BMD 379

‘Ah, again.’

Leonardo wandered through a space-time that he didn’t know whether it was a dream or an illusion. He seemed to have had a similar experience before, but strangely enough, he didn’t remember the contents at all when he woke up from the dream. Nevertheless, when he returned to this space again, the dream scenes that had vaguely passed by last time came to mind one by one.

At the time, the beginning of the dream started after the core disappeared from the peninsula, being sucked into the ‘nothing’ space that unfolded.

Not only himself, but even the surrounding time that made up the world was dragged into it together. Time wasn’t something that could be formalized in any form, but he clearly felt that it was wrapping around his body and leading him to the abyss.

And this time again, the situation was similar to that time, although the trigger was different. The moment his whole body was covered in light, Leonardo watched someone’s life in the maze of time as if he was taking an unwanted trip.

Crying, laughing, fighting fiercely, and winning dazzlingly. Sometimes he was swayed by trivial emotions and frustrated, but he also loved someone ardently. Then, the end of the brilliant days returned to the moment of eternal rest again.

‘Vërḁthe Ėxⱥnîr na Sëlüṁx….’

The voice of someone who seemed to be a presider or a clergyman, declared that the owner of the life had returned to God’s arms. Darkness fell on the field of vision along with it. Those who filled the wide room couldn’t suppress their sadness and sobbed sadly.

Leonardo, who couldn’t see anything, just lay straight and received their surging emotions as they were.

But that didn’t last long either. The many presences soon disappeared, and only one familiar existence remained by his side.

The breath that sat next to the bed, grabbed the corpse’s hand, and kissed it was still hot today.

‘…I made a wish on the tree of .’

This time, the range that he hadn’t heard before was heard a little more expanded. Leonardo listened without fail. The voice buried in sobs was still not clear, but the following short word was clear.

‘To forget you.’

…What?

He thought it was definitely a close person or a lover. It was a shocking and cruel whisper that made him feel betrayed. To forget, shouldn’t it be the opposite?

‘In the end, it turned out as you wanted.’

But it was his will again. The following word was even more ironic. Wasn’t it love? That couldn’t be. According to what his unconscious was shouting, it was a pure love that was as supreme as it could be in the world.

But the other person’s heart and subtle trembling conveyed through the clasped palms didn’t feel like they were telling a lie at all. He even doubted whether such a person could really forget him.

He wanted the person who would be left alone to forget everything, but at the same time, he wanted them not to forget forever. Perhaps that’s why his lingering fingertips may have moved slightly. He felt the connected person’s grip on his hand getting stronger.

The ‘Glory to Laina Rogia’ that should have followed wasn’t heard.

Instead, a voice that had stiffened and glimpsed a glimmer of hope carefully called his name.

“Theo?”

He took a breath and opened his eyes wide. His heart was beating twice as fast as usual. Leonardo felt the throbbing spreading throughout his body and slowly adjusted his breathing.

His limbs were heavy and his senses were dull, as if his body had been neglected for a very long time. His golden eyes, which had not yet grasped the situation, stared ahead with a hazy gaze.

Signe, with a worried expression, was looking down at him from above.

“Theo, are you awake?”

A worried voice grew increasingly urgent, buzzing in his ear. The warm-colored sky spread out behind her, filling his vision.

“Ugh….”

It was unclear whether the sun was rising or the sunset was receding. He only focused on catching his breath, offering no other reaction, as he caught sight of clouds hanging in the yellow sky, slowly drifting by.

The golden-tinged clouds leisurely crossed his vision before disappearing beyond a large, dark shadow. Leonardo rolled his eyes, following their trajectory.

The shadow’s identity was a building looming over his head. A building—something he always saw, yet he couldn’t explain why it felt so unfamiliar.

“……”

It was around then that he realized the scenery he’d last seen didn’t match the situation before him.

The sky he remembered just moments ago was a clear blue, and the clouds seemed frozen in time. Moreover, the only buildings around were a small rural station and the remnants of old structures, with only their foundations remaining.

Reflexively widening his eyes, Leonardo abruptly sat up.

“W-What happened?”

“Theo!”

As he uttered his first words in a hoarse voice, Signe, who had been anxiously watching him, rushed to hug Leonardo tightly around the neck.

He nearly fell backward again for a moment but managed to brace himself with a hand on the ground. Leonardo barely supported himself with one arm, grasping Signe’s shoulders, who was overcome with emotion, and muttered,

“Hey, heavy…”

“I thought you were dead! Why did you wake up so late?”

Her edgy tone was tinged with fear rather than annoyance. Sensing this, Leonardo couldn’t push Signe away. Instead, he glared with subdued eyes while patting her back until she calmed down.

“…How long was I out?”

“You were unconscious for about 30 minutes after I woke up. No matter how much I shook you, you wouldn’t open your eyes…”

Listening to her complaints, he tilted his chin up, glancing at the scenery visible over Signe’s shoulder.

The sensation on the palm of his hand was definitely not soft grass or dirt, and as he scanned his surroundings, the field he had been wandering in moments ago had vanished without a trace. Trees lined up in various formations, scattered fallen leaves, and an old building constructed in a serene and majestic architectural style surrounded all four directions.

It was as if he were in the middle of a central garden built in a mansion or castle.

