154. Side Story. In the Forest of Oblivion (3)
Day 2.
“Maurice, Maurice?”
As soon as the morning broke, Leana arrived at the meeting place with Maurice.
It was said to be the library of an old monastery, but it was very cramped and contained only a few books.
However, a book on the desk caught Leana’s eye.
The title on the worn hardcover book was written in red.
“This is ancient...?”
Leana reached out to turn the page, but Maurice’s cold voice said,
“Don’t touch!”
Leana flinched and pulled her hand away.
Behind Maurice, who approached Leana, three priests in white robes appeared.
“Maurice, I think I know this book.”
At those words, the expressions of Maurice and the priests who followed him brightened.
“You know this book?”
“Yes.”
“No way. This was hidden away in a secret archive in the Vatican. It was a library that only the Pope and a few authorized individuals could enter.”
“Why would you have such a book?”
“The Pope is dead, and I’m the next Pope.”
Leana looked around in disbelief.
“That’s ridiculous... The Vatican is this shabby?”
Even with amnesia, this didn’t make sense.
“The Emperor killed the Pope and slaughtered all the priests in the Vatican. We’re hiding here, fleeing from the Emperor’s blade.”
“The Emperor... is a very cruel man.”
Maurice nodded at Leana.
“Yes. He’s a wolf clan, and he hates humans. He wants this world to belong to the beasts. That’s why he tried to destroy the Vatican, which protects humans. We’re preparing for our final stand against him.”
“Maurice, you’re doing an incredible job!”
Leana stared at Maurice with admiration and respect.
Maurice kept trying to laugh.
The current Leana was like a duckling hatched from an egg.
Like a cute duckling that had just met him and followed him around, believing him to be its mother, she believed everything he said.
This was Leana, the fearsome archmage known as the "Slayer of Priests," a being of fear.
Maurice suddenly remembered when he first met Leana.
The Pope, who distrusted people, had brought a deaf girl of about ten years old to him one day, claiming to be his page.
Maurice had seen the secretive gaze that occasionally shone behind the girl's frightened expression.
It was a strangely striking sight, a sight that always captivated him.
It would be much later that he would learn that the child had long hidden her identity, seeking revenge for her father.
And the Vatican and the priests who had been so smitten by her had ultimately become fugitives.
The once-impressive Leana was now in his grasp.
She wore an expression of absolute trust, as if she would believe and obey his every word.
But he couldn't completely trust her.
After all, she was a child who had been pretending to be a deaf girl and deceiving the Vatican for years.
“Do you really know about this book, Leana?”
Maurice pointed again to the book on the desk.
“I don’t know why, but I think I’ve seen it somewhere. It’s written in an ancient language. I think I can read it.”
Indeed, Leana had been the Pope’s page for a long time. So she might have followed him into the secret library.
“Yes, that’s right. Priests who can read ancient languages aren’t common, so you’ll be a great help.”
Leana beamed at the thought of being of help to him.
“I want to help, Maurice. How can I help you ?”
Maurice and the priests exchanged secret glances.
“So, can you decipher this passage?”
Maurice opened the book to a page. It was a passage he had been struggling to decipher for months. Most ancient spellbooks were metaphorical or cryptic.
Only by fully understanding and internalizing them could one use them as spells.
Leana possessed a remarkable ability to manipulate immense amounts of mana, but she also possessed a remarkable ability to interpret ancient languages.
"This... seems to be the Book of Mirrors."
Her expression became serious, and she looked up after a moment of being glued to the book.
"The Book of Mirrors?"
“Yes, there’s probably another book that goes along with this one. It’ll probably have a paragraph that completely contradicts this part. You’ll only fully understand it if you read it alongside that book. I don’t know why I know this.”
“I see!”
Maurice and the other priests brightened.
But Leana’s expression hardened.
“But what are you planning to do with this book? It’s full of curses and ruin. It’s a dangerous book that shouldn’t be revealed to the world.”
Unlike Leana, who was deeply worried, Maurice’s face was excited.
