Chapter 13: The Red String of Fate

Emi reached the dangerous part of the city. Her appearance, clothing, and even the way she walked practically screamed that she was a helpless damsel. The criminals lurking along those deserted streets noticed her the moment she arrived, waited for the perfect opportunity to strike, and…

They didn’t.

Dozens of golden knights patrolled the streets in broad daylight, under strict orders to find Raiga as soon as possible. Their very presence was intimidating, and even the most pathetic thief in the capital knew that committing a crime right in front of the guards was a rookie mistake. With the Prophet’s knights patrolling the area, the situation was even more serious.

Even the biggest idiots knew that the Prophet was every bit as important as the King. His mere presence in the city, along with his entire retinue, meant that something serious was happening. The criminals who usually prowled those streets preferred to hide in their holes rather than deal with such dangerous opponents.

“This place is enormous. I’ll never find Raiga if I just keep running around in circles.” The young intellectual sighed heavily. All she could see around her were abandoned streets, garbage, and people walking past without paying her much attention. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the gleaming armor of the Prophet’s men. The residents of the poorer districts were accustomed to the local guards—ordinary men and women like themselves, most of them neighbors or low-ranking adventurers.

They rarely even wore breastplates, much less anything so bright and extravagant.

Emi panted after running for so long.

Her terrible physical condition was catching up with her. She had to lean against the filthy walls, breathing deeply as she struggled to catch her breath. She closed her eyes and tried to think of somewhere Raiga might have gone, some place where he could hide from the world and keep his intrusive thoughts under control.

What if he’s already left the city and I never see him again?

The thought made her heart ache.

The blonde shed a few bitter tears and immediately resumed her search through the darkness and sorrow surrounding her. Her desperate steps eventually carried her into a small marketplace where dozens of street vendors had set up whatever stalls they could to earn a living. She spotted butchers, cobblers, makeshift tailors, and even a few small-time blacksmiths. Nothing remarkable—just the ordinary city life she knew so well.

“No, no… Raiga, where are you?”

And then, something strange happened.

Emi blinked several times, placed her left hand against her chest, and then noticed a red string tied around her little finger. It stretched endlessly into the distance, disappearing somewhere among the farthest streets.

What the hell?

Unable to believe what she was seeing, Emi shook her hand in an attempt to remove the red string, but nothing happened. She also noticed that none of the vendors paid any attention to the enormous trail stretching out before her. In fact, no one else seemed able to see it at all.

“If you follow the path shown by the string, you’ll find Raiga.” A mysterious voice spoke directly inside her mind. The girl looked from side to side, but no one nearby was calling to her or even paying her any attention. “It’s pointless. I’m inside your head.”

“Why are you doing this? Who are you?” Emi whispered.

She covered both ears with her hands to block out the voice, but it was useless.

“That isn’t important right now. Do you want to see Raiga or not?”

“Of course I do!” she exclaimed, more to herself than to the mysterious voice.

“Are you sure? Think carefully, Emi. You can still return to the life you had before. Perhaps not here in the capital, but somewhere far away. Your intellect could be valued elsewhere. You could become a distinguished scholar and change the world with your knowledge. All you have to do is ignore the string and turn around. This is a turning point in your life, Emi.” The voice fell silent for a moment, leaving the blonde alone with her deepest thoughts.

She closed her eyes and sighed for the third time that day.

The idea of running away was tempting.

She could forget these past few weeks and start over. It was not too late to return to being an ordinary young woman with dreams and ambitions like anyone else. No one would judge her for making that choice. Raiga himself had said it—his presence would only bring trouble and danger into her life.

She had a choice.

Two paths that could not have been more different, diverging so completely that even fifty years from now, Emi would still remember the decision she was about to make at this crucial moment.

A strange anxiety filled her. Something deep inside told her that the world around her would change depending on the choice she made.

The intelligent choice would be to turn around, ignore the string, and return to reality.

The passionate choice would be to follow the string until she found Raiga and tell him how she truly felt.

“I…” Emi whispered, unable to choose.

“Choose. No one else can force you. Only you can decide.” With those words, the voice disappeared, leaving the blonde with thousands of questions swirling through her mind and a red string showing her the path toward another life.

Emi did not answer.

She remained standing there, lost in a sea of thoughts and imaginary futures that would never become reality unless she herself chose to take a step forward—or backward.

And then, she remembered.

Raiga’s smile, so pure and full of life that it was impossible not to smile along with him.

