Seiyad’s expression hardened at the abrupt reply, and Aster chuckled in delight. With a cheerful laugh that rang through the air, he turned back one last time and greeted Ressas like a warmhearted older brother.
“I hope you make it through the winter without trouble, Ressas.”
Ressas, who had responded to Aster without backing down, had fallen silent the moment Aster and Seiyad drew too close. Curious about his intentions, Seiyad observed him—and once again, their eyes met. It was almost as if Ressas hadn’t looked away from Seiyad for even a moment since entering the room.
His eyes were tinged red. With lips pressed tightly together, he traced Seiyad’s face, and based on the direction of his gaze, it seemed to land on the cheek Aster had touched with his lips. The intensity of that stare only seemed to grow stronger, almost as though it was physically pressing in. Unable to stand the motionless figure any longer, Zion spoke up to snap him out of it.
“Ressas, let’s go.”
Only at Zion’s words did Ressas finally break eye contact. As if he had forgotten to breathe until that moment, he inhaled softly, then replied with a faint smile.
“Alright.”
Zion visibly relaxed once Ressas smiled like that. When he held out his hand, Ressas naturally took it without hesitation, as if it were second nature. That simple gesture finally helped clear the fog in Seiyad’s mind, which had been muddled since the day before. It was a scene he knew well—one he had trusted implicitly.
Truthfully, just moments ago, it had felt like the past Seiyad remembered was vanishing into thin air.
As he kept discovering new things, the shifting behavior of people he had once known so clearly left him disoriented. While he had hoped his actions would cause the present to change, he hadn’t expected the people themselves to turn out so differently. That was a different matter altogether.
If there were a comparison point, he could simply choose the opposite. But if he were walking an entirely new path, he wouldn’t even notice if he made another wrong choice…
It scared him.
It wasn’t an emotion he welcomed. Fear was the very first thing a Tither had to eliminate. Since Tithers were the ones who encountered Nir’a more than anyone, they couldn’t afford to feel fear—else combat would be impossible. So before earning his title formally, the young Tither had learned to conquer fear above all else.
That’s why death, in truth, wasn’t something he feared. What he feared was failure. And the contradiction of only understanding the nature of that fear after dying… made it all the more bitter.
With a calmer heart, Seiyad also stood. Zion, just about to pass him by, gave him a disapproving glare. Seiyad looked over the two—young and small, both barely twenty years old.
From this angle, even Zion Shildras looked painfully young. Just seeing him left a foul taste in his mouth. Avoiding him would be best. In this life, he didn’t want to become entangled with him again.
“You can go ahead, Duke Shildras.”
The Ritual of Invocation would be abolished in next spring’s royal council, so unless something extraordinary happened, there would be no more reason to see Zion Shildras. It was better to end things like this.
“What’s this act all of a sudden, Your Grace? What did you say to Ressas?”
Perhaps because they’d never had a single smooth interaction before, Zion bristled with suspicion. Slightly smaller than Ressas, he tilted his chin up as if unwilling to look up at Seiyad. It was such a textbook display of youthful defiance that Seiyad felt exhausted. It was the same realization he’d had just a few days ago—Ressas was still a child, barely out of his blood.
“For someone who used to scoff at the very air we breathed, now you’re graciously giving way? Anyone watching would think you’ve lost your mind.”
Duke Bridehit had said something similar. Seiyad replied with silence. Holding back his edge toward these two felt unnatural and unpleasant to him. But he knew all too well how meaningless it would be. It would be inefficient.
“The Duke didn’t do anything. I wanted to be his guide.”
As Zion continued his petty jabs, Ressas—much to Seiyad’s dismay—took his side. Zion looked absolutely scandalized.
“Ressas, did he threaten you or something? No, no—that can’t be. I’d like to believe the Duke wouldn’t do something that reckless and discourteous to a member of Solias.”
Seiyad also didn’t know which of his actions had caused Ressas to change his mind. He had clearly been displeased when Seiyad saved Anka. He hated it when Seiyad sided with him. But ever since he’d dropped hints about the Awakening, his demeanor had shifted drastically.
Emotions… truly the most dangerous, unstable element of all. They created unpredictable variables and only served to drag everything down.
“Not my concern. Shouldn’t you be escorting His Highness now?”
Zion scowled at Seiyad as if that were the better option, then pulled on Ressas’s hand.
“Ressas, let’s go.”
“…Alright.”
Ressas hadn’t listened to Seiyad at all, but when Zion spoke, he obeyed without resistance. His gaze, which had been fixed on Seiyad, slowly pulled away. The lingering sensation of those eyes felt like dust on his face, irritating and persistent. Ressas glanced back at him one last time, then left the chamber hand in hand with Zion.
The way Ressas had clung so persistently to Seiyad, insisting on the importance of “Purification,” now seemed less about Seiyad and more like a habit ingrained from Zion.
‘And yet he had the nerve to ask who his precious person was, walking around like that.’
Maybe Ressas was an incredible actor. That face, with those pure, unknowing eyes asking why Seiyad would even think such a thing… still made his thoughts spin in confusion even now.
