There was no hesitation in Fenrir's movements.
He pushed Vidar down a bottomless cliff in an instant and stood there motionless.
And not long after...
“It’s too much.”
A dry voice came from right below.
"I don't know why you're so twisted inside, but even so, are you really going to push me like this?"
Vidar, who had risen up emitting the black mist that had appeared when Ivan attacked Fenrir, muttered in disbelief.
"A mere insignificant monster?"
A guy with such abilities?
Fenrir let out a hollow laugh, as if finding it absurd.
In the meantime, Vidar reached the flat ground. As soon as he set foot on the earth, the black mist emanating from his body vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed in the first place.
"It seems we each have different views on 'insignificant mere monsters,' Vidar."
"..."
"Otherwise, how could this be possible?"
“You must be mistaken.”
Vidar shrugged his shoulders and said.
"I have simply lived for a very long time. Didn't I tell you back then? That is why I realized this world isn't real."
He couldn't say that everything he'd said to him so far was a lie.
However, that did not mean that everything could be believed to be true.
Even until now, he had never truly trusted Vidar, but his distrust toward him was bound to grow even stronger. Starting today, right now, at this very moment.
"Anyway, I want you to realize that I answered all the questions you asked. Come to think of it, I haven't exactly avoided them until now, though."
Fenrir did not answer. He merely stared at Vidar with eyes that glowed ominously.
"You should be able to reach the Forbidden Forest by tomorrow night. Instead of wasting your energy on me for nothing, I think it would be better to diligently plan for the future."
"Well, maybe you just let your guard down for no reason?"
At Fenrir's words, Vidar paused slightly.
"All I did at most was push you, but on the contrary, you even showed a strength in front of me that you rarely use."
"..."
"No, should I say you got caught?"
Vidar did not answer. Instead, he let out a small chuckle, then patted Fenrir's shoulder as if to encourage him, and pursed his lips.
"Be careful, Fenrir."
“What?”
"To be honest, rather than people like Dietrich or Ivan who openly reveal their desires, the kind of people who strictly stick to their principles no matter the situation are the most exhausting."
Vidar continued speaking.
"Do you think Dietrich would have sent you to the Forbidden Forest for no reason? Especially with Siegfried."
Vidar was right. Siegfried was the kind of person who would strictly stick to his principles under any circumstances.
The principle he mentioned here was the Emperor's command.
To be precise, it is a sense of duty to 'help the Emperor and protect Ateloia'.
But Fenrir did not know what words Ivan had used to lure Dietrich.
Therefore, the fact that Dietrich misunderstood him as 'he' from the Book of Prophecy, and even the contents of the Book of Prophecy.
"I suppose they intend to do whatever it takes."
However, Fenrir was not stupid enough to think that he had taken Siegfried along for no reason.
"But the same goes for me."
Yeah, that's how it should be.
Vidar smiled as if satisfied.
"I hope you do well. If anything happens to you, I'm the one who'll be in trouble. I told you earlier, didn't I? There is no one more suitable than you to throw Ateloia into confusion for me."
"So, it would be awkward if something happened to you here," Vidar thought to himself.
"Well, don't worry too much anyway. I'll always be around."
"Around?"
"Wherever you are, no matter where it is."
Even as he said that, Vidar's gaze was directed elsewhere, not at Fenrir.
So, towards the barracks.
"Then make sure you are well prepared. You may not know it, but the Forbidden Forest is a place where anything could happen, and it wouldn't be surprising at all."
After spitting out those words, Vidar vanished just as quickly as he had appeared, as if he had never been there. It happened in a split second.
"..."
As Vidar disappeared, only heavy silence settled once again in front of the sheer cliff.
Left all alone like that, Fenrir stood there, guarding the spot without moving the slightest.
"Shall I tell you how?"
While reminiscing about the day he first met Vidar.
"Kill those men, one by one."
For some reason, the words Vidar had said kept lingering in Fenrir's ears like an echo.
“Yes. That’s right.”
Fenrir parted his dry lips in a dry voice.
“If necessary..."
I could have killed everyone. Anything.
“Even you.”
Whether it's a monster or a human.
***
Presepe woke up when dawn was breaking in the distance.
