Chapter 10. What Is Inside the Ruins
Whoosh.
The sound of the flames summoned by Erna's burning echoed in the spacious room. On the soft carpet, Erna sat with her knees hugged to her chest, covered in Callion's cloak.
There was warmth from the fire, which was the size of a campfire, but Erna curled up even more.
'That's strange.'
This is a truly strange place. Erna raised her head and looked up. Neatly polished stones with unadorned, straight lines were stacked, reminiscent of a massive castle gate. And atop them, she could see ancient script still glowing with a soft light.
Erna. Callion. Hesengard.
Even after looking at it dozens of times, it was clear that what was written was her own name and Callion.
When she first saw the writing, she felt like her heart was going to jump out of her mouth. If Callion hadn't been by her side, she probably would have screamed and run away. As Erna stumbled backward, hiccuping in shock, Callion quickly tightened his grip on her hand. Thanks to that, Erna was barely able to calm down.
“...Is that really our name?”
Hearing his voice lower than usual, Erna realized that Callion was also nervous.
"Is someone here?"
If Erna was afraid of those who were not alive, Callion was wary of those who were still alive.
“Is there any magic that allows you to explore the inside?”
“I, I do have one, but...”
Erna drew the magic formula while trembling. However, because her hand was shaking so much, the formula kept disappearing before it could be completed. It was a delicate task that would go awry if the direction was even slightly off, so it was impossible to draw it with trembling hands. When Erna failed to draw the formula three times and looked like she was about to cry, Callion lowered her hand as if to say, "That's enough."
"Stop."
“Ah, no. I can draw it. Just one more time...”
“You’re going to die before I finish drawing. Just stay here. I’ll go take a look inside and come back...”
"You want me to stay here alone?"
At Callion's words, Erna recoiled in horror and grabbed his arm tightly. It was a desperate act, like someone hanging from a cliff relying on a single rope.
“There are no monsters inside the ruins. They have never been sighted even once.”
"Do I seem to be afraid of monsters?"
“Yeah, monsters certainly wouldn’t be scary.”
She could tell for sure by the way he fearlessly dealt with monsters before falling.
“Then, surely you aren’t scared of ghosts, are you?”
Flinch. Erna flinched violently at Callion's words. He could tell she was afraid of it without even having to ask. Callion let out a short sigh.
Until now, no monsters had ever been found inside the ancient ruins. The danger in the ancient ruins was the defense system here.
'There was writing on it that clearly said not to enter.'
Conversely, as long as the side where they were located was not disturbed, this place would be safe. Therefore, it was best for one person to look inside while the other waited at where the two had separated to check if the passageway would reopen.
As Callion silently gazed at Erna, wondering what to do, she gripped his arm even tighter with a pale face and spoke pleadingly.
"If you leave it behind, go; I won't let you get away with it."
He doesn't know if this is a plea or a threat.
Seeing her tremble as if she would faint immediately if her arm were pulled away, Callion decided to give up on one of two options: give up looking around inside, or give up waiting for the passageway that might open at any moment.
He stared at the ceiling. There was not the slightest sign that the passageway of the ruins would open.
'The hallway did look different than usual.'
After thinking for a moment, Callion made up his mind.
"Yes, fine, just let go of this."
“...”
"I'll go with you."
“...”
However, far from letting go, Erna gripped his arm even tighter. Callion looked at Erna's head, who was trembling uncontrollably, lamenting inwardly that his words were so untrustworthy.
'I didn't know you were afraid of something like this.'
Come to think of it, he didn't know a single thing Erna disliked. No, he did know one thing. It was himself.
The other reason he didn't know was obvious. He wasn't interested, and Erna would have done everything she could to keep him from finding out anyway.
'To think they would reveal it like this after doing that.'
Even in this situation, he found himself chuckling for some reason. Callion adjusted his sword to the other side as if resigned to the situation. Actually, having Erna with him wasn't entirely a bad thing. In the event of an emergency, it was advantageous to be together to respond.
