MTFBMP Chapter 50

“Jade?”

 

It wasn’t the body lying on the floor, but the ghost bird leaning on my hand that blinked its eyes. 

 

After taking a few deep breaths and puffing up its body, it spread its wings wide and gave a strong flap.

 

The ghost bird, now fully grown, looked at me and soon brushed its beak against my cheek.

 

A name floated above its head. It was Jade’s name.

 

“Jade. From now on, this ship is going to completely collapse. Take Dion and…”

 

I paused for a moment, looking at the bird, listening to my words. In terms of distance, Whitegold Beach was the closest.

 

There was only one option for where to send him.

 

“Go to Whitegold Beach. Go and meet Simon.”

 

Given the speed of the fully grown ghost bird, it seemed possible to reach the beach before something happened to Dion. 

 

Since I had sufficiently nourished its soul, it seemed likely that it could sustain flight for a while using the bird’s spiritual energy.

 

Simon, who had a promise to me, would recognize Dion and take good care of him. 

 

Though his body was aged, with his level of strength and influence, he could protect Dion and then send him to the pirate island.

 

Apart from that, an inexplicable sense of déjà vu began to weigh heavily on me.

 

“Now, do we just put him on the bird?”

 

“Ah!”

 

Adele’s voice broke through my thoughts.

 

“I’ll leave it to you, Adele.”

 

“As you command.”

 

Adele soon helped the injured Dion onto Jade’s back, who had now become a bird. 

 

Dion let out a painful groan in the process. After ensuring he was securely positioned so he wouldn’t fall, Adele stroked Jade’s chin.

 

“We don’t have time, so let’s depart first.”

 

“Wait, a moment…”

 

Startled by the voice stopping me, I turned my head to see Dion, who had been unconscious just moments ago, barely opening his eyes and looking at me.

 

“Dion, you can’t move here!”

 

I had just managed to get him into position, and Dion almost fell off the bird. 

 

To be precise, as I reached out my hand, Adele stepped forward first and grabbed Dion.

 

“What’s going on here?”

 

“What you’re riding now is a ghost bird. You can call it Jade now, and it will respond.”

 

Even with just that brief explanation, Dion seemed to understand what had happened to Jade. 

 

He must have already investigated what kind of creatures were in the ship’s hold.

 

“Then, Jade is finally…”

 

Piiii!

 

The bird answered instead, as if declaring that it was now Jade.

 

While calming the bird, which was shuffling its feet a few times, I locked eyes with Dion again.

 

“So you knew from the beginning what was in the cage… You knew everything, didn’t you?”

 

I couldn’t tell exactly what emotion was carried in his thin breath. It could have been disappointment or resentment, or perhaps even relief.

 

One thing was clear, nothing could be undone now.

 

“I’m sorry for hiding it.”

 

“I’ll say it again, there’s no need to apologize.”

 

Dion let out a long, thin breath.

 

Somehow, his demeanor reminded me of Adele when he was healing his wings. It was pitiful, and it was hard to just stand by and watch.

 

A pang of guilt ached in my chest.

 

“It was a monster in the hold that even I couldn’t awaken.”

 

Knowing he was talking about Adele, I instinctively glanced back. Adele was still standing steadfastly behind me, guarding my back.

 

Dion seemed unaware of what Adele looked like when he was human.

 

“I think you know what it means… to have awakened him.”

 

“Dion, stop talking.”

 

“Go to the pirate island.”

 

Dion stubbornly continued, “I have something to give you.”

 

With trembling hands, Dion reached into his pocket and pulled something out. After checking what he held, he placed it on my palm.

 

“This is…”

 

Even without Dion explaining, I knew what it was. It was his identity badge, granting access to the pirate island.

 

“Take this and go to the island’s master.”

 

“But this is your identity badge.”

 

“To be precise, it’s the badge of the pirate island’s successor.”

 

Dion still seemed to be under the misconception that I was the successor.

 

“My father would have liked seeing you in a dress.”

 

“Were you planning to introduce me to others like that?”

 

“Don’t you need to find your family?”

 

Dion was wrong. I was in the midst of running as far away as possible to protect my family.

 

There wasn’t enough time to correct that misunderstanding.

