WOSE Chapter 22

"So what I'm saying is, I'd like you to visit End Village."

'End Village' was a kind of shelter that gathered only the vulnerable—including victims who'd lost family to the darkness.

While Kelgrida explained End Village in terms familiar to Iyu but novel to the others, Iyu thought about what would unfold next.

In her previous life, Kelgrida had treated her so well at the manor that not a drop of water touched her hands, then once her guard had sufficiently lowered, took her to End Village to subtly stoke her guilt and sense of responsibility. And only at the very end had she taken her to a location where the darkness existed.

This time would probably proceed similarly.

"It's on the village outskirts, but it's not dangerous at all. Besides, I'll be accompanying you this time."

Perhaps taking her lack of reaction as worry, Kelgrida added those words.

'Going to End Village is fine, but having Kelgrida along is problematic.'

If she moved with Kelgrida, the woman would certainly cut off conversations with victims repeatedly like before. But Iyu had no grounds to leave Kelgrida behind, so she agreed obediently for now.

"I'll do that."

Perhaps she'd even considered refusal—Kelgrida's expression brightened noticeably. She stood abruptly from the sofa and spoke hastily.

"Then I'll prepare right away—!"

Thud, thud!

At the rough knocking, everyone including Kelgrida froze. The one who appeared almost rushing in was Kelgrida's aide.

The man, whose face had turned even whiter than yesterday, shouted urgently.

"T-terrible news."

"What is it?"

When Kelgrida asked with narrowed brows, the man glanced around the drawing room packed with people, then pressed close to Kelgrida and whispered in her ear.

"A group believed to be Ragnarok has been spotted on the village outskirts."

The man had lowered his voice, but the excitement and urgency he hadn't managed to erase reached Iyu's ears anyway.

'Ragnarok.'

She trembled at that word she could never forget.

How could she forget? That group that had pursued her, sometimes overtaking her, trying to sabotage the pilgrimage.

They had wanted this world's end. They'd claimed that if there was a beginning, an end was natural too—that the darkness should be accepted.

Therefore they welcomed neither the 'savior' who forcibly blocked the darkness, nor the 'pilgrimage.' Enough to repeatedly interfere in thoroughly radical and destructive ways.

So she'd clashed with them countless times, yet surprisingly little had been revealed about Ragnarok. Only that members belonged to all seven races without distinction, that they all wore unmarked white masks, and that the demon race's leader—whose face she'd never properly seen in two lifetimes—was the one leading Ragnarok.

At the time, she couldn't understand them wanting to end their own world, thought them merely troublesome. Though now her intentions didn't differ from theirs...

'That Ragnarok is here?'

This hadn't happened before. She'd learned of Ragnarok's existence after experiencing an abduction attempt at the second destination.

Were the changes that kept occurring positive signs, or negative ones?

Unable to reach an answer, she remained lost in thought. Meanwhile, Kelgrida heard the full situation from her aide and turned back with a troubled expression.

"What should we do? Something urgent came up. Today's schedule will probably have to move to tomorrow—"

"Then have someone else guide us."

The one who suddenly proposed an alternative wasn't Iyu but Odynne. Since he'd only listened to their conversation like an observer, everyone including Kelgrida blinked.

Despite the attention pouring toward him, Odynne kept his calm gaze fixed steadily on Darun behind Kelgrida.

Realizing belatedly that he was the 'someone else' Odynne meant, Darun glanced at Kelgrida.

"Ah, I'm..."

"That's a good idea. Since we gathered so early in the morning, it would be better to proceed as planned rather than just going home. Since Kelgrida said it's not a dangerous place, there should be no problem..."

She couldn't miss the opportunity to go to End Village without Kelgrida. When Iyu immediately persuaded, Kelgrida made a reluctant expression but soon nodded.

Then she turned to Darun and instructed quietly.

"...Don't make any mistakes."

"Yes."

