NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12 - Void (4)
In a dark room without any lights.
Zeron poured cheap whiskey into an on-the-rocks glass.
Crack-, the pleasant sound of round ice splitting.
Zeron tilted the glass and wet his tongue.
Smokiness and a hint of peat. Hidden within, fragments of sweetness and a piercing alcohol aroma.
Mixed with the tipsiness from the beer he drank with the kid, it tasted quite good.
As he swirled the glass, clink-, the ice scraped against the glass, making a pleasant sound.
The faint moonlight shining through the window gave the whiskey a subtle glow.
“Maid.”
As he spoke, he sensed movement outside the door.
“Yes, do you need something?”
“Come in for a bit. Would you like to have a drink with me?”
Creak-, the door opened with a strange sound.
Glancing over, he saw the maid’s silhouette faintly illuminated by the moonlight.
Straw-colored hair and forest-green eyes.
But somehow, not a lively green, but a green that felt inorganic.
“I can’t drink while on duty, but.”
“Your duty is just to take care of me, isn’t it?”
“I have work tomorrow as well.”
“Well, I’m not going to force you.”
He sipped his drink and unwrapped the macarons he had brought.
The maid glanced at the macarons, then quietly approached and sat across from him.
“Would you like something to drink?”
“Anything as long as it’s not alcohol.”
“Hmm…”
Zeron got up.
Opening the fridge, he saw carbonated water, orange juice, cranberry juice, milk, and Baileys.
He took out some orange juice and poured it into a glass.
While up, he also grabbed a bottle of Amaretto liqueur and returned to his seat, where the maid was nibbling on a macaron.
“I didn’t tell you to eat.”
“If you invited me for drinks, you should at least provide some snacks.”
“That’s true.”
Zeron chuckled and set the orange juice in front of the maid.
Then he opened the Amaretto and poured it with the whiskey in roughly a 3.5:1 ratio.
He gently swirled the glass to mix it, completing the ‘Godfather’ cocktail.
Taking a sip, it tasted quite good.
As expected, ‘Grey Label’ is great for making a Godfather.
“By the way, did something happen?”
“No? Why?”
“You usually don’t mind me entering your room.”
The maid’s eyes scanned the room.
Empty bottles and glasses scattered everywhere.
Clothes were strewn about near the bed as well.
But well… it was messy, not dirty.
Zeron drank, using the moonlight and macarons as snacks.
“It’s not that anything happened. Just felt a bit lonely drinking alone. And I kind of like you.”
“If you’re trying to make a move, I’ll have to decline.”
“It’s not like that… This feels strange.”
As Zeron chuckled, the maid smiled faintly.
It seemed like the first time he’d seen her smile.
“Come to think of it, I don’t know your name. What should I call you?”
“Haven’t you been calling me ‘maid’ just fine until now?”
“Anyway.”
“And when asking for someone’s name, you should give your own name first.”
“You already know my name.”
“It feels different.”
Oh, does she know a bit about romance?
He smiled and held out his glass.
The maid also smiled faintly and held out her glass.
“I’m Lunalind.”
Clink-, the glasses met with a clear sound.
It was the best bell sound ringing through the quiet night.
This midnight, beyond just easing loneliness, had its own charm.
Lunalind was quite a good drinking companion.
*
The next morning.
Lunalind informed him there was a faculty meeting, so he put on some clothes and left his quarters.
The meeting place was the Chancellor’s office.
As he headed towards the Magic Department building, he noticed students bustling about.
“They’re living life diligently.”
He rolled a cigarette and lit it.
The nicotine invigorated his still sleepy mind.
Whoosh-, he exhaled. Walking while absentmindedly watching the smoke scatter in the wind, he soon arrived at his destination.
He stubbed out the cigarette butt and entered the building.
Climbing the stairs to the Chancellor’s office on the third floor, he was greeted by intense stares from those who had arrived earlier.
As he contemplated whether to rip their heads off, an energetic voice flew in.
“Wow, Instructor Zeron! It’s been so long!”
“Hmm, Professor Adelia, was it?”
“It’s Iris!”
“Well, yes. It has been a while.”
Since he hadn’t visited the faculty office, it was the first time since the entrance ceremony.
Zeron casually sat down in a nearby seat.
Soon after, the Chancellor announced the start of the meeting in a solemn voice.
“The reason for calling this urgent meeting is that there has been an appearance of a Void in our Academy.”
“What!?”
“A Void…”
“Oh no…”
Amidst the various reactions from the faculty members, only Zeron had a blank expression.