Callion surveyed the ruins, practically pressing the trembling Erna against his arm. It was a place resembling an underground area, well-decorated with smooth stones. As he examined a nearby room, Callion soon noticed another strangeness.
It was impossible to tell when it was built, but the items inside were familiar.
"They aren't that old, are they?"
Erna also noticed this and pulled Callion closer to the furniture in the room. She had felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity since entering. Had it not been for the fact that this was an ancient ruin, she would have thought it was a basement room in the Grand Duke's castle.
“Can you see this here?”
Erna pointed to the underside of the side of the furniture to Callion. When Callion looked, there was a very familiar coat of arms attached there. Two pillars. It was the coat of arms signifying the Grand Duke of Hessengard.
"This is a mark attached only to items used in the Grand Duke's castle."
At Erna's soft voice, Callion also felt a chill run down his spine. Up until now, the ancient ruins were places where artifacts hundreds or thousands of years old were discovered. But to think that such a not-so-old object, and one from the Grand Duke's castle at that, was found here...
Erna looked around a bit more and spoke with conviction.
“Looking at the furniture style, it seems like it was in fashion about 30 years ago. I have something similar to this in my room. I liked the way the leg decorations are carved in the shape of flowers here, so I was going to get another one, but Vanessa told me it was a bit out of style, so I remember that.”
At Erna's words, Callion's expression hardened even more.
“Judging by the quantity, it is clear that this was brought here with intent. But if those are items from 30 years ago...”
It was absurd. It was an ancient ruin, yet it meant that people had been coming and going until a few decades ago. Silence filled the room.
After that, the two of them explored the ruins a bit more. However, feeling uneasy, they grabbed only a few blankets for immediate use and returned straight to the spot where they had fallen.
When Callion wondered if he should go back to look for something to light a fire with after returning, Erna created a blazing ball of fire as if to ask why he was worrying about such a thing.
And that is how they have reached the present.
Erna looked at the blanket spread beneath her. Callion laid out all the blankets he had brought beside her, leaving only one behind. Usually, Erna would have said no, but today she quietly accepted whatever Callion did without a word of complaint.
'I don't want to fight.'
As she sat there in silence, the events leading up to her falling into the ruins kept swirling in Erna's mind. To be precise, it was the sight of Callion looking at Freya.
“...”
Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes.
On top of dragging jer body along when she needed a good rest, and having used up all her magic power dealing with the monsters, her body was drenched in fatigue and limp. On top of that, having fallen into the ruins and walked around in extreme tension, she was aching all over, from her neck to her shoulders and legs. And on top of that, her stomach was upset...
Erna gathered her knees, lifted them, and buried her head.
'To think I'm crying over something like this.'
Erna realized that something was wrong with her. She couldn't understand why on earth she had become so emotional lately.
Callion, sitting opposite Erna, was at a loss for words as he watched her quietly bury her face. Then, the moment he heard the sound of sobbing, he found himself asking without realizing it, even though he should have kept his mouth shut.
"Are you crying?"
Erna flinched at his voice, then answered in her main voice a moment later.
“...I’m not crying.”
Of course, I’m not crying. Anyone who hears it can tell my voice is completely choked up.
“There isn’t a passage, but it’s not like you’re going to die right away, so there’s no need to be so scared...”
"I said I wouldn't cry!"
Erna rubbed the area under her eyes with the back of her hand, then lifted her head and shouted angrily. However, while she could wipe away her tears, she could not hide her bloodshot eyes.
Then Callion stood up, approached her, and, as if telling her not to cover her face, grabbed her wrist and brought his face close to examine her.
"But you cried?"
“...”
Does this guy really have no common sense? If he's not human, he should know that. Erna gritted her teeth inwardly and snapped her head away.
“Surely you aren’t still acting like this because of that woman?”
At those words, Erna snapped her head back to glare at Callion. Still? About that woman? Listening to him, it sounded as if she were someone dragging on about a trivial matter. A burning heat surged up inside her. Feeling like she was about to cry for real this time, she bowed her head low, but Callion forcibly grabbed her chin and lifted her head.
