EDM 9

‘As far as I know, Soren’s true love is only Aisha.’

This wasn’t favoritism or delusion, but an objective opinion from someone who had read the original webtoon. In 『Knight of the North Wind』, many women besides Maria liked Soren, but until the very end of the story, Soren only had Aisha in his heart and loved only Aisha.

Simply put, the love line between Soren and Aisha was a firm and solid ‘major content of the original work.’ It wasn’t an area that a mere foreign element like himself should meddle with.

“I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

Kafka shook his head without hesitation. Maria looked upset and on the verge of tears, but she didn’t push any further. She seemed to have judged that it would be useless to say anything more, given Kafka’s unusually firm attitude.

“Then… I guess it can’t be helped.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t be of help.”

“No. I’m the one who should apologize for suddenly bringing up something unnecessary.”

Maria smiled brightly as if she had never made a sad face. Returning to her usual haughty expression, she took a sip of coffee and let out a very small sigh. Kafka glanced at his bag out of the corner of his eye, timing when to get up. Since the main topic was over, there was no need to sit face-to-face with Maria drinking coffee anymore.

“I can tell you’re not enjoying being here with me, but isn’t that a bit too obvious?”

Maria said with laughter in her voice. Only then did Kafka realize he had been too obviously showing his desire to leave, and he made an embarrassed expression.

“You must be busy, Termina…”

“Or is it that I’m making you uncomfortable?”

“…”

“It’s a waste to throw away food, so let’s finish the coffee we have.”

Mr. Sonder. Maria said that and smiled sweetly. Kafka seemed to feel guilty about something, slightly furrowing his brow before drinking his coffee. It had cooled to just the right temperature, and he wanted to drink it all at once and leave, but he didn’t have the courage to do so.

“Have you heard anything from Aisha by any chance?”

“What kind of thing?”

“Like she has feelings for Ibelonoia, or Ibelonoia seems to have feelings for her…”

“Not yet.”

“Not yet?”

Maria’s eyes widened slightly. Kafka realized he had misspoken and smiled awkwardly. “Not yet,” didn’t that sound like he had seen the future or something?

“I mean, um.”

Kafka drew out his words and took a sip of coffee. In his attempt to act nonchalant, the liquid that should have gone down his esophagus went down his windpipe instead. As he coughed from choking, Maria pulled out a handkerchief from inside her robe.

“I’m fine.”

Kafka covered his mouth with his robe sleeve and declined Maria’s handkerchief. It wasn’t for any particular reason, but because he always carried a handkerchief himself. There was no reason to dirty someone else’s handkerchief when he had his own.

“Oh, you carry a handkerchief.”

When Kafka pulled out a handkerchief from his robe pocket, Maria looked surprised. She then put her handkerchief back into her robe, saying, “Boys our age aren’t usually so delicate.”

“They’re usually busy wiping their wet hands on their pants or robes.”

“Well, that’s more convenient.”

“Still, I prefer men who carry handkerchiefs.”

Though some say it’s unmanly. Maria said that and laughed softly. It was probably about Dexter from the healer department. He was Maria’s childhood friend who had unrequited love for her.

‘In the side stories, there seemed to be signs that the two might get together…’

But I died before I could read the side stories. Kafka searched through his memories of 『Knight of the North Wind』. At least in the main story timeline, they left room for possibility, but ultimately didn’t get together.

└Maria and Dexter had no dreams or hope in the novel ㅠㅠ… I really hope they work out in the webtoon. Our Dexter is such a devoted man who’s been loyal to Maria, please.

He remembered a comment from a chapter dealing with Maria and Dexter’s story.

In the original novel, not only Maria and Dexter, but even Soren and Aisha didn’t get together. Originally, no love could be fulfilled in the novel version of 『Knight of the North Wind』. The reason was simple.

Because everyone died in the end.

“…”

A chill suddenly ran down his spine. His fingertips gripping the mug tensed slightly. Suddenly the mucous membrane in his throat dried up, and he felt a burning thirst.

“Come to think of it, I was supposed to meet Aisha briefly.”