So what’s a Void?
Looking at the Chancellor with an expression asking for an explanation, he glanced at Zeron and began to speak.
“It seems there’s someone who doesn’t know, so I’ll explain first.”
According to Chancellor Corwen’s explanation, Voids are remnants of destroyed worlds.
They are anomalies that appear when all living things in a world lose their breath, and finally, even the life of that world withers away.
They steal the energy of the world.
Until the world’s pulse finally stops.
And when the world truly heads towards destruction after they’ve stolen all the energy, they cease all movement.
There’s no set time limit.
They spring into action again the moment they sense energy to steal.
In other words, when a destroyed world connects with a world that hasn’t yet been destroyed.
“So, a rift is like a bridge connecting a destroyed world to the continent we live on. It can be one-way, two-way, or even in the form of fragile pieces of the destroyed world becoming part of our world.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Did you understand?”
“Well, I got the gist of it. So what’s the conclusion? We need to be careful, right?”
Words like ‘This guy!’, ‘What rudeness!’, and so on stabbed at his eardrums.
Zeron picked his ear and stared at the Chancellor.
After making eye contact for a moment, the Chancellor nodded.
“You’re right. For now, we have no other option.”
He took a sip of the tea in front of him and continued.
“But it’s troublesome to carelessly spread this information. Of course, those who should know already do, but if rumors spread among the common people, it could incite chaos.”
“Hmm. Well, I suppose so.”
I should tell David about this.
He nodded appropriately and let the conversation flow by.
Fortunately, the meeting didn’t last too long.
Everyone was busy, after all.
As the meeting adjourned and Zeron was leaving the Chancellor’s office, someone approached him with light, quick steps.
“Instructor Zeron, Instructor Zeron!”
“What is it?”
“Are you free today?”
“I’m busy.”
“Liar.”
“It’s true.”
He left the building and lit a cigarette.
Iris didn’t seem to mind and fluttered around nearby.
“This is a date invitation, you know. You’ll regret it if you don’t accept?”
“I think I’d regret it if I did accept.”
“Ah! Why are you suddenly speaking informally? Should I do it too?”
“Do whatever you want.”
“Phew… such an iron wall of a man.”
Iris continued to chatter away until their paths diverged.
“Well, goodbye then! See you next time!”
He waved his hand casually, and she moved away, squealing happily.
It was so annoying he almost unconsciously threw a punch.
“Something feels off.”
Zeron stopped in place for a moment and carefully looked at where Iris had disappeared.
But it’s not like Zeron, who’s no detective, could figure anything out.
“Tch. Forget it.”
Zeron dropped his cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out.
…He was caught by Lunalind, who had come to meet him, and got scolded for a while.
*
Void? I know about it. It’s been around for over a year now.
“What the fuck? Then why didn’t I know?”
I’m sure I told you before? I think I mentioned it at least three times.
“Oh, come on.”
Zeron grumbled and threw himself on the sofa.
Well, David, with his wide information network, wouldn’t have not known.
“Ah, right. But that was strange.”
What was? The Void?
“Yeah. When I killed it, my body felt a bit better?”
What…?
The voice coming through the communication device turned serious.
He muttered, ‘Is it because of the energy accumulated by the Void… In a way, it could be called life energy…’ and then continued.
…Do you need location information?
“This bastard’s getting all serious again. Don’t do that.”
Of course I have to be serious. Who do you think is responsible for your body ending up like that?
“Responsible is responsible. It just ended up like this as I lived.”
Zeron grimaced and poured a drink.
Balvenie 12 Year Old Sherry Cask.
It was a drink he personally liked.
It was also a meaningful drink.
He had bought it saying the bottle was pretty, hadn’t he?
Suddenly, that red hair flashed through a corner of his memory.
…Anyway, I’ll look into the Void’s location. Let me know if you need it.
“Alright.”
Don’t rely too much on alcohol and cigarettes. It’ll ruin your body even more.
“Are you my dad? I’ll handle it myself, so rest easy.”
Okay…
Click-, the communication cut off.
Zeron drank his alcohol in silence.
Today, the drink tasted especially bitter.
Bright red hair.
Yes, that nostalgic hair.
But why…
What bastard dared to…
Words failed him.
Uncontrollable anger surged to the tips of his hair.
The hand holding the sword trembled.
This goddamn dream.
Zeron glared intently at the horrific sight before him.
Whatever the nature of this dream, he swore he wouldn’t let anyone associated with that tragedy live.
The Sword Demon made such an oath.