“I’m going to create immortal warriors who will never die and fight the Emperor.”
“You’re saying you’re going to create undead warriors?”
“Hmm. I’m going to create the most powerful warriors in the world.”
Leana’s face twisted, and she covered her head with her hands.
“Ugh!”
“I wanted to turn your father undead. He would have been the Vatican’s greatest weapon.”
A voice exactly like Maurice’s buzzed in her head.
He seemed to have heard those words before.
“Are you okay, Leana?”
“I’m not feeling well. I’ll go out for a moment.”
Maurice tried to quickly chase after Leana as she stumbled out.
But all the priests blocked his path.
“She seems to remember something. It’s dangerous to keep her alive any longer.”
“Yes, this has been enough help, so you should kill her. We will help you.”
“Make a decision quickly!”
Maurice, lost in thought for a moment at the priests’ urging, slowly parted his lips.
“I understand your concerns, priests. But I will handle this alone.”
Maurice came outside and saw Leana wandering in the monastery garden.
Spring had come even to the garden deep in the mountains, and colorful flowers were in full bloom.
Leana looked at them as if captivated by them.
Maurice, remembering Leana as a young girl, felt a strange sensation. She had become a perfectly beautiful woman, her long hair down, gazing at the flowers.
Archmage, Slayer of Priests—a dazzlingly lovely woman hidden behind such terrifying names.
“Are you feeling well?”
“...”
Instead of answering, Leana stared at him with sad eyes.
Maurice’s heart sank slightly. He didn’t know if, as the priests had said, she had regained her memories from what had just happened.
No matter how powerful the magic cast in the Forest of Oblivion was, she was still a magician. Perhaps she had found a way to overcome it herself.
“Maurice, are you a good person?”
But an unexpected question returned.
“Why do you ask?”
“Everything is confusing. I’ve lost my memory. Right now, you’re the only one I can trust, and if you’re a bad person, that’s a problem.”
“I see.”
“What? If you say that, it’ll just confuse me even more.”
“Then should I say I'm a good person?”
“Yes, say so. You’re the next Pope, so you’re bound to be a good person, right? Your enemy must be a bad person, right?”
Maurice couldn’t readily answer.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t really know. What’s clear is that I need to save myself and those who follow me. It would be even better if they offered me a comfortable life and happiness in exchange for following me. So I think it’s best to think of my enemies as bad people. That way, I can fight without guilt.”
“So, you’re trying to kill me?”
Another unexpected question.
“What...?”
Leana’s transparent, blue-gray eyes stared at him as if they could pierce his very soul.
“I just overheard you and the priests talking. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. I guess my ears are a bit sharp. I could hear every whisper.”
Maurice had made a grave mistake.
She was a member of the wolf clan. He’d forgotten that her senses were far more acute than those of ordinary people.
“Sorry. They were just being overly cautious earlier. They were worried that a skilled wizard like you might make a mistake with your incomplete memories.”
“What mistake?”
"...”
Maurice struggled to find the words to respond, but Leana pressed him.
"Tell me, Maurice. Who am I? Am I with you, or against you?"
"Shall we walk, Leana?"
"Are you going to take me away and kill me?"
Maurice didn't answer, but simply walked ahead.
Leana followed him, naturally, even though he didn't urge her. She seemed to know that Maurice would do the same.
Judging from the conversation she'd just heard, he might kill her.
But Leana wasn't afraid.
On the contrary, when she cautiously grabbed Maurice's hand, he didn't push it away.
So Leana summoned her courage and took his hand. The man's hand, which had seemed as cold as ice, was warmer than she'd expected.
And so the two left the village and headed toward the Forest of Oblivion.
"We must have liked each other, right?"
Leana asked in front of the Forest of Oblivion.
She couldn't understand this situation otherwise. She had no memory of it, he might kill her at any moment, yet she could trust him so much.
"No, we didn't like each other."
"Then I was the only one who liked you?"
He smiled faintly and shook his head.
