Part 3: Living Normally (4)

Liam and Noah were walking down a desolate alleyway.

They were on their way home after getting heavily drunk at their favorite pub.

It was deep into the night.

The streets were almost empty.

The chilly weather kept most people indoors, but recently, there was another, more chilling reason for the quiet.

“Do you think we might bump into Jack or something?”

Liam glanced around nervously, his narrow eyes scanning the surroundings.

“Jack? You mean that crazy serial killer?”

“Yeah. Everyone’s in a frenzy because of him lately.”

“Isn’t it all just baseless rumors? Remember the last time there was a similar fuss? Honestly, I’m more afraid of ghosts than Jack.”

Noah’s words made Liam snort.

“You’re an adult and you’re scared of ghosts?”

“Ghosts are real. I’ve seen one.”

“You probably just imagined it.”

“I’m telling you, I was sober then. Even my wife saw it too.”

As Liam and Noah bickered, a voice called out from behind them.

“Excuse me.”

The two turned around simultaneously.

A young man with neat blonde hair and a composed demeanor was standing there.

“Yes? What is it?”

“Do you truly believe that ghosts don’t exist? I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation,” the young man said politely.

Thinking he’d found an ally, the ghost believer Noah grinned widely.

“Do you believe in ghosts too? Right? Ghosts are real, aren’t they?”

“Oh, come on. I’ve already told you, ghosts don’t exist.”

“Why don’t the two of you see for yourselves?”

The young man’s tone was enigmatic.

Snap!

The young man snapped his fingers, and something extraordinary happened.

The air distorted, and a humanoid figure materialized before them.

It charged at them, screaming—a sound that only the two of them could hear.

Death Howling.

Liam and Noah collapsed instantly.

Blood streamed from their ears.

The young man pulled out a piece of paper and a pen from a dimensional pocket.

Scratch. Scratch. 

Without using an eraser even once, the young man began sketching the two with their ruptured eardrums.

The work took about ten minutes.

At the bottom of the sketch, he wrote:

“The Existence of Ghosts: The Outcome of Belief and Doubt.”

The young man’s name was Jack.

A self-proclaimed artist of death.

Once a butcher, Jack had awakened to the beauty of death at some point in his life. Unsatisfied with the deaths of animals, he began to visualize human deaths.

Initially, he mainly drew corpses, but his thirst for creativity grew insatiable.

Eventually, Jack…

Became a director who staged human deaths.

In the process, he discovered his talent and allure in dark magic.

“Hmm… This isn’t good enough.”

Jack scrutinized the sketch he’d just drawn and shook his head in disapproval.

His recent works were all subpar. None of them resonated with him.

Jack tore the sketch to shreds.

Throwing away the trash-like corpses…

And discarding the trash-like artwork.

The place he visited next was a nearby art museum.

One of the reasons he had come to Centum was the museum. The previous estate he’d stayed in didn’t have one.

The rumors that he had fled to escape being wanted? Completely false.

A mere small estate?

Jack could annihilate it in a single day.

With thirty minutes left until the museum closed, Jack entered.

He ascended to the second floor, which he hadn’t explored before.

Jack was meticulous in analyzing each piece, so despite visiting daily, there were still many works he hadn’t seen.

He lingered in front of one painting for a long time.

The massive canvas drew his gaze.

The title of the piece was Festival.

As the name suggested, it depicted a lively festival.

The people in the painting were eating, drinking, dancing, and playing music, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

While admiring the festival…

Jack realized what had been missing in his work all this time.

Until now, Jack’s art had been fixated solely on individual deaths.

But just like the festival he was looking at now…

He had never thought to incorporate multiple people at once.

Through this artwork…

Jack came to desire depicting death as a festival—capturing the deaths of many at once.

*  *  *

That evening.

Aiden and Lucy returned to the tavern.

Carl called them over to sit and started chatting.

He asked how their day had gone.

Lucy chattered happily about her day, while Aiden remained his usual quiet self.

He nodded occasionally or gave brief comments like, “Not bad.”

It was a reaction that was quintessentially Aiden.

“Both of you, be careful from now on. Stick to the main roads as much as possible. That guy, Jack, has been killing people even in broad daylight.”

“Really? He kills in the middle of the day?”

“Yeah. I’m not trying to scare you; I heard it directly from a guard.”

“Goodness… I hope they catch him soon…”

Lucy’s face filled with worry.

“Aiden, aren’t you worried at all?”

“Why should I be?”

“Jack’s not just insane; he’s creepily strong. People are even calling him ‘The Grim Reaper.'”

“They probably haven’t met the real Grim Reaper.”

Aiden’s expression was indifferent.

Carl wanted to ask, ‘Could you take Jack on?’ but he held back.

Saying such a thing might provoke Aiden’s competitive streak.

The last thing Carl wanted was for Aiden to end up dead at Jack’s hands.

“Ahem. Anyway, Lucy.”

“Yes, Father?”

“Your birthday is coming up, isn’t it?”

“Yes, yes!”

“Did Aiden tell you about the gift Father prepared for you?”

“I did. I’m grateful, but… it also makes me feel guilty.”

Lucy’s eyes glistened with tears as she avoided meeting her father’s gaze.

“You went back to the grueling life of a mercenary just to save up for my academy tuition. And I… I was completely oblivious.”

