CH 73

Sacrifice

After leaving the old man’s house, Kyrie could barely find a place to rest. It was a small mountain village. As she sat down on something like a broken barn where Kyrie had collapsed, a middle-aged woman told her that if the barn was okay, she could rest there.

Kyrie barely fell asleep with the light on.  She didn’t even sleep that long. In a hazy consciousness that could not distinguish between a dream and reality, Aaron often appeared as a wave-like figure.

Although she knew that her own guilt and responsibility were only speaking through Aaron’s mouth, Kyrie seldom escaped the dream.  She also knew in theory that it was what was called post-traumatic stress disorder, or trauma. But she couldn’t escape.

‘After all, Noona didn’t die.’

‘Aaron. Sorry sorry……’

‘Don’t you just want to live?’

Aaron said sarcastically with a good face. Kyrie shook her head painfully.

‘No. I just…….’

‘You’re selfish, aren’t you.  It all wouldn’t have happened if Noona hadn’t awakened the Legendary Lord in the first place.’

‘I didn’t wake him up, it’s the magic of the first Duke of Buchanan!’

‘It’s an excuse.’

In an instant, Aaron’s face in her dream changed to Cesar. He looked at Kyrie as if he were looking at the garbage on the side of the road.

‘That’s why you should have listened to me. This wouldn’t have happened if you were fond of the Crown Prince.’

‘Father…’

‘You really are useless.’

In the end, there were always numerous guards, plus people she knew in the slums. They shouted,

‘Do you really think you ran away from him?’

Horrible figures that were cut, split, torn, tangled in blood and eyes, rushed to Kyrie. When Kyrie in the dream cried, the real Kyrie woke up as if she were escaping from inside of the water.

When she came to her senses, she curled up in a cold sweat, holding onto her cold feet.Through the window she saw a cluster of buckthorn trees with snow on their branches with moonlight. The shadow of the tree looked like a group of people, and Kyrie turned her head hastily with a white face.

‘Is this a play?’

She looked at the barn door with bloodshot eyes.

‘Everything is a set up? Am I mistaken to think about running away? Could it be that he’s actually watching from behind? Nathaniel and everyone he commanded……’

That was the thing she was most afraid of. Kyrie swallowed her moan and buried her face in her cloak.

‘It’s cold.’

She was forced to recall the past, unable to overcome the human instinct that threatened her survival.

When she fell asleep, Nathaniel occasionally entered the room through windows, mostly doors. He looked very carefully at Kyrie’s sleep, and would sometimes stroke her forehead or hair very carefully. It was a friendly and loving touch, as if worried to wake her up.

He then left the bedroom and talked to MarryAnne. Did she eat? Didn’t someone get on her nerves? Didn’t she hurt her body, etc.

It was certainly not affection. Rather, it was more like taking care of an animal, or a child who had not yet been able to function properly. Or just an act of oiling a music box.

‘I won’t let anyone else hurt me…’

Nathaniel wants Kyrie to hate him or fear him. He thought the only way to own the other person’s heart was to burn their whole life with feelings for him. He was a great man to pull it off, and he seemed to have actually made it halfway. Now everyone she met was suspicious. She was afraid that this guy, that guy, was all an actor.

‘Does everything go in Nathaniel’s way?’

Her mind was falling apart. Cold, hunger, and nervousness gnawed at her nerves more than she thought. She certainly thought she’d give up everything and live like the way she didn’t know.

‘MarryAnne is here to save you.’

If it wasn’t for the friendly voice that encouraged her every time.

It was such a hard day. Kyrie sneaked on a wagon and moved northwest. The largest port nearby was Clásico, but it was too likely to be noticed by the aristocracy. So the choice was the port city of Red Route next to Classico. MarryAnne told her to leave the continent, so she was going to catch a small merchant ship from RedRoute to the North.

But Kyrie’s expectations were smashed in a tavern in front of the harbor.

“Ship? But they aren’t running, though?” 

The clerk wiped his glass and jagged, perhaps because it was lunch.

“It’s been a while, but where did you live?”

“Ah, ah ah.”

Kyrie pointed at her neck instead of answering. The clerk flinched.

“You can’t speak? Well, just listen. Everything is on alert around here. All the ships were cut off, and the crew became unemployed. I think you haven’t heard that the ocean is frozen yet.”

