She Was Sent by God

“I’ll bear that in mind.”

 

Laslo tightened his grip on the bead Reika had given him.
Through his fingers, an exhilarating light flowed.
Little by little, his head began to clear.
He realized what he needed to do.

 

“I’m not sure how I can repay you for this.”

 

“It’s alright.” Reika coyly raised her chin and said, “I’m not giving it to you to be paid back.”

 

Laslo got out of his chair.

 

“However, do you know where the dragon is?”

 

He smiled for the first time in response to her question.
Under the light, his dark green eyes gleamed.

 

“Kishu forest.”

 

***

 

“This document states that you will inherit the Duchy of Arpad if I don’t come back in six months.”

 

“Brother!”

 

Zoltan complained.

 

Laslo gave Zoltan the papers and the family ring, which he had never removed.

 

“Why are you thinking of not coming back? I can’t take this.”

 

“Just take it.
I’m not asking you to take over the duchy right now.”

 

“Then don’t give it to me.
Why are you making a will as if you’re about to die?”

 

Laslo then gave a faint smile.

 

“I’ll leave as soon as Agnes’ funeral is over.”

 

“That fast?”

 

“You’ve had a difficult time because of me.
I just feel bad for you.”

 

He tapped Zoltan on the shoulder.
As though he was going to speak, Zoltan pursed his lips.

 

“Brother, I, I…….”

 

“I don’t blame you.
Agnes won’t back down, even if you stop her.”

 

Zoltan’s eyes trembled.
His long-buried guilt came to the surface.
Laslo turned his gaze to Zoltan’s wounded left arm.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t say that.”

 

“I still believe Agnes will enter through that door.”

 

“…….”

 

“She appears in my dreams a hundred times, and I keep seeing her illusion.”

 

“Brother…”

 

Despite the depressing subject, Laslo was grinning.

 

“Zoltan.
I thought I was dreaming when the priest said that the oath ritual connecting me and her had been broken.
I felt like I had to wake up because this had been a very long nightmare.”

 

Laslo started injuring himself shortly after that.
Only then did Zoltan understand why his brother had done it.

 

“Every day was a living hell.
Every time I breathed, I thought of her and the things I couldn’t do.”

 

“……Is that the reason you’re going?”

 

“Perhaps this is my last opportunity.”

 

Zoltan observed his firm resolve.
He grabbed his brother by the arm.

 

“Go.
If life is like hell.
How am I supposed to stop you?”

 

“Zoltan.”

 

“Instead, you need to return with the princess.
Do you understand?”

 

Laslo chuckled rather than responding.

 

Agnes’ funeral took place the following day.
When the funeral came to an end, the Marquis of Songrad sobbed in front of the closed casket, and Ney lost consciousness.
Laslo stood there for a long time, staring at the dirt-covered coffin.

 

Just before the funeral, Laslo went quietly to the stable and took a horse that had been prepared by a servant.
Reika’s voice could be heard behind him as he mounted the horse.

 

“Keep it in mind, sir.”

 

“What?”

 

“The dragon, who controls fate, will not easily grant your request.”

 

Laslo turned around.
Standing with her arms crossed, Reika turned to face him.

 

“I’ll pay you back if I succeed,”

 

“Huh.
Just come back alive.”

 

Laslo stomped on the horse’s ribs.
Reika briefly watched his back as he walked away before she headed back to the castle.

 

***

 

“Whoo, whoo.”

 

Ten days have passed since his arrival in Kishu.
Laslo kept moving forward, slicing through the bushes in his path.

 

It was exhausting and difficult to walk through the forest for ten hours a day, but it was the hopeless waiting that bothered him.
When he first got here, he thought he would run into the dragon right away, but it was difficult to see anyone, let alone the dragon.

 

“Eugene!”

 

He roared his way up the difficult mountain path.
The sun is setting.
The forest quickly turned dark.

 

Once again, today was fruitless.
He made an effort to hide his displeasure.
Laslo made a bonfire and then pulled out a heavy blanket to wrap around his body.
His food supply is also running low.
He may have to start hunting tomorrow.

Rustling-

 

Behind him, he could hear someone stepping on a branch.

 

“Oh, can I borrow a light?”

 

It was a young woman’s voice you wouldn’t expect to hear in the middle of a forest.
Laslo calmed his tense frame.

 

“It’s all right.”

 

“Oh, I’m grateful.
I was digging for herbs so much that I completely missed the sun setting.”

 

With a smile, the woman sat across from Laslo.
Through the flickering fire, her face could be seen.
It was difficult to believe that she was a commoner foraging for herbs in the mountains because she was so stunning.
She laughed while squinting her eyes.