Love Letter From The Future

“Ian-nim would never say something like that……!”

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“So, you trust that man, do you?”

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“Ian-nim has promised me… he would never abandon me…!”

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Yes, to be honest.

I couldn’t be entirely sure about the nature of the relationships between Ian and the women involved. Still, I knew that the visions this woman in front of me was showing weren’t entirely false—they must have held at least some truth within them.

—

Even so, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

—

Dislike and suffering gnawed at her very soul. She compared herself to the women who stood beside Ian time and again, falling into a deep sense of inferiority despite despising it all. Yet, she believed she had no choice.

No, she tried her hardest to convince herself of that.

—

It wasn’t easy. She resented it deeply, but the world gave her nothing, and her fate had cruelly snatched away whatever little she had. But still, she endured. She had persevered and continued to endure.

—

Her heart hurt—agonizingly, like fire burning deep within her chest. She’d spent months consumed by self-reproach and inferiority, her thoughts eating away at her sanity like insects gnawing on her mind. Yet, she bore it all—for Ian’s sake.

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“A promise… has been made…!”

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As a single drop of dew rolled down her cheek, Celine murmured resolutely to herself, committing to the memory.

—

She hadn’t forgotten. She could never forget.

She remembered the promise shared with Ian that day among the fields of blooming sepia flowers.

—

The woman with crimson eyes didn’t outright reject Celine’s unwavering trust. She simply observed Celine silently, her chin rested on her hand, before finally asking with a casual toss of her voice:

“Really?”

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“Yes, how many times do I have to say it!?”

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“You said you wanted to see the truth—not an illusion.”

—

With a deep inhale,

The woman drew near. Their breaths intertwined. For a fleeting moment, Celine was lost in a sweet aroma that clouded her mind.

—

The crimson eyes gleamed like lanterns in the night, wavering.

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“Shall I show you?”

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Celine’s breath hitched.

—

The woman’s gaze carried a dread far greater than falsehood or deceit. It held an emotion raw and unrelenting, one that could only be described as truth—truth so pure that it allowed no room for doubt.

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It wasn’t a lie. Celine instinctively knew it deep within her heart.

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“The choice is always yours, Celine Haster… Do you want to see the truth?”

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“What… what is this nonsense…?”

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“The man you love.”

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And with that, the woman gave a faint smile.

A smile that seemed to radiate pure benevolence.

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“I will show you. But… it might be better not to.”

—

What did she mean by that?

As Celine was about to protest, to declare her undying trust in Ian…

Her ears rang with a familiar voice, repeating words she had heard countless times before:

“You’re incompetent.”

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“Useless.”

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“Dead weight.”

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Why?

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Celine, trembling with sudden fear, couldn’t bring herself to respond, her eyes quivering anxiously.

—

Yet the woman’s whispers persisted.

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“Well? Make your choice. Shall I show you? Or do you want to close your eyes instead?”

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It didn’t matter which path she chose.

No matter what, her trust in Ian wouldn’t waver.

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So, then.

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“Sho… show…”

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“Hmm?”

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“…Show me.”

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Accepting the woman’s kindness wouldn’t hurt, Celine thought.

—

In response to her words, the woman gave a radiant smile—an exceptionally bright one.

—

*

One of the professorial offices in the upper school.

I visited here to discuss some after-procedures. Though my body was wrapped heavily in bandages and splints, the situation at hand was urgent enough to warrant my presence.

My counterpart was a familiar face.

“…It’s been a while, Aine Kurkurr.”

“Pleased to see you again, Riera Elphinhausen.”

At my calm greeting, the opposing party flared up first.

Siene Alphenhausen, the elder twin of the Alphenhausen family, had one peculiar trait: she was notorious for mispronouncing people’s names. Yet, she seemed to remember mine accurately, a feat in itself.

“My name is Siene Alphenhausen!”

“Ah, what a coincidence! My name is Ian Fercurus too.”

I said this nonchalantly, taking my seat under the guidance of a woman standing behind Siene-senpai.

Luna Alphenhausen.

Her presence stood in stark contrast to her sister’s antics. The younger of the Alphenhausen twins, she was comparatively normal. She was far better than her sister, who was currently sulking and complaining with her arms crossed.

“Hmph, a second son of a rural viscount has no right… Normally, even exchanging words with Siene would have been…”

“Find the missing person.”

