Everyone Except Me I Chapter 52 : Change (7)

Chapter 52: Change (7)

The Brand of Harvest.

This was the first ti I had ever heard its na.

It was an entirely unexpected mont, yet surprisingly, I managed to keep my composure.

“Oh my.”

As if my reaction was unexpected, she blinked her eyes.

“Don’t tell

you already knew about it?”

“No, this is my first ti hearing it.”

“Is that so? For soone who claims that, you look far too calm.”

I answered her steady gaze with a composed tone.

“I already knew it wasn’t so ordinary object. I only thought it natural that sothing like this would have a na.”

“Hmm… how boring.”

Perhaps she had wanted

to react with more shock or passion.

Grumbling in a sulky voice, she tapped the table with her fingers, tok tok.

“Very well then, do you already know sothing about it… or perhaps have so guesses?”

“Yes, I do have a few.”

I revealed to her everything I had heard from Cecilia.

Now was not the ti to hide or try to test her.

“Hmmm.”

When I finished, she slowly nodded her head.

Her face was hidden behind the mask, but her eyes were not.

Golden eyes.

They curved slightly as they looked at .

Her gaze was like that of a child who had just solved a riddle.

“Splendid.”

She whispered.

Her voice carried a suppressed excitent.

“I’m not saying this as flattery. It’s truly splendid. At this point, I thought you wouldn’t know a thing, but you shattered my expectations beautifully. As expected, you are…!”

Ahem.

As though she suddenly regained her senses, she straightened her posture with a deliberate cough.

“Forgive , I got a little too excited.”

“It’s fine.”

I nodded, as though I understood.

Since childhood, I had often seen astrologers and the like display such unpredictable behavior.

“…Just now, with your choice, the path has been decided.”

In her hand, quietly whispering, was the single silver coin I had just given her.

“In truth, my reading had shown

two possible futures. That’s why I first chose the path that would have been the most harmonious for both of us… I had planned to gently send you back ho. But after our recent conversation, I must admit my thoughts were narrow.”

She shrugged her shoulders, fiddling with the coin in her hand.

“So, with this single silver coin I just received, and with my thanks for reminding

of my own narrowness, I’ll answer two of your questions.”

I silently stared at her for a mont.

After gathering my thoughts, I loosened my collar slightly, exposing my collarbone.

“You did say it was the Brand of Harvest.”

Harvest.

The Brand of Harvest.

…Let

think simply.

If what she said was true, then as the na implied, this brand must possess the power to harvest sothing.

That would explain, at least in part, why I was able to use Rahma’s power for a brief mont.

For so reason, I must have literally harvested a portion of his power.

But there was still one thing that could not be explained.

‘Then how on earth….’

How had I returned to the past?

Defying even death itself?

“Am I right to think that the power it holds is literally to harvest sothing?”

Instead of answering, she slowly raised her hand so I could see clearly.

In her hand was still that sa single silver coin.

“What could this silver coin be used for?”

“It could be spent as money.”

“And besides that?”

“It could be used as a material in a ritual. Silver coins carry both religious and magical significance. They could also be thrown like weapons.”

“And?”

“They could be lted down to make other objects. Their weight is fairly consistent, so they could serve as weights. They could even be used to test for poison, or placed in water to purify it….”

When she seed satisfied, she nodded.

As I stopped speaking, she picked up where I left off.

“It’s a bit different in nature, but think of it along those lines. To answer your question, the reply is both ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ Yes, because it can be seen that way. But also no, because it depends on perspective.”

“So you an it depends on how it’s used?”

“I an you shouldn’t confine yourself to fixed notions. It’s less about flipping things upside down and more about learning to view them from the side.”

Certainly, Professor Windy May and Sister Roberta had said sothing similar.

It was obvious in a way, but because it wasn’t the answer I had been hoping for, I couldn’t hide my disappointnt.

“That’s hardly a satisfying answer.”

“Diviners’ words are always vague by nature. They’re not ant to be taken at face value.”

Suppressing a laugh, she let out a chuckle.

“Now then, what about the other question?”

My final question had been decided from the very start.

Taking a quiet breath, I looked straight at her.

