Love Letter From The Future

——

‘A Letter to Senior Ian’

I have sinned greatly for loving. I have caused trouble for many with my excessive affection. I ask for your forgiveness.

If I were to make excuses with my short-sighted thoughts, I never thought that love could be a sin. But now, I understand.

My love is a sin.

It was a mistake and a crime. Because of my desire for a man I shouldn’t have craved, too many have suffered. How miserable is a life that justifies this under the name of ‘love’?

Therefore, I wish to leave my heart behind.

I have committed great wrongs against my clan, friends, and many others. This is a mistake made by a woman who was a monster from birth, who did not know her place. I sincerely hope that you can forgive me with an open heart.

If it is the Senior I used to know, then he must be the one seeing this letter first.

I loved you sincerely. I loved you with all my heart, and because of that, I made too many mistakes.

I love you. I have loved you and intended to continue loving you. Thus, I will try to put this love aside.

I am sorry. Because I am a worthless woman.

I sincerely wish for your happiness even without me.

Seraia Yuridina

——

As soon as I read the letter, I clenched my teeth. All I wanted was to turn around and run out immediately.

However, my wish did not come true.

Before long, a small girl stood behind me. A woman with striking white cigarette smoke trailing, the great witch who had followed me.

A voice choked with emotion escaped me.

“W-Where… have you gone?”

Is it sadness, anger, or something else?

An emotion I could not even define flooded over me like a tide. Until that moment, the great witch simply stood there in silence.

“Where did you go! Seraia is…!”

“What about it?”

I felt like my brain’s blood vessels would burst from that shameless retort.

What about it, that she left my side, what now?

It seemed nonsensical. Yes, it was nonsensical.

I should have been able to argue, but no rebuttal came to mind, so I had to keep my mouth shut. Then the great witch exhaled smoke and asked.

“Could you not leave her? Must you stay by her side no matter what, and must you seek her permission for any judgment you make?”

“Seraia is…!”

“And that’s why she made her decision.”

It was a calm declaration.

I felt as if I understood the story hidden in that tone, and I smiled in despair. The great witch continued her confession without hesitation.

“That brat is far too suitable as one of the Seven Deadly Sins. It wouldn’t be surprising if she harbored the seed of gluttony from the North, or the seed of jealousy related to my mother.”

“If I were by her side…!”

“Do you think you can control all the powers of the Seven Deadly Sins?”

Thud.

No rebuttal came. Even though it was agonizing and frustrating, I couldn’t find the words to voice my feelings.

As I tried to formulate a response, the great witch’s cruel observation continued.

“You can’t even control your own power… Don’t make me laugh; that child left for your sake. She thought she would only be a burden to you.”

“But even so…!”

“Arrogant fool.”

Under the solemn reprimand from my teacher, I fell silent.

Vacantly, I just looked around Seraia’s now-empty bedroom.

There were dolls resembling me scattered about. She must have liked me that much.

“That child can shine on her own, even without you. She ran away with that resolve.”

I had no words.

Looking back, Seraia was always like that. She was a being that shone on her own—a figure who was admired by everyone, even without me. Perhaps the moment she fell apart was after meeting me.

My head spun. Yet, I realized the truth only now.

Seraia was a precious person to me.

Yet it was precisely because of that that I could not hold onto her.

She had already left, and her resolve must have been firm.

The junior I knew was a woman who was just as determined.

The question that finally slipped through my lips was but one.

“…Where did she go?”

Her doubtful gaze turned toward me. Perhaps she wondered if I would chase after her if she answered.

I met that gaze with a resolute look. The great witch, seeing my determination, soon let out a laugh and uttered a familiar word.

“Heavenblade Mountain.”

It was a name known to anyone wielding a sword.

Long ago, Delphrium’s army swept across the continent. Humanity faced the immortal legion, doing their utmost, but ultimately they had to prepare for death.

At that moment.

Lightning struck from the sky, and there, a pure white sword was planted. It was an omnipotent weapon that slew evil and the undead.

Named ‘Heavenblade.’

After the war, the heroes, fearing the power of the Heavenblade, plunged their beloved sword into the continent’s center. And the grave made around this would be known as Heavenblade Mountain.

Of course, it was mostly believed to be a mere legend. The height of Heavenblade Mountain was so great that it seemed impossible to have built it solely with human strength.

But, still, there existed those who followed that story.

Sword Circle.

Those who truly became sword spirits, madmen who distanced themselves from all worldly ties and devoted themselves to the sword.

