Episode 70. Crazy Beggar
At Bercheria's words, Groovy closed his gaping mouth and shook his head.
"We're so strikingly similar, how can that possibly be?"
Even the thick eyelashes and the unusually red color of their lips were identical.
Groovy said,
"Honestly, looking at you like this, I almost think we might be twins."
Bercheria was having similar thoughts.
Groovy smiled sheepishly and shook his head.
"But that can't be true. Actually. It's ridiculous."
He scratched his cheek, as if he were ashamed of himself for even thinking such a thing.
"I was born in the imperial dungeons. I lived there from birth until recently. I'm nothing compared to a goddess like you."
Bercheria's eyes narrowed at Groovy's words.
She had heard about the imperial dungeons from Lacrahan. They were dark dungeons where wizards and witches were imprisoned and kept under surveillance, never to be left. She had also heard why they were notorious.
They said it was because no one gave them food. Because they weren't given food, when hundreds of people were first brought there, they even resorted to cannibalism.
When Bercheria heard that story, she wondered what would have happened to her if it hadn't been for the dry bread her mother brought her every day.
"You lived in the imperial dungeons all your life?"
"Yes. I came out recently. It's not like I was released or anything... I know how to use mana, so they let me out so I could use it."
"So, when you're done, you go back to prison?"
"No. Actually, the Emperor..."
Groovy suddenly remembered trying to capture Bercheria, and his shoulders hunched.
If Bercheria had been in that hut, she would have been mauled by wild dogs, covered in blood, or dragged away by the Emperor and locked in the dungeon, a miserable sight.
Groov sighed and lowered his head.
"The Emperor told me to capture Bercheria. He said he wouldn't put me in the dungeon if I did."
"Ah."
Bercheria listened to his story, her expression largely unchanged, her hand covering her mouth.
“That’s why I let the dogs loose and went looking for you. I’m sorry.”
Groovy was so embarrassed that sweat broke out on his face.
Remembering the tattered clothes he’d let the dogs sniff out made his heart pound.
“If I hadn’t been careful, they would have bitten me. I wanted to live, so I deliberately pretended not to see what would happen to you. I’m sorry.”
At Bercheria's words, Groovy closed his gaping mouth and shook his head.
"We're so strikingly similar, how can that possibly be?"
Even the thick eyelashes and the unusually red color of their lips were identical.
Groovy said,
"Honestly, looking at you like this, I almost think we might be twins."
Bercheria was having similar thoughts.
Groovy smiled sheepishly and shook his head.
"But that can't be true. Actually. It's ridiculous."
He scratched his cheek, as if he were ashamed of himself for even thinking such a thing.
"I was born in the imperial dungeons. I lived there from birth until recently. I'm nothing compared to a goddess like you."
Bercheria's eyes narrowed at Groovy's words.
She had heard about the imperial dungeons from Lacrahan. They were dark dungeons where wizards and witches were imprisoned and kept under surveillance, never to be left. She had also heard why they were notorious.
They said it was because no one gave them food. Because they weren't given food, when hundreds of people were first brought there, they even resorted to cannibalism.
When Bercheria heard that story, she wondered what would have happened to her if it hadn't been for the dry bread her mother brought her every day.
"You lived in the imperial dungeons all your life?"
"Yes. I came out recently. It's not like I was released or anything... I know how to use mana, so they let me out so I could use it."
"So, when you're done, you go back to prison?"
"No. Actually, the Emperor..."
Groovy suddenly remembered trying to capture Bercheria, and his shoulders hunched.
If Bercheria had been in that hut, she would have been mauled by wild dogs, covered in blood, or dragged away by the Emperor and locked in the dungeon, a miserable sight.
Groov sighed and lowered his head.
"The Emperor told me to capture Bercheria. He said he wouldn't put me in the dungeon if I did."
"Ah."
Bercheria listened to his story, her expression largely unchanged, her hand covering her mouth.