In the end, the matter concluded with them leaving without Kelgrida. One by one, people began stirring and rising. Iyu too started to leave the room without delay, but Kelgrida abruptly caught her.

"Savior!"

"Yes?"

"Can you spare me a moment?"

The place Kelgrida led Iyu to was Kelgrida's workshop.

"Why here...? Isn't this a workshop?"

"It's like the heart of artisans. I have something to give you, savior."

Throughout the workshop, half-made weapons, armor, and accessories lay scattered in disarray. Kelgrida selected bracelets, rings, small weapons and such from among them, then poured them before Iyu.

"Here, take as many as you want. They're gifts."

"What?"

"Most are magical tools with defensive functions. Even this first destination of the pilgrimage—the journey here wasn't exactly smooth, was it? You'll be going to many dangerous places ahead, and I'm worried."

'When the savior gets hurt, I feel like it hurts me more. Is it because she feels like my real daughter now?'

The day it had been decided they'd visit a location where 'darkness' had appeared. Kelgrida had said that while fitting her with all those magical tools.

'Though they were no help at all against the pain from absorbing darkness.'

The earlier gift shower was probably due to impatience. Unlike her previous life, Iyu hadn't stayed at her manor or grown close to her, so she must be trying to buy goodwill this way.

But more than the expensive magical tools, her eyes caught on a familiar pair of gloves in the corner of the table.

"Those gloves..."

"Ah, those? They're one of the practice pieces I'm considering for a product line. If you like them, you can have them."

'Practice pieces.'

She bit her lips desperately to hold back a hollow laugh.

It had been a night in the White Desert, when they'd lost most of their luggage and carriages and were cold and hungry.

Perhaps because she hadn't eaten properly all day, or perhaps from the shock of nearly dying to desert wolves—sleep wouldn't come at all. Curled up like a pill bug, she'd been staring blankly at the crackling campfire when she felt a presence beside her.

Kelgrida hobbled over and sank down next to her.

Iyu glanced at the reddened bandages and grimaced as if about to cry. She tried to voice an apology—how many dozens now.

'S-sorr—.'

'Ah, if you're going to apologize, stop. I'm actually happy I could save the savior.'

Kelgrida smiled, showing white teeth, then tossed a small wood fragment into the fire.

'You must be exhausted from traveling. Why are you like this? Can't sleep?'

'...A little.'

'Well, that's understandable. So much has happened.'

'...'

'You're very scared and tired, aren't you? You must miss the family you left behind too...'

Kelgrida gazed toward the dark desert beyond and trailed off. Was she thinking of her family who must be staying somewhere in her territory?

'Family...'

Chewing on the unfamiliar word made her mouth turn bitter.

'The savior's family...'

'Might as well not exist.'

'We' muttered self-deprecatingly, then pulled her legs close and rested her chin on her knees.

Kelgrida looked more pained than the one who'd confessed.

'...You must have been lonely.'

'Was I?'

'Our One' groped through distant memories for faded emotions.

'Not so much lonely as... envious.'

'...'

'In our world, there's a very important test students take. So on test day, families send encouragement, but I had no one for that. That day too, I just bought a single roll of kimbap and went to school. But then some kid's mom drove them there, and for that short distance from just the school gate to the building, she personally put gloves on them so they wouldn't be cold. Watching that, I felt... a bit envious, and like... I looked shabby... something like that.'

Looking back, that sadness had probably been loneliness.

She murmured the musty recollection like a dream.

'I see. And yet you grew up so pretty and admirable.'

She couldn't have fully understood a story from another world, but Kelgrida whispered softly like that and patted her shoulder. And that night, she stayed by her side until exhaustion pulled her under.

Several more desert nights followed, and they arduously reached Smidrhame. When her travel fatigue had completely lifted under devoted care, Kelgrida suddenly called her to the workshop.

Then thrust something forward. Smooth tanned ash-gray leather gloves.