Volume 3 Chapter 38 Quest： The Beginning Of The Rematch – Promise –
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Sarah’s lovely voice warped, crackling with static.
The feel of her hand, the sweet scent of her body, all vanished, replaced by a world slowly regaining its color after a sudden darkness.
(What…?)
’It seems the reconstruction of the world has begun. It’s been a long journey, but it looks like the final ramblings of the living soul are about to start.’
(Ramblings… Sarah’s wish, perhaps?)
He blinked repeatedly.
His body was still that of the child, Kian.
Color returned, and everything brightened.
The murmur of voices drifted down from above.
Where is this place?
Which scene had he been thrown into?
As he looked around, he saw a massive, circular arena carved from ochre-colored rock.
It was large enough to hold 2 monastery training grounds.
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
The sun shone brilliantly, dazzlingly bright.
”……!”
Squinting against the sunlight, he realized he was dressed in black──the attire of a warrior monk on a mission.
In his hand, he gripped a wooden sword with a familiar, skin-like texture.
”The match between Kian Vahid and Sarah Nakash will now begin!”
Before he could calm his confusion, a familiar voice echoed from the stands behind him.
It was the voice of his father, Umar──someone he’d never thought he’d see again.
As Kian struggled to focus on Umar’s figure against the bright sunlight, Sarah’s quiet voice called out from the opposite side.
”Kian.”
”Sarah…”
His father’s presence vanished from his mind in an instant.
Because the Sarah standing before him, when he turned, was wearing the same warrior monk outfit as on the day he was banished, the day he chased after Azrael.
The two of them, alone in the arena.
In front of Kian, Sarah smoothly drew the wooden sword from her hip.
Tears, just like that day, streaked down her cheeks.
She took her stance.
The terrifying magic power that had swiftly eliminated Zayn and Katyusha was unleashed.
”If you want to live here, defeat me. ──Show me your strength.”
”────!”
(This line… the words Sarah spoke before the duel.)
Kian hesitated, glancing at the ‘glasses’ tucked in his chest pocket.
Sarah whispered with a trembling voice.
”Kian. Get ready.”
* * *
Kian, Get ready──.
Just as Sarah pronounced her sentence, a soft, white hand rested gently on Kian’s shoulder.
”Lord Kian, I hate to interrupt your excitement, but that’s as far as you go.”
”Ms. Priscilla.”
He turned to find a white-haired witch standing right behind him, completely out of place in the scenery.
Kian cast a quick glance at Sarah, who remained frozen in a tense stance with her wooden sword, before returning his gaze to Priscilla.
Priscilla had removed her hat and wore a mischievous grin.
She winked playfully and continued.
”Going any further risks breaking her. Now that we’ve finally grasped the ‘Night Crier’s’ desire, shall we head home?”
”Desire?”
”Oh my, with all the memories of Sarah Nakash shown to you, you still haven’t noticed? If that’s the case, I’m a bit disappointed.”
Kian confirmed once more that Sarah remained rigid before turning his body toward Priscilla.
”I believe what Sarah truly wants is to relive the moment she was last happy. But this final part…”
”Yes. To be factual, she doesn’t wish for Lord Kian to lose and be exiled by Franz. I was observing you both through that scented pouch──just for safety checks, mind you, no ulterior motives──she likely wanted you to win here.”
”────. Well, had I defeated her, perhaps a different future would have unfolded.”
”Surely, there was another path. After all, she was the next in line to be one of the Twelve Divine Generals.”
”If Sarah’s wish is for me to defeat her here, shouldn’t I go ahead and finish our duel? Can you wait a little longer for my return?”
”You’re going to defeat her? Even though she’s in perfectly good health? If you do, Sarah Nakash’s consciousness will vanish!”
Kian furrowed his brow.
”Isn’t a large part of her already consumed by the wraiths?”
”She hasn’t been eaten. She just can’t seem to piece together her memories, and she doesn’t even know who she isanymore. That’s why she’s going through her past memories like this, trying to find herself. In the midst of it all, Lord Kian approached, and I sensed a familiar scent that pulled me into the world of memories.”
”So, what am I supposed to do? If I can’t defeat her, then what do you expect me to do?”
When he asked this, unable to decipher her intentions, Priscilla grinned widely, as if she had just understood his thoughts.
”Lord Kian, I propose a deal. If you can grant me one request, I can bring Sarah Nakash back to her original state. Even though she’s merged with a wraith, her memories and sense of self as she is still intact.”
”What did you say!?”
”That’s what I said──I can help her. This is likely something only I can do. If it were you, you’d just devour her memories and turn her into someone else. Am I wrong?”
”…”
With a light and bouncy step, Priscilla approached Sarah, peering up at her face, frozen in time.
”Yeah, it will take some preparation, but I believe I can wake her up within a few days.”
”Is that true?”
”I don’t lie when it comes to contracts. Especially since you’re someone I want to impress. There’s no benefit to me in lying.”
”Then what is it you want me to do in return?”
Kian stepped closer to the seemingly whimsical white-haired witch.
”From the way you’re speaking, this isn’t for free, is it?”
”Eek! You make me feel all fluttery with that serious look you’re giving me.”
”Don’t mess with me.”
With that calm retort, Priscilla wiped the bright smile from her face, replacing it with a daring grin.
The corners of her lips, painted a light red, curled upwards.
”There’s someone I want you to meet. To be precise, it’s someone I promised to ‘introduce you to.’ They’ve already arrived at Châtillon. If I set the stage, we can meet tonight.”
”Someone who wants to meet me? Who are they? A lord or noble from somewhere?”
Priscilla shook her head and gently reached toward Kian’s chin with her finger.
She rose onto her toes and whispered the name close to his lips.
”Abbas Shakerdoust. And Demete Klein. They’re the ones you ran into in Sarah’s memories. What do you think? They’ve expressed a desire to meet you and talk. Will you agree to it?”
”Sure.”
Abbas was the one he had just beaten senseless.
Demete was the snarky dark elf magician who’d burst in on Kian and Sarah’s affair.
Though he didn’t understand their intentions, the choice was clear──if it meant saving Sarah, he couldn’t refuse.
Priscilla nodded with a smile.
”I knew you’d agree. Oh, and this is a secret meeting that mustn’t reach my brother or father. Let’s keep it just between us. Don’t worry; I’m not plotting to deceive you and drag you into hell or anything like that.”
”――――.”
She said, “Shall we head back for now?” and began to twirl the umbrella in her hand playfully.
Kian silently stared at Priscilla’s retreating figure.
”Kian.”
”――――.”
Suddenly, Sarah’s voice echoed from behind.
When he turned around, she was smiling amidst the pitch-black backdrop once more.
”I’ll be waiting for you.”
”――――.”
”I’ll be waiting for you, no matter how long it takes.”
Her outstretched hand.
Instinctively, he tried to reach for it, but Priscilla gently held him back.
”Lord Kian, don’t.”
’Don’t go wandering into the grasp of a ghost, you fool.’
”――――.”
”Come now, I’ll take you back to the real world safely, just as we promised.”
He started to walk into the darkness, guided by the witch’s hand.
When he attempted to look back, a warning shot from her glasses told him to keep facing forward.
”~~~~~~~♪”
Priscilla began softly humming a tune.
Listening to her melody, he felt his body gradually enveloped by the forest’s dampness.
The presence of Sarah behind him began to fade away.
I’ll be waiting for you──.
He could no longer hear her voice.
Yet, her feelings pierced through him painfully clear.
(Sarah…)
Kian.
Defeat me──.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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