VIP Early Access
Eksklusif untuk member VIP
Password Protected
Chapter ini dikunci dengan kode khusus
Chapter 294
The Game of Life
Valdrova Castle, Arcade.
After a long time, Valdrova invited Ferda to a tea party, and Ferda accepted the invitation.
Given the timing, it didn't seem like she called him just to see his face.
"I heard that dragons are gathering at the Grand Council."
The one who conveyed that information was Ruri.
W̃ е b̆n̊ ӧ v̄ е̂l̊. E n̄ú m̀ӓ
Since she had been her eyes and ears from the start, she would have naturally relayed this news as well.
"Have you made a decision, Eleanor?"
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"I... don't really know."
Hesitation.
It was an expected outcome.
"Do you know who's coming?"
E n̈ u̇ ḿа.ї d
"According to the Blue-eyed Tower Master, Odograsado, Storeus, and Frontesis seem to be coming for now."
"What about Iorga?"
"She's entered hibernation, so her attendance is uncertain."
"Huh? I heard she always attends the Grand Council..."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"That's the Tower Master, Erika Iorga."
"Ah, I see. How foolish of me..."
Ẇе̌ b̃n о̇v̊ е̃l̊ Ё n um̃ă
Valdrova scratching her head with a hehe laugh.
Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes darkened.
Is it because of regret? Or is there guilt?
"Do you hope Iorga-nim comes?"
"Well... maybe, it seems like it... but... that..."
Valdrova rambled on incoherently.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
It felt stronger than her trying to hide her true feelings—she herself didn't seem to know.
Should I change the subject even now?
The sight of her unable to continue speaking started to look pitiful.
Timing it internally, Valdrova finally organized her thoughts.
"Yes, after all, the one I want to talk to first is that child, as expected."
I wondered if I misheard.
W̌еb̈ n̆.оv è l E n u m̂ а́
Ferda still remembered the conversation Iorga had shared with Erica.
The words Iorga used to disparage Valdrova still provoked Ferda's anger.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
"I'm not pleased about meeting that person."
"Why?"
"Because that person doesn't respect you, Eleanor."
Bewilderment settled on Valdrova's face.
Wе̄b̌.n̂o̊ v̌ е̊ l E.n u mà
"That's not true. Iorga's words may be rough... but she's so warm?"
"As far as I know, that's not the case."
"No. It's just... I make her so frustrated that harsh words come out. Inside, she doesn't think that way. You'll know if you see her directly."
For a warm person, she sure talks a lot of shit behind backs.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
I suppressed the urge to spit those words out internally.
Valdrova's eyes shimmered with a light called admiration.
W e b n̄ о́vѐ l Е̊ n̈ um_a
"In the past... Iorga saved so many people. To save even more, she and Blancaros would bicker while racking their brains. Every time, I'd intervene telling them not to fight. Then Iorga would get even more heated. 'You look stupid when you open your mouth, so just be quiet,' she'd say. Then Blancaros would turn Iorga inside out again."
Looks like she was damn good at talking shit to faces too.
"For someone called the Owner of Water and Magic, she seems to have had a fiery personality."
"Even back then, I said that. 'Why are you water and magic?' I said. Thinking about it, it couldn't have been any other way. Because... we had it that hard."
Her voice trailed off weakly to the floor.
She didn't say more, but Ferda could understand what she was talking about.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
The stirring of Creation.
It was a famous myth that at that time, 12 dragons who received God's command pushed back chaos and established order.
Valdrova was speaking of that era.
'Horns...'
As her head dropped to the floor, two pairs of horns stood out even more.
Ferda recalled the scene he'd seen in a dream.
Е̂ň u ṁ а̂ .i̇ d
He held it tight in his hand so as not to forget the lingering afterimage of that dream.
'The most brightly burning sun.'
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
The vanguard's spirit exuded by the red woman standing with a single spear.
The words from her mouth would be higher than the roar of a million armies, and the spear she held would tear through even darkness and advance.
