Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance

He could see nothing in the black water. Death’s breath, coming in through his mouth and nose, grabbed Lucian’s limbs and pulled him down into the underworld.

 

‘I will die like this and no one will know.’

 

He wasn’t even sure which way he was facing now, in the darkness without even a hint of light.

 

‘It is so cold.’

 

In his fear he gave up everything and started to move less and less.

 “Gotcha!” 

A warm voice and a warm hand brought him back to life.

 

The owner of the voice was breathing heavily as she looked at him with her back to the sun. His soft, light brown hair rose and fell with each ragged exhalation.

 

The bright orange eyes that met him were so warm that Lucian would never forget this day.

  

***

  “I haven’t had that dream in a long time.” 

Looking up at the familiar ceiling of his bedroom, Lucian lingered for a moment in the afterglow of his dream. It was still early morning and the room was dark.

 

But after seeing the sweetest orange light he had ever seen in his life, he was no longer afraid of the dark.

 “Thank God it’s not raining.” 

He opened the window and scanned the sky, breathing a sigh of relief. It had been almost three years since the greenhouse incident.

 

Nearing his seventeenth birthday, he had grown taller, his muscles harder, and no longer out of place in the company of adult knights. His once childlike face had thickened with lines and began to resemble that of a duke.

 

‘I’m up so early, I wonder if the regimental commander will show up, but no, I don’t want to smell sweaty, I’ll just take a bath and get ready.’

 

He paced restlessly around the room and left, unusually without his sword.

 

‘This isn’t just any day, it’s a date with Eileen!’

 

In truth, he was only following Eileen to escort her to a rare seedling at a market that was rarely open. But it was important that Cordelia and Felix were not in the Duchy of Gaudium at the moment.

 

Cordelia had traveled west to attend a three-day lecture by Aru, the Higher Elementalist of Water, and Felix had been away for five months on a training trip with Rosalia.

 “Too bad we have other companions.” 

Lucian’s heart sank for a moment, but he knew it could not be helped.

 

No duke, no matter how powerful, was lax enough to allow the heir to the dukedom and a young elementalist to roam the streets alone. They would be accompanied by three elite knights.’

 

He quickly dressed from head to toe and made his way to the restaura

nt where he was to meet Eileen.

 

‘I bought perfume for today.’

 

If Eileen had known, she would have thought it was too much. He sat down and hummed happily as he waited, and soon the door opened and two knights and Eileen walked in.

 “Hello, Eileen!” “Lucian.” 

Fifteen-year-old Eileen had her light brown hair, which reached to her waist, pulled into a large braid and draped over her shoulders.

 

To hide her identity, she was dressed in a simple, somewhat ragged outfit, not her usual attire, but it gave her an air of innocence that matched her well-groomed appearance.

 

Lucian swallowed hard and started to say something with a slightly flushed face, but Eileen spoke first, her voice nervous.

 “Are we going to do this?” “Huh?” 

Lucian looked down at his clothes, stunned. He looked very fashionable, following the latest fashions. His gaze then shifted to the knights standing next to Eileen.

 

They were dressed in plain clothes, with long, roomy coats to cover their swords as best they could, and one of them was red-faced as if trying to hold back laughter.

 

Lucian opened his mouth to speak, feeling miserable.

 “I’m going to change…” 

In more ways than one, he was glad Felix and Cordelia weren’t there.

  

***

  “Awesome!” 

An excited Eileen exclaimed, her eyes darting around the room. It was the first market since the return of the top of the continent, and there were many plants she had never seen before.

 “Miss, be careful!” “Oh, thank you.” 

Kara, the knight who was escorting Eileen, helped her up when she tripped while frantically navigating the marketplace. Smiling shyly, Eileen was led back into the crowd by her escort.

 

Lucian glanced enviously at Kara’s fingertips on Eileen’s shoulder, then rolled his eyes in annoyance. There was an elderly knight with a mountain of skewers in his hand.

 “Master, why are you here?” “To defend Lord Lucian.” “Eat and speak.” 

Lucian covered his face with his hands, meekly admitting that all his plans were doomed.

 

 Walter, who chuckled at the sight, gulped down the food in his mouth and laughed heartily.

 “Actually, to help my naive apprentice with his love life!” “Ack!” 

A panicked Lucian leapt up like lightning and clamped his hand over Walter’s mouth. He glanced back at Eileen, who fortunately seemed to have heard nothing, too busy talking to the merchant. Rubbing his chest, Lucian spoke in a low voice.

