A Reunion Across the Barrier

My heart was racing. I wasn’t sure if it was because I had just watched someone get brutally injured or because my insides had been rummaged through only moments ago. Regardless, the thumping in my chest was loud, and my hands were trembling from the agitation. I placed a hand over my heart and took a deep breath. A pulse much faster than usual drummed against my palm.

“I told you, I’m not doing it.”

I tore off the remains of my scorched, crumbling clothes and tossed them to the ground before brushing the ash off my skin. After being turned into this mess, did he really think I’d want to play with fire again? Feeling a bit embarrassed to be exposing my scrawny, pathetic body in the middle of nowhere, I crossed my arms. Arjen shimmered into existence and draped something over my shoulders. I pulled it tight to check; it was the coat Arjen had been wearing. It was a bit oversized, but I wasn’t in a position to be picky about fashion, so I quickly slid my arms into the sleeves.

‘It would be best if you did.’

“Why?” I asked, fumbling for the buttons.

Arjen didn’t answer. It was irritating—the way he dumped his son on me like a burden and dragged me here without consent, yet refused to provide a single explanation. As I reached for the waist buttons, I realized my pants were burnt to a crisp too. “Aw, d*mn it,” I muttered. If the pants were ash, my underwear certainly wasn’t intact either. Suddenly finding myself in the position of a flasher—what a disaster. I swatted away Arjen’s hand as he tried to straighten my upturned collar.

“Do you think I’m easy just because I’m being quiet?”

I shook out the coat and spun around to face him. I met the eyes of Arjen, who stood about half a head taller than me. He took two slow steps back.

‘Of course not.’

“Then why do you only act according to your own whims?”

Arjen gave a troubled smile. It was the kind of look that suggested, There are reasons, but I can’t tell you. I stared at him and snorted.

“Don’t try to gloss over it like that.”

‘Is that not allowed?’

“I’m not Marie. And I’m not one of those Argenta people who worshiped you as a god.”

Even if it had been Capre standing before me instead of Arjen, I wouldn’t have done what I was told without a word of explanation. Whether it was for my own good, a great gain, or to prevent a massive loss… the right way was for me to hear the details first and then decide. There’s a reason for the saying that even a governor wouldn’t take a job if he didn’t want it.

‘I’m sorry… but it is not something I am permitted to speak of.’

“Then I’m not doing it.”

‘You will need it soon. You will learn why then.’

“Fine, then I’ll just regret it then.”

Arjen watched me for a moment before walking toward the log cabin. I just plopped down on the ground.

I tried to weave a few plucked flowers together, but they ended up crushed, so I threw them away. I snapped blades of grass until I eventually just sprawled out on my back. When I first saw it, I thought the sky was just clear and beautiful, but staring at it continuously brought a sense of uncanny wrongness. It was because the sun’s position never changed, no matter how much time passed.

I want to see the sunset.

The moment the thought crossed my mind, the sun sank rapidly, and the sky turned crimson. What the hell… this is creepy. I rolled over onto my stomach. Pushing aside the petals and grass tickling my face, I folded my arms to use as a pillow. The crunching sound of grass being stepped on approached.

‘Kaian.’

I stayed still and didn’t answer. The kids must be worried since I vanished so suddenly. I wanted to go back.

‘Kaian.’

I lifted my head. Arjen was kneeling on one knee, watching me. Beside him lay a set of clothes, seemingly brought for me to wear.

‘■ Ma■■ ■■ ■■ be.’

“Huh?”

‘Ca■re■ ■■■ ■o ■■■ ■eel.’

“I can’t hear you.”

‘■ ■■?’

To be precise, I could hear his voice, but I had no idea what he was saying. The sounds just hummed and buzzed in my head. I frowned. Arjen let out a frustrated sigh and continued speaking with a grave expression.

‘■■■. ■repa■e ha■■.’

“So it’s not that you won’t tell me, but that you can’t?”

