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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: A Close Call
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“But what about your siblings?”
“Oh. They’re all busy, you know.”
I deliberately gave a vague answer, without saying whether they were home or not.
“Is that so?”
Thankfully, she didn’t seem to find it strange. No, it seemed more like she wasn’t interested. It looked like she had only asked out of politeness.
I lifted my teacup and took a sip. Its slightly bitter taste seemed perfect to pair with the sweet desserts.
“Oh, right. Has your deployment location been decided?”
“I’ll probably be sent to the Frostwood. There have been reports that it’s teeming with monsters.”
Hazel replied nonchalantly, then took a bite of a sweet cookie. She frowned slightly at its excessive sweetness.
And that change quickly faded, her expression returning to its usual impassiveness.
“Are you allowed to just tell me that? I’d think that’s military intelligence.”
“It’s you, so it’s fine.”
That quiet trust was quite pleasing. At the same time, a part of my heart grew heavy.
‘If she finds out I’m a warlock, things won’t be the same as they are now.’
Someone with something to hide finds it hard to let others get close. In that sense, Hazel was a doubly difficult problem for me.
Because if she so decided, the siblings I had barely revived would return to nothing.
‘Unlike priests, Holy Knights only need a minimal amount of divine power, so not all of them are dangerous, but…’
The requirements to become a Holy Knight weren’t very strict, as one only needed to know how to wield a sword imbued with divine power.
Even so, divine power was still divine power. Whether it was a warlock’s instinct or something else, I had noticed that unsettling feeling from Hazel since I was very young.
Even before Hazel awakened as a Holy Knight. From the very moment I first met her.
‘Divine power is an authority granted by God to destroy warlocks.’
Separate from my affection for Hazel, the divine power coiled within her body was a significant threat to me in itself.
Besides, thanks to her honing her skills at the Holy See for a full three years…
‘My stomach is churning.’
It was strong enough to stir my insides into a chaotic mess.
I barely suppressed the urge to gag and forced a smile.
***
“Wow. So this is what it feels like.”
Isaac looked down at his trembling hands.
“This divine power…”
Along with an instinctual revulsion, it was hard to hide the surging thirst. He clenched his fists tightly and hid them behind his back.
“I never knew, since I’ve never had to face a Holy Knight or a priest. This is quite an ordeal.”
Isaac forced a smile.
It was fortunate he had an enhanced body; Edmond and Yulia were practically bedridden with pain.
“Ugh… Why did Emily invite her to the mansion?”
“Because she’s always done so. You were the one who said it would be suspicious if she suddenly suggested meeting somewhere else, Yulia.”
“That’s because I didn’t know it would be like this…!”
Yulia, overcome with emotion, was about to shout but caught her breath instead.
She felt she now vaguely understood what Emily had said. That they weren’t just zombies, but beings whose bodies and souls were barely held together.
Indeed. As the divine power drew near, she could feel her soul and body teetering on the verge of separation.
That discord translated directly into pain, and Yulia could do nothing but writhe on the floor.
“…Just bear it, for a little longer.”
Edmond, who was likely feeling the same pain, added in a halting tone.
“If we go out, and happen to run into her, it’ll be a disaster.”
“…You have a point, but.”
Saying that made her feel like she was just complaining needlessly. Yulia turned over with a pout she couldn’t hide.
“Maybe it would be better, for us to get enhanced, like Isaac.”
“I know. Isaac seems to be holding up, at least.”
“Maybe we can ask Emily tomorrow…”
Edmond suddenly felt something was off. Isaac should have chimed in with a playful remark by now, but he was still quiet.
Turning his head, he saw Isaac with his head bowed low. He was perched on the edge of a desk, his hair obscuring his profile, making his expression unreadable.
“…Isaac?”
At his call, Isaac slowly, very slowly, lifted his head. Yulia, also sensing something was wrong, sat up.
“Hk!”
At the sound of Yulia’s gasp, Isaac’s eyes rolled toward her.
She clapped her hands over her mouth, but it was too late. Her eyes met Isaac’s, and a chill ran down her spine.
“E-Edmond. This…”
Yulia asked in a wretched voice.
“What… is this?”
Isaac often wore glasses because of his sharp eyes, but even behind the lenses, his irises were a color not easily forgotten.
The color of lush green foliage in a midsummer forest.