"I liked you. For a long time. Yes, I think so."
The thick fog that had spread across the Forest of Oblivion began to slowly envelop them.
Leana would soon forget what she had heard here.
Even if he were to unleash all the words he'd kept inside, she'd forget them all.
So, wouldn't it be okay?
Maurice stopped walking and gazed at Leana with his deepest eyes.
"I think it started when I saw you as a girl. When the undead Stone lunged at you, I unknowingly saved you. Yes, in fact, I had countless opportunities to kill you. But I failed at the crucial moment. Now that I think about it, that's exactly how it happened. Maybe that's why I ended up in this miserable situation."
As she listened to him, tears flowed down Leana's face without her knowing.
Perhaps it was because his sincerity had resonated deeply within her.
She knew it even without remembering it, even without saying it.
Perhaps it was because their hearts connected.
"You were, too, right?"
"I would have."
"We are the most tragic lovers in the world."
Leana muttered with a bitter smile.
"I guess so."
"It's quite romantic. I'm so glad you're not some petty lover."
"Still the same. The habit of walking a thorny path."
"Was I that strange?"
"You were. You always risk your life, no matter what. Even using magic. You don't care if you're breaking down and dying."
"I'm breaking down and dying?"
Maurice looked at Leana with pity.
"Leana, you've exerted too much power up until now. You've exerted more power than you can handle, and your body is slowly breaking down. But no one can tell that you're slowly dying."
That must have been why. The moment she used magic, her heart felt like it was going to burst, and blood flowed from her nose and mouth.
"You knew?"
"Of course. We're enemies, but I'm the one who understands you better than anyone in the world."
The one who understood her better than anyone else.
That must have been why he felt so pitiful.
At that moment, Leana felt impulsive.
It didn't matter if he was her enemy. It seemed like it wouldn't matter even if he actually killed her.
She couldn't stand this burning emotion right now.
"Maurice..."
She slowly pressed her lips against his.
Day 2.
“Maurice, Maurice?”
As soon as the morning broke, Leana arrived at the meeting place with Maurice.
It was said to be the library of an old monastery, but it was very cramped and contained only a few books.
However, a book on the desk caught Leana’s eye.
The title on the worn hardcover book was written in red.
“This is ancient...?”
Leana reached out to turn the page, but Maurice’s cold voice said,
“Don’t touch!”
Leana flinched and pulled her hand away.
Behind Maurice, who approached Leana, three priests in white robes appeared.
“Maurice, I think I know this book.”
At those words, the expressions of Maurice and the priests who followed him brightened.
“You know this book?”
“Yes.”
“No way. This was hidden away in a secret archive in the Vatican. It was a library that only the Pope and a few authorized individuals could enter.”
“Why would you have such a book?”
“The Pope is dead, and I’m the next Pope.”
Leana looked around in disbelief.
“That’s ridiculous... The Vatican is this shabby?”
Even with amnesia, this didn’t make sense.
“The Emperor killed the Pope and slaughtered all the priests in the Vatican. We’re hiding here, fleeing from the Emperor’s blade.”
“The Emperor... is a very cruel man.”
Maurice nodded at Leana.
“Yes. He’s a wolf clan, and he hates humans. He wants this world to belong to the beasts. That’s why he tried to destroy the Vatican, which protects humans. We’re preparing for our final stand against him.”
“Maurice, you’re doing an incredible job!”
Leana stared at Maurice with admiration and respect.
Maurice kept trying to laugh.
The current Leana was like a duckling hatched from an egg.
Like a cute duckling that had just met him and followed him around, believing him to be its mother, she believed everything he said.
This was Leana, the fearsome archmage known as the "Slayer of Priests," a being of fear.
Maurice suddenly remembered when he first met Leana.
The Pope, who distrusted people, had brought a deaf girl of about ten years old to him one day, claiming to be his page.
Maurice had seen the secretive gaze that occasionally shone behind the girl's frightened expression.
It was a strangely striking sight, a sight that always captivated him.
