Chapter 123 – #27_Crossed Paths(3)
#121
1.
It is my duty to reclaim what has been lost.
2.
Shiwoo opened his eyes.
“What the…”
He was sure he had been tossing and turning in bed before falling asleep, but when he came to, he was standing in a dark space with Ain.
There were stairs that defied the laws of physics, arranged like a maze.
At the end of each staircase was a door of various colors.
It was a phenomenon known as a lucid dream.
That was the conclusion Shiwoo came to after realizing this was a dream.
It was strange that, despite being in a place he had never been before, it felt familiar, as if he had visited it sometime in the past.
Shiwoo walked around, looking around with curiosity.
Then, he discovered an anomaly.
About 80% of the doors were open, but about 20% were tightly wrapped with black ribbons.
“What is this?”
Shiwoo picked one of the ribbon-wrapped doors and was about to turn the handle.
At that moment, all the ribbons began to unravel at once.
Immediately, a familiar sensation washed over Shiwoo’s body.
It was the same feeling he had when he took the potion Amelia gave him, the feeling of all sorts of memories returning in an instant.
Along with dizziness and nausea that were dozens of times worse, all the locked doors opened with a rough sound.
Before he could even be flustered, images and sounds began to pour out.
Can’t the caretaker do the work a little more neatly? You don’t have any complaints, do you? I wish they’d stop giving me useless tasks like cleaning the drainage ditch. Five years should be enough time to renew your mindset. From now on, after you finish your afternoon work, clean my research building. That’s what a witch is like. If you act like you did at Trinity Academy at your next assignment, you might die. It’s so fucked up that you’re even threatening me. Is this what you like? That Takasho bastard is really out of his mind.
Shiwoo, who was crouching on the stairs, holding his head, had his left eye glow.
In the brilliant light, many things recombined, like pulling together scattered puzzle pieces.
Caretaker, do you miss your hometown? Yes, of course, I do. Isn’t being a slave to the professor much better than being a slave in this shitty city? How am I supposed to sleep in this shabby place? I think I gave my hamster a better house than this. Live like a witch, and like a noble. That was the last thing my master left me. He always said that like a habit. I still don’t know what it means to live like a noble.
Reject recovery by the salvation of others and move forward only with your own strength.
Even though Amelia is a bitch, she didn’t do anything wrong enough to be captured and killed. And go outside trusting the promise of an exile? I can’t do that, honestly. Caretaker, are you healthy? Any infectious diseases, or skin diseases? If you have any, tell me in advance. I take a shower every day, and it’s annoying to hear that kind of thing. By the way, you got a suit and you’ve made some progress. But wait, I have to live in the same house as Amelia? What the hell is this?
I refused. Yes? Because I thought you could be a useful assistant. You refused just for that reason? I’ve been putting up with this shitty place for five years just to escape. Shin Shiwoo, you are my property. I will not tolerate you leaving my control and going outside on your own. Therefore, appropriate measures will be taken for any unauthorized escape plans. Appropriate measures? Who was the one who captured me arbitrarily? You’re the one who captured me and tormented me, Amelia. I really, really tried to endure it, but I can’t take it anymore. You’re a really bad person. What do you want from me? I told you to tell me! What do you want from me that you’re tormenting me like this? I’m sorry that I hurt your petty pride five years ago, but if you’re going to keep testing me and tormenting me like this, why don’t you just kill me? Answer me!
…..
Unfortunately, there is no prior appointment. And the relationship is… let’s call it friends. Amelia has no friends! You bitch. As expected, she’s a very vicious woman. I feel like I’m going to die like this. Even the twins were captured and are being enslaved. Still, it’s helpful that I’ve been studying magic. Bloom, bloom, bloom, bloom, bloom. It seems there are walls that you can’t overcome no matter how hard you struggle. Yes, yes, that’s pretty. Cry more cutely. How can you cut open someone’s eyes without anesthesia? Now, wait. Good night.
A sensation like his brain had been dunked in soda instead of cerebrospinal fluid.
Thoughts surfaced like death throes in his shaken mind.
Shin Shiwoo, the one who sacrificed himself, the boundary of the fountain was crossed, Sadalmelik has set, will Shiwoo put it on?, I want to drink cola, if it’s a happy dream, can I not wake up forever, the moon of Gehenna always shines in gold, the beauty of creation, the mysterious value of the circumference, pi, 3.14159265355820…..24570713025…what was next? Ah…. 152674131661934450 How many digits did I memorize, finally reaching, the first 999999, the Feynman point, two men whisper, opening one eye, recalling memories, I sing a song of lament that I was not free, in the world of 0, the golden dawn is reborn, may this body burn forever.
…….
I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Thank you, thank you so much for coming back. Ms. Amelia, is there anything I did wrong? I destroyed the slave contract while Shiwoo was lying down. Shall we sleep together? You don’t have to be sorry. That’s strange. I’ll spread a mat in the garden. Let’s have tea together. I’ll bring cake too. Is there a song you want to hear? There’s a place I want to go with Shiwoo. Shall I pack my things? You’re so pretty. Shiwoo is good with his hands. That’s strange. Shiwoo! You shouldn’t go too deep. It’s a big catch. Let’s have this for dinner tonight. You make bubbles by stepping on it like this. It’s easy, right? Shiwoo, take off your shoes and come in too. If you get too cold, tell me. It’s nice to look at the stars, but you shouldn’t catch a cold. The apple is too mushy. I think it’s ruined. Thank you, Shiwoo. That’s strange. Even if I regain my memories later. Can you forgive me? That’s strange. I also want what Shiwoo wants. But I’m not qualified. I don’t deserve this. That’s strange.
