Chapter 26:

Chapter 26: Direction and Purpose

A Dark Requiem Of Kaega



Clatter, clatter...

The sound of the horse's movement echoed evenly in Kaega's ears. He suddenly opened his eyes to see the children sitting in the carriage, staring at him.

– Ahh... where is this...?

Kaega tried to sit up but felt a bit unbalanced. Looking closely, he suddenly realized his left forearm was gone. A child saw this and quickly came over to help him sit up.

– Sister Lyne! Brother Kaega is awake!

Another child stuck their head out from the back of the carriage, shouting loudly to inform Lyne. The carriage stopped, and the sound of footsteps approached.

– You're awake, Kaega.

– Where are we?

– We're outside Aquila, we've traveled more than four miles...

Suddenly, Elina's voice came from outside.

– We'll set up a temporary camp here to rest!

After that, Elina entered the carriage to check on Kaega's condition.

– Kaega... you're awake. How are you feeling?

– I... feel a little tired, but I'm fine...

Lyne looked at Kaega's severed left arm, her face full of confusion, not knowing what to say. Kaega noticed her expression, but instead of paying it mind, he said:

– Ah... sorry, but I'm also a bit hungry...

– Let me help you.

Lyne helped Kaega out of the carriage. Outside, the boy named Robert was directing the children to set up camp. Others, who had been trained by Lyne, were standing guard around to prevent monster attacks at night. One group was starting a fire.

– It's quite lively, I must admit...

Kaega looked on with a cheerful expression. In contrast, Lyne's face was pensive, and Elina seemed to want to say something. After about 30 minutes, the fire was lit. The whole group ate in a silent atmosphere, no one taking the initiative to speak.

About an hour later, most of the children were asleep. Only Kaega, Lyne, and Elina remained sitting by the campfire.

– What was my condition like back then?

Kaega was the first to speak.

– At that time, your heart was weak from abusing too many stamina potions, and you had severe blood loss. Your heart couldn't pump blood on its own, leading to your internal organs and brain not receiving enough blood to sustain life. Although I used holy arts to keep you alive, if it weren't for Lyne's support, you probably wouldn't have made it.

Kaega looked towards Lyne.

– That's right, Lyne. Since when did you know how to use magic?

Lyne recalled:

– I... after discovering I was possessed by the Head Measurer's consciousness, I practiced the meditation my mother taught me again to clear my mind. Suddenly at that moment, I felt a source of energy enter my body, and it felt like something was being released.

She held out her hand to demonstrate for Kaega. A swirling blue light emanated from her palm.

– I realized I have mana, and I can control it...

Elina was astonished:

– I was curious since that moment... but if you only recently awakened, how could you control mana well enough to channel it into someone else's body like that?

– Initially, I could only channel mana into the dagger to use the enchanted spell. But today's achievement is probably thanks to the memories my mother left behind... although I still don't fully understand them...

– Memories? So you received her consciousness as well?

Kaega realized Elina knew something.

– Do you know something?

– Lyne has received the heritage from her mother.

– Heritage?

Elina explained:

– Simply put, memory is the experience and knowledge crystallized from a person's consciousness. When they pass away, that memory can attach to a person of the same bloodline. If the heir holds the relic and is accepted by the consciousness, they will gain access to the entire experience and lessons of the deceased.

Kaega was amazed by this information. Although he knew that consciousness and memory were closely related, he never expected it could transfer power in such a way.

"So Lyne, from someone who knew nothing about magic, was able to control mana to the extent of pushing back the Head Measurer's consciousness and saving a person's life... just because of that? This magical power is truly unbelievably absurd..."

Kaega quickly adjusted his train of thought and seriously asked Elina:

– So... you're heading south, to the Holy Nation of Agenel, right, Miss Elina?

Elina looked at the sleeping children with a fond gaze. Kaega recognized that look and could easily feel the affection she had for the children.

– That's right, I'm going back to Agenel. There, the children will receive a proper education and have a better life than this place. But... Kaega, will you come with us?

Kaega's gaze turned towards the waning moon. He pondered in his heart, and finally made a decision:

– I think... soon, I will be hunted all over Braum by the Silver Masks. They won't let me go easily after what happened in the Blood Feast. It's best we part ways tomorrow.

– So what do you plan to do? Where will you go?

– I... won't live for more than another year. So I'll follow the address you gave me, find Alexia for treatment, and then I'll escape to Caelithea.

– Caelithea? I heard the king there was assassinated, and the princesses and princes have all disappeared for unknown reasons...