"..."
The tightly closed eyelids slowly opened, and the light purple eyes twinkled all alone in the darkness.
Perhaps it was because she had been riding in a carriage all day, or perhaps because she was physically exhausted from the long-distance journey she was experiencing for the first time, but she seemed to have fallen asleep as if she had fainted.
What time is it now? When are we leaving? Coming to her senses, Presepe tried to get up, but her movements came to a halt after only a short while.
'Right next door...'
It was because of Fenrir, who was lying down with his eyes closed, facing her.
'Wh-what a surprise...'
Startled by the completely unexpected sight, Presepe lay back down, keeping her voice as quiet as possible. He was worried that he might wake Fenrir up for no reason.
Lying toward Fenrir, Presepe quietly gazed at Fenrir's face. The dim, not-so-bright morning sunlight, which had begun to faintly rise, had settled upon it.
'Come to think of it, I think this is the first time I've seen it this close.'
It was a distance of at most about two spans.
When they went to the festival, they even walked around holding hands, but they weren't this close.
She didn't expect to spend the night together in the same barracks like this, but she didn't dislike it.
No... actually, she should say she feels more at ease.
Well, anyway.
'But even though the Grand Duke is asleep, he gives off an intimidating aura.'
In a way, it seemed even worse than Emperor Dietrich.
To think he's wandered from battlefield to battlefield since childhood, perhaps it can’t be helped...
Right. He must have had to survive somehow. Fenrir probably couldn't even sleep properly on the harsh battlefield, and eventually, he must have gotten used to that kind of life.
The result will look like that.
Even as she thought that, for some reason, she felt a pang of sadness for Fenrir in front of her.
Also, a little sadly.
'It must have been really hard....?'
Although he possessed a character in the game, Presepe did not realize what the battlefield was like. Nor did she know how wretched and terrible it was.
Presepe’s face darkened slightly as she imagined young Fenrir, who must have been much shorter than he was now. Her heart felt heavy at the thought that he must have stood in the middle of a living hell where blood and flesh flew ceaselessly.
'No, who am I worrying about right now?'
Anyway, Fenrir was living his life just fine. Well, it did seem like things got a bit twisted because of Presepe, though.
Yeah, on my topic.
In my situation. What.
Presepe, having regained her senses, chuckled to herself in disbelief.
And it was that moment.
"It seems like something pleasant has happened to you."
When Fenrir opened his eyes, he looked at Presepe and parted his lips.
"Ah, it's not that... but did you wake up because of me?"
She should have just kept her mouth shut and closed her eyes. Presepe regretted it too late, but the damage was already done.
"No. I was just closing my eyes."
However, Fenrir answered nonchalantly, as if to say not to worry.
...But isn't that an even bigger problem?
"But we still have more than a day left to go. What are you going to do if you don't get any sleep? You must be very tired."
"It's fine. I'm used to it. Besides, expeditions are always like this."
Actually, it was a lie bordering on an excuse.
He stayed up all night, afraid someone would chase after him and steal the Presepe.
However, there was no way for Presepe to know such inner thoughts.
"How about you take a carriage ride with me? It would likely be more comfortable than riding a horse."
"..."
"If you get tired on the way, you can catch some sleep in the carriage."
"But then, Lady Presepe, it would be inconvenient."
Fenrir snickered and said.
"No! What could be uncomfortable? I just wanted you to be comfortable, Grand Duke."
"Then shall we go in a carriage together?"
It was a spacious carriage, but that was only when Presepe was riding alone. Besides, with his large frame, it would quickly become cramped if he rode along.
Could I fall asleep shoulder to shoulder with you in such a cramped carriage?
At a much closer distance than now?
"Yes. You promised."
Presepe, having no idea what Fenrir was thinking, spoke with a serious expression, and Fenrir eventually replied that he understood.
In him, the image of him pushing Vidar to the edge of a cliff without any hesitation could not be found anywhere.
In the end, Presepe set out on a long journey in a carriage with Fenrir as promised...
It was only after driving for another full day that they arrived west of Ateloia.
So, near the Forbidden Forest...
Without having any idea what would happen here or who she would meet.
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