Don’t Concern Yourself With That Book

His cold voice struggled to continue his sentence.

“Hey!”

Because someone appeared shouting at us.

“Hey, Dane Lowell, do you think you’re being fair?”

The man, who appeared before us panting, swept the hair that was hanging in front of his eyes up roughly.

“I might be competent but do you have to leave all your work to me? Damn it. You might be the leader of the rebellion but you were the one who started the coup, not me, remember?”

The moment I noticed his fluttering grey hair, I was already running towards him. I had no time to think, no time to judge.

“A-Argh! W-What’s going on!”

Bang. I crashed into him and he fell backwards. Straddling his waist, I stared at the man blankly.

“Hey! What’s with this brat? Is she your new girlfriend?”

“…..”

“And why is she wearing so little in this weather? Has she gone mad?”

The man who didn’t seem to want to touch me frowned arrogantly as I opened my mouth.

“… Fleon.”

Fleon, who had been screaming at me to get away from him, stopped.

“You even know my name? That’s strange. I shouldn’t be known by that name. Who are you to address me with such ease?”

“…..”

“Uh–, are you crying? Why are you crying?”

I could hear footsteps approaching me from behind. They should belong to Dane and Lord Ray. Why could I feel frustration creeping up to my neck?

“You dumbass. Moron. Why don’t you recognise me! I’m your younger sister!”

“… What?”

Fleon, who was at a loss from being embraced this suddenly, frowned. Someone grabbed my hand.

“What did you just say?”

Confused, Fleon asked.

“But I don’t have a younger sister, do I?”

Boom. My heart dropped. That was a lie. Tell me it was a lie. I stared at Fleon but he was frowning back at me with a naive expression. He was never one to be good at acting.

“Little miss, who really are you?”

“…..”

“This is the secret base of the anti-emperor faction, in other words, the rebels. Even templars cannot enter here without permission. Yet you know our names. Even the name I had abandoned when I was a child.”

I knew the reason why. The reason why Dane and Ray did not recognise me upon first glance, their mature appearance which made them look like they were in their mid-twenties and this unfamiliar wasteland.

This was a timeline which I wasn’t a part of. A timeline where they didn’t know me, one where they had forgotten about me, one where I wasn’t present to share their laughter and happiness.

My voice was not coming out. I was supposed to tell them that I was their younger sister, the one they treasured so dearly. But what broke out of me was a moan that sounded like a whimper.

They lifted me up before bringing me to the unfamiliar barracks. Unlike its shabby exteriors, the inside of the tent was comfortable and warm. I sat in the seat they provided before they took turns sitting in front of me. I could feel them observing me intently without restraint.

“So, we still have no idea who you are yet.”

It was Dane who spoke first. I felt uncomfortable with the pressure he was asserting, it was as though he was interrogating me..

“What, wasn’t she your lover?”

Fleon, who had followed behind us, frowned.

“Think about it logically. Could you not tell from the conversation we were having or were you just not using your head, brother?”

“Did you just call me an idiot?”

Fleon’s eyebrows rose as high as the mountains.

“Of course. I’d like to applaud my brother for understanding what I said this well. It would be nice if you could use that head of yours in other areas too.”

“Oho. I might not know much else. But I know you were talking about me. Eh? Does this damn brat not know anything about respect?”

Dane smiled at the unhappy Fleon which prompted him to instantly reach out for Dane. But Dane, who avoided his jab as though he had been waiting, extended his leg in response.

“Hey!”

“That’s why I told you to work out. Brother.”

“Right, I’m the one at fault for having a temper that’s getting worse by the day. Did you think I said that without thinking? Look at that woman, look”

Fleon who had fallen with a thud glowered at Dane.

“No matter how I look at it, she’s definitely your type.”

As I watched their exchange silently, I glanced at Dane subconsciously.

“Right? You have nothing to say in return because I’m right. I know your tastes!”

“Did you not consider that maybe it’s because the mere thought of it is so ridiculous?”

