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Chapter 2 — Coming of age, a ceremony needed for emancipation. Part 1
I was running away as I incessantly swung my whip at the horses pulling my chariot through the sea of stars. The earth’s surface turned round and round below as I was chased in a circular orbit.
Coming after me was White Hatred, a monster that was nothing but an enormous jaw that could swallow entire stars.
Even for me, a minor god, fighting back directly could be quite dangerous.
I quickly stole a glance behind me to confirm its location.
Just like it had been since the beginning of my memory, it was still hard at my heels.
I blanched instinctively.
“No matter how you look at this, the outcome will rely purely on luck. So hey, don’t you think that just going round and round in circles like idiots is too tiring? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could take a rest?” I shouted over my shoulder. But I wasn’t expecting any answer.
“Fool,” came the unexpected answer from the depths of its jaws.
“The sole reason I was born is to chase thee.”
“But hey, do you actually enjoy it? I’m getting really tired of it by now.”
I ruffled my brown hair as I spoke.
“If thou art tired of living then chooseth death. Moon’s Postilion, I assure thee that I’ll thoroughly savour thee.”
“Uwah, the conversation is flowing way more weirdly than it should be. I honestly think that there are plenty of other fun stuff to do, more fun than just chasing after me like this.”
There was no vocal answer, it only sped up a bit.
I cowered again, hunching forward, and swung my whip once.
However, I didn’t move forward.
I felt all the blood drain from my face. I’d be killed if this happened.
I swung my whip again and again, but the horses wouldn’t budge.
Just what is happening? I turned to look around, but apart from me, nothing else made any movement.
Not even White Hatred behind me was moving.
Once I realized that, I let out a sigh of relief.
“Time came to a halt huh…then that can only mean it’s her.”
“That is correct, Moon’s Postilion.”
I heard a voice from just beside me.
In the short time I had taken to turn around, she had sat in my lap. Her soft, blond hair swayed as her blue eyes peeked at me, a gentle smile on her face as usual.
The touch of skin through thin silk material was soft and warm, causing me to be flustered all of a sudden.
My own clothing was the kind of rough wear suitable for a postilion–––short pants and a coarse shirt––– so her touch and warmth was passed on to me without obstruction.
“Good day, Moon’s Postilion. Good day, Moon’s Postilion. Good day, Moon’s Postilion.”
As always, she repeated her greeting three times.
Trying to suppress an awkward smile, I waved back at her.
I also stopped myself from thinking and telling her not to sit on top of me even though the postilion’s seat was narrow. If I told her that, I knew that she would never come to sit with me again.
And plainly put, I was quite glad every time she came to visit me.
“So…today I came for…”
When she started speaking, an uncanny glint appeared in her indigo tinted eyes.
A grim premonition started welling up inside me.
“What do you need from me, goddess of fate?”
Her well-shaped index finger muted my lips.
“Call me Ver. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“Got it, Ver.” I slightly hunched my back again.
She nodded, seemingly satisfied, and continued talking.
“Could you…risk your life to fight for a certain girl that lives in the future?”
“Please go back,” I answered immediately, but still smiling, she quickly wrapped her arms around me and hugged me, and I couldn’t say anything more.
I could feel her soft chest pressing onto mine, and my cheeks getting slightly flushed.
“I’m sorry.” Her eyes shifted downwards in apology, her long eyelashes casting a stronger shadow. “But after considering the circumstances, I can’t think of any other suitable person besides you.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.” After all, I could only understand the past and present, and even that only to a quite limited extent.
“But in reality, do I have the option to refuse?”
“You do, but I don’t plan on letting you do that.”
Her smile grew bigger as a devilish glint appeared in her narrowing eyes.
I sighed once. Really, I had no chance of winning over her.
Translation Note: The word for Postilion in Japanese is the same as the one used to name the Auriga constellation (the Charioteer), I debated about using Moon’s Charioteer when translating but I can’t remember why I chose Postilion instead, maybe it was a bit of a mouthful for some parts…
def_nomad: So, you probably see what I meant in the post now, it’ll make a bit more sense in the next part so don’t think too hard about this part for now.
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I really like this web novel