Blood disappeared from Kyrie’s face.

‘It’s Nathaniel.’

He was the only one who could do such a thing. As her reaction disappeared, the clerk tilted his head to look inside the cape instead of wiping his glass.

“By the way, I think I’ve seen your face before…….”

Kyrie pressed down on her cape more quickly. However, the clerk had already seen Kyrie’s face.

“Hmm, I think I’d remember it better if I didn’t want to die, but where did I see it…?”

The clerk, who was contemplating something, suddenly made a loud noise and smiled coldly.

“Ah! I know! You look like that Hyung! Are you siblings?”

As Kirie looked in puzzle, the clerk waved his hand with a dry mop toward Kyrie’s back.

“There he comes anyway. Oooi!”

“Yo! How’s business going, Rupert?”

The voice hardened Kyrie’s body.

‘No way…’

The clerk smiled cheerfully, turning Kyrie’s suspicions into conviction.

“That’s not the point right now, Buchanan Hyung! There’s a woman here who looks just like you!”

“……!”

Her whole body was on edge.

‘I have to run!’

Kyrie waited for the man behind her back to come by, and quickly turned around and began running. But the man easily grabbed Kyrie by the wrist, perhaps expecting it.

“What, why are you running?”

“Eek….!”

“That’s suspicious. I can tell what you’re wearing is fancy.”

“Um, Hyung, take it easy on her. You’re such a hothead!”

“I’ve got it easy enough! I need to see her face. Does she look like me that much?”

Kyrie tried to escape with all her might, but to no avail.

The man holding Kyrie’s wrists looked inside of her hat. Light purple hair and purple eyes filled his vision. 

“Huh?”

The man, Grey Buchanan, had his eyes grow bigger.

“What, why are you here? Bad luck? It’s weird, I wasn’t told!”

Kyrie closed her eyes tightly and covered Gray’s mouth with her palm. Gray immediately licked her palms with his tongue, and Kyrie hurriedly pulled them back with a frightened face. Gray burst into laughter at the sight.

“Wow, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it? How are you?”

As Kyrie tried to shut up his mouth again, Gray pulled his head back and avoided it. Then he smiled.

“You want to talk to me outside?”

Still quick to read the room. Kyrie nodded, biting her lips.

Two people headed to the alley behind the tavern. There was trash and dead rats, but there were no people. Gray frowning and grinning.

“So, why are you here, little sister?”

Gray Buchanan is the eldest son of the Duke of Buchanan. His father-like features and vivid purple eyes were exactly the same as Kyrie’s.

Their personalities were very different. If there was a group of “people who is always at the center of the crowd”, Gray Buchanan would definitely enter and be the center in it. He was more like an evolved Gladioso, and above all, he was quick to notice.

“Did you run away from home?”

“…….”

“It’s strange, you’re trying to run away……. Hmm. Run away from home.”

‘What should I do?’

She couldn’t think properly because of fatigue. Gray tilted his head as he looked at Kyrie.

“Did you fight with Father? That’s surprising. Aren’t you a very obedient person?”

“…….”

“Why don’t you answer?”

Kyrie quietly wrapped her palms around her neck. Gray blinked a couple of purple eyes.

“Aphasia?” 

(PR/N: Aphasia; condition that robs you of the ability to communicate. It can affect your ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written. Well, I’m sure Kyrie’s is temporary.)

Kyrie nodded. Gray turned his head for a moment and looked around. An interesting murmur flowed through his lips.

“Really?”

There were still no people around. Kyrie, who belatedly noticed something, quickly tried to escape, but it was after a big fist had already flown to Kyrie’s stomach.

Wham!

“Ugh!”

Kyrie collapsed on a pile of trash, spilling her last word. Looking at her, Gray opened his eyes wide and extended his hand.

“You really can’t talk, can you? In the past, you would have been loud right away. Haha, enough. I’m sorry, I was just checking!”

Kyrie fell down, clenched her teeth and looked up at Gray. Gray knew the meaning of the look, but he just smiled leisurely. It was something he knew. Kyrie could never beat him.

“What are you doing, aren’t you going to catch me?”

Eventually, Gray shrugged when he saw Kyrie in person.