There was no mistake.
On that day when only despair ran rampant, everyone there was inspired by her charisma and followed her.
E̊ ň_u m̃а̊
'Or is it just my delusion?'
The woman sitting before me now was not like that.
She was simple, gentle, and timid to the point it was hard to believe she possessed great power.
One might wonder if even that was just playing into an illusion created by one's own weakness.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
For what purpose?
Does she even want me to be disappointed in her?
Е̄ nû mа̌
'...I'm changing too.'
Even knowing how deep the despair she felt was, to think I'd have such thoughts.
As the silence threatened to lead to an awkward atmosphere, Valdrova hurriedly continued the conversation.
"That child really likes games. What was it... something where you set up weird pillars on a board..."
"Chess pieces?"
"Yes, chess! That's right!"
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Valdrova clapped her hands once and looked pleased.
It was nothing but praise for Iorga.
"Maybe because she's smart, she was really good at that too. From what she said, she's the best among us 12."
"Saying she's the best means you've played too?"
Valdrova shook her head.
"No. I only know that you take turns moving once each."
Е n ũm̌ а . і̀d
"Then you wouldn't know if she's the best."
"Why?"
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
"Don't you not know yet? If you know how to play chess, Eleanor, you could win too."
At that, Valdrova was startled.
"No way what are you serious! No matter what, there's no way I could beat Iorga? Ferda-ssi, you really say some foolish things."
"How about practicing properly once?"
W еb̆ ñ ov̂e l̃ Ēn̊ ũ m̃ а̇
Valdrova showed a hesitant expression.
But thinking a little push would do, Ferda changed his approach.
"Didn't you say you wanted to have a conversation with Iorga-nim?"
"That's right...?"
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"A good way to build a relationship is to indulge the other's hobby. If Iorga-nim enjoys chess, how about practicing enough to be able to play along with her a little?"
"But I don't think I'll do well..."
E n u m̃а̊ . і̇ d̆
"I'll teach you."
Valdrova knew herself well.
That a little practice wouldn't improve her, and that she wasn't smart enough for that.
Knowing that, Valdrova shyly nodded.
Ferda's figure reflected in her eyes.
Because he was extremely intellectual.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Ferda calmly explained the pieces' positions, roles, and movement paths.
There were special rules too, but mentioning them now would only complicate things, so he only taught the basics and immediately went into practice.
They started moving pieces.
And in just five moves, she tried to break the rules.
"Eleanor."
"Yes?"
W̆ӗ b̀ n о̇ v е l̊ Е̂ n ū m̃ а̌
"A pawn cannot move backward."
"Then my pawn dies?"
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
"Then you must sacrifice it."
"Ah, ah..."
She nods as if understanding.
Worrying for about 3 minutes as if not knowing what to do, she eventually moved that piece forward.
Е n u_m ӓ .īd
Dying remained unchanged.
One thing was certain: she knew nothing about strategy.
The score on the board was utterly miserable.
Until half her pieces were pushed off the board, Ferda had lost only three pieces.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
"When does this game end?"
Valdrova's expression was dark.
Е̇nüm̀ а̀. і d̊
It was understandable she'd get bored.
"You can stop anytime you want to quit."
"No. I'm just curious when it ends."
"Before the king is captured, when it becomes checkmate."
"Until the king dies...?"
"The king doesn't die. Checkmate is the situation right before capturing the king pin. Precisely, the rules don't allow killing the king."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"I see. So the king never leaves the board even once..."
Valdrova's slender fingers touched the king pin as she muttered.
"So everyone dies because they're used to protect this one."
"Because that one is everyone."
After speaking those words, Ferda could clearly feel it.
Even Valdrova, acting dull, felt something inside and looked up, meeting Ferda's gaze.
Е̄nu mа. іd̈
Neither said a word.
But both knew.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
That they were crossing paths right now.
"L-let's play a different game!"
Valdrova said energetically.
They quit chess which was ruining the mood, and played a board game rolling dice.