But there was no point in dwelling on it any longer. For now, he had achieved his objective. With this degree of connection, he could likely borrow Ressas’s Purification in a moment of crisis. It wasn’t quite the approach he had originally planned, but at least he had secured the option.
Initially, he had only intended to rely on Ressas’s power until the latter departed for another domain. That plan had been derailed by Aster’s sudden possessiveness and Ressas’s unpredictable demands, but at this point, maintaining distance from Ressas felt more comfortable.
He had managed to prolong the lives of both Vetria and Bridehit for now, so it was time to focus on tracking the signs of Rampage and observing Nir’a’s movements.
Despite being a Tither himself, Seiyad had come to realize just how little he truly understood about Purification or Guides. Likely because all the texts and case records were stored within the royal archives.
Now, it was time to do what he hadn’t done in his past life—gather information and begin crafting shadows that could reach places his eyes couldn’t. For someone like Seiyad, who had always lived as the shadow himself, this was an entirely unfamiliar undertaking. But it was necessary. He needed to understand Nir’a better than anyone else.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that all these strange phenomena tied to Rampage had originated with Nir’a.
***
With the injured finally treated and no longer stuck, the guests began preparing to leave the castle. Leaving behind only the newly arrived Lady Parma and Vetria, Bridehit and the others had finished packing. The carriages and horses that had been stationed for days now gathered in one place, creating a small bustle.
“Now that I think about it, I never got the chance to properly thank you. I felt like I’d forgotten something, and that was it.”
Bridehit, it seemed, planned to stop by the Duchy of Vetria with Zion on the way. Since he had been on close terms with Selfini Vetria, he probably felt it was best to deliver the news to her daughter Stella himself. As Seiyad came out to see them off—as courtesy demanded—Bridehit strode up and offered his thanks.
“I owe you. What happened at Vetria could’ve easily ended in death or serious injury for all of us. Thanks to your judgment, the damage was kept to a minimum. Honestly, though, it didn’t seem like something a duke would do. Everyone has their own reasons, their own stories, but still…”
With a grin, Bridehit spread his arms wide.
“Personally, I quite like the path you’re walking now, Your Grace. So—how about a hug of thanks?”
Seiyad didn’t say a word. Bridehit changed tactics and held out his hand.
“Then at least a handshake?”
“As you’ve seen from recent events, Nir’a’s activity is unusual. Once you’re done in the east, it would be wise to return to your domain early and prepare for winter.”
Ignoring Bridehit’s offer entirely, Seiyad gave the warning that actually mattered. Bridehit clicked his tongue but nodded in agreement.
“Well, I did see it with my own eyes. I feel the urgency too. I haven’t seen the world this unsettled in a long time.”
With a pleasant smile, he turned to board his carriage, saying his final farewell.
“Until next year, then.”
That was enough. Seiyad gave a small nod in reply. Zion Shildras had already left the castle, and those from the capital had departed earlier as well. And since Zion had left, Ressas must have gone too.
Or so he thought—just as he turned to re-enter the castle, he ran into Vine, who had just ridden out on horseback. Glancing around as if searching for someone, Vine spotted Seiyad, leapt from his horse, and ran over holding something in his hand.
“There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you. I didn’t realize it when I arrived, but there are way more people here than I expected.”
“What do you need?”
“Ah, His Highness asked me to deliver this to you. Said you’d gone out early in the morning and picked up something odd.”
Looking completely puzzled, Vine held out a twig covered in small red berries. At a glance, it resembled a pomegranate—but it was known as a protective charm against demons. It was the flower of the Skosha tree, found only in the north. Technically a flower despite having no petals, it carried a little-known floral meaning.
“He asked you to keep it with you until you meet again. Like before.”
Vine didn’t budge, determined not to leave until Seiyad took it. He had no desire to touch it, but it seemed easier to just accept it and discard it later. Seiyad reached out, and Vine quickly handed over the branch and gave a deep bow.
“Everyone says you’re scary, Your Grace, but still—we’re in your debt. Please stay well until we meet again.”
Eager not to be left behind, Vine quickly mounted his horse. With a brisk shout—“Hyah!”—he spurred it on and rode out of the castle, leaving only Seiyad behind in the empty courtyard. Seiyad looked down at the red branch in his hand.
The flower meaning of the Skosha berry was unusual. Encased within the bright red fruit was a single message: “I alone will stay by your side.”
Seiyad stood there for a long while, still holding the branch. Just as he was about to discard it on the ground, he remembered that the berries actually made useful medicine. If preserved in honey and dried, they could be used to brew a potent remedy for severe colds. He decided to hand it over to the castle physician.
It was a fruit of little real meaning—something you’d pick from deep within a midwinter forest. Just that level of hassle.
Re-entering the castle, he left the branch in his study as he was immediately pulled away by others seeking his attention. His intention to give it to the physician slipped his mind entirely.
It wasn’t until the following spring that he remembered it again.
After a long half-year winter, spring had finally come to the kingdom.