“But why are you doing this here? Oh, you said you couldn’t talk, right? Hmm…… Good! Let’s go to where I’m staying! I wonder what happened to Trevereum when I wasn’t there!”

Gray grabbed Kyrie by the wrist. It was strong without mercy. Kyrie moaned, but he didn’t loosen up. All Kyrie could do was close the veil so it wouldn’t come off.

As they left the alley and entered the street, countless people talked to Gray.

“Hyung! Aren’t you coming to the board today?”

“Oh, Henry! I’ve got business to attend to today. I’ll get it for you tomorrow. Will you wait for me?”

Kyrie shuddered as she heard Gray talking to people familiarly. Everyone seemed to look at her. Memories of the past poured in like a flood. The eyes of hundreds of people looking at her in the square.

“Uuugh….”

Kyrie’s steps stopped. Her legs trembled like an upside-down cicada and she couldn’t move.

Gray belatedly noticed Kyrie’s condition and examined her.

“What, hey, are you all right?”

Kyrie, curled up like a fetus, gasped without answering. After a moment of silence, Gray lifted Kyrie up like a piece of baggage and placed her on his shoulder.

“Come on, let’s go!”

Being held upside down, she felt like throwing up, but Gray wouldn’t let her go. Kyrie breathed hard and closed her eyes.

It wasn’t until he finally entered the room of a luxury inn where Gray was staying that he put Kyrie on the floor like a throw.

“Puha, I can’t keep secrets! I got in trouble hiding it! What’s wrong with you? I haven’t seen you in a while.… You’ve become a fool.”

Kyrie, who was barely released from people’s eyes, struggled to breathe in.

“Done?”

Kyrie stared at him with wet eyes. Gray grinned.

“That’s the kind of eyes you always have. Well, that’s enough. Wouldn’t it be funny to have a brother-sister fight at this age? Then!”

He threw something. It was paper and pen.

“Would writing be better? You had pretty handwriting!”

Gray smiled happily, sitting on the bed with his arms crossed. Kyrie stumbled over, scribbling her handwriting as she stood.

「Let me go.」

“Hmm.  little sister  Isn’t that what I asked?”

Gray scratched his head. His voice lowered.

“What the hell is going on? There’s no need for a father like that to call me unnecessarily. Did he kill mother? No, she can’t die at father’s hands, is it the opposite?”

Kyrie faced difficulties with the pen. She didn’t know how to explain the series of events that have happened in recent months. Even as she explained it, she wasn’t sure if Gray would let her go.

“I can hear you thinking.”

Kyrie was stunned by Gray’s quiet words. A hard-faced Gray rose from his seat and strode up. Before Kyrie could escape, he held Kyrie’s hand in a brutal way.

“You seem to have forgotten how to write, so your kind brother will tell you. This is how to write. Do you remember now?”

Gray pressed Kyrie’s hand holding the pen. Her bone was crushed hard on a wooden pen.

“Akh!”

“No, no, there’s no such thing as that. Look at me!”

Gray smiled and increased his strength, near the bones of her fingers. Seemed like a man who wanted to squish the bones in her fingers, if possible.

Kyrie pushed Gray as hard as she could. It was only a couple of steps back. Gray shrugged, stepping back with a blatant ‘let go’.

“You remember? Good. Then tell me one by one, sister! Why did Father call me.”

She clenched her teeth and scribbled the pen.

「Power relations in the capital have changed. Buchanan became a duke, and the crown fell.」

“The long-lasting Owrenbridge dynasty?”

「Father wants you to take the Duke’s job.」

“Oh, what! Did he call me to do such a nuisance? I thought I was finally going to hand down the title. By the way, you were doing it in the first place!”

Gray sighed loudly as he touched his forehead.

“Is that why you ran away? Because you don’t want to?”

Kyrie, who had hesitated for a while, nodded. There is nothing good about the story of the Legendary Lord.

「I’m tired of living Father’s way. I don’t want to go back. Please don’t let him know you saw me.」

Gray grinned. It was a bright, playful smile, but Kyrie glanced a glimpse of the cunning Cesar in him.

“You know, you and I are nobles. It’s not like you’re making a deal without a hitch.”

Two pairs of purple eyes bumped into the air.

Kyrie asked using her lips without sound.

‘What do you want?’

“As expected, you’re a quick calculator. Well, you’re always smarter than me.”

