Chapter 11: The First Ostinato

The Crown Prince walked toward Orpheus's brightly shining core within the pitch-black mental world.

Around him, Orpheus's past began appearing one by one like scenes from a film.

'This must be what happened after that.'

To his right, he saw children who appeared to be a year or two older than the boy and girl he had seen moments ago.

"K-Kate...! You shouldn't come in like this!"

The boy fussed over the girl who had snuck into his room.

"Oh come on, what's the big deal? As long as we don't get caught, right?"

The girl winked one eye, showing she didn't care about the matters between their families.

"Ian, Ian. Why are you so cute?"

The girl's dainty hands grabbed and stretched both of the boy's cheeks.

"Uuueeaah..."

"Hehe. You're cute like a frog."

"...Calling me a frog again."

Can't I be a prince instead?

...Even if not, it doesn't matter. Even if I'm just her pet frog, every minute and second I spend with her makes me happy.

The boy and girl spent their time far removed from adult circumstances.

"I went to Lai's concert yesterday!"

"Lai? Is that a boy?"

The boy's eyebrows shot up.

"Yeah. Lai Verdolt. He's a boy the same age as us."

"...He's our age but he's already giving concerts?"

"He's a musical prodigy. He's amazing at violin."

The boy felt annoyed.

"I can play violin too."

Though it was just a secret hobby due to his parents' pressure, he was confident he could play better than this Lai person.

"...Really?"

"I'll show you."

*Woong-*

Magic gathered in the boy's hands, taking the form of a violin.

"Wow!"

Seeing the girl's wide-eyed reaction, the boy felt arbitrarily satisfied as he began to play.

A simple but beautiful melody rang out, carrying magic within it.

"This melody is so pretty."

"...You think so?"

The boy excitedly repeated the melody he had just played several times.

During this, he showed off his skill by making several variations.

"Wow!"

*Clap- Clap- Clap- Clap-*

As the girl applauded and cheered, the boy scratched his head sheepishly.

"...This is called an ostinato."

"Ostinato?"

"It means repeating the same melody."

"Wow! I see! The ostinato is so pretty!"

"...You think so?"

"Yeah. Usually even if you like a melody, it disappears as the music plays on, but with this ostinato you can keep listening to the melody you don't want to lose."

"I see... I never thought about it that way..."

The girl responded brightly with a smile to even the boy's trivial words.

The boy lowered his face to hide his reddening cheeks.

"...If there's a melody you want to hear, let me know? I'll play it for you."

*Woong-*

The vision the Crown Prince was watching disappeared like smoke.

This time, a new vision appeared on his left.

Again, they appeared older than in the previous vision.

"Are you really not going to the Academy?"

"Yeah. Sorry Kate."

The boy spoke with a forced smile.

"...That's too bad. I thought it would be nice if we went together."

The girl who was sitting right next to the boy leaned her head on his shoulder.

Their relationship seemed to have grown much closer during that time.

"We can still keep in touch."

The boy pointed to the magic terminal he had made for the girl.

"True, but it's different being together versus just keeping in touch."

The girl reached out and pinched both of the boy's cheeks.

"Not being able to pinch my frog's cheeks... that's so mean."

Then she pouted her lips.

*Woong-*

The vision disappeared again and a new one appeared.

"I must have told you. That you must not get close to that child who carries the blood of Gilgamesh."

A pale-skinned middle-aged man picked up the boy's magic terminal and broke it.

"How many times must I tell you to understand? Those who don't understand our great Kali-Yuga family's magi-engineering, and especially those Gilgamesh family dogs who lead the persecution in God's name!"

Gilgamesh - the girl's family.

The Gilgamesh family, devoted to religion for generations, extremely despised magi-engineering which God had declared sinful, leading to a long-standing feud.

"We will overturn the continent with the power of magi-engineering. So forget that wicked Gilgamesh girl. I'll find you a proper magi-engineer instead."

The man paused as he opened the door to leave.

"Come to think of it, I heard that girl is also a candidate for Saintess. To be at the forefront of the religion that persecutes magi-engineers like us. That girl doesn't care about you at all."

