So That's How It Is

"He's that cruel person to me!"

Cadmus's eyes widen in astonishment as he witnesses his brother's collapse: "N-No, Brother?!"

Cadmus immediately panics and escorts his brother out of the office while exclaiming, "Someone! Summon a doctor! Hurry!"

He rushes towards his brother's room.

Casimin couldn't comprehend.

Why? Why is life so arduous? Why does existence have to be so intricate?

As he gradually loses consciousness, he feels as though he's descending into an abyss and awakens to find himself facing the same dream scenario. However, this time, he isn't experiencing it firsthand. He merely stands there, like an observer, watching events unfold.

"Shradinza!"

Casimin observes himself standing in front of Euric, his silver knight uniform drenched in blood, gazing at the other party with intense animosity.

"Hahahahaha."

Euric bursts into manic laughter while fixing his gaze upon Casimin, devoid of any trace of fear.

Then, he witnesses himself shouting in anger, "It's entirely your family's fault!"

Euric merely grins and retorts, "Give up! Until his dying breath, he only recognized me as his brother and no one else!"

Casimin grows pale as he realizes the gravity of the situation.

Whether it be in the past or the future, this scene seems to serve as a forewarning. Something must have transpired to lead to this outcome. How did the once amicable relationship between the Shradinza and their family's friends crumble like this?

"Even after everything, you still have the audacity to claim brotherhood?!"

Euric's expression darkens as he glares at Casimin with hatred. "I am his brother, and as for you? You are merely a friend of his enemy! That alone makes you an enemy as well. So, don't assume that killing me will alleviate your guilt!"

What do you mean?

Casimin observes the unfolding scene before him, unable to comprehend what is happening.

Euric declares, "He lives, calling me his brother, and he dies knowing that I am his only true brother. No matter what, your existence means nothing to him; you're nothing more than a stranger!"

"Shut up!"

"I will find him! I will locate his body, even if it means sacrificing my own life force to rectify everything!"

Euric displays a surprised expression. "Y-You..."

"And once everything is rewritten, you will be the one left feeling like a stranger."

No.

Casimin reaches out his hand, but the scene fades away and is replaced by another.

He now finds himself inside the dukedom, standing in the hallways. Before him stand himself and Cadmus, engaged in a heated conversation that escalates until his younger brother screams and swings his swords, shattering the glass window.

Casimin takes a step back, fear evident on his face, as he witnesses himself kneeling.

"Why? Why did you kill him?"

Casimin shakes his head.

No. No. This must be false. It can't be happening.

This cannot be true!

"Tell me, Cadmus, why did you murder my younger brother?!"

Casimin's knees buckle as he collapses to the floor. His heart aches so intensely that it feels as if he's personally experiencing the events before him.

He also looks up and sees the pained expression on Cadmus's face.

"Brother. Do you hate me now?"

Casimin weeps and clings to his little brother's trousers, feeling utterly powerless in the face of Cadmus having killed his own blood-related brother even before they had a chance to meet.

He is too late.

"Cadmus. W-Why did you do that?"

Casimin too yearns for an answer, so he continues watching despite the anguish.

"Because if I didn't, I would lose not only myself but also the family I hold dear."

Cadmus laughs bitterly. "Brittany committed suicide, as did Mother. Both have departed this world, and even that person fled with death. Brother, did you think I could bear witnessing you reunite with him while knowing I would be left alone?"

"Why did you think I would abandon you?!"

"Because of what you are doing!"

Cadmus's face contorts in anguish. "When you uncover a clue, you tirelessly seek the truth. You never returned to the dukedom, and I waited for you every day, hoping you would never discover it. But the pressure became unbearable; I couldn't keep hoping. So, before the two of you could meet, I killed him! And now you've killed Euric! No more! I am the only Shradinza left! I am your only little brother now!"

Casimin descends into despair.

"Cadmus. Have you ever considered my feelings?"

"I have, and I am prepared to bear your hatred."

Casimin gazes at the floor. "No, Cadmus. I won't hate you."

Cadmus flinches.

"I understand your fear. I'm sorry for what you've endured because it was my father who shattered your life. That's why I cannot bring myself to hate you because it's only natural for you to feel that way. What I fail to comprehend is why you needed to kill him when he, too, had no knowledge of his true identity?"

Casimin smiles sorrowfully.

"Have you ever realized that he, too, is a victim and undeserving of all this?"

Casimin clutched his head, struggling to catch his breath, and once again, the scene shifted. This time, he found himself in the underground training chamber, observing his own self inscribing a spell on the floor with his own blood.

The person before him appeared worn out, devoid of the vitality that once emanated from within.

His eyes held a vacant emptiness as he etched the spells within the magic circle.

Casimin remained silent, unsure of the nature of the spell being performed, so he continued to watch in stillness.

"Eugene, brother is sorry for you. But don't worry, I will save you."

Casimin clutched his chest, finally piecing together the fragments of the preceding scenes

"I shall sacrifice myself and offer everything I possess to ensure your happiness in this new life."

Casimin observed the magic circle nearing completion, while the figure in front of him struggled on the ground, his face contorted in pain as he continued to inscribe the spells using his own blood.

Stop.

This was unbearable.

His heart felt as if it would burst.

Please, release him!

A resounding laughter echoed throughout the room, prompting Casimin to close his eyes as the magic circle radiated with an ominous glow.

The air grew frigid, and when Casimin opened his eyes again, he beheld himself staring at a murky, ethereal figure, swaying in the air, emitting sounds reminiscent of human speech.

