73 – Four Steps, Truly
The tower has fallen. The magic beasts that tormented people so much disappeared.
At last the world has regained a quiet peace. It won’t be forever, but at least everyone will have time to catch their breath, comfort those who left first, and rebuild the world together.
“Hooray! Hurray! Hurray!!”
From noble mtl dot com
The people immediately set out to find the hero who performed this miracle.
Actually, there was nothing difficult. Because there were only a few people who went to the tower and lived there.
Many of them were lucky enough to survive.
When the tower collapsed, those who entered first or later were fighting the demons.
Only one person bravely confronted the owner of the tower and eventually emerged victorious.
“Eleanor! Eleanor Celestine!”
“Hero! The hero who saved the world! The hero who destroyed the tower!”
Although she, too, barely returned with grievous wounds.
The achievement that no one has ever returned to has now been changed to defeating the owner of the tower.
You no longer have to hold your breath. You don’t have to tremble in fear of destruction.
The tower has collapsed, and the demon that used to play with the people who lived in it is no more.
Once again, the warm sunlight will come in and the fresh wind will return.
“… I didn’t do anything. Just, please don’t forget those who bravely walked that path first.”
In front of the people, Enlil left only those words.
Extremely indifferent. No, in a voice that should be considered dry.
Her
People who saw her up close tilted their heads wondering why she was like that.
Such a happy and hopeful day. From the day of her liberation she achieved.
But the question didn’t last long. Because the joy was too great.
The people’s joy at being liberated was quickly overshadowed by Enlil’s darkness.
It wasn’t because their minds weren’t right. Anyone would have.
Like Leon, Enlil couldn’t tell the truth.
Unless she opens her mouth, the world cannot understand her heart at all.
Knowing that, Enlil shut her mouth and she stepped back from her in the praise.
May everything be forgotten with time. I hope that the hazy memories inside it will be like that too.
*
“I don’t know what to do now.”
“The same goes for me.”
Instructor Edmund and Seria were sitting face to face drinking tea.
The academy of warriors no longer needs to be maintained as the tower collapses and the holy relics fall asleep.
If chaos strikes again someday, this place will wake up from its long slumber and resume its activities.
But not now. And the humans of this age, who live for a moment, will live in the age of light, not chaos, so there was no need.
“Since the Chief Instructor still has his skills, he should be able to go somewhere else, right?”
“If the saintess puts her heart to it, she can lead the Holy Knights.”
“I don’t think we’re going to leave the saintess outside the church when the monsters are gone.”
Seria grumbled that it was a problem even more because of this peculiar constitution.
When I was fighting demons, I only worked in places where there were no people at all.
Surely, no one cared what she was wearing.
Seria’s friends know her situation, so it’s natural.
However, the monsters that were defeated along with those friends are no longer there.
So most of them just need to go back to being priests.
You should be able to help those in need by wandering here and there while hiding the past.
“On the contrary, I am a saint. If you go out dressed like this, strange words will come out.”
Seria holds on to the thin cloth she is wearing and she shakes it several times.
Then, the thin clothes flutter around, revealing part of the woman’s skin inside her.
“Certainly, the members of the church must be embarrassed. It would be like me too.”
“It’s a big deal. Maybe she will be locked up in the church until she dies.”
“Some of her are already locked up.”
“… Okay.”
Compared to her, she said that she might be better than her.
After kicking her tongue, Seria remembered her teeth that Chief Instructor Edmund had mentioned.
“Have you heard any news?”
“The tower collapsed and disappeared after saying a few words to the people. Then I found him a while ago, but they don’t seem to be getting along very well.”
Enlil. She was currently living on her own.
No. It is ambiguous to even see that she lives through it. Because she doesn’t live as a person.
She just lives because her life is attached to it. She just remains because she can’t die.
Her
People from her hometown who were worse than her came and tried to take her away.
But she refused all the requests and she was left alone.
She’s as if if she goes back to her hometown she’ll see something she doesn’t want to see.
“I am afraid that this will cause problems with Enlil’s safety.”
No matter how brave he is, even if he defeated the owner of the tower.
Of course, if you treat your body carelessly, that body will be ruined.