 

“I’ll return this to you later.”

 

As if he had fulfilled his duty, Dion relaxed and slumped onto the bird.

 

“Dion, from now on, you’re going to our grandfather. You can survive.”

 

Dion still looked at me with a skeptical expression.

 

“I still… haven’t heard your name.”

 

As the ghost bird prepared to leap, Dion asked one last question.

 

“My name is…”

 

“That’s enough.”

 

At that moment, Adele, who had been waiting behind me, stepped between us.

 

“We don’t have any more time to waste.”

 

Adele gave a sharp nod. The bird, understanding him, let out a long cry and spread its wings wide. I stepped back to avoid being hit by the wings.

 

Adele held me steady, so I wouldn’t be swept away by the gust of wind from the bird’s flapping. 

 

At that moment, the bird took off.

 

The ghost bird circled above our heads a couple of times, seemingly reluctant to leave the ship that had begun to collapse and burn.

 

“Make it depart quickly, Adele.”

 

Even though the ghost bird had just matured and was brimming with energy, it still had its limits. 

 

It was better to leave as soon as possible.

 

At that moment, I saw a glimmering, star-like emerald light and blinked rapidly.

 

“Huh?”

 

Simultaneously, a light erupted from below. 

 

A white beam was escaping from my hand. When I opened my palm to check the source of the light, I was left speechless.

 

“Why is this glowing?”

 

It was the identity badge Dion had given me.

 

The circular badge, made of pure silver, was glowing in my hand. The light, starting from the emblem symbolizing the ducal family, suddenly emitted a fierce brilliance. 

 

It flickered as if it was about to go out, then shone brightly again.

 

It was like a lightbulb on the verge of burning out. I lifted my head and looked at Dion, who had just begun to move away from the ship.

 

“This can’t be.”

 

Dion Noir.

 

Though the distance made him appear small, the name was unmistakable.

 

Only then did I realize the true nature of the déjà vu that had been haunting me?

 

“The story is about to begin.”

 

The sequence had changed, but the events I already knew were unfolding. 

 

As if what was destined to happen would inevitably occur, it was playing out before my eyes.

 

A stranger drifting ashore at Whitegold Beach. 

 

A single figure heralding the start of the story. I had a premonition that Dion would inherit the protagonist’s fate.

 

No, it felt as if it was vividly unfolding before me.

 

A light sense of weightlessness enveloped me.

 

It was one of the strange sensations I felt whenever I saw visions.

 

“Fate is about to begin.”

 

As I spoke the words aloud, a greater sense of reality washed over me.

 

It felt as if the frozen hands of a clock had started moving, and the sound of sand falling through an hourglass could be heard.

 

“Theia!”

 

At just the right moment, Adele called my name from behind and turned me around.

 

Only Adele and I remained on the burning ship.

 

“Adele?”

 

Adele wore an expression I had never seen before. His brow was furrowed, but it wasn’t an angry look.

 

He cupped my face with both hands and stared intently into my eyes.

 

“What’s wrong? Did something else go wrong?”

 

Reading the unease hidden in his expression, I asked.

 

“No. It’s nothing.”

 

The strange sensations that had enveloped me immediately after Adele grabbed me had all disappeared. 

 

It was as if a ship drifting in the void had suddenly dropped anchor, and my mind snapped back to reality.

 

“Now we need to get out of here too.”

 

Boom!

 

The sound of the mast collapsing echoed nearby. The high crow’s nest swayed precariously before tilting over.

The flames that had begun to spread across the wood roared up, filling the space behind Adele.

 

‘It looks like the sea is on fire.’

 

Just like the vision I had seen once before, the surroundings were ablaze with flames.

 

“Where do you wish to go, Master?”

 

Adele reached out his hand toward me. It was an empty hand, holding nothing. There was nothing in his grasp that could harm me.

 

“Anywhere is fine. Just the opposite direction of where Dion is heading.”

 

“Anywhere you desire, Master.”

 

I spoke as I took Adele’s hand, and he kissed the back of my hand in response.

 

In an instant, Adele transformed into the form of a bird. 

 

Like the sun rising at the end of a long dawn, Adele shone brightly.