The Magician’s Memorial - Chapter 22



Only Krnovel

Episode 22

The blue lightning bolt extending from the left corner of the amulet was fixed. It was a lightning bolt that did not blink and was stuck in the air like a tree branch.

Quillvian put his finger on the tip of the lightning bolt.

It stung like being pricked by a needle.

What can I do with this?

“Twella just left.”

Altera said as she entered the room.

“i know.”

“You’re so quiet considering you know everything. I thought you’d cry and make a fuss about following me.”

“Do you really think so?”

“no?”

“No way.”

Quillvian focused on the right corner of the amulet to create another lightning bolt.

Nak was moving forward, lingering at his fingertips. Two lightning bolts wouldn’t do.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. I thought you’d show some emotional turmoil even if you didn’t cry or throw a tantrum, but you’re surprisingly calm. That’s why I’m more concerned.”

“Will crying, screaming, and making a fuss help Twella? If so, then do it right now.”

“If it touches the salt, it might help a little.”

He frowned at those words.

Altera smiled and waved her hand.

“Okay, I said something unnecessary.”

“Crying and screaming won’t help, so I’m going to focus on things that will help.”

“Even if you practice your magic, it won’t be of much help to Twella. She’s in another dimension now. You can tell just by looking at her, right? Twella has changed so much that even your low-level eyes can tell.”

As soon as I heard that something had changed, my grip tightened.

The lightning that had been fixed stretched out like a branch, touched the ceiling, and then disappeared.

“Twella hasn’t changed.”

“From what you say, I guess you already know everything. What do you think? When you see it for yourself, you realize that the sky is unreachable?”

“I don’t care about the level of sorcery. Twella is Twella. I am Twella’s only friend.”

“Negativity is ultimately just another form of positivity. You’ve already realized that. Twella has grown not only in magic but also mentally. No, can you call that growth?”

Altera sat down on the floor with a thud.

“Anyway, you must have looked like a runny nose to Twella. A child who needed to be taken care of.”

“What does that mean?”

“Why do you keep asking me? I told you that you already knew everything. You felt it, didn’t you? That he had completely changed. It couldn’t be otherwise, because you kept looking into the great destiny.”

Great destiny.

Quilbian threw down the talisman and approached Altera on his knees.

“Explain that fate properly. What on earth is it that changed Twella and made the ascetic obedient?”

“I told you. It’s an order you absolutely cannot refuse.”

“That was refuted by what happened last time. I succeeded in my assignment. I won against fate.”

“No, no.”

Altera clicked her tongue and shook her head.

“The gravity of destiny does not come from supporting actors like us.”

“Please explain this so I can understand.”

“So, everything that happens to you is meaningless. It’s a story that’s good either way.”

As Alterea snapped her fingers, a book flew in.

“Fairy tale, do you remember now?”

“yes.”

External memories were slowly returning.

That the ‘sun’ exists and not some disgusting goblin called the sun, that the existence of a country did not appear out of nowhere but was the result of sexual intercourse, and that pork is really delicious when grilled.

“If there is a fairy tale whose content you remember, tell me.”

“The Three Little Pigs.”

“Who is the main character there?”

“Three brothers.”

“Don’t all stories revolve around the three brothers? The wolf is also involved.”

“Yes. But why is that?”

“Did you know that there was a goat in The Three Little Pigs?”

“A goat? No, there is no such character in the story I remember.”

“Yeah. Actually, I just made that up. But in the world of the Three Little Pigs, would there only be three pigs and a wolf? Surely there would be other animals living there too?”

“I guess so.”

“But the story about the genes doesn’t come up. Why? Because they’re not important. They’re not even supporting characters, and they don’t have any influence on the main plot.”

Altera gestured to the window with her chin.

“The cadets wandering around out there must have their own circumstances. If you look inside, you’ll see all sorts of dramas. Oh, drama means play. Comedy, tragedy.”

“You know everything.”

“That’s right. I get surprised sometimes too. I know all sorts of things.”

Altera placed her clasped hands on the back of her head and looked at the ceiling with a bored expression.

“The point is simple. In this drama called world, only a very small number of people get noticed. That’s people like Twella, and we’re the side branches. The life stories of the side branches are meaningless when viewed from the grand scheme of things.”

Alterea’s hand moved. With a simple seal, the amulet flew out the window, carried by a sharp wind.

“You passed the assignment? Good job. You used your brain well. Your application skills are also very good, and your nak is special. But that’s it. You and I are just supporting roles. Supporting roles can’t change the flow of the play.”

“I don’t believe it.”

fate?

drama?

I wasn’t stupid enough to nod my head at the statement that everything was already decided, like in a fairy tale.

“Life is not a fairy tale. Life is waking up on a cold, filthy winter morning and spreading pig feed. Life is working yourself to death and getting beaten up. There’s nothing set in stone there. It just depends on what I do.”

I spoke based on my memories from outside.

I could feel myself becoming increasingly rough with words, but it didn’t matter.

Because that would be the real me.

“Oh my, you did something like that outside? Well, at that age, only the children of wealthy families can live comfortably.”