*Bang-*

Left alone in the room, the boy gathered up the pieces of the shattered magic terminal one by one.

"Perbenit Certum."

As the boy cast his magic, the pieces joined together and the original terminal appeared.

His genius abilities could be seen in how he restored the magic terminal without any help, using restoration magic that required understanding of the entire internal structure.

The boy picked up the magic terminal and connected a call to the girl.

*Ring- Ring-*

*Ring- Ring-*

*Beep-*

"Huh? Ian? Did you call?"

The girl's voice came through as kind as always.

The boy opened his mouth to answer her.

But he couldn't make a sound.

"Hello? Ian? Ian?"

*Click-*

The boy turned off the terminal.

If she truly wants to become a Saintess, if she wants to become God's Saintess who suppresses magi-engineering...!

A relationship with a child of the Kali-Yuga family would be a great blemish for her.

Even if I'm just her pet frog rather than her lover...

The boy's magic gathered and burned the terminal.

The boy's happy dream ended here.

*Woong-*

After the vision ended, a new vision appeared.

This time it showed the boy as an adult.

"Congratulations on your great victory, Count Kali-Yuga!"

"Ho ho, my good man! Count, you say!"

"Ah! Forgive me! Your Majesty!"

"Hahaha. It's a good day, so I'll let it slide."

"Your grace is boundless, Your Majesty."

Count Kali-Yuga and his close associates laughed and joked atop thousands of magic golems created with technology far surpassing human levels.

The golems made by Ian, a genius of the ages, crushed the Holy Knight Order, God's army, and even the royal army, collapsing the war situation.

Count Kali-Yuga, who held control over the golems, was able to defeat all enemies and gain complete dominion over the kingdom.

"Father."

"...It's a good day, Ian. You should smile."

"I have a request."

"...Very well. You've made great contributions to our victory in the war. I'll hear you out. Speak."

"Give me Kate Gilgamesh."

"Gilgamesh... you mean that Saintess woman."

Count Kali-Yuga pondered for a moment.

"That woman should be executed as a war criminal... but very well. Let's do this. Go to the prison right now and propose marriage to her."

"...What?"

"If she accepts that proposal, I'll let her live. Even if she's a war criminal, no one would dare touch the wife of a war hero. However, if she refuses, judgment will be passed on her."

"...I understand."

The boy ran to the underground prison.

The deepest, darkest bottom level of the underground prison

She was in a solitary cell in a corner of the muddy lower level.

"Kate."

The girl's eyes, which had been staring blankly into space, met the boy's.

"...Ian."

Though her charm had faded through the long war, she was still beautiful.

'...If only I hadn't made those golems, things wouldn't have turned out like this.'

He never dreamed that the technology he created with such a light heart would back her into a corner.

If only he could go back to the past, he would never do such a thing again.

"Kate. I'll get you out of here."

"Ian. If you get me out, your position will be in danger."

"That doesn't matter. My father promised. If you marry me, you'll be free."

"...So that's how it is."

Having heard Ian's words, Kate let out a bitter laugh as if she finally understood.

"I'm sorry Ian. If that's the case, don't let me out."

"...What?"

"I'm just going to die like this."

"...What are you saying, Kate."

"I am Cartesia, a Saintess who has devoted herself to God. Not a cowardly traitor who begs the enemy for her life."

"Kate. You'll die if you stay here!"

"Even if I die... there are things I must protect."

Despite Ian's desperate pleas and threats that poured out for hours, Kate did not yield.

Finally, when Ian lost his reason and tried to forcibly tear off the prison door to save her, Count Kali-Yuga's hand suddenly shot out and grabbed his arm.

"I'm afraid that won't do."

The Count smiled coldly.

"It seems this woman wants to die. Take him away."

The guards led the bewildered Ian out of the prison.

"Wait, just a moment! Kate! Kaaate!"

Bang!

As the underground prison door slammed shut firmly, Ian couldn't hear Kate sobbing inside.

"I'm sorry Ian... I'm so sorry...!"