At the end of his sentence, Dane clicked his tongue and turned his head away from Fleon. He didn’t seem to want to deal with him anymore. Soon, his gaze met with mine before he curled his eyes slowly.

“I guess you have no plans of introducing yourself right now.”

“…..”

“If that’s the case, you cannot leave here”

But as I continued to not say anything till the end, Dane left.

‘What do I do now?’

I had to get out of here quickly but I couldn’t do so right now. Perhaps it was because I couldn’t look away from them. The people I thought I had lost were right in front of me. A perfect world with them inside. Though I wasn’t part of it.

Time flew by in a flash. I didn’t think he was serious when he said that I could not leave but I realised that there was someone guarding the tent I was in–Ray.

Soldiers would bring in food from time to time and from what they were feeding me, I noticed that they were quite humane. Even though they were probably very suspicious of me. But I refused my meals. I wouldn’t be hungry even if I didn’t eat.

As I looked out the small window in the tent, I realised it was night when the evening star twinkled from above. I got up from my seat before lifting the flap to the tent. As I took a step outside, I heard someone’s low voice next to me.

“Where are you going?”

Ray, who had been leaning against the tent, asked with his eyes closed. He slowly opened his eyes. His unfamiliar gaze melted into the darkness.

“You wouldn’t be able to run for long in that outfit of yours.”

So, he was trying to get me to go back inside the tent without making a fuss. Instead of replying him, I tilted my head slightly.

“The restroom.”

“… Huh?”

I repeated ‘restroom’ quietly once more. After saying so, his blunt expression contorted a little. I burst into laughter when I realised that it had been a while since I had seen him like this.

“I was joking.”

“Did I hear you wrong?”

“Don’t you know that beauties like me don’t use the restroom?”

Ray raised his eyebrows.

“How am I supposed to respond to that?”

“You’re no fun. You can just reply me whatever you want.”

“I’m not the type to joke around.”

His quiet and nonchalant voice made me smile once more the moment I realised that I missed it.

“Can I sit here?”

Although I had asked, I just sat down next to him without waiting for his permission. He frowned at me for a moment before taking off his mantle.

“You can sit here instead.”

Far from being touched by his consideration, bitterness seeped into my heart.

“… Can you treat a suspicious person this kindly?”

After watching me sit down, Ray turned his head back forward.

“I don’t know why but I think you’re fine.”

The side profile of his calm expression remained the same though I had not seen it for a long time now.

“I get a strange feeling from you. You’re clearly suspicious and it’s not like the barrier doesn’t exist.”

“…..”

“Well. Or you could say it’s because the barrier is weak to beauties like you.”

“Huh?”

When he said something like that so nonchalantly, I widened my eyes.

But the expression of the man who was tapping on the tip of his blade remained the same. When I jumped up, he stared at me blankly.

“Is anything the matter? I thought beauties don’t need to go to the restroom.”

This blunt yet sneaky way of doing things made it clear he was Ray. Right when I was about to say something.

“What, are you both on a date?”

Fleon, who appeared from the corner around the tent, said aloud the moment he saw us. Staring at the grey hair fluttering in the night wind, I turned around.

“… I’m going back inside.”

For some reason, an unbearable feeling settled into my chest. After closing the flap to the tent, I could Fleon say.

“… Did I interrupt something?”

“Would you apologise if I said you did?”

“What? How interesting. Are you the type of man to take off your clothes on a date? You beast.”

When the flap closed fully, it shut off any further sounds of conversation. My heart ached. The bitterness came as surging waves I could not suppress.

When I looked up, the tent looked the same as before. But now, Dane was sitting on a long couch that wasn’t there before.

There were two entrances into the tent. Did he come in using the other one?

‘He’s sleeping.’

Dane was in a quiet slumber. Staring at him sleep so peacefully, without realising it, I found myself approaching him.

He was sleeping in such an uncomfortable position. Nevertheless, under the dim lights of the night, the glow his beautiful face gave off never faded. Staring at him silently I reached out.

