“Why do you like history so much?”
He shook his head furrowing his brows. “I feel a connection to it, you know? It… reminds me of something.”
“Home?”
“Not sure, but there’s something about it that gives me a sense of nostalgia.”
A scoff, an arm slinging around his neck before the other man moved closer, hot breath against his skin and the brush of lips against the shell of his ear. The man laughs, low and smug. He could hear the grin in his voice.
“It suits you. Come on, the movie’s in fifteen minutes.”
Keith opens his eyes to the sight of the wooden ceiling above.
Another dream of the past. That guy… He shook his head. Why was he seeing that? The guy’s gone. Whoever that was, and whoever he was, it doesn’t matter. Even if he ignores the twist in his heart and the sense that he’s missing something.
Lifting up a hand he covered his eyes. Maybe he can sneak in a bit more sleep?
“Keith, wake up, we have breakfast!” His mother called out. Her voice was way too chipper for the morning than it should be in his humble opinion.
Nevermind, He thought as he got up. Preparing himself, he allowed his thoughts to wander.
In the book, Orionith was optimistic and saw the good in everyone. Compared to that, Leonith seemed to switch from apprehensive to something… sharper. He can’t put his finger on it but it might be related to Leonith’s gift.
He snorted. Mercy and Corruption, what does that even mean?
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Even in this new life, I still love history. Keith thought fondly, going from his room on the second floor down into the kitchen.
And was promptly reminded that Leonith was still staying there. His mother is there, fussing over the food she’s giving Leonith while the other waved away her worries. Leonith’s hair is lacking the black roots he last saw in it, golden strands tied in a low ponytail. He glanced at the other’s neck for any sign of the thorn markings he saw.
Nothing. It’s as if his previous appearance in the medic tent was nothing more than a fever dream. Well, it’s not his place to pry. Keith’s not going around talking about his gift.
“Still tired, Keith?” His mother asked him, taking in everything.
He muffled a yawn. “No, I’m fine.”
“Keith,” His mother’s tone warned him as she guided him to his seat where some food was already placed. “You’ve been asleep for three days.”
That snapped him out of the foggy haze of sleep. “What do you mean three days?”
Leonith cleared his throat. “Ah, the lingering effects of demonic corruption were being purged by your body and you also suffered from magical exhaustion. You had more than earned your rest.”
His mother patted his head. “You overextended yourself, pup. That dual barrier you did with Leonith and the battle had tired you out; however the exhaustion began settling in when your magic system worked on purging you of any leftover corruption.”
He chewed on flatbread while absorbing this information. Leftover corruption, huh? He glanced at Leonith. How come he wasn’t able to absorb it all?
“Leonith, I thought you managed to absorb it all.” Keith said, trying to keep his tone from sounding accusing.
Leonith grimaced in response. It definitely sounded accusatory. Well, at least he had tried.
“My gift is born from Mercy and Corruption. However there is only so much I can absorb.”
That’s not the full explanation. He narrowed his eyes. Still, he’ll let it go. It’s not like it’ll endanger them. There are more pressing matters to address after all.
“Can you fill me in on everything I missed out?”
Apparently, while he’s been knocked out, the rest of Kiol was picking up the pieces. The army had damaged the land in front of the village. It’s only by luck that they didn’t invade through the back which had most of their farms. Siegmar’s father has been working to reinforce the barricades and burn the demon corpses. Meanwhile his mother had been increasing protection around the Yggdrasil sapling as well as purifying the land.
There’s been talk of gathering up supplies in case of another attack alongside warning the rest of the Nornic Territories to be vigilant in case they fall. After all, the connection between the Yggdrasil saplings of every Nornic region allows their strength to power each other like an electric circuit. If they fall, then it’ll affect the other Nornic areas.
The main talk however, is Leonith petitioning for Keith to come along and travel in search for the rest of the reincarnations in order to deal with the broken seal.
“You are still part of Kiol despite being Oryath’s reincarnation, the Jarl already agreed to allow you to leave if that is what you wish.” Leonith explained, “The only other things we needed was your permission and to prepare for the journey whether or not I’m taking you along since I still have my own calling to adhere to.”
Keith hummed. “Alright. I’ll go.”
The seal needs to be checked on and Tiamat needs to be dealt with. His hand lifted to where the Mark was. He sent it a pulse of magic. It didn’t respond. Despite knowing that it’s gone, he still wanted to curse. It was as if the foundation of his security had gone along with it.
He’s only had that seal active for a week tops and he already blew it unknowingly. He frowned. If he considered Oryath’s soul then that means he held the seal longer than he’s been alive.
A clawed hand landed on his shoulder. “You can still rest up, Keith.”
“I’m fine, Mom.” He clenched his hand. “The world won’t wait. We need to find out what happened to the seal and deal with Tiamat.”
She sighed. “At least take the time to say your goodbyes?”
Keith placed a hand over hers, the warmth a soothing comfort. He’ll relish this while he can but he knows that as soon as he leaves Kiol, he won’t have such warmth for a long, long time. His mother knew that too judging by the way her grip tightened just a smidge.
“Alright. I’ll prepare and say my goodbyes, then I’ll leave.”
The goodbyes were easy. Siegmar nodded and made daggers for him, with a simple, ‘Good luck’. Eloise had smiled and gifted him with a pouch of dried medicinal herbs and the message ‘Hunt well’. The rest of the village gave him travel supplies, clothing, food, all of it practical. It’s not surprising that the goodbyes were solemn but accepting, he isn’t exactly the paragon of a lively social life.
It’s his mother’s goodbye that makes him linger for just a little moment longer.
She holds him close and he can smell the scent of rowan wood on her, soft and subtle but still present in the way she is. His mother whispered next to his wolf-like ears. Soft, and holding the curl of a meow around her words.
“Think of me, and the home you return to.”
He clutched her, and if a few tears escaped his eyes, well, it’s just a bit dry. That’s all.
“I’ll miss you.”
“Me too, pup.” She mumbled, wiping the tears in her eyes. “I didn’t think I would have to give this to you so soon, but here we are.”
His mother pulls out a necklace, one made of rowan wood and held by a leather cord. The wood was carved into a circle with a complicated array carefully burnt into the wood. Familiar with his mother’s work and this place’s setting, he recognized the array to be similar to that of a Norse Compass surrounded by a protective circle of his mother’s specialized runes. She held his hand, opening it and imparting him the necklace.
Astra looked him in the eye, her pupils a thin slit and shining with tears. “I made this before you were born. A talisman, to guide and protect, I hope it will serve its purpose well.”
“It will.” He says , putting it on and giving her one last hug.
When they were done, he smiled at her and walked to Leonith’s side. They didn’t say goodbye. Perhaps it was because he felt it was too permanent of a word to say. Maybe it’s because his mother too felt that, by not saying goodbye, he would come back to say ‘hello’. Either way, he knows that their silence is merely another way of saying ‘farewell’.
Wuwuwuuuu TAT
em, maybe said person is Leonith..idk
How long is the intended length of this novel? 😮
Intended length will be around 100 chapters, unless my plans change then it might get longer ^^; Eheheh, as for the person we’ll just have to wait find out ;3
Oh my goodness!! I’m so so excited!!
A past lover!!!! I want to know who he is, how he looks like, who is he reincarnated into, if he does remember tiny bits of his past, his eye color and shoe size … Sorry, got a little to excited there. 😘