MTLNOVEL Chapter 28: After the Departure
"Mage! Mage! Mage!" The young Beastman Turuk wouldn't stop shouting.
Andrew, however, seemed as if he had been stripped of all his strength and vitality, his entire being lifeless.
Christina had already left, to a place he might never be able to reach.
The revenge he had once feared from the White Bone Holy Light Court perhaps didn't exist at all. From beginning to end, it had all been a figment of his imagination—no one had ever truly regarded Andrew as anything significant.
So... what should he do now?
After leaving the prison, he wandered aimlessly through the narrow streets of Udoven, dazed and disoriented, unsure even of where he should head.
"Excuse me, please."
An old woman poured out a basin of foot-washing water from her house. Unable to dodge in time, Andrew got his trousers wet.
The old woman froze, and the people around stared blankly at Andrew.
Andrew merely lifted his pant leg to glance at it, then sighed softly and walked away.
In the early spring of Udoven, though the snow had melted, the wind was still bone-chilling. Dressed in thin clothing, Andrew wandered aimlessly. Before he realized it, he found himself traversing the small town. Spread out before him now was an endless wilderness.
He stood there in a daze, staring blankly.
"Going! Where!" Turuk asked with wide, curious eyes.
Andrew did not answer. He simply turned, found a quiet corner devoid of people, and sat down.
All around him bustled people, each absorbed in their own lives.
"Make way! Move aside! Everyone move aside!"
A group of patrolling guards jogged past him.
"I stole this candy from home and I'm giving it to you as our token of love," a barefoot, naïve boy confessed to the girl he fancied.
The girl ate the candy and smiled foolishly.
Not far away, a butcher's family was arguing loudly. The couple stood on the main street quarreling, attracting a crowd of onlookers.
The bookstore owner sat at the counter counting the day's earnings, filled with melancholy over the sluggish business.
Groups of porters strolled by, whistling flirtatiously at passing girls.
Once again, someone poured foot-washing water onto the street—it streamed all the way to Andrew's feet. He merely watched silently, sitting completely still.
Every person had their own life, whether joyful or sorrowful, pleasant or unpleasant, varied and colorful, perhaps destined to change, perhaps stuck in endless repetition. But no matter what, they all had their own lives, their pasts, their futures, linked to countless others in complex ways.
"Mage!" Turuk grabbed Andrew by the shoulders, his face brimming with stubborn determination.
Yes, even he had something to look forward to.
Though the world was vast, only Andrew was lost, unsure of where to go.
What, ultimately, was the meaning of existence? For the first time, Andrew earnestly began to reflect on this question.
He sat quietly in that street corner, unmoving. Until the sky grew dim and dusky, and the drunken noise from the tavern across the street echoed out, he remained sitting, motionless, lightly stroking the green dragon scales in his hands.
...
Nightfall.
The northern mountains.
An emerald green valley, like a paradise, where every leaf shimmered with flowing light.
Waterfalls plunged from the mountain tops, pooling into deep lagoons before seeping into streams that nourished all things.
Animals of various kinds lived leisurely within the dense forests.
Christina, shackled in chains, walked slowly along the wooded path, with Abraham following behind her.
From a distance, Christina had already seen the dragon nests—each occupied by a colossal golden dragon.
They were among the most powerful beings of this world.
At this moment, due to Christina's arrival, countless golden dragons raised their heads, silently watching her. This included the oldest and most massive golden dragon atop the waterfall.
"Christina, Abraham has been ordered to recall you. However, during the process, you displayed insubordination. You even colluded with suspected members of the White Bone Holy Light Court, leading to harm among our kind, inciting conflict between our clan and humans, and worsening relations with the White Bone Holy Light Court. Based on your misconduct, we are considering permanent imprisonment for you. Listen carefully—permanent imprisonment. You will be confined in the Dragon Lock Tower forever. Do you have any defense against these accusations?"
A resounding voice reverberated through the mountains.
Christina stood alone beside the shimmering lagoon, quietly facing the countless dragons.
...
"Do you think... I shouldn't exist in this world?" Andrew suddenly asked Turuk.
Turuk froze, staring at Andrew, then broke off a piece of bread he had begged for and placed it into Andrew's hand. He carefully began eating the rest himself.
Staring at the bread in his hand, Andrew had no desire to eat. He muttered to himself, "She used to cook me dinner. Though her cooking wasn't particularly good, at least it was better than mere bread. I once thought I'd spend the rest of my life eating her dinners, never again scraping by with nothing but bread."
Turuk had already wolfed down his small piece of bread, but he was still hungry. Seeing Andrew's lack of appetite, he took the bread back, broke off half, and placed the remaining half into Andrew's hand again.