Chapter 14: Questions (1)
Chapter 14: Questions (1)
Jin and Ariel left the empty lot, walking in silence. Jin led the way while Ariel followed a few steps behind. An air of silence lingered heavily between them for a long time. Jin said nothing, simply guiding Ariel forward. Overwhelmed by the sudden situation, Ariel had no choice but to follow absentmindedly.
Jin, as if conscious of her, walked slower than his usual stride, making it easy for Ariel to keep up. But Ariel, lost in thought, failed to notice the consideration behind his pace.
Like a doll in a daze, Ariel trailed after Jin until he came to a halt and turned to face her. Only then did she snap out of her stupor. It was then she realized just how distracted she’d been. The scenery around them had completely changed.
She couldn’t recall entering any structure, yet they now stood indoors. A tidy desk, table, and small sofa caught her eye. It looked like Jin’s barracks, or so she guessed.
What caught her attention next was Jin’s gaze, fixed on her from a mere three steps away. The moment she became aware of him, their eyes met. As if waiting for that moment, Jin finally spoke.
“You…”
He took a large step toward her. Jin towered over her by more than a handspan, and as he moved closer, Ariel’s gaze naturally tilted upward, tracking his face.
It was the first time she had looked at him so closely with a clear head. For the first time, Ariel took in the details of his face.
Under the interior lighting, his silvery-white hair gleamed like moonlight, exuding an otherworldly glow. His skin was as pale as his hair, and his double-lidded eyes conveyed a languid yet cold impression. His golden irises shimmered like jewels, reflecting her image with a faint ripple.
‘…Rippling?’
Ariel realized something was off. She blinked, doubting her own eyes, but the vision before her didn’t change. Jin’s eyes, which were holding her gaze, indeed seemed to ripple like undulating waves.
Her eyes widened. The disparity between her preconceived image of him and what she now saw shocked her. Desperate to understand, she studied his expression. Then, she froze in place, stunned by the sight that filled her view.
Before she could process her surprise, Jin spoke again, his words resuming where they had left off.
“Why are you here?”
His voice, emotionless and composed, starkly contrasted with his pale, contorted expression, which seemed as if it might collapse into tears at any moment.
Ariel, too bewildered to remember she stood before a superior officer, gaped at him, her mouth slightly ajar.
‘This man… is really Jin Kreuz…?’
Even though his silvery hair left no room for doubt, he was the only one in Dantera with such hair, she couldn’t shake the absurdity of the thought.
Ariel didn’t know much about him. However, she’d heard enough about him to last a lifetime from a friend in the Elders’ Council who had regular dealings with him.
A cold, calculating man devoid of emotion. A purely rational being with no trace of humanity.
But the expression on his face now was impossible to reconcile with that description. His trembling pupils and tightly drawn lips were filled with unmistakable turmoil.
Ariel didn’t think her friend had lied. There was no need or reason for her to fabricate such stories. It must have been the side of him her friend had always witnessed.
And yet, Jin’s expression, suspended between blankness and distortion, seemed unnatural, like that of someone unaccustomed to emoting. Perhaps he usually wore an impassive face, making such moments awkward and unfamiliar.
But why now, and why in front of me?
While Ariel grappled with her thoughts, silence enveloped the room.
The faint sound of rain, which had started at some point, seeped into the barracks. A thunderclap ripped through the air, briefly illuminating the space behind Jin with a flash of lightning. His silhouette disappeared and reappeared in the blink of an eye. As the thunder faded, the rain grew louder.
“Why are you here?”
Jin repeated his question, his voice sharp and precise.
‘That’s what I’d like to ask…’
Questions bubbled to the surface of Ariel’s mind – questions she’d been too startled to consider since arriving.
Jin Kreutz, whom she’d seen at Aynkel’s tomb. The donations he’d begun sending after Aynkel’s death.
Her earlier confusion dissipated as clarity settled in. Ariel, who had been slack like a marionette with cut strings, straightened herself and spoke.
