

Master stared at me; not with her usual benevolence but instead… a look full of emotion and sorrow…

“I must be very blessed,” she said.

As the last Ard Ri left behind in this world; she defined as such the long life she had lived roaming the world and protecting Justice.

“I met you and was protected by you. This long wait must have been to meet you the whole time.”

She laid her hands on my face and stared at me with red flowers blooming on her cheeks.

“Originally I was supposed to have died by now, right? But look. I am still alive, standing right before you.

“Seeing the amount of joy and relief you showed just from my survival, and knowing how far you can go for me makes me feel sorry yet glad at the same time.

“My beloved, dearest disciple. My dear Korin who vowed to walk the same path as me. I will pledge for you and I.”

Closing her eyes, she aligned her lips with mine with love and affection. When our lips parted, her smile was the only thing I could see.

“I will survive. My duty is to live with you and walk the same path as you. I will try my very best, to make sure you do not have to weep.

“So… You must also cherish your life more than anyone else’s. Think about all the people who are pained when wounds appear on your body, and… think of me.

“Korin, my love. Let’s try our best for each other’s sake.”

I was speechless.

I… had already lost many people including her.

That was why I knew how tragic felt. I was always looking back at the ones that I couldn’t save despite having the knowledge to save them.

 This time, it’ll be different. This time, I will save everyone.

That was the reason for my vow; my Precept, and I was glad to put my life on the line for it. Doing that was my way of paying for my mistakes, and my punishment for losing the lives of countless people, oblivious to the great evil called Park Sihu.

Master wasn’t tell me to stop. She was saying she would do the same thing as me.

“Thank you. Master, you always give me strength when I need it.”

“No ‘Master’.”

“Sorry?”

“Try calling me by my name. I’m your comrade so… Yes. Please do call me by my name.”

“Umm… E, rin?”

Erin gave a bashful smile at that single word.

“Sounds good. It’s just my name and yet… It tickles my ears and makes my heart race.”

“Master?”

As soon as I said that, she placed her slender finger over my mouth.

“‘Erin’.”

“E, Erin…”

“Yes. Korin?”

She gently called my name as if it was something incredibly sweet with a smile of joy on her face. After a while… she slowly brought her lips closer again.

It was a short touch, to the point of being more of a peck. 

And yet that short moment felt so long… Even after parting our lips, neither of us were able to hide the redness of our cheeks.

“E, Erin…?”

“E, ehem…”

Even though she was the one who had initiated it, Erin fidgeted with her lips as if she couldn’t believe she had done such a thing. Then, she suddenly shot out of her seat.

“F, fuu… This is not good for my heart. This is… really not good. Let’s stop here for today.”

“Erin—”

“Enough for today! Go back to calling me Master!”

“What do you—”

“I said enough, did I not?!”

She gave a little flick to my forehead before fanning the heat away from her face.

“Fuu, fuu…! I am exhausted! I’m going to return home and sleep!”

Before I could say anything back, she jumped down from the clock tower. It was jump without hesitation, and if it was someone other than Master doing it, I would have been worried that they were trying to commit suicide.

“Uhh… Master. Let’s go together!”

I jumped down as well. I could have normally climbed down the stairs but…

“W, why are you following me?!”

“Like… We are going in the same direction, you know?”

“Ah… Kuhum…! Then, let’s go together.”

“…Okay.”

“…”

“…”

Without another word, we awkwardly walked along the road while staring at the cloud in the sky.

***

After the Harvest Festival and the sudden visit from Valtazar, Miruam fidgeted with her chest pocket which was now a lot emptier than before.

 That was where she had put Lia Fail, the Stone of Destiny.

Through that stone, she had seen time after time images that were beyond her understanding.

『You stupid woman… I, I told you to wait.』

『I really… wanted to bear our child. I’m… sorry. Blame your mommy…』

『You were my destiny. Now it’s already too late though…』

“Huu…”

Although the stone was gone, she could vividly remember the images it showed her.

How she was in sorrow; filled with nothing but remorse despite fulfilling her lifelong wish… as well as how he wept while seeing her die.

Originally, she was going to keep it buried deep down.

She was going to ignore and forget about it.

However, she just couldn’t forget it and when Tates visited her and she thought she was about to die… it floated back up as an unforgettable regret.

“…25th of December.”

 This year; that day.

 The upcoming 25th.

“What should I… do?”

She knew at this point that it would forever remain as a lingering regret if left unaddressed. As such, she felt a strong need to validate it.

“Korin Lork.”

 What is she supposed to do about that man…?

Miruam deeply pondered by herself as the date drew close.

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