WOSE Chapter 30

As Darun had guaranteed, after three days passed and the fourth day came, the number of people visible outside the window gradually began to decrease.

Partly due to him personally stepping forward to persuade and calm people, but also because rumors began circulating that Belga, who'd been the spark, was actually a 'runaway' rather than an 'accident.'

Belga's mother, who stubbornly visited the front of Kelgrida's house, insisted it couldn't be a runaway, but even witnesses appeared claiming they'd seen her secretly leaving with someone.

After another week passed, there were no more mornings waking to people's shouts, no more need to plug her ears against voices crying out for the Savior.

However, the peace as precarious and thin as glass shattered to pieces just days later.

Iyu, her face drained white, came thundering down the stairs.

"She's gone!"

"What?"

At the scream-like cry, Kelgrida, who'd been attending to duties, and Darun, who'd been maintaining weapons, as well as Kalix and even Odynne gathered in the hall.

"What's wrong?"

"Tamia, Tamia has disappeared!"

Iyu shouted as if about to burst into tears any moment.

Kelgrida, eyes widening, answered hesitantly.

"Maybe she went for a walk somewhere?"

"She's not a child who'd disappear without saying where she's going. When I opened my eyes she wasn't beside me, and no matter how long I waited she didn't appear..."

Iyu trembled violently.

"Did people who think badly of me take Tamia? Or did Tamia also go to that mine like the other missing people..."

"..."

"No, no. There's no reason Tamia, who doesn't even know how to handle minerals, would deliberately go there on her own!"

"Savior, please calm down a bit..."

"I've thought this since visiting End Village, but it doesn't seem like just accidents! What if someone's using the darkness to eliminate people? And this time Tamia's definitely the target!"

"Calm down."

As she screamed while clutching her head, Kalix gently gripped her shoulders.

"I'll try to find your attendant. So..."

"No, I need to eliminate the darkness right now. Tamia might be there."

"But the aftereffects..."

Darun, who'd approached hesitantly, tried to dissuade her. Surely it was advice out of concern, but for her right now it was poison.

"The aftereffects aren't the problem right now! Tamia has disappeared! Even today, immediately..."

Trailing off, she anxiously bit her nails.

Darun, watching that sight with pity, persuaded her.

"I'll also search for the child with Lord Kalix. If she still doesn't appear after the sun sets, let's go up to the mine together tomorrow."

Confused eyes belatedly reached the surrounding people. Darun showing an awkward smile as if trying to calm her, Kalix with worried eyes, Kelgrida with narrowed brow, and Odynne silently watching her from the window.

Turning her head from the people waiting only for her response, she pulled herself together unsteadily.

"...All right. I'm sorry for making such a fuss. I'll return to my room now."

Darun looked as if he wanted to bring up something more, but Iyu went straight up to her room.

Click. As the door closed, she began neatly packing the supplies needed to climb to the mine.

She couldn't wait until tomorrow.

Iyu, who'd holed up in her room without even eating, changed into outdoor clothes as soon as darkness fell outside the window.

Around the time even the servants would have fallen asleep, she rose.

The moment she turned her back on the quiet room without presence and took a step, someone knocked on her door.

Having quietly slipped out of the manor, Iyu headed straight for the mine where the darkness resided.

Holding a lantern in one hand and a walking stick in the other, she climbed the treacherous mountain path.

Only after her breath reached her chin and she'd sweated buckets could she finally face the mine from old memories.

Recalling the darkness that had been like a monster's maw, her feet didn't move easily. Nevertheless, Iyu walked steadily into the pitch-black mine.

'The darkness was definitely deep inside the mine.'

Kelgrida had told her the darkness born inside had gradually grown and now devoured half the space.

The mine's interior was spacious enough to be closer to a tunnel than a cave. Nevertheless, how much further had she walked through the stuffy, oppressive space? Iyu discovered darkness rippling dangerously.

Having thrown her walking stick to the ground, she approached the darkness. The darkness was no different from the one in memory. It seemed to writhe like a living creature, and also seemed to smack its lips as if ready to devour everything.

Iyu extended her hand into the repulsive darkness. Just before the darkness touched her pale, slender fingertips, she suddenly spoke.

"Why don't you put down that weapon."

Turning around, Iyu finally faced the one who'd approached right behind her—or more precisely, who'd been following her all along.

Late at night in the quiet hours.

Triel, who'd been stringing small gems to make jewelry for a while, set down her work. The joints that had been weak since childhood were acting up again, her grip stiffening.

Sighing softly, she massaged her aching knuckles. The shadow of her hand flickering in the dim lamplight seemed especially pitiful today.

Perhaps because of this silence where nothing could be heard besides her own breathing.

'Don't overdo it when your hands are bad! Tell me what you want and I'll make it all for you!'

Recalling a voice that couldn't possibly be heard, yet could never be shaken from her eardrums, her face finally crumpled.

By now she should have grown numb, but the void came at every turn, sweeping away even carefully suppressed emotions and emptying her chest.

As she quietly traced the clock placed neatly on the table—a clock that had lost its owner and no longer moved—a knock suddenly sounded.

Triel turned her head toward the firmly closed door. End Village avoided going out at night with doors locked as if everywhere were 'darkness.' So there was no reason for a visitor at this late hour.

Knock knock.

But as if she hadn't misheard, the small, light knocking sound echoed inside the house once more. She rose from her seat as if dreaming.

He, who despite having a key would occasionally knock when returning from work, saying he needed someone to greet him.

Feeling as if opening that door would let her see that mischievous smile again. She flung the door open like someone possessed. And the fleeting fantasy shattered instantly.

Naturally, beyond the door her husband did not exist. Instead, a child stood there, slightly shorter than her eye level.

The beastfolk child who'd been beside the Savior.

Why would a young child come looking for her alone at this late hour?

"What brings you here?"

When she mustered a kind voice to ask, the child, who'd been staring up at her silently, suddenly extended a hand.

A small, warm hand brushed her cheek and touched her eyes. Tears that had gathered without her knowledge transferred to the child's fingertips.

Embarrassed yet grateful to be comforted by such a young child, she rubbed her eyes roughly with her sleeve.

When she faced the child again with only reddened eyes, the child was thrusting something forward.

"What's this...?"

Instead of answering, the child thrust the hand forward again. In the child's palm lay a small note.

'Did the Savior send it?'

Triel accepted the note and carefully unfolded it. The sender was indeed the Savior as expected. However, the contents written inside far exceeded expectations—extremely shocking.

「I'll eliminate the culprit who stole your family members today. Come witness the end.」

Reading it repeatedly didn't change the text.

"...Is this real?"

Would the 'darkness' finally be gone—that monster that had devoured her beloved?

It didn't feel real, wasn't believable. As she just stood blankly staring at the note, the child tugged at her sleeve. Then glanced back.

Beyond the stone wall, her eyes met Brynja's, who looked equally confused. Behind her were familiar faces. It seemed everyone had already accepted this invitation, ready to witness that end with their own eyes.

Trie surveyed the interior of the silent house behind her once. Then with pathetically trembling hands she grabbed her coat and left the house.

Thump thump. She didn't know if her rapidly beating heart was from anticipation or anxiety, but one thing was certain. If there were those who must carry out the culprit's end with their own eyes, with their own hands, it was themselves.