After I died, Everything Changed - Chapter 41

“You’re leaving?”

My grandaunt had come to see me, only to say she was returning to where she came from.

It didn’t feel real. There were still so many answers I hadn’t gotten yet—how could she just leave?

“But… isn’t the Mergen estate better for your health?”

“I feel suffocated here. The place I belong—where I feel at peace—is still the best place for me.”

“…”

“I’ll accept your letters, though.”

“What did the family head say about this?”

“My brother has never been the warm-hearted type.”

That much was certainly true.

“Before you go… could you tell me more about what you mentioned before?”

“You mean the calamity.”

“Yes.”

Most ominous talk tended to slip out of my mind, but that one had stayed with me.

“I heard monsters have appeared.”

“How did you know?”

“It’s connected to your health.”

“My… health?”

The sudden mention of monsters left me completely speechless.

“There’s balance in this world. Great power never comes alone.”

I nodded slowly, listening closely to her calm, steady voice.

“Mergen’s strength is rooted in the forest—in life force itself.”

“Yes.”

“If that power has returned… it means the death-born magic that opposes it has returned as well.”

“Wait… are you saying monsters have returned because I got better?”

“It’s not your fault. But when your body and soul fully came together, the power became complete again—and so, naturally, the magic returned.”

“…I see.”

“The truth is always cruel. Irene saving your life might not have been as noble as it seemed.”

So my body and soul coming together brought back both life’s strength… and the darkness that calls for death.

“Or, think of it the other way around. Maybe it was the return of the monsters and the magic that allowed Irene to use her power—to swap your souls.”

“I’d prefer to believe that version.”

“In the end, it doesn’t really matter which is true. What matters is that chaos has already begun.”

“How do I fix it?”

There’s always chaos in the world.

If something breaks, you fix it.
If I’m the problem, I’ll be the one to fix it.

“Do I just get rid of the power?”

In simple terms, if balance is the issue, maybe as long as my power doesn’t grow any stronger, things will settle.

“If the magic fades, your power might disappear too.”

“There’s no certainty?”

“No. And I don’t know… which path Mergen would even want you to take.”

“…That’s true.”

If I were still Deborah—still the official heir—I’d probably try to preserve both the monsters and Mergen’s power for as long as I could.

Without hesitation.

Because it would benefit the family.

“Does the family head know about this?”

“…I didn’t come here to help my brother. And no—he knows nothing about this power.”

So she hadn’t told him.

“Thank you.”

And just like that, everything felt even more tangled.

“Don’t do anything reckless. If you try to destroy that power now, you’ll lose the life you only just got back.”

“…I understand.”

World peace? Sure, that matters.

But it doesn’t matter more than my own life.

Some things never change—like my deeply selfish nature.

After that, time passed incredibly fast.

Managing the mines and the trade fleet at the same time wasn’t easy.

Honestly, I couldn’t even remember how I used to juggle all of this back when I was still the heir.

“Hey, isn’t that the Lady of Mergen?”

“That’s her! The one who brought rain with the ritual!”

These whispers had started to follow me around lately, whenever I walked through town.

“You’re a bit of a celebrity now, my lady.”

“That’s what happens when you’re a little too competent.”

The answer didn’t come from me.

“Duke Lahan. Don’t you have anything better to do?”

Why was it that every time I stepped outside, I ran into this man?

Now that the final stages of shipbuilding were underway, I’d be spending more time near the sea. I had a feeling I’d be seeing a lot more of him before it was all done.

“Not swimming today?”

“I can’t go around showing off this body every time, you know.”

“…No one’s asking you to.”

A booming laugh followed.

“How’s the injury?”

“Lately, people seem to worry about me a lot. I’ve heard that question so many times it’s practically echoing in my head. But I’m fine.”

“Sounds like a lot of people are concerned.”

“Some are afraid I’ll die. Others are afraid I’ll live. Either way, I’m getting plenty of attention.”

“For the record, I’m in the first group—worried you might die. Just thought I should clarify.”

Duke Lahan was such a strange man.

Somehow, even in this odd back-and-forth, he could make me smile.

“Of course, I did have to pay Solmon a hefty bonus for guarding you, you know.”