That eye color had changed.
“Red eyes…!”
And not just red eyes.
The whites of his eyes had turned black and glistened like glass beads. In no way did he look like a normal human.
No, rather, he looked incredibly ominous.
“Grrrrr…”
A ghastly sound rumbled from deep within his throat.
“Damn it.”
Edmond unwittingly cursed under his breath. For whatever reason, Isaac had lost his senses.
And of all times, at this very moment, when a Holy Knight was enjoying teatime one floor below!
***
Thump, thump, thump!
At the sudden noise from above, I subtly lifted my head.
‘The floor above… That should be where my brothers are.’
It couldn’t be the servants, so that must be it. But why now, of all times?
“Is someone else home?”
Hazel, having also heard the noise, tilted her head.
“Ah, yes.”
“Who? Edmond?”
Whenever she visited, either Edmond or Isaac would usually come out to greet her. It would be strange if they were home but didn’t make an appearance.
“Yulia is on leave. She must be doing an alchemy experiment in her room.”
I made the most plausible excuse I could.
“…She’s on leave?”
Hazel, who was the same age and had met her a few times, wore a peculiar expression.
“What for? Wasn’t she someone who took immense pride in being an alchemist?”
“She is, but she’s taking a short break for personal reasons. It’s amazing how she’s still experimenting so diligently even on her break.”
When I smiled smoothly, Hazel also seemed to accept it with an ‘Is that so’.
Thump, thump, thump…
Only after another round of noise did the floor above fall silent.
‘Phew. It’s finally over…?!’
I struggled not to show my surprise. Instead, I clenched my jaw so hard my molars ached.
And for good reason, as a shocking scene was visible through the window behind Hazel.
Amidst the falling shards of glass, the fingertips of someone I couldn’t mistake dangled.
‘Isaac…!’
For his fingertips to be visible at the edge of the window, he must be dangling upside down from the window upstairs.
No, why on earth would he do that?
There was no time to ask why. I had to hide it. I felt it instinctively.
“What’s wrong?”
Hazel looked at me quizzically as I suddenly fell silent. I forced my stiff lips into a smile and took a sip of tea to hide my awkwardness.
“No. I was just thinking it would have been nice if Yulia had restrained herself with a guest here. I’ll have to have a word with her after you leave.”
“Good idea. You’re too soft on your twin, you know.”
“Am I?”
“Of course. When she first awakened her abilities, the way she showed off in front of you… even now, thinking about it…”
Hazel trailed off and glanced at me. It seemed she thought mentioning ‘abilities’ in front of me was a mistake.
“It’s fine, Hazel.”
If it meant keeping her attention on me, I could let that much slide.
“Should we take a short walk outside? It’s getting stuffy being cooped up in here.”
“Stuffy? Then maybe the window…”
“N-n-no!”
I rushed to block Hazel’s path. Thankfully, being about the same height as her, I could completely obscure her view.
“The window… is fine.”
“What?”
“Uh, it’s spring. If we open the window, bees will get in. There’s a flower garden right below.”
As I cobbled together a plausible excuse, Hazel seemed to accept it.
“So…”
I originally intended to lead her outside, but if Isaac was hanging from the window as I suspected, that seemed even more dangerous.
“Shall we… shall we go to my room?”
“Your room?”
“Yeah. You used to sleep over sometimes, remember?”
Reminiscing about our childhood would be fun. Hazel seemed intrigued by my suggestion.
‘My room is on the third floor. If we can just get past the second-floor landing safely, we won’t have to worry about the noise.’
In many ways, taking her to my room seemed the safest option.
“Come on, this way!”
“Wait, Emily. Why are you in such a…!”
Before Hazel could finish her sentence, I grabbed her sleeve and pulled.
She seemed a little taken aback, but soon, perhaps thinking I was just excited to see her after so long, she smiled slightly and followed.
“You’re going to fall. We can walk a little slower, you know.”
“It’s because I have something I want to show you. Oh, Lev will be in my room too.”
“That fat cat?”
“…Don’t say that in front of Lev. He’ll be furious.”
Hazel seemed to think I was joking, but I was quite serious.
We reached the second-floor landing in an instant. I’d never walked so fast in my life.
I was hurrying past the second floor toward the third.
Thump!
Another dull thud echoed.
“……?”
And at that moment, Hazel stopped walking.