“There is no such thing as meaningless action. Everything has meaning. Even the fact that I came here was a result of my own choice. It was my sin to touch that damned will-o’-the-wisps.”

“I liked the polite Quilbian better.”

“What can I do? This is just me. But I’ve become much more gentle. At least I didn’t hit the ascetic, right?”

“I guess there was a fight outside?”

“I think so.”

“I’m proud. But why did you get beaten by your employer?”

“Because I’m big. It’s not my fault that I’m growing slowly.”

Quillbian sighed.

“That kid was like a different person.”

“See? You felt it too.”

“Let’s say that fate exists as the ascetic says. Twella is special and can see that fate. Even so, it’s not like a person can suddenly… … .”

“It wasn’t all of a sudden. People don’t change all of a sudden like you said. They don’t change easily. So what does it mean that they changed?”

Altera raised her index finger and spun it around.

“Let me guess, how old were you when you were out there?”

“I don’t know my exact age. There’s no one to tell us our age.”

“But I bet you’ve roughly counted them every time the year changes.”

“I think it’s around fourteen. Maybe not.”

“Fourteen. How old does Twella look to you?”

Quilbian pictured Twella’s face and figure.

“The kids here don’t have any fat so it’s hard to get a feel for them, but I guess they’re similar to me.”

“Yeah, it’ll be similar. But will it be that fast?”

“Are you kidding me?”

Altera smiled faintly.

“Fate is something that would make a normal person lose their mind just by looking at it.”

“Why?”

“Why, because the world’s narrative is contained there. Do you see the book in this room?”

Quilbian looked at the scattered books.

“Does it seem like a lot?”

“Not a lot.”

“Compared to the stories that destiny contains, this is less than ant urine. Let’s make a hypothesis. What would it feel like if the knowledge written in these books were transmitted to your head, and in an instant?”

Knowledge is transmitted instantly.

“It would be convenient if I could learn everything in an instant.”

“Will it be comfortable? This book will be full of information you don’t want. And fate has an incomparable amount of information.”

“My head is going to get complicated.”

When he said that, Quilbian felt his whole body sink. The thought was so terrifying and horrible that he was speechless for a moment.

“I guess you’re finally getting the hang of it.”

Altera looked outside with sad eyes.

Quilbian stuttered as he spoke.

“… … That fate, it’s something you can’t see, right? It’s something you can control, right?”

“If that were the case, it would be a very convenient power. Fate, you know, includes the past and the future, everything. It’s a vast history book. Twella’s mind is flooded with waves of memories we can’t even imagine.”

It must be a pain that is unimaginable and beyond imagination.

People who have nightmares tend to have a messy day. People who read books all day tend to be so tired that they can’t even sleep.

But what if knowledge on a ‘world’ scale, knowledge that cannot be rejected, is forcibly instilled?

Quillvien jumped up. He grabbed the doorknob and pulled, but for some reason the door wouldn’t open.

“I told you Twella had already left.”

“Please open it.”

“no.”

“why!”

“That’s how it is. At least I have to hold you here. That’s the way the future is designed.”

Quilbian flew towards Altera, grabbing her by the collar with both hands.

Altera just raised her chin and smiled as if telling her to do whatever she wanted.

“How could you do that if you knew everything!”

“How can we leave her alone? Quill, I told you. This is inevitable. After all, whatever we do, it’s going to happen. She’s already arranged it to be like this. Not manipulating, but manipulating. Do you know what I mean?”

The hand holding the collar was full of strength.

“She’s a young girl.”

“Is that really so? Of course, a week ago, she was a delicate child. She certainly was. But now, she is different. Quilbian, she is like an old man in his twilight years. No! Even that expression is not appropriate.”

Altera grabbed his arm and pushed him away.

He patted his crumpled collar to straighten it out and assumed a relaxed posture again.

“You mentioned age earlier, right? People don’t become wiser simply because they grow older. There are plenty of people who are immature even in old age. But once you go beyond the normal category, those standards become useless.”

“Twella is an ordinary girl. She cries when she’s sick, and falls asleep when she’s tired. She laughs when she’s happy, and when she’s in danger… … .”

“Yes. Twella must have been that kind of person. But would someone who endured tens, maybe hundreds of years alone, really retain their innocence? Isn’t that too convenient of an idea?”

The tightly closed door slid open. I saw Altera undoing the seal.

“If you want to go, go. Go and grab her, make a fuss, do whatever you want. Have you thought about how that will affect Twella?”

The heated body cooled down.

The thing called ‘fate’ that seemed so crude now felt like a huge wall.

Is it okay to act according to your emotions? Is that the way to go for Twella?

Before that.

Did he know I was going to do this?

“There’s one thing I’m curious about.”

“Ask me anything.”

“Why is Twella dealing with such a terrible thing all by herself? You could have told me, right? Even if you can’t help, you can at least tell me… .”

“Unfortunately, I don’t know about that either. He’s a cooperative kid, but he didn’t tell me about the ending he saw.”

(Continued in next episode)