“That’s why I let the dogs loose and went looking for you. I’m sorry.”
Groovy was so embarrassed that sweat broke out on his face.
Remembering the tattered clothes he’d let the dogs sniff out made his heart pound.
“If I hadn’t been careful, they would have bitten me. I wanted to live, so I deliberately pretended not to see what would happen to you. I’m sorry.”
Groovy tried not to cry, but tears streamed down his face.
Groovy hated how miserable he had become, and he was ashamed that he had nowhere else to go but the dungeon.
People who looked like him seemed so perfect, while his own life felt like a cesspool, and tears kept falling.
“Sob.”
He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and sniffed, and the dog that had been following him the whole time came closer and sat down next to his calf. He had no idea why this dog kept following him.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Of course, I wish you hadn’t, but if you hadn’t, you would have gone to the dungeon.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Bercheria.”
Bercheria wanted to reach out and comfort Groovy, but held back, knowing she didn’t deserve it.
“I probably would have done the same thing.”
Groovy wiped his nose and raised his head.
“I was locked up alone in a tower until recently. It was just a narrow tower with no bed or blanket. It smelled bad, and there was nothing to block the wind.”
Groovy’s lips parted thinly.
“I lived there until I escaped a while ago and met Lacrahan.”
They both looked at Lacrahan.
He was still leaning against the tree, his legs crooked, lost in thought.
“If someone had asked me if I wanted to go back to the tower, or if I would be mean to someone else, I would have bullied them without hesitation.”
Bercheria smiled weakly.
Of course, she knew it was a bad thing, but she wasn’t ashamed.
Unless you've lived there yourself, others won't know.
Even guessing at how difficult it must have been is all pretense.
Only those who've experienced it will understand.
"I understand. So don't be so sorry."
At Bercheria's words, Groovy finally couldn't hold it in any longer, hugged her tightly, and burst into tears.
Leaning against a tree, Lacrahan frowned as he spotted Groovy embracing Bercheria.
Dawn was fading into the imperial hallway.
A man was trudging down the hallway, cutting through the air.
He arrived at a magnificent silver-decorated door and knocked.
A moment later, the door creaked open, and the man thrust his large, heavy hand through it, slamming it open without hesitation.
A fragrant aroma wafted through the doorway, and a bed decorated with pink lace came into view.
“Anyway.”
The Empress, lying face down on the bed, clicked her tongue and swept the man down from top to bottom.
Then, her gaze settled on a single spot, and she added,
“Like a beast.”
Contrary to her blunt voice, the Empress’s eyes were filled with greed.
“What have you prepared today?”
When the Empress asked, the man took a bundle of letters addressed to Lyone and the Emperor from his pocket and placed them on the Empress.
"Hmm."
The Empress raised her kind and gentle eyes.
In that instant, her gaze changed.
Her eyes, gleaming in the light, were no longer gentle.
They were those of a provocative woman who didn't hide her ambition.
"Come up."
The man walked toward her, throwing off his already half-open shirt.
Then, with a smirk, he ripped the empress's pajamas open.
The Empress, startled by the movement, let out a strange gasp from between her lips.
For about six months, Lacrahan had sensed that Periat was turning in a strange direction.
Of course, at that time, the people were suffering from a drought that had lasted for several months.
But even so, something was suspicious about the movement.
He couldn't figure out what was going on, but as time passed, jewels accumulated in the treasure trove that the Emperor was obsessed with.
And here and there, blonde hair appeared. Or even golden eyes. They kept appearing, as if someone was persistently searching for them.
There were many other small things as well.
The Locust used to pass through the portal continued to leak out, and the Emperor remained oblivious, fixated on the jewel.
Not only was Prince Laurent crossing the border from Derence, but now the guardian deity of the Kingdom of Contana himself began to trek northward across the border.
He seemed to have a clear purpose, devoting all his time to taming the divine beast, Muha, before returning to Contana.
