Chương 75: Chapter 74

They had rested in the town for an entire week. Today was the final day that the Hero's Party would remain before continuing their journey. It also happened to coincide with the town's annual festival. Nina quietly watched the peaceful atmosphere unfolding before her. Colorful banners swayed gently overhead. Street merchants called out to passing customers. Children laughed as they ran through the streets.

Couples shared quiet conversations beneath the lantern-lit sky, while some of the younger lovers awkwardly danced together for the first time. It was peaceful. Calm. Exactly the kind of atmosphere people wished would last forever. Yet after refusing to say anything to the town chief several days earlier, the personas had gradually returned to the subconscious state. Even they understood that this was something they could not solve, no matter how hard they tried. Nina simply watched everything in silence.

Her expression remained unchanged.... At the end of the previous year, Ronin had finally informed the Holy Nation that this journey could not be delayed any further. If they continued postponing it, the Holy Nation would make enemies of every other nation involved in the prophecy. After considerable persuasion, he had also managed to convince Furen Boswe to accompany the Hero's Party. As he waited for everyone to arrive, Ronin found himself preparing to meet the fake Saintess, his dear friend once again. Instead...

He encountered a variable. He had heard rumors about a Seer. Someone capable of glimpsing the future. What he had not expected was for that Seer to be the variable herself. Just as he had been preparing to question her, another familiar figure appeared. Rosa. The woman who would one day become known as the Killer Blade. Everything suddenly became awkward. Ronin looked toward Nina. She now possessed a role that had never existed before. A role completely absent from his memories.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He silently hoped that she truly was a variable. If her foresight genuinely existed, then perhaps... Perhaps this time, people could finally be saved. As they traveled through the forest, Ronin became increasingly uneasy. He already knew what was supposed to happen next. No matter how much food he ate or how much he rested beforehand, he knew they would soon have very little time.

He had planned to organize everyone before the battle began. Then Rosa suddenly spoke.

"There is a monster ahead."

"It is slightly weaker than a Calamity."

"But its intelligence places it on nearly the same level."

"We need to prepare." Ronin immediately abandoned the idea of taking a break. He quickly began organizing everyone according to the strategy he had wanted to use for years. However, as time passed, the monster failed to appear. The farther they traveled, the more people began doubting the warning. Ronin frowned. The Seer had predicted the monster. Yet she had not known exactly when it would appear. Did her ability only reveal fragments of the future? Was there some limitation he did not understand?

Before he could think any further, they finally arrived at the town. Everyone was visibly exhausted from the long journey. Everyone except Rosa and Nina, who had spent most of the trip inside the modified carriage while the others traveled on horseback or personal mounts. After entering through the gates and completing the inspection process, Ronin finally saw the name of the town. His stomach dropped. He remembered it. In the original timeline... Every person living here had died.

A monster horde had attacked shortly after their Party departed. No one had survived. As they continued through the town, Ronin's thoughts raced. If Nina truly possessed the ability to see the future... Then surely she already knew about the coming disaster. He simply needed to create an opportunity for her to say it. However, he had already learned something during their journey. He could not directly guide Nina toward revealing future events. He had attempted it several times already.

Every attempt had been stopped. It was as though the world itself rejected the conversation. Unless Nina chose to reveal something on her own, or unless the circumstances naturally allowed her to speak, he could not force the information out of her. That realization had frustrated him immensely. Then he thought of the town chief. It was the perfect opportunity.

Before Nina arrived, Ronin carefully explained to the chief that the Seer possessed extraordinary foresight and had already helped them greatly throughout their journey. He intentionally guided the conversation toward the future. Eventually, the chief asked exactly what Ronin had hoped for.

"If you truly possess the ability to glimpse the future..."

"I ask that you watch over our people." Ronin was ready. The instant Nina warned them that the town would be destroyed, he would immediately signal the soldiers he had secretly positioned throughout the surrounding area. They would prepare for the coming monster horde before it ever reached the town. He waited. And waited. Silence. An awkward silence settled over the room. Eventually, the chief let out an embarrassed laugh before changing the subject. Ronin nearly lost his mind.

"... What?" That was all he could think. What was this? He had finally created the perfect opportunity. Why... Why wouldn't she say anything? For a brief moment, he genuinely wanted to scream. But he couldn't. People's lives depended on this. Over the following days, Ronin continued searching for opportunities. He tried steering conversations toward danger. Toward disasters. Toward the future. Anything. If Nina simply said that the town was in danger... If she uttered even a single warning...

That alone would be enough. He could prepare everyone for the monster horde. Yet no matter what happened... Nina never opened her mouth. As the days passed, Ronin noticed something else. Nina seemed to grow quieter. Not colder. Not hostile. Just... More distant. As though she were slowly withdrawing from the world around her. Eventually, the final day arrived. Ronin silently watched the festival. His tired eyes slowly drifted toward Nina. She stood quietly among the celebration. Looking at her...

She felt strangely detached from everything around her. Then a small child accidentally bumped into her. Ronin watched as Nina immediately knelt down and gently spoke a few quiet words. At that exact moment... A faint light descended upon her. Simultaneously, Ronin felt another invisible shackle wrapped around him suddenly break apart. His eyes widened. He could move. He could finally move.