Her heart ached as she imagined the hardships her father must have endured to fulfill her dream.

“Why are you crying on such a happy day? Come here.”

Carl embraced Lucy warmly as she stepped closer to him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize your talent sooner. If only you’d been born into a wealthy family, you’d already be a remarkable mage.”

“Don’t say that. You and Mother have always done your best for me. That alone makes me more than happy.”

“What a silly girl. Look into the academy enrollment process right away. Don’t worry about the money.”

“Yes, Father. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

As their heartfelt conversation ended, Lucy scampered up to the second floor. Even among family, exchanging such genuine emotions was a bit embarrassing.

“That was quite a display, wasn’t it?”

Carl turned to Aiden, embarrassed, as if seeking his reaction to the tender exchange.

However, Aiden remained silent, his expression betraying no emotion.

It wasn’t because Aiden was cold-hearted. Rather, he simply didn’t know what love was, nor how to react to it.

“Do you have much insight into magic?” Carl asked, shifting the topic.

“I’m no mage, but I can assess it fairly well.”

“What do you think of Lucy’s potential as a mage?”

Carl’s anxiety was evident as he waited for Aiden’s response. He didn’t know much about magic himself, but he understood how challenging it was for a 26-year-old, especially a commoner, to start at the academy.

“If she’s mastered the first circle through self-study and can already use elemental magic, she’s a prodigy.”

“Lucy’s that talented?”

“Yes.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be tough for her to adjust to the academy? She’s a commoner and starting late.”

“That’s something Lucy will have to endure herself.”

“You’re as blunt as ever.”

“She either does it or she doesn’t. Worrying only wastes time and energy.”

“You’ll understand when you become a parent someday. It’s not so easy to cut and dry when it comes to your children.”

“Even so, boundaries must be drawn.”

Aiden’s voice remained calm as he continued, “If you believe she won’t adapt to the academy, then don’t send her.”

“……”

“You could hire a private mage to teach her instead. But you’d have to give up the academy’s systematic training and networking opportunities.”

“……”

“If you want Lucy to grow, send her to the academy. As you said, it won’t be easy for her to adapt. Nobles will undoubtedly make things difficult for her.”

“I don’t know what’s right anymore.”

Carl lowered his head, weighed down by his concerns. Despite his resolve to send Lucy to the academy, the moment of decision was filled with doubts and hesitation.

“Then send her to the academy,” Aiden said.

“Why do you think so?”

“Because her talent shouldn’t go to waste.”

Aiden’s expression seemed to ask why Carl even needed to question it. Seeing that, Carl chuckled softly.

“It feels like our roles are reversed. Shouldn’t I be the one insisting, and you the one objecting?”

“……”

“So if you were in my position, you’d send her to the academy?”

Aiden didn’t answer with words but nodded instead.

With Aiden’s firm stance, Carl resolved to send Lucy to the academy.

It was right for Lucy to carve her own path. Even if she decided to quit midway, she deserved the chance to knock on the academy’s doors.

“Seems like I ended up seeking your advice today.”

“Everyone has their area of expertise.”

“An assassin who knows so much about magic… How is that even possible?”

“I can’t reveal everything.”

“Keeping secrets, are you? So, how was it, going around with your face uncovered?”

Aiden paused for a moment before replying.

“Being handsome makes life easier.”

*  *  *

Back in his room, Aiden leaned against the headboard, sprawled across the bed.

Today had been more exhausting than any day spent training alone or completing assassination missions.

For someone like Aiden, who hadn’t led a normal life, the semblance of normalcy felt strange and awkward, draining his energy even more.

He closed his eyes, reflecting on the events of the day.

Reviewing the past was one of Aiden’s strengths. He believed that failing to learn from past experiences would only lead to falling into the same traps repeatedly.

As he sifted through the day’s occurrences, one topic stood out—‘friends.’

It was a subject directly linked to his current mission.

What did it mean to be a friend?

Aiden didn’t believe in the concept of friendship or camaraderie. To him, they were fragile connections, easily severed by either party.

Carl had been betrayed by his comrades while returning to Centum. Aiden himself had experienced betrayal in the past.

Such relationships were not only useless but something to be wary of.

Yet, if Aiden clung to that belief, he would never have a friend. Perhaps it was time to redefine the term.

‘I think friends are like butter. They gradually seep into each other.’

During their tour of the town, Lucy had shared her perspective on friendship.

If he adhered to her definition, then Aiden had seeped into Lucy’s life. She already considered him a friend.

But had Lucy seeped into his life?

Aiden thought not.

By Lucy’s logic, while he might be her friend, she wasn’t yet his.

But what did it mean to “seep into” someone’s life?

Aiden still approached the idea of friendship with logic and reason, unable to grasp it emotionally or spiritually.

Deep in thought, Aiden furrowed his brow as he sensed a vibration in the barrier he had set around the tavern.

In need of a distraction, Aiden abruptly got out of bed and dashed toward the wall.

Whirrrrr.

The space distorted, and Aiden found himself standing in the alley beside the tavern’s first floor.

The artifact—The Boots of the Green Moon—had activated its unique ability, Dimension Walking.

Aiden crossed his arms, staring down the intruder.

“So, it really was you.”
 

To be continued

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