She was getting on my nerves more than ever. Recognizing that engaging her further would only harm me, I decided to get straight to the point. This way, even Siene-senpai would have fewer opportunities to dissent.

And true to my prediction, Siene-senpai let out a faint scoff, puffing her cheeks.

“…Missing person?”

“Celine Haster.”

The moment her name was spoken, Siene-senpai emitted an indescribable sound, covering her mouth with a fan.

“All I ask is that you help find my childhood friend. It’s a task that requires considerable manpower…”

“Why us?”

“Shall I take this directly to Princess Iris then?”

At my straightforward reply, Siene-senpai clicked her tongue and adverted her gaze.

It made sense.

Princess Iris had shown interest in my talents and was eager to please me. If I requested it, there was a high likelihood she would accommodate me with whatever I needed—whether manpower or resources.

Understanding this, Siene-senpai wouldn’t dare refuse my offer. Should this news reach Princess Iris, it would paint Siene as an inadequate confidant of her lord’s intentions.

Siene-senpai begrudgingly raised her hands in a gesture of surrender.

“Fine then, for Princess Iris’s sake…”

“And…”

I nonchalantly sipped my tea while subtly lowering my gaze.

“Isn’t there also a personal debt you owe me? Consider it a form of atonement.”

—

The words were left unsaid, but my intent was clear through my gaze.

This was a probing question.

The Alphenhausen clan had seized control of the Haster Territory’s gold mines, which led to the eventual downfall of the Haster family. In retaliation, Celine bore a deep hatred toward the noble class.

In essence, they were truly “enemies of the family.”

Additionally, Celine’s hatred was as much my enemy’s burden to bear.

To determine the form and extent of my retaliation, this step was essential.

Siene-senpai gave an expected response.

“Personal debts? I scarcely remember such insignificant families…”

“The sun of the Alphenhausen family… you know, the proverbial ‘ghost-like knowledge of wealth.'”

Siene-senpai froze, her shoulder shrug midair turning into stiff motionlessness.

The follow-up comment hit the mark.

“…Isn’t it?”

“Hmm.”

With a heavy sigh, Siene-senpai shook her head, clearly exasperated by the situation.

“Axes-and-brawn Lord….”

“It’s Ian Fercurus.”

“Sometimes, the world benefits from not knowing certain truths, you know? We’ve had such a pleasant rapport until now, haven’t we?”

“Never had one.”

“So, stop digging up painful memories! What a narrow-minded man!”

Siene-senpai finally conceded, trying to reason with me one last time.

Still, her half-hearted attempts seemed genuine enough. The way she rested her forehead, trying to persuade me till the very end, spoke volumes.

“…Once you know, there’s no turning back.”

“I must hear it.”

A response devoid of hesitation.

There was no room for persuasion. As Siene-senpai hesitated until the very last moment, Luna-senpai placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Sister, eventually, the truth will be revealed anyway…”

That was it.

After a long moment of reluctance, Siene-senpai let out another sigh.

“Alright, I’ll tell you.”

“What are the circumstances that made…?”

“Didn’t you say the Haster clan was wiped out by the Alphenhausen family?”

The conversation dove straight into the matter.

Uncharacteristically, Siene-senpai had skipped the fluff. Perhaps sensing I needed no further lead-ins, she quickly continued.

“This… it wasn’t simply a ‘hunt.’”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you know the nickname of the Alphenhausen family?”

I paused for a moment.

Now that I think of it, I might have heard something similar before.

One of the Five Great Houses of the Empire.

And within that, the Alphenhausen family, a symbol of financial power and authority, had a well-known nickname.

My lips faltered before the word escaped my mouth. Suddenly, my throat had dried up as though on fire.

What if this answer was incorrect?

I would indeed commit a grave insult. Yet, Siene-senpai continued her relentless pressure.

And finally, the unsure tone seeped into my voice.

“…’The Emperor’s hunting dogs.’”

And Siene-senpai’s response?

“Correct.”

With the snap of her fan, she gave a refreshing smile.

“The Haster clan fell at the Emperor’s command.”

—

Only then did I fully comprehend Siene-senpai’s earlier warning.

This was beyond what I could bear.

But the story wasn’t over yet.

Siene-senpai began to reveal obscure secrets about the Haster family, her tone calm and deliberate.

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