"Hah..."
Raon frowned as he watched the swirling red wind.
'Even with just his soul remaining, to think someone could be so predictable.'
He had thought Rimmer would go to Sepia after leaving him, and that prediction was correct. The blood-colored wind and mist now covering the Great Forest was malice brought by Rimmer's soul.
-That pointy ears are the same whether dead or alive.
Wrath let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.
-Isn't he here because that aura is troublesome and he wants us to deal with it?
He snorted, suggesting that Rimmer had come to Sepia because he wanted to erase the grudge attached to his soul.
'That's not it.'
Raon calmly shook his head.
'It's more likely he came without knowing things would turn out like this.'
Considering Rimmer's words and actions when he was alive, he likely came to Sepia simply to pay his respects, without anticipating this outcome.
"The, the path is open?"
Martha stammered as she approached Raon's side.
"What did you do?"
She opened her eyes wide as she saw the mist part, which even her sword couldn't cut through.
"To think you could do with one finger what my magic couldn't achieve!"
Evelyn beamed with a bright smile of approval.
"That's our Raon for you!"
She nodded, saying this was why they had no choice but to follow Raon.
"Um, excuse me, Lord Raon."
Dorian swallowed nervously as he stood behind Raon.
"What do you see? Why do you keep looking at empty space...?"
He trembled, his shoulders shaking with fear.
"Don't any of you feel something from that wind?"
Raon pointed at the wind and mist swirling above the Great Forest.
"There's an awful smell of blood, but it's different from bloody energy."
Evelyn examined the mana itself, approaching it as a magician would.
"It's not purified either, and it's not natural. How strange."
She shrugged her shoulders, indicating it was beyond her knowledge.
"Hmm!"
Martha let out a low groan as she gazed at the red mist.
"As said, it's not bloody energy. However..."
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, as if she couldn't quite understand it herself.
"Strangely, it gives me a feeling of nostalgia."
Martha scratched her head, seeming to find her own feelings peculiar.
"You're feeling nostalgic from that?"
Dorian gulped nervously and stepped forward.
"It's just eerie wind and mist... huh?"
He stared blankly at the red mist before slowly opening his mouth.
"You're right!"
Dorian's jaw trembled as he claimed to feel the same thing as Martha.
"I don't know why, but my chest hurts. It's like my insides are twisting..."
He bit his lip hard, saying he felt both bitterness and longing simultaneously.
-How fascinating.
Wrath clicked his tongue briefly as he looked at Dorian and Martha.
-The pointy ear's remaining aura is so faint that only someone of your caliber should be able to sense it.
He let out a small exclamation of surprise that Dorian and Martha could detect Rimmer's aura.
'Dorian and Martha aren't sensing Master's aura.'
Raon calmly shook his head.
-Then?
'They're sensing the memories embedded in Master's soul.'
As Wrath said, Martha and Dorian couldn't sense Rimmer's presence in that red wind and mist. Instead, they were experiencing him through their shared time and memories.
"What is this?"
Martha frowned, her hand placed on her chest.
"What is this mist, making my heart ache like this?"
She placed her hand on her sword as if wondering if it was some special curse.
"My chest hurts too. But I don't want to step back..."
Dorian clenched his fist, saying that although he was scared, he didn't want to leave this place.
"That wind and mist..."
Raon raised his hand to point at the red wind and mist that seemed to have drawn closer.
"It was brought by Master's soul. It seems he came here after leaving the Blade of Requiem."
He told the two of them the true identity of the wind and mist.
"M-Master? So that's why these emotions..."
"No wonder I felt nostalgic. Only that gambler could make me feel this way."
Dorian's eyes widened in surprise, while Martha let out a deflated laugh, saying it made sense.
"Rimmer...?"
Evelyn tilted her head, seeming not to understand even after being told. It seemed she couldn't feel anything due to her limited time with him.
"But why is Master blocking off Sepia in this form...?"
Dorian tilted his head significantly, showing his confusion.
"You know what kind of person our Master is."
Raon's lips curled as he watched the wind and mist growing stronger.