A person who should live his whole life being praised by people shouldn’t be like that.
It’s frustrating because no matter how I try to persuade, the conversation doesn’t work.
Instructor Edmund sighed deeply over and over again.
“Instructor Leon should have been there at a time like this.”
Flinching―
Seria’s body shook violently for an instant. Anyone would have seen the move.
“I made a mistake,” Seria muttered to herself and looked at her in front of her.
If Chief Instructor Edmund noticed something strange and asked why, he would be quite tired.
Fortunately, he didn’t notice at all as he sighed deeply at the thought of Enlil.
Rather, seeing Seria looking at me, isn’t she asking what’s going on?
“The news from Instructor Leone… Is there none?”
“Unfortunately, yes. It suddenly disappeared somewhere. So she checked his room and said that something urgent had happened in his home country and he had no choice but to return. It is right to say it directly by looking at the face, but there is nothing I can do about it because I have no respect.”
It’s likely that this time it’s something related to her family.
Instructor Edmund, who had a memory of being victimized once, assumed that.
“….”
Seria, who knew her truth, was only nodding her head.
“Saintess.”
“Yes. Please speak.”
“I am really sorry, but… uh, maybe….”
I know roughly what Chief Instructor Edmund is trying to say.
It’s probably about asking what to do with Enlil. There is nothing else.
“It must be a request for Sister Enlil. Right?”
“… Sorry. I don’t want to ask you this, but except for Instructor Leon, the only person I’ve interacted with until recently is the saintess… I’m really sorry.”
“No. Rather, she was waiting for a favor.”
Seria is well aware of this man in front of her eyes.
She doesn’t get involved in pointless things and doesn’t bother people.
Even so, to the extent of making such a request means that Enlil’s condition is really at its worst.
You should try it once before it’s too late. And you have to look closely.
I haven’t overcome it yet, but I wonder if I can get up and move forward.
If that’s not the case, it’s been burnt out long ago and only ashes remain.
No matter what it was, seeing it with my own two eyes was my first priority.
*
Seria’s impression of Enlil was enough with just these words.
‘Not good.’
It’s usually not bad. This is just bad also the worst.
I heard that it was bad, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad.
“Are you here? Holy Maiden.”
Conversation is possible. I exist as a person. It’s not like I want to die.
But that’s all. I feel no reason to live at all.
Those dead eyes were empty enough to give goosebumps.
There was nothing in it, as if the soul had gone out.
Koo-wook
Biting her lip, the saintess approached Enlil’s side.
“Why are you doing this, sister? You can’t do this.”
“My work is done. Did a demon appear? Or is the tower back?”
“It’s not like that….”
“That’s it. It doesn’t matter.”
Even after that, Seria continued to watch Enlil near her for days and weeks.
And as a result, one conclusion only became more and more clear.
‘It can’t go on like this.’
I’ve seen a lot of people like that. Those who lost all their families, relatives, and friends to the demons.
They were the only ones who survived, and every day they cried, laughed like crazy, or lost their emotions altogether, and lived like corpses.
Then the end they all met was the same.
The most miserable place a human being who can’t stand it can go.
Perhaps the most cruel and foolish thing.
Now that I’ve reached that point, I can’t hesitate any longer.
I suddenly wondered if I was doing a good job, but didn’t he tell me?
If Enlil is about to be destroyed, then I ask you to step in.
“On the other side. What if Sister Enlil breaks down after hearing the truth?”
I used to question that. There were plenty of possibilities.
What if, with anger and hatred, he finally took his life, but in reality it was all lies?
I killed the person I love, but what kind of person can be fine?
“No. I won’t.”
The man, the one who wore the name Leon, the owner of the tower.
In a confident tone, I said this to Seria at the time.
“After you tell me the truth, go to the academy. Enlil, tell me to go to your room and see what’s in the second drawer under the desk. Then, to some degree, it will be okay.”
“So how are you so sure? I could lose my brother and even my sister….”
“Because Enlil is such a person.”
He said his last words with a wry smile.
“I will live for others rather than myself. Because you are a warrior. I will be criticized even more for asking too much, but… What do you think? I became a bad guy anyway, so I have to be a bit more selfish.”