It would be much later that he would learn that the child had long hidden her identity, seeking revenge for her father.
And the Vatican and the priests who had been so smitten by her had ultimately become fugitives.
The once-impressive Leana was now in his grasp.
She wore an expression of absolute trust, as if she would believe and obey his every word.
But he couldn't completely trust her.
After all, she was a child who had been pretending to be a deaf girl and deceiving the Vatican for years.
“Do you really know about this book, Leana?”
Maurice pointed again to the book on the desk.
“I don’t know why, but I think I’ve seen it somewhere. It’s written in an ancient language. I think I can read it.”
Indeed, Leana had been the Pope’s page for a long time. So she might have followed him into the secret library.
“Yes, that’s right. Priests who can read ancient languages aren’t common, so you’ll be a great help.”
Leana beamed at the thought of being of help to him.
“I want to help, Maurice. How can I help you ?”
Maurice and the priests exchanged secret glances.
“So, can you decipher this passage?”
Maurice opened the book to a page. It was a passage he had been struggling to decipher for months. Most ancient spellbooks were metaphorical or cryptic.
Only by fully understanding and internalizing them could one use them as spells.
Leana possessed a remarkable ability to manipulate immense amounts of mana, but she also possessed a remarkable ability to interpret ancient languages.
"This... seems to be the Book of Mirrors."
Her expression became serious, and she looked up after a moment of being glued to the book.
"The Book of Mirrors?"
“Yes, there’s probably another book that goes along with this one. It’ll probably have a paragraph that completely contradicts this part. You’ll only fully understand it if you read it alongside that book. I don’t know why I know this.”
“I see!”
Maurice and the other priests brightened.
But Leana’s expression hardened.
“But what are you planning to do with this book? It’s full of curses and ruin. It’s a dangerous book that shouldn’t be revealed to the world.”
Unlike Leana, who was deeply worried, Maurice’s face was excited.
“I’m going to create immortal warriors who will never die and fight the Emperor.”
“You’re saying you’re going to create undead warriors?”
“Hmm. I’m going to create the most powerful warriors in the world.”
Leana’s face twisted, and she covered her head with her hands.
“Ugh!”
“I wanted to turn your father undead. He would have been the Vatican’s greatest weapon.”
A voice exactly like Maurice’s buzzed in her head.
He seemed to have heard those words before.
“Are you okay, Leana?”
“I’m not feeling well. I’ll go out for a moment.”
Maurice tried to quickly chase after Leana as she stumbled out.
But all the priests blocked his path.
“She seems to remember something. It’s dangerous to keep her alive any longer.”
“Yes, this has been enough help, so you should kill her. We will help you.”
“Make a decision quickly!”
Maurice, lost in thought for a moment at the priests’ urging, slowly parted his lips.
“I understand your concerns, priests. But I will handle this alone.”
***
Maurice came outside and saw Leana wandering in the monastery garden.
Spring had come even to the garden deep in the mountains, and colorful flowers were in full bloom.
Leana looked at them as if captivated by them.
Maurice, remembering Leana as a young girl, felt a strange sensation. She had become a perfectly beautiful woman, her long hair down, gazing at the flowers.
Archmage, Slayer of Priests—a dazzlingly lovely woman hidden behind such terrifying names.
“Are you feeling well?”
“...”
Instead of answering, Leana stared at him with sad eyes.
Maurice’s heart sank slightly. He didn’t know if, as the priests had said, she had regained her memories from what had just happened.
No matter how powerful the magic cast in the Forest of Oblivion was, she was still a magician. Perhaps she had found a way to overcome it herself.
“Maurice, are you a good person?”
But an unexpected question returned.
“Why do you ask?”
“Everything is confusing. I’ve lost my memory. Right now, you’re the only one I can trust, and if you’re a bad person, that’s a problem.”
“I see.”
“What? If you say that, it’ll just confuse me even more.”
“Then should I say I'm a good person?”
“Yes, say so. You’re the next Pope, so you’re bound to be a good person, right? Your enemy must be a bad person, right?”