“Why am I hesitating? Of course I know the answer!”

Emi followed the red string of fate without another moment of hesitation. She ran despite her exhaustion and the ragged breaths escaping her lips. She ignored the stares of strangers, the dangers around her, and the crumbling streets beneath her feet. She left all of it behind and kept moving forward until she reached a dark, foul-smelling alley. There she saw Raiga, sitting on the curb with red, swollen eyes.

He had been crying only moments ago.

“Huh?” The Heretic could not believe what he was seeing.

For a moment, he remained completely still.

He thought it was a dream, a fantasy born from his most innocent desires.

“Raiga!” But she was real.

Emi threw her arms around him with all her strength, pressing her sweat and the warmth of her ragged breath against him. It was a clumsy embrace, but one overflowing with affection.

I want to stay with Raiga. He deserves to be happy, and I can help him find that happiness. He deserves friends, a family, and a life of his own. The world is wrong—not him!

“E-Emi, what are you doing here? How did you find me? I-I should leave. If I stay with you, I’ll destroy your life, and I don’t want that.” His words carried both tremendous pain and overwhelming joy. He was happy to see her, yet terrified of causing her even more harm. Raiga fought back the urge to cry again.

“No, you’re not leaving. Listen to me… I’m not angry with you!” Emi exclaimed. The young intellectual stood on tiptoe and grabbed the adventurer by both cheeks. “I’m angry at the world for hurting you so much! You’re not the one in the wrong! W-Well, you were wrong to react so violently, but I understand why you did it. What I’m trying to say, Raiga, is that you don’t need to worry anymore. I’ll protect you!”

Raiga raised his left eyebrow.

“Protect me?” the Heretic whispered, unable to believe what he had just heard.

“Yes! I’ll protect you from all those miserable people who try to insult you and make you feel worthless because of an unjust sentence. I don’t care if every library in the world shuts its doors in my face. I refuse to depend on idiots who judge you because of a title you never asked for.” Emi puffed out her cheeks with determination before finally smiling for the first time since they had been separated.

That expression made Raiga blush so fiercely that his face turned as red as a ripe tomato.

Oh, shit. I think I’ve fallen in love with her.

For the first time in his life, Raiga felt love strike him like an arrow through the heart.

Something about that warm, determined expression made something inside his heart go click.

“Are you sure, Emi? I-I’m the Heretic, and…”

“You’re Raiga, my precious companion. You’re not some evil Heretic trying to become a Dark Lord or any of that nonsense. I want to stay with you, and nothing you say is going to change my mind. Understood?” The young woman finally gathered enough courage to give him a tender hug. Her delicate arms wrapped around the adventurer with such overwhelming affection that the shell of coldness surrounding his heart shattered forever.

Raiga returned her embrace.

The light returned to his tearful eyes, the same light he had lost after the incident at the academy.

“Yes, understood… God, I can’t win against you, Emi.”

“That’s the power of a researcher! Even if I can’t become a scholar anymore, there’s still plenty of knowledge out there that can help people. If one door closes, another one will open!”

Still holding each other, Raiga and Emi burst into laughter.

They let go of the resentment, the pain, the sadness, and the dark memories.

The Heretic had never felt so happy in his entire life, not even in his memories from before receiving his punishment.

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Fifteen minutes after their emotional reunion, the sound of armored footsteps approached the alley. Twelve golden knights surrounded the pair, and Raiga instinctively stepped in front of Emi.

“Wait, wait! I’m the one who started the fight at the academy. Arrest me, not Emi. She’s innocent.” Raiga did not even reach for the pommel of his sword. He genuinely regretted what he had done and intended to accept whatever punishment he deserved. Emi did not stop him. She knew perfectly well that settling their debt with the law was necessary if they wanted to continue their journey.

However, the knights said nothing.

Their tightly packed formation opened, allowing an unarmored man to step forward. He wore nothing but a golden robe. His skin was pale and deeply wrinkled, and he appeared to be around sixty years old. His violet eyes, white beard, and gray hair gave him a dignified appearance.

“I have not come to take you prisoner, Raiga,” the old man said solemnly.

“How do you know my name? Who are you?” the Heretic asked, confused by this unexpected turn of events.

Emi remembered the voice that had spoken to her during her moment of indecision.

It sounded exactly like this old man.

“Y-You’re…”

“Yes. I am the Prophet,” he concluded.