When Lacrahan realized all this was connected, he first brought the orphaned children to the castle. He couldn't understand why these irregular phenomena were occurring simultaneously, but he feared another war, or perhaps internal rebellion.
Therefore, he decided to protect the children first.
And that night, the warehouse where the children were kept caught fire, and unexpectedly, Bercheria appeared before him.
Lacrahan had a gut feeling that all this was happening around Bercheria. He couldn't understand why, but he knew something profound was about to happen.
And today, a boy who resembled her and a woman who created her own portal.
Lacrahan had to anticipate these combinations to prevent anyone from being unfairly victimized.
“I’ve definitely seen that woman. Where was it? Where on earth?”
When he first saw the woman at the foot of the tower, Lacrahan knew he had definitely seen her face somewhere.
But even now, he couldn’t quite recall who she was.
If she had even spoken to him briefly, he would have remembered, but it was clear she hadn’t.
Just a fleeting glance. But her presence would have left a lasting impression.
“Ha.”
He let out a frustrated breath and looked at Bercheria.
Lacrahan was good at remembering even people he’d met by chance. It wasn’t intentional; he was particularly good at remembering people’s faces and features.
Even if he didn’t know exactly where or how they’d met, it was easier to recall a general image.
He had to make sure the world she lived in remained intact, so he couldn’t ignore even the smallest details. But strangely, this time, it just wouldn’t come to mind.
For Bercheria, who had been forced to live in agony all her life in a narrow tower, the world she would live in from now on had to be sufficiently beautiful and stable.
That was Lacrahan's sole goal.
He was now no different from a racehorse.
He could only see Bercheria and muster the strength to run towards her.
It was mind-boggling how he'd ever lived without her.
Wyatt would have been shocked if he heard, but he even wondered if his life had been built for her.
"Crazy."
He knew it wasn't normal, but Lacrahan believed there was a reason for it.
Whether it would be revealed in the border village or only after everything had blown up, he couldn't tell when, but he could clearly feel how tightly the thread of fate that connected him and her was woven.
Groovy hated how miserable he had become, and he was ashamed that he had nowhere else to go but the dungeon.
People who looked like him seemed so perfect, while his own life felt like a cesspool, and tears kept falling.
“Sob.”
He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and sniffed, and the dog that had been following him the whole time came closer and sat down next to his calf. He had no idea why this dog kept following him.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Of course, I wish you hadn’t, but if you hadn’t, you would have gone to the dungeon.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Bercheria.”
Bercheria wanted to reach out and comfort Groovy, but held back, knowing she didn’t deserve it.
“I probably would have done the same thing.”
Groovy wiped his nose and raised his head.
“I was locked up alone in a tower until recently. It was just a narrow tower with no bed or blanket. It smelled bad, and there was nothing to block the wind.”
Groovy’s lips parted thinly.
“I lived there until I escaped a while ago and met Lacrahan.”
They both looked at Lacrahan.
He was still leaning against the tree, his legs crooked, lost in thought.
“If someone had asked me if I wanted to go back to the tower, or if I would be mean to someone else, I would have bullied them without hesitation.”
Bercheria smiled weakly.
Of course, she knew it was a bad thing, but she wasn’t ashamed.
Unless you've lived there yourself, others won't know.
Even guessing at how difficult it must have been is all pretense.
Only those who've experienced it will understand.
"I understand. So don't be so sorry."
At Bercheria's words, Groovy finally couldn't hold it in any longer, hugged her tightly, and burst into tears.
Leaning against a tree, Lacrahan frowned as he spotted Groovy embracing Bercheria.
***
Dawn was fading into the imperial hallway.
A man was trudging down the hallway, cutting through the air.
He arrived at a magnificent silver-decorated door and knocked.
A moment later, the door creaked open, and the man thrust his large, heavy hand through it, slamming it open without hesitation.