Caelithea – a nation on the eastern border of Braum, near the Grava region and also the closest nation to Aquila. A fateful coincidence: the place where Alexia left his mark was also nearby.

– Alright, this is your choice. May the blessings of the gods always protect you.

Elina said no more. She smiled one last time and returned to the children, leaving the two of them some private space. The fire crackled, and only Kaega and Lyne sat there in silence. Kaega gently poked the fire, breaking the stillness.

– Ah... hmmm, Lyne, do you have any plans?

– What do you mean by asking that?

Lyne still stared into the flames, her voice even.

– You know... I have no reason or way to convince you to stay with me anymore. The Head Measurer is dead. We no longer have a relationship of mutual benefit.

Lyne was silent, listening to Kaega analyze the current situation.

– Now you see it too. I only have one hand, and I'm being hunted. Perhaps... I'm just a burden. If you leave, maybe you can pursue your own goals, right... haha...

Kaega laughed dryly. Lyne, on the other hand, was deep in thought.

– Goals, you say... I don't really have any goals now...

– Didn't you once say you wanted to make the Assassins' Guild strong?

– No. Now I just regret that I can't go back in time and knock some sense into the Lynette Rose of seven years ago...

– Then... you could also travel as an adventurer, for example...

– I have no interest in that kind of work.

– Then what about finding your relatives?

– From a young age, I was raised by my mother. As for my father... I've never seen his face. The only person I can call a relative now is probably Aunt Reyna, but she's in the Antares Empire. According to my mother's memories, although I don't know the reason, she seemed not to want me to return there.

– The Antares Empire... to be honest, that's the place I want to go to the least, right after this damn Braum. So what about... this...

Kaega rambled on, suggesting all sorts of options for Lyne, but most were not feasible for her. After a while of listening, her thoughts drifted back to an old memory of her mother...

<Her mother, her face was still worried because she didn't understand. She knew something was wrong inside her child... she thought she could protect the little girl, but now it was too late. Her last resort was to take Lyne back to her homeland.... the Antares Empire... Her eyes were sad, but when she looked at Lyne, an indescribable love and emotion was always in her heart...

-Lynette... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have dragged you into my desires from the beginning.

Marina held Lyne's hand as she slept soundly... gently caressing that hand.

-I hope that... one day you can be free and happy to grow... no longer bound by this hellish place... you will find someone you love... and want to protect with all your heart...

Tears quietly streamed down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away, not letting them fall.

-I hope that you... will always be able to move forward without being bound by anything... free to make your own choices.

Marina channeled her mana into Lyne's hand... then left.

-I hope that one day... I can see you smile at your wedding, wearing a beautiful dress...>

Her gaze gradually returned to the campfire. Kaega had stopped talking at some point... he was no longer looking at her but at the children and Miss Elina. His eyes were no longer cold. It was respect, a cherishing of this small moment... it was a pure affection without any need for benefit. In that moment, she saw the shadow of her mother's eyes....

Lyne suddenly spoke decisively:

– Hey Kaega, I've made my decision.

– So... what is it?

Kaega turned his head, the sweat on his neck gone, his face returning to its usual emotionless state.

"Mother... I want you to know that.... this will be my choice... and I hope you will be happy with this choice..." Lyne didn't look at him either, but looked up at the moon and sighed softly. She drew the Dorgan dagger, handed it to Kaega, and then stepped forward to face him.

– I, Lynette Rose, do hereby swear under this moonlight... to be loyal and to trust in Kaega's decisions. Even in the worst of situations, I will still be by his side...

– Hey! That's going a bit too far...

Kaega hurriedly stopped her. Initially, he had only intended to subtly manipulate Lyne's choice, but he never expected her to swear the moonlight oath to him.

"Lyne, you're crazy. I just wanted you to follow me for a little longer..."

– ...I pledge to follow Kaega's orders, regardless of life or death, to repay this debt of rebirth...

– Hey, you're doing something very foolish!

Lyne paid no heed to his interjection; she completed the oath. Then, she stood up, looking at Kaega – who was holding the dagger – with a calm expression. For the first time, Kaega showed genuine confusion.

– Hey... are you sure? You understand the consequences of this oath, right?

– I know. Very well, in fact. So... do you dare to accept this oath, Kaega?

Lyne smiled – a genuine, pure, gentle smile, completely different from any smile she had shown before. It was the smile of a young maiden, full of emotion. Kaega was flustered.