"The vengeful spirits in the Blade of Requiem tainted themselves with darkness to seek revenge against the Leader of the White Blood Religion. Master accepted that darkness himself to try to save them somehow."
From the moment Rimmer left the Blade of Requiem, malicious grudges had clung to him. At the time, they thought it wasn't severe and he could purify himself, but now it seemed that was just the tip of the iceberg.
"It seems Master came here to purify the grudges attached to him but became trapped when he couldn't handle it."
The most important reason for coming to Sepia was to explain Rimmer's situation and gain the Guardian's support. While he had considered this might happen, he hadn't expected his prediction to be so accurate.
-It is as you say.
Wrath nodded heavily.
-That pointy ear. It seems he wanted to save the vengeful spirits in that blade somehow, even if it meant taking on all their malice himself.
He clicked his tongue bitterly, commenting on how meddlesome that was.
"Ah!"
Dorian let out a groan as he looked at the red wind, finally understanding. Tears began to well up in his eyes.
"Instead of just sleeping like usual, getting involved unnecessarily..."
Martha bit her lip as she sighed.
"Then this opened path..."
Evelyn lowered her eyebrows as she looked at the parted mist before Raon.
"It's asking for help."
Raon nodded with a slight smile.
"He never changes..."
Just as he was about to step into the Great Forest through the parted mist.
"Don't move!"
A cold warning came from within the dark forest. Whoosh! At the same time, sharp killing intent spread out from all directions. The presence of many elves could be felt among the mist-covered trees and undergrowth.
"Remove the curse you've placed on this forest immediately!"
A familiar woman's voice came from the center of the killing intent. Though her face was hidden by Rimmer's mist and thick vegetation, he knew immediately who she was.
"Lady Siyana?"
Raon called out the name of the familiar voice.
"Huh...?"
With a confused gasp, the mist parted further, revealing the face of the elf standing at the front.
"Eh?"
Siyana's jaw dropped as she saw him.
"Lord Raon!"
***
"I'm, I'm sorry!"
Siyana bowed deeply to Raon.
"When I saw the mist that I couldn't penetrate with my abilities part, I naturally thought the magician who cast this spell had come!"
She apologized again, explaining that she couldn't see faces or sense presences because of the mist.
"I understand. I couldn't see your face either, Lady Siyana."
Raon waved his hand dismissively, saying it was fine.
"But did you call this mist a curse?"
He pointed at the blood mist that Rimmer had brought.
"Isn't it a curse?"
Siyana tilted her head as if wondering why he would ask such an obvious question.
"I naturally thought it was a curse since it prevents us from leaving and others from entering. Though I couldn't think of who might have cast it..."
She blinked, saying she couldn't think of it as anything but a curse.
"I suppose you could think that."
Raon nodded with a slight smile.
"However..."
Siyana frowned as she looked up at the rippling red mist.
"When I look at it, my heart aches for some reason. It doesn't seem like the effect of a curse."
She pressed her lips together, saying she didn't understand the reason herself.
"..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the bowing Siyana.
'So blood really is thicker than water?'
Seeing her feel nostalgia and sadness without any prior knowledge of what happened to Rimmer, family clearly was different.
"Lord Raon, how did you come here? Could it be to help us?"
Siyana looked at Raon with eyes full of expectation.
"Well, yes."
Raon nodded slowly.
"I have something important to tell you, and I need to deal with that mist as well."
"What do you need to tell us?"
Siyana's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"I'll tell you together with Lord Sterin. I think it's best if both of you hear it."
"Ah, that's right. I'm sorry..."
She hung her head, saying she had been too hasty. Seeing her face redden, it seemed like she had returned to her more shy days.
"Ah, one thing before that."
Siyana raised a finger.
"Please don't mention this mist and wind to grandfather. He'll worry."
She clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture.
"Lord Sterin doesn't know about this situation?"
Raon's eyes widened.
"No. You'll understand why when you see grandfather. Please come this way."
Siyana smiled bitterly before quickly leading them through the forest to Sepia.
"Benefactor!"
"The benefactor has returned!"
"Could it be you've come to remove this mist and wind?"
"It had to be him!"