"Aren't you going to let go of this?"
"I told you it was a misunderstanding."
“Ah, right. It must be a misunderstanding. But honestly, whether it’s a misunderstanding or not, it doesn’t really matter. It’s not like the law is stopping your relationship, and it’s not my place to interfere. Still...”
She tried to speak as calmly and coolly as possible, but in the end, tears welled up in Erna's eyes and trickled down her cheeks.
“...You should at least have some manners.”
“...”
“How... how can you try to see other women while sleeping with me? Do you think it doesn't matter who it is as long as you satisfy your lust? If that’s your intention, do it at least after you have an heir! After that, I won't have any reason to care about you!”
I was truly confident I could do it. Just wait until we have a child. I have no further business with you!
Erna raised her head, glared at Callion, and continued speaking.
“I know that neither you nor I will have any reason to see each other again once we have a baby. By then, I’ll meet other people and have fun just like you do...”
"What?"
Callion's face, which had been flustered just moments ago, contorted violently.
“What did you just say?”
"What do you mean? I said I'm enjoying my life, too."
Among the nobility, there were many couples who, after having an heir, each had a lover and lived without paying attention to each other. It didn't matter as long as it didn't cause problems with the succession. If so, wouldn't it be fine for her to live that way, too?
Erna mentally racked her brain for the names of the male nobles who were always flirting with her. Even a quick glance showed well over ten. She figured she could last a year even if she dated a different one every month. Just you wait. She would have more lovers than Callion. Because she absolutely did not want to lose to this guy!
“Don’t be ridiculous, Erna.”
Just as Erna was deciding which lover to choose from January to December, Callion spoke in a cracked voice, growling.
"Do you think I'll see you in that state?"
Callion gripped Erna's wrist tightly and glared at her. A blazing flame flickered beyond Callion's eyes.
“Let me make this clear: you are the only one I’ve ever held. And it will continue to be so. So...”
Callion's hand went down and tightly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.
"You must embrace only me, too."
Whoosh.
The sound of the flames summoned by Erna's burning echoed in the spacious room. On the soft carpet, Erna sat with her knees hugged to her chest, covered in Callion's cloak.
There was warmth from the fire, which was the size of a campfire, but Erna curled up even more.
'That's strange.'
This is a truly strange place. Erna raised her head and looked up. Neatly polished stones with unadorned, straight lines were stacked, reminiscent of a massive castle gate. And atop them, she could see ancient script still glowing with a soft light.
Erna. Callion. Hesengard.
Even after looking at it dozens of times, it was clear that what was written was her own name and Callion.
When she first saw the writing, she felt like her heart was going to jump out of her mouth. If Callion hadn't been by her side, she probably would have screamed and run away. As Erna stumbled backward, hiccuping in shock, Callion quickly tightened his grip on her hand. Thanks to that, Erna was barely able to calm down.
“...Is that really our name?”
Hearing his voice lower than usual, Erna realized that Callion was also nervous.
"Is someone here?"
If Erna was afraid of those who were not alive, Callion was wary of those who were still alive.
“Is there any magic that allows you to explore the inside?”
“I, I do have one, but...”
Erna drew the magic formula while trembling. However, because her hand was shaking so much, the formula kept disappearing before it could be completed. It was a delicate task that would go awry if the direction was even slightly off, so it was impossible to draw it with trembling hands. When Erna failed to draw the formula three times and looked like she was about to cry, Callion lowered her hand as if to say, "That's enough."
"Stop."
“Ah, no. I can draw it. Just one more time...”
“You’re going to die before I finish drawing. Just stay here. I’ll go take a look inside and come back...”
"You want me to stay here alone?"
At Callion's words, Erna recoiled in horror and grabbed his arm tightly. It was a desperate act, like someone hanging from a cliff relying on a single rope.
“There are no monsters inside the ruins. They have never been sighted even once.”
"Do I seem to be afraid of monsters?"