A fragrant aroma wafted through the doorway, and a bed decorated with pink lace came into view.
“Anyway.”
The Empress, lying face down on the bed, clicked her tongue and swept the man down from top to bottom.
Then, her gaze settled on a single spot, and she added,
“Like a beast.”
Contrary to her blunt voice, the Empress’s eyes were filled with greed.
“What have you prepared today?”
When the Empress asked, the man took a bundle of letters addressed to Lyone and the Emperor from his pocket and placed them on the Empress.
"Hmm."
The Empress raised her kind and gentle eyes.
In that instant, her gaze changed.
Her eyes, gleaming in the light, were no longer gentle.
They were those of a provocative woman who didn't hide her ambition.
"Come up."
The man walked toward her, throwing off his already half-open shirt.
Then, with a smirk, he ripped the empress's pajamas open.
The Empress, startled by the movement, let out a strange gasp from between her lips.
***
For about six months, Lacrahan had sensed that Periat was turning in a strange direction.
Of course, at that time, the people were suffering from a drought that had lasted for several months.
But even so, something was suspicious about the movement.
He couldn't figure out what was going on, but as time passed, jewels accumulated in the treasure trove that the Emperor was obsessed with.
And here and there, blonde hair appeared. Or even golden eyes. They kept appearing, as if someone was persistently searching for them.
There were many other small things as well.
The Locust used to pass through the portal continued to leak out, and the Emperor remained oblivious, fixated on the jewel.
Not only was Prince Laurent crossing the border from Derence, but now the guardian deity of the Kingdom of Contana himself began to trek northward across the border.
He seemed to have a clear purpose, devoting all his time to taming the divine beast, Muha, before returning to Contana.
When Lacrahan realized all this was connected, he first brought the orphaned children to the castle. He couldn't understand why these irregular phenomena were occurring simultaneously, but he feared another war, or perhaps internal rebellion.
Therefore, he decided to protect the children first.
And that night, the warehouse where the children were kept caught fire, and unexpectedly, Bercheria appeared before him.
Lacrahan had a gut feeling that all this was happening around Bercheria. He couldn't understand why, but he knew something profound was about to happen.
And today, a boy who resembled her and a woman who created her own portal.
Lacrahan had to anticipate these combinations to prevent anyone from being unfairly victimized.
“I’ve definitely seen that woman. Where was it? Where on earth?”
When he first saw the woman at the foot of the tower, Lacrahan knew he had definitely seen her face somewhere.
But even now, he couldn’t quite recall who she was.
If she had even spoken to him briefly, he would have remembered, but it was clear she hadn’t.
Just a fleeting glance. But her presence would have left a lasting impression.
“Ha.”
He let out a frustrated breath and looked at Bercheria.
Lacrahan was good at remembering even people he’d met by chance. It wasn’t intentional; he was particularly good at remembering people’s faces and features.
Even if he didn’t know exactly where or how they’d met, it was easier to recall a general image.
He had to make sure the world she lived in remained intact, so he couldn’t ignore even the smallest details. But strangely, this time, it just wouldn’t come to mind.
For Bercheria, who had been forced to live in agony all her life in a narrow tower, the world she would live in from now on had to be sufficiently beautiful and stable.
That was Lacrahan's sole goal.
He was now no different from a racehorse.
He could only see Bercheria and muster the strength to run towards her.
It was mind-boggling how he'd ever lived without her.
Wyatt would have been shocked if he heard, but he even wondered if his life had been built for her.
"Crazy."
He knew it wasn't normal, but Lacrahan believed there was a reason for it.
Whether it would be revealed in the border village or only after everything had blown up, he couldn't tell when, but he could clearly feel how tightly the thread of fate that connected him and her was woven.
As Lacrahan absentmindedly turned his gaze, he caught sight of a blond boy embracing her.
At that moment, a tendon popped on his forehead.
At that moment, a tendon popped on his forehead.
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