Maurice couldn’t readily answer.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t really know. What’s clear is that I need to save myself and those who follow me. It would be even better if they offered me a comfortable life and happiness in exchange for following me. So I think it’s best to think of my enemies as bad people. That way, I can fight without guilt.”
“So, you’re trying to kill me?”
Another unexpected question.
“What...?”
Leana’s transparent, blue-gray eyes stared at him as if they could pierce his very soul.
“I just overheard you and the priests talking. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. I guess my ears are a bit sharp. I could hear every whisper.”
Maurice had made a grave mistake.
She was a member of the wolf clan. He’d forgotten that her senses were far more acute than those of ordinary people.
“Sorry. They were just being overly cautious earlier. They were worried that a skilled wizard like you might make a mistake with your incomplete memories.”
“What mistake?”
"...”
Maurice struggled to find the words to respond, but Leana pressed him.
"Tell me, Maurice. Who am I? Am I with you, or against you?"
"Shall we walk, Leana?"
"Are you going to take me away and kill me?"
Maurice didn't answer, but simply walked ahead.
Leana followed him, naturally, even though he didn't urge her. She seemed to know that Maurice would do the same.
Judging from the conversation she'd just heard, he might kill her.
But Leana wasn't afraid.
On the contrary, when she cautiously grabbed Maurice's hand, he didn't push it away.
So Leana summoned her courage and took his hand. The man's hand, which had seemed as cold as ice, was warmer than she'd expected.
And so the two left the village and headed toward the Forest of Oblivion.
"We must have liked each other, right?"
Leana asked in front of the Forest of Oblivion.
She couldn't understand this situation otherwise. She had no memory of it, he might kill her at any moment, yet she could trust him so much.
"No, we didn't like each other."
"Then I was the only one who liked you?"
He smiled faintly and shook his head.
"I liked you. For a long time. Yes, I think so."
The thick fog that had spread across the Forest of Oblivion began to slowly envelop them.
Leana would soon forget what she had heard here.
Even if he were to unleash all the words he'd kept inside, she'd forget them all.
So, wouldn't it be okay?
Maurice stopped walking and gazed at Leana with his deepest eyes.
"I think it started when I saw you as a girl. When the undead Stone lunged at you, I unknowingly saved you. Yes, in fact, I had countless opportunities to kill you. But I failed at the crucial moment. Now that I think about it, that's exactly how it happened. Maybe that's why I ended up in this miserable situation."
As she listened to him, tears flowed down Leana's face without her knowing.
Perhaps it was because his sincerity had resonated deeply within her.
She knew it even without remembering it, even without saying it.
Perhaps it was because their hearts connected.
"I probably liked you too. But I couldn't express it. I guess we were enemies."
"Yes, you said we were enemies. You killed me and those who followed me countless times."
"Yes, you said we were enemies. You killed me and those who followed me countless times."
"You were, too, right?"
"I would have."
"We are the most tragic lovers in the world."
Leana muttered with a bitter smile.
"I guess so."
"It's quite romantic. I'm so glad you're not some petty lover."
"Still the same. The habit of walking a thorny path."
"Was I that strange?"
"You were. You always risk your life, no matter what. Even using magic. You don't care if you're breaking down and dying."
"I'm breaking down and dying?"
Maurice looked at Leana with pity.
"Leana, you've exerted too much power up until now. You've exerted more power than you can handle, and your body is slowly breaking down. But no one can tell that you're slowly dying."
That must have been why. The moment she used magic, her heart felt like it was going to burst, and blood flowed from her nose and mouth.
"You knew?"
"Of course. We're enemies, but I'm the one who understands you better than anyone in the world."
The one who understood her better than anyone else.
That must have been why he felt so pitiful.
At that moment, Leana felt impulsive.
It didn't matter if he was her enemy. It seemed like it wouldn't matter even if he actually killed her.
She couldn't stand this burning emotion right now.
"Maurice..."
She slowly pressed her lips against his.
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