The ceiling was open, allowing light and wind to pass through freely, and the area was so vast that if he hadn’t turned to the side, he wouldn’t have realized he was on the boundary between the outdoors and indoors. The open space in the form of a piloti and the well-harmonized landscaping with greenery were present, but weeds were sprouting rampantly through the cracks in the brick floor, indicating that it had been neglected for a long time.

“Where… is this?”

The garden generally gave the impression of a faded gray city. However, the setting sun flowed down the walls, creating the illusion that they were dyed in gold.

Signe’s arms, which had been constricting his neck for a while, slowly slid down. She rubbed her reddened eyes roughly and replied,

“I think it’s inside an old castle.”

Leonardo’s lips twitched slightly. It was because complex thoughts were chasing each other’s tails. Contrary to what he had expected to be ominous, the atmosphere of the castle was desolate yet cozy.

Perhaps it was because the thick fog he had seen outside had completely disappeared. He wondered how they had gotten here. Amidst this, a huge fountain occupying the center of the garden caught his eye.

Instead of water flowing, it was filled with colorful fallen leaves. He also saw a pair of birds sitting on the dry basin, chirping. The birds, whose feathers even seemed golden, were canaries. They affectionately touched beaks before suddenly flying away as a gust of wind blew.

Leonardo followed their wingbeats with his gaze, sitting still amidst the vast scenery. It was a very strange space. Suddenly, like the moment he was dealing with the core on the peninsula, his heart throbbed with pain.

Taking Signe’s hand, he rose from his seat, not showing any sign of pain, and first checked the other’s condition. Once he determined that both were largely okay, he strolled through the vast garden, piecing together the last situations they each remembered.

They were definitely wandering through a field. They had been racking their brains over a stone tablet before uttering the name ‘Theodore,’ which meant ‘gift of God.’ At that moment, as if the sun had suddenly appeared in the land where it couldn’t be found, a hot and dazzling light enveloped their bodies.

Signe explained that after struggling in extreme heat, she opened her eyes here, and Leonardo was collapsed not far away. And as the source of the light, both of them simultaneously pointed to the small bag slung across Leonardo’s chest.

However, when they opened the bag, the gold bracelet was neatly in place with the other valuables, just as it had been when they first boarded the train.

“So, isn’t it possible that you solved the riddle and ended up here? You said the space was distorted due to some kind of magnetic field or gravity. If we think that a Portal to a gift appeared before us when we guessed the answer ‘Theodore,’ and we were sucked into it, doesn’t that make sense?”

Unlike when she first opened her eyes and faced the situation, Signe showed a rather calm demeanor, though she seemed tense. Leonardo nodded at her claim, but he bent down and sat in a corner of the courtyard where smooth stone pillars and statues were gathered.

There, another stone tablet existed, made of the same Boulder as the one outside, though its shape was different. It was hidden behind the statues, making it difficult to find. The arrangement was awkward, as if they were trying to hide it.

“When I came with my sister, we only saw the entrance of the castle and turned back, so this is my first time inside. Back then, it was so foggy that it looked dangerous. But now there’s no fog… When I opened my eyes, I thought it was a completely different world. When I looked at my watch, not much time had passed…”

Leonardo, who had been half-listening to her muttering, reached out his hand to the stone tablet as if possessed. After neatly clearing away the fallen leaves, he stared intently at the engraved content. Unlike the outer stone tablet, which spoke in circles, the meaning of this sentence was relatively straightforward.

Eternal Emperor of this land, and radiant sun,

I offer you the castle of romance, nature, and earth.

Even a single flower and the blowing wind

Are all shaped for you,

I hope it will be your sanctuary

Always in this place

Only for you

My Romance

“Romance.”

Leonardo muttered as if sighing. As expected, this castle, or rather, the vast nature and land surrounding the castle, seemed to be their ‘Romance’ and gift. Moreover, given the characteristics of Ancient Language, he could confirm that even the recipient was referred to ambiguously as ‘Romance.’ If the stone tablets lined up on the land contained similar content, then Signe’s sister’s words that all of this was like a ‘love letter’ were quite credible.

The person receiving the gift was undoubtedly Theodore, the first Emperor of Laina Rogia. If this land was a product related to him, then it was somewhat understandable that Alex Siles knew about this place and that it had not been known to the outside world.

Currently, most records related to the first Emperor have been erased, and he said he was looking for ’empty places in history.’ Whatever the path, it was certainly a place that would pique his interest.

But looking at the love letter disguised as philosophy, or the serenade before his eyes, he suddenly wondered who was giving the gift.

‘Did Theodore have a lover? I heard he didn’t leave any descendants.’

The content of the letter was so full of affection that it would have been somewhat embarrassing if it had been sent by a royal from a neighboring country or a loyal subject. There was no hesitation in the titles used. The first Emperor of the empire, who had united two powerful nations at the time, was a dignified being who seemed to have the world at his feet, and whom all things looked up to.

How many people could call such a person ‘you’ or ‘my Romance’? For now, only a lover came to mind. But if he had a lover, he would have continued the lineage…

Just then, Signe, who had bent down, leaned her face against the stone tablet and asked,

“Why, is ‘Romance’ written here?”

Leonardo, who had suddenly turned around, stared intently at her face. In his mind, Signe’s earlier answer about ‘Romance’ flashed by.