‘He’s furrowing his brows.’

The moment I touched his wrinkles to smoothen them out.

Flap.

He had widened his eyes.

“… I guess you weren’t an assassin.”

After he pulled me in, his eyes curled giddily.

“I thought you’d reveal your identity if I gave you a chance.”

In his red eyes sat a cold flame. He was not a templar so there shouldn’t be any strange light in his eyes. But I realised something when I stared into his eyes.

“Even though I miss you, I cannot turn back time.”

A world where I didn’t exist as though I had been erased.

You were all perfect just like this. Living your lives perfectly. Even though I wasn’t here.

No matter how I see it, your movements had all become unfamiliar and it was hard to watch.

I hated it. I hated this timeline. I didn’t want to see it anymore.

“Where’s the diary!”

Dane’s grip on my hands tightened. But it didn’t matter. I screamed with my head lowered.

“Take me away! Quickly! Now!”

Soon, a purple light burst out of my chest. A brackish hand pulled me away. And the wasteland receded from my sight. In the timeline I knew nothing about, I realised what Castor wanted.

“The past, the present and the future. In the times you’re unaware of. I will take over your cries and your laughter”

He wanted me to go mad in there.

“I know. That you’re on the verge of going insane.”

… He was hoping I would turn out like him. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in a new place. Standing in front of me was the diary who looked troubled.

[The exit is far away.]

The diary spoke in a hurry.

[Ashley. I’m sorry but it looks like it’d be hard to walk through the space with sight alone.]

“What?”

[The man used his powers. It’d be hard to find the exit immediately since time had gotten so messed up here.]

“Does that mean I would have to watch something like that again?”

[No. You won’t be able to stand another one.]

“… Then, what am I supposed to do?”

The diary let go of my hand before grabbing it firmer this time.

[You should enter a timeline that is the most normal.]

“Normal? Don’t you mean a happy one?”

If there were countless timelines here, wouldn’t there be good and happy times to see?

“You should just bring me to one with Amor.”

[No.]

The diary let out a small puff of wind.

[You have no idea. About how happy dreams are harder to wake up from.]

I then laughed though it sounded more like a scoff and a sigh.

Even before I could ask her what she meant, another bright burst of white light blinded me before she disappeared into white shadows.

When I slowly opened my eyes to my darkened vision, the space changed once more.

“Are you alright?”

Looking into the blue eyes right in front of me, I quickly stepped back.

“Hernan?”

“Uhm, it is strange, You don’t look hurt. And you don’t seem to have a fever…”

The man with those blue eyes touched my forehead before tilting his forehead as though he found something strange.

“But why do you look like you’re about to cry? Hm?”

I blinked in surprise at the hand that approached me without hesitation.

“… Did I move too much in the room last night?”

Did I just see Hernan get close to me without hesitation?

“What room?”

“Hm? Oh that…”

Hernan’s eyes closed slowly before reopening.

“That, uh–uhm, ah… Because we’re sharing a room now. Also, because I just slept last night, so…”

Hernan, who seemed to be at a loss as to what to do, stuttered shyly.

“I-I cannot say it with my own lips…”

Hernan’s face flared up. I could barely see his ears as they were hidden in his hair but I thought I saw them turning red as well.

“Hold on.”

What was going on here?

“S-So, from today onwards, we’re going to be sharing the room?”

“Huh? Yes. Uh, uhm, yes.”

Flustered, I forgot the situation I was in and merely shook his hand.

“Why on earth are we?”

Hernan then quickly raised his lowered head. He looked as though he found this situation strange as well.

“… Are you sure you’re really alright?”

“I am. I’m not in pain. So, answer me first. Why are we sharing a room?”

For a moment, his face, coloured with confusion, tilted towards me. His look of concern enraptured me for the longest time.

“That’s because…”

Soon, I noticed that his lips were trembling.

“Because we’re married.”