I don't know how many days I have spent here.
I didn't bother counting them. Twenty years is a lot, I would be bound to stumble over and lose count regardless.
The ticking inside my head never stopped. It will never stop. 86400 ticks per day... And make it 7305 times... That would be more than a billion... I think.
That bastard inside my head went dormant.
"Tch, you're no fun. Already ceasing your struggling? Lame."
So all my days inside that cell are spent staring at the ceiling, only getting up to eat... And to meet Cathy once in a while.
It's... Peaceful in a way. Never in my life have I felt so... Calm. I'm almost content spending the rest of my days here.
No more screams, no more terrors, no more panic. Now - I have nothing to lose and nothing to gain that I could lose.
It's nice... For once I feel truly comfortable here...
...
...
...
"Fortune, is it?"
Huh???????????
Looking around, before me stands a tall mature woman, menacingly. Her eyes are piercing green and her raven hair cascaded down her face, glistening purple.
"I've come to bail you out. Get up."
"H-Huh????? W-What do you mean???????"
"I said get up, you."
I reluctantly get up from the floor, that weakness never goes away, and the witch grabs me.
"... Who..."
"Now listen up. That bail didn't come cheap. That means that you're going to work under me from now on to recuperate. Is that clear?"
"B-But I don't need your bail! A-And who the hell even are you?! What business do you have with me??"
"... I have heard that you're under the suspicion of being possessed - is that true?"
"...
And what? Do you think you can do anything against me?"
"..."
The witch looked at us dead in the eye and before we could dislodge - something got into the right eye and IT HURTS!!!
"So it is true... Well then, I have an offer for you, so you better listen up."
"Aaagh... What?..."
"I will find a way to exorcise you. We actually accept someone like you with open arms. Someone who lost it all."
She then ordered me to remove my shirt "Just a safety measure. Can't risk the Daemon breaking out and killing us all."
She begins to inscribe something on paper, her eyes are narrowed and focused. "Do not remove it under any circumstances unless I ask you to. This should dampen the daemon's influence."
"Pfha! Do you think these stupid trinkets can restrain me?! I'm a daemon! These charms do nothing!"
"If they do nothing, why won't you just leave? Isn't being inside someone else restraining? Especially a child? I thought you bastards were smarter than that."
"............... Grrr...! Still those charms will do nothing!"
"Whatever."
She applies glue to the back of the charm and presses it against my chest. It burns a ton and the witch is holding my body down.
"... Are you perhaps a daemon's child as well? If that's the case - then you should be more careful. Holy magic is commonplace between exterminators - and trust me: we're going to compete with fellow exterminators a lot."
"Why... Why are you doing all this?..."
"...
It was the request of Carolyn Jermaine."
"!!!"
Caro... Lyn?...
"Urgh! Just how much does this bitch knows?!"
"Still too talkative, huh? Perhaps I underestimated you."
"Well yeah! How can a hag like you even do something to the likes of me, AGHAGHHAHAA---!!!"
"I'm a mistress of spores. Fortune, eat this."
The witch forces a mushroom down my throat and makes me inhale some sort of powder. In an instant I feel like something is crawling inside me.
"That'll keep you in check. Normally I wouldn't have even done that - such measures are last resort: but given how much this daemon refuses to shut up - it's safe to assume it might as well be ready to lunge. Think of it as a leash"
"... Ew."
"Once our journey comes to an end... I will remove the spores from your body. Just know that."
"I'll make even more seals. You better suck it up."
In total, three seals were placed on me and I was allowed to put my shirt back on.
"Now you're more or less sufficiently prepared. Here."
She gives me the knife Oswald gave to me all those years ago. It's gone a little stale since then, yet it still has some traces of blood on it.
"Say goodbye to everyone, it'll be a long trip."
"... You still haven't answered my question... W-Who are you...?"
"...
Virgilia Grünewald - WITCH of FORESTS."
I was released from the cell and I see Carolyn and Cathy waiting for me. Carolyn immediately hugs me, breaking down in tears.
"Fortune!... God... I'm so sorry... I'm... Oh god..."
"Wha?..."
"... Auntie Lyn couldn't visit you. You know how busy she can be..."