“Yeah, monsters certainly wouldn’t be scary.”
She could tell for sure by the way he fearlessly dealt with monsters before falling.
“Then, surely you aren’t scared of ghosts, are you?”
Flinch. Erna flinched violently at Callion's words. He could tell she was afraid of it without even having to ask. Callion let out a short sigh.
Until now, no monsters had ever been found inside the ancient ruins. The danger in the ancient ruins was the defense system here.
'There was writing on it that clearly said not to enter.'
Conversely, as long as the side where they were located was not disturbed, this place would be safe. Therefore, it was best for one person to look inside while the other waited at where the two had separated to check if the passageway would reopen.
As Callion silently gazed at Erna, wondering what to do, she gripped his arm even tighter with a pale face and spoke pleadingly.
"If you leave it behind, go; I won't let you get away with it."
He doesn't know if this is a plea or a threat.
Seeing her tremble as if she would faint immediately if her arm were pulled away, Callion decided to give up on one of two options: give up looking around inside, or give up waiting for the passageway that might open at any moment.
He stared at the ceiling. There was not the slightest sign that the passageway of the ruins would open.
'The hallway did look different than usual.'
After thinking for a moment, Callion made up his mind.
"Yes, fine, just let go of this."
“...”
"I'll go with you."
“...”
However, far from letting go, Erna gripped his arm even tighter. Callion looked at Erna's head, who was trembling uncontrollably, lamenting inwardly that his words were so untrustworthy.
'I didn't know you were afraid of something like this.'
Come to think of it, he didn't know a single thing Erna disliked. No, he did know one thing. It was himself.
The other reason he didn't know was obvious. He wasn't interested, and Erna would have done everything she could to keep him from finding out anyway.
'To think they would reveal it like this after doing that.'
Even in this situation, he found himself chuckling for some reason. Callion adjusted his sword to the other side as if resigned to the situation. Actually, having Erna with him wasn't entirely a bad thing. In the event of an emergency, it was advantageous to be together to respond.
Callion surveyed the ruins, practically pressing the trembling Erna against his arm. It was a place resembling an underground area, well-decorated with smooth stones. As he examined a nearby room, Callion soon noticed another strangeness.
It was impossible to tell when it was built, but the items inside were familiar.
"They aren't that old, are they?"
Erna also noticed this and pulled Callion closer to the furniture in the room. She had felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity since entering. Had it not been for the fact that this was an ancient ruin, she would have thought it was a basement room in the Grand Duke's castle.
“Can you see this here?”
Erna pointed to the underside of the side of the furniture to Callion. When Callion looked, there was a very familiar coat of arms attached there. Two pillars. It was the coat of arms signifying the Grand Duke of Hessengard.
"This is a mark attached only to items used in the Grand Duke's castle."
At Erna's soft voice, Callion also felt a chill run down his spine. Up until now, the ancient ruins were places where artifacts hundreds or thousands of years old were discovered. But to think that such a not-so-old object, and one from the Grand Duke's castle at that, was found here...
Erna looked around a bit more and spoke with conviction.
“Looking at the furniture style, it seems like it was in fashion about 30 years ago. I have something similar to this in my room. I liked the way the leg decorations are carved in the shape of flowers here, so I was going to get another one, but Vanessa told me it was a bit out of style, so I remember that.”
At Erna's words, Callion's expression hardened even more.
“Judging by the quantity, it is clear that this was brought here with intent. But if those are items from 30 years ago...”
It was absurd. It was an ancient ruin, yet it meant that people had been coming and going until a few decades ago. Silence filled the room.
After that, the two of them explored the ruins a bit more. However, feeling uneasy, they grabbed only a few blankets for immediate use and returned straight to the spot where they had fallen.
When Callion wondered if he should go back to look for something to light a fire with after returning, Erna created a blazing ball of fire as if to ask why he was worrying about such a thing.
And that is how they have reached the present.
Erna looked at the blanket spread beneath her. Callion laid out all the blankets he had brought beside her, leaving only one behind. Usually, Erna would have said no, but today she quietly accepted whatever Callion did without a word of complaint.