Arjen nodded. Feeling a bit petty, I pushed myself up from my prone position and sat down.

‘Let us practice.’

“Is it absolutely necessary?”

‘Yes.’

“Will it take long?”

‘That depends on you.’

I spent a moment brushing dust off my perfectly clean clothes before finally saying, “I’ll do it.” Arjen smiled broadly and nodded.

Arjen explained that he had split the power residing in my heart into two to make it easier to manage. This meant that while I previously only had to worry about my heart exploding, I now had to worry about my brain cooking from the heat as well.

I had my complaints, but what was done was done. Once I heard that the power in my forehead had been securely sealed so it wouldn’t run wild, my will to argue vanished. It was, in a way, resignation. Although he technically sought my consent, Arjen’s attitude was both coercive and patronizing. It was too exhausting to point out every flaw in his manner or demand better treatment. I didn’t think it would work anyway. I figured it would be better for my mental health to learn quickly and get out rather than waste time bickering.

I went through the lessons while constantly reminding myself: To this guy, I’m nothing more than livestock. Perhaps it was the effect of one-on-one tutoring, my own desire to finish quickly, or some trickery from that d*mn dragon, but my progress was fast. Within two days, I could conjure fire from my hands, and after about ten days, I could even shape the flames into something resembling a sword.

‘An arrow might be better than a sword.’

“I’m just testing it out.”

I replied while waving my arms around with the fire-sword in hand. My weak body wasn’t suited for close-quarters combat. As he said, firing flaming arrows would be more efficient. Still, a sword made of fire was just cool. I raised both hands above my head, slashed through the air, and then dispersed the sword. My breath was ragged despite the minimal movement.

“So, how much longer do I have to do this?”

‘Three years?’

“Are you crazy?” I glared at Arjen.

‘It took Marie five years.’

“She probably spent half of that time dating you.”

‘That is true.’

“Everyone must be freaking out because I’m gone. I need to go back soon.”

I scrubbed my face with the towel Arjen handed me and thrust it back at him. He took it calmly and spoke.

‘Things have indeed become quite chaotic out there.’

“What?”

‘If you’re curious about the state of things, finish quickly and go see for yourself.’

I wanted to hit him once—no, ten times. I unclenched my trembling fists. Hitting something that wasn’t even alive would only hurt my own hands. But seriously, even if not with my fists, I really wanted to get one over on him…

I sat back down and propped my chin on my hand. As I stared up at him, Arjen plopped down opposite me and met my gaze.

‘Why?’

“You said you were dead.”

‘Yes.’

“Then what are you?”

‘Ah.’

Arjen explained that he was a cluster of memories formed where the Black Dragon Arjen’s power had pooled. Most of the memories he showed me involved Marie because she was the most impressive person and moment in his life. I studied his face, his expression, and his demeanor intently. The way he grieved for and missed Marie felt so real.

Even if it was just an illusion.

“I see,” I replied indifferently before lying back down. “How is it outside?”

‘Incredible.’

Well, my kids are incredible. I looked up at the clear sky and rubbed my face.

‘Especially the Emperor…’

Kallios? I glanced at him. Arjen was smiling awkwardly.

‘If you’ve rested enough, get up.’

“I just sat down. What about Kallios?”

I raised my right arm and gripped the air. Something appeared that I intended to be a bow, but anyone else would have seen it as a bent pipe. Holding it steady, I pulled the string with my left hand. A crude arrow of fire appeared. I asked as I aimed for the sky.

“Is he breaking things?”

‘Yes.’

“Pfft.”

I laughed because it was such a him thing to do. I fired another arrow. With a fwoosh, the arrow soared high before slowly falling back to the ground and vanishing.

“Can I kill a demon with these arrows?”

‘Well… if you hit one about a hundred times.’

“Yikes.”

Arjen grabbed my hand that was holding the fire pipe.

‘Try using more. No, draw out as much as you possibly can.’