According to a book of contracts I once skimmed through in a ruin... "The Moonlight Oath" is a knight's oath to their king, witnessed by Celestria – one of the twelve gods worshipped in Agenel. It is nearly unbreakable...

Kaega glanced at Elina. She was also surprised to hear the oath but said nothing.

"Alright, Kaega... this was your goal on the first night... maybe it's time to accept." Kaega sighed.

– Ha... I used to think you were a more rational type, Lyne... but oh well...

He placed the dagger in Lyne's hand as a way of accepting the oath.

– I, Kaega, accept the oath...

Lyne smiled, but before long, Kaega added:

– ...And I issue the first command to Lynette Rose – who has sworn loyalty to me: this oath will be broken if Kaega dies, whether in consciousness, soul, or body. At that time, Lynette Rose will be free, released from all bonds. This is the one and only absolute command issued!

Lyne was also surprised by the condition Kaega set. But before she could react, a stream of mana from her body automatically transferred to Kaega – proof that a small part of her soul was now bound by the oath.

– Ah... I'm really scared of you now...

Lyne saw Kaega's rare dumbfounded expression and couldn't help but laugh.

– I also didn't expect you to give up the right to use that absolute command.

– It's just a precaution. Anyway, I don't like a puppet who only knows how to follow orders mechanically...

– Ha... showing off!

Lyne couldn't be bothered to argue anymore. She left to find a suitable place to stand guard. As for Kaega, after a moment of contemplation, he finally began to digest everything that had just happened, then found a place to rest.

🌅 The Next Morning

As planned by Kaega before the Blood Feast, he took the horse he had bought and went to Elina – who was now packing her luggage.

– In the end, I guess I have to say goodbye to you here, Elina...

– Mmm. Actually, I also thought about taking you with me, but... the after-effects of the curse are still there, and you were planning to abandon us from the beginning anyway...

– Anyway, I also want to thank you, Elina. You've saved my life more than three times...

– It's nothing. Actually, I should thank you too. Thanks to the high-grade mana stones you left behind, I was able to buy enough supplies to take the children back to Agenel without worrying about shortages.

– That's nothing compared to the kindness you've maintained for the past ten years...

– Haha... thank you...

After that, Kaega went to find Lyne – who was now sleeping against a tree trunk.

He didn't have the heart to, but time waits for no one. I don't know when the Silver Masks will stabilize and hunt me down again. I have to use this time to find Alexia.

– Lyne, wake up. We have to go.

– Ah... ah... umm...

Lyne groggily woke up. Though still sleepy, she quickly regained her alertness.

– You slept so well...

– Ah... sorry, maybe I didn't have any nightmares last night...

– Perhaps... the Head Measurer's consciousness didn't let you have a single peaceful night for the past seven years, right?

Lyne looked sad for a moment as she remembered. Kaega patted her shoulder comfortingly.

– Alright... he's gone to hell now. I'll always be by your side to help you sleep peacefully, don't worry.

Lyne's eyes widened, staring at Kaega in bewilderment.

– Hey... pinch my cheek, will you, to confirm this isn't a dream...

Kaega was silent for a few seconds, then reluctantly pinched her cheek lightly.

– I knew I was dreaming... How can this guy say such warm words...

A vein popped on Kaega's forehead in anger. Not only because of the contemptuous remark, but also because she clearly stated that this was a dream.

– Lyne... even without the Head Measurer's consciousness, are you still like this? If I pinch you, how would you know if it hurts? Pinch yourself!

– Ah, right!

Lyne quickly pinched her own cheek, while Kaega could only sigh helplessly at her.

– Agh! It really hurts...

Kaega held his forehead. It seemed Lyne hadn't had a peaceful sleep for so long that she had become this slow...

As expected, only about five minutes later, when her memories and consciousness had fully reintegrated, she returned to her usual self.

– Alright, Lyne. We'll be leaving in a moment. If you want to say goodbye, go quickly before they leave.

– Yeah, I'm going right now.

Lyne quickly returned to the camp, saying goodbye to the children and Elina. One child started to cry, but was immediately comforted by another who patted their head. Lyne, Elina, and the children laughed and joked happily. Although Lyne's face showed a hint of sadness, she still smiled, then quietly returned to Kaega and the horse.

– All done?

– Mmm, all done. Shall we go?

– Yeah. We're heading to a small village near the Flana region. Alexia once marked a location there...

And so, the two groups parted ways, with different goals. Although no one was sure if they would ever have the chance to meet again, at least, deep down, they all silently wished for the other's safety on their respective journeys.

Khuyeb
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