'I don't want to fight.'
What am I supposed to do if Callion gets annoyed and just storms off on his own? The problem was that she couldn’t help but get angry herself.
“...”
Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes.
On top of dragging jer body along when she needed a good rest, and having used up all her magic power dealing with the monsters, her body was drenched in fatigue and limp. On top of that, having fallen into the ruins and walked around in extreme tension, she was aching all over, from her neck to her shoulders and legs. And on top of that, her stomach was upset...
Erna gathered her knees, lifted them, and buried her head.
'To think I'm crying over something like this.'
Erna realized that something was wrong with her. She couldn't understand why on earth she had become so emotional lately.
Callion, sitting opposite Erna, was at a loss for words as he watched her quietly bury her face. Then, the moment he heard the sound of sobbing, he found himself asking without realizing it, even though he should have kept his mouth shut.
"Are you crying?"
Erna flinched at his voice, then answered in her main voice a moment later.
“...I’m not crying.”
Of course, I’m not crying. Anyone who hears it can tell my voice is completely choked up.
“There isn’t a passage, but it’s not like you’re going to die right away, so there’s no need to be so scared...”
"I said I wouldn't cry!"
Erna rubbed the area under her eyes with the back of her hand, then lifted her head and shouted angrily. However, while she could wipe away her tears, she could not hide her bloodshot eyes.
Then Callion stood up, approached her, and, as if telling her not to cover her face, grabbed her wrist and brought his face close to examine her.
"But you cried?"
“...”
Does this guy really have no common sense? If he's not human, he should know that. Erna gritted her teeth inwardly and snapped her head away.
“Surely you aren’t still acting like this because of that woman?”
At those words, Erna snapped her head back to glare at Callion. Still? About that woman? Listening to him, it sounded as if she were someone dragging on about a trivial matter. A burning heat surged up inside her. Feeling like she was about to cry for real this time, she bowed her head low, but Callion forcibly grabbed her chin and lifted her head.
"Aren't you going to let go of this?"
"I told you it was a misunderstanding."
“Ah, right. It must be a misunderstanding. But honestly, whether it’s a misunderstanding or not, it doesn’t really matter. It’s not like the law is stopping your relationship, and it’s not my place to interfere. Still...”
She tried to speak as calmly and coolly as possible, but in the end, tears welled up in Erna's eyes and trickled down her cheeks.
“...You should at least have some manners.”
“...”
“How... how can you try to see other women while sleeping with me? Do you think it doesn't matter who it is as long as you satisfy your lust? If that’s your intention, do it at least after you have an heir! After that, I won't have any reason to care about you!”
I was truly confident I could do it. Just wait until we have a child. I have no further business with you!
Erna raised her head, glared at Callion, and continued speaking.
“I know that neither you nor I will have any reason to see each other again once we have a baby. By then, I’ll meet other people and have fun just like you do...”
"What?"
Callion's face, which had been flustered just moments ago, contorted violently.
“What did you just say?”
"What do you mean? I said I'm enjoying my life, too."
Among the nobility, there were many couples who, after having an heir, each had a lover and lived without paying attention to each other. It didn't matter as long as it didn't cause problems with the succession. If so, wouldn't it be fine for her to live that way, too?
Erna mentally racked her brain for the names of the male nobles who were always flirting with her. Even a quick glance showed well over ten. She figured she could last a year even if she dated a different one every month. Just you wait. She would have more lovers than Callion. Because she absolutely did not want to lose to this guy!
“Don’t be ridiculous, Erna.”
Just as Erna was deciding which lover to choose from January to December, Callion spoke in a cracked voice, growling.
"Do you think I'll see you in that state?"
Callion gripped Erna's wrist tightly and glared at her. A blazing flame flickered beyond Callion's eyes.
“Let me make this clear: you are the only one I’ve ever held. And it will continue to be so. So...”
Callion's hand went down and tightly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.
"You must embrace only me, too."
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