“Is the brand engraved on

related to ti?”

She didn’t answer.

Instead, her golden eyes stared at

as if to ask what I truly ant.

eting her gaze head-on, I asked again.

“Let

put it another way. Is there a brand that holds power over ti… or at least sothing similar to it?”

“……”

Still, she remained silent.

I didn’t push. I simply waited.

“Well now….”

She muttered slyly.

Then, as though wondering if it was even necessary to tell , she asked back:

“You already seem to know the answer. Do I really need to be the one to say it?”

Her gemstone-like eyes rolled slightly as she looked straight at .

I didn’t look away.

“Are you sure you want to spend your one remaining chance on this?”

“I suppose it’s because I have an exhausting personality.”

Holding back the emotions threatening to rise, I spoke to her almost as if throwing the words at her.

“I’m the type who has to double and triple-check before I’m certain. For you it may seem like just a fleeting instant, but I’ve lived through so much that it’s simply habit.”

“A good habit indeed.”

She smiled faintly and tapped the table again, tok tok.

The scattered cards on the table began to gather, as if pulled by so invisible force, stacking neatly in the center.

“That is, after all, the true purpose of divination. To draw out the answers hidden in one’s heart, to give shape to certainty. To create the opportunity for conviction.”

She whispered.

“Then allow

to give you that opportunity. That’s why you ca all this way, isn’t it?”

With those aningful words, she placed her hand on the pile of cards.

A mont later, when she lifted her hand, a single book lay on the table instead.

“Here.”

She carefully pushed the book toward .

It was an old to, its cover frayed and patched with rough leather.

“Since you were dissatisfied with my earlier answer, I’ll give you this instead.”

I didn’t bother with pointless questions like asking what it was.

I picked up the book and carefully opened it, but soon frowned.

I couldn’t make sense of it at all.

“May I ask what language this is written in?”

“Hmmm, but I’ve already received full paynt from you.”

She tilted her head playfully, smiling.

“But as I said earlier, you are the first guest I’ve had today. So if you pay just a little more, there’s nothing I can’t answer.”

“In that case….”

“Ah, wait a mont.”

She raised her hand to stop

as I was about to pull out more silver coins.

“Money is enough.”

I closed my mouth before asking what she wanted instead.

Because as if by a trick, a small pouch was suddenly in her hand, moving slowly in a large arc.

It was the pouch containing the snack I had half-eaten just monts ago.

“Mm, this will do nicely.”

She quickly tucked the pouch into her clothes.

Afraid I might refuse, she imdiately spoke.

“That’s written in the script of Garusol.”

“You an Garusol?”

I tilted my head and scanned the book once more.

It was slightly—no, entirely different from the Garusol script I knew.

“It’s an ancient language used only for their rituals and ceremonies. These days, almost no one among them can read it. Only soone of very high status, or perhaps a high-ranking official of their faith, would likely know it.”

At those words, one person imdiately ca to mind.

Yuran.

She was from Garusol, and I could confidently guess she fulfilled both conditions.

And since she owed

in several ways, if I asked her, it wouldn’t be hard to get help.

“Now then… just one last thing before we finish.”

She humd cheerfully as she spoke, gazing at

intently.

For so reason, I suddenly felt seized by an inexplicable premonition.

“What is your goal?”

“……”

At her sudden question, I looked at her warily. Her eyes glead.

“There’s no need to be specific. Even sothing vague is fine. Your goal?”

“…To survive.”

I answered without realizing it, but she shook her head slightly.

“No, that’s not it.”

She said it with certainty.

“I know. Your goal is not rely… not simply to survive.”

“……”

“That is the reason you’ve co this far. You cannot know it yet, and I cannot tell you yet. But one day, you will rember, and you will understand.”

She stuck her tongue out slightly as she spoke.

The brand.

“I see a brand on you. Along the path you walk, others who bear brands will gather. And you will inevitably beco entangled with them.”

“If what you say is true.”

I looked at her and asked.

“Then that ans I’ll be involved with you as well in the future?”

“…Well now, who can say?”

After a brief pause, she gave a faint smile.

“That’s enough for now. I’ll enjoy the snack.”