Kafka said that and suddenly clapped his hands. It was to pretend he had belatedly remembered a schedule he had forgotten. Though she had said to finish the coffee, Maria apparently had nothing more to say, so despite his awkward acting, she didn’t mind and readily let Kafka go, telling him to ‘go quickly’.

“Thanks for listening when I suddenly approached you. See you tomorrow then.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help with your request. The coffee was good.”

“Just leave the cup there. I’ll clean up.”

Maria said with a smile. Though he felt a bit shameless, Kafka accepted her kindness and quickly left the cafeteria with just his bag.

His heart was beating for no reason. After realizing his reincarnation, he had lived with the resolve to ‘not interfere with the original work,’ but it suddenly hit him that his extremely trivial actions could affect the original story, and that such moments could come in unpredictable forms.

‘I’d better not even have trivial conversations with the main characters.’

His resolve hardened again. He didn’t have any great attachment to life, but still, if the route got twisted as a result of his actions and the world ended up being destroyed, wouldn’t that be unsettling? Just thinking of the hard work of the webtoon artist who probably racked their brains to turn an epic failure into a ‘masterpiece,’ he couldn’t let that happen.

“Oppa?”

As he was hurriedly passing through the corridor aimlessly, not knowing where to go, a familiar voice stopped Kafka in his tracks. When he stopped and turned around, Aisha was about ten steps away.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

When Aisha’s eyes met Kafka’s, she came running over happily. She seemed to be returning from sword training, as her white practice uniform pants were covered with dirt and dust.

Soren, who showed him an unknown hostility.

Maria, who had made a request that she wouldn’t normally make, acting uncharacteristically agitated.

The main characters showed sides of themselves he’d never seen in the webtoon, the moment they got involved with him.

And himself, existing only in a world where all life perishes and ends in destruction.

‘Would Aisha be safe either?’

Even if she had been fine until now, at this point when Soren had entered Rigel Academy and the original story had begun?

The same bright and gentle smile without a trace of worry as always. Brilliant pink hair. The image of his approaching twin sister was reflected in Kafka’s pale blue eyes. For the first time in his life, he felt fear at Aisha’s existence.

“Aisha.”

At Kafka’s words, Aisha stopped walking. Between the two of them remained a distance of about three steps, neither close nor far. Kafka extended his arm toward Aisha while simultaneously turning his body. It was a gesture meaning they’d talk later.

“I’m a bit busy right now. Let’s talk later.”

He walked away as if fleeing and turned the corner. Since he didn’t look back, he couldn’t know what Aisha’s expression was like. But Kafka wasn’t very worried. She would probably just shrug her shoulders wondering why he was acting that way, and go on her way.

* * *

As the bitter taste began to emerge from the millenka herb he had been burning, Kafka opened his eyes and extinguished the fire in the incense burner.

In the smoke-filled room, he stared blankly at the ceiling. Two weeks had already passed since he fled from Aisha whom he’d encountered in the corridor. If there had been any changes during that time, it was that summer vacation of about a month had begun…

[Do whatever you want. Just know that I’m very angry.]

—Leaving a note with those words stuck to his dormitory room door, Aisha had left to spend vacation at her parents’ townhouse in the capital.

Kafka remained at school as he always had since entering Rigel. When he billed his mother for dormitory fees during vacation, a signed invoice arrived without any contact.

“…”

Kafka slightly turned his head to look at the table. The note Aisha had left before departing for home was still there.

Aisha’s intuition was better than Kafka thought. That evening, she came to Kafka’s dormitory and seriously asked if something had happened. Whether anyone was bothering him, whether he had any personal worries or difficulties. After nearly an hour and a half of interrogation-like questioning, Aisha finally believed Kafka’s words that “nothing happened” and left only when curfew was approaching.

‘Nothing happening is correct, though.’

He just came to his senses a bit.

Of course, there hadn’t been any major changes yet that could be called the original story being ‘twisted.’ So there was no need to be this sensitive, but it was still better to block dangers in advance.

Rather, it was surprising that he had believed without doubt until now that he hadn’t interfered with the original story at all. Kafka Sonder had been interfering with the original story for a very long time already. By building relationships with main characters like Aisha and Maria.