“It hurts, you know.”

‘It’s better to do it while you’re with me.’

I fired an arrow twice as large as the first one. This time, the sound was much louder—more of a boom than a fwoosh.

‘With a bit more practice, you’ll be able to fire them without having to create a shape like that.’

Arjen touched the fire pipe, and it flickered out.

“But then it won’t look cool.”

I recreated the pipe and fired. Three arrows flew out at once. Arjen clapped for me.

When I reached the point where I could fire fifteen arrows at once, Arjen said it was time to go.

“Together?”

‘Yes.’

“Why?”

‘Do you dislike it?’

“Yes.”

Arjen didn’t seem discouraged by my blunt answer at all. He nonchalantly explained why he had to come along. Apparently, he needed to continue my education, and unfortunately, this space couldn’t hold out much longer. I suppressed a laugh. Honestly, it was a miracle it had lasted this long. I was tearing it down from the inside, and Kallios was tearing it down from the outside.

A few days ago, Arjen had politely suggested—with a exhausted face—that I should either make the Emperor stop his attack or at least stop breaking things so much myself. Of course, I did neither. If anything, I was so thrilled that the chance to get back at him had come early that I smashed every nook and cranny I could find.

I was especially passionate about destroying the log cabin. At first, I felt a bit hesitant about destroying Arjen’s “place of memories,” but since it was restored immediately (automatically, he said) and I knew it wasn’t “real,” I had no qualms about smashing it every time it appeared. Oh, it’s back. I conjured three arrows and fired. Bang, kaboom! With a loud noise, the cabin turned to dust. Arjen shook his head while holding his forehead.

‘Truly, those Capre fellows…’

“Whoa. Did you just call him a ‘fellow’?”

Since becoming Kaian, I’d never heard anyone call him that. I wasn’t particularly offended, but since it was a good excuse, I unleashed a barrage of arrows on the hill covered in flowers and grass. The fire arrows didn’t just pierce or penetrate; they had the property of exploding after impact. This meant they were very useful for destroying this space.

‘No. Not you…’

“How dare you call our Emperor a ‘fellow.’ Unforgivable.”

As if time were rewinding, the house regained its form first, followed by the hill. I conjured fifteen arrows and set them afloat.

‘I’m sorry.’

“I can’t hear you.”

Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom. The arrows fired into the air plummeted and exploded. I looked at the ruins I had created with a satisfied face, then turned to Arjen, who was sighing.

“Let’s go, then.”

Arjen, who had been watching the scenery being restored, vanished as if dissolving in water. My vision went black and then immediately brightened.

The first thing I saw when my vision cleared was a blade of flame about the size of a house—or maybe I was exaggerating a little. That was the kind of thing I wanted to make. The blade, which had been plummeting toward my head, stopped right in front of me. To be precise, it didn’t stop; it bounced off something between me and the blade. It was the translucent dome I had entered through.

– ■■?

I heard Kallios’s voice. I could only hear his voice, but I knew instantly that he was calling for me. I smiled and waved.

“Hey. Long time no see.”

The flames on the sword vanished. Kallios tossed his sword aside and reached out to me. Perhaps because the dome only permitted me to enter, Kallios was blocked and couldn’t get in. I looked at his incredibly angry-looking face and reached out my hand. I wanted to hold his hand, but I could only feel the soft, lukewarm… and frankly, unpleasant texture of the dome wall.

“What is this?”

‘There is something you must do.’

I frowned and then relaxed my expression, tapping my fist against the palm he had placed on the wall.

“I’ll tell you everything when I get back. Just wait.”

I turned my back on him. I heard Kallios’s voice from behind.

“I’m fine.”

He probably couldn’t hear me from his side either, but… well, he’d feel something from seeing me act so casually. I followed Arjen, who had appeared as a hazy, ghost-like figure, toward the place where the remains of the Black Dragon Arjen lay.