The elves in Sepia bowed as if worshipping him. They seemed to regard him even more highly than Siyana.
-This isn't exactly a good situation.
Wrath slightly furrowed his brows.
'Why?'
-Even if you're annoyingly good-looking and somewhat strong, this land's master is that High Elf.
He brought up appearance first, still seeming upset about his own face.
-Yet everyone's ignoring that High Elf and thinking you'll solve their problem. That's not good at all for a king.
Wrath snorted, saying this was something to think about carefully.
'...I see.'
Understanding what Wrath meant, he calmly nodded.
"You remember, right? It's here."
Ignoring the other elves' words, Siyana led Raon to a small hut. This weathered place was Sterin's home.
"Grandfather might be sleeping, so I'll check first."
"Come in."
As she was about to open the door, Sterin's voice came from inside the hut. His voice sounded exhausted, as if he had just woken up.
"Seems he's awake. Let's go in."
Siyana smiled awkwardly as she opened and entered the old hut's door. Whoosh. As he followed her into the hut, a refreshing scent of grass wafted through the air, lifting his spirits.
"Ah..."
Raon swallowed a deep groan as he saw Sterin lying on the bed.
'Why is he like this...'
While it was true that Sterin had been approaching death, Raon had thought his lifespan had increased after gaining enlightenment. But the Sterin before him now was so aged that it wouldn't be strange if he died at any moment. He looked lifeless, like grass that had turned yellow from drought.
"It's been a while."
Sterin smiled as he lifted his head with effort.
"It's an honor to see you, Guardian."
Raon, who had been standing in a daze, hastily bowed.
"Not the Guardian, but the former Guardian. The current Guardian is right beside you."
Sterin pointed with a trembling finger at Siyana standing beside him.
"..."
Siyana kept her eyes fixed on her feet, as if unable to bear looking at her grandfather.
"Well, given my state, it's natural to be shocked."
Sterin showed a wrinkled smile, saying he understood.
"What exactly happened? Did other enemies attack...?"
Though Raon had come to explain recent events, he wanted to hear Sterin's story first.
"It was just my greed."
Sterin let out a long sigh.
"In my greed to watch over this child a bit longer, I lost even what I had gained."
He smiled bitterly, explaining that he had failed in his attempt to extend his life by trying to overcome his limits using enlightenment.
"I see..."
He didn't need to hear more. It was clear that Sterin had drawn closer to death in his attempt to extend his life even slightly out of worry for Siyana, who would be left alone.
"Raon. You've come to help us, haven't you?"
Sterin smiled faintly as he looked at the hut's ceiling.
"To clear away the mist and wind blocking the forest."
Unlike what Siyana had said, he knew everything about Sepia's situation.
"Ah, you knew?"
Siyana's eyes widened as if she hadn't considered this possibility at all.
"Even lying here like this, I was still this land's Guardian. Of course I would know."
He gently waved his hand, telling them not to underestimate him.
"Grandfather..."
Siyana's eyebrows trembled as she sensed Sterin's consideration.
"I'm sorry you came all this way, but this is something I and this child must resolve."
Sterin firmly held the hand of Siyana who stood beside the bed.
"Siyana hasn't yet been acknowledged by everyone in Sepia. If she resolves this, she can become a true Guardian."
He nodded heavily, appearing to share the same concerns as Wrath.
"Grandfather. I..."
"You don't need to say anything. That's what family means."
Sterin gently stroked Siyana's head, telling her not to worry.
"Um..."
Raon parted his dry lips as he watched the affectionate exchange between Siyana and Sterin.
"The mist and wind currently surrounding Sepia..."
Despite this situation. No, because of this situation, there was something he needed to say first.
"It was brought here by Lord Rimmer, my master and your family member..."
Raon closed his eyes tightly as he revealed the truth. Boom! At that moment, Sterin, who could barely move his fingers, suddenly sprang up from his old bed.
"That damned bastard!"
His eyes flashed fiercely as if he would strike Rimmer down immediately if he were present.
-That pointy ears truly is something else!
Wrath nodded vigorously as if finally, truly acknowledging Rimmer.
-Even an elf near death can be roused to action!