"What is your desire?"

Casimin widened his eyes, rising to his feet, but his outstretched hand merely passed through the scene.

"I care not about your true nature. I wish to strike a pact with you!"

An evil laughter enveloped the surroundings, sending chills down Casimin's spine.

"Human, as long as you offer me your soul, I shall grant your every wish."

Casimin stood motionless, relegated to the role of a mere observer, aware of his inability to intervene in the unfolding scene.

He was meant solely to watch, without interference.

"I desire to turn back time!"

Silence permeated the room this time.

"Human, do you comprehend the implications of your wish? Altering the flow of time opposes the will of the heavens. You may face punishment and lose everything."

"I care not! I wish to turn back time! I offer my soul in exchange. Aid me in turning back time!"

"Intriguing."

"If you genuinely yearn to turn back time, then I shall fulfill your desire with utmost sincerity."

Casimin's heart began to race, and in the next instant, the misty figure uttered inaudible words, forcefully pulling him away as the scene morphed once again.

——Eugene sought solace in his room, attempting to calm his racing thoughts.

The earlier conversation had left him exhausted. He hadn't anticipated Kaizer's insistence, but now he was plagued by worry, as he had nothing to offer Kaizer in return. The notion of marriage gnawed at him, and he clenched his teeth, intending to lie down on his bed and rest.

However, in that moment, a peculiar sensation washed over him.

"What on earth..."

Eugene unleashed his power, and crimson strings materialized, hovering in the air. He closed his eyes and transferred his consciousness to the heavenly realm.

Upon arrival, his gaze fixes upon an open book, its once-empty pages now adorned with swiftly forming words.

"This can't be!"

Surprised, he approached the book, and it dawned on him...

"Someone's destiny is being rewritten?!"

Eugene's hand trembled, unable to touch the book, leaving him no choice but to watch as the gears of fate began to turn.

Someone was undertaking what he alone had dared to do.

But who could it be?

Who possessed the power to defy the heavens, aside from himself and Kaizer?!

Something felt amiss.

It shouldn't be this way.

At this rate...

Eugene froze as his gaze landed on a particular name.

Casimin Inolliet Del Viltaria.

T-This...

Eugene's eyes narrow with intensity, and with a swift motion, he retrieves the book of records belonging to his twin brother from the shelves. As expected, the once-empty pages begin filling with words, unfolding the story before him.

It wasn't a rewritten destiny but rather a continuation of the record.

Casimin's present existence is being meticulously documented.

"Hah! Hahaha."

Eugene's laughter reverberates through the hall as he fixates his gaze on the book, delving into its contents from the very beginning.

While reading, tears streamed down his face. A whirlwind of emotions surged within him, ranging from disbelief to anger and ultimately, helplessness. He read about how his twin brother sacrificed himself to bring him back to Artha, how Casimin defied everyone and everything to reunite with him. But in the end...

It was Cadmus who had taken his life.

It was Cadmus.

It suddenly dawns on him why he had remained oblivious to Cadmus's identity as his killer. Their paths had never crossed, and he had never bothered to take notice of Cadmus or even make eye contact during their time at the academy.

Unbeknownst to him, Cadmus had been fixated on him all along.

And now, it becomes clear why those eyes felt so familiar.

They were the same pair of eyes that had gazed upon him on the fateful night of his demise.

Cadmus.

Cadmus Ivollette Del Viltaria.

Eugene raised his arm and summoned Cadmus's life record, determined to delve into the existence of his murderer. He set aside Casimin's account for now, as he yearned to uncover the life of the one responsible for his death.

To determine if vengeance was warranted.

Yet, as he reads through the record, a profound sense of hatred fails to find its way to his lips. This outcome is not what he anticipated. The reason behind Cadmus's act, revealed through these pages, leaves him feeble. The truth, unexpected and jarring, strips him of his anger.

It becomes apparent that his brother Euric, Casimin, and Eullian are not the ones he should hold remorse for. Instead, it is Cadmus, whose destiny has been intertwined with his since birth, that deserves the deepest apologies.

No, with this newfound truth, how could Eugene possibly harbor hatred toward Cadmus?

He, Eugene Aimer Shradinza, had been living under another person's identity.

The true bearer of the Shradinza name is Cadmus.

The two of them shared a parallel fate, and Casimin's manipulation of time wasn't solely to save him but also to rescue Cadmus, who had become a victim to the world.

He didn't suffer alone.

Someone else, akin to him, sought justice for the injustice they had endured.

Eugene's eyes turned cold.

He can't take revenge on Cadmus.

He simply couldn't harbor anger toward someone who had undergone similar life trials as him.

Emotionally drained, Eugene finds himself incapable of shedding any more tears. He sits in a daze, fixating his gaze on the bookshelves, patiently waiting for Casimin's life record to reach its conclusion. It is crucial for him to understand what transpired after his own demise, and Casimin's record holds the key.

He yearns to gain a deeper understanding of the world he left behind, to truly grasp the remnants of his existence that continue to linger.

Why did everything have to be so disarrayed?

Why did the duke have to cause suffering for everyone, including himself?

Just as he had been reeling from the shock of his conversation with Kaizer, another blow befell him.

This day was the epitome of wretchedness.

He desired to comprehend everything, so that he would no longer dwell in falsehoods as he had in the past.

Hence, he couldn't proceed with marrying Kaizer.

For he remained uncertain if, within those instances, heaven would have detected his presence.

He still had to confront the gods and liberate the people of Artha.