Find the One Who Abandoned Me - Chapter 111

“What exactly is this ability you’re talking about?”

“As the name suggests, it’s the ability to see far. I can see any place, and I can show others what I see. But I could never see the future. Only things that have already happened.”

Calliope raised her eyes at those final words and tilted her head slightly.

“Things that have already happened…”

If what the Saintess said was true, then she originally had no power to see the future. Yet at some point, she had started seeing visions of Isaac dying in the future. Calliope realized why those scenes were mistaken for the future.

“Because they already happened.”

Even if Calliope had turned back time, the death of Isaac remained a part of her memory. As far as the world was concerned, it was something that had already taken place. That’s why the Saintess could see it. Which also meant the previous version of the Saintess might never have known Isaac would die. To confirm, Calliope asked directly.

“Why does my Isaac have to die?”

“In the scenes I’ve seen, we manage to defeat the Demon King. But during the sealing ritual that follows, when the released magic is at its strongest, he dies.”

Calliope felt her anger rising again. She held herself back with effort.

“Why?”

“Because one Hero is missing. Normally, sealing the Demon King requires the life force of all the Heroes. When all five are present, the burden is balanced and not fatal. But when one is missing, the one with the strongest life force takes on the full weight and dies. Who that is can’t be predicted. But in my vision, it was him.”

Calliope frowned in confusion.

“Why are you short one Hero? You said all four were gathered.”

Clementia shook her head.

“The temple will announce there are four Heroes. But in truth, five are needed. Unfortunately, the record about the last Hero was damaged and lost, so we were never able to find them.”

“Damaged?”

Calliope’s head throbbed as she tried to process all this new information. She furrowed her brows and looked sharply at the Saintess.

“The one who sees the future…”

“Yes.”

“The middle part of the record was destroyed, but we interpreted it as referring to someone who sees the future.”

Calliope suddenly understood why Clementia had come to her. She stared at her with parted lips.

“You think… it’s me.”

“Yes. I came here because I believe you may be the fifth Hero.”

Clementia’s eyes were steady and determined.

“Did you tell Isaac?”

She shook her head.

“I haven’t said anything. It’s not certain yet. I only told him that if he leaves as a Hero, he will die.”

Calliope tilted her head, her eyes unblinking.

“Good.”

“Sorry?”

Calliope thought for a moment. Was she really the one who could see the future? She had been experiencing strange visions, but she wasn’t sure. This ability had only appeared after she turned back time. And if Isaac died in the past because they couldn’t find the fifth Hero, then it couldn’t have been her. There had to be someone else.

“Yes.”

Still, Calliope gave a firm answer.

“I am the last Hero.”

Because she had to go with him.

“I am the one who sees the future.”

“I knew it…”

“But I have one condition.”

Calliope smiled brightly. The burden of deciding Isaac’s fate and the fate of the world had finally lifted from her shoulders.

“Please don’t tell Isaac about me just yet. If he finds out, he’ll try to leave me behind. I’ll reveal it myself when the time is right.”

“Are you sure that’s okay?”

“It has to be. Unless you want to see my man lose his mind.”

Calliope pressed her finger to her lips and made a shushing sound as she grinned. Clementia found her smile oddly suspicious. Still, she couldn’t think of anyone else who fit the role of the final Hero, so she nodded.

“So, when do you plan to announce the matter about the Demon King?”

“The palace is holding another banquet for me in three days.”

“At your request?”

“Yes. And I plan to inform the palace officials beforehand.”

“That’s the better way to go. Dropping something like that without warning would only stir up trouble.”

“I agree. And on that day…”

Clementia glanced at Calliope.

“The Heroes will be announced. But since you asked to remain a secret, it would be best to leave your name out.”

Calliope nodded. She still had something to confirm.

“Please do.”

She had to be sure. Would he really leave her again or not? And if he did, what would be the reason this time? She needed to confirm it for herself. Only then could she understand why he had abandoned her in the past.

Calliope smiled again, brightly. But to Clementia, it didn’t look like a smile. It was only a small twist of her lips—barely a trace of one.