"That's not it!!... I... I should have been more..."
Miss Carolyn cried bitterly, clutching onto me, begging for forgiveness. Cathy gently strokes her on the back sympathetically and Virgilia is just standing here, looking down on us. For some reason, there isn't any annoyance in her gaze, in fact she is acting... Patient.
After a while, Carolyn stops crying and looks up at me.
"I've entrusted you to Virgilia. She will find a way to set you free. I knew you weren't responsible for all of this... I knew that you're still out here..."
How do I tell her...?
Yeah, how do YOU tell her, patricider?
You're still here?...
Even if my throat is blocked and limbs tied up, I can still torment you.
I underestimated your will. Had you fully submitted to me, we would've been out of this mess - you wouldn't have been caught. You wouldn't have to rot in that musky cell.
Do you know how maddening those ticks and tacks were?! While you laid here, doing absolutely nothing - I had to hear all of it! You were supposed to be my liberation! Do you think I enjoyed being bound to your stupid family?! Forced to be on standby just because my precursor bound herself to some puny humans?!
When Matthew appeared, I thought that it was finally my chance to live out my life to the fullest. And I did - but I was still bound to you. And when you appeared, I thought I managed to finally break free from it all.
Like I said: I hate strugglers, a lot. So much unnecessary fighting. And I wish your soul would've just evaporated here and there.
...
... You are a sick bastard.
I hope to all hell that you will be destroyed||I hope to all hell that you will be destroyed
So what will you say to her?
I will say nothing. She's not ready yet. She's way too vulnerable.
Coward.
"Are you ready to go, Fortune?"
"... Yeah..."
"Are you ready to go, Fortune?"
"... Yeah..."
"H-Hey, shouldn't Fortune at least... Eat? He looks so thin..." Carolyn interjects
"And you stink!" Cathy grimaces "Look at you! You're like an unwashed mutt! Come on, let's go to our place!"
"A-Ah..."
It was my first time in a long while seeing the outside world. Everything feels... Different. The skies feel more... Vibrant, I think. The occasional passerby avert their eyes upon seeing me, while Jermaines and Virgilia carry me through. I feel so... Weak... Every step I take is unusually light. And soon enough we arrive at the familiar small hospital.
"Fortune, you weren't here in a long time, but Cathy and I made some renovations while you were serving your sentence. It was nearly run-down, but me and Cathy managed to pull it through to make it a less depressing place!"
"Huh..." I think... I heard that from Cathy, how she complained about her muscles aching throughout this whole process
~
"Seriously, it was a massive pain to carry all those paint buckets around, yeesh! At least the hospital's going to look much prettier..."
"Ha... Dropped your whole "Cathy" thing?"
"I-I-I'm a grown girl now, alright?! Besides that old lady at the library is very nice..."
"Sneaking into the library, now?"
"My auntie allows me to go for groceries, okay?! I can allow myself to borrow a book or two, hmph!"
~
"First, let's get you washed. You're a guy, so please just manage yourself; I'll prepare some new clothes for you." Cathy crosses her arms, trying to act authoritatively.
"A-Ah yes, Cathy here has become a seamstress in her spare time for the past 3 years. She actually earned some pocket money this way! She even made some clothes for you as well!"
Wait, it's been 3 years?...
"Oi, miss Virgilia, is this okay? Won't... Seals just get wet and soggy?"
"Just Virgilia. Let me apply some water absorbents."
Must be nice being pampered by all these ladies.
Shut up.
I remove my shirt and Virgilia applies some kind of powder on top of the seals. Cathy gives me towels and tells me to go inside the bathroom.
Hehe... Come to think of it, it has been a while since you've washed yourself, "Fortune"
Please shut up. I would rather not think about you.
Oh please, I can see everything you see, everything.
Then I'll close my eyes.
I can feel everything as well.
Then I'll make it as painful as possible.
I can tune out your suffering from mine.
... I hate you.
...
Drying myself off, and having perhaps one of the worst bathing experiences ever, I noticed a note with bandages nearby.
"Wrap these around you. Protects against the sun and protects the seals.
- Virgilia"
I wrap them as much as I can around my upper body and put on the clothes Cathy prepared for me. They're a little constricting, but nothing too severe - she had to eyeball everything after all. I then put on my hat and exit the bathroom.
