Chapter 409: Fifty-four, take his life away.
Because after she approached, she saw the silver notes on Ogg’s body, which were now covered in blood and distorted beyond recognition.
As if someone had broken a bone.
Ogg noticed Hewinia’s gaze, and then managed to squeeze out a smile with great effort.
“Sorry, Hewinia,” he said.
“I failed my Ascension, and all the notes were destroyed.”
“I’m not a Player anymore.”
“According to the rules, I have to leave the academy today and return to my hometown… my seed home.”
“That guy is very strong and very cruel; he said he’s going to target you.”
“I wanted to help you, but I’m just too weak, and I failed the Ascension… I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.”
“But I believe, Hewinia, you definitely can do it.”
“Just don’t, please don’t get killed by that guy.”
Hewinia couldn’t recall how long she had stood there, motionless.
It was as if she had fallen asleep, as if she were in a dream.
Until Bai Wei’s voice woke her up: “Hewinia, if you go any further, you’ll have to confront that guy.”
She then came back to reality, realizing that she had left the library at some point and was now standing on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, in front of the erected Magic Barrier.
“Your condition is very poor, Hewinia,” Bai Wei said. “You need to adjust yourself well… don’t forget those people are still waiting for you at the docks.”
Hewinia opened her mouth, intending to say something, when she suddenly felt a heavy weight in her hand.
She looked down and saw Ogg’s notebook, which seemed to have been retrieved from a pool of blood, steadily seeping more blood into her hands, staining her clean and solemn formal wear.
She opened the notebook.
Inside were various excerpts from sentences and documents and handwritten warnings.
“The weak points of the Music score.”
“How Players should resist holders of the Music score.”
“The body cannot be destroyed, it can be ground into mincemeat and still be restored!!”
“The score is silver, and also plundered.”
And many more, including the golden notes that Cesar now possessed and the Seven Notes Music score copied from who knows where.
“It looks like he was really concerned about you getting killed by that guy,” Bai Wei said. “If there wasn’t a lack of time, I bet he would have copied down every forbidden book he could find for you.”
Hewinia didn’t speak; she simply flipped through the notebook in silence.
So Bai Wei remained silent, not to disturb her.
It was unclear how much time had passed before she finally spoke.
“Mr. Visas, I don’t understand.”
“Why did he go to such lengths,” Hewinia said. “He comes from the same place as me, you know what that place is like, you too can imagine what we’ve both been through… so why?”
She looked down at the notebook in her hand, her eyes full of confusion.
“I don’t understand why he became… such a person, completely different from me.”
“I can’t comprehend,” she whispered, “I really can’t comprehend.”
Hewinia felt bewildered.
No pain, no disdain, no pretense.
Only bewilderment, the purest bewilderment, as if she were about to lose herself in this expanse of snow.
Then, she heard Bai Wei’s voice: “That’s an interesting question, because a few months ago, I said something similar to someone, and I think… he might be able to answer you.”
“You became this way because you encountered Hewinia.”
“He became that way because he met you.”
Hewinia opened her mouth.
“Please, Miss Hevnia, don’t kill me, I beg of you.”
“Heh, sorry, can’t do that.”
“Ah, I’m sorry, Miss Hevnia!”
“Hey, it’s alright, why are you so scared, also, please just call me Hevnia.”
The snowflakes gently fell.
Falling on Hewinia’s face, falling on the notebook in her hands.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
It was unclear how much time went by.
She slowly closed the notebook, gazing into the distant Forbidden Forest as if she had understood something.
“What can I offer,” she said softly, “to have you, take that person’s life?”