Gray squinted and smiled, exposing his teeth.

“What do I want? It’s not that hard. Did you see the sea freeze? As you know, sea people are vulnerable to superstitions. They think it’s an ominous sign, and we have to sacrifice our lives to the sea.”

「So?」

“I’d like you to act as a sacrifice!”

He shook his hand before Kyrie could even frown.

“Of course! I’m not really throwing you into the sea. Just pretend, pretend.”

「Are you crazy?」

“I don’t believe it either! But people were crying and begging at the village meeting. It’s said that daughters aren’t needed… It was so serious.”

「I know it’s a pumpkin, not a head above your neck. What if I didn’t come here? Did you really try to throw an innocent woman into the sea?」

“So why don’t you help me?”

Gray strode to narrow the distance threateningly. Then, he took the paper with an annoying face, and tore it apart in front of her eyes. Kyrie stuck out the sharp spot of the pen, but Gray easily took it away and threw it behind his back.

“You’ll do it. I’ll help you. Am I really gonna let my sister die? Just pretend to throw yourself off the boat, and another small boat will take you from the bottom. Or I’ll choose another innocent village girl, commit the right crime, and throw her into the sea, as you say.”

Kyrie’s eyes looked at Gray with disgust. She forgot for a while, but this was Gray Buchanan. Gray was pretending to be nice, but when something he didn’t like happened, he quickly turned into a threat.

“It’s better for one person to sacrifice than for the whole village to suffer. Right, Kyrie Buchanan? This is the way you used to be, isn’t it?”

He giggled like it was something that was funny to him.

“On the other hand, if you help me, I’ll let you go without telling anyone about you. I think we need a wagon, too. Even if you refuse, you know I wouldn’t let you run away, right?

Kyrie clenched her teeth with a cold face.

‘Keep your word.’

***

Gray Buchanan quickly became a hero. His sincerity to dedicate a ‘girl’ to the village touched everyone.

Our savior, Gray Buchanan! He’ll melt the sea!

Gray said he brought several mana stones made by Fort Ducain to change Kyrie’s hair color.

“I like the color red. Do it in that color.”

Kyrie chose plain brown hair.

Some of the servants who followed Gray knew Kyrie’s face, so she changed her body shape by putting a bundle of cloth between her clothes and covering her face with a cloth. No one talked to Kyrie whether they thought she wanted to spend the last minute quietly. Nevertheless, eyes followed her, so she could only come out at the time of the village festival.

“Where are you going?”

As soon as she opened the door, the young man Gray planted for surveillance spoke to her. Kyrie briefly faltered at the stranger’s gaze. She pointed at the sea with a chin instead of her trembling hand.

“Are you going to the sea?”

After Kyrie nodded, she moved on. The young man chased after Kyrie without saying a word. It may not have been done knowingly, but the distance was too close to escape.

‘Now is the time.’

Kyrie, who was wandering around to find an alley to escape, reached the port.

The sudden gust of wind closed her eyes, then she opened her eyes, and a magnificent scenery unfolded. There was white ice on the blue sea that was supposed to be blue, and ships with broken bottoms stood at an angle. Above it was the gradually setting sky.

It was a rare sight, but Kyrie was not impressed. Kyrie looked at the ice, and carefully climbed over it.

“Be careful!”

The young man rushed in. Kirier, who had stomped on the ice for a while, took out paper and pen from her pocket.

「How thick is the ice?」

“It’s enough to keep a person from walking. But you might fall and get hurt, so go back.”

「Is the thickness constant?」

“I’ve heard most of them.”

「So where do we perform the ritual of offering the sacrifice to the sea? Through the ice?」

“There’s a place nearby where people tried to break the ice.”

Kyrie looked at the distant sea. The biting wind sounded like someone’s whisper.

‘Go as far west as you can, get on the boat. You have to leave the continent.’

She didn’t think consciously about whether it was really possible or what would happen after that even if she succeeded. She was just following their will. So she would leave this country, cross the sea, and head north. And she might not mean anything, but she would write a letter. I’m doing fine. You guys will be happy, too. Then after that…….

‘Die, Noona.’

She stopped. She lowered her eyes and turned her back from the sea. Her pen moved resolutely.

「Call Gray.」

***

A new fan art of Kyrie made by an artist