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Chapter 19
Akila glanced nervously at Erno’s face. His master, who always stayed calm no matter the situation, now looked pale and was grinding his lips together.
“I’ll go in your place.”
Akila knew what Erno had gone through in that tower as a child, so he tried to step up—but Erno shook his head once, walked past him, and said,
“I’ll go.”
“Your Grace!”
“I said I’ll go.”
I’m fine, Erno forced a smile as he said it. Then he turned around and started climbing the tower.
But truthfully, he wasn’t fine at all. Admitting that would also mean admitting that he was still haunted by Ragna’s influence.
He’d rather slip on the stairs, hit his head, and die.
Seriously, what an annoying, frustrating, nerve-wracking woman. Who would’ve thought she’d actually go up the tower? He should’ve locked her in her room instead of just banning the topic!
While thinking about her being at the top of the tower, Erno found himself already at the top.
Wait… was the staircase always this short? He looked down in surprise.
As a child, it had felt endless—like he’d die climbing it forever.
No need to knock. Erno flung the door open.
Inside, Diana turned around, shocked. She clearly hadn’t expected him to come for her.
“Erno?”
The moment she recognized his face, her wide black eyes, which had looked surprised, immediately dulled with disappointment. Even her slightly open mouth shut tightly, the corners drooping down.
Erno let out a bitter laugh.
What the hell am I doing?
It wasn’t like he expected her to welcome him—but did she really have to look so obviously disappointed?
He’d dragged himself to this dreadful place for her, and now he felt ridiculous and even regretted coming.
“What are you doing here?”
“You… you didn’t say I couldn’t go up the tower.”
“So you climbed up here alone, without any guards? Seriously—what were you thinking? Was falling into the water once not enough? Do you even know how much trouble you caused while we searched for you?”
Akila and his tracking dogs had truly gone through a lot.
“Well, you weren’t anywhere to be seen when I actually needed you. So much for being competent.”
“Don’t insult my people, Bi. What if the so-called ‘murderous groom’ had accidentally pushed you off?”
“Would you have?”
No, you wouldn’t. Her steady black eyes clearly said so.
Erno was momentarily speechless. He clicked his tongue in irritation and stepped back.
A hundred questions starting with What is wrong with this woman… popped into his head—only to disappear like waves crashing and fading.
“…Sorry. I didn’t mean to insult them. If anything, I admire them.”
“Hah.”
First she called them useless, now she admires them?
Arms crossed, Erno gave her a sarcastic look.
“But being up here… I understand now. Even in this frozen land, people live, build culture, and carry on with their days. I thought it was beautiful. Even more than that—admirable.”
“…What’s so admirable about daily life?”
His voice still sounded sarcastic, but it had softened a bit.
Feeling a little awkward, maybe even a little embarrassed—but not annoyed—Erno blinked and stared at a dusty corner to avoid her gaze.
Even those born and raised in the North sometimes felt crushed and hopeless during the sunless winters.
And she, who came from the sunny South, had just called the snowy landscape beautiful?
Lies. All lies. Just something she said to get out of trouble or make him feel better.
But if the people of Fenril Castle and the Northern land had heard what Diana just said, they surely would’ve been happy. That much he was sure of.
“What’s that over there?”
Now that she had him, Diana seemed ready to treat him like a tour guide.
She pointed into the distance, where white smoke rose beyond a jagged mountain range that looked like broken glass stabbed into the earth.
“…Yggdrasil’s Root.”
Erno’s voice was low and bitter, almost like he was chewing the words.
His eyes, now as cold as ice, stared hard in that direction.
“That’s where every nightmare in the world becomes real. It’s the last line that separates humans from monsters.”
Despite the name “Root,” it wasn’t home to cute squirrels or rabbits. It was filled with living nightmares.
“…Now that I think about it, you’re the one who fights those monsters and protects this land, right?”
Could Erno always return safely? Even if he had so far, there were no guarantees for the future.
Diana, who had been happily chatting until a moment ago, suddenly went quiet.
Erno, guessing what she was thinking, let out a small laugh.
“What? Worried about me?”
“Yes.”
Her firm answer shut him up. Thinking she misunderstood his silence, Diana glanced at him and added,
“…I hope you come back safe. I’m not saying this to pressure you. It’s just my personal wish, that’s all…”
Suddenly remembering Veronica’s warning, Diana waved her hands in a flustered panic.
“Would it be okay if I prayed for a moment? We’re closer to the sky up here—maybe my prayer will reach the gods faster.”
Before Erno could say anything, Diana quickly closed her eyes and clasped her hands.
The pale winter sunlight poured over her bowed head. Erno silently watched his wife.
Come to think of it, she had prayed for his safety once before. He had dismissed it as a lie back then. But maybe… maybe she had been just as sincere as she was now.
“If you’re done looking around, let’s go back.”
Though his tone was blunt, Erno politely held out his hand to her.
Regardless of her bold lies, he had no desire to spend another second in the tower.
But Diana’s face twisted awkwardly.
Erno, wondering why she wasn’t moving, raised his hand again.
“Um… Erno. Actually, there’s a bit of a problem.”
“What now?”
Erno reached for the door handle.
Clunk. Rattle. Clack.
But it just spun uselessly in his hand.
“I think… the door’s broken. It opened from the outside, but no matter what I do from inside, it won’t open.”
Diana explained awkwardly behind him.
“Why are you only telling me this now?!”
“You’re the one who slammed the door and scolded me before I could say anything!”
“You should’ve told me anyway!”
“And would you have actually listened?”
“….”
Damn it!
Erno swallowed a curse. He couldn’t exactly start swearing in front of Diana.
“It’s fine. There has to be a way.”
“A way? What, are you going to jump again?”
“If there’s no door, we’ll make one.”
Erno turned his head away from her.
We’re trapped. In a tower, no less. That realization brought back all the memories he had worked so hard to bury.
“Erno, are you okay? You look really pale.”
“Damn it… I can’t just destroy it either.”
“You can, though.”
Her calm reply caught his attention.
“…What?”
“We need to get out, right? Just because the door’s stuck, we can’t stay trapped forever.”
Erno couldn’t say anything when he saw the determined look in her eyes.
Break it? The door? That’s ridiculous. What could she possibly do with those weak arms?
“But now that I look closely, the hinges are rusty. It might break easily.”
Erno’s eyes naturally followed her pointing finger. There it was—a rusted hinge that looked like it would fall apart with a nudge.
“…You’re right, Bi.”
It felt like getting smacked in the head.
She was right. Letting himself be locked in just because the door didn’t open—that kind of thinking should’ve ended with childhood.
“Step aside. I’ll do it.”
Realizing something so simple this late was almost embarrassing. Erno’s voice now had a hint of laughter.
There was no need to use the same force he used when fighting monsters.
CRACK!
With a single powerful kick, the wooden door shattered into pieces.
At the same time, the curse the elders had carved into his soul was broken.
“Let’s go, Bi.”
Erno reached his hand out to Diana once more.
He was no longer afraid of the tower.