I had no choice but to raise my voice immediately.

“Seraia gets lonely easily…!”

“Then why didn’t you take good care of her earlier?”

Yet another point that left me speechless.

The great witch blew out a puff of smoke.

“Do you believe in fate?”

I could not answer carelessly. I merely stared at Seraia’s letter with a distorted expression.

“If so, you will see her soon. Destiny and connection cannot be severed so easily. You may even consider it a necessary trial before that bond deepens.”

What nonsense is this?

I had many words I wanted to say, but ultimately, my heated voice could not escape my lips.

It was already too late.

The sky was maddeningly clear. The season was autumn, nearing its end.

Soon, the cold winds were swiftly approaching.

Months later.

In the time that followed, I found myself often gazing somewhere absentmindedly. Perhaps because I thought Seraia might be there.

There were not many who disrupted my reflection. Except for one person who was extremely rude and oblivious.

Sadly, there was someone by my side who fit both of those conditions.

“Long time no see, axe-headed idiot.”

“Is that what I’m going to be called from now on?”

As I said that, I cast a slightly displeased glance behind me. There stood the twin sisters with silver pupils and hair.

The twins of Alphenhausen.

Among them, the younger Luna bowed her head in shame, while the older Shiene let out a haughty laugh.

It was the same scene as always.

“Well, is that so? After all, when you call me by another name, you drop your voice and say, ‘I am Ean Torius…’”

“I am Ian Fercurus.”

“Bwahaha, see! You were going to do that!”

I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle of incredulity at Shiene’s words.

She had squinted her eyes as if to imitate me and lowered her tone earnestly, but that was fine.

It was just that she had actually gotten my name wrong.

But Shiene seemed to find even that enjoyable as she erupted in laughter.

She truly was a woman consistent through and through.

Naturally, a question slipped from my lips.

“So, have you heard any news about Celin?”

“Hmm, well, about that…”

As Shiene said this, she spread a folding fan and covered her mouth. For someone who had yet to achieve any meaningful results, she had a remarkably confident demeanor.

“She might show up soon, right? Just to remind you, Alphenhausen’s information network is the greatest in the continent…”

“Senior Shiene.”

There was no need to listen to the rest.

I continued with my expressionless face.

“If you have nothing to say, just leave. I’m feeling troubled.”

“W-Was I trying to comfort you?!”

To my surprise, it was Shiene who became angry.

Moreover, I was the one shocked by that revelation.

Could it be that those rude words were meant to comfort me?

As I stared at her in astonishment, Shiene raised her voice in frustration.

“Soon, a relic from the Haster Clan will arrive! Are you really going to be this distracted?!”

“Isn’t it okay to be so loud?”

“Humph, I don’t care! Nobody knows where the relic will be stored anyway!”

With a humph, she turned her head away.

Objectively, it was an amusing scene. Unfortunately, the thick enmity between the woman and me made it hard to acknowledge that fact.

As I stood there, dazed, Shiene let out one last shout as she walked away.

“Oh! I wanted to tell you! Now you won’t know, idiot!”

“What…?”

Before I could respond to her idiotic remarks.

Shiene skipped away. Only Luna remained, mouthing words silently in farewell.

“I’ll send a separate cipher tomorrow.”

That’s fine.

I thought as I closed my eyes. Thinking of my wife who had gone to the Holy Kingdom. My fiancée who was in the Great Forest, and my childhood friend whose whereabouts were unknown.

Just why?

I missed Celin and Seraia so much. Just the fact that they were not in front of my eyes was enough to ache my heart.

It was truly an inexplicable feeling.

That night.

In front of the Academy building where Alphenhausen was staying, Royal Guards were engaged in conversation, with warm light streaming from the entrance.

Step, step, step.

Smooth footsteps tickled the ears. As the Royal Guards turned their heads, a golden flicker was floating nearby.

“…….?”

And trailing behind it were dark strands of hair like a trajectory.

With each step forward, the Royal Guards felt an odd sensation wash over them. A shiver ran down their spines, and their skin prickled with goosebumps.

What is this?

Before they could resolve that question, the Royal Guards raised their spears, as trained, and opened their mouths.

“Stop! State your identity!”

There was no answer for a while.

The golden eyes were directed towards the sky, and the moonlight flowed softly down her cheeks.

Finally, the woman spoke in a frozen voice.

“Haster.”

The gazes of the two Royal Guards met, not understanding the meaning, and that was all.

Hell descended upon Alphenhausen.

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