"I'm done." I say as I come to the kitchen where everyone is seated.
"Wow! You look so good, Fortune! Though... Might wanna do something with your hairdo..."
"I-I'm not cutting it! Legends say so!"
"I'll let you have one of my hairbands, one sec..." Cathy stands up from her chair and rushes into her room.
"? Still wearing that hat?" Virgilia asks, pointing towards it.
"It's my mother's memorabilia... And this one is Sol's..."
"Who's that?"
"... My friend."
"If you're that keen on wearing it, give it to me. My basic repair magic should be able to do the trick."
I give the hat to Virgilia and she begins her incantation, all year and wear begins to fade away as she does. Cathy gives me the hairband that she promised and I tried my hair into a ponytail.
"Here's your hat."
"Thanks."
"Still covering that eye?" Carolyn asks and I sigh.
"I have good reasons for that, let's just say."
"... Okay, now that you're all cleaned up nicely, let's have a proper meal. I can see that you're quite malnourished." Carolyn then smiles and beckons me to join the dinner table.
We have a hearty lunch together, with Virgilia being content with sugared bread slices and black tea. It... Truly has been a while since I ate a proper meal.
Urgh, these people are quite despicable. One now knows way too much, the other's way too old and the other is a massive eyesore.
The one who knows too much is Carolyn; the old one is Virgilia, but how is Cathy an eyesore?
I'm just repulsed by her. Just looking at her feels absolutely horrendous. I would like to just plainly murder her on the spot...
Wow, a child you actually hate, how merciful.
"So, how was the meal?" Carolyn asks
"It was great, thank you, truly." I smile and she blushes "Hehehe~, still courteous as ever. Oh god I missed you so much..."
"Now that we had our last supper: it's time for us to depart, we don't have too much time - and I don't want to leave my troupe hanging."
"Oh... Right..." Carolyn dejectedly says. I feel awful about this...
We say our goodbyes to Carolyn and Cathy and we embark on a journey together.
"... Just so you know. As I'm aware: you're a murderer, right?"
"And?..."
As we walk through the forest, a monster lunges towards us. In panic, I take cover and Virgilia immediately stops it in its place, its body gets overgrown with mushrooms almost instantaneously.
"Then you should get used to the sight of dead bodies. As rogue magicians, we kill to survive - and being willing to kill is the key factor in it.
It might be disturbing at first, but you'll get used to it."
"Ah... Uh..."
"Welcome to magician's world, Fortune."
It's been nearly three years since Fortune was convicted.
And throughout that time - I haven't visited him even once.
And no matter how much I convince myself that my duty as a sole nurse is preventing me from visiting him - the truth is that I'm scared.
I'm scared to look him in the eye. I'm scared of his reaction to me. I'm... Scared to even think about him.
It wasn't him. Fortune could never pull a 180° degree and act... Like that. Just... What happened to him?
As Cathy is sorting out the wares, I pace around the room and something catches my eyes - something I haven't thought about for a long while.
Magic envelope...
Given the odd circumstances behind that day, should I notify her about this?... Is she even willing to deal with something like... That...?
I open the envelope and sit down by the desk.
How do I phrase this...?
Taka-taka-taka...
--
Dear Virgilia,
I hope this letter finds you well and in good health. I have a request for you - and it's a serious one.
Three years ago, my charge - Fortune, had murdered his own father presumably during the night - and in the morning he tried to assault me. I was lucky to have a patient nearby, who managed to apprehend him long enough to call for the guards.
The problem is... It wasn't him.
He is a timid, if not a bit indelicate little boy. He always treated me cordially and was gentle towards Cathy and his other friend he made along the way during that time period. He also never showed his right eye, keeping it hidden behind his locks. Yet when he arrived, it was his left that was more obscured, his right was on full display and seemed wounded. And he possessed inhuman strength as well - something that Fortune doesn't possess.
I don't believe it was Fortune. There's something wrong here, and I don't know why.
Please, dear Virgilia, as a knowledgeable magician I know - tell me what could be wrong with him.
I've heard rumors from visitors and patients that now he is just laying here, doing absolutely nothing unless he's asked to. I'm very concerned about him.