A farewell.

Then, all of a sudden, she clapped her hands right before my eyes.

Clap.

Startled, I instinctively closed my eyes.

When I opened them again, she was gone.

“Huh…?”

The canopy overhead, the table with its spread cards, the chair—everything had vanished.

Only the worn book in my arms remained as proof that what had just happened was real.

“…As if I’d been possessed by a ghost.”

That was the first thing I muttered after standing blankly in the clearing alone for a while.

Even then, her words still echoed in my ears.

‘You will co to understand, eventually.’

“……”

There was no reason to stay any longer.

Without a word, I left.

“Even though it was such a sudden request, I am deeply grateful you accepted without hesitation.”

Yeriel Helmont finally spoke, almost in a whisper.

At his gratitude, Ras Sink Shagas nodded as though it was nothing.

“Think nothing of it, Headmaster. In truth, it was sothing I had hoped for myself.”

He added slyly,

“But it was quite sudden indeed.”

“As I said, I truly feel sorry for it.”

Yeriel gave a troubled cough.

“Ordinarily, I should have been accompanied by a colleague… but that person is so unpredictable that they suddenly disappeared, claiming urgent business.”

“If it was Lady Windy May, then she must have had good reason.”

Shagas truly did not mind.

If one of the Five Archmages had made that decision, there must have been weight behind it.

All he hoped was that nothing would go wrong because of him, and that this eting would end smoothly.

“……”

“……”

The two walked silently down the corridor.

When they arrived at the plaza, three figures were already seated, waiting.

“Ah, you’ve co.”

The man seated on the right stood up.

He was strikingly handso, as if he had only just passed into adulthood.

Shagas easily recognized the traces of a vampire in him.

‘At least a single-digit generation.’

Shagas thought calmly.

A powerhouse like that could have taken the lead in this eting without issue.

‘And yet such a man is acting as an attendant.’

Setting aside his doubt for now, Shagas greeted them.

“You arrived early. I am Ras Sink Shagas. Beside

is, as you know, Yeriel Helmont, Headmaster of Arpentia Academy.”

“Oh.”

The massive man seated on the left brightened his eyes and grinned.

“The One-Legged Watcher! Word of your renown often reaches even our lands.”

Leaping to his feet, he extended his left hand.

Among the demons, offering the left hand for a handshake was an insult, but Shagas accepted without reaction.

For the man’s right arm was missing.

“I am Jode. Jode the Unyielding.”

Did it an he could not be broken, or that he did not know joy?

As such idle thoughts passed his mind, the vampire gave a polite introduction.

“Call

Valdemar.”

With a sharp clap, Valdemar continued,

“Now that we’ve exchanged greetings, shall we get to the point?”

“Lord Valdemar. Before that, may I ask one thing?”

“Ah.”

When Yeriel turned his gaze, Valdemar nodded and pointed toward the one who had been silently seated all this ti.

Then, with great caution, he spoke.

“This person… please consider her as soone sent to oversee us.”

As if to avoid misunderstanding, he quickly added,

“It’s rely a formality, nothing more. You need not concern yourselves. As agreed beforehand, detailed discussions will be with myself and Jode.”

“Hm….”

Both Yeriel and Shagas turned their eyes toward the overseer.

Though she was cloaked entirely in a dark gray robe, her form clearly revealed she was a woman.

‘…Never seen a monster like this before.’

Shagas could only reach that conclusion.

Regaining his composure, Yeriel nodded and slowly spoke.

“We too are curious why you requested this eting before the conference. But let us all sit first, as you said.”

“Thank you for understanding. In that case….”

Valdemar gave a relieved smile.

Rustle!

A strange sound stirred.

It was the overseer.

“No…”

“Mm.”

The sudden movent startled Yeriel, Shagas, Valdemar, and even Jode.

But oblivious or indifferent, she simply pulled sothing from her robe.

‘A pouch?’

It was none other than a small pouch.

Soon, a sweet fragrance wafted out, and Yeriel instinctively thought of Windy May.

It was the scent of the honey pastries she loved.

“……”

Crunch.

Without a word, the overseer casually bit into a pastry from the pouch.