W еb nӧ ṽ е̌ l̊ Е̂ńu m̂ȧ
The name was Life Game.
It was a simple game where you assume you were born in a place called Republic of Korea, an unheard-of location, and move according to where the dice decides.
They said Penelope made it.
When asked where Republic of Korea is, she said it's one of her favorite hellish places.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
It was a game that didn't need complex thinking.
When your turn comes, you roll the dice and just move your piece according to the number.
Ѐnum а .і d
Drawing situation cards, you gained and lost things in those situations.
"It ended with a company employee."
"I got housewife."
A result that was neither the best nor the worst, just utterly mediocre.
Looking at the result, they looked at each other as if they'd coordinated.
Feeling the crossing they'd felt earlier was meaningless, they felt something connecting them.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Valdrova stood up from her seat and put the ball on the table on both her horns.
There was no way Ferda wouldn't know the meaning.
She spread her arms, and Ferda embraced her.
The smell of warm sunlight wafted.
* * *
"What decision have you made, Your Highness?"
Е̂.n u_m̌ а̃ . i d
On the way back to the office after the tea party, Garnet came and asked.
"You said you won't attend."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Non-attendance. Understood. Then who will accompany you to the Grand Council?"
"Just me and Ruri, probably."
The only people directly involved with Valdrova were her husband Ferda and her attendant Ruri.
"Confirmed. I'll report as soon as movements are confirmed."
Е̄ n u̇ m̄ а
What to do with the information was up to Garnet.
He believed she'd use it well enough to bring good news.
"Before that, there's one thing to report to you, Regent-nim."
"If you can make it short, do it now."
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
"I can finish it short. You told me to investigate Henri Dandolo's whereabouts, didn't you?"
Ferda stopped walking.
Ẽn üm̃а
"I did."
"The results arrived today. According to what I confirmed..."
She flipped the paper and reported calmly.
"Deceased."
It felt like taking a solid hit.
For a moment, his head went blank and silence flowed.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"How did it happen?"
"Judging by the circumstances, suicide is the most likely."
"....."
"Henri Dandolo killed Tilda Pascal by suffocating her with a pillow with his own hands. After that, he hanged himself."
Tilda Pascal.
The man who gave up everything for her alone.
Еñ ǔ m̆ а.i d̄
Ferda couldn't forget that expression.
When he had let everything go and left, he looked incredibly relieved.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Like someone in a novel ending with the words 'and they lived happily ever after.'
But life doesn't end. There's no such thing as an ending until you die.
"Did Henri Dandolo live miserably?"
With such an extreme choice, Ferda could infer some background too.
Wеb̄nо̀.ve l̂ Ӗn û m̄ а
Wanting to be sure, he asked Garnet.
Garnet looked over the documents and answered Ferda's question.
"Not particularly. Henri Dandolo himself got along well with people around him and was proactive. With excellent pharmacology knowledge, he knew how to win the villagers' hearts, and worked as a famous healer in the neighboring village too."
"Why would such a person suddenly...?"
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"There are a few hypotheses, but the most likely is—."
"Enough."
W̌ е̊b ǹ о̌vе l̄ E n̊ ü mа
Ferda cut off the story.
"You've had a hard time investigating."
Not listening to her story anymore, he returned to the office.
If it's that kind of hypothesis, Ferda could do it too.
Perhaps Ferda himself knew Henri's circumstances more accurately than Garnet who compiled the information.
Henri is a broken human.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
A broken human, the moment they collapse, crosses a river of no return.
That tragic ending was a matter of course to Ferda.
But inwardly, he wanted to turn away from that matter-of-course nature.
He wanted to find the unexpected within it and receive salvation.
If everything in the world goes by matter-of-course, his future would end by matter-of-course too.
* * *
Е_nǔ.mа̃. їd̀
The season when fragile sprouts pierce through frozen ground.
As spring began, an unusual current flowed through the White House.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The Grand Council began.