“The bill ended up with you? That man’s sharper than he looks.”

“Putting money aside—rumor has it Abel’s name is being tossed around just as much as yours.”

“…”

My sweet fantasy of winning over Mergen after the rain ritual had, unfortunately, hit a wall.

The reason? The monsters.

Their presence had become more serious, and Abel had stepped forward as the one leading the hunt.

With his background in war, hunting monsters came naturally to him. No surprise there.

Thanks to that, Abel’s status in Mergen had been rising rapidly—almost overnight.

“Did you come all the way out here just to rub that in?”

“Do I strike you as that petty?”

“…”

“I thought you might need some help.”

“Help?”

Let’s hear it.

“I’ll take care of the monsters for you.”

“…Sorry?”

I let out a dry laugh.

“It’s not a favor, so you don’t need to be so on guard. Still, I never understand why you have such a hard time accepting a simple gesture of goodwill.”

“What exactly are you offering?”

“I’ll exterminate the monsters. In exchange, I keep the byproducts.”

“What would you even use them for?”

“Oh, this and that.”

“Just be honest.”

He stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

“I’m thinking of crafting weapons from them.”

“You’re getting into the arms business now?”

“Is that your occupational hazard—seeing everything as a business deal? Let’s call it… personal curiosity.”

“I can’t allow that.”

“Why not?”

Lahan looked genuinely surprised, wide-eyed.

“Because the monsters are appearing on Mergen’s land. Our family’s private soldiers are stationed at those borders. I can’t let you in.”

“So, you’re worried about me.”

“It’s the opposite.”

It wasn’t that I wanted to nitpick everything, but…

Truthfully, I was worried—just not in the way he thought.

Lahan Duke was already a renowned swordsman across the continent.

Before Abel’s reputation grew, whenever someone spoke of the battlefield, it was his name they thought of first.

Seeing someone like him now trying to get involved in our family’s affairs…

It reminded me too much of Abel. And I didn’t like that.

“In short, I’m saying it won’t be easy.”

“With some effort, I think it could work.”

“Well, my efforts… will be focused over there for now.”

I pointed toward the nearly finished ship at the docks.

“Just know that my offer stands—anytime.”

“Understood.”

“Also, if you’re planning to walk into that area wearing shoes like those, I should tell you—it’s a terrible idea.”

I glanced down at my feet.

“What? What’s wrong with these?”

They were soft lambskin shoes—Karlin had spent quite a bit of time picking them out for me.

Karlin had carefully picked them out—soft shoes so my feet wouldn’t hurt while walking.

“Hmm.”

Duke Lahan folded his arms and began inspecting my shoes as if it were a serious matter.

After a brief pause, he rubbed his chin with one finger.

What is he doing now?

“I’ll take care of it.”

“…What?”

Take care of what? Why you? And why?

Before I could even respond, Duke Lahan reached out and grabbed my wrist.

“Ah—!”

I flinched at the sudden contact, but by then, I was already being pulled along by his grip.

“W-Wait…!”

Sometimes I wondered—was I simply out of my depth when outside of my own territory?

Maybe I wasn’t as composed as I thought, seeing how easily I was being dragged around like this.

“Where are we going?!”

“Lady of Mergen, just follow me.”

He walked with a spring in his step, clearly enjoying himself.

I had to hurry to keep up, half-jogging behind him.
Everywhere we passed, people greeted him—and some even yelled complaints.

“Your Grace! Where are you off to now? You still haven’t paid your tab!”

“I’m busy—let’s talk later!”

“You’re tabbing things?”

“If you’re about to worry about my finances, don’t bother.”

“But you’re a duke! Why would someone like you even—ah!”

I was about to continue scolding him when I suddenly found myself being pulled right into a shop.

“This is…”

“Go ahead. Pick one. If it’s work boots you need, this place is the best.”

“…”

I glanced around.

The shop was lined wall to wall with tough-looking boots—every pair made for real labor.

Clearly, the duke hadn’t given a second thought to the frills on my dress.

“Work boots as a gift… now that’s a first.”

“Am I the first man to give you shoes?”
Lahan asked, glancing at me.

“Just make sure you pay for them.”

There was no point in saying anything else. So I shut my mouth.

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