I’m sorry.
That’s strange.
3.
It was dawn, when even the diligent birds were still fast asleep.
Shiwoo threw off the blanket and sat on the bed.
“……..”
Shiwoo’s face, which had been blank, contorted.
Even when he covered his face with both hands, his complex emotions, like an erupting volcano, were not easily settled.
“Fuck…”
He gritted his teeth and cursed without realizing it.
It felt like everything he had believed in was a lie.
He couldn’t bear it unless he did this.
He wanted to punch anything with his clenched fist.
“This fucking shit…”
All the memories that had returned were all jumbled up.
It felt like he had become the protagonist of The Truman Show.
Amelia, who knew everything, was the audience, and Shiwoo was Truman.
Without knowing anything, he had been completely deceived.
Two streams of memories flowed in Shiwoo’s two hearts.
Shiwoo, who was captured in Gehenna at the age of 23 and treated like a slave, constantly tormented by Amelia.
Shiwoo, who had spent happy days with Amelia in a cabin since the age of 11.
The month of memories he experienced during the process of his memories and body being reconstructed was by no means a short time.
For Shiwoo, a day was like half a year.
It was a time of such high density that if he slept for a day, he wouldn’t remember the meal he had eaten yesterday.
“Ugh…”
He felt nauseous.
What he knew and what he felt were mixed up, causing a terrible headache.
Shiwoo covered his face with his hands.
Tears were streaming down his cheeks.
4.
Amelia, who had been immersed in agony and sorrow all night, got out of bed late.
Looking at the position of the sun, which was completely different from usual, she realized that she had overslept today.
Her head was foggy.
Sadness, pain, and regret.
She could put them down for a moment, at least while she was asleep.
But they didn’t disappear completely.
As soon as she became a little more alert, they would grow in size like dark shadows.
Still, this moment of peace was very precious to Amelia.
“…Ah.”
A thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
This was a big problem.
Shiwoo would be waiting.
Recently, Shiwoo had often woken up first and prepared meals, so she thought he might have finished breakfast already.
Amelia quickly changed her clothes and hurried down the stairs to the first floor of the cabin.
“Huh?”
Shiwoo wasn’t there.
Contrary to her expectations, nothing was prepared.
And seeing that the furniture and blankets, which she had neatly cleaned yesterday, were in their places, it seemed that he hadn’t come down at all.
“Shiwoo?”
Could it be that Shiwoo was also lost in thought after yesterday’s incident and overslept?
She glanced at the garden through the window, but he wasn’t there, and she peeked into every corner of the not-so-large house, but she couldn’t see his shadow.
“Shiwoo?”
Amelia went back up the stairs and stood in front of Shiwoo’s door.
There was no answer.
Was he still sleeping?
-Knock knock
She knocked and called his name once more.
“Shiwoo, may I come in?”
She heard a rustling sound from inside.
The door opened slightly in front of Amelia, who was waiting quietly in front of the door.
To be honest, she was embarrassed to see his face after what happened yesterday.
But she didn’t want to waste the little time she had left with him for that reason.
Today, they were planning to go to the barley field hill and finish the painting they hadn’t completed.
Just like before, with a large canvas and easel.
“……..”
And when Shiwoo, who was wearing an eye patch, came out in front of the room, Amelia was startled.
“Shiwoo, what happened to your face?”
His face looked so haggard that it could be said that he had become gaunt.
Amelia reached out and gently stroked Shiwoo’s cheek.
“Are you okay? Did you catch a cold?”
“………”
As the ominous silence grew longer, Amelia’s thoughts became complicated.
Could it be that he had really regained his memories now?
As she looked at Shiwoo with anxious eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted.
It was a smile that looked very strained.
“I’m fine. Did you sleep well, Ms. Amelia?”
“I’m, fine. More importantly, are you really okay? You don’t seem to have a fever…”
Amelia reached up to touch Shiwoo’s forehead.
Shiwoo slightly twisted his body and shook off her hand.
“Ah…..”
“I’m really okay. I think it’s just a slight headache.”
It was possible that he was still awkward and was reacting like this.
Amelia, who regretted being a little inconsiderate, wrapped her arms around herself and asked.
“Would you like to go painting together today? I’ll prepare the lunch box.”
After hesitating for a moment, Shiwoo nodded.
“Yes, then I’ll get ready.”
Amelia felt a clear sense of incongruity in Shiwoo’s back as he was about to close the door and go inside.
She stopped Shiwoo.
“Shiwoo.”
The distance between them was not the same as before.
It felt like they were a little further apart than just because of last night’s incident.
“Yes.”
But Amelia didn’t have the courage to ask for the truth.
Amelia shook her head slightly.
“It’s nothing. I’ll wait.”
“Yes.”
The door creaked shut in front of Amelia, who was standing there blankly.