21. 21. Isaac’s Decision

In a dark room now filled with elegant furniture, replacing the old worn-out drawers, Isaac sat in silence, troubled. The Saintess had visited recently.

She had left behind words that felt like a prophecy. If he went to defeat the Demon King, he would die. But if he didn’t go, the world would be destroyed. Truthfully, Isaac didn’t care much about the world ending. What mattered more was something else.

“Calliope.”

She was the problem. The thought of her smile disappearing when she looked at him was what really disturbed him. Or had it already disappeared? He thought back to a few days ago and let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh, shaking his head.

“Maybe it’s better this way.”

He remembered the night of the banquet held to welcome the Saintess. The look in her eyes that saw him as a stranger, the way her pupils trembled. Then she had fled like a bird with broken wings, her scream echoing like it was the end. He remembered every moment from that night.

“Maybe I should’ve just stayed the same.”

He regretted it. He should’ve kept playing the part she wanted him to play. He had promised himself he would act for the rest of his life if he had to, but he let Verche’s words shake him. He hated that weakness in himself. That foolish desire for her to love him for who he truly was.

He sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his face with his hands. His fingertips trembled.

“No. This is for the best. It really is.”

The day Calliope told him he wasn’t the man from her memories was the first time she had truly rejected him. He tried to convince himself that this was what he needed.

The truth was, Isaac was more emotional than he ever let on. The cold, indifferent expression he always wore around Calliope was nothing more than an act—one he had perfected to be exactly what she wanted. Of course he felt things. How could he not, when he was near a woman like Calliope Anastas?

Or maybe it was better to say he had simply frozen. He was so tense from standing beside her that he had turned stiff and quiet like a fool.

“If I leave, I’ll die.”

He recalled again what the Saintess had told him. Slowly, he lowered the hands from his face. He missed Calliope. He missed the gentle touch that always showed him the right answer. But he couldn’t go to her now. He still heard her scream echoing in his ears.

Isaac reached over and rang the bell on the nightstand.

“Yes, young master. You called?”

A servant entered the room nervously. The second young master hadn’t shown himself in a long time, and now his entire demeanor had changed. The servant knew he had to be especially careful.

“Call a jeweler.”

“Excuse me?”

The unexpected request made the servant blurt out the question before he could stop himself. Those pale eyes stared at him calmly. They had a way of making a person nervous.

“My apologies. I’ll call one immediately. Do you have a preference?”

“The most expensive one.”

“Then I’ll contact Ephelorenz right away. They have the finest selection.”

“I’ll use my assigned budget. I need to choose something appropriate.”

The servant carefully asked,

“Is it for your fiancée?”

“Yes.”

Satisfied with the answer, the servant bowed and left to summon the jeweler. Isaac stood up and began changing his clothes. He would take the jewel to Calliope. He would bring her the most precious thing he could find. Because she deserved nothing less.

If he had to leave, he could allow himself this one final desire.

Even if his path would one day lead to death, even if he would have to leave her behind to face that death, just for now, he would allow himself this. He just wanted to see her face again, even if only for a moment. He missed her smile—the one that had once shone so brightly for him.

“Even if it’s a lie, just once.”

If she would smile for him one last time, just once more, that would be enough. That’s all Isaac wished for, completely unaware of what Calliope was planning.

It didn’t take long to choose the jewel.

“This one.”

“An excellent choice, sir.”

Isaac had never been good at choosing things for himself, but when it came to Calliope, he always chose perfectly. Somehow, he instinctively knew what would suit her best.

He had the jewel carefully wrapped and left the house. He was headed to the Marquis Anastas estate, to see her.

After seeing the Saintess off, Calliope had locked herself in her room again. But the book Kaphir had given her offered no more clues. It only described how Thalia had guided and ruled humanity after Melpomene’s fall.

Calliope stared at the text, puzzled.

“Then… the one people now worship as the One God, is it actually the goddess Thalia?”

That truth could never be revealed. According to official temple doctrine, the One God had created the world and personally watched over it ever since. But even so, doubt remained in her mind.

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