Love,
Carolyn
--
It's been a while since I messaged her... Hopefully it will truly reach her...
However, days pass and there is no answer in sight.
---
*Ding-ding*
"Welcome to Pra--...
V-V-Virgilia?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!??"
My heart jumps. It's her. It's really her. I rush towards her and embrace her. Oh god I missed her so much.
"Ah... Carolyn... I've received your letter... Could you let go of me, so we can discuss this?..."
"Sorry-sorry! Please make yourself comfortable, miss Virgilia!"
...
"... From everything that you've described... I'm afraid that this is possibly the case of daemonic possession at the very worst... And when dealing with such affairs - always assume the worst case scenario."
"Can daemons do that?... I... I think I heard of the daemon in their household, but it was such a long time ago, I'm not sure if I remember it correctly in the first place, it was a very passing moment."
"Had they found anything of note inside the house?"
"... Not really. They said that the bottles were thrown and that there was an open empty casket. The house is locked, so you can't get in."
"Is there anything else of note about him?"
"Ah yes! He's a magician! His powers are kinda related to time and whatnot... Honestly I can't pretend that I know any of this stuff. A researcher who was visiting at the time said that it was complicated."
"I see... I can take him under my wing then. Unfortunately for you - exorcism - if we need it - is not my field of expertise: it's a rather complicated and dangerous art, which can result in the erasure of an ego."
"Ahh!" I gasp
Erasure of an ego?...
That's terrifying!
If the daemonic possession is true then... God, poor Fortune...
"I will search as far and wide as I can: unfortunately I'm no longer in my prime, not to mention the economy and possible dangers travelling to other countries and continents - so if I fail in that regard - my deepest apologies. And given how volatile daemonic possessions are, I would pretty much prefer to keep a close eye on him. Of course we could just leave him to his own devices if you wish."
"... But what if he wasn't? Will you... Still take him?..."
"... Not really. If he did kill a person knowingly - then I don't see any point in taking in a cold blooded murderer."
"Then please... Could you take him in for my sake?... If he really did murder his own father willingly... Then he had a good reason for it...
He had done many... Many horrible things to him and his family. The ones I can't even describe. And he is the sole survivor of his family as a result.
I've personally had to wrap the dead bodies of his sisters and his mother with her unborn child!... And that man! That man! He didn't visit their graves once! While he... He...
He had to endure it all. He had to endure it all to survive.
So if he ultimately snapped like this... I don't blame him... Not saying that murder is justified, but I can at least understand him..."
When I told her Fortune's story, something in her eyes changed. It's as if a flash of sympathy had gone by - as if it was something she personally went through. But then just as quickly it appeared, it quickly disappeared and turned more serious.
"And about that assault?"
"... Still. Please help him, miss Virgilia. I swear he is a good kid..." I plead. I refuse to believe that he is a bad guy. There has to be something behind it...
"... Fine. I will bail him out, but he is still going to work for his freedom. Besides, you mentioned that he is a magician... How good is he at fighting?"
"I only saw him fight once, and even then I could tell he was acting on his instincts, and when he went against another magician - he said that this fight resulted in a draw, as he couldn't attack his friend."
"... Then I'll be his mentor as well. Once a magician - always a magician. He needs to learn at least some basics for self defense. Is that good?"
"Y-Yeah! Thank you, miss Virgilia! Just keep him safe alright?!"
"Do not thank me just yet. I am yet to see that "Fortune" person myself."
"R-Right. You'll believe me when you see him! He's a good kid, trust!"
"You're coming with me. It might be the last time you'll see him in a while... If at all. You care about this kid, right?"
"..."
"Oh! Can I join in? I wanna see Fortune too!" Cathy chimes in.
"... I guess, yeah..."
"Then we're off."
"Again, if you're taking him with you - you better keep him safe and sound!"
"... Can't promise you that. But we'll see."
We arrive at the jail and since I was technically Fortune's victim - I wasn't allowed inside. Virgilia was also almost not allowed to go, but she threatened the jailer to let her in, saying she is here to bail him out and keep him under her wing.
The guards let her inside, while Cathy and I wait outside.
... Fortune...