Side Story.7

The Founding Emperor and the First Grand Duke’s grandfather must not die because of her.

“……If we run away together……”

“Have you forgotten? Why couldn’t you escape and why did you get caught by them?”

But the gentle red eyes were unwavering.

“……I’m sorry.”

Maia choked back a sob and ran down the forest path.

Shouts echoed behind her, but she didn’t stop.

She couldn’t stop.

Her brilliant violet eyes were endlessly shedding transparent tears, and her pale skin was dotted with red blood dripping from the keepsake’s sharp point.

“Maria!”

“Adelstein……”

At the end of the path, a boy appeared like salvation, running toward Maia.

Her legs gave way and she almost collapsed, but arms caught her and she clung to him, sobbing.

“Your grandfather let me escape from the thugs and stayed behind alone. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry……”

For the first time, the boy’s ever-bright face hardened.

Strength entered the hands that supported her trembling body.

“……Where is he?”

Only a low voice returned.

Maia staggered to her feet and pointed down the path she’d escaped.

“Excuse me.”

Adelstein lifted Maia into his arms.

But Maia wasn’t surprised by this.

She had no room for it.

Adelstein, holding Maia, ran down the forest path.

But at the end of that path, what awaited them was the still-warm corpse of the old man.

Adelstein, seeing the scene, had no time to process it before dodging a club that flew at him.

After setting Maia down, he drew the sword at his waist and swung it wildly.

The men, who had mocked the fifteen-year-old boy and his grandfather, soon stared in horror at the blood pouring from their own bodies as they died.

“…….”

Adelstein was covered in blood.

It wasn’t from his own wounds.

But Adelstein felt every drop of blood on his body as if it were a wound.

“Hah……”

The boy who had always shone brightly now knelt by the pool of blood, breathing heavily.

“Adelstein……”

Maia couldn’t say anything out of guilt. She barely reached out her hand.

Seeing the transparent tears falling from his red eyes, Maia froze.

The boy who always smiled gently and kindly was crying.

Because of her.

It felt like everything was her fault.

Because she dyed her hair red.

Because she took the old man outside.

No, because she fell into the ancient times in the first place.

In the face of irreversible death, Maia could do nothing.

She was utterly powerless.

“…….”

Maia swallowed her tears.

She couldn’t cry shamelessly.

But even so, she resented her situation endlessly.

She hadn’t wanted to come to the past.

She hadn’t wanted to be noticed by the thugs.

None of this was what she wanted, nor was it something she caused or could solve.

……She missed Lihi.

Now she had to call him Hyperion, but still, she missed him terribly.

She wanted to be held by him, who was always so gentle with her, confess all her sorrows, and have him comfort her, saying everything was okay, it wasn’t her fault, he would protect her……

Step—

“……!”

It was a lie.

Maia couldn’t help but think so for a moment.

Suddenly, the sky was tinged with deep violet, the forest darkened.

Underneath, like a moon fallen from the sky, white hair glimmered in her vision.

Maia, trembling, looked up at his face.

It was him.

“The stench of blood is everywhere.

It was the boyhood Hyperion she had grown up watching.

He seemed to have jumped straight out of her memories.

“Li……”

Just as she was about to call his name, Maia bit her tongue and closed her mouth.

She almost made another foolish mistake.

The current Hyperion had not come to see her.

“You……”

He had come to find the Founding Emperor Adelstein, to fulfill his great destiny.

The destiny she had heard so much about was about to begin right before her eyes.

“Who are you……?”

Adelstein, with unfocused eyes, stared at the arrogant and beautiful boy who approached him curiously.

“Me?”

A voice so beautiful it was hard to guess the gender answered smoothly.

“Hyperion Luar.”

He leaned closer, meeting Adelstein’s eyes, and added,

“My original name is Hyperion. Luar is my true name, realized at the moment I first defined the existence called ‘magic.’”

Then, realizing Adelstein wasn’t in a state to understand, he looked up and gazed at the woman sitting not far away.

“!”

She trembled as their eyes met.

Light violet eyes. Even to his indifferent gaze, she was strikingly beautiful.

Her hair was a deep red.

“You, help this guy up.”

Hyperion ordered naturally.

“……What?”

An unexpected voice replied.

Hyperion stopped, turning only his head to look at the woman.

She was trembling with fear, but still asked why.

“I have no intention of answering your question. Help him up and guide him home.”

“…….”

The woman’s expression twisted oddly.

Whatever.

If it didn’t work, he could just use teleportation magic.

But magic would make it boring, so he didn’t use it.

There was no other reason.

Rustle—

Though she looked strangely displeased, in the end, the woman did as Hyperion said, gently helping the golden-haired boy to his feet.

The boy walked like a soulless doll, led by the woman.

Hyperion’s interest was piqued.

He had been holding a sword in a pool of blood, yet he was lost in tears.

“……This.”

Hyperion found a corpse lying to the side and frowned.

“Aha.”

The mana was connected.

With that boy.

Did he commit revenge out of rage at a relative’s death?

“Let’s carry this too.”

Anyway, it was interesting.

Hyperion floated the old man’s corpse in the air and followed after the woman and the boy.

* * *

“……What is this?”

“…….”

“Answer me! What is this!”

Aeterna, like a crying young beast, screamed as he clung to his grandfather’s cold body.

Maia couldn’t even lift her head out of guilt. Aeterna turned from his silent brother and stepped toward Maia.

“You must know.”

“…….”

“Tell me, why did Grandpa die? Why did he go out with you and come back dead?!”

Tears welled up.

Maia bit her dry lips, unable to answer.

“—Uperta. The tyrant’s men, obsessed with beauties, wanted that woman. Their boss craves a princess, and she resembles her.”

“……What?”

The answer came from an unexpected direction.

Hyperion, leaning against the wall and watching them, spoke.

“Your grandfather chose to save her and died instead. So, who should be called the criminal in this case? I’m curious. You decide.”

He was the perfect observer.

How did he know the truth so clearly?

Aeterna wondered for a moment, then looked at the woman who couldn’t lift her head.

“……I’m sorry. If I’d gone quietly, he wouldn’t have died……”

He must have truly hated her.

Aeterna never liked Maia.

He always wanted to kick her out, was constantly dissatisfied that Adelstein and their grandfather accepted her as family, and never spoke to her.

Even if she was kicked out now, it wouldn’t feel like a lie.

“……Shut up, what nonsense are you spouting?”

But, at the boy’s unexpected words, Maia blankly lifted her head and met Aeterna’s eyes.

Aeterna, looking deeply displeased, twitched his eyebrows and quickly turned his gaze away when Maia met his eyes.

“Grandpa chose to save you. The criminals are the ones who tried to kidnap you. So don’t act like a criminal. You did nothing wrong. By the way, what happened to those guys?”

His sharp green eyes turned to Maia again.

Startled, Maia quickly answered.

“Adelstein…… killed them.”

She looked at Adelstein, who was still staring blankly into space, feeling a sharp pain again.

“Good job.”

Aeterna spat.

Maia looked at the boy in surprise.

“They deserved to be beaten to death. So don’t feel guilty, Adelstein.”

Aeterna, not caring that his brother didn’t look at him, spoke sharply and strode out of the room.

“…….”

“Hmm, not bad. But are you going to keep silent forever?”

At Hyperion’s words, Maia, who had been staring blankly at where Aeterna left, snapped back to herself and looked at Adelstein.

He was still soaked in blood and silent.

After gazing at Adelstein for a moment, Hyperion walked out of the room without regret.

Maia was dumbfounded by his cold and self-centered behavior, but decided not to do anything memorable for him.

Soon, only Maia and Adelstein were left in the room.