“I volunteered. Why ask something so obvious?”
Her voice flowed smoothly, back to its usual tone.
CRACK!
Thunder roared again as her words landed. Lightning flashed once more, and Jin’s eyes widened. He turned his gaze away sharply, his golden lashes casting half-shadows over his irises. A faint groan escaped his lips.
“That… Ah…”
He seemed lost in thought, his muttering fading into silence. But the stillness didn’t last long.
Jin raised his head again.
“Ariel Elias.”
He pronounced her name with precision, then took another step closer. Caught off guard, Ariel instinctively retreated a step and replied, “Yes.”
His expression was stiffer than before. Ariel felt tension seep into her own posture as she braced herself.
“This is a battlefield.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“Even the strongest mages can’t predict what might happen here.”
“Yes, I know.”
“….”
Ariel’s answers were calm and immediate, as his statements were self-evident truths.
“So what?”
Why was he telling her this?
Jin’s rapid-fire statements came to an abrupt halt. Letting out a small sigh, he ran a hand over his face and lowered his head.
“Then…”
His voice, barely audible, trailed off.
“You knew, and yet…”
His tone, his actions, even the subtleties of his phrasing. Ariel could sense the emotions behind them.
Worry. Anxiety.
Ariel couldn’t comprehend it.
“Are you not afraid of dying?”
When he raised his head again, his gaze locked with hers.
“I…”
Urged by his questioning eyes, Ariel hesitated, unsure whether she should answer. After a brief pause, she decided, her expression calming further as she spoke.
“More importantly… I don’t understand why you care. You and I are strangers. Isn’t it inappropriate to ask something so personal?”
“…”
Jin averted his gaze again. Ariel noticed his hand, which covered his mouth, trembling slightly. The silence stretched, so Ariel took the initiative.
“I saw you at my brother’s grave. Did you know him?”
At her question, Jin hesitated, glancing at her briefly before responding after a noticeable pause.
“Yes.”
“…Really?”
Ariel’s expression darkened, her eyes turning cold.
“Then why didn’t I know about it?”
“Perhaps he didn’t mention it.”
Could that really be the case? It might be, but it was hard to accept. Not only because of Karma’s insistence but because of who Aynkel was.
Aynkel was someone with few close friends. It was strange that he had never mentioned such an important connection. Even if he hadn’t, it seemed odd that he wouldn’t have thought to share it in his letters.
“And the donations. Why were they sent anonymously?”
“What?”
Jin flinched as though struck by lightning. His reaction was noticeably sharp. His gaze locked on Ariel, his widened eyes glowing with golden waves. He was flustered.
Her suspicions deepened.
“How did I know it was you, even though it was anonymous? Because the paper spoke to me. It carried the thoughts of the one who wrote it.”
“….”
Jin’s expression froze in shock. It was strange – too strange. His reaction was not that of someone with a clear conscience.
Another loud clap of thunder echoed. This time, Ariel paid it no mind. She pressed on.
“Was it not true that you knew him?”
“….”
Jin, instead of answering, turned his gaze away again. That was all the confirmation Ariel needed.
‘There’s more to this.’
Her eyes sharpened as she stared at his profile, now averted.
The silence between them returned. It felt like time itself had stopped, both of them frozen in place.
Ariel grew increasingly frustrated. If he had something to say, he should say it; if not, he should let her leave. But Jin remained motionless. And she couldn’t simply storm out.
This time, the silence stretched on far longer. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jin lifted his head slightly, as if coming to a decision.
“That…”
Their eyes met. The words Jin was about to speak faltered, his golden eyes shaking with confusion. His lips tightened, and his brows furrowed as though grappling with something. Ariel held her breath, her focus entirely on him, awaiting his next words.
“I…”
Jin started to speak again, but his voice faltered once more. His golden eyes clouded with turmoil as they fixed on her, now even more uncertain than before.
……
(T/N: Why is Jin being like this?)
