Time Healer Ceres
Chapter 37
<037>
Seres exhaled a short sigh and quietly comforted the sobbing Yulia.
“How could he… How could he do that to Dave…?”
“Because he’s a madman.”
Yes, a madman.
What else do you call a person who murders his wife out of suspicion of an affair?
Not satisfied with just suspecting infidelity, he had reportedly interrogated his wife every single day, claiming Dave wasn't even his own child.
He had played the part of a perfectly kind husband and father in front of others, but behind closed doors, it was a different story.
‘What do you mean he wasn't his son?’
Even as he was being dragged away by the guards, he wailed that he had acted on impulse out of anger over his wife's affair, but Seres could only scoff.
The deceased Dave had been the spitting image of his father; anyone could see they were blood-related.
Looking at a son like that, how could he be so certain he wasn't his own flesh and blood?
‘Did suspicion blind his very eyes?’
“I miss Dave…”
“…We’ll go see him together later. We’ll bring the snacks and flowers he liked.”
Seres tenderly patted Yulia’s back.
Knox had confessed in detail how he had disposed of his wife’s and son’s bodies.
Bit by bit… very slowly, over the course of several days, he had moved them to a nearby mountain and eventually buried them.
“Unnie will take you there.”
Having been dragged to the guard post and forced, half-willingly, to confess all his crimes, Knox would face trial soon.
‘The death penalty is a certainty, no doubt.’
She decided not to think about it anymore. It was aggravating.
Watching Yulia, who couldn't seem to stop crying, Seres said nothing more.
It would be a bit ridiculous to tell a child grieving for a dead friend to stop crying, wouldn't it?
To be honest, she didn't possess the talent for comforting people either.
However, she could at least stay by the child's side until the tears stopped.
—SKREEEEEEEEEEE!
“……?”
But at that moment, a blood-curdling shriek filled the shop.
Even the sobbing Yulia’s eyes went wide.
“…Why is that thing crying now?”
How could she not recognize that sound?
That bizarre Alarm made by the Magic Tower Master Cheion was screaming its head off in the corner.
The moment they realized what the source of the sound was, everyone’s face in the room hardened.
—SKREEEEEEEEEEE!
The Alarm continued to vomit out the horrific noise without pause.
If that alarm was ringing, it meant…!
Thud!
All the mercenaries inside the restaurant stood up and grabbed their weapons.
Their eyes gleamed sharply. It was hard to believe these were the same men who had been walking on eggshells around Seres just moments ago.
“Whoa, is a Black Forest finally appearing in the middle of the Capital?”
“Damn it, today was my day off…”
“You were always an unlucky bastard anyway.”
“Shut up! Look who’s talking!”
Even as they exchanged light jokes, the mercenaries’ hands tightened around their weapons. Soon, they rushed out of the shop without needing a signal.
“U-Unnie.”
Yulia, covering both ears with her hands, called out to Seres in a voice thick with fear.
Seres lightly stroked the child’s head and shouted toward Jay.
“Write it all down in the ledger.”
“Ye-Yes?”
The ledger, all of a sudden?
“Check off every single person who just left without paying.”
“Ah…”
Where do these people think they’re going, trying to slip away for free?
Seres recalled the faces of those who had just left the shop one by one and untied her apron.
“Colin.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
She could see the view outside the window being swallowed by darkness. It meant the surrounding area was being covered by the Black Forest.
Black trees rising instantly to the edge of the sky, blotting out the sun, were enough to plunge people into terror.
“Take care of Yulia. Everyone, stay here quietly and don't go anywhere else.”
“What about you, My Lady? S-Surely you’re not going outside?”
“You mustn't!”
Jay and Mark hurriedly tried to stop her.
While this place couldn't be called perfectly safe, going outside the building now was an act of suicide.
They had never experienced the Black Forest firsthand, but they had heard plenty of stories.
From this moment on, the outside would be crawling with monsters.
The best way to survive was to hide deep inside a building and hold one's breath until rescuers arrived.
“I suppose going out like this is a bit much, isn't it?”
“Of course it is!”
“My Lady, it’s dangerous, please come this way quickly—!”
CRACK!
Jay and Mark, who had been speaking urgently, stood with their mouths agape.
After glancing around the shop for a moment, Seres had stomped on a perfectly good chair and smashed it.
