Chapter 16: Only You Don’t Know
After the mayor uttered those words, he fell silent.
After a considerable time, the silence was broken, “Are we the only ones kept in the dark?”
He couldn’t fathom why he felt so burdened at the moment. As a visitor from a distant place, he had already found this world surreal. But hearing the mayor’s words, he realized this place was more than surreal. At that moment, Ron felt a twinge in his neck.
He touched his neck, finding a lengthy scar there as if something had cut through it.
As he is now, the entire world is deceiving him.
A profound sense of doubt hovered over him—since Miss Mercury knew the situation here, why hadn’t she resolved it?
Why send people to their deaths?
“Come inside?” The mayor stood up, leaning on his cane.
“What do you want?” Ron asked instinctively.
The mayor shuffled into the house, his back turned to him, and said, “Just making a fire for you…”
When Ron followed inside, he realized the mayor was lighting the fireplace for him.
“This place is in chaos because of magic… time has become very confused,” the mayor said, “but also because of this.”
“No need to worry about those dangerous people in town leaving…”
Ron naturally knew who the mayor was referring to as dangerous people, but he had no concept of the time confusion.
As if sensing Ron’s confusion, the mayor sat by the fireplace. “Time will pass, but the sky will never turn to night, the dust on the walls won’t accumulate, and the paths won’t extend.”
Only aging will happen regardless of wind or rain.
Ron looked at the frames secured on the windowsill and casually remarked, “So, people before me all died of old age?”
“The house is spotless as if someone has been cleaning it constantly.”
“You’re right… without exception,” the mayor nodded, confirming his guess.
Ron fell silent for a moment, then impulsively lifted the picture frame. Inside the frame was the mayor’s family. It was evident that he had a wife and a son. However, given the mayor’s lonely appearance, it was clear that the others in his family hadn’t been spared from the freeze in the town of Eternal Winter.
Seeing Ron lift the frame, the mayor didn’t reprimand him. Instead, he explained, “My wife managed to leave safely… but my son died…”
“You’ve had it pretty rough,” Ron genuinely felt sorry for the elderly man. “If I had stayed in this place for countless years, I reckon I would have killed myself by now.”
The mayor placed his hands on his abdomen, glancing at the ceiling, and asked, “Suicide?”
“I’ve thought about it too… but it’s not a simple matter,” he said, then fell silent.
Ron observed the mayor for a moment. He would ask for help pulling the plug if he was beyond saving, so he didn’t understand the significance of the mayor enduring such torment. After all, as the saying goes, sometimes not dying is also a curse. Ron agreed with this perspective.
“So, how do I break the magic you mentioned?” Since the mayor knew the most, he should definitely know how to undo the magic. Even if nothing else, the mayor should be able to provide details about the magic.
But the mayor didn’t answer the question. Instead, he asked, “Do you want something to eat?”
“I just want to know how to undo the magic and leave this place,” Ron resecured the frame and said.
However, the mayor had no intention of answering. He just watched Ron in silence. Ron found a place to sit down, and just as he was about to speak, the mayor interrupted.
“The evil god distorts their reason… I can’t allow such a thing to happen…”
“So, you freeze everyone and lock yourself up with them?” Ron casually remarked, “And then, not let anyone else come to this place afterward?”
The second silence that followed was the best answer.
Indeed, that’s what the mayor thought. Moreover, he knew it was unfair to those who had died, so he referred to himself as the mastermind.
“So, my conclusion is to grow old and die here.” Ron looked at the fireplace. “I hate the kind of person who, in the name of self-sacrifice, also forces others to sacrifice along with them the most.”
He packed his belongings and no longer intended to stay in this house. To be honest, Ron didn’t dislike noble people. However, he despised those who forced others to be noble.
The mayor struggled to lift his eyelids, looking at Ron. Of all the people previously trapped here, they either cursed him out or wanted to kill him. Ron was the first to react this way.
He couldn’t argue with Ron. Indeed, he was forcing others to sacrifice themselves as he did.
The snow-white squirrel on his lap grew anxious, emitting a low, rumbling sound. Anyone could see the disappointment in the mayor’s eyes as if Ron had uncovered something.
“Where are you going?” The mayor asked, watching Ron’s departing figure.
“Didn’t you say? If the magic you borrowed is removed, all problems will be solved,” Ron glanced at the mayor.
He did want to interrogate this mummy-like mayor, but after thinking for a while, he gave up. This mayor could endure the pain of being trapped in time to such an extent that Ron’s interrogation would be pointless.
“You’ll end up lost in this place in the end,” the mayor said, “No matter how hard you search, you won’t find a way out.”
“You’ll eventually come back here… so sit down…”
However, Ron ignored the guy and immersed himself in the cold wind. If destined to be trapped in this place, Ron might try his luck around. Regardless, it’s better than dealing with this mummy.
The mayor watched Ron gradually disappear into the wind, contemplating for a while.
He knew Ron would return to this place in a while, just like the people who had come before.
Powerful warriors, wise wizards, agile rangers…
Countless people entered this cage, but without exception, they were all trapped there, and the mayor witnessed the end of every one. Time made him look withered, yet it didn’t take his life, almost as if it intended for him to witness this as a witness.
Unlike before, Ron’s words made his movements more rigid.
The squirrel seemed to sense the discomfort in the mayor’s movements and turned its head worriedly. In the end, all it saw was the mayor’s numb, mechanical gaze.
“It’s fine… as long as you’re still here… nothing will change,” the mayor said in a hoarse voice.
Regardless of whether Ron eventually gave up or not, this Everwinter Town would remain unchanged.