 “How did you know?” “You didn’t think I wouldn’t know, did you?” 

Walter poked Lucian in the shoulder with the back of his skewer. The heir to the Duchy of Gaudium, already known for his meticulous work ethic and bully pulpit, could make a fool of himself in front of just one person.

 “I’m sure everyone in the world knows about it, except for that girl over there.” 

Scratching his eyebrows, he shook Lucian’s frozen shoulder, a hardened giant of a man, nearly eight

y but not quite broken, weighing him down.

 “If I may leave you with a piece of advice that is the bone and flesh of my life. A man must win a woman’s heart like a storm, a hurricane!” 

Walter was a distant descendant of Gaudium’s lineage, technically partly related to Lucian. 

 

Walter was a big boy in life, and he decided to try his hand at becoming the next duke.

 

Actually, he just thought it would be fun to steal the other guy’s seat.

 

He clung to Lucian, desperately trying to hide his bubbling laughter, and when he couldn’t hold it in any longer, he bellowed.

 “Oh, for God’s sake, get off me!” 

Eileen returned to their commotion, having just finished looking around.

 “Did something funny happen?” “Eileen, did you see anything you wanted to buy?” 

Eileen’s face lit up at the question.

 “Uhhh! It’s amazing. I knew there were many types of cacti, but I didn’t know there were so many different colors and spines. So I ordered them by type first…” 

Her voice was a little fast and high with excitement, like a bird chirping, and Lucian couldn’t help but smile.

 “I’m glad you’re satisfied.” “Yeah, I’m tired after all that walking around.” 

As Eileen, having accomplished her goal, contemplated the vagueness of dinner, Walter poked Lucian in the back.

 “What?” “Go ask her out.” 

Walter shrugged, his mouth moving silently to convey his meaning. Lucian, caught up in the new atmosphere, turned to Eileen.

 “It’s still a bit early, but do you want to go to a cafe?” “Huh? Sounds good, but is there anywhere nearby?” “That’s…” 

As if he had been waiting for it, he said,

“I thought you might be tired, so I’ve rented out the entire third floor of a cafe not far away.”  

Lucian’s eyes widened. Walter jerked a thumb where Eileen couldn’t see it.

 “I’ve done all I can, so good luck.” 

As if to say that, he arrived at the café and disappeared upstairs with his knights.

 

Eileen was sitting at the café, smiling and lifting her teacup, the tea smelling of flowers as she stirred the petals.

 

Lucian watched as the sunset from the window bathed her in color. It had been a long time since they’d had tea alone.

 “You don’t mind a little time like this once in a while, do you?” “Yeah. Next time we should bring Cordelia and Felix.” 

Eileen’s words, spoken with a smile, struck Lucian in the chest. He’d emphasized the

“alone”

part, but it hadn’t worked. He stiffened for a moment, then sighed heavily and nodded.

 “Let’s do it.” 

He smiled, a languid, liberated smile.

 

Eileen watched his reaction to the steaming cup, but soon turned her attention back to the tea. 

 

The pink tea looked reddish with the color of the sunset.

 

Eileen leisurely sipped her tea. A petal floating through the tea touched her lips.

  

***

  “He killed them, he killed them in the end!” 

It was a dark night, the wisteria glowing in the moonlight. A man with long green hair was clutching both of Cordelia’s shoulders, screaming.

 “It must be him, the one who controls you, the one who has people watching you!” 

Cordelia shivered, unable to push the man away. She kept her gaze fixed on the small bracelet he’d brought her, and she was consumed by the nightmare.

 “Damned humans, in the end, they take this too!” 

The flower petals blew prettily in the soft spring breeze, but to the two wounded men, they were nothing but sharp, stinging blades.

 “I won’t take it anymore.” 

The man’s pupils were narrowed as he spoke with a biting snarl.

  

***

  “Huh!” “Eileen?!” 

Eileen set down her teacup and shuddered violently. 

 

The man in the fragment of the future, wailing over the loss of someone, looked like the last remaining protagonist of the Ruined Route.

 

‘But in that future…’

 “Eileen, are you okay, are you tired?” 

Eileen met Lucian’s trembling gaze. His sweet eyes blinked with concern. Eileen shook her head to assure him she was fine, but in her mind, she could only think of one thing.

 “The last man of the Ruined Route, the reason for his fall.” 

Darkness and chill descended where the sunset had left off.

 

The original Lucian had hurt someone at the Academy.

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