“Hmm.”
This should be enough.
Picking up one of the broken legs, Seres wore a satisfied expression.
“S-Seres-nim? What are you doing now…?”
“I felt like I should be holding something that could serve as a weapon.”
“Pardon?”
No, not even a sword, but what use would a mere stick like that be?
Everyone looked at Seres with bewildered eyes, but she only cast her gaze toward the window, where the outside had grown even darker than before.
Monsters would be appearing any moment now. This was no time to be dawdling.
“…….”
Seres, who was about to head straight outside, paused for a second.
Seeing Yulia still clutching her ears and staring at her with anxious eyes, she turned her steps toward the kitchen.
Why the kitchen all of a sudden?
Under the curious gazes of the others, Seres emerged again shortly after.
“Take this.”
“What is this?”
“A Defense Stone.”
“A Defense Stone?”
What was placed in Colin’s hand was a small black stone.
“If things get dangerous, throw it and break it. A barrier will form. You’ll be safe for a while then.”
Three hours was the limit, but it was better than nothing, right?
This was also something that kid Artia had made for her a long time ago when he was the Magic Tower Master.
‘I should have taken more back then.’
She had said she didn't need them since they seemed useless, but he had insisted she keep at least one as a gesture of sincerity, so she had tossed it into her Subspace.
She had just remembered it and opened her Subspace to pull it out.
She only regretted that she had just the one.
“Stay quiet.”
Still, three hours should be plenty.
Seres gave Yulia’s head one final, light stroke.
“Are you—are you really going out? Why? It’s safe if you stay here!”
Why insist on going out when you even have a Defense Stone!
Jay stomped her feet in frustration.
“I have to collect the tabs.”
“What?”
“I can't collect them if they’re dead.”
So, shouldn't she make sure they don't die?
With those final words, Seres headed out of the shop into the growing darkness.
“Ah…”
Everyone could only stare blankly as Seres strolled out into the deep shadows as if she were merely going for a walk.
*
*
*
“What?”
“What did you just say?”
“A Black Forest has appeared near Delasi 1st Street.”
“What kind of…!”
Thud!
Magic Tower Master Cheion, who had been lounging in his office as usual grumbling about not wanting to work, sprang up at the words of his secretary, Luca.
The expression of Crown Prince Aseraian, who was with him, also hardened instantly.
“A Black Forest in the Capital?”
Delasi 1st Street was right in the heart of the Capital.
Recently, Black Forests had been appearing unusually frequently in areas adjacent to the Capital.
He had been keeping an eye on it just in case, but he had never truly expected it; the very thing he feared had finally happened.
“If it’s there…”
Cheion, who had been muttering blankly, suddenly cast a spell.
“Cheion! Wait…!”
Aseraian had to vainly pull back his outstretched hand as Cheion vanished before he could catch him.
“What’s wrong with that guy?”
Why was he acting so panicked all of a sudden, when he usually showed no interest even if a Black Forest appeared nearby?
“It is likely because of his regular shop.”
“Regular shop? Oh, do you mean that stew shop?”
“You knew about it, then.”
As if to prove he was a doting brother, even though Luca had never reported it separately, Aseraian already knew Cheion’s recent radius of activity.
“Just how amazing a place is it for him to be acting that sensitive?”
“How would I know? If I show even the slightest interest, he starts hissing at me. He’s incredibly wary, telling me not to even think about following him.”
“Is he a cat or something…?”
It was strange. Was there something more to that shop that he didn't know about?
“Shouldn't you hurry as well?”
“I should.”
Aseraian stopped his thoughts from wandering further. There was a task that needed to be handled first.
The first Black Forest to appear in the Capital!
He had to mobilize the troops immediately to minimize damage. Unlike the border regions, a Black Forest appearing in the middle of the Capital meant every second was urgent.
Just thinking about how much damage could occur in that short time made his head ache.
“I have prepared a Teleportation Magic circle.”
“Thanks.”
Thanks to Luca’s quick movements, Aseraian was able to move immediately.
After giving Luca a light pat on the shoulder, Aseraian quickly left the room, following the waiting magician.
“Hmm.”
Left alone in the office, the secretary Luca stared intently at the spot where Cheion had disappeared just moments ago.
