Chapter 35

For some reason, he felt unusually restless that day.

The damp rain seemed to seep deep into his chest, leaving his heart heavy and uneasy.

‘Did I misjudge things?’

Raindrops clung to Demius’s hair as he lowered his head.

Doubt and suspicion clouded his darkened eyes.

Maybe he should have forced himself to leave the village to look for his brother’s traces instead of staying here.

After observing the villagers these past few days, one thing was certain. They were far more monstrous than he had first thought, but none of them seemed to have any connection to Asellion.

“…Damn it.”

His dry, pale lips pressed together as a shadow crossed his face.

When would he finally find word of his brother?

Or rather, would he ever find him at all?

‘…Could it be.’

A buried thought began to crawl out from the corner of his mind.

The gloomy weather seemed to draw it forth. His doubts and unease spread like mold, dark and damp, taking over his thoughts.

‘Just like Mother said.’

Demius’s head tilted forward.

The weight of it made his injured ribs ache, but he barely noticed the pain.

Perhaps… his brother was already…

Knock knock.

A light tapping sound broke through his thoughts.

Startled, Demius lifted his gaze toward the door.

Who would come at a time like this, in weather like this?

He opened the door cautiously, and to his disbelief, there she was.

“Mr. Demius, what a beautiful day!”

Melissa stood outside, smiling brightly beneath an umbrella.

Demius just stared blankly at her.

…A beautiful day?

Had she finally gone mad?

Past Demius, the one living in this moment, was now thinking something that would make his future self want to cut his throat in disbelief.

But Melissa only laughed softly and went on.

“I’ve been waiting for the rain. The farmers in the village below the mountain were all so worried about the drought. Isn’t it wonderful that it’s finally raining?”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

The words came out sharper than he intended, his brows furrowing.

He wondered if he had gone too far.

But since he had already started, there was no reason to stop.

“Merchants selling fruit and other delicate goods will lose business today, and the fishermen won’t be able to set sail in this weather. Yet you seem so pleased. Is it because their misfortune isn’t your own?”

“…!”

Melissa blinked, startled. Demius’s lips curved in a mean little smirk.

Well, what now?

But the response he got was far from what he expected.

“You’re absolutely right! You’re such a thoughtful person, Mr. Demius!”

Was that sarcasm?

That was his first thought.

But strangely enough, she looked sincere. Her eyes sparkled as if she meant every word.

That genuine expression made him falter for a moment. Unsure how to respond, he simply muttered something vague and ended up letting her inside for the first time.

Since he couldn’t just give a guest plain water, he reluctantly brewed some tea. Melissa, in turn, brought out what she had called snacks.

It was a batch of cookies with wild strawberry jam she had made herself.

At first, Demius meant to make small talk and send her on her way, but the stories she told were unexpectedly interesting.

Perhaps she might even know something about his brother.

Thinking that, Demius continued to listen.

The sound of rain mingled with her calm, pleasant voice.

By the time they realized how much time had passed, evening had already come.

“Thank you for the tea!”

“Do not come again.”

His voice was blunt, but Melissa only blinked and smiled.

“But a flower shop needs customers, doesn’t it?”

Her eyes curved in amusement as she added cheerfully,

“I’ll bring you some new seedlings next time.”

“Sigh.”

Demius exhaled in open exasperation and closed the door.

What on earth made her smile like that?

‘Strange woman.’

Past Demius thought something that would make his future self scream, and thus his karmic record continued to grow.

* * *

Now, walking beside Shilen, Demius said nothing.

The more he thought about it, the more it felt like a miracle that Melissa had ever accepted his proposal.

Or perhaps it wasn’t a miracle for him at all, but a curse placed upon her.

He sighed, glancing down at Shilen as he spoke.

“Don’t repeat what I said to anyone.”

“…?”

The child looked up with a puzzled expression. Demius raised an eyebrow, then let out a quiet laugh.

“Right. You can’t talk anyway.”

He smiled faintly at himself for saying something so foolish. Then he added, almost as an afterthought,

“You’re a good listener.”

Shilen blinked, then gave a small, bright smile.

It was such a cute expression that Demius found himself smiling back, just a little.

A mirrored smile.

After carefully returning Melissa’s hoe to the storage shed, he turned to Shilen.

“Go on home.”

The girl bowed her head politely.

As Demius walked away, his steps were slower than before, though not hesitant.

Even so, his manner had grown noticeably gentler. Shilen watched his back until he disappeared from sight.

* * *

That had happened about a week ago.

Remembering it, Shilen walked toward a tree beside the storage shed and stood on her toes.

Between the small, uneven branches was a little hole. She slipped her hand inside and dropped in the treasures she had found that day, an acorn, a few pebbles, and a root.

Her secret base was now safe and full.

Satisfied, she crouched under the tree and watched a line of ants crawling along the ground.

As they marched in a neat row, she noticed a long twig blocking their path.

When she lifted it aside, the ants scattered briefly before finding a new, quicker route.

‘But…’

As she crouched there, Shilen tilted her head.

‘That’s not how I remember the story.’

The wind blew gently, cool against her damp forehead.

She smiled faintly at the soothing sensation.

‘When Mimi asked me to come with her, I was so happy I could barely believe it.’

That was what Melissa had said.

Shilen remembered it clearly, the conversation that had taken place before Demius told her his secret.

* * *

“Hey, Shilen. You know, I think you and I might be alike.”

Melissa spoke as she wrapped a thin string around the stakes in her garden bed.

“There weren’t any kids my age in the village where I grew up.”

The Village at the Edge.

There weren’t many people living there.

Melissa and her parents.

There used to be six adults, but after one of them passed away, five remained, living quietly together.

Melissa had grown up as the only child in the village.

Everyone’s child.

Yet also the only one alone.

That was who she was.

“My parents were kind, wonderful people, but they were always busy. I didn’t mind, though. Working hard always made me feel good.”

Even so, her hands slowed a little as she continued tying the string.

“I used to wish I had a friend,” she murmured softly.

Her cheeks reddened slightly as she smiled.

“Now that I think about it, maybe that’s why I tried climbing the mountain in the first place.”

If I crossed that mountain, maybe… just maybe, there would be a friend waiting on the other side.

That was what she had thought back then.

Melissa’s eyes sparkled at the memory.

“I just realized while talking about it. I must have wanted a friend more than I ever knew.”

At first, she had told herself it was just curiosity that made her climb the mountain.

But when she thought back to that day, she could still remember it clearly.

She had been about five years old.

Her small hands could barely grasp the large rocks she climbed. She had slipped down the slopes more than once but kept clawing her way up the cliffs.

“Back then, I was small and light, so it was easier than it looked. Of course, I wasn’t strong or tall enough, so I failed in the end.”

She giggled shyly.

Shilen, however, stared at her with a pale face.

Melissa didn’t notice and kept talking.

“At the time, there weren’t many traps or barriers along the cliffs. After I tried climbing once, though, the number of magical barriers suddenly increased.”

Melissa laughed softly, remembering the many traps her parents had set afterward.

It had been fun.

Each time she solved one, a new one appeared, harder than the last. It was like a riddle that grew more difficult with every answer.

Eventually, even her parents stopped trying to keep up.

“But it was scary at first,” she admitted.

It had been a path she had never taken before, filled with wild beasts and poisonous plants.

When she finally reached the city beyond the mountain, her body had been covered in cuts and bruises.

She could barely remember how she managed to return home.

Her hands paused as she looked up, eyes turning distant.

“A hero,” she whispered.

“I think a hero saved me that day.”

In her mind’s eye, she could still see him.

Dark hair. Bright blue eyes.

Just like Mimi.